ISSN: 1550-7521
ISSN: 1550-7521
Lina Haverg*
Department of Computer Science & Center for Computational Thinking and Design, Aarhus University, Denmark
Received: 01-Apr-2025; Manuscript No. gmj-25-168155; Editor assigned: 03-Apr- 2025; Pre QC No. gmj-25-168155 Reviewed: 16-Apr-2025; QC No. gmj-25-168155; Revised: 21-Apr-2025; Manuscript No. gmj-25-168155 (R); Published: 28-Apr-2025, DOI: 10.36648/1550-7521.23.74.493
Citation: Haverg L (2025) Technocriticism and Media Power in the Digital Age: Navigating TechnologyâÂÂs Influence on Society. Global Media Journal, 23:74.
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As digital technologies increasingly permeate every facet of modern life, from social interactions to political discourse, the need for critical examination of technology’s role in society has never been greater [1]. This is the realm of technocriticism—an interdisciplinary approach that scrutinizes the cultural, social, and political implications of technology, particularly media technologies, in shaping power relations and public consciousness. In the digital age, media power is amplified through platforms, algorithms, and data flows that influence what information circulates and who gets heard. This article explores the principles of technocriticism [2], the nature of media power today, and the challenges and opportunities they present for democratic societies.
Understanding Technocriticism
Technocriticism involves a critical lens on technology beyond its functional or economic value, emphasizing how technologies mediate human experiences, shape ideologies, and reinforce or challenge power structures. Rooted in fields such as media studies [3], cultural theory, and science and technology studies (STS), technocriticism questions:
How do technological systems affect social interactions and cultural norms?
Who controls technological infrastructures, and whose interests do they serve?
What biases and inequalities are embedded in digital media and algorithms [4]?
How can society harness technology for emancipatory ends rather than domination?
Media Power in the Digital Age
Media power refers to the capacity of media technologies and institutions to influence public opinion, social norms, and political outcomes. In the digital age [5], this power manifests uniquely:
Algorithmic gatekeeping: Algorithms determine visibility, shaping what news, opinions, and content users encounter. These opaque systems can perpetuate biases and limit diverse perspectives.
Platform dominance: Major digital platforms (e.g., Facebook, Google, Twitter) control key infrastructures, wielding significant influence over information dissemination and user behavior.
Surveillance and data control: Media power includes data collection practices that enable targeted advertising, behavioral prediction, and even social control [6].
Network effects and viral spread: The rapid circulation of information—and misinformation—amplifies media influence on public discourse and political polarization.
Technocritical Perspectives on Media Power
Technocriticism urges us to question the neutrality of digital media and to analyze how power operates through technology:
Disembedding and reembedding: Digital media disembed social interactions from physical contexts, reembedding [7] them in new virtual environments governed by platform logics and commercial interests.
Normalization of surveillance: The pervasive monitoring embedded in digital media is normalized, challenging traditional notions of privacy and autonomy.
Digital divides: Technocriticism highlights inequalities in access and digital literacy that affect who can participate meaningfully in digital public spheres.
Resistance and agency: While technologies can reinforce power asymmetries, technocriticism also explores how users and communities resist, repurpose, or subvert media power [8].
Implications for Society and Democracy
Technocriticism provides tools for understanding the stakes of media power in democratic societies:
Critical media literacy: Empowering citizens to recognize media manipulation [9], algorithmic bias, and corporate agendas is essential for informed participation.
Regulatory frameworks: Addressing platform accountability, data privacy, and transparency in algorithms is vital to mitigate abuses of media power.
Alternative media and open platforms: Supporting diverse, decentralized media ecosystems counters monopolistic media control and fosters pluralism [10].
Ethical design: Advocating for technology that prioritizes social good, inclusivity, and user rights challenges dominant commercial models.
In the digital age, technocriticism shines a vital spotlight on the intricate relationship between technology, media, and power. As media technologies increasingly mediate our social and political realities, understanding and challenging the power structures embedded within them becomes a democratic imperative. By critically engaging with the design, deployment, and consequences of digital media, societies can work toward more equitable, transparent, and participatory digital futures—where technology serves as a tool for empowerment rather than control.
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