In session 1 of TNI's Digital Capitalism course, we ask how is digitalisation shaped by capitalism and how is digitalisation shaping capitalism? Is data today’s most important commodity? What will be the impact of algorithms for social movements? How is digitalisation impacting on labour and the environment?
Masterclass with Cory Doctorow, science fiction novelist, journalist and technology activist and co-author of Chokepoint Capitalism, Gurumurthy Kasinathan, director of IT for Change and coordinator of 'Public AI for School Education' project in Kerala,India, and Sofia Scasserra, TNI researcher on digital trade and digital advisor to the international trade union movement.
00:00 Introduction
03:13 Introduction to the Course Program
04:35 Introducing the Course Organisers: Nick Buxton, Sofia Scasserra, Pia Garavaglia, Jess Graham
05:20 Open-source policy of the TNI
06:06 Introduction to the Module for Week 1: What is Digital Capitalism?
06:50 Introduction of experts: Guru Kasinathan, Sofia Scasserra and Cory Doctorow
07:49 Introduction of Cory Doctorow
08:42 Introduction of Gurumurthy Kasinathan
09:44 Introduction of Sofia Scasserra
11:00 How do you define digital capitalism?
11:17 Three main characteristics of digital capitalism
18:26 Digital technologies fuel capitalism
22:24 Technologies are a social construct that can be changed if we demand it
30:05 Platforms themselves aren't inherently bad. It's the commercial ownership structure that can be problematic.
33:29 Enshittification is a reason why platforms decay.
42:27 The role of colonization in digital capitalism
48:28 Social media's rise is linked to concerns about its harm to mental health and its platforms' manipulative tactics.
52:56 Opening of the Q&A.
55:00 What are the differences between capitalism and digital capitalism? How to regulate social media platforms?
58:00 How does prosecution of one company in one country apply to the company in other countries? Why AI cannot actually do your job? Who benefits from this lie?
01:05:44 How corporations are trying to convince you not to fight for your labor rights?
01:10:48 Why do we need political regulations on AI to moderate the job market?
01:14:26 Why are good governance and evidence-based policy incompatible with monopolies?
01:21:30 How to oppose digital capitalism?
01:24:10 How can the internet help mobilize people to take collective action?
01:27:55 Why should states take on greater accountability for regulating corporations at local, national, and international levels?
01:29:11 Wrap-Up