Data Colonialism

The Challenge

Data colonialism refers to the systematic extraction of data from populations in the Global South by technology companies predominantly based in the Global North, without adequate compensation, consent, or benefit-sharing. This practice creates new forms of economic dependency and exploitation that mirror historical colonial relationships. Key concerns include:

• Asymmetric Value Capture: Data generated by users in developing countries is extracted, processed, and monetized primarily by foreign corporations, with minimal economic return to the source communities.
• AI Training Exploitation: Large language models and AI systems are trained on cultural knowledge, languages, and creative works from Global South communities without attribution or compensation.
• Regulatory Arbitrage: Weaker data protection laws in developing countries are exploited to enable data practices that would be illegal in companies' home jurisdictions.
• Digital Dependency: The relationship creates technological dependency where Global South countries become consumers of AI and digital services built with their own data, rather than developers of sovereign technological capacity.

Our Approach

The Global Tech Governance Institute takes a justice-oriented approach to addressing data colonialism:

• Data Justice Frameworks: Developing principles and governance models for equitable data collection, use, and value distribution across borders.
• Economic Analysis: Quantifying the value of data extracted from different regions and proposing fair compensation mechanisms for data creators and communities.
• Policy Development: Working with governments in the Global South to develop data sovereignty policies that protect their citizens' data rights while enabling beneficial innovation.
• Alternative Models: Researching and promoting alternative data governance models such as data trusts, cooperatives, and commons that enable more equitable value distribution.

Current Initiatives

Our work in this area currently includes:

• Global Data Value Observatory: A research initiative tracking cross-border data flows and quantifying the economic value generated from data extraction across regions.
• Data Sovereignty Policy Network: A collaborative network of policymakers from Global South countries developing coordinated approaches to data governance and value capture.
• Fair AI Training Consortium: A multi-stakeholder initiative developing standards and mechanisms for fair compensation when AI systems are trained on cultural knowledge and data.
• Community Data Governance Toolkit: Resources for communities to establish collective governance over their data and negotiate more equitable terms with technology companies.