The ultimate question is how will we use technology? Can we exit the isolation of screaming alone in a closed room or preaching to the choir in a cacophony of repetitive echo chambers in a World at War with ideas?
Shahzaib Raja presented a comprehensive talk on the internet and democracy. Forty four million now use the internet in Pakistan, and the President of the USA uses Twitter as a primary medium to share policy statements. The core reading was by Jake Shenker and is a commentary on the phenomenon of the Tahrir Square Revolution. Events were triggered among other things by the shut-down of the internet in January 2011 to quash dissent against the Egyptian government. The internet brought people together. Although the system in Egypt was entirely Capitalist Tahrir Square created an egalitarian community from all walks of life.
Political dialogues are facilitated by the internet and political workers know that it is a place rife with opposing opinions. Technology is ideally just a tool that can be used in a better way to unify more people and broaden the conversation rather than just creating alienated or vehemently opposing groups through echo chambers. The question of agenda setting arises in who or which algorithm decides what we see at the top of search results or our newsfeeds.
According to Stephen Hawking, the problem of society is capitalism, not robots. “If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed.” Facebook and Google present themselves as though they have no agenda of their own whereas data mining and surveillance are huge consequences.
Disappointment in capitalism leads to a democratic rupture; when people are disillusioned by the authoritarian populists who are in fact fascist take advantage of the situation. One example of this in Pakistan was the alleged voting fraud in the last elections.
The internet also reflects the disappointment of many people due to rampant materialism and capitalism. The system is telling you that the GDP and financial well-being are increasing but this is obviously not the case for most.
Shahzaib addressed the growing problem of confirmation bias whereby search and newsfeed algorithms basically only give you a feedback loop of ideas that you already approve of and agree with. Things that you like or search for. This creates Echo Chambers which are basically sharing of the exact same ideas within a like-minded community that just repeats or echoes the sentiments of the group without any opposing viewpoint. Only the people who like your views will see them and vice versa.
The speed of sharing has also given rise to “fake news”. The Iraq War and so many that preceded it are evidence that lies have always been there in society. Democracy works for some as shown by election politics; examples include President Trump and Brexit. Disappointment in capitalism leads to a democratic rupture; when people are disillusioned by the authoritarian populists who are in fact fascist take advantage of the situation. One example of this in Pakistan was the alleged voting fraud in the last elections.
Technology does not change society but reflects it, said Shahzaib. The internet creates an ideological group or tribe of people that are not necessarily connected in traditional ways but share a philosophy.
Comrade Yameen discussed the crucial dilemma of respectfully and palatably presenting our ideas to those who may be so opposed to them that they don’t even wish to listen.
Alia Amir Ali pointed out that for many their activism or politics occurs superficially only in the realm of cyberspace; she also reminded that one of the dangerous issues of social media is surveillance tracking and thought and speech policing via legislation such as the Cyber Crime Act. It can be good to be “off the grid” but it is also essential to be part of the arena of global ideas.
Waqas Malik shared that there have been some social media successes. The I-11 katchiabadi evictions were one topic that social media was able to create awareness and empathy about and ultimately also lead to Suo Moto notice by the apex court.
Amna Mawaz agreed about social media successes and reminded that the recovery and return of activists like Salman Haider, Ahmed Waqass Goraya and Asim Saeed was in some part due to the ruckus created by activists on- and offline at their disappearance. Abductions of activists by the State have become an increasing problem including the disappearances (and returns) from Karachi University this week.
Ammar Rashid asserted that the internet is not essentially capitalist. It was created by governments with tax payer money and cautioned against the tendency of being luddites (anti-technology) and raised concerns about net neutrality.
Dr. Aasim Sajjad summed up that despite the obvious needed work of offline implementation the internet is very much here in Pakistan and must be used effectively, and not begrudgingly, as there is no debate about how essential it has become for our whole society.