The data subject and the myth of the ‘black box’ data communication and critical data literacy as a resistant practice to platform exploitation

ABSTRACT

This conceptual paper explores the role of communication around data practices of Big Tech companies. By critiquing communication practices, we argue that Big Tech platforms shape users into data subjects through framing, influencing behaviour, and the black-boxing of algorithms. We approach communication about data from three perspectives: (1) current data communication constructs reductive data identities for users and contributes to the colonization of daily routines; (2) by strategically deploying the black box metaphor, tech companies try to legitimize abuses of power in datafication processes; (3) the logic in which communication is mediated through the interfaces of Big Tech platforms is normalizing this subjectification. We argue that critical data literacy can foster individual resilience and allows users to resist exploitative practices, but this depends on transparent communication. The opposite seems standard among tech companies that obfuscate their data practices. Current commercial appropriations of data ethics need to be critically assessed against the background of increasing competition in the digital economy.

KEYWORDS:

• Data communication
• data practices
• Big Tech
• data identities
• critical data literacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek.

Notes on contributors

Dennis Nguyen

Dr. Dennis Nguyen is Assistant Professor for Digital Literacy and Digital Methods at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He holds a PhD in Media, Culture & Society from the University of Hull (UK). His main research interests are critical data studies, public discourses on datafication, digital culture, and empirical methods for media research.

Bjorn Beijnon

Bjorn Beijnon is a PhD candidate at the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam, and a lecturer at the Institute for Communication, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. His interest lies in digital subjectification by big tech companies through attentional capturing. He has published articles on numerous topics, varying from the visuality of consciousness to the appliance of smartwatches. Through cultural analyses, Deleuzian theory and media ethnographies, he currently studies how digital platforms subjectify their users in contemporary surveillance cultures, with a focus on online conspiracy theories on Facebook and techniques of resistance by DuckDuckGo users.