Author(s): Bjarki Valtysson
Year of publication: 2020
Keywords: Personal data, Data subject, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Digital cultural politics, Algorithmic cultures
Methodology/Sample: _/_
Reference: Valtysson, B. (2020). Digital Cultural Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35234-9_3
Abstract
This chapter discusses how digital cultural politics combines elements of cultural, media and communication policies. It particularly engages with the concepts of convergence and converging regulation, and how this challenge established regulatory frameworks. The chapter further accounts for the complex context of digital cultural politics and how this relates to concepts, such as global media policy, algorithmic cultures, platform society and data politics. This chapter also takes an example of how the production and distribution of a YouTube video travels through different regulatory frameworks and creates various tensions in EU regulation. The chapter, therefore, provides an analysis of Google’s contractual agreements, focusing specifically on Google’s terms of service and privacy policy, and the EU’s regulatory frameworks on audiovisual media services, telecommunications and data protection (the GDPR).
> Summary
- The paper discusses digital cultural politics, focusing on cultural production, consumption, identity, and representation within regulatory infrastructures.
- It highlights the challenges of technological convergence on established regulatory frameworks and algorithmic cultures.
- The role of major tech companies in shaping platform societies and their impact on digital cultural politics is examined.
- The analysis includes a review of global media policy and key international institutions influencing user-generated content.
- Convergence affects both regulation and industry, emphasizing the complexity of digital cultural politics.
> Problem statement
- The paper discusses the challenges of regulating global services like YouTube within existing frameworks, which struggle to adapt to rapid technological changes.
- It highlights the tension between user privacy and the operational needs of platforms like Google, complicating regulatory compliance.
- The complexities of convergence in media policy are emphasized, affecting cultural production and consumption patterns.
- The discourse analysis reveals the intricate processes involved in EU legislative actions, influenced by various stakeholders.
- Overall, the paper addresses the inadequacy of current regulatory frameworks to effectively manage the evolving digital landscape.
> Methods used
- The analysis is based on textual documents from EU regulatory frameworks and Google’s privacy policies.
- Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis is employed, focusing on text, discourse practice, and social practice.
- The study identifies dominant discourses and places them in a broader societal context.
- The methods also involve examining intertextual chains and interdiscursive relations.
- The research discusses how technological convergence challenges established regulatory frameworks.
> Practical implications
- The paper discusses the challenges of regulatory frameworks in relation to digital cultural politics and convergence, impacting policy-making and industry practices.
- It highlights the need for clearer regulations on user-generated content, particularly for platforms like YouTube.
- The implications of GDPR on personal data management and user privacy are explored, affecting how companies operate within the EU.
- The analysis of algorithmic cultures and platform politics suggests a need for adaptive regulatory responses to technological advancements.
- The paper emphasizes the role of large tech companies in shaping platform societies, influencing cultural production and consumption.