Exploitation and digital citizenship in the digital age

We are becoming digital. As we reach digital technologies and gain access to digital channels, we become part of the information circulation network; we share and engage in sharing. We think there is nothing we are unaware of or do not know, and we feel relieved. Some even point out that, thanks to this, all people in the world are now world citizens in addition to being citizens of their own countries. 

Citizen is a concept with a very deep meaning. Beyond being a citizen or an individual, there is a very heavy area of responsibility. A citizen is an individual who has a say in many matters within the realm of identity-based belonging, participates in decision-making processes, and can intervene in structural and functional processes in some way. A citizen is an individual who is sound-minded, possesses intellectual competence, and is conscious of the course of the country and the world in which they live. Let us recall the ancient Greek city-states. There, the most important of the societal layers, ranging from slaves to the ruling elite, consisted of citizens. Because citizens voted, and those who wanted to be elected to administrative positions engaged in various persuasion efforts to win the votes of the citizens. The famous thinker Aristotle's work titled Rhetoric has also gone down in intellectual literature as a political communication study in this respect. 

In that case, can we call the individuals of a digitizing world digital citizens? After all, since every kind of information, news-gathering process, or informatics interaction takes place on digital channels, it would not be wrong to call them digital citizens. When we say interaction, it should be understood as being mutually active. 

However, on the other hand, when we take a general look at human history, it can be said that decision-making processes are mostly, or even entirely, managed by the powerful segments of society, and that regardless of what they are called—citizens or otherwise—they are made to appear as if they are included in the process, while in reality, they express their tendencies through the options presented to them or can only be active within the boundaries of the space opened to them. For example, in ancient city democracies, which are defined as examples of true democracy, the votes of citizens, who made up a small segment of society, were sought, but those who were candidates for administration always came from among the noble elite of society. It was impossible for a citizen to determine a candidate for administration from among themselves. 

Let us come to the issue of world citizenship in our age. With the opportunities provided by digital technologies, people living in various parts of the world can be aware of each other, engage in informatics interaction, and share information at various levels. However, it is also necessary to ask what the quality of the accessed and shared information is and what its place in our lives is. 

There is a constant flow of information on digital channels. Access is provided, it is known, it is received, but the question of what it is useful for is doubtful. When there is a need for useful information, whether scientific or related to life, it is not possible to find it in open access. I must say that the informatics flow in open access is a kind of distraction, entertainment, amusement, and a complete waste of time. While world citizens are kept busy on digital channels, the world's rulers continue their exploitation-oriented governance and sovereignty. 

No matter what age we are in, no matter what it is called, the course of the world/humanity takes place through the relationship between the exploiter and the exploited. Hegel's "master-slave" dialectic continues to operate in every age, changing its form. With humanity's transition to settled life, the order of exploitation that began through land ownership has evolved into ownership of machines with industrialization, ownership of capital with the establishment of the capitalist system, and with the transition to the information-oriented era and digitalization, it has evolved into data colonialism. 

Therefore, the form of exploitation in today's world takes place through data. In our age, which is called digitalization, whoever owns these technologies, whoever produces and operates these technologies, holds the sovereignty. There are channels that cannot be accessed, far beyond the channels that are accessed. It is necessary to think about where and to what extent the information flowing from channels accessed without paying any fee is used in life. Therefore, there is no need to be captivated by the charm of this superficial area of freedom. 

Humanity is progressing. Eras are changing. However, it should not be ignored that this progress is technology-oriented. It is necessary to think about whether there is progress in the name of human values. Is technological progress and capital growth the development of humanity, or is it the changing form of exploitation relations? Is it even possible to say that information-oriented progress makes exploitation relations much easier?

But it is possible to change the direction of this course. First of all, one must be aware of the course. It is necessary to analyze the dynamics of the operation very well. Instead of being intoxicated by developments such as accessing technology, surfing the internet, video chatting with the whole world via smartphones, and facilitating daily life with artificial intelligence, we need to look at where we stand in production. Since the control of exploitation is in the hands of those who manage production processes, one must strive to be involved in the production process. Societies that produce and manage production prefer to strengthen and maintain the order of exploitation for their own interests. Therefore, first of all, as a country, it is necessary to change the route from being a user to being a producer. 

As individuals, we must also realize our position as users and consumers, develop our intellectual activity, and change our route to take an active role in production processes. This is also a requirement of citizenship. 

First, to be a conscious human being, and then a true citizen. For the digital age to truly turn into informatics interaction, consciousness, awareness, and being an active individual are important. Being a digital citizen also requires this.