Decolonising the internet: an introduction to the #AoIR2022 special issue

This paper introduces the 'Decolonising the Internet' themed special issue which includes research presented at the 23rd annual Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) conference (2022). The conference theme centred on decolonisation, highlighting the persistence of colonial practices but also the resistance they generate. Focusing on the internet as entailing colonial appropriations, reproducing inequalities, and foreclosing alternative ways of being, the conference theme asked participants to consider not only the ways in which the internet walks on the path forged by colonialism, but also how research practices are implicated in reinforcing the same exploitative patterns. This special issue includes seven papers that cover new and innovative approaches to studying decolonising the internet, including contexts related to LGBTQIA + digital spaces, neighbourhood and local surveillance, data colonialism, misinformation and conspiracies, and inclusion and access problems for Indigenous peoples. The papers in this issue also focus on various geographic locations in the Global South, including Africa, South America, and the Asia Pacific.

Automated summary

This paper introduces the special issue on 'Decolonising the Internet', which includes seven papers that examine the impact of colonialism. The papers employ innovative approaches to explore topics related to LGBTQIA+ digital spaces, neighborhood surveillance, data colonialism, misinformation, and inclusivity and access for Indigenous peoples. The special issue focuses on various geographic locations in the Global South.