The digital revolution has dramatically transformed international communication, with social media emerging as both a conduit of global dialogue and a catalyst of socio-political change. In the developing world, these platforms are reshaping governance, activism, identity, and public discourse. While the promises of connectivity, inclusivity, and real-time engagement offer hope, the pitfalls of disinformation, digital imperialism, and social polarization cast long shadows.
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In the past, international communication was largely shaped by state-owned media, international broadcasters, and diplomatic channels. Information followed a vertical hierarchy: governments spoke, and citizens listened. Today, platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and WhatsApp have overturned that paradigm. With smartphones in hand, even a farmer in rural Kenya or a student in rural Sindh can join a global dialogue, challenging narratives once controlled by a handful of media conglomerates.
This transformation is a double-edged sword. While it democratizes speech, it also opens floodgates to unfiltered content, digital manipulation, and cultural domination. The developing countries are already struggling with literacy gaps, weak institutions, and political volatility. Consequently, this influx of unmoderated global content often lacks contextual filters, leading to socio-political unrest, erosion of local cultures, and vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks and misinformation.
In addition, the digital revolution has altered the very nature of activism in the Global South. Movements that once depended on street protests, leaflets, and underground publications are now organized through hashtags, viral videos, and encrypted chats. For instance, #EndSARS in Nigeria, #MeToo in India, and #SaveSheikhJarrah in Palestine demonstrate how social media can mobilize transnational solidarity within hours. Yet, this “hashtag activism” often suffers from short-lived momentum, as online outrage fades more quickly than structural reforms are achieved. Moreover, the dominance of English and other global languages in digital activism risks excluding rural populations or those with limited literacy, thereby reproducing inequalities even within progressive struggles.
First, social media has decentralized the power of communication. For instance, in the developing world, where traditional media often reflect elite or state-controlled interests, platforms like YouTube, Facebook Live, and X empower ordinary citizens. According to a GSMA report (2023), over 520 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa now have mobile internet access, up from 240 million in 2018. Similarly, in countries like Pakistan, Egypt, and Nigeria, bloggers and digital activists now hold considerable influence in shaping public opinion and exposing corruption. Although these platforms democratize speech, they do not guarantee the quality or truthfulness of content.
Second, the absence of rigorous editorial standards on social media has made it a fertile ground for disinformation. For instance, a UNESCO study (2022) found that false news travels six times faster on social media than factual news. Additionally, The Rohingya genocide in Myanmar and mob lynchings in India were partly driven by hate speech and fabricated narratives spread on Facebook and WhatsApp, respectively.
Similarly, in the developing world, where digital literacy is often low, citizens are less likely to verify sources, making them vulnerable to manipulation. Therefore, this undermines democratic processes, as seen during elections in Kenya (2017) and the Philippines (2022), where algorithm-driven disinformation campaigns influenced outcomes.
Third, social media is often driven by content norms developed in Western contexts. The algorithms used by TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube prioritize viral and attention-oriented content, which often reflects Euro-American aesthetic, linguistic, and cultural values. As evidence, a 2021 Pew Research Centre report found that 67% of social media content consumed in the Global South is produced in the Global North. Consequently, this creates what scholars call “digital cultural imperialism,” where local values, languages, and traditions are sidelined in favour of globalized standards. While cultural exchange is not inherently problematic, the imbalance in representation can lead to cultural homogenization and a crisis of identity among youth.
Moreover, social media platforms have created new avenues for economic growth in developing countries. Influencer marketing, content creation, e-commerce, and freelance gigs offer livelihoods previously unimaginable. For example, in Nigeria, the digital economy contributes 18.5% to the GDP (Nigerian Communications Commission, 2023). Also, in Pakistan, freelance digital exports exceeded $400 million in 2022, with much of the activity revolving around content creation and social platforms.
The irony is that while local creators generate large volumes of content, they earn only a fraction of platform revenues, which go to corporations headquartered in the West. Furthermore, these platforms extract user data for free and monetize it globally, a form of neo-colonialism that strips developing nations of digital sovereignty.
Next, another major concern is the widening digital divide within the developing world itself. While urban elites in cities like Cairo, Karachi, or Lagos actively participate in the global digital economy, millions in rural or marginalized communities remain excluded due to poor internet access, high internet costs, or low digital literacy. According to the World Bank (2022), nearly 37% of the world’s population has never used the internet, with the majority residing in Asia and Africa. This gap means that the benefits of connectivity are unevenly distributed, creating “digital haves and have-nots.” Consequently, rather than bridging inequalities, social media sometimes reinforces existing socio-economic hierarchies, as those with better access to technology accumulate influence, income, and opportunities at the expense of the disconnected majority.
Last, in many developing countries, the same tools that empower the public are also used to suppress dissent. Authoritarian regimes use social media for surveillance, censorship, and narrative control. For instance, in Iran, Sudan, and Ethiopia, governments have frequently shut down the internet or blocked social media during protests or elections. Moreover, in Pakistan, the 2023 temporary ban on X during elections raised alarms about free speech and media freedom.
Meanwhile, platforms often comply with authoritarian demands to avoid market restrictions, turning a blind eye to violations of human rights. Thus, social media becomes not just a tool of liberation but also of repression.
The influence of social media in the developing world is a complex dialectic, liberating yet limiting, democratic yet hierarchical. While the platforms promise inclusion, their operational frameworks often reinforce global inequalities. Moreover, the algorithms are opaque, content policies are inconsistently applied, and most importantly, the developing world remains a consumer rather than a producer, of both digital infrastructure and narrative framing. Thus, until local governments, civil societies, and tech companies establish ethical regulations, inclusive policies, and digital literacy programs, the promise of social media will remain deeply flawed and unevenly distributed.
However, equally significant is the question of digital governance. Most developing nations rely on external corporations and international institutions for cyber regulations, platform accountability, and digital taxation. This dependency undermines state sovereignty, as decisions about data privacy, content moderation, or monetization are often made in Silicon Valley or Brussels rather than Islamabad, Addis Ababa, or Dhaka. Scholars argue that this creates a “regulatory vacuum,” where the developing countries are consumers of rules, not co-authors of them. Unless regional alliances such as the African Union, SAARC, or ASEAN develop indigenous frameworks for digital governance, the Global South will remain reactive rather than proactive in shaping its digital future.
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To conclude, in the internet age, social media has redefined the way in which the developing world communicates with itself and the globe. Moreover, it has broken down traditional gatekeeping, empowered voices, and created economic opportunities. Yet, it has also unleashed new threats: disinformation, digital imperialism, and state surveillance. Meanwhile, for the developing countries, the challenge lies in leveraging these platforms responsibly, maximizing their potential while minimizing their harms. Therefore, it is essential to establish a digital framework rooted in equity, sovereignty, and informed participation. Thus, only then can international communication serve as a bridge, not a battleground, in the developing world’s journey through the digital age.
