The difference is where power operates. Structural power is embedded in institutions, organizations, rules and systems, shaping what people can do before anyone openly gives an order. Direct power is exercised when a person or group deliberately influences or controls another actor's actions in a specific situation.
| Type of power | How it works | Digital Society example |
|---|---|---|
| Structural power | Embedded in rules, institutions or system design, shaping options and outcomes without a visible command. | A platform's terms of service and recommendation system determine which content is permitted, prioritized or visible. |
| Direct power | A visible actor intentionally makes a decision, gives an instruction or applies pressure to influence behaviour. | A moderator removes a post, or a government orders a platform to block specific content. |
A social media platform has structural power because user data, interface design and algorithmic ranking shape the conditions in which communication occurs. Users choose what to view, but the system influences their options and the visibility of different voices. The power is embedded in the digital system and its organization, not one employee's command.
By contrast, direct power occurs when the platform suspends a particular account, a government passes a law requiring data disclosure, or an advertiser pays to target a defined audience. The action and actor are easier to identify.
A common misconception is that structural power is less real because nobody appears to be exercising it. In fact, it can be more persistent because it operates routinely through rules, infrastructure and institutional arrangements. Direct actions may be shaped by these structures, while repeated direct decisions can reinforce them.
For IB Digital Society, this shared SL and HL distinction belongs to the concept of power. In an exam response, identify both the visible decision-maker and the underlying system shaping choices, access and outcomes. This demonstrates analysis rather than merely stating that one stakeholder is powerful.
