Digital systems can both enable and constrain the exercise of power. Their effect depends on who controls the system, whose participation it supports, and how institutions, rules, data, and algorithms shape its use.
In IB Digital Society, power is a person’s or group’s capacity to influence or control the actions of others. Power is structural, embedded within institutions, organizations, and governments, and is not equally distributed. Digital systems can redistribute power, but they can also reinforce existing inequalities.
| How power is enabled | How power is constrained |
|---|---|
| Social platforms allow individuals and communities to organize, publish information, and challenge institutions. | Platforms control visibility through recommendation algorithms, moderation policies, and account restrictions. |
| Access to data can help citizens scrutinize governments and organizations. | Data collection can strengthen institutional monitoring, profiling, and behavioural influence. |
| Digital networks allow marginalized communities to coordinate across geographical borders. | Uneven access, censorship, and limited digital literacy can exclude people from participation. |
A useful real-world example is the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica case. System: Facebook collected and processed user data, while algorithms supported targeted content delivery. Example specifics: Cambridge Analytica obtained data associated with millions of Facebook users and used psychological profiles to support political advertising before the practice became publicly known in 2018.
Impacts and implications: Political campaigners gained opportunities to target particular voters, while users had limited knowledge or control over how their data was used. The case implies that digital platforms may enable political participation and communication while concentrating power among organizations able to access data, algorithms, and advertising infrastructure.
Concepts: Power was unevenly distributed between users, Facebook, data analysts, and political campaigns. The case also raises questions about values and ethics, particularly informed consent, privacy, and accountability.
For both SL and HL exams, avoid claiming that digital systems are inherently empowering or oppressive. For an AO3 command term such as discuss, present both effects, compare at least two stakeholder groups, explain a specific real-world example, and reach a supported, balanced conclusion.
