Since the early days of the internet there have been questions about how emerging technologies
might one day liberate or further harm communities of color that already face structural
inequalities of racism. As reliance on computing technologies increases it is also important
to address questions about racial bias in the design of digital platforms labor inequalities
in tech industries and digital surveillance on Black and Brown communities. This textbook
provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory and research on race and digital media.
Focusing on the experiences of people of color in the United States it explores the various
ways that racism and white supremacy have shaped aspects of our digital world - from the
infrastructures and policies that support technological development to algorithms and the
collection of data to the interfaces that shape engagement. Yet it also reveals how
communities of color have deployed digital media in ways that expand the public sphere contest
the status quo and give voice to creativity and joy. Race and Digital Media provides an
essential resource for students of communication media technology and society. It shows how
to make sense of our ever-changing digital media landscape in a way that centers the continued
impact of institutionalized racism and the potential for anti-racist futures.
