Abstract
This study examines how democratic governance structures influence digital cultural expression across five continents through the lens of media technologies. Using machine learning algorithms to analyze digital art and online cultural artifacts, this research investigates how AI can decode human perceptions, emotions, and expressions of democratic values embedded in digital media. The paper presents a comparative analysis of digital cultural patterns from representative nations with varying democratic frameworks, exploring how political systems shape the technological mediation of cultural expression. Through automated content analysis of digital artworks, social media expressions, and online cultural productions, we demonstrate how machine learning technologies can reveal underlying democratic sentiments and cultural values that traditional analysis might overlook. Our AI-driven methodology employs computer vision and natural language processing to interpret visual and textual elements in digital culture, mapping correlations between democratic governance indicators and patterns of digital expression. It employs a mixed-methods computational approach utilizing both R and Python programming environments within RStudio’s integrated development platform. The research addresses how media technologies both reflect and reshape democratic discourse in the digital age. Findings suggest that AI technologies can serve as powerful tools for understanding the intersection of democracy, culture, and digital media, while raising important questions about algorithmic interpretation of human expression and the role of technology in mediating democratic participation.
Presenters
Maria BurnsDirector, Technology Leadership & Innovation Management, Information Science Technology, University of Houston, Texas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Digital democracy; Algorithmic culture; Cultural expression; Machine learning; Computer vision
