EPISTEMIC INJUSTICE AND THE INTERNET: TESTIMONY AND THE DYNAMICS OF ONLINE KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

This treatise focuses on an issue in social epistemology-epistemic injustice. There is no gainsaying in asserting the fact that the internet, as a global platform for information exchange, has transformed the landscape of knowledge sharing. However, while it promises inclusivity and access, it often deepens epistemic disparities. This paper examines how epistemic injustice manifests in online environments, especially through the suppression of marginalized testimonies, the reinforcement of credibility biases by algorithms, and the uneven distribution of collective epistemic resources. Leveraging theories by Fricker, Medina, Dotson, and others, the study interrogates how testimonial and hermeneutical injustices persist or evolve in digital settings. It further analyzes the social politics of credibility in algorithmic systems, the construction of online collective knowledge, and the possibility of epistemic solidarity. Epistemic solidarity implies the collective practice of standing with and supporting others in their struggles against epistemic injustice. This is achieved through actively validating, amplifying and sharing their knowledge and experiences. The paper concludes with practical and philosophical recommendations for building a more epistemically just internet. The latter is digital spaces where knowledge construction, access and sharing are organized to minimize bias, recognize diverse voices and equitably distribute integrity to enable all users participate without facing epistemic exclusion or marginalization.