The Silence of the Digital Flock and the Decline of Western Democracy

In the digital age, monopolistic platforms control the flow of information, manipulating public discourse through algorithms and data mining, creating a “digital flock” devoid of critical reflection. This article analyzes how these dynamics, described as “surveillance capitalism,” erode Western democracy by fostering echo chambers, polarization, and disinformation, while Vietnam proactively builds a model of socialist democracy that prioritizes digital sovereignty and the public interest. From a Marxist perspective, it is argued that the concentration of power in the hands of digital oligarchs threatens informational autonomy, but the Vietnamese approach, based on regulations such as the Cybersecurity Law and the “Make in Vietnam” program, offers an alternative for the Global South, promoting a model of digital governance that balances freedom and discipline.