As the Internet continues to evolve, new uses for digital communication tools like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube continue to increase beyond expectations, creating large global communities acting in concert for social, environmental, and even political change. Although a direct affront to authoritarian governments, this explosion of international online communities raises questions for nations like France and its policies to protect its own unique culture from outside invasion. Yet, as part of a trend toward globalization, scores of participating citizens are transcending France’s cultural borders to join these powerful online communities and in turn are bypassing established policies concerning the free flow of information, isolation, and protectionism. Cultural convergence theorists would see a potential fusion of cultures here that does not bode well for cultural protectionists, especially since the American culture would be predominant. American-centered Google and Facebook sites are the most visited in France. Google’s YouTube was the top-ranked video site in France, with 30.3 million people watching 2.3 billion videos online—in spite of concerns by French government officials who claim these particular sites have the strongest potential for American dominance and imperialism. Recent polls indicate that a majority of today’s youth—often referred to as “digital natives” who grew up with smartphones and wireless Internet connections—are creating and consuming online content on an international scale. 

Questions

1. Should nations like France protect their unique culture and still participate in the new global technological innovations? 

2. To what extent will cultural convergence take place?