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Review Article Volume 10 Issue 4
Platformization of education: algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, and critical education
Luan Tarlau Balieiro
Received: July 17, 2026 | Published: July 21, 2026
Citation: Balieiro LT. Platformization of education: algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, and critical education. Soc Int J. 2026;10(4):99-103. DOI: 10.15406/sij.2026.10.00466
Abstract
Digital platforms have profoundly transformed educational systems by reshaping teaching practices, learning environments, and institutional governance. This review article examines how platform capitalism and algorithmic governance have reconfigured education through processes of datafication, digital surveillance, and technological dependency. Drawing upon a qualitative bibliographic review grounded in contemporary critical literature, the study articulates contributions from Nick Srnicek’s theory of platform capitalism, Shoshana Zuboff’s surveillance capitalism, Neil Selwyn’s critical studies of educational technology, and recent discussions on digital sovereignty and educational governance. Four analytical dimensions emerged from the review: (i) the platformization of educational systems; (ii) algorithmic governance and educational data; (iii) digital sovereignty and technological dependence; and (iv) critical education within platform society. The analysis demonstrates that digital platforms have become infrastructures that simultaneously organize pedagogical practices, collect and monetize educational data, and influence institutional decisionmaking. Consequently, education increasingly operates under algorithmic rationalities that extend beyond technological mediation to reshape educational autonomy, public governance, and the production of knowledge. The article concludes that confronting these transformations requires strengthening digital sovereignty, promoting critical digital literacy, and developing public educational policies capable of balancing technological innovation with democratic values.
Keywords: platform capitalism, algorithmic governance, digital sovereignty, educational platforms
©2026 Balieiro. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.