Platform Interfaces and Gendered Design in Postcolonial Cities: Toward Cultural Sustainability and Ethical Algorithmic Futures

Authors

  • Zhuowei Li University of Zurich,Zurich, Switzerland Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64229/eyac1567

Keywords:

Gendered Algorithms, Platform Cultures, Postcolonial Media, Digital Sustainability, Ethical AI, Inclusive Design, Cultural Transformation

Abstract

This paper is discussing how gendered assumptions could be found in the platform interface design, especially under the context of postcolonial digital environment. The research, mainly based on interpretive method and also some interaction simulations, takes examples from mobile platforms in places like Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore. It is trying to find out how different design elements—color, gestures, algorithm of personalization, etc.—are making the digital behaviors of users become normalized in some invisible but effective way.

In this case, interface is not just a tool. It is a cultural thing, and the way it works can be ideological. The study used visual analysis together with experimental design methods. One finding is that gender shows up not directly but through small details. Some personalization strategies, for example, do not always support the user, but sometimes silently limit them.

This article tries to offer a contribution to feminist tech studies and also platform research in general. The idea is to see interface design as something not only technical but also connected to power and also cultural control.

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Published

2025-08-06

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