"Digital Energetics argues that media and energy require joint theorization-not only in their potential to universalize but also in the many contingent and intermeshed relations that they bind together across contemporary informational and fossil regimes. The coauthors analyze how data and energy have jointly modulated the character of the materiality and labor of digital systems in a warming world"-- Provided by publisher
This book provides a critical examination of how Canada's pro-oil movement has utilized social media to reshape perceptions of the extractive economy. Adapting the concept of astroturfing, which involves disguising corporate campaigns as grassroots efforts, the text reveals the implications of the interplay between social media and environmental politics. Since the early 2010s, a growing network of pro-oil groups has employed social media strategies originally crafted by independent environmental organizations to counteract opposition to the fossil fuel industry. This phenomenon is situated within the broader context of oil culture wars stemming from contemporary right-wing media. The book details how these coalitions aim to reframe oil extraction as beneficial on social, economic, and ecological fronts. By exposing these coordinated attempts to shape the "energy consciousness," the author highlights the stark contrast between Canada's environmentally progressive image and the economic interests of its government and private sectors. Furthermore, it emphasizes the structural limitations of social media in fostering environmental justice and achieving a more equitable future.