Increasing Transparency Through Metaphor Criticism

This article explores the critical role of digital metaphors in shaping users' understanding of emerging technologies and their impact on transparency. By analyzing the metaphor of “streaming,” it demonstrates how metaphors simplify complex systems but often obscure dimensions that are critical to deeper understanding. In the streaming case this includes factors such as the bidirectional flow of data, economic stratification in service quality, and privacy risks. The article introduces a three-step cognitive-hermeneutic methodology to evaluate digital metaphors: describing their semantic fields, analyzing their explanatory potential, and critiquing their biases and limitations. This approach helps reveal how metaphors influence user perceptions, often naturalizing technological practices while masking ethical concerns. The findings argue that metaphor criticism is essential for improving technological transparency, empowering users, and ensuring ethical integration of emergent technologies into society.