Between Reproduction and Resistance: A Systematic Synthesis of Gendered Digital Dynamics and Algorithmic Agency

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization are fundamentally reshaping gender relations, acting simultaneously as mechanisms of marginalization and tools for empowerment. This systematic literature review explores this tension by synthesizing the dialectic between the technological reproduction of bias and human resistance. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 statement, we systematically searched the Scopus database (as of March 2026) using the exact phrase “gendered digital”. We analyzed 30 peer-reviewed articles (2015-2025) using a qualitative thematic approach. Our analysis reveals a polarized digital landscape. Algorithmic systems frequently encode traditional male perspectives and push female labor into precarious sectors. However, marginalized groups actively subvert these structures through digital activism and tactical algorithmic manipulation. We also identify a critical geographic divergence: the Global North prioritizes research on digital identity, whereas the Global South focuses on the material impacts of digital labor and entrepreneurship. Concluding that technology inherently mirrors societal power dynamics, we advocate for a shift toward Critical Algorithmic Feminism. We conceptually propose the Access Plus framework (extending traditional digital-divide theories) to emphasize the need for intersectional design and algorithmic transparency. Ultimately, this review offers a descriptive taxonomy of gendered digital dynamics (spanning representation, access, labor, and literacy) and provides practical policy propositions for gender-responsive AI auditing and inclusive digital literacy.