The interesting semi-pejorative name I've been seeing thrown around in the political circles recently is Big Tech. I think there are some rogue marketers out there somewhere who are just having a heyday coming up with all the various ways to tear down others by labeling them negatively instead of using creative words to positively build up one's own brand. But this latest is a very interesting turn.
Social media in all its various shapes and forms is the tool many people use to communicate these days, especially if you're looking at groups of people who are united by a common interest but who may not have a normal face to face relationship. Early social media was a way for people who knew each other to keep in contact with each other. As social media grew and expanded, it became more and more a tool for people who didn't already know each other through family, friends, school, work, or otherwise to make connections. This was a powerful shift but also one that has been able to foment conspiracy theories and provoke actions that polite society might normally disapprove of.
As conspiracies and provocations have abounded, so-called Big Tech has been called upon or chosen of their own accord to start trying to filter illegal or inappropriate behavior. They have always tried to put themselves in a place of being a neutral communication channel who is not responsible for what other people use their networks for. As they have started to crack down on those committing illegal acts using their services, the call has started to appear for the need to take a few of the large, powerful technology companies to be split up a la Ma Bell. Such a breakup may be called for, but the breakup of AT&T's phone monopoly in the 80s is different than what we're seeing now.
Fox News reports on how Big Tech companies are helping to preserve data from rioters and other extremists who posted their activities online and are now trying to delete the evidence. The funny thing is that the article makes it sound like the social media companies are doing something special by preserving that data, but I've always taken it as common knowledge that social media companies never actually delete anything. If you say you want to delete something, it may make it invisible to you and others, but it's always going to be archived somewhere that it could be pulled up again if needed or for the company who owns your data to be able to mine and build your profile. If anything, that is more information about you, knowing that you posted something and then deleted it.
The main issue that people seem to have is that they are claiming that their rights are violated by having their hate speech or violence or otherwise illegal behaviors shut down. They think by breaking up these large tech companies who can currently limit social media behaviors or websites and app stores that host various content, the ability of any given company to lock out a law breaker or rioter will be diminished. The only other option they have is to move to dark web communication tools. How ironic that those who claim they are trying to do what is moral and right will end up having to hide underground as their misdeeds are published to the world.
