Tech billionaires want to ‘overthrow democracy’ with social media, Spain PM Sánchez says
Tech billionaires want to ‘overthrow democracy’ with social media, Spain PM Sánchez says
“The technology that was intended to free us has become the tool of our own oppression.”
Summary
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez claimed tech billionaires are using social media to undermine democracy by exploiting algorithms to spread disinformation and manipulate society for personal agendas.
He criticized platforms for fostering division, undermining democratic processes, and concentrating power among elites.
Sánchez proposed EU regulations, including requiring digital identification for social media users and holding platform owners accountable under the Digital Services Act.
He also condemned Elon Musk and Peter Thiel for promoting reactionary and anti-democratic ideas, urging Europe to counter the "tech caste."
Anyone seen some of the promo videos for Forever California? Nothing radicalized me more than hearing a business pitch talking about how progress is being hindered by ‘legacy systems of governance’ Hell yeah they absolutely without a doubt want to make company towns again and pitch it like a new idea and sidestep democratic governments.
He then posted it on Twitter. Instead of opening an official instance on Mastodon for official government accounts continues to generate content to enrich those it criticizes.
Entire world: Billionaires are doing this.
Right wingers: fake news!! Wahhhh! Bias!!
This is so 2000 and late I mean it has been 10 years
I mean…yeah like Jaron Lanier warned about technocracy being distasteful of democracy in one half a manifesto which was published in 2000 I believe. And anyone who was on 4chan before 2016 would know about /lit/ recommends on nick land and moldbug saying nerds will be new techno philosopher kings replacing democracy with some fever dream of digital feudalism, but you could be talking about this stuff since 2000 and peoples eyes would still glaze over. It’s late? People still don’t even seem to care even though they bitch about centralized platforms. People still think you’re just over exaggerating or weird for saying social media owned by corporations is giving corporations way too much power over public discourse and culture.
Bien dicho