Very large technology companies fit into a special technology category called “platforms.” Companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Amazon are so big – it’s like they are situated on a raised on a platform at a country fair. Anyone on a platform like this can be heard all over the fairgrounds. The platform gives them an advantage; because they can be heard by more people, their technology can have a more impactful reach.
These companies have a lot of money, and power. But what if society becomes convinced one of these tools is hurting kids, or failing democracy, or polluting the environment, or stealing? Since they are so big that even fines don’t seem to scare them, what now?
In this episode: we’ll explore what’s been tried to hold tech companies accountable.
This episode is the second of a three-part series, Defending Democracy (and Us!) from Big Tech, a collaboration between Ways & Means and the Debugger podcast.
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- Duke Professor David Hoffmanruns the Duke Sanford Cyber Policy Program
- Find out more about miniseries host Bob Sullivan
- Read the transcript
The series is produced with support from the Cyber Policy Program at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke’s Kenan Institute for Ethics.