I think there is a trend across the world of power centers becoming more authoritarian and punitive. It is en vogue to see it in China and point them out for it.
It is harder to look in the mirror and see something similar happening in the US. In the US, we superficially see government doing it (Snowden disclosures) and then we see corporations doing it separately (Facebook, Google ad tracking, etc...). However, I think government and tech giants are working closely together to act like China. This feels like another bud of this trend.
- Social credit system
- Loss of financial services (PayPal)
- Loss of access to social media (Facebook, Google, Apple, YouTube)
- Loss of access to travel related services (AirBnB, travel ban)
- Banning of material (Amazon)
- Control of media (owned by just a few major corporations who don't have to make money from the media... Comcast basically has a monopoly on land line Internet, AT&T has a very strong position on mobile, Disney has a strong position in films... they own CNN, NBC, and ABC)... EDIT: And let's not forget Fox
You can say all you want about freedom of association, but the effect is similar in China and the US. You are ostracized from the system.
Tech has lost its neutral carrier status and now is connected into a system that enforces consent. I wonder why? Are we being prepared for an economic war? Is this the natural evolution of power seeking power? Is this just a cycle of authoritarianism and liberalism?
P.S. I don't think groundswell upcry leading to cancellation means much. I am much more concerned when corporations do it. I just think they are much, much more powerful.
It is harder to look in the mirror and see something similar happening in the US. In the US, we superficially see government doing it (Snowden disclosures) and then we see corporations doing it separately (Facebook, Google ad tracking, etc...). However, I think government and tech giants are working closely together to act like China. This feels like another bud of this trend.
- Social credit system
- Loss of financial services (PayPal)
- Loss of access to social media (Facebook, Google, Apple, YouTube)
- Loss of access to travel related services (AirBnB, travel ban)
- Banning of material (Amazon)
- Control of media (owned by just a few major corporations who don't have to make money from the media... Comcast basically has a monopoly on land line Internet, AT&T has a very strong position on mobile, Disney has a strong position in films... they own CNN, NBC, and ABC)... EDIT: And let's not forget Fox
You can say all you want about freedom of association, but the effect is similar in China and the US. You are ostracized from the system.
Tech has lost its neutral carrier status and now is connected into a system that enforces consent. I wonder why? Are we being prepared for an economic war? Is this the natural evolution of power seeking power? Is this just a cycle of authoritarianism and liberalism?
P.S. I don't think groundswell upcry leading to cancellation means much. I am much more concerned when corporations do it. I just think they are much, much more powerful.