State, corporation, people: the global dimensions of tech regulation
State, corporation, people: the global dimensions of tech regulation
A conversation with Josh Simons and Kyra Jasper
They return! Kyra Jasper and Josh Simons are back, this time to discuss the global dimensions of tech regulation. In this episode, we look at three case studies: Google and Facebook’s reaction to Australia’s new media law, Facebook’s role in Myanmar (during a coup and a genocide), and Twitter, Facebook and India’s censorship laws. What can these cases tell us about the nexus between states, corporations and people across the world?
As always, you can listen to it here or subscribe here (Spotify) or here (Apple Podcasts). And you can always give us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts—it helps us reach new listeners.
Mentioned in This Week’s Podcast
Australia shows the way. It’s the job of governments not big tech to run democracies.
Myanmar Blocks Facebook Access After Online Protests of Military Coup
Myanmar’s Military Deploys Digital Arsenal of Repression in Crackdown
'It's digital colonialism': how Facebook's free internet service has failed its users
In India, Facebook Fears Crackdown on Hate Groups Could Backfire on Its Staff
What I’ve Been Doing
The Marshall Commission very kindly hosted me for a talk “Don’t Be Evil: Big Tech, the New Corporate State and Why You Shouldn’t Work in Silicon Valley (or Consulting) After Graduating. You can watch it here, or check out my associated reading list here.
What I’ve Been Reading
Kyra Jasper has had some excellent articles in both the Diplomat on how Rohingya Risk Being Forgotten in Global Vaccination Drive and at CSIS on Covid-19 and Journalism in Indonesia.
Following excellent reporting from the American Prospect on Biden and Big Tech, What Will Be Revealed in Jake Sullivan’s Financial Disclosures?
Cars are an under-appreciated surveillance and cyber nightmare. Here’s Vice backing up my hot take with Cars Have Your Location. This Spy Firm Wants to Sell It to the U.S. Military
Really, really insightful piece here from the Stanford Daily: Outed for the greater good? How Korea’s contact tracing program saved lives while outing others
In case you’re wondering how underfunding the IRS impacts the IRS, Shrink the $7.5 Trillion Tax Gap: the I.R.S. is often unable to detect or fight blatant tax cheating by the rich and big businesses. Restoring the missing revenue is a solution that pays for itself.
And Private Schools Have Become Truly Obscene: Elite schools breed entitlement, entrench inequality—and then pretend to be engines of social change. If you went to a hyper-competitive Bay Area high school like I did, you’ll be having flash backs—even if you didn’t go to private school.
Finally, a really sweet piece by the son of John le Carre about the writing relationship between his parents. My father was famous as John le Carré. My mother was his crucial, covert collaborator.