How to Take On the Tech Barons

Note: The article mainly talks about U.S. but similar issues exist worldwide and hence the ideas can be projected to other countries too.

This piece discusses about the issue of Big Tech companies becoming too big. It is not surprising and hidden that over the past few months although a lot of people worldwide were losing their jobs, the stock of tech companies boomed. This has enriched the Silicon Valley even more. While even big retailers like J.C. Penny and J. Crew went bankrupt, Amazon made record profits. Movie theaters struggled, while Netflix added millions of new customers. Facebook and Google also made millions in advertising when homebound individuals gawked their screens more than ever before. Although it has surely helped soften the blow of living at home for months but the issue of ever increasing data collection still looms over our heads. For the winner of next election in America it hence becomes a really important issue. He (/she, if Kamala Harris has to ever take the role) has to overcome the long-existing broadband gap, issue of online privacy protection, rollout of 5G. The pandemic has brought these issues to the table again. Also the growing resentment among consumers for technologists and no clear path and rules or regulations for the future of self-driving cars, artificial intelligence and facial recognition has added to the already existing issues.

Talking about the America, the indefinite closure of many large schools has put spotlight on the scale of shortcomings in broadband access. Many communities either can't afford the connections or it's impossible to get one. Students who had to log in to classrooms from McDonald's parking lots is not only a cause of embarrassment but a serious health hazard and underlines a systematic problem which needs to be resolved. The next administration has to work towards and affordable internet access to every corner of the nation.Also as 5G is knocking on the door U.S. needs to understand that it is lagging much behind in comparison to countries like China when it comes to a cohesive plan about the future of the 5G technology implementation in U.S..

As companies like Amazon, Google are invading markets like banking, logistics and home automation; it's should be obvious that these needed to be broken up to decentralize power otherwise these can intentionally or unintentionally break the limits of democratic ideals and fair competition. Stricter anti-trust laws protecting the rights of public are need of the hour. U.S. can also learn a bit from the Europeans when it comes to managing Data protection laws. Europe gives consumers the " right to know what data is being collected about them and the right to prevent certain data from being collected in the first place". Similar thins can be put in place in America too. When it comes to Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) everyone needs to understand that it holds the potential to drastically change any market it enters and will drastically mold the employment market. Currently neither a lot of people and leaders understand how A.I. holds the possibility of throwing people out of jobs nor are the leaders ready for it. "Lawmakers will have to find a balance between pushing the technology forward and protecting jobs".

The next President will have to find solutions to manage not only the mentioned problems but a lot of other unforeseen problems. Serious bipartisan and public discussions need to happen not only in U.S. but worldwide.