BIG TECH GETTING STUCK INTO A POLITICAL PIE Archives

Big Tech cannot resist the temptation to go wider, further, deeper, and more viral into every nook and cranny of the people’s societies of the world. In the past year 2020, the pandemic has created the ideal climate beyond the Social Media world fantasies. People are confined to their homes, with the internet media available to explore the outside world.

How much is enough?

Greed is insatiable, like a viral disease. Social Media giants have strategically invested heavily in their favorite populist political flavor.

Article by Epoch Times. December 30, 2020

Big Tech companies have been accused of meddling in the 2020 election, and their employees have obtained influential roles within the Biden-Harris organization, which critics say could signal a return to the friendly stance held by the Obama administration toward Silicon Valley.

At issue is how these companies used their funding or engaged in censorship ahead of the election. A report from The Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society alleges that $500 million from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was given to election officials and used to violate election laws. The money was allegedly used to improperly influence the election in favor of Biden, with the bulk of the funds going to a progressive nonprofit.

That raises “serious legal concerns,” according to Scott Watnik, member of the litigation department and co-chair of the cybersecurity practice at the law firm Wilk Auslander LLP.

“What appears to have happened here is that dollars sourced from Zuckerberg have been used to fund a public function that is to be performed under the auspices of public election officials with taxpayer funding,” Watnik told The Epoch Times. “But when it comes to election infrastructure, each state is required to treat people equally under the law—the 14th Amendment applies.

“It’s no secret at this point that the funds were not disbursed in an even-handed way in terms of election infrastructure,” he added. “Far from that, the funds were distributed to favor select, left-leaning demographic areas over others, including in swing states.”

Another point of concern, critics say, is that dozens of Big Tech alumni have joined Biden’s transition team or have gained influential positions in his administration.

Christian Tom, who was announced as digital director for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee on Dec. 28 had worked at Twitter, Google, and YouTube in revenue roles before working for Biden’s campaign, according to a statement.

Facebook alumni also have filled a number of roles in the Biden administration.

Former Facebook director Jessica Hertz is the Biden transition’s general counsel and Jeffrey Zients—who is tapped to be Biden’s coronavirus czar—had served on Facebook’s board of directors in 2018. Austin Lin, a former program manager at Facebook, is on an agency review team for the Executive Office of the President, while Erskine Bowles, a former Facebook board member, already is advising the transition team.

The Biden transition team has already stacked its agency review teams with more tech executives than tech critics. Unidentified sources have told Reuters that tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft are pushing to place employees in senior roles at government agencies.

Similarly, two Amazon officials have landed spots on Biden’s agency review teams for the State Department and the Office of Management and Budget. Sources also told Reuters that former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, a billionaire and Silicon Valley titan, “has been making personnel recommendations for appointments to the Department of Defense as the company tries to pursue military contracts and defense work.”

Companies have a pressing interest in their attempts to influence the Biden administration. There are antitrust probes currently being conducted by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission against companies like Facebook and Google.