Hello platforms, do you hear us?

Ana Brandusescu
Sep 5, 2018 · 4 min read
CC BY-NC 2.0 tinderlocks

Attention. Do I have yours? Because this is how these platforms roll. We the users are upset about power dynamics and injustice, but not much is changing.

Facebook is an easy target and has been for a while now. It was evident at the US senate hearings last October. How will Google, or better yet, Alphabet with all its sub-entities — be held accountable for censorship, for example? What about Amazon? Physical infrastructure is just as important as virtual infrastructure. Yet we tend to focus on the content rather than the hardware (submarine cables, for one). The business structure change but also the business model of these platforms is worth noting. Arguably if they operate in a similar fashion it will be more or less the same thing unless we create a bigger ban on all companies world wide and how large they can become, change monopolies as a whole, etc. But how will we break these companies up? Who will do it? What will their incentives be? Do they have enough power to do so?

Google’s move in China is not a surprise. They want to tap into an impressive market, but they can’t do it on their own terms. Google made that deal because it is better than not being there at all. It’s not about democracy, the greater good, or changing an authoritarian regime. It’s really about the profits, and the business model. I’m not simplifying it to reduce it to “capitalism is evil.” It’s reality. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a liberal or not. Democracy and capitalism come hand in hand. We have to embrace that reality and somehow work with it. Accept it for what it is and evolve in the best way we can.

The relationships these platforms have with governments have been the biggest challenge for civil society and an open web. (There might be an opportunity in there, but I’m not convinced.) Their conversations have always been closed without civil society and individuals engaged, which is largely problematic. That’s why I was so excited about the US Senate hearings with these companies, even though the lawyers never really said too much. A few months later in January, it was telling that the hearing with their policy representatives was not live-streamed. And on that note, how can we have more of these hearings in other parts of the world? Why is it that the US is the only country who can get these platforms’ representatives and their lawyers on a stand? Google keeps accentuating this point (same as Facebook) that they operate based on the laws of the countries they’re in. What does that mean exactly? Can they influence the levels of censorship in a country? Probably not in the case of China, but what about other countries? What would it mean if they could?

I am glad the spotlight is finally on Google because we have created a platform dependency that is dangerous in our (often privileged) work culture and how we learn every day. For anyone with access to the web browser (at the very least), whether they are social media platforms or larger entities. Google likes to use that as an excuse to get itself out of situations, playing the “we’re not a social media platform” card. Social media or not, both the idea of having access to a part of Google or a part of the internet (Facebook FreeBasics) is not something we favour. I also recognize my positionality. Of course I want it all rather than a part of it, but if I would just have something rather than nothing who am I to say I wouldn’t take it if I was actually in that situation?

Some ideas to take forward:

  1. Enforce responsible content management of platforms with independent audit mechanisms in place.
  2. Companies should disclose their relationships and agendas with governments.
  3. Have a mix of bottom-up and top-down engagement via multi-stakeholder collaboration efforts.
  4. Companies need to once and for all prioritize and improve online safety and inclusive ways to participate on their platforms.

We should continue to advocate for all access to all internet and the web. Although thanks non-transparent algorithms, no one really sees all content on these platforms. We should also continue to put pressure and responsibility on these companies to do better. To push companies to take responsibility, to look into ethics and prioritize user engagement in decision making. Responsibility needs to be taken seriously by these companies if they will ever be held accountable for anything. To in fact, once and for all, Google et al. to “do the right thing”.

(Originally published on my website.)

Writer, researcher, cat herder | People, data, tech policy, power. Currently freelancing. She/her

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade