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Tech's Big Money Campaign is Getting Pushback with Margaret O'Mara and Brody Mullins
Aug 26, 2024
Margaret O'Mara, a historian focused on the development of technology's societal impact, joins journalist Brody Mullins to explore the tech industry's lobby power in Washington, DC. They discuss how Silicon Valley's lobbying tactics evolved over the past decade. The duo highlights grassroots mobilization's importance amid bipartisan skepticism towards big tech. Listeners learn about historical parallels in corporate influence on legislation and the pressing need for consumer advocacy to balance power dynamics between tech giants and the public.
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Quick takeaways
- The tech industry's significant lobbying power in Washington has dramatically increased over the last decade, shaping policy in its favor.
- Grassroots campaigns, as seen in the mobilization against SOPA and PIPA, have become essential for tech companies to influence public opinion and legislative outcomes.
Deep dives
Legislative Milestones and Industry Resistance
Recent legislative developments have shown significant progress in technology reform, notably with the Senate passing the Kids' Online Safety and Privacy Act and a court declaring Google's monopoly illegal. Despite this progress, the tech industry, particularly large corporations like Google, is expected to vigorously resist these changes. The stalemate in implementing these reforms has raised questions about the role of lobbying in delaying meaningful policy actions. Historically, lobbying has transformed into one of the strongest powers in Washington, overshadowing consumer interests and hindering fair regulations.
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