Washington Post: The Technology 202: Here’s how Biden could force greater accountability in Silicon Valley
President-elect Joe Biden is inheriting a pandemic, an economic crisis, a racial reckoning and a country deeply polarized over the outcome of the 2020 election.
As he prepares to assume the presidency, his success will hinge on his ability to address them. And each is deeply intertwined with the power and influence of the tech industry — which shapes everything from the information Americans access, to their ability to work and learn in a society that’s partially shuttered by the climbing coronavirus death toll.
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The recent violence at the Capitol and its aftermath is adding fresh urgency, as tech platforms’ role in amplifying violent rhetoric highlights the industry’s broad power and influence over American democracy.
“Basically, the Biden administration is inheriting a lot of momentum and a big opportunity to make online communications safe for democracy and fair in the commercial sphere,” said Sarah Miller, who leads the American Economic Liberties Project, told me in an interview.