Jonathan Taplin

Move Fast and Break Things: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy

 

Move Fast and Break Things by Jonathan Taplin provides a critical analysis of the impact that major technology companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon have had on our culture and democracy. Taplin argues that these companies have benefited greatly from the internet's disruption of traditional industries, but this success has also come at the expense of artists, journalists, and the democratic process.

 

Key Insights:

1. The dominance of technology platforms: Taplin examines the rise of Facebook, Google, and Amazon and their transformation into powerful platforms that control and shape vast amounts of online information and commerce.

 

2. Concentration of power: The author highlights how the rise of these companies has led to an alarming concentration of power, as they control key aspects of our digital lives – from the distribution of news to the algorithms that determine what content we see.

 

3. Impact on creative industries: Taplin delves into the detrimental effects these platforms have had on artists, musicians, and filmmakers. He argues that the dominant platforms undermine the ability of creators to make a living while profiting from their work.

 

4. Decline of journalism: The author explores how the rise of dominant platforms has contributed to the decline of traditional journalism. The platforms' ability to disseminate news quickly and without proper filtering has resulted in misinformation and the erosion of the public's trust in news sources.

 

Main Arguments and Supporting Evidence:

1. Monopolistic practices: Taplin argues that Facebook, Google, and Amazon have engaged in anti-competitive practices, acquiring or driving out smaller competitors to achieve their dominant positions. He provides examples such as Facebook's acquisition of Instagram and Google's manipulation of search results to favor its own products.

 

2. Disruption of creative industries: The author illustrates how the transition from physical media to digital platforms has undermined the economic viability of artists, with streaming services paying artists pennies per stream while platforms like YouTube allow unauthorized content to be uploaded and monetized by others.

 

3. Loss of privacy: Taplin highlights the issue of privacy breaches, citing Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal as an example. He argues that these platforms exploit user data for monetization, without adequate protection or consent.

 

4. Threat to democracy: The author posits that the power and influence of these tech giants undermine the democratic process, allowing for the manipulation of elections through targeted advertising, filter bubbles that perpetuate echo chambers, and the concentration of media power in the hands of a few.

 

Conclusion:

Jonathan Taplin's Move Fast and Break Things serves as a wake-up call, shedding light on the vast power and influence that technology giants wield in our society. By addressing the detrimental effects of their monopolistic practices, negative impact on creative industries, privacy concerns, and threats to democracy, Taplin calls for increased regulation and accountability. This thought-provoking book is essential reading for those interested in understanding the societal implications of our digital age.

 

Readers who want a deeper exploration of the topics addressed in this book may consider exploring other relevant works, such as Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism or Tim Wu's The Attention Merchants.