Partisanship is at an all time high in Washington. But one issue policymakers on both sides seem to agree on is that something should be done to rein in the power of Big Tech. The American people also seem to agree, with a recent Gallup poll revealing a majority of both Republicans and Democrats favor increased regulation of the tech sector. Prominent conservatives are even abandoning their traditional rhetoric about limited government to join forces with progressives in calling for structural separation and expansive new regulations.
But how did we get here? Not long ago, tech companies were lauded by both Republicans and Democrats as champions of innovation that could make us happier and more productive, and export American values to the world—just like blue jeans and rock and roll. Now instead, Big Tech has been blamed as the source of innumerable societal harms, including rampant censorship, promoting violent extremism, spreading false information, and unfairly stamping out its competition.
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