The storming of the Capitol building was an act of right wing terrorism, it was an attack on democracy and will have global impacts that cannot be overstated. Donald Trump’s inability to condemn the actions of the rightwing extremist has been a consistent theme of his presidency. In 2017 he stated there were “very fine people on both sides'' of the Charlottesville riots. When asked to denounce the white supremacist hate group, the proud boys, he responded with “stand back and stand by”.
We must expect and demand change.
Whilst Donald Trump is far from innocent in inciting the violence that took place at the Capitol building he isn’t the only culprit. Digital technologies and structures have contributed to this appalling act of racism, vandalism and anti-democratic sentiment.
Big tech has failed to adequately deal with misinformation and disinformation on it’s online platforms. These fuelled the fires of far right hate groups who communed in online spaces and used social media to organise and orchestrate their attacks on a government building.
We must expect and demand change. Those appalling images can be used to justify why your business needs to start taking ethics seriously. Seize the opportunity to have a conversation with the relevant people at your company today.
Shoshana Zuboff
Friends, Trump fulfilled his demented fantasy of murderous violence without consequence. This must not stand. History demands criminal prosecution / impeachment / immediate removal. 1/3
Facebook and Twitter are profoundly culpable. A future at their mercy is intolerable. They must permanently end Trump’s access to the global info bloodstream. Jan 20 is not enough. They don’t have to love democracy, just cravenly respond to new political winds. @FBoversight 2/3
Now we reap the whirlwind of complacency. #SurveillanceCapitalism debases individual sovereignty, degrades society, assaults democracy. This third decade is the test: demand rights, laws, institutions for a democratic digital future. Let this be an unequivocal call to action. 3/3
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