Doctrow argues that nascent tech unionization (which we’re closer to having now than ever before) combined with bipartisan fear (and consequent regulation) either directly or via agencies like the FTC and FCC can help to curb Big Tech’s power, and the enshittification that it has wrought.
Hope he’s got about $30 trillion to buy them all then, because that’s the only way it will happen.
We need to wean ourselves off the tech giants. And it’s inconvenient, but the alternative is a series of greedy rug pulls until the end of time.
Given that Microsoft software runs the government, I don’t see this happening very soon. They might as well be another branch of the US government.
“You gotta go and join the union” but seriously tech workers hold a lot of leverage for now, it’s why we can command pretty decent wages individually, but collectively with threats to start serious competition there is a lot more there there than hoping for the federal government to step up for the task.
No disagree on moving away from big tech though. You know open source, self host, support community and nonprofit orgs, etc.
Didn’t like a billion people in tech get fired in headline-generating waves this past year? How does that translate to worker power?
Certainly lowers it. I really mean the “for now” piece, between the age of easy money ending, and and AI/ML acting as capital that can be corp owned to affect white collar output it seems as though tech companies are preparing for a squeeze on employees that are unprepared.
Thank you for explaining further, “for now” makes a lot of sense. I personally think myself and my fellow tech workers are going to be screwed, AI will Git Gud before Tech Gets Organized.