Both parties are aligned in their efforts to curb the power of big tech companies, though for different motivations.
In a climate of escalating political division, President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party have identified a shared priority.
Trump, who has previously accused big tech of working against him, has reiterated these claims. The new development is Trump’s expression of approval for the Democratic Party’s stance against big tech. Speaking on television on Monday, Trump asserted that he emerged victorious in the 2016 election despite facing opposition from companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Republicans are worried about the excessive influence wielded by big tech firms, arguing that their left-leaning tendencies are detrimental. Allegations of anti-conservative bias within big tech resonate strongly with the political right, including President Trump.
On the other hand, Democrats harbor concerns about reining in big tech but from a different angle. Their primary focus revolves around antitrust issues rather than bias against conservatives. Various Democrats, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren, advocate for the breakup of big tech companies due to antitrust concerns. Warren proposes the appointment of regulators to reverse certain acquisitions and mergers. Warren specifically highlights the need to undo Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Trump, in acknowledging the Democrats’ current alignment with him on this matter, noted, “They have their perspective, they have their beliefs. Yet, they are facing big tech in various ways, which is quite remarkable.”