By Kavisha Pillay
The U.S. election is now less than 100 days away. What initially seemed like a clear path to a second term for Donald Trump no longer appears certain, given Kamala Harris's entrance as the presumptive Democratic Party nominee. While Harris is busy rallying support and endorsements from the likes of Charli XCX, the Obamas, and Beyoncé, Trump has found his cheerleaders among the tech elite.
Tech moguls such as Elon Musk (Tesla, X), Peter Thiel (former CEO of PayPal), and venture capitalists like David Sacks (former CEO of Yammer), Marc Andreessen (Meta board member) and Ben Horowitz (former CEO of Opsware) have all thrown their support behind Trump. According to Axios, Musk and Sacks lobbied Trump to appoint J.D. Vance, who himself is a former venture capitalist, as his vice president.
A Shift in Stance
Despite Trump's previous stance against social media giants and his dismissal of Bitcoin as a scam, he now seems to be courting the tech community. Over the weekend, Trump addressed the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, telling the crowd that cryptocurrency regulations should be crafted by those who "love your industry, not by people who hate your industry."
Additionally, as per The Washington Post, Trump's allies have also crafted a plan to "Make America First in AI," proposing an immediate review and removal of "unnecessary and burdensome regulations" on AI development. This plan suggests a shift toward a more laissez-faire regulatory environment, which would allegedly spur innovation and growth in the AI sector. Team Trump also aims to repeal the Biden administration's AI executive order, which includes provisions for safety testing of new AI systems, replacing it with a policy that aligns AI development with free speech and human flourishing.
Given Trump's history of bending the truth and his penchant for "you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours”, it's unsurprising that he's altered his stance on tech. He now boasts his own social media platform, Truth Social, and enjoys the financial backing of the tech elite through super political action committees (PACs). But why have the tech bros come out so boldly to endorse a hate-monger, convicted felon, and insurrectionist?
The tech industry, famed for its disruptive ethos with CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg whose motto was "move fast and break things," isn't exactly known for adherence to the rules. The Biden administration's regulatory approach to AI and cryptocurrency likely ruffled feathers in Silicon Valley, making Trump's promise of deregulation and tax breaks for the wealthy all the more appealing. However, journalist Gill Duran posits that: "superficial analyses of why certain tech billionaires are aligning with Trump tend to fixate on issues like taxes and regulations, but that’s only part of the story. Tech plutocrats like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk already have money. Now they want power—as much as money can buy."
Musk, whose platform X (formerly Twitter) should be considered a dangerous platform during elections due to its poor control over disinformation, has himself become a significant purveyor of misleading content. Recently, Musk posted a deep fake video of Kamala Harris, demonstrating his continued disregard for the integrity of political discourse. Although Musk claims to be a staunch advocate for free speech, his actions suggest a desire to develop a media empire akin to that of Rupert Murdoch, where information and communications systems can be controlled and manipulated to serve particular agendas. This behaviour raises serious concerns about the impact on democratic processes and the potential for tech platforms to be used as an even greater and more deliberate tool for misinformation and propaganda.
The Global Implications
Currently, America is witnessing an unprecedented fusion of political and technological power, where the wealthiest individuals in society seek not only to shape markets but also to influence policy and governance. The endorsement of a populist leader by Silicon Valley's elite could signal a troubling trend toward a more oligarchic system, where the interests of a powerful few increasingly dictate the terms of our global collective future.
From the perspective of digital ethics and the mission of organisations like the Campaign On Digital Ethics (CODE), this convergence is alarming. In addition to providing tens of millions of dollars in direct funding to Donald Trump and other campaigns, the unchecked influence of tech billionaires in politics threatens to undermine the principles of accountability, transparency, and fairness in technology governance. If the rules are written by those who prioritise profit and power over public good, the digital rights of individuals and communities will be at serious risk.
As American voters head to the polls, the choice they face extends beyond their borders and carries global implications. The decision is not merely between the two main candidates but between visions of the future: one where technology serves the public good, fostering transparency and accountability, and another where it becomes a tool for private gain and unchecked political influence. Given the global dominance of American tech companies, the outcomes of this election will resonate worldwide, shaping the norms and practices of technology use far beyond the United States. For countries like South Africa and others, this moment underscores the importance of advocating for digital rights and ethical standards in technology. It's a pivotal moment not just for American democracy, but for the principles of fairness and justice in the digital age, and the stakes have never been higher.
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