THE TECH COUP

An assessment of the current state of the technology sector, which has avoided accountability for decades—but there are signs of change.

Schaake is the international policy director at Stanford University Cyber Policy Center, a former member of the European Parliament, and a columnist for the Financial Times. Consequently, her voice is significant, especially involving issues of technology and regulation. In her debut book, the author takes a deep dive into the ways in which tech behemoths have infiltrated governments, starting with service delivery and working up to critical roles in national security. Some governments have openly contracted tech companies to provide tools for surveillance and control. The size and wealth of these corporations make them extremely powerful, and many of them have mastered the art of burying opponents under waves of techno-babble. They claim that any regulation would stifle innovation, but Schaake sees that as self-serving, pointing out that there are other well-regulated industries that have positive innovation records. She believes that the legislation passed in Europe is a good start but also notes that regulations have to be supported by the will to implement them, which has been patchy at best. In the U.S., Schaake argues for the possibility of a bipartisan coalition that could put effective rules in place. The hard line that politicians are taking with TikTok may signal a change of attitude. The question is now about designing a framework that balances the competing interests, and Schaake puts forward some useful suggestions. The Declaration on the Future of the Internet offers a path for international cooperation, and while none of the relevant problems can be easily solved, the author demonstrates the importance of making sure democratic institutions are protected.

Both alarming and hopeful, and Schaake writes with hard-won experience and clear-minded intelligence.