this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2025
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Summary

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez claimed tech billionaires are using social media to undermine democracy by exploiting algorithms to spread disinformation and manipulate society for personal agendas.

He criticized platforms for fostering division, undermining democratic processes, and concentrating power among elites.

Sánchez proposed EU regulations, including requiring digital identification for social media users and holding platform owners accountable under the Digital Services Act.

He also condemned Elon Musk and Peter Thiel for promoting reactionary and anti-democratic ideas, urging Europe to counter the "tech caste."

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Anyone seen some of the promo videos for Forever California? Nothing radicalized me more than hearing a business pitch talking about how progress is being hindered by ‘legacy systems of governance’ Hell yeah they absolutely without a doubt want to make company towns again and pitch it like a new idea and sidestep democratic governments.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This is so 2000 and late I mean it has been 10 years

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I mean…yeah like Jaron Lanier warned about technocracy being distasteful of democracy in one half a manifesto which was published in 2000 I believe. And anyone who was on 4chan before 2016 would know about /lit/ recommends on nick land and moldbug saying nerds will be new techno philosopher kings replacing democracy with some fever dream of digital feudalism, but you could be talking about this stuff since 2000 and peoples eyes would still glaze over. It’s late? People still don’t even seem to care even though they bitch about centralized platforms. People still think you’re just over exaggerating or weird for saying social media owned by corporations is giving corporations way too much power over public discourse and culture.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Spain's a little late to the party as per usual

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

Go look at their track record on calling the Palestinian genocide a genocide... Spain has been impressively ahead of the curve.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

At least they showed up.

[–] [email protected] 134 points 1 week ago (1 children)

He then posted it on Twitter. Instead of opening an official instance on Mastodon for official government accounts continues to generate content to enrich those it criticizes.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 week ago

they're still not understanding their personal responsibility as good government in all of this

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 week ago

Entire world: Billionaires are doing this.

Right wingers: fake news!! Wahhhh! Bias!!

[–] [email protected] 70 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They care about the tax cut only.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago

They also like the cheap labor and lack of regulation, but let’s be honest—all of these are about becoming richer.