On July 4, the UK votes in the general election which will decide our MPs, and the direction of our country.
Right now, a small number of giant, mainly American, Big Tech companies have far too much power over our economy and our society. They misuse their power to rip off their customers, exploit their workers, and damage the environment. Their social media platforms promote disinformation and division, and harm our kids.
We need our elected politicians to stand up to these Big Tech monopolies. They need to be willing to force them to play by the rules, and to support measures to block them buying up more of the competition and to break them up when they're already too big.
Please can you send a message to your local election candidates and ask them - are they willing to stand up to the power of big tech? The more candidates are hearing from voters demanding they stand up to Big Tech, the better.
Dear candidate,
I'm concerned about the power wielded over our economy and society by a small number of enormous, mainly US-based Big Tech companies. Companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft are effectively monopolies. They use their size and power in their own interest, not ours.
The next government will need to stand up to these companies in a number of ways. That will include being willing to force them to comply with employment and online safety rules, and being willing to block mergers and acquisitions which could entrench their power even further.
We know that Big Tech will try to use its size and power to lean on politicians and the next government. So as I decide how to vote, I wanted to ask you where you stand. Do you agree that Big Tech is too powerful and needs reining in? Would you support action to stop companies getting too big through gobbling up their competition, and to break up tech giants who are already too big?
[Your comment here]
Yours
