In his book, The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman warns that the nation- state will be subject to massive centrifugal and centripetal forces, centralization and fragmentation. He further warns that this recipe for turbulence will create epic new concentrations and dispersals of power, splintering the state from above and below ultimately [casting] doubt on the viability of some nations altogether. To some, this may sound like another form of fear mongering. Just another successful Tech bro blowing the horn all while fueling the same system – some might sneer.

I cannot comment about the sneers, but I am astounded by Mustafa’s predictions as he unveils the sheer magnitude of the coming wave perpetuated by Artificial Intelligence – adding to the wealth of insights by previous authors including Kate Crawford, Eliezer Yudkowsky, Max Tegmark and many others. Most authors’ predictions swing between doom and glory with a shared thread of an Orwellian future successfully evoking debate among scholars, lawyers, engineers, students, civil society organizations and more. What do we need to do? How can we help? Do we have the skills to rewrite the doom? Can we contain this problem? Do we have the power to address the problem? Do we understand the problem? and Do our governments have the power to address the problem?

Some of the underlying concerns were quite evident at the most recent US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation. The symbolic nature of the entire room was unsettling. The Senate Judiciary Committee Members comprised of mostly senior citizens sat opposite five Big Tech CEOs while a group of angry parents held placards with photos of their deceased children – whose death was attributed to these companies.

When the room was called to order, the parents sat still with their backs straight up and their eyes firmly held onto the Senate Judiciary Committee – their last hope of justice. “Finally, let’s shame them! The world is finally watching them! The world must know what they have done!” must have been the words on many of their minds.

As the Committee Members berated the Big Tech CEOs, the room echoed with chatter, clapping and standing ovations. “…You have blood on your hands. Your product is killing people” said Senator Lindsey Graham in an unwavering and authoritative voice like a father berating his child. While Mark Zuckerberg looked embarrassed and perhaps dismayed at his tone, he projected firmness. As more Committee Members asked more questions, the CEOs’ responses swung between arrogance and legalese. “I cannot comment on that.” “I don’t agree with that characterization” and so on. Even though the CEOs were put to shame before the world, they didn’t seem perturbed. This was yet another hearing. A practice session for the next hearing. Shielded by the veil under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the CEOs would go back to their opulent offices and make more money. The parents would go on to moan their children and the Senators would continue doing what they do best. Debate.

While the Senators were hoisted in their semi-circular row of desks overlooking the CEOs, officiously berating their conduct and criticizing their algorithms, the combined annual revenues of those companies was enough to wield power like never before. Had the CEOs made a mockery of the historic significance of the hoisted semi-circular desks? Because the historical significance of that hearing was the alteration of power dynamics, the concentration of power among the Tech bros and the fragility of governance systems. When the hearing ended, I sighed knowing that it would not be the last hearing. Those parents would not be the last to bury their children. We were only witnessing the centrifugal and centripetal forces in motion.

If Big Tech CEOs could challenge a super power, what was the fate of countries like Uganda? Do these companies care about the impact of their algorithms on the minors in Uganda? When Shou Zi Chew said that Tik Tok is investing Two Billion Dollars in Trust and Safety efforts, did that account for users in Uganda? Do these companies monitor performance of their algorithms in countries like Uganda? Are they accountable to governments like Uganda’s? And what is the recourse of the victims in Uganda?

See, when we speak about concentration of power, we must equally reinforce the fragility of human beings whose voices are slowly dimming. Do the Big Tech CEOs care for some countries if their combined annual revenue by far supersedes some countries’ GDP? Do their trust and safety efforts account for the illiterate parents? Do these efforts account for the financial strain on parents that do not have time to police each of their children’s activities online? How many children in Uganda are victims of Child Sexual Abuse Material? Do they have these statistics? Do they have any intervention measures? Or is their intervention determined by the share of revenue?

It is undoubtedly true that Technology in the Twenty-first century is shifting tectonic plates, altering power dynamics and disrupting systems all around us. Yet the scale, capability and influence of these companies is only budding. While the predictions of the shifting power dynamics in the western countries is gradually being unveiled, the fragility of governance systems on countries like Uganda still remains firmly veiled. Worse still, the fate of victims remains in the dark and questions about correlation and causation are either left unanswered or not queried at all. But perhaps the more important questions are: What is the fate of countries like Uganda in the Coming Wave? What is the fate of victims in countries like Uganda? What reinforcements do governments need to hold Big Tech accountable in all their countries of operation? These questions are not exhaustive, but only a start of a discussion because online child protection is not limited to some and online safety must be available to all.

Reference

Suleyman, M., & Bhaskar, M. (2023). The Coming Wave: Technology, Power and the Twenty First Century’s Greatest Dilemma. New York: Crown.