Can Democracies Survive the Internet?
Yes, but only if the remaining democratic countries get tough. Here are five ways to protect democracies.
***Please take out a membership to support the light of truth.***
“It’s absolutely insane that we allow hostile dictatorships direct access to our citizens.”—@Wes Clark Jr, writer/activist
Fascists are superb at espionage. There is nothing like the combination of nation-state level funding along with a total lack of public accountability to provide the most fertile ground for the utter amorality that led to Russia’s seizure of the United States.
How, in a world now dominated by fascism, are a few remaining democracies to survive?
Well, one way, is to stop handing over the goods for free.
In America, we gave a fascist mafia state and autocratic nations unfettered access to the minds of our citizens. That was fucking stupid.
Instead of treating the internet like a major piece of national infrastructure and protecting it as you would an oil pipeline or a nuclear power plant, we acted like it was an innocuous toy, even though academics warned in the 1980s how dangerous it would be to allow our culture to be dictated by foreign and corporate interests.
Well, fuckety fuck fuck fuck.
That didn’t turn out so well.
So, today I am addressing the last of the democratic nations.
Your democracies are so precious and so fragile in this moment.
Your citizens deserve their national health care and their public schools and their lack of guns in the streets and a life free from contrived fear.
So better get tough on the internet. Here are a few ideas…
Number one, if it’s free, you’re the product. Platforms should be beholden to their customers, not the oligarchs who are exploiting them. Free services should be treated with suspicion and disdain and should be subject to constant scrutiny by regulatory agencies set up for exactly that purpose.
Number two, social media provides a devastating cultural attack surface. Democratic nations need to reconsider whether social media has any redemption at all — certainly, not in its current form.
Number three, prosecute the fakes — people who represent themselves as someone other than who they are in real life. Put significant national resources behind identifying and prosecuting violators. That will make it so much more difficult to engage in espionage on the internet.
Number four, the highest equity corporations in the world are international internet platforms, which have no incentive to serve the interests of the citizens of the remaining free world. In fact, you could argue, they are actually working to undermine them. Wouldn’t it be nice if these companies were right-sized to serve nations, and were therefore subject to traditional modes of democratic scrutiny? Simply put, international platforms have proven themselves malignant. Consider domestic alternatives.
Number five, there are examples of national firewalls working to protect the cultural integrity of democratic countries.
It has always been the responsibility of government to protect its citizenry. Why should the internet age be any different?
****
****
Related:
****
Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members.
I expose the corruption of billionaire fascists, while relying on memberships for support.
Thank you in advance for considering the following:
Share my reporting with allies
Buying my ebooks
A private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter/producer, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
🤍
Begin each day with a grateful heart.
🤍
