Technofeudalism: are we digital colonies of Big Tech?

A weekend in the countryside, feeling a bit tired, and some rambling thoughts. This time on technofeudalism.

The fiefdoms

The idea is this: big tech companies have become fiefdoms. Google and Apple control the operating systems and the app stores, and those who live inside them (users and small developers) look a lot like serfs.

Our devices track us and pile up data. And I’m not just talking about phones: smart appliances collect information continuously too.

The king

Then there’s Elon Musk, who’s trying to control the entire tech stack. In the video I talk about The Boring Company, the first principles approach and the Twitter acquisition, with everything that meant for open source.

What about Europe?

The question I keep asking myself is: why don’t we build local alternatives? There have been attempts at decentralized social networks, like Diaspora. But today Europe looks to me like a digital colony of the United States.

What we can do

As small developers and users, we can do something: support and use open source, and defend democratic access to information.

Shall we talk about it in the comments on the video (it’s in Italian)?