Global Tech Giants:Frogs in boiling water?

By the time the Economist (that paragon of conventional wisdom) places techgiants on its cover, it is clear that discomfort with tech dominance must havepenetrated deeply. The question however is whether after a decade ofdebates, we have reached the stage that governments and regulators arefinally ready to push back? After all, it has been clear for years that Google,Facebook and Amazon have effectively become gatekeepers to key societalfunctions, such as dissemination of views, publishing, and distribution whilealso emerging as indispensable tools for social interactions. They marshalfree information from consumers and businesses and commercialize it viamarketing and advertising channels. Also, Amazon more than anyone elsehas been responsible for destroying conventional retail models.

These companies have been undoubtedly the key facilitators of societaldisruption and there is also growing evidence that they empty publicdiscussion space, polarize opinions and reduce marginal costs across variousjobs and professions. And yet, anybody who has spent time commuting towork knows how addictive these services are, as they prey on human urge toconnect. Together with gaming, these tech giants are increasingly creating ageneration that is addicted to visual stimuli. The human brain is not wired forreading but it is strongly biased to images and quick response. Hence gamingaddictions and creeping social isolation is becoming the dominant trend.