I can't help but wonder if other countries are watching these proceedings and wondering about their own national security. The US is concerned about misinformation, blackmail, and influence campaigns, but is the US using the data that FANG has access to do it to other countries? Are they just trying to keep a monopoly on that power?
We can see hints that the US is using these platforms to do that. Imagine the negotiating power the US has to go into a trade deal negotiations with another country. Run an influence campaign to sway the other country's population to accept a bad deal. Use democratic processes to get someone elected who will sign off on the bad deal. End up profiting enormously.
Having free access to show propaganda and misinformation to most of the world is an enormous power.
We can see hints that the US is using these platforms to do that. Imagine the negotiating power the US has to go into a trade deal negotiations with another country. Run an influence campaign to sway the other country's population to accept a bad deal. Use democratic processes to get someone elected who will sign off on the bad deal. End up profiting enormously.
Having free access to show propaganda and misinformation to most of the world is an enormous power.