Quebec author Philippe Gendreau denounces the rise of Facebook and Google’s milk, which refuse to compensate the media for their content, and urges politicians to urgently pass a tough law to make them bow down.
• Also read: Bill C-18: The Senate is a hair’s breadth from passing legislation obliging web giants to pay the media
• Also read: Ottawa must stop buying Facebook ads, the bloc and NDP say
• Also read: Despite blocking messages in response to C-18: Quebec will continue to buy ads on Facebook
“C-18 is the minimum. If the government is not able to act, then who will?” asks the five-headed monster, who has just appeared on Écosociété editions, according to Philippe Gendreau, in an interview with the Journal, author of GAFAM.
“It’s taking the form these big companies have been planning for some time. “These are carefully considered measures,” says the ethics and media teacher at the Ozias Leduc school in Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
The danger, he said, is that these groups “have lobby entrances.” “It’s strongest in the pocket,” he breathes.
Facebook Milk Rise
A week ago, Facebook angered the government by blocking news sites as the country pushed for the passage of a law that would force them to pay media companies for their content.
“It’s an attack on democracy,” said Minister of Culture Pablo Rodriguez. “This is unacceptable and we will not allow this intimidation to work,” added Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
For Philippe Gendreau, however, there is reason to question “whether trying to intimidate politicians by withholding information from citizens is showing respect for democracy”.
“They don’t respect their customers at all. Intimidation, breach of consent, tax evasion… we are not at the first sign of defaulting companies,” the professor continues.
According to Philippe Gendreau, the GAFAM [Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon et Microsoft] and brokers, addicted to our personal information, have become outright “agents of surveillance capitalism.” [qui] pose a serious threat to democracy.”
Philippe Gendreau Photo QMI Agency, Thierry Laforce
democracy in danger
In his essay, Philippe Gendreau meticulously analyzes what gives GAFAM, the “new black gold”, its power: our data.
“Their goal is to increase their profits, not to heal democracy,” he fears, listing the excesses.
“There was manipulation for BREXIT [retrait du Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne]. There have been manipulations in several elections, including the 2016 US election. We know that the next US election could be affected,” he warns.
He also points the finger at Chinese giant TikTok, which is patiently weaving its web with its powerful algorithms to question the tastes of the younger generation. Chinese web giants BATX (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent and Xiaomi) should also worry us, according to Philippe Gendreau.
“We give them access to our really deep personality,” he says.
“Political parties are happy to have access to such confidential data. There is an overlap with politics while decisions have to be made,” he concludes.
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