WASHINGTON – A grassroots coalition has launched a petition calling on all 2020 presidential candidates to commit to breaking up big technology monopolies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google. The coalition includes Demand Progress, MPower Action Fund, Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE), Daily Kos, Presente Action, Progress America, RootsAction.org, and The Other 98%.
The launch of the petition coincides with an anti-monopoly day of action led by Athena, which is a coalition of almost 50 organizations focused on stopping Amazon’s corporate takeover of democracy, society, and the economy.
The following can attributed to Salma Mirza, Senior Campaigner at Demand Progress:
“Big technology monopolies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook provide useful services, but their immense power and control have damaged democracy and the global economy. Everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits of digital technology and online commerce without having to sacrifice the wellbeing of our communities and democracy itself. But billionaire CEOs and tech monopolies rig the rules so they can build corporate empires that mistreat their workers, help the government cage children and deport immigrants, crush small businesses and innovation, and support the rise of racist surveillance technology.
“Amazon, Facebook, and Google are too big to be managed responsibly and need to be fundamentally transformed. That’s why we’re calling on all 2020 candidates to commit to breaking up big tech monopolies if elected President. The future of our democracy shouldn’t be left to the whims of a few reckless billionaire CEOs and their dangerous corporate empires.”
The full text of the petition reads: “We believe the empire-building of big tech monopolies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google, is a threat to our democracy and economy. We urge you to commit to use existing anti-monopoly laws to break up big tech monopolies if elected President, including by appointing Federal Trade Commissioners and Department of Justice officials who will make breaking up big tech a priority.”
The petition and more background information can be found online at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-2020-presidential-candidates-to-breakupbigtech?source=media
For more information on Athena, see the NYT article on the public launch: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/technology/amazon-grass-roots-activists.html and Athena’s website: https://athenaforall.org/