The Real Threat Ignored in 2024: Big Tech’s Grip on Trump and Harris

With the 2024 presidential election around the corner, candidates Trump and Harris have been quick to highlight familiar issues: inflation, immigration, and crime. They hit all the buzzwords that rally their bases, yet both are conspicuously silent about a looming threat: Big Tech’s unchecked power. Both candidates have accused the other of being an existential “threat to democracy,” while the real threat, a bipartisan issue that all Americans can get behind, goes ignored. Internet platforms are driven by algorithms that spew misinformation on both sides, encourage polarizing content, limit our autonomy, and compromise the mental health and futures of our children. The relationship between American citizens and internet platforms has impacted every area of American life. So, why won’t either candidate address it?

To find out, all we have to do is follow the money. Individuals and PACs associated with our most powerful technology companies are some of the largest donors to both campaigns, making contributions that cross party lines. And they’re not just betting on one horse; they’re playing the field to secure influence no matter who wins. Such financial support buys these companies more than just political silence — it gives them a foothold in policy-making circles, ensuring that any attempt at regulation is tempered, delayed, or diluted.

It’s no secret that in 2012, Obama’s use of search engines and social media helped him get reelected. When his administration had an opportunity to protect the public from the rise of surveillance capitalism, nothing happened. When we learned of the growing threat social media has on the mental health of our children, particularly teenage girls, the consecutive Trump and Biden administrations also remained conspicuously silent. It was only recently, that a bipartisan push began to introduce legislation to protect Americans from the real “enemy within.”

But the problem goes deeper than campaign contributions. Big Tech shapes our reality every day, subtly altering what we see and believe. Platforms like Meta and YouTube are built on algorithms designed to maximize our time on their sites, even if that means amplifying sensational, divisive content. In these algorithm-driven echo chambers, we drift further apart, divided along ideological lines, with our sense of a shared reality splintering. Ironically, both Trump and Harris publicly decry polarization, yet neither is willing to tackle how Big Tech fuels the flames. And why? Taking a stand risks millions in donations.

Here’s where it gets truly concerning: as we sit by, ignoring Big Tech’s growing influence, these companies continue to operate as unregulated shadow powers. In a brilliant act of misdirection, as the public obsesses over the latest soundbite from the other party’s candidate, a small group of technocrats pull the strings like puppet masters. They control not just our data but the flow of information shaping our beliefs and values. Companies that know our secrets, our habits, and our preferences are influencing the rules that govern us all. It’s a silent, dangerous concession — and we’re barely talking about it.

Based on both candidate’s vision for the future, this trend will continue regardless of who wins the election. And if it does continue, we are left with a political system where candidates must pander to big tech in order to become a serious contender. That isn’t a democracy. That’s an oligarchy.

So what can we do about it? The first step is public education. Understanding the fundamentals of how internet platforms manipulate our well-being must enter the public canon of common knowledge. The impact of algorithms, surveillance capitalism, and AI must be deemed just as essential to learning as math and science. In a time of information overload, this task can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.

Our team spent several years interviewing experts in a variety of fields to distill this information into a 90-minute documentary. The Cost of Convenience is a big-picture approach that explores and reveals the true root of this problem. As a public service, this film is available to watch for free, for a limited time. This film was made independently and is free of corporate or political influence. It is available directly on the site for this reason.

We made this film for you. Elections are about change. But if we want real change in this country, it’s time to focus on the things that unite us, not divide us. The rigged power dynamic between internet platforms and their users is something that all of us can agree needs to change. That change starts with education.

Watch the film. Talk about it with friends, family, and even someone who might not share your political beliefs. Just because our political candidates refuse to talk about this issue doesn’t mean we, the people, have to be silent. Everyone feels the pressure of information overload, manipulation, and misinformation. It’s the common ground of our digital age. And until there’s a candidate brave enough to talk about it, we must protect ourselves and our families the best we can. If we don’t confront the cost of our convenience now, we may soon find ourselves paying a price we can’t afford.