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Learning to Live Among Semi-Benevolent Information Monopolies

Mon, May 28, 11:00 to 12:15, Hilton Prague, Floor: LL, Congress Hall I

Abstract

Facebook and Google have quasi-monopolistic market share. They dominate the marketplace for online information and routinely acquire companies and patents that pose a potential threat to their monopolistic status. Entire industries within journalism and political communication are now shaped by the internal engineering choices and business incentives of these two companies. And, at least in the near future, their monopolistic status seems likely to remain unchecked by serious regulatory oversight or anti-trust investigation. This paper will illustrate the impact of Facebook on advocacy communications with three case studies: (1) the abrupt decline of Upworthy.com’s web traffic, (2) MoveOn.org’s innovative “Video Lab” initiative, and (3) GetUp.org.au’s success using Facebook advertisements for electoral persuasion efforts. The paper will then offer a series of practical policy recommendations for how the platforms, the political advocates, and the public can best adapt to life among semi-benevolent information monopolies.

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