Two decades ago, Facebook launched as a college-centric social network, and who could have predicted its evolution into the influential behemoth it is today? Now rebranded as Meta, the company holds sway over information infrastructure, communication systems, and the digital economy, playing a central role in our daily lives.
The platform, initially designed for college students, has faced unforeseen consequences, being blamed for issues ranging from mental health deterioration to genocidal violence and the rise of anti-democratic populism worldwide.
In the last decade, Meta’s social media and messaging platforms, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have been associated with a decline in mental health, contributing to anxiety, depression, addiction, and various societal problems. These platforms have also been implicated in serious global issues such as terrorism, violent extremism, human trafficking, and illegal wildlife trade.
With almost 4 billion regular users, Meta stands as one of the most powerful companies globally, controlling access to the internet in numerous regions and significantly influencing the success of content creators, businesses, and politicians.
Meta’s impact on the public sphere has reshaped our political economy, contributing to democratic decay and the rise of populist digital authoritarianism. The company’s market power, accumulated over two decades under Mark Zuckerberg, has been facilitated by lax antitrust oversight and policy failures.
The company’s growth involved acquiring over 60 companies without regulatory interference, positioning itself to control essential AI infrastructure. The absence of comprehensive privacy legislation and effective antitrust enforcement allowed Meta and similar entities to establish a new economic order rooted in surveillance capitalism.
As we reflect on the past 20 years, it becomes evident that accountability is crucial for the harms propagated by Meta. Breaking up the tech giant is imperative to reclaim control and safeguard democracy as we enter the next era of technological evolution.
