State-level action needed to fight Big Tech

Cell Phone with apps

As Big Tech has grown and expanded into every facet of our lives, the convenience and ease of use has come at a steep price. Big Tech has the ability to censor our opinions, program what news you see (or don’t), and silence voices that don’t align with their viewpoint.

While the state Legislature has considered critical bills to rein in the power of Big Tech and actually empower consumers and small developers, the tech giants argued the only place to make meaningful reform is at the federal level. And they’re in luck!

Leo Biasiucci

State-level action is a meaningful way to protect Arizona consumers, and federal antitrust legislation will provide a broad framework to fight back against the tech giants that have dominated the market, stifled innovation, and suppressed conservative voices. When a handful of corporations control the market and the only avenue for information consumption, consumers don’t have any choices.

Our democracy is founded upon the idea of competition and market freedom. As a conservative, I believe the economy works best when there is little to no government interference and intervention is only appropriate when monopoly power is controlling the market, which is what we see today in the dominance of Big Tech.

These companies have spent years harvesting consumer data only to weaponize it to censor information and limit opinions. Big Tech has not only stood idly by and allowed bad actors like China and Russia to infiltrate our data, but in most cases partnered with global tyrants to provide unfettered access to user data.

Ultimately Big Tech’s power and influence is grounded in its unlimited access to a powerful tool: money.

Big Tech companies and their employees are consistently some of the biggest donors to campaigns, and as a result, they are able to wield an uncomfortable amount of influence over our elections. Recent efforts to pass antitrust and data privacy legislation have the tech giants worried. Look no further than millions of dollars spent lobbying the U.S. Senate and House lately – with Apple reportedly spending more on lobbying last quarter ($2.5 million) than in any previous quarter.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly has raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from Big Tech and its army of lobbyists. If you want to understand why liberal and career politicians are constantly doing Big Tech’s bidding, just follow the money. The goal is to stall and kill legislation that would loosen Big Tech’s stranglehold on our data, pocketbook and consumption of information.

Antitrust and consumer choice legislation is a way to fight back against the tech giants that have dominated the market, stifled innovation, and suppressed varying viewpoints. If a few big companies control the market, consumers don’t have choices. And choices have long made America the greatest nation in the history of humanity – choices that range from simple everyday items to electing the leader of the free world.

It’s time to contact Mark Kelly to tell him to support the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and federal anti-trust legislation that will end Big Tech’s monopoly. If Mark Kelly chooses not to vote anti-trust legislation that will rein in Big Tech, then it’s clear he supports Silicon Valley over Arizona consumers and families.

Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu City, will be House majority leader in the next session of the Legislature.