The tide is seemingly turning against Meta, Google and other tech giants. Groundbreaking new European Union legislation is imminent, aimed at forcing the large digital platforms to do more to keep users safe and cutting down market abuses, data capture and surveillance infrastructure. As the Digital Services Act package was being finalised, the very public crossing of swords between Elon Musk and the European Commission over Twitter captured headlines. Yet the Musk spectacle was a sideshow. Much more urgently in need of scrutiny is big tech's hidden lobbying against the DSA. It is unlikely that Brussels has previously seen campaigns on such a scale and practices so out of line with the requirements of a democratic, open society.

Topics discussed in this episode include: How Big Tobacco used it's wealth to obfuscate the harm of tobacco and appear socially responsible The tactics shared by Big Tech and Big Tobacco to preform ethics-washing and avoid regulation How Big Tech and Big Tobacco work to influence universities,...