Social media giants have bought our government to protect their AI profits in the U.S. and Europe.

AI-generated hate speech, toxic content for teens, AI-fueled fraud, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, surveillance, unaccountable automated decision-making - these are all the pernicious effects of AI that go largely unchecked in the U.S. Citizens United paved the way for the few social media giants to use the power of money to block regulation to protect their AI profits.

Congress has refused to act, leaving states to do their best to defend their residents. Now Republicans in Congress want to shut state and local efforts down entirely. They are trying to attach a sweeping ten-year moratorium on all state and local AI regulation to must-pass bills.

In addition, the tech broligarchy is furious at the European Union for enforcing their Digital Services Act which obliges large platforms to self-police. The European Commission imposed its first fine last week on Musk’s X - 120 million euros, basically a tiny slap on the wrist. Yet Musk went berserk, declaring that the EU should be abolished and threatening personal retribution agains the “woke Stasi commissars” responsible for the fine.

What’s worse, writes Paul Krugman, is that the Trump administration appears to be using the threat of tariffs to support the broligarchy’s fight against European regulation.

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/america-has-become-a-digital-narco