Tuesday 19 November 2019

Don’t be evil

What went wrong with big tech and how can we fix it?

Book launch for ‘Don’t Be Evil’ by Rana Foroohar

When Google adopted their “Don’t be evil” motto in the late 1990s, many people believed new technologies would usher in a safer, happier, more-connected and more productive new world. Twenty years on, these technologies are now often associated with fears about privacy, fake news, and online bullying. Technology is blamed for destabilising democracies and dehumanising work. Policy makers in turn now want to cut big tech down to size.

Are the challenges from big tech overdone or underplayed? Is a loss of privacy unavoidable in a digital world? Should policy makers intervene to cut tech down to size – and what are the risks from them doing so? And how can we encourage technological innovation and growth, without individuals and societies paying a high price?

To explore these questions, the Resolution Foundation hosted an event with author and Financial Times columnist Rana Foroohar, to discuss her new book Don’t Be Evil: How Big Tech Betrayed Its Founding Principles — and All of Us. She was joined by the Lastminute.com founder and Executive Chair of doteveryone Martha Lane Fox for a panel discussion, before taking part in an audience Q&A.