A New Digital Social Contract Is Coming for Silicon Valley

Abstract:

Last month, the British parliament released a detailed and forceful report on the disinformation – or “fake news” – problem. The report examined what it described as overreaches of an internet industry comprised of leading Silicon Valley firms that, in the committee’s view, is responsible for perpetrating tremendous harms against British citizens.

This report is only the latest incident marking a trajectory toward regulation and legislation that will constrain how these and other firms operate on the web in regard to not only disinformation but also increasingly broader social and economic concerns including transparency, privacy, and competition. Businesses need to know what is coming, and what is at stake — and come to the table in Washington ready to contribute to these efforts in an honest negotiation.