We live in interesting times, not only with the COVID-19 pandemic, but just how the internet seems to be making our lives move at the speed of light,

Public Accountability 📢

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2021-06-18 17:00:02

We live in interesting times, not only with the COVID-19 pandemic, but just how the internet seems to be making our lives move at the speed of light, literally. Before we can catch a breath, there’s already some new digital platform or digital technology that has weaved its way into our daily lives, not only weaving its way but becoming somewhat essential in our daily lives.

Take Twitter for example. It started off as a micro-blogging platform and it has now un-officially become the public square. Where influence is peddled, masses persuaded, gospels preached, and even people metaphorically lynched. Although this is good for all of us in general, we sometimes forget that Twitter, like many other digital services that have assumed a public function, is a private company. As such, they owe us as citizens no favors but are accountable mostly to the shareholders and employees, we, the users, are just a product.

This raises several concerns and questions. Chief among them is, as a private company performing a quasi-public function, under which regulations is/should companies like Twitter operate?