Digital Sovereigns Big Tech and Nation-State Influence
Michael Bollerman

TL;DR
This paper explores how major tech companies have gained sovereign-like influence, affecting global governance, politics, and society, and discusses potential policy measures to regulate their power.
Contribution
It provides a comprehensive analysis of the rise of tech giants as quasi-sovereign entities and proposes regulatory frameworks to address their overreach.
Findings
Tech companies act as quasi-governmental bodies
Unregulated influence threatens democratic governance
Policy recommendations for regulating corporate power
Abstract
Technology companies have gained unprecedented power and influence in recent years, resembling quasi-nation-states globally. Corporations with trillion-dollar market capitalizations are no longer just providers of digital services; they now wield immense economic power, influence global infrastructure, and significantly impact political and social dynamics. This thesis examines how these corporations have transcended traditional business models, adopting characteristics typically associated with sovereign states. They now enforce regulations, shape public discourse, and influence legal frameworks in various countries. This shift presents unique challenges, including the undermining of democratic governance, the exacerbation of economic inequalities, and the enabling of unregulated data exploitation and privacy violations. The study will examine critical instances of tech companies…
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