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Silicon Valleys powerful chief executives don't seem to be talking much on behalf of their employees who increasingly find themselves at odds with their companies senior leadership, according to a survey by Politicos new media company Protocol.
Protocol surveyed over 1,500 tech employees across the U.S, ranging from c-suite executives to associates, and over 40% of the respondents worked at large tech companies having annual revenue of over $500 million with more than 1,000 employees.
Nearly 80% of the tech employees agreed the tech industry is too powerful, specifically the Big Tech players including Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple. About 40% also believed tech does more harm than good, indicating that a fear of negative impact of technology thrives even within the industry.
However, despite these concerns, tech employees dont see antitrust enforcement as a solution, according to the survey. More than 68% people want their companies to partner with or be acquired by a Big Tech player, and a third of respondents said these tech giants should be allowed to buy other firms.
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The tech giants - Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook - have been at loggerheads with antitrust regulators in several countries, scrutinised over mergers and alleged anti-competitive behaviour.
Section 230, the rule that made the modern internet, continues to be disputed by industry experts and companies. Surprisingly, only about 62% tech employees said they know what Section 230 is, and 65% of these employees agreed that tech companies should not be liable for the content on their sites and products. This indicates these employees agree reforms need to be in place but arent sure how it can be done, the survey noted.
The Trump administration had implemented strict trade restrictions and banned Chinese social media apps among several contentious attempts to curb Chinese dominance. These measures severely affected American tech companies that relied heavily on China for its manufacturing capabilities.
Over 55% tech employees in the survey said they think the U.S. restrictions on Chinese tech companies have gone too far. Moreover, over 60% also agreed that U.S. tech companies should work more closely with Chinese tech companies.
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Nearly 80% tech employees agree tech giants are too powerful: survey - The Hindu
