As the election draws closer and the stakes become clearer, we should not forget the outsized influence of Big Tech in our country.

Not long ago, Facebook and Twitter emerged as key figures in U.S. elections when foreign propaganda, fake news and objectionable content became a part of the process. Since then, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X have become embedded in the fabric of American society, affecting democracy itself.

Everywhere we turn, there are ads, messages and promotions for products, positions, people and politicians — many of them dubious. While we should be wary of excess and abuse, it is nearly impossible to escape the ever-present reality and extensive reach of Big Tech in our society. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google, sometimes referred to as Big Tech, have changed the world, but their business practices, sheer size and market dominance are a very big problem for society.

Beyond elections, these companies have extraordinary influence and impact on what matters most in our daily lives. From what we watch, buy and do, Big Tech firms have untold access to our most sensitive health, financial and personal data, all of which comes at a small cost to individuals but a larger cost to society. And while individual Americans pay a price, Big Tech firms pay little or nothing at all.

For years, we have been lulled into accepting Big Tech transgressions, largely because of all the free stuff they give us. In this new environment, we abide by a simple social contract: companies give us their goods and we give them our data. Scores of invisible intermediaries access and collate high volumes of data........

© The Hill