Reasons and Solutions Constables Offers
For this module, the reading review will be in a slightly different format. Instead of writing an essay paper, please read the attached opinion piece from Constables, published on Forbes website (2018), and write a response. Make sure to do the following in your response:
Refute each of the four "reasons" that Constables offers. You can do this by showing that they are wrong, misleading, incomplete, etc. or by showing that his reasons can be addressed with proper implementation
Evaluate the two "solutions" that Constables offers. You can do this by showing that his solutions are inadequate, ineffective, infeasible, counterproductive, misleading, etc.
Offer your own solutions. Recall that government and regulators all around the world are wrestling with this very issue. What would you say to them ?
As with all reading review, I expect you to demonstrate understanding of the readings through your response. For example, you can rely on the Chang reading to find flaws in Constable's reasoning, or draw from Srnicek's theory to challenge the substance of Constable's argument. Of course one can write a great response to Constables without making use of the readings, but for the purpose of this assignment it would not score highly.
Formatting-wise, your response should look and read like an op-ed. In other words, it should be written in accessible language (i.e. write like Chang, don't write like Srnicek), and it should have a title and an overall thesis (e.g. Big Tech should (or shouldn't ) be regulated ). Note that I still expect to see careful citation and reference where needed.
The Government should Regulate Big Tech
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The Government should Regulate Big Tech
Constable argues against the involvement of the government in the regulation of big tech. To a large extent, this view appears flawed especially considering the urgent need for proper regulation in big tech. While the suggestions made by Constable may hold some water, they fail to look at the complex nature of the matter and the urgency with which having a proper regulatory framework for tech regulation is needed. It is possible for the government to establish an appropriate regulatory framework to regulate the big tech industry. If anything, the government has had many effective regulatory frameworks in the past (Budzinski & Mendelsohn, 2021). Therefore, the government should play a key role in regulating big tech, but such a role should be done quite carefully.
Constable asserts that we can use recent history to judge the incompetence of government regulation. A great example provided is the failure of the government to prevent the financial crisis. Whereas government regulation may have played a role in the financial crisis, it is not proper to conclude that it is incompetent. So many complex factors led to the financial crisis that we cannot blame government regulatory efforts alone. Secondly, Constable argues that the private sector is way ahead regarding effective regulations. While this is true, it does not mean that the government cannot play an effective role in regulation. An excellent example to demonstrate this fact is the near-perfect regulation in place by the government for the airline industry.
Thirdly, Constable argues that expert regulators are mostly hired by regulated companies (Constable, 2018). While this is true, it is a challenge that the government can overcome. Government can put in measures to prevent regulatory capture. Lastly, Constable argues that regulations help big companies the most. While this is true, the regulation also helps create a level playing field...