Pandemic and big tech

Abstract

Having been an observer and user of computing devices from slide rules, analog computers, early monstrous digital machines, to sleek, hand held digital ones: seeing the shift of the computing and data 'ownership' paradigms over the last six decades one wonders at the enormous size, power and market capitalization of a fistful of companies that have existed for only a couple of decades. Now the world is groaning under the corona virus pandemic mismanaged by most governments, health officers and organizations. Are these not perfect examples, ad- infinitum of the Peter principle? At the same time big tech is benefiting from the pandemic and preparing to take a central role to harvest more data, to be mined in the future for more revenue streams. This paper looks at the recent push by big tech to push its agenda to reach into all aspects of human life. The current opportunity presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and the fear of future pandemics is being seized to lay the ground work, at the public's expense and their privacy.