The power of big tech has grown significantly over the past decade, as digital platforms have become increasingly important as the basic infrastructure of society. The operation and regulation of these platforms also have a significant impact on the media environment and the limits to freedom of speech. The project explores the role of major tech companies in EU policy in the midst of a major regulatory project in the Union.
Large technology companies (e.g. Google and Amazon) have emerged as a major policy issue in the EU. However, we know little about how big tech is shaping the EU's regulatory capacity and even less about the effectiveness of such policies. This situation undermines our understanding of democratic governance in the EU. The project, led by Matti Ylönen, addresses these challenges by producing important research on the multi-channel lobbying activities of big tech and their effectiveness in the EU.
The project will run from 2023-2025 and is funded by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation.
Prof. Daniel Mügge arrives for the first time in Helsinki to give an open lecture about how AI does (and does not) change contemporary capitalism. During the lecture, some grand narratives of an AI-powered future will be debunked, while at the same time taking seriously how AI alters both the organization and relations of production.
As part of the research project, a podcast series is also published, in which Matti Ylönen and top experts discuss the political power of digital platform companies.