Unfortunately, today’s technological conveniences have already taken over our way of life, yet we don’t have any idea where we are heading. Look at how our lives are driven by the devices that have been created for our pleasure in life. We are now dependent on these devices to be properly developed so as to cause us no harm. The business enterprise system of government is both good and evil. Yes, it gives everyone the ability to earn money and enjoy life, but at what price are we paying?
I have been asked why not have a successful businessman as president instead of a corrupt politician. Neither of these choices is acceptable if we don’t know exactly what either is determined to accomplish. Regardless of who is responsible, technology is the driving force. The key issue here is how our government is overseeing this amazing growth in technological achievement.
Transformation of the Internet
During their presidency, Bill Clinton and Al Gore focused on expanding Internet access and promoting its use in education, technology, and commerce, and making technology accessible to all Americans. Clinton mobilized public and private efforts to address the digital divide, with over 400 companies and non-profit organizations signing a “National Call to Action” to ensure every child was technologically literate. The Agenda for Action stated a strong preference for private-sector development and deployment of the Internet so as not to impose a cost burden on taxpayers.
This proved to be of great benefit for most Americans. However, his regulation, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, failed over time because government oversight did not implement further restrictions as Internet usage expanded, while our technological achievements rapidly progressed. The net neutrality regulation prevented Internet service providers (ISPs) from intentionally blocking, slowing down, or charging different rates for specific online content. Under net neutrality, whether a user connects to Netflix, Facebook, YouTube, or a personal email service, their ISP must treat them all the same.
Impact of social media and other Apps
Starting with Facebook, which has captured data on our lives and social interests, leading to the unbelievably powerful capability of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we need to visualize how and why this path is dangerous if left unregulated. Look at how Clinton’s conceptual “Information Superhighway” has changed radically. When searching for significant information on the internet, you are most likely misdirected to sites that sell a product that relates to the request, ignoring the request for information you expected. This is because the wealthy control how search engines work, and they have prioritized sales profits over research data.
Numerous software packages have been created to capture our attention in order to learn more about us and our habits, so-called “likes and dislikes”. This data collection has been egregiously exploited for the profit of others. Facebook started as a great way for family and friends to communicate in groups, sharing their common interests. Unfortunately, our government allowed its software developers to collect the personal information that people were divulging to each other, creating a giant database that can be used for and against us. It has become a national disgrace for spreading gossip, conspiracy theories, misinformation, cyberbullying and scams.
YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the primary apps that teens and young adults cling to for socialization and information, to the detriment of gaining knowledge from fact-based media sources. Personally, I love YouTube because you can see and learn from other people’s mistakes, but avoid the others, especially Twitter, now called X, since Elon Musk’s disastrous takeover. Unfortunately, these extremely popular Apps can create widespread misinformation instantaneously that cannot be easily corrected.
The GOP’s concept of the free market system of government isn’t free in any sense of the word. Not just free in cost but also intellectually for everyone using the internet and various other forms of communication that track information for profit. Our TVs, phones, tablets and computers are bombarded with commercial advertisements that are displayed and repeated relentlessly.
Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Who needs and wants this? Obviously, it’s wealthy corporate America that now benefits beyond previous imagination. The bombardment of commercials and misinformation is getting more difficult to stop. This is frighteningly true of the collection of databases, thanks to Cloud Computing. Cloud Computing wants you to store your information on their company’s hardware infrastructure rather than locally in your home.
I do not need their OneDrive or any other cloud storage network., nor do I want my personal information stored and controlled by someone else’s massive, yet vulnerable, system of storage networking. Microsoft has obsoleted Windows 10 and has forced me to upgrade to Windows 11, which has features that I don’t want. In turn, they are punishing those who still want to keep using their earlier versions that have a lifetime copy use of their Windows Office suite software. They do this by eliminating some important existing features that will no longer be available unless you agree to purchase their programs at an annual fee.
I have all the terabytes of storage here at home I could possibly need. Everything is defaulted to be sent to OneDrive, and you have to search for all the places necessary to turn off this feature. This process needs to be regulated so that we can choose features and not be forced to accept something we don’t want and have to pay for. Other top cloud computing providers are generally considered to be Amazon Web Services (AWS), Apple iCloud, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Alibaba Cloud, Oracle Cloud and the IBM Cloud.
These companies often allow you up to two terabytes of free storage. I can store this much information on one small piece of hardware that is interchangeable between my computers, tablets and other digital devices. This allows me better security than national computer systems that are outdated and overlooked. The growth of Artificial Intelligence requires massive Cloud Computing infrastructure to process all of the data it takes to find correct answers to complex problems, and yet we are still in the interim stages.
As with internet searches, successful AI depends on two critical structures. The first being the way a search inquiry is phrased and then, more importantly, how the software algorithm is developed. As I understand, AI is presently being developed in two key, diverse directions: nonprofit medical research and for-profit commercialization. Unfortunately, under the Trump administration, corporate profit reigns supreme while research foundations within Universities are being defunded.
The Free Market System of Government
Notice that the Apps that we use every day are constantly being updated, but not exactly for our benefit, because we are now being forced to agree with their revised licensing agreements. These revision “enhancements” have to be accepted in their entirety, or we lose all of the features being offered. This is not acceptable! We must demand that we have the right to choose what we will personally allow because this is an invasion of our privacy.
When I am streaming on my LG TV, I am now being persistently instructed to Please Accept the Agreement which allows them to use their voice recondition feature that is supposed to make using their product easier. I do not want my responses permanently recorded on their “Cloud” storage that can be publicly sold and accessed; then possibly used against me for vindictive reasons by corporate employees, or worse yet, government operatives.
Allowing the use of voice recognition can be quite beneficial if privacy is guaranteed by strictly enforced regulations. The same thing can be said about cameras installed on computer monitors, tablets and cell phones. Facial recognition is another technological achievement that has specific values that need to be strictly utilized and enforced. We cannot allow just any individual or business enterprise to demand we submit to having our face captured for their convenience and usage. We are already being forced to use very confusing two stage ID verification due to all of the scams that have developed.
A Vision of our Future
I am all for technological achievement and what it is accomplishing for our future. Look at what the wealth-driven Trump Administration sees for our future by clicking on the links that I have used for my source of information and talk to others about how you interpret what these documents are telling you. Start with this link then go on to click on the other links I’ve provided and you will see the big picture of where are future is heading:
Trump’s Moves to Modernize U.S. Technology Policy
In reading Trump’s Executive Order to Establish United States Leadership in Digital Financial Technology, I find parts both wonderful and alarming. The parts that frighten me are:
The Working Group will be chaired by the White House AI & Crypto Czar.
The Executive Order revokes the previous Administration’s policy which suppressed innovation and undermined U.S. economic liberty and global leadership in digital finance.
Notice the word Czar in my first concern and learn more about cryptocurrency as opposed to our dollar-based currency. Now go back and click on Elon Musk’s disastrous start-up of his businesses and compare this with how his presidential role as DOGE czar has worked out for the American People.
Lastly, read about how Trump is accomplishing this drastic change in our government, it’s all there for everyone to see. Read the actual Project 2025 document. This is what the wealthy are determined to achieve more than anything: Control of our Government. Remember my words, which I learned from my experiences in the military: “A leader is only as good as the people who work for him.”
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