Discussion about ‘Move fast and break things’ by Jonathan Taplin

On Friday February 2 (starting at 20:00), I’ll be taking part in a discussion with Jonathan Taplin, author of Move Fast and Break Things, How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy, an account of how the internet has been captured by the big tech companies. He argues that they have become engines for increasing inequality, and are not delivering on their initial promises of empowerment and democracy.

Taplin has not had a typical career. He started as a tour manager for Bob Dylan and The Band, before working as a lawyer for Merill Lynch, focusing on media mergers, and is now Director Emeritus of the Annenberg Innovation Lab in California.

It promises to be an interesting evening, prompting us to think about our relationship to the internet and the companies that have come to dominate it.

The event is organised by the John Adams Institute, and will be moderated by its director, Tracy Metz. It will take place at the Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam. More details and how to buy tickets can be found here.