Facebook role on Brexit

Facebook role on Brexit

When the world woke up to the Brexit news in June 2016, many wondered what influenced this decision and what repercussions exiting the EU would have on the UK years to come. Speculations were that ‘tech giants’ like Facebook, Twitter, and Google had a hand in influencing the people’s decision to vote in favor of exiting the EU. However, these companies refused to validate these claims and have never been held accountable for their actions. In a research conducted by journalist and writer, Carole Jane Cadwalladr from the Observer, she uncovers how liberal democracy failed to prevail during the Brexit vote. She states that these companies had enabled numerous crimes in the EU referendum (Cadwalladr). Speaking out was quite a bold move by Carole considering that the founders of those tech companies, whom she named the “Gods of Silicon Valley,” were the sponsors of the conference.

Did Facebook influence the Brexit vote? In what manner?

Facebook had a significant influence on the outcome of the Brexit vote. In a speech that Carole gave at the TED conference in Vancouver in 2019, she states that according to her findings, Facebook acted as a facilitator for the spread of biased information on facts about Brexit (Cadwalladr). Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica to access and collect user data, which enabled the firm to micro-target and politically advertise to potential voters and persuade their decisions.

Was Facebook management aware of how Cambridge Analytica was using the user’s data?

Facebook management refutes claims that it was aware of how Cambridge Analytica was using user’s data but stated that the firm disregarded its terms of service (Dodds). Although it may not have been aware of the data firm’s intentions, internal facebook communication show that Facebook already had suspicions on Cambridge Analytica close to three months before it said it realized there was a breach (Dodds). Facebook is responsible for all the data its users share on its platform. If it was suspicious of Cambridge Analytica’s actions, it should have stopped the firm and secured user data. By failing to do so, this means that Facebook turned a blind eye to Cambridge Analytica’s activities and acted as a tool for spreading political disinformation, making the democratic process unfair.

Based on the speaker’s recounting of events and content reviewed during class, do you believe the UK was ever entirely in the EU?

The UK has been a member of the European Union for 47 years since 1973. Carole also takes note of developments in Britain funded by the EU.  However, this relationship was rocky as the UK held different views from the rest of the EU member countries, which set it apart (Newman). Therefore, the UK never really fit in the EU.

Who will have to live the Brexit decision? Is it fair to them?

The consequences of the Brexit decision will be felt by the UK and the EU as well. The EU helped fund many development and infrastructural projects throughout Britain. With Brexit, Britain would have to do without the support, financial or otherwise, from the union. The free trade previously enjoyed within the EU by Britain will no longer be possible, and taxes and trade barriers will affect the price of goods. However, the costs of EU regulations on Britain will be no more. Moving in and out of the UK will now face stricter rules, and this may negatively affect its labor force and economy, which is not fair to the citizens or immigrants.

Is the fear of turkey immigrants flooding Europe justified?

The fear of turkey immigrants flooding Europe is justified as Turkey remains a religiously intolerant country (CSW). Non-Muslims are still persecuted, forcing them to seek asylum in other nations. As long as this prejudice prevails in Turkey, Europe will keep getting more turkey immigrants.

Works Cited

Carole Cadwalladr. “Facebook’s role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy.” Youtube, June 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSMr-3GGvQ. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.

CSW. “Turkey: Growing Religious Intolerance is Undermining Constitutional Commitments” FoRB in Full, Jan. 2017, https://forbinfull.org/2017/01/19/turkey-growing-religious-intolerance-is-undermining-constitutional-commitments/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.

Henry Newman. “The EU’s One-Sided Love Affair with Britain.” The Atlantic, April 2019, https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/04/brexit-inevitable-britain-europe/586888/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.

Laurence Dodds. “Facebook was investigating Cambridge Analytica three months before it originally claimed.” The Telegraph, August 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/08/23/facebook-investigating-cambridge-analytica-three-months-originally/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.