IT Essentials: Private citizen, public problem

In the modern economy, tech billionaires hold the reins of power

Private citizens inserting themselves into conflict have no idea of the damage they can do

Last week, news broke that Elon Musk had (allegedly) turned off Starlink connectivity in Ukraine without warning in 2022, disrupting a major operation and directly costing lives. That consequential decision immediately brought home the danger of relying on civilians in a war - even those not directly influenced by the alt-right, trolls and memelords.

This column is not about Elon Musk, but does touch on his influence, and of those like him.

As public spending has fallen across most of the Western world, privatisation has stepped in. To extend the Musk example, SpaceX now carries out all NASA contracts to transport crews from the USA to space. We can see it in the UK with critical infrastructure like trains, water and the internet.

That's a good thing, at least theoretically. For-profit companies have a dedicated interest to making sure the products they provide are the best they can be, or consumers will go elsewhere (when they can - some services are monopolistic outliers); and anyone who used British rail before privatisation will tell you about its awful state.

The route of the problem is power dynamics. Tesla, for example, has sold so many electric vehicles that it's dictating EV infrastructure investment in the USA - to the extent that, according to the New Yorker, the Biden administration relaxed a push for a universal charging standard Musk opposed.

The modern macroeconomy gives some private citizens - billionaires - such an outsized effect that they can literally shape the fate of nations.

That was bad enough when it was limited to political influence. Now though, people like Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk control the IT systems running parts of the world. They can - and have proven they will - turn off essential services in real time.

Normally this service provision is governed by contracts, which set strict limits on what companies can and can't do. Lockheed Martin can't just turn off its missiles; Boeing can't decide to ground its planes because it doesn't like how they're being used. But when powerful civilians choose to involve themselves in delicate situations without fully understanding the context, the result can be confusion, distress and even death.

The result is even more power aggregation; senior defence officials went cap in hand to Elon Musk and begged him to turn Starlink back on.

I'd say the power has shifted.