Cadwalladr: Tech, Authoritarianism & Surviving the Broligarchy
- Award-winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr is raising alarms about the increasing influence of Silicon Valley and its potential alignment with authoritarian regimes.
- Cadwalladr, who publishes the Substack newsletter "How to Survive the Broligarchy," contends that these companies, by providing popular services, have gained access to vast amounts of personal data.
- She draws a parallel between the current situation in the U.S.
Carole Cadwalladr cuts thru the noise, exposing the dangerous alliance between the “broligarchy” of Silicon Valley and authoritarian regimes. She spotlights how tech giants, fueled by data collection and surveillance, are amassing power that threatens individual freedoms. Cadwalladr, of “How to Survive the broligarchy” Substack, specifically targets data-mining companies such as Palantir. Her warnings highlight the potential for governments to abuse this data, creating a surveillance society where dissent is silenced. News Directory 3 is following this key story, providing updates on these urgent developments. Anticipate increased calls for accountability and regulatory oversight. Discover what’s next in the fight for digital privacy and freedom.
Updated June 05, 2025
Award-winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr is raising alarms about the increasing influence of Silicon Valley and its potential alignment with authoritarian regimes. Cadwalladr, known for her exposé on the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal, argues that tech companies have amassed immense power through data collection, creating a new form of control.
Cadwalladr, who publishes the Substack newsletter “How to Survive the Broligarchy,” contends that these companies, by providing popular services, have gained access to vast amounts of personal data. This data, she warns, is now being leveraged in ways that threaten individual liberties, notably as tech firms align with governments exhibiting authoritarian tendencies.
She draws a parallel between the current situation in the U.S. and the rise of Vladimir putin in Russia, where business elites initially thrived before facing crackdowns for dissent. Cadwalladr suggests that tech leaders who cozy up to authoritarian figures may face similar consequences. The integration of these companies into daily life, she argues, amplifies the danger, creating a surveillance society.
Cadwalladr specifically calls out Palantir, a data-mining company with ties to Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, for its role in compiling data for goverment use. She notes Palantir’s involvement as a military contractor, including its use by the Israeli government for targeting individuals. She emphasizes that the company now possesses data on nearly every U.S. citizen.
“This is what authoritarians do. They want as much information about the population as possible, so that they can surveil them, they can control them, they can search out their enemies, they can target them, and they can punish them, and they can silence them,” Cadwalladr said.
What’s next
Cadwalladr urges increased awareness and vigilance regarding the power and influence of Silicon Valley,advocating for greater accountability and oversight to protect against potential abuses of data and surveillance.