Facebook's role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy | Carole Cadwalladr

Summary

The speaker recounts their experience in South Wales post-Brexit, where despite significant EU funding, a majority voted to leave, citing immigration concerns despite low immigrant rates. They explore the role of social media, particularly Facebook, in spreading misinformation during the referendum, highlighting the lack of transparency and accountability in ad targeting and spending. The talk delves into the connection between Brexit and Trump's campaign, the use of data analytics for political manipulation, and calls for action against the unchecked power of tech giants, emphasizing the urgent need to preserve democracy in the digital age.

Takeaways

• 🇬🇧 Brexit's Impact: The script discusses the aftermath of the Brexit vote and its profound effects on Britain, including the departure of Japanese car manufacturers.
• 🏭 Ebbw Vale's Transformation: Describes the town of Ebbw Vale in South Wales, which despite high EU funding for infrastructure and education, voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU.
• 🗳️ The Paradox of Leave Voters: Highlights the irony that many Leave voters felt the EU had done nothing for them, despite visible EU-funded projects in their community.
• 🤔 The Disconnect: Points out the disconnection between the actual immigrant population in Ebbw Vale and the perception of high immigration driving the Leave vote.
• 📰 Media Influence: Suggests that right-wing tabloids played a significant role in shaping public opinion on immigration, despite the area being a left-wing stronghold.
• 📱 Social Media's Role: Reveals the influence of Facebook in spreading misinformation about immigration, particularly concerning Turkey joining the EU, which was a lie.
• 🚫 Facebook's Lack of Transparency: Criticizes Facebook for not providing information on ad spending, targeting, and the source of funds used during the Brexit campaign.
• 🏦 Financial Irregularities: Discusses the illegal financial activities by the 'Vote Leave' campaign, including the funneling of money through another entity to bypass spending limits.
• 🕊️ Brexit as a 'Petri Dish': Compares Brexit to a testing ground for the tactics used in the Trump campaign, including the use of fear and hate to manipulate voters.
• 🌐 Global Reach of Disinformation: Notes the spread of disinformation and divisive tactics online beyond the UK and the US, affecting democracies worldwide.
• 🔍 The Need for Truth: Calls for transparency and accountability from tech companies to understand the full extent of their platforms' role in recent political events.

Q & A

What was the main task assigned to the speaker by their editor after the Brexit vote?

The speaker was asked to go back to South Wales and write a report on the town of Ebbw Vale, which had one of the highest 'Leave' votes in the country.

What significant changes did the speaker observe in Ebbw Vale since their last visit?

The speaker observed that Ebbw Vale had undergone significant development with a new college of further education, sports center, road-improvement scheme, train line, and railway station, all funded by the European Union.

What was the main reason the people of Ebbw Vale claimed for voting to leave the European Union?

People in Ebbw Vale claimed they wanted to take back control and expressed frustration with immigrants and refugees, despite the area having one of the lowest rates of immigration.

How did the speaker find out about the misinformation on Facebook regarding immigration?

A woman from Ebbw Vale contacted the speaker and mentioned the scary stuff she had seen on Facebook about immigration, particularly concerning Turkey.

Why was the Brexit referendum described as taking place 'in darkness'?

The referendum took place 'in darkness' because it largely occurred on Facebook, where ads and information are not publicly archived, making it impossible to research their impact or origins.

What was the role of Cambridge Analytica in the Brexit and Trump campaigns?

Cambridge Analytica worked for both campaigns, profiling people politically to understand their individual fears and target them with Facebook ads, using illicitly harvested profiles from Facebook.

What was the significance of the 'Vote Leave' campaign's actions being referred to the police?

The 'Vote Leave' campaign was referred to the police because it had laundered money through another campaign entity in a manner ruled illegal by the electoral commission, which also unleashed a fire hose of disinformation.

What was the role of Arron Banks in the Brexit campaign and why was he referred to the National Crime Agency?

Arron Banks funded the 'Leave.EU' campaign and was referred to the National Crime Agency because the electoral commission could not determine the origin of his money or if it was even British.

Why did the speaker compare the situation in Britain to a canary in a coal mine?

The speaker compared Britain to a canary in a coal mine to illustrate that Britain is showing the early signs of the damage that technology can do to democracy, serving as a warning to the rest of the world.

What is the broader implication of the speaker's argument regarding technology and democracy?

The broader implication is that the technology invented by Silicon Valley giants has been used to disrupt democracy, and unless action is taken, it may become impossible to have free and fair elections in the future.

What is the speaker's call to action for the audience and tech companies?

The speaker calls for the audience and tech companies to acknowledge the damage done to democracy and to take back control by demanding transparency, truth, and regulation of these powerful platforms.