# A Better Internet is Possible – Despite Obstacles from Zuckerberg, Musk, and Co. In this podcast, Markus Beckedahl, founder of Netzpolitik.org and curator of the re:publica, discusses current developments in the digital space with the moderator. The focus is on Meta, Twitter/X, and TikTok, as well as their business practices, the regulatory challenges in the EU, and the handling of user data. ### 1. Meta's AI Strategy: Avatars Instead of Real Friendships Mark Zuckerberg justifies his new AI avatar strategy with the claim that "the average American has fewer than three friends" and "the average person needs many more." The conversation partners interpret this as a fundamental shift in the original mission of social networks: "This is a justification for why there are now digital avatars that you're supposed to interact with, instead of actually finding friends on these networks, which were originally started to enable networking among people." ### 2. Data Protection Double Standards: Meta's Global Standards Vary Greatly Meta applies significantly lower data processing and moderation standards in countries in the global South, such as Nigeria, than in Europe or the US. When Nigeria imposed a fine of $290 million on Meta, the company threatened to shut down its services: "There are documented cases in Nigeria that are particularly significant because Meta has a monopoly there through WhatsApp, and things spread quickly, and the company doesn't want to take responsibility." ### 3. EU Fines Against Tech Companies are Considered Too Low The recent EU fines against Meta (€200 million) and TikTok (€530 million) are steps in the right direction, but measured against the companies' revenue, they are too low. In Meta's case, the fine amounts to only "0.01%" of the possible penalty: "I don't want to be too biased, but for me, this is such a blatant violation of the law that I think more than these €200 million should have been imposed." ### 4. The "Twitter Files" Playbook as a Threat to Democratic Institutions Elon Musk's "Twitter Files" strategy, in which internal data is used to discredit institutions, is being copied. A US State Department official, Darren Beattie, is now planning something similar: "Twitter-Filesing is a brutal tactic that has an authoritarian character. [...] In reality, it's about destroying trust in everyone except for those who are currently in power. Take over an institution and use its information against it to show how corrupt it was." ### 5. Algorithms Need Democratic Control The lack of transparency in algorithmic decision-making systems endangers democratic opinion-forming. The podcast guests demand more transparency and control options: "There should be ways to make this more transparent for unsuspecting users, and we also need democratic control options to check whether certain opinions are being manipulated in the background." ## Breakdown The podcast offers a well-founded critique of current developments in the digital space and sheds light on the concentration of power among tech companies. Notable is the structured analysis of Meta and X/Twitter's strategies, which goes beyond mere technical criticism and includes political dimensions. While the practices in the global South are particularly highlighted, concrete counter-models remain somewhat vague – the "better internet" is considered possible, but not detailed. The discussion takes place in a progressive discourse space that fundamentally affirms digitalization but demands democratic control. It is striking how the speakers incorporate underrepresented perspectives (such as those from Nigeria) while remaining within their own Eurocentric-regulatory framework. The structural problems are primarily framed as a consequence of inadequate regulation and corporate irresponsibility, rather than as a systemic problem of a capitalist internet. The format conveys important insights for those interested in digital politics through its discursive depth, its glance beyond the European horizon, and its connection of technology, politics, and social criticism. The objective-analytical yet accessible tone makes complex relationships understandable. Recommended listening for anyone who wants to critically reflect on the power of digital platforms.