Rupert Murdoch's words of wisdom on Google & Facebook. Well said!

Remember when apple did that amazing commercial in 1984 describing IBM as big brother. Now Apple, Google & Facebook belong lampooned in a similar ad.

Murdoch on ‘Big Digital’

‘A quick Google News search on most contemporary topics often reveals a similar pattern of selectivity—or, to be blunt, censorship’

Nov. 18, 2021 6:03 pm ET

Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corp (which owns the Journal), speaking at the company’s annual stockholders meeting, Nov. 17:

For many years, our company has been leading the global debate about Big Digital. What we have seen in the past few weeks about the practices at Facebook and Google surely reinforces the need for significant reform. There is no doubt that Facebook employees try to silence conservative voices, and a quick Google News search on most contemporary topics often reveals a similar pattern of selectivity—or, to be blunt, censorship.

Secondly, the collusion between the two companies on ad tech as alleged in the Texas attorney general’s complaint is extraordinary. Let us be very clear about the consequences of that digital ad market manipulation: obviously, publishers have been materially damaged, but companies have also been overcharged for their advertising and consumers have thus paid too much for products.

Thirdly, both of these issues highlight the fundamental need for algorithmic transparency. The idea falsely promoted by the platforms that algorithms are somehow objective and solely scientific is complete nonsense. Algorithms are subjective and they can be manipulated by people to kill competition and damage other people, publishers and businesses.

Finally, the current American political debate is profound, whether about education or welfare or economic opportunity. It is crucial that conservatives play an active, forceful role in that debate, but that will not happen if President Trump stays focused on the past. The past is the past, and the country is now in a contest to define the future.

Appeared in the November 19, 2021, print edition.