Who has control over personal data is tied to the battle to save democracy

In an op-ed for Politico, American entrepreneur and Project Liberty founder Frank H. McCourt Jr warns that the digital realm has become the primary battleground for democracy. Drawing parallels with the security concerns of the Cold War, he argues that control over personal data is now the most consequential source of power and influence in the modern world.

McCourt writes that the original promise of the World Wide Web as a democratic space has been replaced by a system of predatory algorithms designed by Big Tech for rage, addiction, and profit. He suggests that the current trajectory of artificial intelligence (AI) follows this same extractive logic, aimed at increasing control and manipulation at an unprecedented scale.

To safeguard future generations, McCourt calls for a global effort to build alternative, open-source AI systems that return data ownership to individuals. He emphasises that technology should be transparent and governed by civil society rather than a few powerful corporations. By aligning digital infrastructure with fundamental democratic values and individual rights, McCourt believes leaders can establish a new paradigm that protects citizens instead of endangering the foundations of civil society.

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