Silicon Valley surrenders?: How Donald Trump is reconfiguring his relationship with Big Tech

THE PACT marks a turning point in the relationship between Big Tech and the Republicanwho at the time accused the digital platforms of “Systematic censorship” against him. Now, with their return to the White House, technology companies seem to have adopted a conciliation strategy, with gestures that range from millionaire donations to changes in their internal policies.

According to reports, The terms of the recent agreement include 22 million dollars for the non -profit organization that will become the future Trump presidential library. The rest will go to legal fees and other litigants.

Zuckerberg’s gestures to Trump

It is not the first time that Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, approaches Trump. He has done so since the last elections, promoting a series of strategic movements that show an approach with the Republican tycoon. Among the outstanding actions are:

• A visit to Trump at his Mar-A-Lago residence in November last year, where the businessman sought to rebuild the relationship with the then elected president.
• A donation of 1 million dollars for Trump’s investiture.
• The elimination of the verification of events on Facebook and Instagram, one of the biggest demands of incoming president and his allies.
• The removal of diversity, equality and inclusion policies within the goal, aligning with the Trumpist narrative.
• The signing of Dana White, CEO of UFC and close to Trump, as an advisor in the company.
• The designation of Joel Kaplan, an executive with links with the Republican Party, as head of institutional relations.

A technological industry aligned

But The goal case is not an isolated event. These changes, in general, coincide with The strategy of other great technological ones, which have also sought to approach the new government.

This dynamic of the industry represents A radical change in the relationship between technological and politics. While in his first Trump mandate It crashed with Silicon Valleynow it seems to have established a relationship “Vertical”, in which these companies seek to avoid possible reprisals and guarantee their stability under their government.

The impact of this relationship could translate into a lower regulation of social networks, greater tolerance to misinformation and reinforcement of the digital ecosystem related to Trump, as already seen in cases such as those of Goal and X. If they ever they were, the great technological ones ceased to be a counterweight to political power.

The question that remains in the air is whether this submission of technology is a pragmatic strategy or a renunciation of their principles. With a strengthened Trump and a technological industry in tune with its agenda, The digital ecosystem could experience a turn that will redefine the future of information in the Trump era.

Business pragmatism and political control

Freddy Linares-Torres, Professor of the University of the Pacific and specialist in technology, artificial intelligence and political marketing, considers that the approach of the Big Tech responds to three key factors:

1. Regulatory alignment. “Technological ones seek to avoid long legislative debates that may affect their operation. Trump has promoted the ‘government efficiency department’ to reduce the weight of the State in regulatory matters ”.
2. Economic factors. “The technology industry is still expanding, especially with artificial intelligence applications. They need a favorable political environment to continue growing ”.
3. Recovery of innovation leadership. “USA. He continues to design technologies, but the manufacture of microprocessors is dominated by China, Korea and Taiwan. Companies seek to position themselves again at the top of innovation ”.

For its part, Manuel Santillánprofessor and researcher at the University of Lima, about the question of itself Large technology companies seek to meet Donald Trump, believe that this can be explained through a business pragmatism approach.

“These companies are likely to avoid adverse regulations and protect their interests in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital advertising. It could also be A strategy to adapt to a different political environment, in which to guarantee stability is a priority“.

Has the technology industry to challenge Trump to undergo? The specialist at the University of Lima points out that There does not seem to be absolute surrender. However, They have opted for a strategic alignment to minimize conflicts and ensure some regulatory stability.

In relation to the possibility of entering a more politically controlled digital era, Santillán says that “The evidence suggests that political influence on social networks is increasing, which could restrict certain speeches, amplify others and contribute to greater fragmentation of the digital public sphere, altering the flow of information and democratic debate”.

“In the long term, The relationship between large technology companies and political power could become more interdependent, which would lead to a higher risk of stricter regulations in the future. It is also possible that the digital ecosystem was further framed, weakening the neutrality of the platforms and affecting the quality of access to information ”, Santillán points out.