Big tech can manipulate opinion, says Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday there are no “easy answers” to the power wielded by big technology firms and certain people with economic interests who believe they can certify or delegitimise issues. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Jaishankar said that globalisation has “globalised politics”.

“When you cannot win inside a country, you export the debate outside, when you cannot get enough voices inside the country, you will call up backup from outside. These are all challenges in today’s politics,” he added.

Responding to a question on digitisation and the ability of large non-state actors and big tech firms to manipulate opinion, he said: “I don’t think there are easy answers but I think there should be awareness that you have private players whose size is bigger... than many countries.”