Historian Jill Lepore says Silicon Valley misreads science fiction and undermines democracy
News Source
β’Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000
π° What Happened
Historian Jill Lepore says tech firms are taking over the roles of government. In her new book, she calls this the artificial state. She fears rule by algorithms, corporations and machines. She spoke about this on TechCrunch's Equity podcast.
Lepore is a Harvard historian and New Yorker writer. She recently won a Pulitzer Prize for a book on the US Constitution. She says she is not anti-technology. Her concern is private firms doing the work of the state.
π The Backstory
Lepore argues that tech leaders misread science fiction and comic books. She points to figures like Elon Musk as examples. She says their ideas can hurt democracy. Her book looks at technocratic ideas that go back centuries.
She describes Musk's loved technology as going against his own political beliefs. She also questions calling free apps a digital town hall. Her work voices worries shared by many people. It asks who really holds power in our lives.
π― Why It Matters
It raises big questions about who holds power in our lives. As companies offer government-like services, citizens must pay attention. This debate affects privacy, rights and democracy for everyone.
Historian Jill Lepore says tech firms are taking over the roles of government. In her new book, she calls this the artificial state. She fears rule by algorithms, corporations and machines. She spoke about this on TechCrunch's Equity podcast.
Lepore is a Harvard historian and New Yorker writer. She recently won a Pulitzer Prize for a book on the US Constitution. She says she is not anti-technology. Her concern is private firms doing the work of the state.
Lepore argues that tech leaders misread science fiction and comic books. She points to figures like Elon Musk as examples. She says their ideas can hurt democracy. Her book looks at technocratic ideas that go back centuries.
She describes Musk's loved technology as going against his own political beliefs. She also questions calling free apps a digital town hall. Her work voices worries shared by many people. It asks who really holds power in our lives.
It raises big questions about who holds power in our lives. As companies offer government-like services, citizens must pay attention. This debate affects privacy, rights and democracy for everyone.