Blurring boundaries: an analysis of the digital platforms-military nexus

Andrea Coveri, Claudio Cozza and Dario Guarascio

LEM Papers Series from Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy

Abstract: This work analyzes the mutual dependence linking digital platforms, i.e., 'Big Tech', and the military apparatus. Three main elements are at the roots of such dependence: an 'originary linkage' binding the development of digital platforms with governments' R&D military efforts, the critical nature of infrastructures and technologies controlled by platforms, and their role as their government's 'eyes and ears' (both at home and abroad). Focusing on the US, we first document the growing relevance of these corporations as Department of Defence contractors. Second, we explore a selection of multi-year contracts entrusting platforms to develop and manage critical technologies and infrastructures for military purposes. Finally, we document the direct involvement of major US-based platforms in war scenarios.

Keywords: Monopoly capital; imperialism; war; nation-states; digital platforms; military industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-12-31
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pay and nep-tid
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.lem.sssup.it/WPLem/files/2023-47.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Blurring boundaries: an analysis of the digital platforms-military nexus (2023)
Working Paper: Blurring boundaries: an analysis of the digital platforms-military nexus (2023)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2023/47

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in LEM Papers Series from Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).