Ebook: Containing Big Tech: How to Protect Our Civil Rights, Economy, and Democracy

Nonfiction Book Awards Gold Medal

The path forward to rein in online surveillance, AI, and tech monopolies

Technology is a gift and a curse. The five Big Tech companies―Meta, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google―have built innovative products that improve many aspects of our lives. But their intrusiveness and our dependence on them have created pressing threats to our civil rights, economy, and democracy.

Coming from an extensive background building Silicon Valley-based tech startups, Tom Kemp eloquently and precisely weaves together the threats posed by Big Tech:

• the overcollection and weaponization of our most sensitive data
• the problematic ways Big Tech uses AI to process and act upon our data
• the stifling of competition and entrepreneurship due to Big Tech's dominant market position

This richly detailed book exposes the consequences of Big Tech's digital surveillance, exploitative use of AI, and monopolistic and anticompetitive practices. It offers actionable solutions to these problems and a clear path forward for individuals and policymakers to advocate for change. By containing the excesses of Big Tech, we will ensure our civil rights are respected and preserved, our economy is competitive, and our democracy is protected.

Review

“The technology industry has revolutionized how we learn, work, and communicate with others in this digital age. But the vibrancy of our society and democracy depends on decentralizing our digital economy across all our communities. Furthermore, appropriate guardrails on technology are needed to ensure that people are treated with dignity and not commodified, AI does not cause harm or discriminate, and we have level playing fields for the next generation of start-ups to compete on. So, it is very timely to see Tom Kemp’s book, Containing Big Tech , lay out a clear and comprehensive vision for the reforms needed to bring accountability to the tech sector.” —Ro Khanna, member of Congress

“Tom Kemp skillfully shows how Big Tech’s overriding focus on maximizing user engagement has led us to a world of wide-scale algorithmic amplification of disinformation and extremism. If you want to know how Big Tech is threatening our democracy and contributing to society’s hyperpolarization, Kemp’s book should be at the top of your reading list.” —Alexander Vindman, former director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council

“Tom Kemp is a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur who was on the front lines with me in helping get the California Privacy Rights Act passed in 2020—the most comprehensive privacy law in the United States. Anyone looking to take action against Big Tech’s often insidious reach will learn much from Kemp’s timely analysis of technology’s impact on our freedoms, society, and democracy.” —Alastair Mactaggart, co-author of the California Privacy Rights Act, chairman of Californians for Consumer Privacy

“Tom Kemp’s Containing Big Tech carefully directs the reader to the real problem of tech: a business model whose features and norms routinely expose children to personal and commercial exploitation. His analysis that privacy equals child safety is one that I applaud, and both businesses and politicians should take urgent action. The sector cannot build its new world order on the backs of children. Instead, we need respectful and detoxified systems that put children’s well-being at the heart of design.” —Baroness Beeban Kidron, chair of the 5Rights Foundation

“Tom Kemp's Containing Big Tech is very eloquently written and explains how we got to the point where our precise location and movements are constantly tracked and sold to unknown players globally. Kemp's thoughtful and detailed book shows us a clear path forward to ensure consumers have the right to privacy and how the excesses of today's technology behemoths can be contained and reined in.” —Rick Arney, co-author of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Proposition 24, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)

“Tom Kemp’s prescient Containing Big Tech arrives just as AI threatens to amplify all of the excesses of the tech industry—the consolidation of markets, the manipulation of people, the assault on privacy, and the loss of control over the technologies deployed. Containing Big Tech is essential reading to understand the challenges ahead and the solutions to pursue.” —Marc Rotenberg, president and founder of the Center for AI and Digital Policy

“In Containing Big Tech , Tom Kemp presents a compelling case for reining in Big Tech, illustrating through powerful facts and narratives the unique threats from digital surveillance to privacy, addiction and exploitation of users, and competition and innovation. The impact on all of us, and our children, is both chilling and profound. A must-read to understand the threats and challenges posed by Big Tech on society.” —Nita Farahany, author of The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology ; Robinson O. Everett Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke University

“A brilliant look at where the prominent tech vendors are going with artificial intelligence and the emerging risks with AI.” —Adriano Koshiyama, CEO of Holistic AI

“Tom Kemp’s probing analysis of the interlocking issues of data privacy and digital surveillance is especially timely. Containing Big Tech: How to Protect Our Civil Rights, Economy, and Democracy is a compelling must-read for government policymakers and all those concerned with our collective online future.” —Stuart N. Brotman, distinguished fellow, The Media Institute; author of Privacy’s Perfect Storm

“Tom Kemp does an impressive job of comprehensively looking at the policy issues associated with Big Tech and comparing and contrasting how European and US regulators are desperately trying to play catchup. This book could not be timelier.” —Lydia de la Torre, board member at the California Privacy Protection Agency; adjunct professor at UC Davis Law School; founding partner of Golden Data Law, a public benefit corporation

“Tom Kemp is a highly regarded tech entrepreneur and prolific Silicon Valley angel investor. I can’t think of anyone better to lift the curtain on the damage that tech giants are causing to our society and economy.” —Steve Tout, host of the Nonconformist Innovation podcast

“From digital surveillance to data brokers to AI, Kemp examines Big Tech and it’s ecosystem with brilliant clarity and provides opportunities for individuals and legislators to rein in tech monopolies. A truly eye-opening read.” —Jeff Jockisch, host of the Your Bytes, Your Rights podcast

“Concerned about violations to your online privacy and the impact of AI on society? Tom Kemp’s Containing Big Tech will demystify what the large tech players are doing with your personal information and how you can better protect yourself and your kids.” —Debra J. Farber, host of the Shifting Privacy Left podcast

“Tom Kemp’s Containing Big Tech is a refreshing and insightful look at how Big Tech is over collecting our data, using AI in problematic ways, and dominating key digital markets. If you want to learn more about the impact of Big Tech on our society, read this book.” —Christopher A. Smith, author of Privacy Pandemic

“Tom Kemp is an expert in cybersecurity and privacy. His eloquent writing and detailed knowledge of the tech space provide a clear road map to protect against the overcollection and misuse of your data.” —Debbie Reynolds, host of the Data Diva Talks Privacy podcast

About the Author

Tom Kemp is a Silicon Valley–based CEO, entrepreneur, and investor. Tom was the founder and CEO of Centrify (renamed Delinea in 2022), a leading cybersecurity cloud provider that amassed over two thousand enterprise customers, including over 60 percent of the Fortune 50. For his leadership, Tom was named by Ernst & Young as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year in Northern California. Tom is also an active Silicon Valley angel investor, with seed investments in over a dozen tech start-ups. In addition, Tom has served as a technology policy advisor for political campaigns and advocacy groups, including leading the campaign marketing efforts in 2020 to pass California Proposition 24―the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)―and co-drafting bills such as the California Delete Act of 2023. Tom writes extensively on technology policy on his blog (tomkemp.ai) and has been interviewed by the Guardian , Politico , the Washington Post , CNBC , Fox News , and others. Tom holds a bachelor of science degree in computer science and in history from the University of Michigan. You can follow Tom on Twitter at @TomKemp00.