Capital to Clout: The New Architects of Global Governance
Imagine having enough money to influence elections, political decisions and public narratives, whilst also receiving the direct attention of some of the world’s most powerful political figures. Yet unlike elected politicians, these wealthy individuals have not been elected despite their strong engagement in political debates. An example of this, would be the billionaire, entrepreneur, and former public official: Elon Musk (1).
Within days of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Elon Musk’s Space X, provided a satellite network named Starlink. The creation of Starlink quickly became an essential part of Ukraine’s military defence and communication operations, with the primary goal of sourcing access to the internet in conflict zones. Through this, Musk received the ability to control and restrict an important communication system, where his decisions could affect the outcomes for entire nations, as well as create significant impacts on Ukraine’s military force. (2) To begin with, the private authority of Musk proved essential for the country’s communication system. However, months later, Musk rejected the idea to maintain a Satellite service for a vital drone mission (3). This demonstrates the control that Musk is able to exert over the direction of the conflict in Ukraine, without being an elected official, raising questions about the degree of power billionaires have. It is clear that major economic figures such as Musk are no longer just private entrepreneurs, but also possess the power to shape geopolitical outcomes and influence military strategy.
However, while some billionaires pose major influence over strategic military decisions, others hold political dominance through their control over a different asset with an unwavering influence over society: social media. Facebook and Meta creator, Mark Zuckerberg has had a global influence on people’s social habits which has shaped the way people share political news.
As the co-founder of Facebook at just 19 years old, Zuckerberg transformed communication and connection from a small media platform to connect with friends into a global multi-media empire. With apps such as Instagram and WhatsApp attracting more than 3 million users a day, Zuckerberg has a great level of global influence, however, his major platforms also hold the potential to spread fake news (4).
On January 7th 2025, Zuckerberg discontinued Meta's third-party fact-checking programme in the United States, which was initially created to review and prevent misinformation. Zuckerberg described his decision "as a commitment to free expression" (5) but critics argue the change has increased the threat of misinformation and hate-filled posts (6). This perhaps indicates how economic and political incentives can lead major platforms to eliminate safety features, leaving its users with potential misinformation. Furthermore, the removal of the critical online safety feature with ease, demonstrates the massive influence billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg have over global communication.
By Imogen Richardson
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