The corporate person is a selfish narcissist, a paperclip-maximizing artificial lifeform forever questing after its own advantage. It is an abuser. Like all abusers, it is keenly attuned to any social dynamic that it can use to manipulate its victims, and so social media is highly prized by these immortal colony-organisms.

YES.

Didn’t realize I was reading Doctorow until the end, but amazing essay, thanks OP for sharing.

“Do you stop going to family Thanksgiving because your racist Facebook uncle keeps trying to pick a fight with you?”

Yes. Because if he’s invited the rest are complicit. That’s time to cut ties.

Same for the rest of the ethical “conundrums.”

Reminds me of an article I read on the Fedi around a week or so ago that basically argued "we won't win by everyone self hosting, we also need to be building many small communities that everyone can join at their own pace".