Zuckerberg and Musk’s infantile billionaire cage match

That is what it has come to: Two of the world’s most vital know-how leaders are speaking of a billionaires’ cage match.

Moderately than spending their time addressing the very severe threats to democracy posed by their social media platforms, Fb’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Elon Musk are posting about their plans for going mano a mano in an MMA combat in Las Vegas.

Sheesh! Develop up!

This kind of habits provides tech a nasty identify. Silicon Valley was as soon as led by the likes of David Packard, Gordon Moore, Robert Noyce and Steve Jobs. Now it’s, “ship within the clowns.” And, sadly, there aren’t any grown-ups within the room prepared to rein them in. If one might think about a recipe for additional undermining confidence within the trade, that is it.

Zuckerberg and Musk ought to interact in severe discussions about the way to regulate generative synthetic intelligence, guard towards social media dissemination of misinformation, and tech corporations’ monopolistic practices which can be eviscerating native information shops. And so they would possibly even need to take into consideration defending the worth of their, and their stockholders’, investments.

Musk runs the largest electrical car firm on the earth; analysts have downgraded Tesla’s inventory 4 occasions prior to now week. He runs SpaceX, which noticed it’s Starship rocket explode 4 minutes after liftoff in April.  He additionally owns what was as soon as one of the crucial modern and outstanding social media platforms, however Twitter’s worth has plunged by two-thirds since he purchased it.

Zuckerberg heads the world’s largest social media platform, which has constantly confirmed itself incapable of defending customers’ privateness, shielding kids from predatory promoting and guarding towards dissemination of false political propaganda.

One would assume that with the 2024 elections looming, these two tech leaders would need to reveal that they acknowledge the significance their corporations play within the survival of democracy — and that they’re considerate, severe leaders poised to handle these societal challenges.

As a substitute, they’re demonstrating — as soon as once more — that they’re a pair of overgrown kids.

Apparently, this silliness started as a result of Zuckerberg’s firm is engaged on a service that may rival Twitter. Musk’s tweeted remark, “I’m up for a cage match if he’s.” To which Zuckerberg retorted on Instagram, “Ship Me Location.”

Whether or not the combat truly takes place nearly doesn’t matter. The mere prospect of it serves to distract from the billions Musk has misplaced on his Twitter buy, and from Zuckerberg’s threats to dam customers from sharing information articles on his platforms if profit-sharing rules are handed in Canada and California.

Whereas Zuckerberg and Musk plan to fulfill behind the playground for fisticuffs, as onlookers circle and gleefully shout “combat, combat,” the varsity is burning. And these two tech leaders don’t appear to care.