This is not the blog you were looking for

I’ve been busy preparing a series of blog posts, as there’s a lot I want to cover. This post isn't actually one of them, but it just seems like a really good base-point to set some scene-age for the posts that follow. *

I've been using ChatGPT to understand all the tech-processes and systems behind setting up a blog, about logistics, opportunities, possibilities, risk assessment, and future-proofing. Now, I only have 7 subscribers to date, and haven't really formulated what my expectations for this blog are, but I’ll be honest and admit it would be nice if it became relevant to someone somewhere. I think the tools at least could be useful to those who are AI-curious, socially-furious, and potentially even less tech-aware than I am.

So, as part of my 'risk assessment,' I asked ChatGPT a somewhat loaded question:

ME: So, if by some amazing feat of community activism, my blog inspired and contributed to the overthrow of capitalist corporate big-tech (yeah, I know), what actions do you think big-tech would try to take against me and how can I undermine that from the start and protect myself against it?

ChatGPT: If your blog were to gain serious traction and actually contribute to a mass movement against capitalist big-tech, the corporations you’re challenging wouldn’t just sit back and let it happen. Big Tech has a playbook for suppressing dissent, and you’d need to prepare from the start to protect yourself and your work.

Well, that is anything but reassuring, isn’t it? A Playbook. I mean, of course, they do. But still, just seeing it written in those terms, and the possibility that it could be pulled out against somebody as minnow-shaped as me, did make me sit back for a moment.

This is the outline of what Chat GPT believes Big Tech could, and would do: (you’ll note it is not in British English, which I consistently ask ChatGPT to respond in - any thoughts on that? #sigh).

What Would Big Tech Do to Stop You?

✔ Algorithmic Suppression → Your content might start getting deprioritized, shadowbanned, or outright removed from social media and search engines. If platforms like Google, Facebook, or Twitter (X) perceive your blog as a threat to corporate interests, they may bury it under algorithmic noise so fewer people find it.

✔ Deplatforming & Policy-Based Attacks → If your work gains influence, platforms may flag your content under misinformation, hate speech, or "harmful content" policies, even if your arguments are fact-based. Big Tech often expands vague content moderation rules to silence critics without directly admitting why.

✔ Financial Strangulation → If you monetize through Patreon, PayPal, Stripe, or other payment processors, you could find funding cut off, as has happened to independent journalists and activists before (e.g., PayPal shutting down anti-capitalist projects).

✔ Legal & Reputation Attacks → If your blog gets big enough, expect corporate-funded media smear campaigns, legal threats (such as frivolous lawsuits to drain your resources), and potentially government surveillance (depending on where you operate).

✔ Cyber Threats & Doxxing → If your work truly threatens corporate and political power, you could become a target of harassment, hacking attempts, or personal doxxing—not necessarily from Big Tech itself, but from right-wing or corporate-aligned groups who want to silence you.

Obviously, all this popped up within seconds of me asking the question, and honestly, I was quite taken aback - startled, uneasy, disappointed in the world, all of the above. It seems so unrealistic and so realistic all at the same time. We talked on, looking at sources and examples of when tech has pulled out that Playbook (nothing pretty there I can tell you!). The conversation lead to me asking myself (not just ChatGPT this time), ‘how are we supposed to manage and share our expression, our anger, and our attempts to challenge systems if the game is so loaded against us?’

ChatGPT is on my side (obvs! ;)) and provided me with my own Playbook presenting plenty of ideas around decentralising my online presence, privacy, alternative funding sources, open source, legal and digital security, support networks, record-keeping, etc. My favourite being the suggestion that I set up my own AI (!). There are of course some good and practical ideas in there, and I’ll likely use them as a base for a tool in the toolkit but my first response and thought however was that transparency is key; it’s a starting point and principle. It’s something those systems, including Big Tech, don’t really use, isn’t it?

We can use transparency, not just for the sake of the legitimacy of our ideas, our arguments, and our challenges, but also as a form of protection. If Big Tech can manipulate and suppress content, it’s vital to stay transparent about our own processes, our goals, and our sources. The more open and accountable we are, the harder it becomes for others to manipulate or control our message. It’s a subtle defence, but an effective one, particularly as we navigate a world where algorithms and hidden forces are constantly shaping our experiences and interactions.

This obviously isn't 'the' answer, and it isn't a bullet-proof protection by any means. I don’t know the answers yet, but I’m hoping I can explore the question and find some answers through this blog. At the end of the day, I don’t imagine I’ll be bringing down the corporate behemoths just yet, but it never hurts to be prepared - just in case.

*I’ve also been busy assembling tools and resources, but it'll be a bit longer before they are ready to share.