Technology is power. Whoever controls the global digital infrastructure holds massive

sway across the modern world. Until recently, the so-called tech lash was in full swing.

Consumers were dissatisfied with the erosion of their privacy. Google, Apple, Amazon and

Facebook faced record European fines and bills for back taxes in the hundreds of millions

and sometimes even billions of dollars. And two of the leading candidates for the Democratic

Presidential nomination in America were promising an immediate break up on the tech giants.

But now a global contagion requires global solutions.

With a spread of lockdowns to control the coronavirus, more people than ever rely on e-commerce

and social media for supplies, for information and even for their medical care. After the

use of contact tracing apps to help control the virus in Asia, the EU Commission is urging

mobile phone companies to share their data. And Google and Apple have announced a new partnership

to use their planet-spanning network of 3.5 billion devices to help track the pandemic.

You're listening to the Economist asks, I'm Anne McElvoy and this week we're asking

if the tech-lash has COVID-19 killed the tech lash.

My guest is Margaret Avestaier, formerly Deputy Prime Minister in Denmark. Is the EU's

Competition Commissioner, she's known as a giant slayer, issuing record-breaking fines against

America's tech titans. Now in her second term, and with a new role of executive vice president

for digital, she has unprecedented powers to direct Europe's technological future. But

in the wake of a pandemic, that future may look very different.

Margaret Avestaier, welcome to the Economist asks.

Well, thank you very much, it's a pleasure to be here.

So give us a sense of Brussels at the moment, usually bristling with officials, parliamentarians,

...