The latest version of this page is now found on the Defend UK Campaign for free speech using this link: https://www.defenduk.uk/resources/ownership  Media Ownership

Money, wealth and ownership of the media & the tech we use to access it

Media ownership is a big concern

As of 2026 there's a severe imbalance in the distribution of media ownership inevitably increasing potential threats to the operation of diverse, fairer free speech. When Google AI was asked to check the latest  status of global wealth and media ownership, it referenced research undertaken by the Guardian newspaper, the charity Oxfam and Forbes and pointed out that the owners of the world's top media and social media companies are not only in the top 1% but typically sit within the top 0.0001% of global wealth holders. 

The  defend campaign thinks this needs to change and  is confident that the public feels the same , but if resources allow, it will undertake initial research within its means to evidence this and to insist that control of media and social media outlets is legally monitored and regulated in the public interest. defend will collaborate internationally where possible and seek and record reaction from those owners to ensure fairer, wide-ranging free speech is maintained.

Before listing the top media and social media owners it's also worth considering how free speech and wider information  is accessed. In theory it can be cut off at the flick of a switch as recently demonstrated in countries such as Iran and Russia. defend is yet to pull together research on possible dangers and asks nation states to think through the implications of relying on single suppliers of networks and satellite systems such as Starlink, a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX.  SpaceX, in turn, is primarily owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who serves as its CEO and holds majority voting power.