How Europe is fighting to change tech companies' 'wrecking ball' ethics

As Silicon Valley firms hail the benefits of disruption, some European leaders are pushing to develop the industry's moral compass. This is a real chance to make better decisions, fight fatalism and build a humane future

Facebook, Google, Amazon and other internet behemoths are involved in a form of technological innovation that is acting as a "wrecking ball", the president of the European parliament declared in Brussels this week.

"The aim is not just to play with the way society is organised, but instead to demolish the existing order and build something new in its place," said Martin Schulz. "The internet lost its innocence long ago."