By Michael Kelman Portney

In a world dominated by systems engineered for profit and dependency, there’s a unique opportunity to use corporate structures for an alternative purpose: to serve democracy, autonomy, and the public good. Rather than dismantling oppresive systems outright, we can subvert them by creating corporate entities and platforms grounded in altruistic and virtuous principles. This paper explores how to design, operate, and scale such structures—leveraging the power and influence of corporate tools to foster transparency, ethical governance, and a more equitable society.

We’ve reached a point where corporations and their systems wield tremendous control over our lives, often prioritizing profit over public welfare. However, by building corporate structures with a commitment to transparency, ethical principles, and social responsibility, we can repurpose the existing frameworks of capitalism to support public good. These virtuous entities can provide a model for subverting traditional profit-driven corporations, using the same tools, systems, and infrastructure that fuel Big Tech and other industries to create a parallel system focused on democracy and altruism.

1. Creating a New Corporate Model Rooted in Transparency and Accountability

To counterbalance traditional corporate motives, we can establish new entities structured for public interest, rooted in values of transparency, democratic accountability, and ethical governance. These companies would operate within the system but act in opposition to its profit-first motives.

Public Benefit Corporations (PBCs) and B Corps: These structures allow companies to pursue both profit and public good legally, embedding social and environmental goals into their business model. By creating more B Corps and PBCs focused on civic engagement, privacy rights, or digital literacy, we can set examples of companies that succeed while remaining accountable to their mission, rather than shareholders alone.

Cooperatives and Employee Ownership: Structures like cooperatives and employee-owned businesses create an internal democratic system, where employees and members have a direct stake in governance and decision-making. A tech platform structured as a cooperative, for instance, would make decisions based on member consensus rather than profit motives, allowing for technology that genuinely prioritizes user autonomy and community welfare.

Foundations and Trusts for Long-Term Impact: Foundations or charitable trusts can serve as protective bodies for platforms, ensuring they remain true to their original purpose. By setting up a foundation to oversee mission-driven projects—like a public-interest social network or a digital commons—we can safeguard these platforms from corporate takeover or profit-driven shifts.

2. Leveraging Data and Algorithms for Public Transparency and Ethical AI

Algorithms and data collection are often used to manipulate or exploit users, but these same tools can be repurposed to foster transparency, inclusivity, and accountability within corporations. By designing platforms and services that use these systems ethically, we can build more democratic and transparent corporate structures.

Open-Source Algorithms and Transparent Data Practices: Platforms that use open-source algorithms allow for public oversight, ensuring that the systems guiding information flow are accountable and unbiased. Companies committed to open-source practices give users the power to understand and critique how their data is used and how information is prioritized, creating a culture of transparency.

Data Cooperatives and Ethical Data Trusts: Instead of exploiting user data, companies can establish data cooperatives where individuals retain ownership of their data and have a say in how it’s used. By forming ethical data trusts, communities can decide collectively on data usage, fostering an environment where data serves community interests, like public health or urban planning, rather than corporate profit.

Algorithmic Transparency for Public Good: Creating algorithms that prioritize public benefit can radically reshape platforms. Imagine a social media feed that prioritizes verified information or public service announcements instead of engagement-driven sensationalism. Companies can subvert typical algorithmic motives by designing these systems to enhance democratic dialogue, minimize polarization, and ensure access to credible information.

3. Using Corporate Marketing Techniques for Civic Engagement and Social Good

Corporate marketing has been honed to perfection, capable of driving consumer behavior at scale. By redirecting these techniques toward civic engagement, social cohesion, and education, we can harness the influence of marketing to serve the public interest.

Behavioral “Nudges” for Civic Participation: Just as corporations use behavioral psychology to drive purchases, platforms could use these tools to encourage voting, civic participation, and community involvement. For instance, a platform could send reminders about voter registration deadlines or local volunteer opportunities, using the same techniques that drive engagement to instead support democratic participation.

Gamification for Social Impact: By integrating gamification into apps and platforms, companies can incentivize users to engage in altruistic activities—like completing civic challenges, learning about local issues, or supporting community-based projects. Rather than gamifying for profit, platforms could gamify for positive social impact, fostering engagement in ways that benefit society.

Influencer Partnerships for Positive Messaging: Instead of driving product sales, companies can partner with influencers to promote public awareness on issues like mental health, environmental responsibility, or digital literacy. Platforms could collaborate with credible voices to educate users and shift public perception on key social issues, demonstrating the potential for marketing to uplift rather than exploit.

4. Building Digital Ecosystems that Prioritize Autonomy and Well-being

To counter existing systems that foster dependency, we need new digital ecosystems built around autonomy, well-being, and informed consent. These ecosystems would emphasize user control, data ownership, and mental health, promoting an environment where individuals thrive independently of profit-driven algorithms.

User-Centric Platforms for Personal Autonomy: Platforms designed with user autonomy in mind would give individuals clear control over their settings, content preferences, and data permissions. For example, an autonomous social network could allow users to customize their feeds, prioritize content from community groups, and control algorithmic influences on what they see.

Subscription-Based Models Over Ad-Based Models: Subscription models, though not new, shift a platform’s accountability toward its users rather than advertisers. A platform funded directly by its users can prioritize quality, user control, and transparency, creating a digital environment that respects autonomy and well-being.

Mindful Design and Digital Health Tools: Apps and platforms can include features that encourage mindful engagement, like time reminders, customizable notifications, and digital detox options. By integrating digital health tools, companies can create ecosystems that actively discourage dependency and encourage responsible usage, promoting mental health.

5. Fostering a Culture of Ethical Investment and Consumption

To ensure long-term sustainability, a virtuous corporate system requires support from ethical investors and informed consumers. By fostering a culture that prioritizes ethical investment and conscious consumption, we can shift demand away from dependency-driven corporations and toward companies committed to public good.

Social Impact Investing: Investors interested in social impact can fund companies designed with democratic, transparent structures. Socially responsible investment firms can support ventures that prioritize autonomy, ethical data practices, and civic engagement, helping to grow these alternatives to Big Tech giants.

Educating Consumers on Ethical Choices: A public awareness campaign on ethical consumption can shift demand from exploitative systems toward ethical companies. By making consumers aware of how corporations profit from dependency, platforms can empower users to make choices that prioritize well-being, privacy, and transparency.

Advocating for Policy that Supports Ethical Corporations: Policy changes can reinforce these structures, supporting Public Benefit Corporations and cooperatives through tax incentives, grants, or special programs. By making it easier for ethical corporations to operate, we can create a landscape that incentivizes companies to prioritize public good.

Conclusion

Corporate systems have historically operated on dependency-driven models that prioritize profit over public welfare. However, by subverting these systems—creating structures designed for democracy, autonomy, and public good—we can build a corporate ecosystem that uses the tools of capitalism to foster equity and transparency. Public Benefit Corporations, data cooperatives, open-source algorithms, and mindful digital ecosystems represent a new wave of companies that repurpose corporate power for positive impact.

By promoting a culture of ethical investment, transparency, and conscious consumption, we can cultivate an environment where corporate structures empower, rather than exploit, the public. In doing so, we begin to reclaim autonomy within a capitalist framework, using its existing tools to build a society rooted in democratic principles and collective well-being. This shift requires commitment—from entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and the public—but with each step, we move closer to a society where corporations serve the public good rather than their bottom line.