Dear Donald: You Would Be a Disaster for Innovation. Sincerely, the Tech World
An open letter, signed by well over 100 prominent tech leaders, addresses the potential presidency of Donald Trump, calling it “a disaster for innovation.”
“We believe in an inclusive country that fosters opportunity, creativity and a level playing field,” the letter reads. “Donald Trump does not.”
His vision stands against the open exchange of ideas, free movement of people, and productive engagement with the outside world that is critical to our economy — and that provide the foundation for innovation and growth. Donald Trump proposes “shutting down” parts of the Internet as a security strategy — demonstrating both poor judgment and ignorance about how technology works. . . . He risks distorting markets, reducing exports, and slowing job creation.
“We stand against Donald Trump’s divisive candidacy and want a candidate who embraces the ideals that built America’s technology industry: freedom of expression, openness to newcomers, equality of opportunity , public investments in research and infrastructure, and respect for the rule of law,” the open letter concludes. “We embrace an optimistic vision for a more inclusive country, where American innovation continues to fuel opportunity, prosperity and leadership.”
The letter was signed by myriad tech veterans, including Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield, Techstars cofounder Brad Feld, and Tumblr CEO David Karp.
