AMERICAN EDGE - yea, right - Strap in!

American Edge Project: Because Nothing Says ‘Freedom’ Like a Facebook-Funded Front Group

—Brought to you by the same folks who brought you algorithmic rage and your Aunt Linda’s descent into QAnon.

Patriotism, folks—it’s no longer about public service, civic engagement, or even basic human decency. Nope. In 2025, real patriotism is about making sure Facebook—sorry, Meta—never has to face the consequences of anything ever again. Enter: The American Edge Project, the latest performance art in the traveling circus that is Corporate America.

With ads so star-spangled they practically bleed Lee Greenwood lyrics, American Edge wants you to believe that regulation of Big Tech is the equivalent of handing over the nuclear codes to China. That’s right—if Congress tries to break up monopolies or (gasp!) enforce antitrust laws, the entire American experiment will collapse and we’ll all be wearing Mandarin track suits by next Tuesday.

So, What Is the American Edge Project?

Glad you asked.

It’s a “non-profit” (translation: shadowy PR outfit) bankrolled by Meta (translation: Facebook in witness protection) to convince you that regulating the tech giants is un-American. Yes, the same tech giants that harvest your data like it’s an Iowa cornfield and then weaponize it to sell you toenail fungus cream or incite a civil war.

They’d like you to believe they’re just a group of concerned citizens who care deeply about innovation, freedom, and national security. You know—regular everyday folks who just happen to have $20 million in ad money and connections to ex-national security officials with lucrative consulting gigs.

Their Message, Decoded:

What the ads says:

“American technology is our edge against global threats. We must protect our innovators from government overreach!”

What they mean:

“If we don’t stop Congress from holding us accountable, we might actually have to pay taxes, protect your privacy, or stop feeding disinformation to the masses. And we can’t have that. Think of the shareholders!”

The Commercials You’ve Seen

Cue the stock footage:

• Windblown flags
• Bald eagles
• Factory workers looking pensive
• Random Asian skyline with scary music
• A narrator with a voice so deep it makes Morgan Freeman sound like a kazoo

Then the voice says something like:

“In today’s world, America can’t afford to fall behind. Innovation is freedom. Government regulation threatens that freedom. The American Edge is fighting back.”

Translation:

“We made billions off your personal data and misinformation-fueled outrage. Please don’t let anyone take away our golden goose just because your democracy is on fire.”

Let’s Be Clear: Is This REALLY for Americans?

Let’s see:

• Are YOU benefiting when Facebook lobbies against online privacy protections?
• Are YOU more secure when they fight antitrust laws so one company can own your social life, your shopping habits, and your newsfeed?
• Are YOU safer when misinformation runs wild and the algorithm rewards rage over reason?

Spoiler alert: No. You are not.

But Meta’s quarterly earnings? Oh baby, those are feeling very free.

If You Oppose Them, You’re Basically With China

Because that’s the playbook. According to American Edge, if you want tech accountability, you’re probably colluding with Xi Jinping. In fact, just reading this newsletter probably puts you on a watchlist. Better delete your cookies (and your conscience) now.

But really—what’s more American than using fear of foreigners to protect billionaires from answering a few tough questions about the Frankenstein they’ve built?

Who’s Behind the Curtain?

While they slap red, white, and blue all over their ads, the real masterminds behind American Edge include:

• Meta lobbyists
• Former government officials now selling their souls at premium rates
• PR professionals who once thought Big Tobacco wasn’t evil enough

They’re so “grassroots” they probably had their website coded by someone in the Cayman Islands. Because nothing says ‘homegrown American values’ like offshore tax shelters.

The Real Danger

Here’s the deal: American Edge exists to convince you that corporate power is patriotic. That if Big Tech is shackled—even a little—it will kill innovation, harm the economy, and give China the upper hand.

But the truth is:

• Tech innovation happened long before Facebook learned how to radicalize your uncle.
• Democracy needs checks and balances. So does corporate power.
• And wrapping greed in a flag doesn’t make it noble—it makes it dangerous.

So the next time you see one of their commercials, do us all a favor:

• Laugh.
• Snort.
• Scream into a pillow.
• And then tell someone—anyone—that freedom doesn’t mean letting billionaires operate without rules. It means having a system where people—not platforms—get to decide the future.

Because if we let this go unchallenged, the only “edge” Americans will have left… is the cliff we’re all being shoved off of.

Still unconvinced?

Ask yourself this:

If it’s really so “for the people,” why does the American Edge Project work so hard to hide who’s behind it?

Julie Bolejack, MBA