Private sector technology and innovation have made real differences in helping entrepreneurs start new businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s right.
To use the political vernacular, big tech has been important to startup entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, big government — which has had big tech in its regulatory crosshairs supposedly to help the little guy — has created costs and concerns for these small businesses.
It would be ironic if it weren’t common sense.

These are just some the lessons to be learned from the results of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council survey of entrepreneurs who started businesses during the pandemic.

Regarding technology, 89 percent of entrepreneurs agreed social media was a major factor in launching their businesses,
87 percent said access to electronic payment options was important, 79 percent cited affordable online ads, 77 percent pointed to e-commerce sites and website builders, 73 percent noted access to back office services provided by technology platforms and 56 percent highlighted access to online marketplaces.

When all of us should be focused on re-energizing entrepreneurship in America, these are vital results to recognize and digest. But there’s more.

For good measure, 68 percent said they rely on such established tech platforms as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Instagram, Microsoft and TikTok either a great deal (38 percent) or quite a bit (30 percent), with another 22 percent saying somewhat. That tallies up to 90 percent.

As for big government taking on big tech, 61 percent of entrepreneurs said they’re worried about proposed regulations on tech companies, seeing negatives for those enterprises and their own businesses.

Among those concerned:

58 percent are worried tech regulation will make it more expensive for them to access and retain customers.

58 percent are worried they’ll have to pay for services that are currently free to them.

49 percent are concerned about disrupted communications with current and potential customers, and 47 percent worry it will be harder for customers to find their business.

43 percent believe customer acquisition will become more difficult.

Politicians and their appointees often try to portray intrusions into the competitive marketplace as government coming to the rescue of the little guy suffering at the hands of big business. It’s an old political pitch that made little sense in the past. And, as evidenced by fundamental economics and the views of entrepreneurs, even less today.

The big concern for small business certainly isn’t the technology firms that have provided powerful tools to make it easier and more affordable to start and build a business. Instead, it’s big government undermining private sector innovation and investment.