No, Big Tech Isn’t Hiding $1.65 Trillion of Debt
Summary
A fact-check debunks the viral claim that Big Tech hid $1.65T in debt by reconciling it with public filings. The article shows the figure combines uncommenced leases and purchase commitments, not current debt, and explains why those obligations are not debt on the balance sheet. It also discusses Alphabet's update to $2.14T and emphasizes the real risk posed by long-dated contracts, while urging careful interpretation of accounting disclosures.