No, it's a zero sum game. HFT firms fight to be the first to pick up a penny, but they can't force anyone to drop more pennies. They don't cause prices to go up

No, it's a zero sum game. HFT firms fight to be the first to pick up a penny, but they can't force anyone to drop more pennies. They don't cause prices to go up more than they would have otherwise, or extract more value from the poor and middle class.