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Indeed: one of the things that jumped out at me here was how much stricter European law is on data protection and suchlike than the US. Maybe that has a little

by tragic 11y ago

Indeed: one of the things that jumped out at me here was how much stricter European law is on data protection and suchlike than the US. Maybe that has a little something to do with friction emerging between certain US tech giants and EU authorities, rather than just irrational suspicion of foreigners.

icebraining 11y ago
While there is indeed a large difference, I think the discussion here is around the alleged anti-competitive behaviors; for example, the EC case against Google has been regarding their alleged favoring of Google Shopping vis-a-vis other results on Google Search, not the Data Protection worries.
- tragic 11y ago
  Given the focus on market share charts, that's fair enough - but I don't think that's anyone's complaint with, say, Uber. There's a whole host of different problems here (including anti-trust, data protection, 'right to be forgotten', Uber's indifference to local laws) that are being amalgamated here to present European concerns as basically a matter of sour grapes at American success. (This is ironic, since they accuse Europe of making amalgams.) Each of these issues is different (for instance, I think the 'right to be forgotten' case was absurd), and presenting them as an amalgam is ... unhelpful.
  - icebraining 11y ago
    Well, the problem is that, while I had never heard of "GAFA" and "NATU", there is absolutely an amalgamated opposition to these companies, not because of those particular problems, nor (I would claim) from sour grapes, but from a general aversion to American multi-nationals, which is common among the whole political spectrum in much of Europe. It's waining among the younger generations, but around here Coke is still referred to as the "dirty water of imperialism" - and only half-jokingly. So, often these specific complaints are less actual grievances, and more excuses to criticize and call for restricting the expansion of these companies on our soil.

by tragic 11y ago

icebraining 11y ago

While there is indeed a large difference, I think the discussion here is around the alleged anti-competitive behaviors; for example, the EC case against Google has been regarding their alleged favoring of Google Shopping vis-a-vis other results on Google Search, not the Data Protection worries.

tragic 11y ago
Given the focus on market share charts, that's fair enough - but I don't think that's anyone's complaint with, say, Uber. There's a whole host of different problems here (including anti-trust, data protection, 'right to be forgotten', Uber's indifference to local laws) that are being amalgamated here to present European concerns as basically a matter of sour grapes at American success. (This is ironic, since they accuse Europe of making amalgams.) Each of these issues is different (for instance, I think the 'right to be forgotten' case was absurd), and presenting them as an amalgam is ... unhelpful.
- icebraining 11y ago
  Well, the problem is that, while I had never heard of "GAFA" and "NATU", there is absolutely an amalgamated opposition to these companies, not because of those particular problems, nor (I would claim) from sour grapes, but from a general aversion to American multi-nationals, which is common among the whole political spectrum in much of Europe. It's waining among the younger generations, but around here Coke is still referred to as the "dirty water of imperialism" - and only half-jokingly. So, often these specific complaints are less actual grievances, and more excuses to criticize and call for restricting the expansion of these companies on our soil.