Yes, this is for show. I've seen a number of HN posts say things like "But they wouldn't dare co-operate in secret, think of the snafu -- someone would leak it!

Yes, this is for show. I've seen a number of HN posts say things like "But they wouldn't dare co-operate in secret, think of the snafu -- someone would leak it!" ... when that "someone" inside a big tech company is making 6 figure salaries and living comfortably and potential legal destruction from publicising even further "secret cooperation" Money talks, no one wants to be a martyr.