3 ms·

What does this have to do with the fundamental fact that Google decides to make access to information / opinions from certain sources less accessible than other

by blux 9y ago

What does this have to do with the fundamental fact that Google decides to make access to information / opinions from certain sources less accessible than others?

deepsun 9y ago
Google.com is a website, belonging to a certain commercial company, which is obliged by law to work in the best interest if its shareholders. They can do whatever they want with their website. Same goes for Facebook. Each time you read or post there something -- they generously allow you to do that using their website. They don't break no First Amendment -- one is free to create their own website and practice their own free speech any way one wants. PS: I'm not trolling, I'm just tired of how many people used to treat media resources like public utilities.
- smsm42 9y ago
  > which is obliged by law to work in the best interest if its shareholders That's a myth. There's no such law, at least not in simplistic understanding you are implying. E.g. see https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/10/why-the-maximizing-shareholder-value-theory-of-corporate-governance-is-bogus.html https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/10/why-the-maximizing-s... https://truthonthemarket.com/2010/07/27/the-shareholder-wealth-maximization-myth/ https://truthonthemarket.com/2010/07/27/the-shareholder-weal... etc. > They can do whatever they want with their website. This is completely vacuous statement. Nobody says Google has no legal right to tweak their search algorithms for political reasons. The claim is that this is despicable and unwise thing to do, not that Google shouldn't have control of their own website.
  - em3rgent0rdr 9y ago
    > "There's no such law" But they can still get sued. So doesn't matter if there is no specific law.
    - smsm42 9y ago
      You can get sued for anything. Especially if you have money - it gets some people into the mood "why would they have money which I should have instead?" Getting successfully sued is quite different thing.
  - deepsun 9y ago
    Interesting links, thank you.

by blux 9y ago

What does this have to do with the fundamental fact that Google decides to make access to information / opinions from certain sources less accessible than others?

deepsun 9y ago

Google.com is a website, belonging to a certain commercial company, which is obliged by law to work in the best interest if its shareholders. They can do whatever they want with their website. Same goes for Facebook. Each time you read or post there something -- they generously allow you to do that using their website. They don't break no First Amendment -- one is free to create their own website and practice their own free speech any way one wants. PS: I'm not trolling, I'm just tired of how many people used to treat media resources like public utilities.

smsm42 9y ago
> which is obliged by law to work in the best interest if its shareholders That's a myth. There's no such law, at least not in simplistic understanding you are implying. E.g. see https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/10/why-the-maximizing-shareholder-value-theory-of-corporate-governance-is-bogus.html https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/10/why-the-maximizing-s... https://truthonthemarket.com/2010/07/27/the-shareholder-wealth-maximization-myth/ https://truthonthemarket.com/2010/07/27/the-shareholder-weal... etc. > They can do whatever they want with their website. This is completely vacuous statement. Nobody says Google has no legal right to tweak their search algorithms for political reasons. The claim is that this is despicable and unwise thing to do, not that Google shouldn't have control of their own website.
- em3rgent0rdr 9y ago
  > "There's no such law" But they can still get sued. So doesn't matter if there is no specific law.
  - smsm42 9y ago
    You can get sued for anything. Especially if you have money - it gets some people into the mood "why would they have money which I should have instead?" Getting successfully sued is quite different thing.
- deepsun 9y ago
  Interesting links, thank you.