4 ms·

What makes you think large companies are more capable of developing reliable, secure software?

frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
Huh? Isn't the point of this whole comment chain that large companies are able to comply with regulations that protect user safety that small companies might not be able to? In that case it's self evident why a large company is better able to protect user safety.
- mattnewton 9y ago
  That’s assuming the regulations work instead of just throw obstacles in the way of new companies.
  - AnthonyMouse 9y ago
    > That’s assuming the regulations work instead of just throw obstacles in the way of new companies. Not only that, laws have a tendency to set a particular model in stone. The model large companies use is to collect everything they possibly can and then use bureaucratic processes to control access. The model small companies and individuals use is to minimize the data they collect and use technical means to ensure that the company has no access to the customer's data at all. This obviously tends to be more secure. But if the bureaucratic process is required by law regardless of whether it's really protecting anything, the more secure model becomes impossible -- you have to collect all the data because it's the only way to make enough money to pay for the bureaucratic overhead.
    - extra88 9y ago
      > The model small companies and individuals use is to minimize the data they collect and use technical means to ensure that the company has no access to the customer's data at all. There have been a zillion startups that have had collecting user data baked into their business model.
      - AnthonyMouse 9y ago
        > There have been a zillion startups that have had collecting user data baked into their business model. And they can rot like Facebook. Nobody is trying to save them. The problem is you're destroying anyone whose model isn't that.
- extra88 9y ago
  Organization size doesn't really correlate to software reliability or security. But that's not where the problems with Facebook and online privacy generally are. Any org of any size can follow rules like not sharing user information with third parties (though eliminating business models dependent upon that could be limiting). Smaller organizations would have a much harder time complying with legal changes that significantly erode the Safe Harbor provisions of the DMCA that make platforms not responsible for the actions of their users.

Huh? Isn't the point of this whole comment chain that large companies are able to comply with regulations that protect user safety that small companies might not be able to? In that case it's self evident why a large company is better able to protect user safety.

mattnewton 9y ago
That’s assuming the regulations work instead of just throw obstacles in the way of new companies.
- AnthonyMouse 9y ago
  > That’s assuming the regulations work instead of just throw obstacles in the way of new companies. Not only that, laws have a tendency to set a particular model in stone. The model large companies use is to collect everything they possibly can and then use bureaucratic processes to control access. The model small companies and individuals use is to minimize the data they collect and use technical means to ensure that the company has no access to the customer's data at all. This obviously tends to be more secure. But if the bureaucratic process is required by law regardless of whether it's really protecting anything, the more secure model becomes impossible -- you have to collect all the data because it's the only way to make enough money to pay for the bureaucratic overhead.
  - extra88 9y ago
    > The model small companies and individuals use is to minimize the data they collect and use technical means to ensure that the company has no access to the customer's data at all. There have been a zillion startups that have had collecting user data baked into their business model.
    - AnthonyMouse 9y ago
      > There have been a zillion startups that have had collecting user data baked into their business model. And they can rot like Facebook. Nobody is trying to save them. The problem is you're destroying anyone whose model isn't that.
extra88 9y ago
Organization size doesn't really correlate to software reliability or security. But that's not where the problems with Facebook and online privacy generally are. Any org of any size can follow rules like not sharing user information with third parties (though eliminating business models dependent upon that could be limiting). Smaller organizations would have a much harder time complying with legal changes that significantly erode the Safe Harbor provisions of the DMCA that make platforms not responsible for the actions of their users.