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I am worried regulations will make the Internet more geographically fragmented. The best thing about the Internet is how it captures the long tail. A random per

I am worried regulations will make the Internet more geographically fragmented. The best thing about the Internet is how it captures the long tail. A random person in Slovenia can read a local news site in Kansas if they wish. Even if spending just one minute of effort making itself available in Slovenia would be a loss for said news site. The Internet is by default global and everything is available to everyone. It takes extra effort to block regions, but I'm afraid regulations will make people spend that extra effort.

adventured 8y ago
There's no scenario where the 'open' Internet doesn't rip apart. Globally there will be dozens of GDPR type regulations, and that's just covering privacy. There will be a lot more for economic rules, cultural rules (eg governing speech), etc. Want to operate a service in 100+ countries? You'll have to comply with thousands of rules. Only giant companies will be able to do it. It's already extremely difficult to do. In the physical goods world, generally only very large companies can operate in 100+ countries; that's exactly how it will be for Internet companies in the near future. In the case of the US, there will be an immense advantage for tech services & sites. I can make a lot of money on ads just in the single large US market, far more than necessary to support a global operation. I can then project out into the rest of the world, without concern for complying with everyone's individual rules (unless it makes economic sense). For those localities to stop me, they all have to implement draconian Chinese-style repression of their people and what they can see online (which most will not do).
- lajhsdfkl 8y ago
  I really think the EU guaranteed US tech dominance with this law. How many months of work did the EU just add to getting out an MVP? How are EU startups even going to do AB testing to improve their product without collecting user data?
  - M2Ys4U 8y ago
    I suggest you actually read the GDPR (for legislation it's actually quite readable) before spouting off nonsense like this. >How many months of work did the EU just add to getting out an MVP? None. >How are EU startups even going to do AB testing to improve their product without collecting user data? The same way they always have.
  - mattmanser 8y ago
    Huh? Seems the opposite to me. US startups are the ones balkanizing, meaning home grown solutions to the EU will come about, ending US tech dominance.

adventured 8y ago

There's no scenario where the 'open' Internet doesn't rip apart. Globally there will be dozens of GDPR type regulations, and that's just covering privacy. There will be a lot more for economic rules, cultural rules (eg governing speech), etc. Want to operate a service in 100+ countries? You'll have to comply with thousands of rules. Only giant companies will be able to do it. It's already extremely difficult to do. In the physical goods world, generally only very large companies can operate in 100+ countries; that's exactly how it will be for Internet companies in the near future. In the case of the US, there will be an immense advantage for tech services & sites. I can make a lot of money on ads just in the single large US market, far more than necessary to support a global operation. I can then project out into the rest of the world, without concern for complying with everyone's individual rules (unless it makes economic sense). For those localities to stop me, they all have to implement draconian Chinese-style repression of their people and what they can see online (which most will not do).

lajhsdfkl 8y ago
I really think the EU guaranteed US tech dominance with this law. How many months of work did the EU just add to getting out an MVP? How are EU startups even going to do AB testing to improve their product without collecting user data?
- M2Ys4U 8y ago
  I suggest you actually read the GDPR (for legislation it's actually quite readable) before spouting off nonsense like this. >How many months of work did the EU just add to getting out an MVP? None. >How are EU startups even going to do AB testing to improve their product without collecting user data? The same way they always have.
- mattmanser 8y ago
  Huh? Seems the opposite to me. US startups are the ones balkanizing, meaning home grown solutions to the EU will come about, ending US tech dominance.