> I don't believe in the government obliging businesses to do things. Should government oblige Boeing to make safe airplanes? Google and others not to violate

> I don't believe in the government obliging businesses to do things. Should government oblige Boeing to make safe airplanes? Google and others not to violate user privacy? All businesses not to sell dangerous munitions to terrorist and enemy states? > it looks like this whole thing is Google specific Nothing has been done or even proposed yet; what is that based on? In the U.S. at least, generally the government can't make laws for individual companies or businesses; Congress couldn't pass a law that bilbo0s can't sell laptops in China, for example. They would have to make a law about every business doing things in China. However, I don't know the specifics of that legal principle and how it is applied here. > Once government gets involved and starts playing favorites, everything gets messed up. Things already seem messed up. I don't see private enterprise as more reliable than the voters and their representatives, and the latter seems like a more fair way to resolve public affairs. I guess I have faith and confidence in democracy. It is flawed, of course, just like every other human institution from Google to religious institutions to everyone here on HN.