3 ms·

Break up Facebook (and while we're at it, Google, Apple and Amazon)

7 points by djrogers 8y ago

djrogers 8y ago
I really, really don’t get lumping Apple in with Google and Facebook here. The only rationale given is that ‘Apple dominates smartphones and laptop computers.‘ the first - smartphones - is highly regional, and the second isn’t even defensible as an argument, as Apple only sells a small percentage of laptops. Even if those were both completely true, I can’t fathom how it leads to needing to break Apple up?
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > I can’t fathom how it leads to needing to break Apple up? Apple the device company is quite different from Apple the media company. Spotify competes with the former on an unlevel field. Agree, though, that the case for breaking up Facebook, Google and Amazon is more urgent.
ToFab123 8y ago
Although I am in favor or breaking up, maybe not Apple, but the others ASAP, that is not going to happen unless there is a Snowden copycat at work inside Google / Facebook. Look at the Google Transparency Project. Google basically runs the US government (or at least used to under Obama). https://www.googletransparencyproject.org https://www.googletransparencyproject.org Without having a "new Snowden" giving the average citizens the shock of a lifetime by displaying how much info those spy companies have on us all nothing is going to change. When Rockefeller was around in the 1930 there was no, or only little, lobbying but since it is now legal for anyone to buy US politicians little will change. Lets hope the Snowden of Google / Facebook start his/her upload to wiki leaks soon.
- auslander 8y ago
  > not Apple, but the others Why Amazon ?
olivermarks 8y ago
Rana Foroohar has ben very eloquent on this topic all year. 'Antitrust policy is ripe for a rethink We should consider regulating Big Tech like we do the banks' https://www.ft.com/content/b5ce2342-7624-11e8-b326-75a27d27ea5f https://www.ft.com/content/b5ce2342-7624-11e8-b326-75a27d27e... But as Reich points out in his UK Guardian piece neither wing of US politics seems very interested in reining in the giant platform companies. Surely if Faang was 'broken up' other monopolies would just spring up in their place...antitrust seems to wax and wane politicly and some of the biggest DC lobbyists are firms like Facebook...

7 points by djrogers 8y ago

I really, really don’t get lumping Apple in with Google and Facebook here. The only rationale given is that ‘Apple dominates smartphones and laptop computers.‘ the first - smartphones - is highly regional, and the second isn’t even defensible as an argument, as Apple only sells a small percentage of laptops. Even if those were both completely true, I can’t fathom how it leads to needing to break Apple up?

JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> I can’t fathom how it leads to needing to break Apple up? Apple the device company is quite different from Apple the media company. Spotify competes with the former on an unlevel field. Agree, though, that the case for breaking up Facebook, Google and Amazon is more urgent.

ToFab123 8y ago

Although I am in favor or breaking up, maybe not Apple, but the others ASAP, that is not going to happen unless there is a Snowden copycat at work inside Google / Facebook. Look at the Google Transparency Project. Google basically runs the US government (or at least used to under Obama). https://www.googletransparencyproject.org https://www.googletransparencyproject.org Without having a "new Snowden" giving the average citizens the shock of a lifetime by displaying how much info those spy companies have on us all nothing is going to change. When Rockefeller was around in the 1930 there was no, or only little, lobbying but since it is now legal for anyone to buy US politicians little will change. Lets hope the Snowden of Google / Facebook start his/her upload to wiki leaks soon.

auslander 8y ago
> not Apple, but the others Why Amazon ?

olivermarks 8y ago

Rana Foroohar has ben very eloquent on this topic all year. 'Antitrust policy is ripe for a rethink We should consider regulating Big Tech like we do the banks' https://www.ft.com/content/b5ce2342-7624-11e8-b326-75a27d27ea5f https://www.ft.com/content/b5ce2342-7624-11e8-b326-75a27d27e... But as Reich points out in his UK Guardian piece neither wing of US politics seems very interested in reining in the giant platform companies. Surely if Faang was 'broken up' other monopolies would just spring up in their place...antitrust seems to wax and wane politicly and some of the biggest DC lobbyists are firms like Facebook...