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When a House Select Committee can get Zuckerberg or Pichai in front of them to demand answers to their Cambridge Analytica questions, then I'll concede that the

When a House Select Committee can get Zuckerberg or Pichai in front of them to demand answers to their Cambridge Analytica questions, then I'll concede that the law can take on these corporations. Last I noticed, best they've had is some third-party contractor for Facebook, and they had to get the serjeant-at-arms to pin him down at his hotel. If it hits the fan and they go to take profits, nothing stopping them pulling an Amazon and taking the cash out to a subsidiary abroad.

ben_w 8y ago
Right now, Brexit is consuming over 100% of the sustainable effort of the UK government. If the UK government decided Facebook was no longer welcome, it would not be able to operate in London. On the other hand, if the UK government was functioning correctly, it also wouldn’t need to be that heavy-handed.
- pjc50 8y ago
  Well above 100% of the sustainable effort. It's being run like a failed software project, with important decisions running on until 10pm. All kinds of normal leave has been cancelled; MPs are being wheeled out of hospital or missing the funerals of their parents for this.
jamespo 8y ago
I'm sure you can think of lots of ways a government can coerce a company if they really want to
JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> When a House Select Committee can get Zuckerberg or Pichai in front of them to demand answers to their Cambridge Analytica questions, then I'll concede that the law can take on these corporations The UK has broad extradition rights with the United States. If Parliament wanted to get nasty, they could.
- arethuza 8y ago
  In a world where the UK might be struggling to find international friends I don't think anyone would be daft enough to try and extradite a leading citizen of the US. The chances of the US agreeing to any such extradition are even smaller.
  - JumpCrisscross 8y ago
    > a leading citizen of the US If the UK charged him and got British court approval, American courts would defer. Given Zuckerberg’s present standing, it’s unlikely Congress would attempt to intervene.

ben_w 8y ago

Right now, Brexit is consuming over 100% of the sustainable effort of the UK government. If the UK government decided Facebook was no longer welcome, it would not be able to operate in London. On the other hand, if the UK government was functioning correctly, it also wouldn’t need to be that heavy-handed.

pjc50 8y ago
Well above 100% of the sustainable effort. It's being run like a failed software project, with important decisions running on until 10pm. All kinds of normal leave has been cancelled; MPs are being wheeled out of hospital or missing the funerals of their parents for this.

jamespo 8y ago

I'm sure you can think of lots of ways a government can coerce a company if they really want to

JumpCrisscross 8y ago

> When a House Select Committee can get Zuckerberg or Pichai in front of them to demand answers to their Cambridge Analytica questions, then I'll concede that the law can take on these corporations The UK has broad extradition rights with the United States. If Parliament wanted to get nasty, they could.

arethuza 8y ago
In a world where the UK might be struggling to find international friends I don't think anyone would be daft enough to try and extradite a leading citizen of the US. The chances of the US agreeing to any such extradition are even smaller.
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > a leading citizen of the US If the UK charged him and got British court approval, American courts would defer. Given Zuckerberg’s present standing, it’s unlikely Congress would attempt to intervene.