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The Google and Apple app stores and support services ought to be regulated as public utilities. Because they effectively constitute a duopoly regarding apps for

The Google and Apple app stores and support services ought to be regulated as public utilities. Because they effectively constitute a duopoly regarding apps for mobile devices. That would prevent them from arbitrarily refusing to provide services and list apps in their stores. They could refuse, but only for permitted reasons, and with a clear appeal process. The Public Utility Commission of Texas has a pretty clear explanation.[0] The top DDG hit was an ancient law review.[1] It's probably outdated, but makes an interesting read. 0) https://www.puc.texas.gov/consumer/complaint/Rights.aspx https://www.puc.texas.gov/consumer/complaint/Rights.aspx 1) https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4595&context=law_lawreview https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?articl... Edit: I mean, whether you're a residential customer or a business, public utilities (electricity, water, sewer, garbage, police, ...) can't arbitrarily refuse service.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
badrequest 7y ago
I don't know if I agree that mobile apps are on the same level as electricity and internet connectivity in terms of how crucial they are to be productive citizenry.
- mirimir 7y ago
  For app developers, they certainly are.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
    This is why everything is made from corn in the US.
zaroth 7y ago
The Google and Apple App Stores generate ~$100 billion in annual revenue combined, and growing at about 25% per year. The App Stores are the greatest software distribution and monetization platforms ever created, second perhaps only to “The Internet” as a whole. Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App Store, which would hit small developers in particular. Every percentage point reduction in the growth of these stores at this point is basically $1 billion taken out of developers’ pockets.
- johneth 7y ago
  > Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App Store Please explain how you've come to this conclusion, because I can't follow your logic.
  - zaroth 7y ago
    It’s well established that regulations increase transaction costs and stifle innovation. Take FDA regulations for example. The cost of developing a drug for sale in the USA in orders of magnitude higher due to these regulations. In safety critical systems, we pay this cost because the alternative is that people die. However, even still, the regulatory system itself may also be responsible for many deaths, due to viable treatments being either unavailable or unaffordable. A regulatory framework on software distribution platforms frankly sounds horrific on many levels, but to avoid hyperbole, the most obvious effect would be increased compliance cost to the platform provider, which would be passed on to developers or end users. Making apps unreviewable, or prohibitively costly to review, or imposing significant liability into the app review process is a recipe for increased cost and decreased growth, simply put.
    - johneth 7y ago
      I think we have a different idea of what these hypothetical regulations would do. I see it as regulations forcing Google and Apple, as platform owners, to not abuse their enormous power over developers on their platforms. Much like common-carrier regulations. I don't see how that sort of regulation would massively increase costs to Google and Apple (who are profiting massively off their platforms anyway!) I also don't agree that regulations on these platforms sounds horrific. I think just about anything is better than the power concentrated entirely at the whims of Google and Apple at the moment. Similarly, I don't think there'd be increased compliance cost to the platform. Regulation isn't always bad (in fact, I'd argue the vast majority of regulation is good, we just hear about the smaller amount of bad bits that slip through).
      - 7y ago
dthedev 7y ago
Internet services in the US aren't even a public utility. I don't see this ever happening.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

badrequest 7y ago

I don't know if I agree that mobile apps are on the same level as electricity and internet connectivity in terms of how crucial they are to be productive citizenry.

mirimir 7y ago
For app developers, they certainly are.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
  This is why everything is made from corn in the US.

zaroth 7y ago

The Google and Apple App Stores generate ~$100 billion in annual revenue combined, and growing at about 25% per year. The App Stores are the greatest software distribution and monetization platforms ever created, second perhaps only to “The Internet” as a whole. Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App Store, which would hit small developers in particular. Every percentage point reduction in the growth of these stores at this point is basically $1 billion taken out of developers’ pockets.

johneth 7y ago
> Regulating the App Stores as some sort of utility sounds like the perfect way to stifle growth and make it more difficult and expensive to publish on the App Store Please explain how you've come to this conclusion, because I can't follow your logic.
- zaroth 7y ago
  It’s well established that regulations increase transaction costs and stifle innovation. Take FDA regulations for example. The cost of developing a drug for sale in the USA in orders of magnitude higher due to these regulations. In safety critical systems, we pay this cost because the alternative is that people die. However, even still, the regulatory system itself may also be responsible for many deaths, due to viable treatments being either unavailable or unaffordable. A regulatory framework on software distribution platforms frankly sounds horrific on many levels, but to avoid hyperbole, the most obvious effect would be increased compliance cost to the platform provider, which would be passed on to developers or end users. Making apps unreviewable, or prohibitively costly to review, or imposing significant liability into the app review process is a recipe for increased cost and decreased growth, simply put.
  - johneth 7y ago
    I think we have a different idea of what these hypothetical regulations would do. I see it as regulations forcing Google and Apple, as platform owners, to not abuse their enormous power over developers on their platforms. Much like common-carrier regulations. I don't see how that sort of regulation would massively increase costs to Google and Apple (who are profiting massively off their platforms anyway!) I also don't agree that regulations on these platforms sounds horrific. I think just about anything is better than the power concentrated entirely at the whims of Google and Apple at the moment. Similarly, I don't think there'd be increased compliance cost to the platform. Regulation isn't always bad (in fact, I'd argue the vast majority of regulation is good, we just hear about the smaller amount of bad bits that slip through).
    - 7y ago

dthedev 7y ago

Internet services in the US aren't even a public utility. I don't see this ever happening.