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... unless they want to reach people. Try publishing an app while avoiding the AppStore and the PlayStore - your audience will be fairly limited. Same thing if

... unless they want to reach people. Try publishing an app while avoiding the AppStore and the PlayStore - your audience will be fairly limited. Same thing if you're a politician (especially one not currently in office) and an US-controlled service happens to be popular in your country. On the other hand, though, I doubt that much of this is actual government influence. Most of these actions are probably done based on the personal biases of the moderation team of the platform. These are surely a bit influenced by whatever opinion the current government tries to push, but they will not necessarily align with the current agenda. And this is not really an US problem; in fact, in terms of government influence on private companies, the US is probably one of the better countries.

tsimionescu 6y ago
> And this is not really an US problem; in fact, in terms of government influence on private companies, the US is probably one of the better countries. Only because influence typically goes the other way around in the US. But you're talking about a country whose banking system derives most of its value from government guarantees. https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/bank-guarantees/ https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/bank-guarantees/
- Sebb767 6y ago
  I don't want to say the US is great, it isn't. The point is no country is great. A company residing in a country will always be somewhat dependent on that countries government and all of them have some form of subpoena, some form of secret agency or some politicians shoddy enough for backroom dealings. But some countries are worse. My usual tip in these situations would be to use something under control of a government which does not have much interest in your dealings, but as a politician you're in the unfortunate position that a) basically any country will have a basic interest in your dealings or at least be very close to a superpower that does and b) you'll have to go out and seek your voters, which does not leave you much choice.

tsimionescu 6y ago

> And this is not really an US problem; in fact, in terms of government influence on private companies, the US is probably one of the better countries. Only because influence typically goes the other way around in the US. But you're talking about a country whose banking system derives most of its value from government guarantees. https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/bank-guarantees/ https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/bank-guarantees/

Sebb767 6y ago
I don't want to say the US is great, it isn't. The point is no country is great. A company residing in a country will always be somewhat dependent on that countries government and all of them have some form of subpoena, some form of secret agency or some politicians shoddy enough for backroom dealings. But some countries are worse. My usual tip in these situations would be to use something under control of a government which does not have much interest in your dealings, but as a politician you're in the unfortunate position that a) basically any country will have a basic interest in your dealings or at least be very close to a superpower that does and b) you'll have to go out and seek your voters, which does not leave you much choice.