4 ms·

But the chief problem for (tech-)corporate Europe isn't that power is concentrated less than in the US. It's that Europe has less absolute or nearly no power in

by tpush 5y ago

But the chief problem for (tech-)corporate Europe isn't that power is concentrated less than in the US. It's that Europe has less absolute or nearly no power in areas that matter a lot for their society.

ChuckNorris89 5y ago
>It's that Europe has less absolute or nearly no power in areas that matter a lot for their society. Bingo. For example I, a European worker, wake up in the morning by the alarm sound of my US developed phone who's software and services are also developed in the US. I then power up my US developed laptop and use a US designed OS and read and reply to emails using a US developed solution part of an office suite also made in the US. During work, I deploy my work, which helps people book flights, to a US developed cloud solution. After work I text my friends on a US developed messaging solution and at the pub one friend keeps posting pictures to a US developed social media platform and another swipes through photos of potential mates on a US developed dating platform. Hell, even when I want to use online banking or online government services I'm still relying on mostly US tech to get the job done. How the hell is this absolute dependence on US tech not scary for Europe's sovereignty is beyond me. If the US wanted to flex its power for shits and giggles it could just ask the Microsoft, Apple and Google to turn off their services in Europe for a couple of hours and send Europe to the stone age.
- pwlb 5y ago
  That sounds like a view from last century. FAANG multinational, sovereign companys and they are interested in money and are not interested in losing their userbase. moreover a lot of these companys have offices in europe as well, so part of these solutions are developed in europe as well. having the HQ in one country is only one aspect of a company
  - ChuckNorris89 5y ago
    Of course that scenario would never happen, I was being overdramatic to prove a point, but do you think the US has no idea of how much leverage it has over Europe being so dependent on US tech? It's a new kind of soft power. Why do you think China blocked US tech giants from operating there and support it's local players instead.

by tpush 5y ago

ChuckNorris89 5y ago

>It's that Europe has less absolute or nearly no power in areas that matter a lot for their society. Bingo. For example I, a European worker, wake up in the morning by the alarm sound of my US developed phone who's software and services are also developed in the US. I then power up my US developed laptop and use a US designed OS and read and reply to emails using a US developed solution part of an office suite also made in the US. During work, I deploy my work, which helps people book flights, to a US developed cloud solution. After work I text my friends on a US developed messaging solution and at the pub one friend keeps posting pictures to a US developed social media platform and another swipes through photos of potential mates on a US developed dating platform. Hell, even when I want to use online banking or online government services I'm still relying on mostly US tech to get the job done. How the hell is this absolute dependence on US tech not scary for Europe's sovereignty is beyond me. If the US wanted to flex its power for shits and giggles it could just ask the Microsoft, Apple and Google to turn off their services in Europe for a couple of hours and send Europe to the stone age.

pwlb 5y ago
That sounds like a view from last century. FAANG multinational, sovereign companys and they are interested in money and are not interested in losing their userbase. moreover a lot of these companys have offices in europe as well, so part of these solutions are developed in europe as well. having the HQ in one country is only one aspect of a company
- ChuckNorris89 5y ago
  Of course that scenario would never happen, I was being overdramatic to prove a point, but do you think the US has no idea of how much leverage it has over Europe being so dependent on US tech? It's a new kind of soft power. Why do you think China blocked US tech giants from operating there and support it's local players instead.