3 ms·

Uber, a taxi company that exists exclusively and explicitly to circumvent regulations around taxis (see also: AirBNB) is in a different situation relative to ex

Uber, a taxi company that exists exclusively and explicitly to circumvent regulations around taxis (see also: AirBNB) is in a different situation relative to expected regulation than Google or Facebook (for whom essentially no applicable regulation existed when they were created). Having the loophole whose exploitation is your business model get ever-so-slightly tightened is distinctly different than having lawmakers show up 10 years late to the realization that your business model has the potential to exacerbate societally self-destructive behavior (and I'm registering my bet now that neither Meta nor Alphabet will face any meaningful regulation).

rad_gruchalski 5y ago
As I said in another comment: it is like aerospace or automotive. There were barely any regulations in 1950s. Regulators take time to catch up. But they do. Re Google: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_vs._Google https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_vs._Google. The whole switch to Alphabet isa direct result of anti-trust and the risk of forced split. Safe harbor and GDPR are direct effects of regulation. The fact that Google is sending me emails with info about third parties they share my data with is a direct effect of regulation. Google News was on the news pretty often over the years. Reasonably, digital business can’t anymore be done without worrying about regulation.
ImprovedSilence 5y ago
If you think Uber sucks for society, you should have seen taxis before Uber was a thing, my god what a nightmare. I’m willing to bet Uber has saved 10s of thousands of lives from drunk driving accidents alone solely because they made getting a ride effortless.
- InitialLastName 5y ago
  I'm not saying they suck for society (my take is more along the lines of: they have certainly improved the taxi experience, which has made noticeable contributions to issues such as, per your mention, drunk driving; on the other hand, they have exposed and exploited externalities that impose their own serious safety, quality of life, and social costs on the areas where they are most active), I'm saying their business model fundamentally exists as a response to regulatory issues, so their business will inherently have more exposure to regulation.

rad_gruchalski 5y ago

As I said in another comment: it is like aerospace or automotive. There were barely any regulations in 1950s. Regulators take time to catch up. But they do. Re Google: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_vs._Google https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_vs._Google. The whole switch to Alphabet isa direct result of anti-trust and the risk of forced split. Safe harbor and GDPR are direct effects of regulation. The fact that Google is sending me emails with info about third parties they share my data with is a direct effect of regulation. Google News was on the news pretty often over the years. Reasonably, digital business can’t anymore be done without worrying about regulation.

ImprovedSilence 5y ago

If you think Uber sucks for society, you should have seen taxis before Uber was a thing, my god what a nightmare. I’m willing to bet Uber has saved 10s of thousands of lives from drunk driving accidents alone solely because they made getting a ride effortless.

InitialLastName 5y ago
I'm not saying they suck for society (my take is more along the lines of: they have certainly improved the taxi experience, which has made noticeable contributions to issues such as, per your mention, drunk driving; on the other hand, they have exposed and exploited externalities that impose their own serious safety, quality of life, and social costs on the areas where they are most active), I'm saying their business model fundamentally exists as a response to regulatory issues, so their business will inherently have more exposure to regulation.