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tl;dr making it harder to exploit your users can lower the (already absurdly high) profits Of course because this doesn't profit companies like Google or Faceb
by trasz 4y ago
tl;dr making it harder to exploit your users can lower the (already absurdly high) profits
Of course because this doesn't profit companies like Google or Facebook, they'll do anything they can to promote voices opposed to it. And because they control what most people are shown as "the Internet", they might succeed.
A properly working, democratic government is the only thing that can protect the society from corporations. If you trust the government less than corporations, it's probably because your government is shit.
- nickpp 4y agoWhy would a government be non-shit? Corporations need to make something useful to someone to get their profits and they are also kept in check by their competitors (unless they have a government-granted monopoly, of course). Governments only need to fool enough voters to get re-elected. That is easily done these days with media, propaganda, and plenty of populism (vote me and I’ll steal from creators and throw some your way). Most governments on the planet are shit, both historically and presently.
- trasz 4y agoThe fact that corporation does something useful for _someone_ doesn't mean they don't do it by exploiting everyone else. And in many markets monopolies form naturally, eg due to network effect. Facebook is a good example.
- nickpp 4y agoEagerly awaiting for some examples of corporations exploiting everyone without alternatives. Meanwhile my government is taking 50% of my monthly income giving me in return the shittiest services, services I would gladly buy from the free market instead. Facebook is indeed an excellent example of an often vilified corporation which is: 1. not a monopoly (plenty of competition around, from twitter to tiktok and even this very site) 2. providing its services to users happy to give their attention and privacy in return 3. easily replaced - my kids don't even use it and escaping it is simply... not using it really
- trasz 4y ago>Meanwhile my government is taking 50% of my monthly income giving me in return the shittiest services, services I would gladly buy from the free market instead. Good luck buying law enforcement, roads, or healthcare, on a free market. Once again - consider moving to a country that’s not shit.