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People need to think very seriously about the market structure of the digital world and creating genuine alternatives in the interest of a healthy, innovative a

People need to think very seriously about the market structure of the digital world and creating genuine alternatives in the interest of a healthy, innovative and less risky society. This is not a niche market and a cute little oligopoly. Tech touches, controls and even disrupts major parts of economy and social life and there is no visible counterbalance. E.g., in other recent news Apple was getting deeper into finance and banking. Where exactly does the conglomeration stop? Having let things reach such an advanced metastasized stage its not clear if there is a gentle way to turn things around. Which commercial entity would dare go against such a entrenched and systemically supported duopoly? Taking the axe and creating by brute force less dominant pieces is the approach that was used in the past. Another, maybe fanciful, idea is for governments to fund public goods that will undermine the commercial viability of certain business lines currently under the stranglehold of tech oligopolies. As it stands, reinforcing the concept of TINA, there is no alternative, acts as a millstone around society and effectively robs us from the potential of technology.

abnercoimbre 4y ago
You're pondering the challenges of our digital age and the seemingly unstoppable dominance of tech oligopolies. I'm all about shaking up the status quo and championing underdogs. Like it's literally what I do for a living [0]. (See the About page specifically.) Obviously this may sound like a marketing stunt, but you should really know there are those of us who want to see a different world. [0] https://handmadecities.com https://handmadecities.com
SilverBirch 4y ago
I am very sympathetic to your view that these massive companies mustn't be allowed to use their absurd concentration of power to be anti-competitive. But the thing that I've noticed over time with these tech companies is that whilst they are extremely profitable and at points can be extremely powerful, their power is unstable. When you look at other markets the contrast is stark, AT&T and the break up of Bell system - they were a monopoly for decades and acted terribly and were broken up by the government and have basically slowly morphed back into their old shape. Compare that to AOL - they were powerful sure, but that exploded pretty quick. Before Facebook it was Myspace, and after Meta something else will come. These industries just don't seem to form a stable equilibrium they continue to get disrupted. And the problem you have is that if the government is going act thoughtfully, they'll act slowly, and if they act slowly they'll almost certainly be too late.
- joshspankit 4y ago
  That may be true for large companies, but a lot of smaller ones get crushed in the process, including those that will never be big enough to find a way to work around the law.
  - SllX 4y ago
    Most businesses fail, and it’s usually a matter of when. A part of not picking winners and losers by fiat is also disregarding that most new businesses will fail but a few will succeed and a very very few more will rise to the level of challenging any of the major tech companies, but they will rise and if it’s not your business, it will be somebody else’s.
hahamaster 4y ago
Like with Internet Explorer once upon a time, government intervention will prove to be unnecessary. While the two monopolies sit around and push out minor updates each year, rearranging chairs on their decks, alternatives are quietly being developed and from out of nowhere a “TikTokOS” will appear and solve the monopoly issue.

abnercoimbre 4y ago

You're pondering the challenges of our digital age and the seemingly unstoppable dominance of tech oligopolies. I'm all about shaking up the status quo and championing underdogs. Like it's literally what I do for a living [0]. (See the About page specifically.) Obviously this may sound like a marketing stunt, but you should really know there are those of us who want to see a different world. [0] https://handmadecities.com https://handmadecities.com

SilverBirch 4y ago

I am very sympathetic to your view that these massive companies mustn't be allowed to use their absurd concentration of power to be anti-competitive. But the thing that I've noticed over time with these tech companies is that whilst they are extremely profitable and at points can be extremely powerful, their power is unstable. When you look at other markets the contrast is stark, AT&T and the break up of Bell system - they were a monopoly for decades and acted terribly and were broken up by the government and have basically slowly morphed back into their old shape. Compare that to AOL - they were powerful sure, but that exploded pretty quick. Before Facebook it was Myspace, and after Meta something else will come. These industries just don't seem to form a stable equilibrium they continue to get disrupted. And the problem you have is that if the government is going act thoughtfully, they'll act slowly, and if they act slowly they'll almost certainly be too late.

joshspankit 4y ago
That may be true for large companies, but a lot of smaller ones get crushed in the process, including those that will never be big enough to find a way to work around the law.
- SllX 4y ago
  Most businesses fail, and it’s usually a matter of when. A part of not picking winners and losers by fiat is also disregarding that most new businesses will fail but a few will succeed and a very very few more will rise to the level of challenging any of the major tech companies, but they will rise and if it’s not your business, it will be somebody else’s.

hahamaster 4y ago

Like with Internet Explorer once upon a time, government intervention will prove to be unnecessary. While the two monopolies sit around and push out minor updates each year, rearranging chairs on their decks, alternatives are quietly being developed and from out of nowhere a “TikTokOS” will appear and solve the monopoly issue.