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Fundamentally, Big Tech is an outsized part of what sets America's economy apart. Breaking up any of them would potentially be a footgun.

by caesil 3y ago

deafpolygon 3y ago
Yep - weakening Big Tech in the US will strengthen China's Big Tech, which no one wants.
- choeger 3y ago
  So we have to accept control through Google or Apple or otherwise we will be controlled by Alibaba or Huawei? I don't want my devices to be controlled by neither company.
  - deafpolygon 3y ago
    One wants profits; another wants to influence you. Take your pick.
UtopiaPunk 3y ago
I agree that big tech is huge part of the American economy. In the 1900s, Teddy Roosevelt busted up the biggest monopolies and did it boldy. He was a strong believer in capitalism and market forces, and he believed that government had a responsibility to keep market forces working well. I know we are not in the early 1900s anymore, but I think it is interesting to ponder how the only politicians who dare to say something similar today are the furthest left we can imagine (Bernie Sanders and AOC and the like).
- Animats 3y ago
  > I know we are not in the early 1900s anymore... We still have the antitrust laws of Teddy Roosevelt's era, the Clayton Act and the 1890 Sherman Act. Sherman Act, Section 2: "Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony." The US Justice Department hasn't often applied that standard rigorously, but it can if it wants to.
- qwytw 3y ago
  Google is not quite Standard Oil though and generally modern tech function in an environment is different from the cartels/trusts/monopolies of the day that it's hardly comparable. Also thankfully general regulatory situation (and arguable level corruption) isn't as quite yet as bad as it was back in the 1900s.

Fundamentally, Big Tech is an outsized part of what sets America's economy apart. Breaking up any of them would potentially be a footgun.

by caesil 3y ago

Fundamentally, Big Tech is an outsized part of what sets America's economy apart. Breaking up any of them would potentially be a footgun.

deafpolygon 3y ago

Yep - weakening Big Tech in the US will strengthen China's Big Tech, which no one wants.

choeger 3y ago
So we have to accept control through Google or Apple or otherwise we will be controlled by Alibaba or Huawei? I don't want my devices to be controlled by neither company.
- deafpolygon 3y ago
  One wants profits; another wants to influence you. Take your pick.

UtopiaPunk 3y ago

I agree that big tech is huge part of the American economy. In the 1900s, Teddy Roosevelt busted up the biggest monopolies and did it boldy. He was a strong believer in capitalism and market forces, and he believed that government had a responsibility to keep market forces working well. I know we are not in the early 1900s anymore, but I think it is interesting to ponder how the only politicians who dare to say something similar today are the furthest left we can imagine (Bernie Sanders and AOC and the like).

Animats 3y ago
> I know we are not in the early 1900s anymore... We still have the antitrust laws of Teddy Roosevelt's era, the Clayton Act and the 1890 Sherman Act. Sherman Act, Section 2: "Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony." The US Justice Department hasn't often applied that standard rigorously, but it can if it wants to.
qwytw 3y ago
Google is not quite Standard Oil though and generally modern tech function in an environment is different from the cartels/trusts/monopolies of the day that it's hardly comparable. Also thankfully general regulatory situation (and arguable level corruption) isn't as quite yet as bad as it was back in the 1900s.