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Ma Bell didn’t have the power to cut off advertising revenue to YouTubers who say things the company does like, nor the power to shape the global access to info

Ma Bell didn’t have the power to cut off advertising revenue to YouTubers who say things the company does like, nor the power to shape the global access to information with search, nor did they scan people’s communications

ApolloFortyNine 2y ago
>Ma Bell didn’t have the power to cut off advertising revenue to YouTubers who say things the company does like They don't even ban you (it's very hard to get banned on youtube) and it's the advertisers themselves who decide this. >nor did they scan people’s communications They don't scan emails and never have. And you could move to an alternative browser/search/youtube (if someone could host one profitably) by the end of the day.
vel0city 2y ago
Ma Bell had the power to make it so you couldn't talk on a wire, at all. They owned all the wires. They owned all the phones. But sure, being de-monetized on a website, that's way worse. And yes, Ma Bell had the ability to listen in to every conversation had on a wire. Not just some, all. Meanwhile most conversations I have on the internet don't involve Google in the slightest.
- newsclues 2y ago
  More control over a narrower aspect of life, vs control over many parts of your life. Google can be your email, your phone, your ISP, own your health data, control what you watch, listen, search for, it can control your ability to make money or even control access to your data and documents.
  - vel0city 2y ago
    > Google can be Can be. Google doesn't control what I watch. Google doesn't control what I listen to. Google doesn't control my email. Google doesn't own my health data. Google isn't my ISP. Google doesn't control my data and documents. Google doesn't control my ability to make money. Google doesn't control what I search for. Meanwhile with Ma Bell, it was Ma Bell or just don't have telecommunications.

ApolloFortyNine 2y ago

>Ma Bell didn’t have the power to cut off advertising revenue to YouTubers who say things the company does like They don't even ban you (it's very hard to get banned on youtube) and it's the advertisers themselves who decide this. >nor did they scan people’s communications They don't scan emails and never have. And you could move to an alternative browser/search/youtube (if someone could host one profitably) by the end of the day.

vel0city 2y ago

Ma Bell had the power to make it so you couldn't talk on a wire, at all. They owned all the wires. They owned all the phones. But sure, being de-monetized on a website, that's way worse. And yes, Ma Bell had the ability to listen in to every conversation had on a wire. Not just some, all. Meanwhile most conversations I have on the internet don't involve Google in the slightest.

newsclues 2y ago
More control over a narrower aspect of life, vs control over many parts of your life. Google can be your email, your phone, your ISP, own your health data, control what you watch, listen, search for, it can control your ability to make money or even control access to your data and documents.
- vel0city 2y ago
  > Google can be Can be. Google doesn't control what I watch. Google doesn't control what I listen to. Google doesn't control my email. Google doesn't own my health data. Google isn't my ISP. Google doesn't control my data and documents. Google doesn't control my ability to make money. Google doesn't control what I search for. Meanwhile with Ma Bell, it was Ma Bell or just don't have telecommunications.