5 ms·

RTBF is unenforceable.

threeseed 11y ago
Of course it is. Google is not the Internet. They are a multinational company who store search results in a series of databases created and managed by people. Those results can be changed if Google wants to do business in France and quite likely the EU if it all starts to escalate. And I'll let you in on a secret. European startups would be more than happy to build the next Google.
- panzagl 11y ago
  I'll let you in on another secret- it will fail. EU regulations will strip it of any ability to make money.
  - bduerst 11y ago
    Wasn't this one of the reactions to the RTBF? That it's a red herring to the EU's greater trade regulatory problems?
- meatysnapper 11y ago
  Not to mention nice tax loopholes
- azinman2 11y ago
  There's nothing preventing them from starting the next Google, except the insane amount of difficulties in doing so. That said, Russia and China have been able to do so quite well.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
Bluestrike2 11y ago
Won't stop people from trying and getting upset when they run into that little obstacle.
Maken 11y ago
Also, one of the silliest legal procedures I've seen.
prewett 11y ago
If you have offices in Europe it is. They can always fine you it is too expensive to comply, or until you close your offices and end your corporate entity there.
- mikeash 11y ago
  This is why I don't understand why people think these countries are overstepping. It's not like they're forcing total outsiders to do their bidding. Google set up offices all over the place, and, surprise! Now they're beholden to the local authorities. If you only want to be subject to the authority of one jurisdiction, make sure your company doesn't have a presence anywhere else. That's not a guarantee, but it helps a lot.
  - Me1000 11y ago
    Perhaps slightly ironic in this case, but one big reason for a company to have an office in another country is for political influence.
    - mikeash 11y ago
      Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. Don't be surprised when things work in the other direction!
  - pgodzin 11y ago
    Google doesn't have a problem being subject to multiple jurisdictions, just as an American company it reasonably doesn't want to apply French law outside France's jurisdiction.
    - mikeash 11y ago
      And France reasonably wants French law to apply to a company with French presence. One can debate the merits of the law all day long, but in the end all that matters is that a national government is sovereign within their own territory. If they want you to do something that you don't want to do, you can remove yourself from their jurisdiction, change their mind somehow, or do it anyway.

Of course it is. Google is not the Internet. They are a multinational company who store search results in a series of databases created and managed by people. Those results can be changed if Google wants to do business in France and quite likely the EU if it all starts to escalate. And I'll let you in on a secret. European startups would be more than happy to build the next Google.

panzagl 11y ago
I'll let you in on another secret- it will fail. EU regulations will strip it of any ability to make money.
- bduerst 11y ago
  Wasn't this one of the reactions to the RTBF? That it's a red herring to the EU's greater trade regulatory problems?
meatysnapper 11y ago
Not to mention nice tax loopholes
azinman2 11y ago
There's nothing preventing them from starting the next Google, except the insane amount of difficulties in doing so. That said, Russia and China have been able to do so quite well.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

Bluestrike2 11y ago

Won't stop people from trying and getting upset when they run into that little obstacle.

Maken 11y ago

Also, one of the silliest legal procedures I've seen.

prewett 11y ago

If you have offices in Europe it is. They can always fine you it is too expensive to comply, or until you close your offices and end your corporate entity there.

mikeash 11y ago
This is why I don't understand why people think these countries are overstepping. It's not like they're forcing total outsiders to do their bidding. Google set up offices all over the place, and, surprise! Now they're beholden to the local authorities. If you only want to be subject to the authority of one jurisdiction, make sure your company doesn't have a presence anywhere else. That's not a guarantee, but it helps a lot.
- Me1000 11y ago
  Perhaps slightly ironic in this case, but one big reason for a company to have an office in another country is for political influence.
  - mikeash 11y ago
    Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. Don't be surprised when things work in the other direction!
- pgodzin 11y ago
  Google doesn't have a problem being subject to multiple jurisdictions, just as an American company it reasonably doesn't want to apply French law outside France's jurisdiction.
  - mikeash 11y ago
    And France reasonably wants French law to apply to a company with French presence. One can debate the merits of the law all day long, but in the end all that matters is that a national government is sovereign within their own territory. If they want you to do something that you don't want to do, you can remove yourself from their jurisdiction, change their mind somehow, or do it anyway.