Spain tried it. It started with a bang like this [1] and ended with a whimper like this [2]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/16/google-news-sp... [2] https://techcrunch.com/2014/12/14/spanish-newspapers-want-go...
I don't think a minor scuffle about Google News, a product Google's profits aren't dependent on, and user data isn't contained in, is a relevant comparison to discussion of what would happen if a search/email-level breakup was in the cards.
I just mean that Ms. Vestager is not the only one who can play hardball or rattle sabers here. Google can and has done it in the past.
You're kidding, right? You don't think people would be upset when they cannot access Gmail, Google search results, or Google Maps? And a message in each service asking users to contact their representatives if they want access to the services again would be all that is required.
You're kidding right? You don't think people would be upset when they cannot access their funds though their favored stock broker or bank? Each bank would lobby their customers to contact their representatives. They're too big to fail! They're too integral to the economy to consider even breaking them up. /s
I'm not suggesting that Google isn't a monopoly or that it shouldn't be broken up. I'm suggesting that Google could withhold services from the EU instead of agreeing to be broken up. Unlike a bank where its customers could demand their money back, Google owes its users nothing.
You're kidding right? You don't think people would be upset when they cannot access their funds though their favored stock broker or bank? Each bank would lobby their customers to contact their representatives. They're too big to fail! They're too integral to the economy to consider even breaking them up. /s
I'm not suggesting that Google isn't a monopoly or that it shouldn't be broken up. I'm suggesting that Google could withhold services from the EU instead of agreeing to be broken up. Unlike a bank where its customers could demand their money back, Google owes its users nothing.
Hmm that's an interesting point. However, much like a bank needs customers doesn't Google need users? I find it not very persuasive that withholding an entire continent of users would result in much more than an empty threat on Google's part. If Google can't service Europe, then Europe would develop its own services, much like China has, a terrifying prospect for both American foreign policy and Google's future prospects. Perhaps Europe would even turn to Baidu. I don't think that would happen, but the threat would be alarming to Google's negotiators.
You're kidding right? You don't think people would be upset when they cannot access their funds though their favored stock broker or bank? Each bank would lobby their customers to contact their representatives. They're too big to fail! They're too integral to the economy to consider even breaking them up. /s
I'm not suggesting that Google isn't a monopoly or that it shouldn't be broken up. I'm suggesting that Google could withhold services from the EU instead of agreeing to be broken up. Unlike a bank where its customers could demand their money back, Google owes its users nothing.
EU law considers a citizen's data their personal property (akin to a bank holding a citizen's money), and Google is holding a lot of it. Google could get into significant additional legal trouble depending on the method they chose to withdraw their services.
Why not apply the existing rules against monopolies and anti competitive actions, what changed since Microsoft almost was broken up? IMO is not competitive to have Google with it's advertising money get involved in 10 or more different activities and killing the companies that were or would have appeared there just because they have money and can run without profit.
Because it's not actually a monopoly. Monopoly means no competition. "Monopoly" just means "big" now apparently.
Are you sure Google is not a monopoly in search, even if is not a monopoly there are still rules on abusing a dominant position in one market. Microsoft abused the OS dominance to push a web browser, Google is doing similar things now but for some reasons the US government closes it's eyes on it.
(ex I should not see on a Google search results links to download Chrome, or to google products, or Google competitor disappearing from first page results)
> Unfortunately the EU has no massive, powerful technology businesses to demand be broken up. So? If it had then most likely there would be a similarly strong push to break up such a company if it misbehaved. At least, I would hope so. Microsoft got very lucky with the change of party in charge, they were about to be broken up in the US into 'apps' and 'os'. And that's a good punishment for companies that use the fac…
SAP?
SAP is definitely large but I'm unaware of them being serious corporate criminals. Is there anything that I've missed?
I can understand the hatred many people here have toward Google, Facebook or other big gigantic life-controlling entities. The step to remove Google dominance is to find, create and nurture alternatives. For example, I started using Fastmail. I'm using some of Apple products like the Calendar and Notes. I'm using Skype for communication. So I'm diversifying a bit though they can engage in data sharing. This reduces t…
Could you elaborate on why you see it irreplaceable? I don't see how that reconciles with your personal examples of alternative tools? I, similarly, use Apple Maps more than Google Maps now, Messenger or iMessage more than Hangouts, and don't feel like things would be too terrible if I had to go further into Outlook.com or iCloud instead of Gmail/Calendar... Google's versions are better but not in a way that seems ma…
I actually found most of Google tools to be sub-bar. I only use Google search and I find that irreplaceable.
Difficulty firing someone makes people feel secure at work. Security is one of the essential things you need to be innovative. Desperation and anxiety doesn't drive innovation.
Perceived difficulty in firing causes much more cautious hiring. If I told you that the next car you buy, you'd have to use for 10 years with no options for a change, you'd certainly pick differently than you do now, knowing you could always replace it.
I encourage you to maybe go the the EU at some point in your life (and have some meaningful interaction with corporate life there). That will demonstrate to you that the sentiment you're addressing is patently false: Companies in the EU vigorously and constantly hire new people, even though employees have rights.
What happens to people's emails in Gmail if they exit business in Europe? Surely people won't just be cool with their leaders making them lose access to their emails? EDIT: I guess I didn't mean "what if Google was forced to do this overnight?", but rather I meant more like "couldn't Google make this backfire by doing this overnight?".
I am actually pretty sure that Google will not exit business in Europe. And even if it does happen, I am sure that not all of Google will vanish from Europe overnight and people will be able to download all their data.
Google offers Takeout today which lets you download your data.
Good luck finding somewhere else you can reimport that and continue working. It might as well be an encrypted blob.