Trust-Busting as the Unsexy Answer to Google and Facebook

Post by B-Con » Tue, Feb 05, 2019, 1:24 AM UTC

kauffj wrote: post #103

B-Con wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Rather than trust busting, why not start with relaxing the federal laws which forbid the development of third-party applications? Cute phrasing, but what this really means is "why not force anyone who develops a product to allow others to capitalize on it?" > It seems premature to pursue trust busting action while we still have federal laws that encourage and cement the dominance of a single provider. You mean "all…

I think you're misunderstanding. I'm not proposing that Facebook be _forced_ to allow third-party access, which would carry the risks you've pointed out. I'm simply proposing the federal government not aid them in their market dominance. Facebook could still prevent third-party applications from functioning, but it would have to do so by methods inside of the HTTP specification rather than legal ones. For example, it…

Post by graybored » Tue, Feb 05, 2019, 1:42 AM UTC

jpollock wrote: post #135

dbt00 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the post you're responding to is thinking of the unleashing of non-Bell-owned equipment on AT&T lines. This was prohibited by AT&T until the FCC forced them to drop this provision. Commonly known as the Carterphone decision, this happened in 1968. Fax machines, modems, answering machines and other devices were mostly only possible after this change.

Correct, that is what they are referring to. However, they are directly linking it to the 1984 breakup, which was not what allowed it. Thanks for the name of the decision [1], I had a hard time finding a reference. :) So, yes, it's an argument for regulation, but not for breaking up a monopoly. :) There are many good reasons to break up monopolies, but their thesis is that the 1984 breakup led to the development of I…

Post by zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC » Tue, Feb 05, 2019, 1:46 AM UTC

sumeno wrote: post #129

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For one, where sharing of data is concerned, none of this is about forcing Facebook to give your data to some random third party that asks for it. It is about you as a user being able to demand from Facebook that they make your data (or some selection of it) accessible to some third party of your choice. But also, and maybe more importantly, interoperation does not really necessarily require any sharing of data. Thin…

How does your idea of interoperation work for the read flow? How do I see my friends posts on your Facebook competitor without their Facebook data being shared with that competitor?

Post by zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC » Tue, Feb 05, 2019, 1:53 AM UTC

nopriorarrests wrote: post #127

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For one, where sharing of data is concerned, none of this is about forcing Facebook to give your data to some random third party that asks for it. It is about you as a user being able to demand from Facebook that they make your data (or some selection of it) accessible to some third party of your choice. But also, and maybe more importantly, interoperation does not really necessarily require any sharing of data. Thin…

>It is about you as a user being able to demand from Facebook that they make your data (or some selection of it) accessible to some third party of your choice. What's the point of making _my_ data accessible? AFAIR under GDPR facebook already can provide you all your data in downloadable form, at least if you are in EU. If we want to break Facebook network effect, you need much more. I, being early adopter, move to n…

Post by thosakwe » Tue, Feb 05, 2019, 2:04 AM UTC

simplecomplex wrote: post #148

kryogen1c wrote: post #7

As a self-defined libertarian, I think one of the most critical functions a government is responsible for is anti-trust and Monopoly busting. This is one of the critical issues of our time, but is only a symptom of the corruption of Congress, which is a deep topic in it's own right. Free markets are like any hierarchy, and if theres no regulation mechanism the powerful will dominate the less powerful. I think history…

There's absolutely nothing stopping competition. Switching from Facebook or Google to a competing service is as simple as typing a URL into the web browser. They maintain their business position by providing an excellent product, not by preventing other people from creating competing products.