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French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

politico.eu

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Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#21

Post by GordonS »

bleuarff wrote: post #17
GordonS wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you substantiate these (seemingly bizarre) claims of money laundering?

France has invested a lot of money into this company. And it was approved to become the official search engine on many state administration's computers, even after an audit revealed the terrible quality of their product. Things are a bit shady around Qwant, and this is ground for all kind of suspicions (not that I'm endorsing any).

That does not fit any definition of money laundering.

It sounds more like decisions are being made based on politics, presumably with an eye to the long-term improvement and viability of Qwant.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#22

Post by throwaway4good »

ciupicri wrote: post #20
throwaway4good wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not American and thus not subject to us intelligence surveillance.

Isn't it vice-versa? It's hard from a legal point of view to spy on one of your own, but it's easier to do it on a foreign entity? > During the 2013 NSA leaks Internet spying scandal, the surveillance agencies of the "Five Eyes" have been accused of intentionally spying on one another's citizens and willingly sharing the collected information with each other, allegedly circumventing laws preventing each agency from s…

Yes. I was assuming an European perspective - also I don’t think any European intelligence service have anywhere near the capabilities of the US ones.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#23

Post by gabaix »

bleuarff wrote: post #17
GordonS wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you substantiate these (seemingly bizarre) claims of money laundering?

France has invested a lot of money into this company. And it was approved to become the official search engine on many state administration's computers, even after an audit revealed the terrible quality of their product. Things are a bit shady around Qwant, and this is ground for all kind of suspicions (not that I'm endorsing any).

Neither 'diversion of public funds' (I believe you mean embezzlement) nor 'money laundering' would fit the description. This is more akin to 'poor use of public funds', which is also common in the US, and equally frown upon.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#24

Post by ColinHayhurst »

throwaway4good wrote: post #18
ColinHayhurst wrote: post #15

It's disturbing that an alternative to Google is struggling. We need alternatives and even if Qwant is mostly Bing, it's still another choice. The article is, I guess, based on a leak from a disgruntled person; or persons. They are most probably, and thus justifiably, concerned about the longer term strategy of Huawei here; a not untypical Chinese tactic at play here. Perhaps it's an Axel-Springer board member; espec…

What is Huawei’s strategy here? Other than they need a non US search engine for their European audience.

That might well be a main reason. Plus search options for HarmonyOS beyond Petal Search. But the article states the main aim IMO: "Financial backing could mean the Chinese player gains a say over the company's operations, at a time when Huawei stands accused by several governments of spying and has been pushed out of key markets."

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#25

Post by jacquesm »

throwaway4good wrote: post #18
ColinHayhurst wrote: post #15

It's disturbing that an alternative to Google is struggling. We need alternatives and even if Qwant is mostly Bing, it's still another choice. The article is, I guess, based on a leak from a disgruntled person; or persons. They are most probably, and thus justifiably, concerned about the longer term strategy of Huawei here; a not untypical Chinese tactic at play here. Perhaps it's an Axel-Springer board member; espec…

What is Huawei’s strategy here? Other than they need a non US search engine for their European audience.

For any sufficiently large Chinese company substitute 'China'.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#26

Post by jacquesm »

thepangolino wrote: post #6
tchalla wrote: post #5

> The company lost €13 million in 2020, €23 million in 2019 and €11.2 million in 2018 for revenues that amount respectively for €7.5 million, €5.8 million and €3 million. Pfft ... this seems to be peanuts for the Silicon Valley VCs out there.

They've got a terrible, terrible product. Not sure they would have received anything from a Silicon Valley VC.

That's not how it works. In SV they would have received 10fold the funding that they received in Europe. As a result, most likely they would have had a better product.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#27

Post by eloisant »

gabaix wrote: post #23
bleuarff wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France has invested a lot of money into this company. And it was approved to become the official search engine on many state administration's computers, even after an audit revealed the terrible quality of their product. Things are a bit shady around Qwant, and this is ground for all kind of suspicions (not that I'm endorsing any).

Neither 'diversion of public funds' (I believe you mean embezzlement) nor 'money laundering' would fit the description. This is more akin to 'poor use of public funds', which is also common in the US, and equally frown upon.

I think the term he's looking for is Embezzlement of Public Funds indeed.

It's not just "poor use of public funds", but illegal use of public funds. For example when a public institution picks a supplier in an illegal manner (i.e. picking a friend instead of respecting the process for a public contract, or using public funds for personal benefits).

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#28

Post by ricardo81 »

dantondwa wrote: post #12

In my desperate quest for a Google alternative, I've given Qwant a try, some time ago. In the end, it was the usual soup: Bing search results with a different brand. Not only that, but Qwant's UI was confusing and ugly. If France's search engine has to be an ugly Bing clone, than it might as well die. At least DuckDuckGo has a very nice interface. I've started using Brave Search (invite only, for now) and I have to s…

I've had a look at their results (Brave beta), early days of course but it looks like the overwhelming majority of their results are just Google slightly re-ordered.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#29

Post by tormeh »

jacquesm wrote: post #26
thepangolino wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've got a terrible, terrible product. Not sure they would have received anything from a Silicon Valley VC.

That's not how it works. In SV they would have received 10fold the funding that they received in Europe. As a result, most likely they would have had a better product.

Not so sure. Why compete with Google by trying to do exactly the same thing, but worse? It's a shitty business plan. Might even be too shit for SV.

Re: French search firm Qwant seeks €8M Huawei bailout loan

#30

Post by coliveira »

eloisant wrote: post #27
gabaix wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neither 'diversion of public funds' (I believe you mean embezzlement) nor 'money laundering' would fit the description. This is more akin to 'poor use of public funds', which is also common in the US, and equally frown upon.

I think the term he's looking for is Embezzlement of Public Funds indeed. It's not just "poor use of public funds", but illegal use of public funds. For example when a public institution picks a supplier in an illegal manner (i.e. picking a friend instead of respecting the process for a public contract, or using public funds for personal benefits).

You mean like when US government gives billions of dollars to bankrupt companies? Maybe the French are getting cues from Washington.
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