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Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

nytimes.com

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Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#191

Post by logicchains »

thr_w wrote: post #136
SlowRobotAhead wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It would help give China a fairer chance in the AI race. Interesting platform for a US presidential candidate to promote regulations against US companies to promote world corperate “fairness”.

Yes, a very strange argument. The GP seemed to be calling for making US AI research less efficient because it's the sporting thing to do? I'm not just throwing stones here. I'd welcome some clarification from GP.

The original poster asked what benefit breaking them up would have, they didn't necessarily ask for a benefit that's something lots of Americans would see as positive. America and its technology companies aren't super popular in many parts of the world in recent years, and people unfond of it would welcome progress in AI technology becoming less concentrated in the US. Maybe a more left-leaning Senator like Warren might see some benefit in power being more evenly distributed globally, rather than concentrated in a few big US tech companies.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#193

Post by CPLX »

thr_w wrote: post #154
CPLX wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you're fighting economic inequality, you have to say "Let's have universal health care. And Larry, please don't start Google." Otherwise Larry's going to mess up your numbers big time. That's fucking idiocy. Or more accurately, propaganda from a billionaire with extreme vested interest in this topic. It's pretty straightforward to say "Go ahead and start Google, and if it succeeds we're going to have some basic…

Agreed. This avoids the common argument against socialism removing incentives to success, while still providing social safety nets. Allow people to succeed, but when they do, tax them and regulate them to benefit the less fortunate members of society. The rich got rich in part because of the protections and services afforded them by our modern society. In having reaped a greater share of benefit, why should they not…

The argument that there won't be incentives for success is and has always been ludicrous. It's not based in any kind of empirical reality, just on an emotional theory that people won't work if you tax them more, and an Ayn Rand novel or two.

The reality is that people compete for status, success, money, and power, within the framework they are given.

I mean we've actually tried this. If you take a group of incredibly skilled business people and tax them heavily you don't get some dystopia, you get Switzerland.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#194

Post by the_trapper »

I think breaking up the ISPs and media conglomerates would be much more impactful.

I can't think of a single market segment where Google and Amazon lack effective competition. Facebook is already bleeding users, and how would you break up a social media company in an impactful way anyhow? Facebook's ventures outside of social media aren't even close to being monopolies.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#195

Post by wongarsu »

Shivetya wrote: post #51
sleepysysadmin wrote: post #16

To what end? "illegally undermine competition?" She is inferring that Google/Amazon/Facebook are committing anti-trust crimes? What proof does she have? >Companies would be barred from transferring or sharing users’ data with third parties. That can be done without breaking them up. I don't think she realizes that splitting up amazon and amazon basics will do little to nothing. There are other things that can be done…

She has no proof, she does not need any. this is typical politician using FUD to scare the populace into letting them take actions which in the end only go to bolster their own campaign coffers and personal riches. With the upcoming Presidential campaign you can expect politicians tripping over each other using jealously and fear to get people to plea for action. Amazon is not a Standard Oil by any measure as they ha…

> Google is, well google. I don't have to use their search engine if I don't want to

I don't have a problem with the dominance of their search engine. I have problems with them using their search engine and other platforms to prompt you to use Chrome, or how they use their quasi-monopoly on Android app marketplaces to force manufacturers to preload just about every Google App in existance on Android phones. Then there's various Google services (some of them near monopolies) performing much worse on anything but Chrome.

If Google would be just search I wouldn't have anything against them, but they are notorious for using the market position of one of their products to push another.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#196

Post by devoply »

oceanstone wrote: post #178

> The key components of the Warren plan include passing legislation that would designate companies with annual global revenue above $25 billion that provide marketplace, exchange, or third-party connectivity as “platform utilities” and prohibit those companies from owning participants on their platforms. As a Googler, speaking for myself, this seems like an interesting idea that could positively impact the tech scene…

I also see Elizabeth Warren has created a set of powerful enemies way too early that will do much to stop her from becoming America's first woman president. If you wanna do something like this wait until you are in office. These are not issues that your average American cares about.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#197

Post by sj3k »

neuronic wrote: post #171
JabavuAdams wrote: post #157

Whoops. Guess she won't be winning then...

If, as usual, people are voting heavily against their own interests and more according to the lobbyist propaganda fed by economics 101 professors, then you are likely on point.

what lobbyists are lobbying to break up big tech companies? Not everything is propaganda.

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#198

Post by bgilroy26 »

MagicPropmaker wrote: post #167

Microsoft is now worth more than Apple, and it used to be in the target of government regulators. What has it done right?

Google Android phones and computers running MS Windows provide ample competition for Apple's devices

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#199

Post by e1ven »

Permit wrote: post #182

> The parallel she uses to make her case is the breakup of Microsoft, which she weirdly calls “the tech giant of its time” (Microsoft is still a tech giant), and holds as perhaps the last example when government went toe to toe with the technology industry. > “The government’s antitrust case against Microsoft helped clear a path for Internet companies like Google and Facebook to emerge,” Warren writes. In what way wa…

Microsoft was going to be broken up, until the political landscape changed.

Even without the breakup, Microsoft was under heavy scrutiny and regulation as a result of the court case, which insiders say dramatically changed the company culture (for good or ill.)

Re: Elizabeth Warren Proposes Breaking Up Tech Giants Like Amazon

#200

Post by eanzenberg »

The US govt has some of the biggest waste I’ve ever seen. Tens to hundreds of millions on failed research thrusts that were extreme long-shots from the beginning. Govt employees that “rest and vest” to extremes, working 20 actual hrs a week at a FTE position and getting pension at 55. It puts to shame actual hardworking Americans who are outside the elitist bubble.

It’s hard to argue when the same side benefitting from big govt wants to print money to “solve” all their problems and shut down opposing virwpoints with such vitrol. One side is actively extatic by shutting down tens of thousands of prospective jobs while not getting that funding and revenue of their projects comes from those jobs.

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