Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries • Hacker News Board

Re: Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries

#71

Post by ClumsyPilot » Mon, Jul 15, 2024, 7:58 PM UTC

em500 wrote: post #14

grecy wrote: post #2

Given how wildly profitable they are, we should be passing laws that they must produce X % of their power needs from renewable sources, where X approaches 100%. This would be a jobs program that would also help the planet. Win win. Investors would make slightly less money in the short term, but our grandchildren will be able to live. I think that is a good trade off.

> Investors would make slightly less money in the short term Why do you assume that the tax incidence falls on investors, rather than on customers and/or employees? With sales tax or VAT people tend to automatically assume 100% passthrough (so that the incidence falls completely on customers/consumers) even though they're also collected by companies. In reality taxes are borne by a combination of customers/employees/…

> Why do you assume that the tax incidence falls on investors, rather than on customers and/or employees?

Because they have huge investor surplus

Re: Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries

#72

Post by prepend » Mon, Jul 15, 2024, 9:10 PM UTC

infecto wrote: post #39

prepend wrote: post #25

This makes sense as their market cap and revenues are also larger than many countries. Max Barry wrote a book in 2003 called Jennifer Government [0] about a near future where companies were so big they had their own armies and intelligence agencies. It seems like we’re getting close to that point. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Government

We are getting close to companies with armies and intelligence agencies at the scale of governments?

I think Apple and Google probably has a more robust intelligence organization than most developing nations.

Fortunately, no armies yet.

Re: Google and Microsoft now each consume more power than some fairly big countries

#73

Post by infecto » Tue, Jul 16, 2024, 11:58 AM UTC

prepend wrote: post #72

infecto wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are getting close to companies with armies and intelligence agencies at the scale of governments?

I think Apple and Google probably has a more robust intelligence organization than most developing nations. Fortunately, no armies yet.

No doubt and I believe corporate espionage at different levels is alive and well but I don't think we are quite close to full on corporate nation states.