Weary I am with Heads blowing up over Facebook, Twitter. All the people who want to castrate Facebook/Twitter never ask themselves: 'How much did I pay for my Facebook/Twitter account?'
The answer is zip -- if individuals cannot fix this problem without nagging government to do something, they are contemptible, weak, despicable human beings.
Good Job! Why is the US government so stupid, unintelligent not to realize the Bi Techs is a joke of democracy and liberties. Dishonest criminal need life time jail, and while on trail for criminal charges must serve in US marine core for two months a year, just to ley them realize what US citizenship means!, Such egregious conduct by CEOs not even born in US will never know the respect to US citizenship. Indeed, more insiders need to blow whistles to let the US citizens know what damage these companies are doing to the world. Obviously, EU, UK, Australia, and China have Governments that are willing to throw those illicit CEOs, with no respect to the country where they reside, in jail, and surely they are ready to strangle Big Techs sooner that later, just to save the savage behavior against their continents and societies, in Vestagar's words. It is time that the US Government has the gut to stop destructive business behavior, and reckless destruction of the world. How can we infuse intelligence in Federal elected officials who are or will be bought by Big Tech. None of these CEOs are Nobel Laureates, they are lower intelligence thugs. It is time to save citizens, replenish countries with competitive, honest markets, where citizens can thrive, live without fear of suppression by Big Tech. Big Techs pose more danger to humanities than past and present Dictators. Let us rise to the pledge of our national establishment and offer prison sanctuaries to criminal conduct of those made this a land of monopoly and not freedom. There is not enough time left to go after those Monsters, or they will bite of the world economy as a largest piece of pie. I recommend that as the Antitrust Lawsuits are being conducted the Big Tech CEOs wear Boots as reserve time for two months a year to accept US citizenship with minimum sincerity.
Gates' argument that the reason MSFT lost mobile OS was that they were distracted by the anti trust case is so obviously ridiculous. The anti trust case concluded in 2001... with basically no restrictions on MSFT and no reason to believe the Bush admin would go after them again. Microsoft was a major player in mobile OS. Years later in late 2007, iPhone came out with Android to follow shortly after. A good six years clear of the end of the anti trust case.
I swear PE makes no sense to me? Why it is not just simple theft and illegal from the start is beyond me? A company tells a bunch of very rich people that they will make huge sums of money in excess of where markets, real estate, etc are returning. They take this huge $$ and turn around and do leverage buy out of a given company. That company takes on a huge debt that they did not have before and did not pursue before. Most of that debt is used to pay dividends to the investors in PE company and of course the company itself. Now first, why is that not illegal? I mean it is the rape of a company pure and simple. I know the idea of underperforming companies and putting assets back into production but this sure doesn't seem like that. Also, it seems like another skim, like all monopoly efforts, rents something for nothing. How is any of this good for the people that originally invested in the takeover prospect? I guess maybe the input of cash at first raises a stock price and if they sell they would make a profit, but someone buys that stock, or there would be no sale. Those people are in for a big hurt it seems to me. My next big question, how is it all these years later that those PE companies can get commercial banks to fund the mess? Someone gets a bad hurt when that given company goes bankrupt! I of course am not an economist, I just play one on the Internet!
Can you imagine the MSM talking about putting Google of Facebook executives in jail? Are they violating the law? Yes. Should they be put in jail? Of course not, only the powerless should be put in jail is the view of CNN, ABC, NBC, etc..
I am not expert or informed enough to know if my hunch is correct, but isn't the idea of a corporation to limit liability? In other words that Zuckerburg et al are not individually responsible if the business is incorporated? If that is so, then don't we have a fundamental contradiction in the Citizen's United case, giving corporations the rights of free speech by declaring that a corporation is the legal equivalent of a person?
It seems contradictory that incorporation first makes the responsible individual disappear then Citizen's United gives that corporation personhood. Huh? Shouldn't there be some kind of person that magically emerges in that process? Where is the person? One that can be handcuffed or jailed?
I would be interested to know how online marketplaces that these Titans operate, which were once viewed as an economical remedy to p2p file transfer sites, like PirateBay, came to be cures that were worse than the disease. News media was not the primary use of p2p services, but the market power these tech companies gained in killing p2p seems now to be threatening our political discourse. Any specific thoughts on this, Matt? What you wrote about Google’s desire to see all media outlets as YouTube style content creators was frightening.
as to Evan's argument: Evan replied to your comment
jail breaking the phone is by definition bypassing prohibitions placed by apple, voiding the warranty, etc. I disagree with you that the fact that it can be jailbroken means that Apple users have access to another market.
Apple uses go to the App Store to get apps that meet the requisite standards that are set by Apple - if Apple Users don't want those standards they can jail break and get apps of unknown quality and security. Apple users have access to lots of other markets (some will require other devices) - so be it. Many so choose - Apple does not have a majority share of mobile devices - so clearly many go elsewhere. Some apple users leave, some android users move over - that's how markets work. Is your solution that Apple should help users get anything they want from it's own market or that apple should make access free but still meet the requisite standards of security? You can do that by using lots of technologies that sell you as a product (Google and Android and Zoom and ...). But if you want devices and their software that isn't so easily broken for the use of corporations and governments (US and others) then there need to be conditions for entry that are certified (just as meat in the US is checked by the FDA inspectors - checking after the fact there, as is the case with digital devices, can be quite harmful to customers). Apple sells security - and privacy - that differentiates their market from others - most don't care and go elsewhere. You can too if that's your preference. Apple sells its devices at a price, don't like that price, get an older iPhone or a refurbished iPhone, or get an Android ... again your choice and lots of people do either of those options. That's how markets work ... You do not specify which "prohibitions" you want apple to drop - good evasion. And if you don't want "prohibitions" then you can find that available in the market .... choose as you wish... that's what all of us do ...
Is anyone ready to form a Monopoly Club, where common folks come to learn how their economic rights are being crushed and dusted? Certified instructors gather in small communities teaching folks, who want to learn, about their economic freedoms.
So fortnite pays Microsoft to be on its game platform and Sony but that’s not a monopoly. Either? The other App Store charges for access so do the game consoles. They according to your reasoning are no less monopolies exploiting consumers ? I have a hard to understanding your logic. Yes Apple has a billion iOS users or there abouts. And how many android devices are there out there? Seriously I get that some people are anti Apple. Just not those who choose to buy their products.
No mention of the criminal non-poaching of employees. They were caught red handed yet no one went to jail.
@Tim Bray - Amen! That’s exactly how I’ve seen things work in a medium sized corporate also.
Weary I am with Heads blowing up over Facebook, Twitter. All the people who want to castrate Facebook/Twitter never ask themselves: 'How much did I pay for my Facebook/Twitter account?'
The answer is zip -- if individuals cannot fix this problem without nagging government to do something, they are contemptible, weak, despicable human beings.
Good Job! Why is the US government so stupid, unintelligent not to realize the Bi Techs is a joke of democracy and liberties. Dishonest criminal need life time jail, and while on trail for criminal charges must serve in US marine core for two months a year, just to ley them realize what US citizenship means!, Such egregious conduct by CEOs not even born in US will never know the respect to US citizenship. Indeed, more insiders need to blow whistles to let the US citizens know what damage these companies are doing to the world. Obviously, EU, UK, Australia, and China have Governments that are willing to throw those illicit CEOs, with no respect to the country where they reside, in jail, and surely they are ready to strangle Big Techs sooner that later, just to save the savage behavior against their continents and societies, in Vestagar's words. It is time that the US Government has the gut to stop destructive business behavior, and reckless destruction of the world. How can we infuse intelligence in Federal elected officials who are or will be bought by Big Tech. None of these CEOs are Nobel Laureates, they are lower intelligence thugs. It is time to save citizens, replenish countries with competitive, honest markets, where citizens can thrive, live without fear of suppression by Big Tech. Big Techs pose more danger to humanities than past and present Dictators. Let us rise to the pledge of our national establishment and offer prison sanctuaries to criminal conduct of those made this a land of monopoly and not freedom. There is not enough time left to go after those Monsters, or they will bite of the world economy as a largest piece of pie. I recommend that as the Antitrust Lawsuits are being conducted the Big Tech CEOs wear Boots as reserve time for two months a year to accept US citizenship with minimum sincerity.
Avi Deshmukh, MD, FACS, MBA, MHA, MHSM, MS
In oh soo bad China corrupt white criminals are executed from time to time. Apparently it works wonders...
Gates' argument that the reason MSFT lost mobile OS was that they were distracted by the anti trust case is so obviously ridiculous. The anti trust case concluded in 2001... with basically no restrictions on MSFT and no reason to believe the Bush admin would go after them again. Microsoft was a major player in mobile OS. Years later in late 2007, iPhone came out with Android to follow shortly after. A good six years clear of the end of the anti trust case.
This will be like the Tobacco settlement.
This isn't a prosecution Sir, it's a shakedown.
If I wasn't cursed with morals I'd buy the dip on FANG. Well F and G.
I should mention I'm not rich and never will be, it's this damned morality.
I swear PE makes no sense to me? Why it is not just simple theft and illegal from the start is beyond me? A company tells a bunch of very rich people that they will make huge sums of money in excess of where markets, real estate, etc are returning. They take this huge $$ and turn around and do leverage buy out of a given company. That company takes on a huge debt that they did not have before and did not pursue before. Most of that debt is used to pay dividends to the investors in PE company and of course the company itself. Now first, why is that not illegal? I mean it is the rape of a company pure and simple. I know the idea of underperforming companies and putting assets back into production but this sure doesn't seem like that. Also, it seems like another skim, like all monopoly efforts, rents something for nothing. How is any of this good for the people that originally invested in the takeover prospect? I guess maybe the input of cash at first raises a stock price and if they sell they would make a profit, but someone buys that stock, or there would be no sale. Those people are in for a big hurt it seems to me. My next big question, how is it all these years later that those PE companies can get commercial banks to fund the mess? Someone gets a bad hurt when that given company goes bankrupt! I of course am not an economist, I just play one on the Internet!
This was one of your best articles Matt.
Can you imagine the MSM talking about putting Google of Facebook executives in jail? Are they violating the law? Yes. Should they be put in jail? Of course not, only the powerless should be put in jail is the view of CNN, ABC, NBC, etc..
Great work!
I am not expert or informed enough to know if my hunch is correct, but isn't the idea of a corporation to limit liability? In other words that Zuckerburg et al are not individually responsible if the business is incorporated? If that is so, then don't we have a fundamental contradiction in the Citizen's United case, giving corporations the rights of free speech by declaring that a corporation is the legal equivalent of a person?
It seems contradictory that incorporation first makes the responsible individual disappear then Citizen's United gives that corporation personhood. Huh? Shouldn't there be some kind of person that magically emerges in that process? Where is the person? One that can be handcuffed or jailed?
Can someone explain this?
I would be interested to know how online marketplaces that these Titans operate, which were once viewed as an economical remedy to p2p file transfer sites, like PirateBay, came to be cures that were worse than the disease. News media was not the primary use of p2p services, but the market power these tech companies gained in killing p2p seems now to be threatening our political discourse. Any specific thoughts on this, Matt? What you wrote about Google’s desire to see all media outlets as YouTube style content creators was frightening.
as to Evan's argument: Evan replied to your comment
jail breaking the phone is by definition bypassing prohibitions placed by apple, voiding the warranty, etc. I disagree with you that the fact that it can be jailbroken means that Apple users have access to another market.
Apple uses go to the App Store to get apps that meet the requisite standards that are set by Apple - if Apple Users don't want those standards they can jail break and get apps of unknown quality and security. Apple users have access to lots of other markets (some will require other devices) - so be it. Many so choose - Apple does not have a majority share of mobile devices - so clearly many go elsewhere. Some apple users leave, some android users move over - that's how markets work. Is your solution that Apple should help users get anything they want from it's own market or that apple should make access free but still meet the requisite standards of security? You can do that by using lots of technologies that sell you as a product (Google and Android and Zoom and ...). But if you want devices and their software that isn't so easily broken for the use of corporations and governments (US and others) then there need to be conditions for entry that are certified (just as meat in the US is checked by the FDA inspectors - checking after the fact there, as is the case with digital devices, can be quite harmful to customers). Apple sells security - and privacy - that differentiates their market from others - most don't care and go elsewhere. You can too if that's your preference. Apple sells its devices at a price, don't like that price, get an older iPhone or a refurbished iPhone, or get an Android ... again your choice and lots of people do either of those options. That's how markets work ... You do not specify which "prohibitions" you want apple to drop - good evasion. And if you don't want "prohibitions" then you can find that available in the market .... choose as you wish... that's what all of us do ...
Is anyone ready to form a Monopoly Club, where common folks come to learn how their economic rights are being crushed and dusted? Certified instructors gather in small communities teaching folks, who want to learn, about their economic freedoms.
Fortnite is only available on Apple devices? Seriously??????
So fortnite pays Microsoft to be on its game platform and Sony but that’s not a monopoly. Either? The other App Store charges for access so do the game consoles. They according to your reasoning are no less monopolies exploiting consumers ? I have a hard to understanding your logic. Yes Apple has a billion iOS users or there abouts. And how many android devices are there out there? Seriously I get that some people are anti Apple. Just not those who choose to buy their products.