Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by misiti3780 on Friday June 05, 2020 @12:48PM
(#23430562)
Also, he probably cant legally not let police departments use it, it's publically traded.
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Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by ganstyles on Friday June 05, 2020 @01:25PM
(#23431134)
Largely a company can choose their customers; they’re not forced to transact with anyone. There are some exceptions of course, largely based on the reasons for not transacting. Being publicly traded doesn’t really matter here directly.
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by nahtnam on Friday June 05, 2020 @02:38PM
(#23432175)
I'm curious, do any kind of discrimination laws apply here?
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by ganstyles on Friday June 05, 2020 @02:53PM
(#23432349)
They do, and that's what I was getting at when I used the qualifier "largely".
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by jefftk on Friday June 05, 2020 @01:13PM
(#23430912)
Why would being publicly traded keep them from choosing their customers?
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by misiti3780 on Friday June 05, 2020 @01:29PM
(#23431192)
I assumed that it's his/their fiduciary duty to maximize profit, and if the current excutive team doesnt do that, they will be replaced with a team that will.
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by jefftk on Friday June 05, 2020 @01:36PM
(#23431309)
Execs have wide latitude to do their jobs, and considering the current circumstances I could see them deciding that declining to take police as customers would be better for the company long term.
This would be a very defensible decision legally (not a lawyer). You're right that it could plausibly lead to some sort of shareholder rebellion, but I'd be surprised.
Re:Slack Removed a Blog Post Showing How Police Use Its Tech
by jefftk on Wednesday June 10, 2020 @06:44PM
(#23483064)
Here's Amazon making a similar decision: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23482406