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A comment on Apple apologizes to WordPress, won’t force the free app to add purchases. Parent comment

Re:Apple apologizes to WordPress, won’t force the free app t... by marcus_holmes on Sunday August 23, 2020 @06:24AM (#24250902)
I think it's interesting that this story hit the front page at the same time as the one about Facebook's fact-checking shenanigans, which concluded that leaving this in the hands of a private company wasn't working.

Are FAANG (well possibly not 'N') about to face nationalisation? Or United-Nationalisation given that they're all global organisations and having them run by the completely dysfunctional US government isn't a result anyone wants?

Can government really step in to control the workings of the Apple Store and change the rules without drastically effecting Apple's business? If so, what responsibility does government have if that drastic effect stops the business from being profitable?

Can government enforce fact-checking on Facebook (or Google) without affecting its advertising business? Again, if so, what responsibility does it bear if that business collapses?

Can government ignore it and allow the tech giants to continue uncontrolled? That doesn't seem to be working either.

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Re:Apple apologizes to WordPress, won’t force the free app t... by lioeters on Sunday August 23, 2020 @10:18AM (#24252131)
> what responsibility does government have if that drastic effect stops the business from being profitable?

If the business relies on anti-competitive behavior to stay profitable, then any regulation that improves the situation will necessarily affect that business' bottom line.

I wouldn't be surprised if FAANG and their dominant positions in the market are considered important to "national security", in an economic sense of the term. (And perhaps from surveillance/intelligence perspective, and control of information access.)

In that case, it would be in the national interest to support - or at least let continue without disruption by pesky regulations - their anti-competitive behavior that ensures that dominant global position.

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