U.S. states plan to sue Facebook next week: sources

Re:U.S. states plan to sue Facebook next week: sources by Apocryphon on Thursday December 03, 2020 @12:13AM (#25285641)

This is the argument against the public option. The existence of a higher industry baseline does not the negate the existence of those who would surpass that standard. It merely means that consumer protections do not begin at zero. If we aspire for a society where everyone is entitled to a basic level of healthcare, or a basic level of income, why not also a basic level of software quality and security?

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Re:U.S. states plan to sue Facebook next week: sources by themacguffinman on Thursday December 03, 2020 @12:51AM (#25285852)

Because in most cases it's impossible to define what a basic level of software quality and security should be, and it's not likely that people agree on what that level is. Most of the economy is like this, you can't really pre-emptively define what is "good", the best way is to create a market and let consumers decide in aggregate.

Security is a little easier to specify, it's a more clearly defined space but you still have to be careful or you end up with outdated standards actually holding back industry security.

I have nothing against a public option, as long as it is an option. Government regulation of the tech industry doesn't sound to me like it's providing more options.

I never thought basic income was a good idea in the first place, I'm not sure what to say about this.

Basic healthcare is a more complicated case, but the healthcare industry doesn't look anything like the software industry. Regulating healthcare won't and shouldn't be like regulating software.

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Re:U.S. states plan to sue Facebook next week: sources by zepto on Thursday December 03, 2020 @12:06PM (#25291215)

Apple’s software quality and security is, while far from perfect, at the top of the industry.

Clearly they would meet any such baseline.

Consumer protections of this kind would simply increase the cost of entry, and concentrate more power in the hands of those with capital, I.e. the incumbents and VCs.

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