> By that logic every company in the valley could be heavily influenced to shutdown products for different people if it as any connection to a VC (which is pretty much every company).

Well, yes...?

Love how often these comments just boil down to straight denial. "This couldn't possibly be happening!"

Exactly. These companies are losing literal billions. Actual wars in real life have been fought over less. Yet they couldn't possibly be exerting any influence over the companies they own. That would be illegal.

And they would surely be caught and word would get out if they did do it.

And then what? Will they be fined even half of what they stand to lose? Or be fined a "record-breaking" 5 million

Surprise also how much conspiracy is being upvoted here.

Well, we are discussing market manipulation. Which can be considered a conspiracy crime, right?

I think you've gotta take selection effects into account. The deep comments section of the Nth Robinhood/Gamestop post is going to be disproportionately full of people who are unhappy with Robinhood and willing to believe lots of nasty things about them.

Which then has a spiraling effect in that other disaffected people will read those comments and believe what they want to believe. Similar to the conspiracy theories in the election. However I do think there has been some super shady stuff done with robinhood that doesn't take that much to believe that there is a conspiracy/collusion is at play. It's hard to believe that they are altruistically de-risking their clients when they sell doge coin.