> “We are afraid of Google,” wrote Mathias Döpfner, chief executive of Axel Springer
By quoting him the article has directly made itself extremely suspect, since the publishing house Springer owns the biggest and worst fact- and politics-mangling tabloid in germany, Bild.
I don't know anything about Bild, and only know Springer as the publisher of expensive low-print-run sometimes-poorly-formatted academic books. But isn't this like saying that the Wall Street Journal isn't credible because the same company also publishes the New York Post?
It's ridiculous to label Google a monopoly. People have to go out of their way to type in Googles URL, and anyone can type in something different. Yandex and baidu are valid non-US competitors.
Quality is the reason why people go back to Google. Compare this to the monopolistic practices of Mircosoft; who still viciously fend competitors from installing their software on OEM devices, amongst other horrible business practices. You could also label Apple or Oracle but in comparison they're not that bad.
It boils down to the fact that dodgy tax breaks are good, unless you're not getting a slice of the pie.
Oh, wait, we're trying to protect our freedom. US tech companies are on a rampage attempting to destroy civil rights, consumer rights and labor rights in Europe. Often openly breaking laws that aren't outdated and in need of "disruption", but very much explicitly exist to prevent what these companies are trying to do.
This insanity has got to end at some point. Imagine if a foreign companies started liquor stores across the US that sold alcohol to under 21 year olds, flaunting US law, claiming to be innovative and disruptive, and accusing the US of just trying to protect it's internal market.
We've been pretty fucking tolerant of this shit so far, acknowledging that some things may be up for debate. Regulators have mostly limited themselves to diplomatically urging companies to adjust their practices.
But it's getting ridiculous. Especially Uber has demonstrated that US companies have absolutely no scruples anymore about launching businesses that openly and deliberately break local laws. This isn't business, it's organized crime.
> Imagine if a foreign companies started liquor stores across the US that sold alcohol to under 21 year olds, flaunting US law, claiming to be innovative and disruptive, and accusing the US of just trying to protect it's internal market.
We have literally discussed this idea at work last week. Air France should park their Airbuses in some airport and sell wine there to 18-year-olds during their prom nights since the laws of France are in effect aboard a ship.
Mithaldu|11 years ago
By quoting him the article has directly made itself extremely suspect, since the publishing house Springer owns the biggest and worst fact- and politics-mangling tabloid in germany, Bild.
CurtHagenlocher|11 years ago
rdjik|11 years ago
[deleted]
plesner|11 years ago
pippy|11 years ago
Quality is the reason why people go back to Google. Compare this to the monopolistic practices of Mircosoft; who still viciously fend competitors from installing their software on OEM devices, amongst other horrible business practices. You could also label Apple or Oracle but in comparison they're not that bad.
It boils down to the fact that dodgy tax breaks are good, unless you're not getting a slice of the pie.
ghostdiver|11 years ago
unknown|11 years ago
[deleted]
bowlofpetunias|11 years ago
Oh, wait, we're trying to protect our freedom. US tech companies are on a rampage attempting to destroy civil rights, consumer rights and labor rights in Europe. Often openly breaking laws that aren't outdated and in need of "disruption", but very much explicitly exist to prevent what these companies are trying to do.
This insanity has got to end at some point. Imagine if a foreign companies started liquor stores across the US that sold alcohol to under 21 year olds, flaunting US law, claiming to be innovative and disruptive, and accusing the US of just trying to protect it's internal market.
We've been pretty fucking tolerant of this shit so far, acknowledging that some things may be up for debate. Regulators have mostly limited themselves to diplomatically urging companies to adjust their practices.
But it's getting ridiculous. Especially Uber has demonstrated that US companies have absolutely no scruples anymore about launching businesses that openly and deliberately break local laws. This isn't business, it's organized crime.
jedmeyers|11 years ago
We have literally discussed this idea at work last week. Air France should park their Airbuses in some airport and sell wine there to 18-year-olds during their prom nights since the laws of France are in effect aboard a ship.
yohui|11 years ago
unknown|11 years ago
[deleted]