Is it time to breakup Google, Apple and Amazon

[HppyHrryHrdn]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/11/parler-amazon-lawsuit/

The tech companies appear to be colluding to deny people their first amendment rights. Before you say they are private companies and they can do what they want, remember the government has stepped in multiple times to say a company has to make wedding cakes and take pictures. But now the same people are celebrating taking a legal company with US investors and destroying it because they don't like what the people on it say.  So one company is telling another what their customers can say.
So if you are someone that thinks this is a good thing, remember a lot of people think what is said here is objectionable. So how long before they come after this site. 

[MissBarbara]

The tech companies appear to be colluding to deny people their first amendment rights. Before you say they are private companies and they can do what they want, remember the government has stepped in multiple times to say a company has to make wedding cakes and take pictures. But now the same people are celebrating taking a legal company with US investors and destroying it because they don't like what the people on it say.  So one company is telling another what their customers can say.

So if you are someone that thinks this is a good thing, remember a lot of people think what is said here is objectionable. So how long before they come after this site.

At the risk of belaboring the obvious, the making of wedding cakes and taking of pictures has nothing to do with the First Amendment. Nor did the government mandate the making of wedding cakes or taking of pictures. That baker and that photographer are in no way compelled by the federal government to perform the duties of their professions. Then, as today, they have the Constitutionally guaranteed right to step aside. No one, not even the full might of the federal government, can force them to do otherwise.

On top of that, if "they" come after this site, it will be for violating already established laws, and not for exercising free speech rights. And it's telling that you used the pronoun "they" to refer to both the tech companies and the government.

There are a lot of "theys" our there right now!

[HppyHrryHrdn]

You're right my English teacher would be appalled at my lack of specificity. The last they are Tech companies.   So google has the right to step a side and close their doors if they(google) want to discriminate on what clients they handle.  Not related to this discussion. And remember what you said about stepping aside. I deal with people in the petro-chem industries, and many of them are ready to walk away and shut down the refineries if they( government) start doing restrictions on their industry.  And it will get damn cold up north if enough step a side.

[Dudester]

As someone with several degrees in Constitutional Law I ask you to observe Article 1, Section 8 of the US Constitution that gives the federal government the right to regulate interstate business. Congress has passed laws, such as anti monopoly laws. Now, Apple, Facebook, google and Amazon will get away with their nonsense (due to an ill considered tech protection law in the early 90's) during the Biden Administration. With that said, there will be GOP gains in 2022 and 2024. In 2025, look for the break up of these companies (as AT&T was broken up in 1970) and Zuckerberg and others will have no one but themselves to blame for their diminished kingdoms.
I'm not telling you this as a GOP cheerleader, I'm telling you as a doctor would tell you:"See that lump in your chest? It is a cancer and it must come out."
It will happen. Bank on it, literally.

[watcher1]

My guess is, that under Biden, there will be more regulations imposed on businesses. Whereas in the past four years the Trump administration pretty much deregulated, the Biden administration will regulate.  As to what type of regulations the new administration may impose on these tech firms, it depends on how far the politicians are in the pockets of Google, Apple and Amazon.

[Airplane]

it's a government setup, doesn't matter Biden or trump, the main difference is Biden can read and trump can't chew gum and walk at the same time

[Insanity_Rules]

Is it time to breakup Google, Apple and Amazon?


Yes.

[Lois]

Remember the breakup of AT&T?  Now we have just rwo main cell phone companies.  WTF?  There used to be a bunch to choose from.

[watcher1]

Just read where Amazon is buying MGM.  With a Democratic controlled Congress and a Democrat in the White House, look for these huge mergers to be more readily scrutinized then they were under the previous administration.

[_priapism]

Since Google, Amazon, and Apple all lean left in political contributions/support, I don’t think they’ll get much scrutiny at all.

Amazing that the right wingers who insisted corporations are people too, and who supported unrestrained financial interference with the political process, are now the same ones screaming about too much power being centralized in major corporations.  They didn’t complain when the Koch brothers did it... karma? Or irony?

[watcher1]

Since Google, Amazon, and Apple all lean left in political contributions/support, I don’t think they’ll get much scrutiny at all.

That sucks. Just shows everyone that we little people here in the United States really have no friends in the White House unless we can help them get reelected or can provide them with obscene amounts of money.

[_priapism]

Since Google, Amazon, and Apple all lean left in political contributions/support, I don’t think they’ll get much scrutiny at all.

That sucks. Just shows everyone that we little people here in the United States really have no friends in the White House unless we can help them get reelected or can provide them with obscene amounts of money.

Well that’s why they call me Captain Obvious.