The Antitrust Showdown - U.S. Government v. Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, et al.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

That way Google knows who to crush after they get away with everything.

[Tharthan]

The DoJ will be sending Google their list today which contains the names of over 100(!) individuals and companies, including mine.

This is good news!

That way Google knows who to crush

I'm hoping that this case does somehow make it through.

[Moonchild]

Well my attorney contact at least made sure to clarify Google may contact me or they may not, and if they do I am under no obligation to speak with them even if I'm listed in the disclosure; the DoJ also made clear they don't discourage third parties from speaking with Google if they so wish.

And Tobin, while they of course have this information, it's not us who is suing them. I think the best way to describe my and others' role in this case is as advisory experts and witnesses.

[ron_1]

Anybody else concerned that this antitrust lawsuit will lose its bite after January 20?

[New Tobin Paradigm]

It depends. But let's not go into that aspect right now.

[THX-1139]

Some new developments on this- "The FTC and state attorneys general are reportedly aiming up to 4 new antitrust lawsuits at Facebook and Google as talk of regulation continues to heat up": https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-ftc-and-state-attorneys-general-are-reportedly-aiming-up-to-4-new-antitrust-lawsuits-at-facebook-and-google-as-talk-of-regulation-continues-to-heat-up/articleshow/79497399.cms

[Baloo]

For the record, the case is moving forward as the parties are now providing each other with initial disclosures, i.e., lists identifying individuals and evidence relevant to the lawsuit’s claims and defenses. The DoJ will be sending Google their list today which contains the names of over 100(!) individuals and companies, including mine.

So I presume your testimony may be used in evidence in the suit against Google? Fascinating stuff Moonchild!

[THX-1139]

"FTC and 48 Attorneys General Sue to Break Up Facebook"
https://gizmodo.com/ftc-and-48-attorneys-general-sue-to-break-up-facebook-1845845246
And it's on, now to see if anything comes of it.

[Tharthan]

I actually heard that latest development on a local news channel when I woke up this morning.

Glad to see that the everyman is beginning to be made aware of this. I just hope that they don't moronically attempt to do everything that they can to protest and/or otherwise thwart the probe and lawsuits, on the grounds that "ai want mah Facebuk/Google" or whatnot.

[THX-1139]

New developments in the case: California seeks to join Justice Department antitrust case against Google--https://thehill.com/policy/technology/529884-california-seeks-to-join-justice-department-antitrust-case-against-google

The lawsuit alleges Google entered into exclusionary contracts with phone makers to preload Google’s search engine onto devices using Alphabet’s Android operating system.

*That sounds to me, very similar to the MS/Windows/IE suit from 2001.

[THX-1139]

The latest on this subject:

Google’s antitrust case won’t go to trial until Sept. 2023

https://apnews.com/article/trials-us-news-courts-a3a975ac738f909d1e78328e62c2da82
not

[Moonchild]

And until anything goes to a court room, Google can continue with business as-usual. What's relevant now in those documents might not be in 3 years. So... way to go US Justice system!

[Kendo]

Google’s antitrust case won’t go to trial until Sept. 2023

Lots of time for more rape and pillage...how many billions can be made by then from a few backhanders?

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Aww you still think this is about money. That's so cute. If only it was. If only.

[Tharthan]

So... what does that bad news mean, practically?

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Google already won unless something else changes.

[adesh]

We can partly blame the lack of understanding of the criticality and dire consequences of the current situation on the part of clueless officials who don't understand a bit of technology and Internet and how everything is connected together now. Control is shifting from authorities and governments to big private companies. Even governments have contracts with them and need them for their operation.

You may say my logic is a bit flawed but I'll say what I think about the situation and said previously. The reason we won't get out of this is the very reason we got in the situation. Even if we get out of it somehow, we'll fall in the same rut some time down the line. This will never change unless people change. So don't expect big blows to any of the BIG tech companies. They had already taken this into account when they started the control game.

You don't need to do anything to worsen the situation, but to improve it, well ...

[Tharthan]

Even if we get out of it somehow, we'll fall in the same rut some time down the line. This will never change unless people change.

All right, hang on a moment.

There never was any chance that that would change. The reason for that is due to the core problem being an element of human nature that impacts anyone who grows up in a first-world country relatively well off, unless they actually use their brain (and actually pondering this kind of thing rather than just taking the 'easy route' requires one to exert effort; effort that the average "I want it to just work, blast it!" person is never going to exert. Also, even amongst people who do use their brains to consider the ramifications of handing over so much power to a megacorp, the decision will be made by many of those folks that they are better off going along with the crowd because [ ] "if you cannot beat 'em, join 'em"), you were entirely kidding yourself if you thought that defeating Google meant that this would not happen again at some point down the line. I mean no offence in saying that, by the way. I am simply saying that it never had a chance of happening.

So please forget about preventing this kind of thing from happening in the future. Expel the idea from your mind. That is not a realistic, achievable goal. It never was a realistic, achievable goal. So long as there are people in this world who seek to exploit the public by means of trickery, and so long as there are suckers / plenty of lazy people, it will take place again in the future.

What we need to try to do is end this particular instance of it happening. At least then we will have a period of time when things are better before the "I want the easy way. Just tell me how to accomplish what I want with the least amount of effort on my part" folks get us back into the same situation again.

But this "Coming to a Courtroom Near You in 2023" hogwash is pretty much game over if it proves to be what actually happens. I am hoping that things change and the suit goes through sooner, but barring that... I am not sure how the case goes anywhere.

Control is shifting from authorities and governments to big private companies.

And people are... perfectly fine with that... for some reason.

It really makes no sense. Many of the same people who rail against government controlling elements of their lives will happily allow Google to do so.



A whole lot of people seem not to realise that they are essentially the same thing. Allowing a megacorp to control elements of your life whether you want them to or not because they have untold amounts of power is literally no different than a maleficent government doing that.

In fact, it might even be slightly worse, because you willingly live in the country that you live in. If you hate it so much, you could leave (in some cases that might be dangerous, but it could still be done).

With Google, you did not have to "sign up" for them dominating elements of your life. It just happened because the common spoilt consumer 'signed up' willingly, leaving those who did not as the odd ones out.

...

Let me be clear, by the way: unlike a lot of people who complain about this issue, I do not hold any active animosity or ill will towards the aforementioned "I want it to just work, blast it!" folks. If that is the position that you personally take because you have far too many other things in your life to worry about than to focus on this kind of thing, that that is quite all right. I can understand that perspective.

The problem is that a whole bunch of people doing that somehow means that those who do not are negatively impacted by that because of a chain reaction of sorts that occurs because of those people taking that kind of approach. That is what I have a problem with. Not the folks themselves, but the fact that their decision negatively impacts the rest of us.

[Tharthan]

There have been some new developments:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/senate-hearing-on-app-stores-puts-apple-google-under-regulatory-spotlight/ar-BB1fU9JS
https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-google-come-under-fire-at-senate-antitrust-hearing-11619044588

In this fight, all may not actually be lost!

[New Tobin Paradigm]

More softball questions?