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We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

(hugotunius.se)
2071 points K0nserv | 14 comments | 31 Aug 25 21:46 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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idle_zealot ◴[01 Sep 25 00:21 UTC] No.45088298[source]▶
This makes the point that the real battle we should be fighting is not for control of Android/iOS, but the ability to run other operating systems on phones. That would be great, but as the author acknowledges, building those alternatives is basically impossible. Even assuming that building a solid alternative is feasible, though, I don't think their point stands. Generally I'm not keen on legislatively forcing a developer to alter their software, but let's be real: Google and Apple have more power than most nations. I'm all for mandating that they change their code to be less user-hostile, for the same reason I prefer democracy to autocracy. Any party with power enough to impact millions of lives needs to be accountable to those it affects. I don't see the point of distinguishing between government and private corporation when that corporation is on the same scale of power and influence.
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1. goopypoop ◴[01 Sep 25 00:30 UTC] No.45088337[source]▶
break into head office to find out
2. AshamedCaptain ◴[01 Sep 25 00:32 UTC] No.45088347[source]▶
Is this a good time to introduce the Coca-Cola death squads? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#Colombian_death-squa...
replies(1): >>45088386 #
3. ◴[01 Sep 25 00:33 UTC] No.45088351[source]▶
4. junon ◴[01 Sep 25 00:35 UTC] No.45088362[source]▶
That's a reductio ad absurdum conclusion.

Both lobby for and are in major political cahoots with many governmental bodies worldwide. They lobby like crazy, and can defend just about any lawsuit that comes their way - including dodging congressional hearings, selectively adhering to laws other companies cannot afford to skip, etc.

But I think you knew that. Being argumentative with the general point OP was making doesn't solve anything and just defends multinationals when they shouldn't be defended.

replies(1): >>45089484 #
5. martin-t ◴[01 Sep 25 00:41 UTC] No.45088383[source]▶
People are weapons.

Maybe not Apple because they don't have a social network but Google (along with Facebook/Reddit/TikTok/...) can absolutely shape public opinion by controlling which posts/videos/discussions/comments get shown to people.

YouTube has this thing where your comments appear to be part of the discussion but actually don't appear to other people until much later. This means they are not _technically_ removing your comment, they just make sure nobody sees it during the time period where 90% of the views come from.

Look at how people censor themselves with words like "unalive" or "grape" because, presumably, certain topics are not advertiser friendly. But nobody can really confirm how and which words affect the algorithm. It's all just guesswork. They could just as easily promote or censor political topics and nobody would know.

It's not hard to turn people into extremists by consistently showing them one side of the story.

6. awesome_dude ◴[01 Sep 25 00:41 UTC] No.45088386[source]▶
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic

The USA military, and secret services were, and still are, at the behest of "American business interests"

See also the Oil industry, and Donald Trump's remarks aimed at the Australian government that might "curtail the tech companies" [1]

1 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/us-tech-x-meta-facebo...

7. busterarm ◴[01 Sep 25 00:51 UTC] No.45088426[source]▶
Why torture someone when you can make every aspect of their lives depend on your moat and then decide to kick them out?

Do you know how many people use Google, Apple or Meta for every single sign on for every app/website they use?

8. nancyminusone ◴[01 Sep 25 00:59 UTC] No.45088455[source]▶
They have access to such absurdly large amounts of money that they don't need those.
9. a2128 ◴[01 Sep 25 01:01 UTC] No.45088468[source]▶
No, but Google and Apple together could destroy a nation economically overnight without even lifting a finger, by bricking all devices within that nation and making their services (gmail, google maps, icloud) unavailable. No amount of guns or jails is equivalent to that power
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10. abtinf ◴[01 Sep 25 04:32 UTC] No.45089484[source]▶
Every point you raised is in fact evidence for how they are weaker than governments.
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11. junon ◴[01 Sep 25 08:50 UTC] No.45090849{3}[source]▶
It depends on how you quantify it, which isn't really possible and isn't even the point of the comment.

It really feels like you're being intentionally obtuse here. The point was that they seem to be impervious to many governments. That would be having, by at least some measure, more power than the government.

They weren't meaning they were literal comparisons of amounts of power.

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12. martin-t ◴[01 Sep 25 10:47 UTC] No.45091549[source]▶
Or they could "deplatform" anyone they don't like. Sure, you can live without google/meta/reddit/... but you will miss out on both business and social opportunities, especially if they do it without warning.

It will disadvantage you in life in ways which are hard to quantify for a single person (you don't know what you don't know) but will be measurable in aggregate.

13. abtinf ◴[01 Sep 25 14:09 UTC] No.45092810{4}[source]▶
You’re upset because I won’t help you evade the fact that you are intentionally conflating two distinct concepts:

“Power” meaning the infliction violence and physical coercion with the force of law.

“Power” meaning the ability to make money by designing products and services people voluntary trade for.

This is always an intentional confusion intended to deceive and manipulate.

See also https://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/economic_power_vs_politic...

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14. junon ◴[01 Sep 25 14:22 UTC] No.45092894{5}[source]▶
Yep you're right then. :)