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

(hugotunius.se)
2071 points K0nserv | 4 comments | 31 Aug 25 21:46 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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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. protocolture ◴[01 Sep 25 04:48 UTC] No.45089554[source]▶
> let's be real: Google and Apple have more power than most nations.

Lets be real, they do not have more power than any nations. They have a lot of power in a few tiny silos that happen to make up like 90% of the mental space of a lot of terminally online folk.

Heck they probably have less power than Coca Cola or Pepsi did during the Cola wars, or United Fruit Company at its height.

Wake me up when Apple rolls a tank into red square or Google does anything but complain about national security legislation it then goes and assertively complies with.

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2. nialse ◴[01 Sep 25 04:57 UTC] No.45089589[source]▶
There are power rankings where these top companies are considered more influential than many nations.

https://www.realbusinessrescue.co.uk/advice-hub/companies-wo... https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/29/so-who-watches-the-watchme... https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/sep/23/amazon-tesl...

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3. nialse ◴[01 Sep 25 07:30 UTC] No.45090367[source]▶
Sorry for the terrible formatting. Tried to fix it but the last edit seems to have borked it completely.

www.realbusinessrescue.co.uk/advice-hub/companies-worth-more-than-countries

techcrunch.com/2023/06/29/so-who-watches-the-watchmen

www.theguardian.com/business/2024/sep/23/amazon-tesla-meta-climate-change-democracy

EDIT: Now in plain text since the last URL does not show up otherwise. And why is it rendering with --, its only - in the URL?

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4. protocolture ◴[01 Sep 25 09:19 UTC] No.45090998{3}[source]▶
Influence and power are related but separate concepts.

And often the influence of an organisation is related to the state willing to back it. The US intervening for Tesla for instance. And China Petroleum wouldnt be so big if it wasnt for the chinese state.