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398 points ChrisArchitect | 3 comments | | HN request time: 0.205s | source
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jjani ◴[] No.45141781[source]
Going to pre-empt the comments that always pop up in these topics saying "Google/Meta/Apple will just leave the EU at this rate": Google still has around $20 billion yearly reasons to remain active in the EU. Talking Europe yearly net profit here, post-fine. No, they're not going to say "screw this fine, you can take your $20 billion per year, we're leaving!". The second that happens, shareholders will have Sundar's access revoked within the hour.

There is a number of countries where Google has to deal with large levels of protectionist barriers (not the EU, these fines aren't that) and they still operate there. Korea is just one example. Because there's still a lot of money to be made. China isn't a counterexample: Google stopped operating search in China because at that point there was not a lot of money to be made for them in search there.

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1. outside2344 ◴[] No.45143127[source]
I think it is more likely that Trump point blank tells them they aren't allowed to pay this and that the EU isn't allowed to fine them any longer.
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2. ajsnigrutin ◴[] No.45143227[source]
And ursula will brag how she got a deal with trump, where google doesn't get fined. ...like with the tarrifs, where US got everything they wanted and EU got nothing.
3. jjani ◴[] No.45146785[source]
I don't think I expressed anything about their likelihood of payment - just that they won't stop doing business in the EU.

I think your scenario is a real possibility, but ironically one that would cost the US a lot more than it gains. It's really playing with fire, running the risk of even just 1% of EU businesses and consumers opting for EU services over US ones. And just that 1% represents far more than all of the yearly fines to Google/Meta/Apple combined.