The F.T.C. has not officially started proceedings against Google, but the fact they hired Wilkinson is indicative that they are seriously contemplating same. As the papers point out, this will "...be the biggest showdown between regulators and Silicon Valley" since the Microsoft investigation back in the late nineties.
As the internet expands exponentially and the computer world moves ahead with blinding speed, great leaps in knowledge and expansion of information are coming. We are already saturated with more knowledge in the last twenty-five years than in the history of man. With great leaps forward also come great potential problems in invasion of privacy, monopolistic practices and pirate plundering of markets.
You don't have to use tea leaves or a crystal ball to look into the future and see a big fight between the government and private I.T.s coming. It's been simmering for quite awhile. Congress has even been involved and has backed away so far from interfering, but you can bet Big Brother in government is checking this one out. Round one was Microsoft; the second will doubtless be Google. who's next? Facebook, Twitter? it will be verrrrry interesting...
I think I am one who thinks Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and AT&T and maybe Apple ought to be reined in a bit. I do. I hope the internet is left alone but some of the Monster companies need to have limits set on them. Right now they need regulators watching them closely. Maybe suing is the right course of action. Am I wrong?
ReplyDeleteAnd Amazon. Amazon is forcing small publishers to give Amazon additional special discounts in order to handle their books, putting some of them on the brink of bankruptcy.
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