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from the what-you-see-depends-on-where-you-are dept.
Silicon Valley is a uniquely American creation, the product of an entrepreneurial spirit and no-holds-barred capitalism that now drives many aspects of modern life.
But the likes of Facebook, Google and Apple are increasingly facing an uncomfortable truth: it is Europe's culture of tougher oversight of companies, not America's laissez-faire attitude, which could soon rule their industry as governments seek to combat fake news and prevent extremists from using the internet to fan the flames of hatred.
While the U.S. has largely relied on market forces to regulate content in a country where free speech is revered, European officials have shown they are willing to act. Germany recently passed a law imposing fines of up to 50 million euros ($59 million) on websites that don't remove hate speech within 24 hours. British Prime Minister Theresa May wants companies to take down extremist material within two hours. And across the EU, Google has for years been obliged to remove search results if there is a legitimate complaint about the content's veracity or relevance.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by looorg on Friday November 03 2017, @06:59PM (8 children)
If US companies doesn't want to have their "silicon valley goodness" spread to Europe that has almost twice the population of the US and instead go suck a dick I'm cool with that. If they want to peddle their warez in Europe they should adopt and adapt to European rules just like if they want to sell them anywhere else outside the USA. Just like other companies adapt to American standards when they want to sell their stuff in the USA. I don't really see a fault with that.
I know a lot of people would probably suffer great mental anguish if they didn't get their daily Facebook fix and such but I'd be cool with it. Some other other company would swoop in and fill the void in no time. But it still wouldn't bother me one way or the other.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday November 03 2017, @07:07PM (7 children)
You'd actually be fine with your government setting up the Great Firewall of $state and don't think they'd abuse it once in place? I don't think I'll ever understand people who think like that.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by looorg on Friday November 03 2017, @07:13PM (3 children)
I'm not saying I'd be fine with that. I'm saying that if you want to sell your warez in Europe you adapt to the local laws just like European companies that want to sell their stuff in America adapt to the american ways and laws. If one doesn't like it then try peddling the stuff on one of the other continents. Except they won't accept the american way either, just ask China. But the high paying consumer market in Europe is just to juicy to give up. So you adapt and then apparently cry like a bitch about it to the WSJ or your share holders or whomever.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 03 2017, @08:56PM
No, they only have to do that if they have a US office. Should the law of England and Wales suddenly apply to a NYC apartment if I want to travel over and crash on someones couch for a week? Why would it be different for me interacting with people on a US based forum?
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday November 03 2017, @10:14PM (1 child)
Ahh. Roger. Personally, I think Europe would blink first if their people were suddenly cut off from most of the top sites on the Internet.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 4, Informative) by c0lo on Friday November 03 2017, @11:14PM
You may be surprised how fast those services will be replaced by local clones. Look at yandex and the like.
I know for a fact many apps have clones in the language of their country - happens a lot in my country of origin.
They won't have zillions of subscribers, won't ever go global, but they do charge low fees for their service and are operating under a much stricter privacy legislation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 04 2017, @01:47AM (2 children)
I think you'll admit that there is plenty of suck in the way our tech industry does business. It seems that all of them view American citizens/consumers/whatever as assets to be exploited. Although we, as a group, do little to inspire respect, American business makes it's disrespect obvious. Europe seems to demand a minimal level of respect for human rights.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday November 04 2017, @02:17AM (1 child)
Like the right to free speech? Naw. They give not a fuck about the people. They're just pandering for votes same as any politicians.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 04 2017, @02:28AM
I was referring more to rights like privacy. Corporations have no right to data mining. I do have a right to privacy, however poorly defined that right might be.
Pandering for votes, of course. But, if the votes demand that US corporations respect privacy, then so be it. And, if Euros don't care about their right to free speech, the politicians will strip that right away. It's up to them.