Cloud = big brother

Posted Aug 13, 2021 2:52 UTC (Fri) by alfille (subscriber, #1631)
In reply to: Cloud = big brother by nim-nim
Parent article: Scanning "private" content

There is certainly some truth to the thesis that government is more distrusted in US culture than in Europe. The counter to that is that being subjected to a corporate choice is usually not compulsory, you can vote with your wallet and move to another platfom. Changing government is more difficult.

And the motives of a corporation are clearer -- profit. What is the motive for a government? Staying in power, control, and a complex mix of competing lobbying groups.

At least that is the view of distrustful Americans.

Cloud = big brother

Posted Aug 13, 2021 11:39 UTC (Fri) by kleptog (subscriber, #1183) [Link] (2 responses)

> Changing government is more difficult.

Is it though? I have three countries within two hours travel which I can move to if I wanted to. Getting away from local or provincial government is even easier. Getting away from Google, Amazon, Apple, etc OTOH...

For both government and business trust needs to be earned. And frankly I trust my government way more than Google, though I can understand this doesn't apply to everyone. And the US political system is particularly... opaque.

Cloud = big brother

Posted Aug 15, 2021 13:22 UTC (Sun) by k8to (guest, #15413) [Link]

It's a false narrative for sure, though I think accurately described. Government can be influenced by your votes, organizing, and lobbying. Corporations there's no guarantee you have any influence at all.

Cloud = big brother

Posted Aug 17, 2021 16:45 UTC (Tue) by NYKevin (subscriber, #129325) [Link]

> I have three countries within two hours travel which I can move to if I wanted to.

Ha. Americans have that at the state level, in some parts of the country, but if you dislike what the federal government is doing, your nearest options are Mexico or Canada. Because the US is simply huge, at least one of those options is guaranteed to be unreasonably far away.

Also, we don't have a Schengen-like-arrangement with either of them, so you'd have to go through the whole immigration process, which can take months or years.