It is clear we are about to see far too much political power exercised by the US internet companies (Snooper’s constitution will have limited shelf life,warns industry, 8 January). Before the domestic Office and then parliament accepts the level of influence from the likes of Google, and Facebook,Twitter, Yahoo and Microsoft, or as indicated in the criticism they level at the draft bill before a joint committee of both houses,we need a few homes truths on the table.
The first is to spell out that not one of these companies could have started up trade anywhere other than a western liberal democracy founded on the rule of law. Yes, that means that these companies that preach globalism would not have been able to start trade in (say) Russia, or where company lawyers get beaten to death; or China,where they just disappear.
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Source: theguardian.com