The problem, says bestselling pseudonymous author Chuck Tingle, is that companies like Google now function like utilities. “It’s the same as water and electric,” he says.
That’s one problem, yeah. The other problem, though, is that they don’t function like utilities.
These big tech companies do see extra regulations, because they’re often monopolies and many people feel forced to use their services in order to participate in society.
At the same time, for that same reason, actual utilities typically have a right attached, for all citizens to be able to use them.
If your water supplier kind of thinks you might be using the water to flood your neighbor’s garden, they can’t just cut you off from service. They’d need to sue you and you’d be allowed a fair trial, and frankly, you’d go to prison at most, where you still have tap water.
Our regulation of these tech companies is lagging behind. I feel like the main hindrance is that we’re trying to regulate international companies with national laws.
That’s one problem, yeah. The other problem, though, is that they don’t function like utilities.
These big tech companies do see extra regulations, because they’re often monopolies and many people feel forced to use their services in order to participate in society.
At the same time, for that same reason, actual utilities typically have a right attached, for all citizens to be able to use them.
If your water supplier kind of thinks you might be using the water to flood your neighbor’s garden, they can’t just cut you off from service. They’d need to sue you and you’d be allowed a fair trial, and frankly, you’d go to prison at most, where you still have tap water.
Our regulation of these tech companies is lagging behind. I feel like the main hindrance is that we’re trying to regulate international companies with national laws.