Mathias
"Google has criticized the European Union’s intentions to achieve digital sovereignty through open-source software."

Umm...ok...I think I can see why they did that, but lets read further...

"The company [Google] warned that Brussels’ policies aimed at reducing dependence on American tech companies could harm competitiveness. "

Yeah. For Google itself it can definitely "harm [their] competetiveness".

"According to Google, the idea of replacing current tools with open-source programs would not contribute to economic growth."

Correct again, if you ARE Google. If everyone start using open-source alternatives it will most likely not contribute to Googles economic growth.

It quite likely will contribute to economic growth for a bunch of smaller/new companies. It will also open the playing field for software development which still being possible for anyone to verify/test/check/view the source code to ensure there are no flaws in there, or algorithms for tracking people based on advertising goals.

They are kind of correct too in that it will probably cause a temporary set-back in economic growth for all those companies that live under the illusion of "there should always be growth and we will do anything to make that happen", but I consider that a good thing. When that speed bump has been passed there will be an opportunity to do a controlled/reasonable acceleration.

Given that Google has removed the "Don't be evil" from their Mission Statement, for unknown reason, I think it is wise, for many different reasons, to cut down on the dependence on Google (and Microsoft, Facebook etc), and to look at alternatives. Ideally open-source ones that can be scrutinized by anyone who wishes to do so.

https://lemmy.world/post/43144736

#google #opensource #eu #europe
Feb 15 at 12:28pmWeb
Show threadHyde 📷 🖋 Feb 15
@mathias 💯
Show threadlemgandiFeb 15

@mathias

You are a PR flack at Google. Your boss asks you to write a response to EU customers leaving Google for an obviously more sensible alternative. You have 4 hours. What do you do?

Show threadbituur esztreymFeb 15
@mathias
so stupid.. the arguments.. appalling
Show threadJamez Barrett 🜃 ॐ ⒶFeb 15
@mathias the "Don't Be Evil" dictum is a slippery one. I saw Eric Schmidt talk at Cambridge University some years ago. When he was asked about what is "evil" he replied "evil is whatever Serge says is evil"....subjective much. Here's to the Digital Reformation that is upon us. Hopefully there won't be a war in the Low Countries...
Show threadmartin lentink 🇪🇺 🇺🇦📎Feb 15
@mathias Gonna do it anyway...
Show threadMathiasFeb 15
@martinlentink

Sorry, I'm probably thick this sunday, but who's gonna do what anyway?
Show threadmartin lentink 🇪🇺 🇺🇦📎Feb 15
@mathias Europe will become digitally sovereign
Show threadMathiasFeb 15
@martinlentink

Ah, right. Well, I most certainly hope so. I especially hope that Europe does not ask/take US companies advice on if Europe should break away from todays dependence of US companies. 😆
Show threadIron BugFeb 15
@mathias huh! Google tellls us about "competitiveness".
Show threadmitosu_meFeb 15
@mathias EU cut dependence from US based companies are definitely a correct way to go, both the current US administration and its corporations become unreliable.
Show threadCriticalThinkingGamesFeb 15

@mathias

Google is not a space for #criticalthinkers.

Google is for the incurious;
the unquestioning;
the status quo lackeys;
the fearful.

Critical thinkers scare the hell out of them.

Show threadRoot MooseFeb 15
@mathias Also Google: We built our empire on the backs of open source software. How dare you consider doing the same thing and making us irrelevant!
Show threadAaronFeb 15
@mathias The future is cooperative, not competitive.
Show threadsamiamsamFeb 15

@mathias

google can fuck all the way off into the sun

Show threadDisisdeguey🔻PalestineAction🇵🇸Feb 16
@mathias I mean..... go #europe If #google cries, you are doing something OK.
Show threadIlka 🌐Feb 16
@mathias yes, of course USamerican tech companies cannot like the idea of European tech sovereignty - it would be like a butcher saying "yeah right on, go vegan dear customer". 🤣
Show threadPyrrhoFeb 16
@mathias I totally agree with this. Europe has spent vast amounts of money on US tech, and that has harmed European tech companies. Time to redress that harm.
Show threadAuthor-ized L.J.Feb 16
@mathias As this initiative picks up speed Google and other U.S. big tech are likely to lean harder on the lobbying/corruption levers, and if implementation starts and becomes a real economic threat they are likely to turn litigious, especially based on international arbitration clauses in investment treaties. They could try to argue that these policies amount to uncompensated appropriations of their overseas investments in the EU. I say the EU should do what the U.S. did and simply ignore any unfavorable arbitral decisions lol. The U.S. is the one that proved its word is worthless by reneging on tariff agreements, after all.