Calling it now

[Saz]

Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple will all be broken up by the government within the next 10 years (from this very day). We are just now beginning to realise the significant role these companies have in our lives and the data they have. If you look at them, they are conglomerates of old, and hold monopoly positions in a number of markets.

They also combine a wade array of businesses that in many cases shouldn't have anything to do with one another. Google has its search/ad business, why android as well? Facebook and instagram are separate platforms, and natural competitors...why should facebook own both? Apple is a bit odd, its basically iPhone and then everything else. Amazon is Retail and AWS, and there is no reason they need to be under the same roof.

All of these companies will go the way of Standard Oil and Bell Systems. The internet is fragmented already anyway - we are or will be completely locked out of places like china and russia, and regulators in other places like the EU or Brazil won't take kindy to american monopolists with access to so much data. The idea we will need a national champion in these tech industries will hold no water, these companies will have been forced out of most major foreign markets already.

[exploited]

EFF and other such organizations have been speculating about this for years, but recent events have made the breakup much more likely. I still think it is somewhat unlikely, as all these companies cooperate with the national security state, but one can hope that we get back to breaking up these organizations.

[Saz]

[exploited]

[Saz]

[Kane]

Not seeing it...too much money and too much clout. It will change administration to administration - Trump's just pissed at Bezos because he owns The Washington Post. Everything else is just a younger corporate America coming to grips with #Metoo movement, corporate culture, and the very nature of their industry. Data collection isn't going away - even if these platforms do. It's been around forever - we started collecting data via paper decades ago. It's just simpler/easier now because the platform streamlines all of it. That's the crux of it. I don't see the US turning Luddite so IMO the point is moot.

Moreover, you have SOEs in China/Russia that are attempting their own hand at this venture. China uses its many platforms exactly to that effect (A huge state data network to control people - The Great Firewall, etc) and Russia wants in on it and many other tech sectors. Global competition will continue unabated and if the US wants to stop that race they can...but then we'll lose. Monopolization is an issue but it's not one I take seriously re government action because frankly...there are larger problems re monopolization. Telecommunications is a huge one (AT&T - Time Warner? Comcast? ) and I see only movement towards further consolidation.

No, here I see admins playing favorites. Regulatory bodies are fine but to say this is the death knell of these companies is far too early.

[Kane]

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[John Galt]

What is Google? It's an advertising company. Search is done so it can advertise. Android is done so it can provide search. I think these all naturally fall under it. further android, like search, is free -- it's not about the hardware, it's the software. now YouTube, Google Fiber, Waymo, Project Fi, Google Cloud etc... these could be spun out

What is Amazon? it's a direct to consumer warehouse. AWS is arguably part of that... arguably not. i mean it's like a warehouse...

What is Facebook? it's a social media platform. I agree intagram is in direct competition with it. and some things, like oculus and facebook payments, don't really fit. whatsApp does, though, i guess

What is Apple? it's the maker of technology products for the mentally disabled. i don't see a reason to break them up. their OS is in support of those products and is essential to provide the disabled the access they need to get to google, amazon, and facebook

[exploited]