> I think the winds have shifted for tech companies. They are no longer plucky young startups, but they are billion dollar companies raking in profits.
"What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world."
Microsoft was also once a plucky young startup. And Apple, and Oracle, and Dell, and…
> They are no longer plucky young startups, but they are billion dollar companies raking in profits.
True, and exactly because of that they have much more leverage.
The only true wind shift would be for the regulators to get sick of their crap and start hitting hard at the first sign of misdemeanor. And that's the part I am skeptical about.
Facebook did pay 725 million out of the original 5 billion to the FTC over Cambridge Analytica's scandal. That is a hefty fine still. [1]
Another $122 million out of $276 million over Whatsapp merger [2]
Granted, it does get negotiated down, but it really is the most they can do.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64075067
[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-facebook-antitrust-idU...