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Comment by blub

4 years ago

Corps like Google or Apple are so big that the amount of HN customers and their friends/relatives are a drop in the ocean. This is just a PR mess for them, that's all.

They mop it up and move on.

You and I - we are the market. How do you know how many drops there are if you don't speak up?

Relative to my community in South Africa, I have spent more money on Apple products than anyone I know. And here I am saying that if these privacy issues are not resolved, I am willing to vote with my wallet as soon as I can find an alternative.

I only mention that I've de-Googled my life so that those who doubt my intent will know it's not an idle threat. These things take time to change, but they can and do change if you make your voice as a customer heard.

When you want to enact change at a Big Co:

1.) Communicate why you are forced into a buying position and ideally how to resolve it.

2.) Be willing to walk away, or you can't negotiate.

3.) Actively seek alternatives.

Yep "Voting with your wallet" doesn't work, bad practices need regulation and/or penalties.

  • I don't believe that is true. Regulation prevents competitors from toppling badly-behaved incumbents.

    Big Co.'s must be allowed to fail. Don't hinder new contenders from rising to replace them.