Tech firms have led a pretty charmed life for the bulk of their existence, especially with regard to government regulation. With lawmakers unwilling to shackle companies they perceive as innovative, and hungry for the monetary support that accompanies corporate success, the law hasn’t really been an obstacle. A famed Silicon Valley dictum is to ask for forgiveness, not permission. Breaking the law has had no consequences, and policymakers have not been too exercised to create new laws for Big Tech to follow.
This has begun to change, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and around the world seek solutions to weaken the power of the tech platforms and benefit society. And it’s been fascinating to see the reaction. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google have all been put in this situation in recent weeks, and by and large their responses have shown a lack of respect for any legal constraints on their businesses.
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