Social media's tricky equation

It is true that the technology Goliaths have monopolised the internet and taken over our lives, but there are many who will admit that our lives are also easier for the same. Recommendations, for books and clothes, itineraries on Google maps thus making the atlas obsolete, cheap calls etc are just a miniscule subset of the pros of the Goliaths (“Technology goliaths monopolise our lives,” Oct.25, Gulf Today)

And like the cliche goes, everything has corners. The easyness of life and the means to connect and make the world a smaller place comes at a cost — privacy. But none of us seem so concerned about that. If Facebook isn’t robbing your data, the government is. Neither is the lesser of the two evils.

Of course we need to formulate a thoughtful plan to break up these monopolies so that consumers are protected from predatory practices. But we all know there is nothing like a free meal. So would we be willing to pay for services which are now free of cost? Today the services these goliaths are providing us, is being funded by the advertising firms, the data miners and the likes. Doubts arise when money comes into play.

There’s gonna be no Teddy Roosevelt. The reaches of the internet are unknown perhaps like the boundaries of the universe. Antitrust enforcement by declaring war on the steel, rail and oil trusts is something tangible. But where exactly do you start a war in the world wide web?

Joyce D
By email