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India Pushes Back Against Tech 'Colonization' by Internet Giants (nytimes.com)
In India, American companies dominate the internet. Facebook's WhatsApp is the most popular app on phones. Virtually every smartphone runs on Google's Android system. YouTube is the favorite video platform and Amazon is the No. 2 online retailer. For some Indian political leaders, it is as if their nation --which was ruled by Britain for a century until 1947 -- is being conquered by colonial powers all over again. And they are determined to stop it. From a report: "As a country, we have to all grow up and say that, you know, enough of this," Vinit Goenka, a railways official who works on technology policy for India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party, said at a conference last week. In recent months, regulators and ministers across India's government have declared their intention to impose tough new rules on the technology industry. Collectively, the regulations would end the free rein that American tech giants have long enjoyed in this country of 1.3 billion people, which is the world's fastest-growing market for new internet users. The proposals include European-style limits on what big internet companies can do with users' personal data, a requirement that tech firms store certain sensitive data about Indians only within the country, and restrictions on the ability of foreign-owned e-commerce companies to undercut local businesses on price. Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, commented on the story, saying, "India is currently the most important country in term of defining the future of Internet policy. It sits at the fulcrum between the United States and China. As it goes, so goes the world."
In the 1960's, IBM chose to leave the market in India because of how the government tried to force them to do business.
"For some Indian political leaders, it is as if their nation -- which was ruled by Britain for a century until 1947 -- is being conquered by colonial powers all over again. And they are determined to stop it."
How about this: we will keep our tech sites (and our technology) and you can keep your H-1Bs. Sound fair?
Globalization is a two-way street, bitches.
> it is as if their nation --which was ruled by Britain for a century until 1947 -- is being conquered by colonial powers all over again.
How can they dream to be different from almost all other countries?
If you skip the self colonized USA and Cina, everyone else is colonized by the tech giants.
Can they afford the difference?
Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
I mean, maybe there's a smidge of a thing somwhere in here...but let's be real: it's not like India is incapable of rolling their own alternatives. In aggregate, they've got enough programming talent, and it's not like WhatsApp is some unicorn of an app that has impossible-to-replicate requirements. If India wanted to make a legit alternative to Android, WhatsApp, and Youtube, they are not lacking in the human or technical resources to do it within a very short period of time. It might take a little bit for the network effect to kick in, but if North Korea can roll their own Linux distro, it is well within the realm of India to provide competitive applications.
"Indians use these services, but profits from these services go overseas. And I just happen to have some wealthy local friends who would like a slice of this pie. And, being a politician, I am playing a patriotism card for them, to pave the way for the popular movement to support local product-to-be."
Nothing wrong or even unusual about it though; it's about as ethical (or unethical, depending on one's PoV) as the "eat locally grown food" slogan. In theory, if they are capable of creating an alternative to (at least some subset of) Google services, some new competition is always good for the market and so good for everyone. But what usually happens is they start applying external pressure by putting services in unequal conditions by subsidizing locals or even doing darker things like throttling traffic at state level or limiting their capability to earn revenue through regulatory measures. Eh, I'm not a globalization fan either, so whatever.
So San Francisco without the expensive real estate and drugs.
If you don't want to buy from abroad, it's time to make your own.
But when I look at the quality we usually get from our outsourced "partners"... I have a hunch I know why you don't.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Because it's a better product. The whole reason Google is considering adapting to Chinese censorship is because they know that they have the best product but can't "sell it" without Chinese government approval. The real problem is that Google would be relieving social pressure on the Chinese government to change its information policies.
Think globally but act within local variable scope.
Begun, the trade wars has. -Yoda
It has been going a lot longer than this with India. India has had a very protectionist economy for decades; it's probably one of the main reasons why China became an economic powerhouse- and India is growing much slower, despite being on better terms with most of the developed nations of the world than China.
India doesn't like foreign companies operating on their seas- they used to keep out grocery stores, department stores from over seas- now they are pushing against IT. I understand why they're doing it, and the history there... but it's shooting themselves in the foot. Once they stop being a protectionist state, they could start to rise in power and eventually challenge the US and China.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
8 out of 10 dentists agree that they are glad they weren't the other two dentists.
Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
India, a nation of street shitters [planetcustodian.com].
Kinda like San Francisco is becoming?
Ken