Google's $68M and $425M Payouts: Industry Watches 'Cost of Doing Business' Set a New Low
Google's settlements, totaling reported figures of $68M or $425M, are being discussed in the context of allegations involving user data privacy and surveillance practices.
The immediate focus is the inadequacy of the money. Commenters repeatedly assert the payouts are negligible. Accounts like '474D' state the settlement serves only as a 'minimal operating expense,' implying privacy violations are a standard cost for the company. 'LifeInMultipleChoice' noted the compensation per person is functionally zero given the wide scope of affected users. Meanwhile, some commenters, like 'onlooker,' dismissed the fines as inherently 'pathetic' and lacking any real punitive force.
The weight of opinion settles on the settlements lacking real deterrent power. The consensus view is that the money is too small to challenge Google's massive profits, leading to the perception that the company simply treats regulatory fines as a minor tax on its revenue.
Key Points
The monetary settlements are insufficient deterrents.
Multiple users labeled the fines as 'laughably small' compared to Google's overall earnings.
The settlements reflect corporate acceptance of invasive practices.
'474D' argued the payment structure brands privacy violations as just a 'calculated, minimal operating expense.'
The real fear centers on surveillance capability.
'SaveTheTuaHawk' cited the tangible fear of receiving ads for reagents discussed privately over Zoom, pointing to real-world eavesdropping.
The perceived value of compensation for affected users.
'LifeInMultipleChoice' calculated that when distributed across many users, the payout per person is effectively nothing.
Fines are inadequate compared to total illicit profits.
'Wilco' compared the penalty structure to systemic wage theft, suggesting the fine barely scratches the surface of company earnings.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.