Big Four - Grilled for ‘Antitrust’

Facebook, Amazon, Google & Apple face tough questions! Take away for India!

I am sure you heard, watched or read about the grilling testimony of the Big Four, namely, Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon in ‘Antitrust’ issues on 29

I will just put forward few excerpts for your reference and links of the sources:

Amazon, meanwhile, faced withering scrutiny over allegations it may have misled the committee. The e-commerce giant previously told lawmakers it 

“What I can tell you is we have a policy against using seller-specific data to aid our private label business,” he said. “But I can’t guarantee you that policy has never been violated.”

Despite scattered outbursts of political theater, the hearing could carry immense weight at a time when Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google have lost support among both political parties — while also facing a slew of investigations around the world. In the United States, the Department of Justice may file an antitrust lawsuit against Google as soon as this summer, 

Cicilline specifically charged Google had “stolen content to build your own business,” citing its practice of culling and displaying information at the top of users’ search results.

In the case of Yelp, though, Cicilline questioned Google’s motives, stressing the search giant had stolen its restaurant reviews and threatened to “delist” the site when it complained. Cicilline also accused Google of monitoring web traffic to “identify competitive threats.”

Source:  

Other Links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/technology/amazon-apple-facebook-google-antitrust-hearing.html

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/07/28/alphabet-amazon-apple-and-facebook-face-an-antitrust-grilling

In a nutshell, the powerful technology companies were accused of stealing data, bias against other sellers Vs their own brands/sellers, copying other apps to suit their needs, buying into market dominating players to create monopolies, selling counterfeit and stolen good on their platform, among various other allegations. If you watch the proceedings, they will seem true with the tech honchos have limited answers with Jeff Bezos totally seeming disoriented!

But the significant part to understand came at the end with the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Cicilline saying: “the investigation has made one fact clear to me; these companies existing have monopoly power. Some need to be broken up or need to be properly regulated and held accountable. We need to ensure that antirust policy first word written a century ago work in the digital age. When these laws were written, monopolists were Rockefeller which controlled the market place and allowed them to do whatever to crush independent businesses and stand around power. The names have changed, the stories are same. Today the name are Zuckerberg, Cook, Pichai and Bezos.  Once again their control of the market allows them to do whatever it takes to crush the independent business and expand their own power. THIS MUST END! This Subcommittee will next publish a report, findings of our investigation and propose solutions to problem before us. A great American Supreme Court Justice once said, “We must make our choice, we may have Democracy or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of few, but we can’t have both.”

The above arguments tell us that now the United States have started noticing the incredible power of monopolies and the jobs they are costing causing widespread distress. ‘Retail Apocalypse’ is a reality that has happened in the United States causing thousands of stores to close down costing millions of jobs and turn malls into ghost buildings. We are bracing for that in India!

Let’s do an exercise in our city. Let’s go to shop at Brick & Mortar stores, our usual markets we used to throng (with face mask and social distancing of course). It will be disheartening to see how shop owners will ask you to come in their shops and buy something. Their employees will look at you in anticipation that you will buy something so they will get their salaries. THIS IS REALITY!

We have to ask our Government:

• Isn't India going the same way creating monopolies?
• Are we not supporting the Big Four's Monopolistic practices while creating another like Reliance?
• Do they think concentration of wealth is good for a country?
• The present E-Commerce is taking lakhs of jobs everyday and we can't do anything about it?
• Amazon, Walmart, Venture Capital firms are bringing in millions of dollars not to create any infrastructure except few fulfillment centers, but to kill our small businesses.I
• Infrastructure is essential in manufacturing; our retail was always very strong.
• Small businesses are extremely essential to ensure monopoly does not exist and is our Government determined to kill them to benefit a few?
• Our Government seems to be against small businesses and favor the corporate. Do you think that corporate is best for our country?
• The US had 25% small businesses and India has 90%, do they understand the impact it will cause in our country?
• Should we commit the same mistakes the West has by blindly supporting these companies?
• Under the garb of technology, these companies are indulging in world domination and are we so blind to support it, hampering our own growth and kill our people.
• They say to help small businesses, artisans etc but that is just a lie. Why can't our Government ask them for this data?
• When our PM talk so fondly about technology, does he believe it has answers to all problems without creating a bigger problem?
• What is the pressure that our Government cannot control them and work for our countrymen and women?
• FDI is only a fraction of the losses they are incurring in our country.
• World’s biggest companies are accused of stealing data. You think they are not doing it in India? 
• Are we, the consumers so dependent on E-Commerce because of convenience and discounts that we will not support our small businesses?
• Do we realize that if our neighbor is getting killed, we are next!

The MONOPLOIES only work for A FEW! Rest will be left to flounder!

 

A soldier behind enemy lines

I went with my men, to fight for my motherland, 

I realized some moments later, that I was left all alone, 

To fight a lone battle behind enemy lines, 

Alone vs many, was a one-way contest. 

I have the option to run back, 

Back from the battle, back to my country, 

But only to be called a coward, only to live with that label forever. 

So what, I thought, at least I will be there to take care of my family, 

My parents, my wife, and children, 

But, can they live with my tag of a coward, I thought. 

Forget it, at least I will live with them,

At least I can take care of them, 

Without me, there’s nobody to look after. 

In my dilemma, I kept thinking, 

Not having much time to decide, 

Standing there with arms in my hand, 

Contemplating my last move, 

Last move which will decide me, my fate, my name, my intent, and my destiny. 

Then finally, I decide, 

I will fight, till the end, 

Coz I can't go back, 

can't go back on my conscious, 

My family will take care of themselves, somehow, 

My life may be worthless right now, 

But I can't go back, 

Will give it up for my self-respect, 

And I embrace, martyrdom, so to say! 

We, the Humans!

A day in future life,
when phones and Internet wont work,
electricity wont be with us,
no fuel for cars and no trains to travel,
balance in bank and money in hand,
will be just a number and paper,
generations will be inept because libraries and google wont exist.

There'll be no plants to give us air,
no animals to provide food,
bees wont exist to pollen flowers and squirrels to spread seeds.
No planet to call our own,
only polluted source of water,
and no Amazon to order.
Diamonds will finally be where they should've always,
only to be valued as just another rock,
no new clothes for fashion show offs.
Damages nature won't support,
and we'll look at our past
When issues were trivial.

That will be the end of us, the human race,
the most intelligent species of the solar system,
only few insatiable greedy men to blame,
but we made a lot of progress in few hundred years and made a lot of name.

We'll wait for a new dawn,
to rise again from the ashes,
we will move to start a primitive life,
only to destroy ourselves again and again.
Because essentially that’s who we are,
We are Human 

Cashless India - A scam or step toward Future!

A lot of talk regarding that is the move to go cashless is scam? 

What's App flooded by various forwards, former FM Chidambram calling it a scam too. 

Let's try to understand what it entails: 

1. Cashless transactions not only includes the mobile wallets and card payments. It also includes other modes like IMPS, NEFT and the recently launched UPI and NUUP. This way you will not pay any commission on transaction. I agree that these ways are new and not very popular but in time they will get popular. 

2. Like the Govt has reduced transaction fees on card currently till 31 Dec 2016, you can expect similar measures in next calendar year also, thus reducing the commission out of the merchant's pocket. 

3. You can even expect Govt to reduce commission when transacting from the wallets but we will have to have patience for that.

 

4. What Modi Govt is trying to do? You can get an idea from the website below. If this scenario comes true which I think it will, (otherwise such a drastic step of Demonitization would not have been taken) everyone one in the country will have a very good life and won't have to worry about taxes and departments. 

http://arthakranti.org/proposal/proposal-benefits

5. Cashless transactions will benefit the corporates which have invested in them but will also solve problems for general public. 

Eg. Two decades back when mobile phones where launched, Airtel and Essar were given the licences. It made huge benefits for these companies but resulted in convenience for the general public also. If you are told to live without the mobile phone, I'm sure it will be unthinkable. 

6. Modi govt is trying for a scenario where only 2 taxes will prevail and you'll be saved of harassment of filing too many returns and harrasment from the departments as well. 

7. This most important factor in cashless economy: I think that 'Cash' and not money is the root cause of all problems. If we eradicate cash from the society it will have a ripple effect benefits like decrease in crime rate, virtually end of corruption and malpractices, less instances of terrorism, no selling of drugs, no money being spent on liquor and chicken during elections, just to name a few.

I urge you to understand that it's not a scam but a move towards future. And we should always gather pro and cons of a move and analyse it over a period of time. A month isn't long enough to judge it. Kindly have patience for 6 months and you'll see a whole road map in front of you.

Currency 500-1000 are paper!

At 8.30 PM on 8th November 2016,        PM Modi banned old 500-1000 currency notes to be replaced by new 500-2000 notes a day later. Of course we all know the features of the scheme but I'll try to jot down a few pros-cons and what to expect in future.

Pros 

1. Black money specially from the UPA time lying with politicians and their pawns will have to come in mainstream banking or else it will be useless. 

2. This will sky rocket the money in circulation in our country. We may also know our real GDP on 31st March 2017.

3. Terrorism will take a major hit as it's funded by cash from across the border. 

4. New currency notes should be having more features to terminate or at least make it difficult to counterfeit. 

5. Citizens will be encouraged to use more from bank accounts rather than cash. 

Cons 

1. Minor trouble to law abiding citizens for a few days as they'll have to encounter problems and long queues at banks and other institutions.

2. Trouble at retail to shop as confusion is bound to persist on the acceptance of old notes till new ones arrive. 

3. Policy does not clearly states as to what a vendor will do on 9th November when new currency is unavailable and old one is invalid because not all own plastic money. 

4. Small and fairly uneducated poor class might be hit with their small savings. Not having enough knowledge, few people will take advantage of them and return less on their currency. 

5. Liquidity issues to remain with people dealing more in cash as withdrawal will be limited. 

6. The already under stress real estate market will take a strong hit. It might take 2-3 years to come to the current level. 

 

Future expectation 

1. ₹2000 denomination may be only for interim period of few months to reduce the stress on changing notes. They may be discontinued in relatively near future. This will discourage and make it difficult to hoard black money.

2. PM Modi has achieved an unprecedented unpredictability. This will go a long way in his fight against corruption and black money. 

3. Expect that in future similar announcements can be made in making a higher denomination defunct, encouraging not to hold and try to amass black money. Eg. He may announce a year later that ₹2000 currency notes will not be valid from a certain date and later for other denominations. 

4. People may have trouble explaining the source of funds deposited in their accounts in this period. 

I think it's a master stroke from the government and it will prove a shot in the arm for our economy. However I don't see this stopping here and we might in few years come to a point where everyone will be forced to use plastic or virtual money for all our transactions. This will not only result in growth but also massively reduce corruption. 

Is Gandhi still the Father of our Nation?

Indian Army conducts surgical strikes in POK and the nation rejoices. 

Whatever our age might be, we all know Gandhi Ji as our Father of the Nation, because of whom we got our Independence from the British Rule. A lot of us might disagree with it, whereas for some, it’s a fact like the leaves are green.

But isn't it time we asked ourselves that do we actually agree with his philosophy of non-violence? 

So let's start by knowing about his philosophy. I've not done a thesis on it, but what I've gathered over the years through textbooks and hearing about it, is that it forbids every type of violence, even for self defense. This, we gather by the famous dialogue: "If someone slaps you on one side of your face, turn the other one to him."

So, do we agree with it? And if not, why do we still think of him as our Father?

Whether we agree or not can be judged by our reactions when we heard of the surgical strikes. If you felt proud and vindicated that it was just a retaliation for our martyred soldiers in Uri, then you are really not a Gandhian follower. Conversely, if you condemn the action India took, well then, you are a Gandhian. 

So we are standing at a crossroads, where we need to ponder over the following questions. That if we don't believe in the philosophy and ideology of 'Mahatama' Gandhi, do we still need him to be our Father of the Nation? Do we still need to celebrate his birthday as a national holiday? Should we follow someone who advocated non-violence and not putting up fight, lest it be potentially violent, even in the face of a threat to our life or our nation?

Having said that I do think that non-violence should be followed to a large extent but even our law clearly states that everyone has the right to self defense when we fear for our lives. 

Of course, Gandhi had opinions other than this, but he is world renowned for 'Ahimsa'. But I believe that even his ardent followers would react differently if their own child or parent is threatened.

 

Gandhigiri in daily life..

Made famous by the movie 'Lago Raho Munna Bhai' the word Gandhigiri has become a synonym with a non-violent protest. It did garner some results and was widely applauded all over the world as a re-generated philosophy, which could be practiced to solve world problems. But, except for a few isolated incidents, it failed to live up to its initial furore. And, do we think that Gandhigiri can work with fanatic terrorists and hardened criminals? 

So when surely it will not work with them and hardly with others, do we need this thought process? Is it something that can be remotely practical or just a political diplomacy? 

Again, I'm not advocating violence, only advocating against non-violence for self defense. 

 

11 reasons for an Aam Aadmi Avalanche!

AAP avalanche has taken the Delhi elections! A storm which was never expected for a man opposite the PM.  It’s quite a phenomenal victory with nearly all seats with the AAP and let’s try to analyze the possible reasons for this outcome:

1.DELAY IN DELHI ELECTIONS – Delhi assembly was dissolved early in 2014 and the Lok Sabha results came in May 2014 with BJP taking the Center. Modi Government probably left it too late for the Delhi Elections to be held in Feb 2015, giving AAP ample time to strengthen its base on the grass root level and for Arvind Kejriwal to go to every nook and corner to apologize for leaving the Govt. in 49 days.

 

2.PROMISE OF HALF RATE ELECTRICITY AND FREE WATER – Populist measures do pay off and in this case also it paid huge rewards being one of the major, if not the main factor for AAP victory.  The increasing middle and low sections of the Delhi urban populations who are already very tired of the increasing electricity tariffs and non availability of clean drinking water are fed up of not getting basic needs of life and saw a glimmer of hope in AAP.

 

 

 

3.FEAR OF A HUNG ASEEMBLY - This probably is the biggest factor of all. There was a persistent fear among the Delhi voter of a re-hung assembly and again having no Government for another year. You can see in the above figures that BJP vote share has not decreased a lot, from 33.1 to 32.2 but AAP’s vote share has increased from 29.5 to 54.3 prompting a 24.8% increase from last time, majorly from Congress’s share which dropped from 24.6 to 9.7, a 15% decrease. Congress on the other hand had conceded defeat even before the campaigning started, not wasting any money and effort in wooing the voters. The Others Category also reduced drastically seeing a downfall from 12.9 to 3.8, a 9.1% decrease.

 

4.

4.CORRUPTION IN 49 DAYS – If you talk to traders, they will tell you that in 49 days of AAP rule there was some effect on corruption.  Not necessarily that they didn’t pay bribes but the Govt. officers were scared to take it and took it later at their home or other places. This of course give hopes to people for a better future.

 

5.IMMEDIATE ACTION EXPECTED FROM KEJRIWAL - Like last year’s 49 day stint, Kejriwal is expected to take decisions and solve the problems in a day, like giving subsidy in water and electricity draining the public exchequer. It really doesn’t matter in short run to an average Delhi voter that how is it done, and this definitely works in his favor. On the other hand, BJP is not expected to take drastic steps like these.

 

6.WALKING TO ROOTS OF THE CITY - AAP candidates were seen walking through the dense clusters of the Capital talking and interacting with the voters unlike the BJP ones who were primarily taking out rallies in cars, probably trying to replicate what Modi did in Varanasi.

 

7.MODI IS PM, WILL NOT BE THE CM – The biggest trump card of BJP is Narendra Modi and in this election, everyone knew that he is the PM and will not become the CM so why not vote for an alternative which seems and promises to be cleaner and more efficient. This luxury was not enjoyed by the people of other states like Maharashtra and Haryana who instead voted BJP into power after being absolutely stunned by the corruption and arrogance of Congress for years.

8.KIRAN BEDI AS CM - A gamble which was meant to probably kill AAP and get BJP into absolute majority did not pay off. Two reasons for this, one, Kiran Bedi not being a politician was not very diplomatic and impressive in her interactions with the media and public and comparisons with Modi would have definitely come in. Second is that there must be a widespread discontent among the foot soldiers of the party for their candidates given a nudge and an outsider given the probable plum post. The trios ofJagdish Mukhi, Harsh Vardhan and Satish Upadhyay have a lot of following in the party who probably  did not work that efficiently.

 

9.VIP CULTURE – An average Delhite, who does not even give an Ambulance its right of way, a very common, irritating and annoying sight is to find flashy cars with political party flags on them honking at their tail and trying to overtake with a sense that the city belongs to them.  This is with every party, let it be BJP, Congress or other except AAP, because of obvious reason of not being in power and projecting that they will never do it. Any one will love to get rid of these antics and may be quite a few voted for AAP because of this reason.

 

10.VOTER DEMOGRAPHIC OF DELHI – Being primarily an urban state, Delhi voter demographic is not identical to other states in which caste and religion plays an important role. This also worked in favor of AAP as BJP which can be good in this, did not have an effect in this aspect.

 

 

 

11.SOCIAL MARKETING – It has become the major medium of communication and marketing of everything, let alone politics. There was an active negative campaign regarding BJP like above comparing Arvind Kejriwal toNayak’s Anil Kapoor and Modi to Ambrish Puri and with sarcastic forwards like “ Development can come anytime, it’s been 9 months for the Modi Govt ”. Not sure though what the people expects in 9 months which hasn’t been done or is on track.

 

Expectations from AAP

The onus on AAP and Arvind Kejriwal is huge like it was and is on Narendra Modi in terms of the country. He probably will find it difficult on fulfilling the populist measures like half rate electricity if it is by giving subsidies. His immaturity did show in his last stint of 49 days by things like holding Jan Sabha’s at the secretariat without proper lines and procedure which had to then be called off.  He has to be more careful in giving irresponsible statements which he is very popular for, the latest being that “the EVM machines will be tampered to favor BJP”. It would be very interesting to hear his reply after the results though.

Long Live Democracy!