Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Saturday, 17 October 2020

The Hidden Agenda of Tech Giants Gatekeepers

 


Context :

[ A ]  SC Seeks Centre Response On PIL On Age-Based Access Of Social Media, Removal Of Illicit Content

Extract :

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from the Centre on a PIL filed by law students seeking age-based control on access to social media.

The plea filed by law students Skand Bajpai and Abhyudaya Mishra suggested ,

#   Development of profile verification to remove unlawful content from the social media platforms.

#   Framework for removal of illicit content

#   Keeping an effective watch that such content is not uploaded in future.

#   Enact gender-neutral laws

#   Criminalise impersonation

 #  Direction for effective guidelines for verifying the social media accounts


[ B ]  Taming tech giants takes more than fines, ex-EU enforcer says / 14 Oct 2020

 

Extract :

 

Ø  For US tech giants, massive antitrust fines matter less than being ordered to change the way they do business, according to the European Union official who pushed through landmark decisions against Microsoft Corp, Intel Corp and Google.

Ø  Levying such costs isn’t the most important thing regulators can do, said Cecilio Madero Villarejo. “ The number doesn’t matter – what they care about, these companies, is that you declared them as having violated the law- What they hate are “ remedies we impose ”.

Ø  The Paris-based organization is helping to lead negotiations between nearly 140 countries in a bid to finally solve the thorny question of where tax is paid by major digital firms, such as Facebook, and how much.

Ø  European countries want the tech titans to pay their "fair share" of tax in countries where they operate.

Ø  Many EU officials believe they are avoiding paying the right amount. They say levies should be calculated on where the digital activity takes place, and not where firms have their European headquarters.

Ø  But any of its proposals need to be agreed by governments before they can become a reality.

Ø  Slow progress on the international stage has seen some countries opt to go it alone.

 

[ D ] SC notice to Centre, Google, Amazon, FB on plea over protection of UPI transactions  /  HT  15 Oct


Extract :

Ø  A three-judge bench headed by CJI SA Bobde said, “we will issue notice. Here there is apprehension that the entire regime of payments will commence before the entire regulatory framework is put in place.”


[ E ] Digital rights body questions India's move to seek backdoor access to encrypted communication / E Times

 

Extract :

Ø  The UK home department, this Sunday, issued a joint statement signed by governments of Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand and the United States calling on tech companies to work with governments and find solutions to ensure the safety of citizens, without eroding user privacy or cyber security.

             “..end-to-end encryption is implemented in a way that precludes all

              access to content, even to investigate the most serious crimes, including

              terrorism, and child sexual exploitation and abuse,” the document said.

             

[ F ]  Government issues notices to e-commerce firms for not showing mandatory info on products 


Extract :


Ø  The government on Friday issued notices to FlipkartAmazon and other e-commerce companies for not mandatorily displaying information, including country of origin, on products sold on their platforms.


Ø  Apart from Amazon and Flipkart, notices have also been sent to other e-commerce players, sources said


Ø  According to the notices sent to Flipkart India Pvt Ltd and Amazon Development Centre India Pvt Ltd, they are e-commerce entities and therefore, have to ensure that all mandatory declarations should be displayed on the digital and electronic network used for ecommerce transactions.


[ G ]    Digital Giants Don’t Need Your Data To Predict Your Behavior  

 

Extract :

 

Ø  Shopping online. Searching the internet. Posting to social media.


    These ordinary activities allow Amazon, Google, Facebook and other digital

    behemoths to amass unprecedented amounts of people’s data while

    offering them little, if any, compensation in return

      


Ø  By collecting data from every email, purchase, post, or search on their platforms, the tech giants have amassed valuable information about entire groups of people who share similar characteristics, the researchers explained


Ø  A post about, say, the purchase of new fashionable product conveys information that Facebook can use to predict the likelihood that people in the same or similar social networks will buy that product


Ø  Regulators have tried to level the playing field between consumers and big tech companies by attempting to secure consumers’ control over their information. This, they hope, will lead to people being compensated for the data they choose to share


Ø  The big digital firms have near MONOPOLIES on the personal data,” he said. “They profit from gathering massive amounts of data while consumers gain very little from handing over their information. People would experience greater benefits if the companies were in direct competition for the personal data.”


Ø  The researchers suggest the possibility of establishing consumer unions, similar to labor unions, to enhance competition and provide individuals greater bargaining power over how companies use their data. New policy interventions are necessary because the data market will not resolve these problems on its own, Bergemann said


     [  https://cowles.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/pub/d22/d2203-r2.pdf ]


     [ dirk.bergemann@yale.edu  /  bonatti@mit.edu  / tan.gan@yale.edu ]

 

 

Ø  These issues are of urgent societal importance,” he said. “The data market, which lies at the core of the internet economy, will not function efficiently absent policy interventions

         

 

===================================================

MY TAKE :

Ø  Of course, GAFA will fight against imposition of any Tech Tax based on their Revenues (or earnings ? ) , in different countries . But, even if passed by OECD , GAFA CEOs will not lose any sleep

 

Ø  During 2019 , Sales Revenues of GAFA were ;

Google ….$ 160 Billion / Apple….$ 260 Billion / Facebook…. $  $ 70 Billion  /  Amazon …. $ 280 Billion


Will / can, 140 countries agree  How much “ of these REVENUES were earned in “ Which country “ ?


And agree as to “ how much did each company spend in each country and left with how much “ Earnings ( Profit ) “ in each country ?


Possibly, 140 countries will keep fighting for years, to settle this issue !

 

Ø  Which of these companies are “ E Commerce entities “ ? Does a “ traditional / normal “ commerce become “ E Commerce “ , as soon as one of its “ Transaction Process “ gets carried out “ Electronically / Online “ ?

 

Following tabulation list various “Business Structures “ of these companies .

Some of these “ Structures “, require use of Electronic Platforms ( portals / apps etc ) , whereas some require “ Face to Face Interactions “. These structures are NOT same/identical in all countries . Even within a given country, the “ Transaction Processes “are continuously changing , with more and more becoming “ Digital “. No law will / can, stop this march of technology


But one thing is certain.

GAFA are NOT content to just monopolize the world of “ Buyer – Seller “ online digital platforms.


They want to MONOPOLIZE between them, the ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN of World Trade !


They want to become THE GATEKEEPERS between individual buyers and sellers ( domestically ) and between companies ( internationally ) . They want to replace WTO  !

  

From conceptualizing a product or a service, to all the way getting consumers to consume and keep ordering, again and again


They are not content with even leaving those “ Ordering Decisions “ to consumers !


They will ensure that , based on your “ Purchase History “ , your fridge / microwave oven / Alexa / Smart Phone / Smart Watch / Google Mini or even your AR-VR glasses , will decide and automatically ORDER things which GAFA has “ determined “ that you ought to be using / consuming !


Remember Steve Jobs saying : Customers don’t know what they want !


And none of the following will stop them from ruthlessly pursuing their goals of WORLD DOMINATION :


Taxing them / requiring them to make declarations – file affidavits – pull down offensive content / verify profiles of their users / undertake “ self-regulations “ / prevent fake – duplicate accounts / remove fake news – hate speech / promise not to influence public opinion during elections

 

It is high time politicians around the World perceive the TRUE NATURE of these BIG TECH, who will, like a BLACK HOLE , suck up any and all Startups which they believe to be potential competitors .


With their money power – and amenable politicians -  they will ensure that legislation of no country prevents them from becoming such Black Holes

 

Can India lead the World in thwarting the hidden Agenda of Big Tech ? If yes , how ?

Ø   Yes, very much ( if there is a political will )

 

Ø  By enacting a modified DATA PROTECTION LAW which will,

#  Prevent Big Tech to collect / compile “Private / Personal Data “ of 400

    million Indian Users

#  Force Big Tech to “ Buy “ such personal data ( aggregated / anonymized )

    by compensating Data Owners

#  Enable each Indian User to earn Rs 30,000 / month , directly from GAFA ,

    by SELLING their personal data

#  Set up “ Direct Competition “ between Data Buyers to “ buy “ personal data

    of its users ( anonymized )


      #  By implementing :

      SARAL Single Authentic Registration for Anywhere  Login )[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

      Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]…………..... ..[ 14 Feb 2019 ]

 

Dear Shri RaviShankar Prasadji,

India has an opportunity to create a NEW WORLD ORDER, by implementing my suggestion

But that Opportunity Window will not remain open forever !

================================================

Srl No

Business Structures

Google

Apple

Facebook

Amazon

1

 

GEOGRAPHIC   SPREAD

 

*   Across National boundaries ( International

    Trade )

 

*   Across State boundaries      ( within India )

 

*   Across Municipal boundaries   (within a State )

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

SUPPLY- CHAIN   /  INTERMEDIARIES

 

·          Mfr  >  Distributor  >  Dealer  >  Retailer  >  Buyer

 

     *      Mfr  >  Buyer

 

     *      Any disintermediation in the above chain

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

ORDER  PLACEMENT  /  ACCEPTANCE

 

·          In a physical location ( Shop / Store / Office / Factory / Home )

 

     *     In a virtual location   (Web site/Mobile

            App/SMS/ Email / Phone / Video Conference  )

            

 

 

 

 

4

 

DELIVERY

 

·          Physically in a Shop / Store etc where Buyer collects / picks-up from shelf

 

     *      Delivered to Buyer's location, thru Delivery

             person

 

     *      Delivered to Buyer's location, using a Drone

 

     *      Delivered to Buyer on his home-based 3D

             Printing Machine  ( using internet )

 

             

 

 

 

 

5

 

PAYMENT

 

·          Cash against delivery

 

      *     Pre-paid / Post-paid Cheque

 

     *     Credit / Debit Cards across counter

 

     *     Credit / Debit Cards thru online Payment

            Gateways

 

     *     Through Mobile Wallets

 

     *     Electronic Bank Transfer

 

     *     Using Virtual Currency like Bit-Coins

 

     *     Barter of Goods or Services

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

FOREIGN   INVESTMENTS

 

·          FDI in Manufacturing / Supply Chain / Payment Gateways - Apps-  Mobile Wallets 

 

      *     FDI in Web sites like Amazon - Flipkart –

             Alibaba – Snapdeal etc ( What percentage ? )

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Reading :

If Google must pay Publishers, Why not pay Users ?......[ 12 Oct 2020 ]

GAFA ( aka Monopoly V 2.0 ? ) ……………………………………….[ 30 Sept 2020 ]

 A Greed-Ship named Facebook …………………………[ 21 Sept 2020 ]

 Time for the Next Step ……………………………………[ 15 Sept 2020 ]

 Only Answer : a Statutory Warning……………………[ 10 Nov 2018 ]

 

===================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  18 Oct 2020

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