Thought experiment: what corporations are more powerful than many countries? Google and Facebook. Tencent, though it could be argued that it's an extension of the Chinese govt. Amazon maybe, though I don't know how much force it can project.
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Replying to @imhinesmi
Corps have soft power, and can embargo places and supply allies. Now I'm curious what vital goods are near-monopolies. It's never anything obvious. There are some drugs that have only one producer due to IP.
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Replying to @molten_steel_
I think Google could easily sway elections or otherwise act as a powerful propaganda tool if they were so inclined. It wouldn't be strong-arming a country to change policies, but it could make citizens more inclined to act or more inclined to support a proposal.
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Replying to @imhinesmi
Thinking about it, Google is in a really weird position - it has more power the bigger the government. Google would have an easier time getting the UN to do something than getting a local government to do something.
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Replying to @molten_steel_
Larger govt governs larger population which is generally worse informed (less direct experience). And to become informed, people turn to... Google. I recall Google being unable to get a permit to build a bridge on their campus, or something similarly asinine.
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Replying to @imhinesmi
But Google definitely influences larger-scale elections, even if it tries not to. Local elections are more likely to be based on personal, direct experience with issues, so less influence from search.
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Compare how CNN can direct the Presidential election but not the school board election.
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