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Cywest Thoughts in the Clouds for Thursday, 8-3-2023: The relationship between governments and big tech companies, such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and others, has been a complex and evolving one. Most of the stories we read about tend to talk about what this could mean to the individual, but what about corporations and business information? Here are some ways in which collusion between Big Tech and governments is happing now: Part 4 of 5: Revolving door between government and tech companies The revolving door between government and tech companies refers to the movement of personnel between positions in government and roles within big tech companies. This phenomenon has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and the blurring of lines between public service and private interests. High-ranking government officials, policymakers, and regulators may leave their public service positions and take up lucrative roles in big tech companies. These positions often include executive roles, advisory positions, or jobs in public policy and government relations.  The revolving door provides tech companies with access to individuals who have insider knowledge of how government policies and regulatory frameworks work. This knowledge can be leveraged to navigate legal and regulatory challenges more effectively or to influence government decision-making. Former government officials joining tech companies may use their connections and influence to advocate for the interests of their new employers. They can engage in lobbying efforts or shape the company's policy positions to align with their understanding of government priorities. This raises concerns about regulatory capture, where the interests of big tech companies may unduly influence the government agencies responsible for regulating them. This can lead to regulatory agencies being more sympathetic to the industry's concerns rather than prioritizing the public interest. Furthermore, officials may be more inclined to make decisions that benefit potential future employers, creating doubts about their impartiality during their time in public service. Hiring former government officials can enhance a tech company's reputation and prestige, especially if the individual held high-ranking positions or was involved in influential policy-making roles. There’s a touch of irony here since, rather than serving market interests, such moves stifle competition and force customers to accept the dictates of their cloud or tech vendors. In any legitimate free market system, it is the market that should dictate vendor behavior. Stay tuned… If you would like to see more content like this, please opt-in to our email newsletter at, https://lnkd.in/g5erriuQ Yours Truly, The Team at Cywest Communications #cloud #machinelearning #security #data #growth #business #legal #legalfirms #vmware

Cywest Thoughts in the Clouds for Tuesday, 8-1-2023: The relationship between governments and big tech companies, such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and others, has been a complex and evolving one. Most of the stories we read about tend to talk about what this could mean to the individual, but what about corporations and business information? Here are some ways in which collusion between Big Tech and governments is happing now: Part 2 of 5: Influence over content moderation: Influence over content moderation refers to the potential collaboration or pressure from governments on big tech companies to control or censor the content available on their platforms. Some governments may exert pressure on tech companies to moderate content that they consider objectionable, offensive, or politically sensitive. Governments and political groups have accused big tech companies of having inherent biases in their content moderation decisions. Critics claim that certain platforms may suppress or remove content that aligns with certain political ideologies, leading to accusations of censorship or silencing of dissenting voices. Concerns arise when governments use so-called takedown requests to stifle free speech or suppress political opposition. These actions also raise concerns about freedom of speech and expression. Striking the right balance between restricting harmful content and ensuring free expression is a complex challenge for tech companies, particularly when faced with diverse legal and cultural norms across different countries. Content moderation tends to be viewed from the perspective of an individual’s participation on social networking platforms. However, what if the social networking platform itself is the target? In early 2021 Amazon determined that Parler should be removed from their platform. Rather than allow them to exit gracefully, Amazon shut down Parler and erased all of the social networking platform’s data. What does this say about your business content in general, no matter the vertical? Such behavior has brought allegations that tech companies may selectively enforce their content moderation policies based on the political or economic interests of governments or their own business goals. As governments become increasingly aware of the significant influence big tech companies have over information, they may attempt to shape content moderation practices to align with their political agendas. Balancing these demands with the need to uphold freedom of expression and avoid censorship can be challenging for tech companies, especially when operating in multiple countries with varying legal and cultural landscapes. Stay tuned… If you would like to see more content like this, please opt-in to our email newsletter at, https://lnkd.in/g5erriuQ Yours Truly, The Team at Cywest Communications #cloud #machinelearning #security #data #growth #business #legal #legalfirms #vmware

Ensuring a level playing field for European #CloudServices providers is at the heart of CISPE's mission to drive #Europe towards a forward-looking, fair and globally competitive #DataEconomy. ⚖ Central to this is holding software giants like Microsoft accountable for unfair #SoftwareLicensing practices. We have amassed substantial evidence demonstrating the harm inflicted by Microsoft's anti-competitive behaviour on the European cloud sector 👇 🔍 In October 2021, a study we commissioned from competition expert Professor Frédéric Jenny revealed that #Microsoft hampers the growth of smaller, independent cloud services providers through practices like tying, bundling, and discriminatory pricing. This directs customers towards Microsoft's #AzureCloud infrastructure. 💸 A subsequent study by Professor Jenny in June 2023 discovered that licensing Microsoft’s #SQLServer on an independent cloud service, rather than Azure, incurred an additional cost of €1,010,394,489 to the European economy in 2022. 💰 He further found that running the pervasive #Office365 Suite of productivity tools on non-Microsoft clouds cost an additional €560,000,000 per year – a surcharge, or tax, of 28% just for the pleasure of running software on third-party clouds. 🔐 In January 2024, a Savanta survey for the Computer & Communications Industry Association revealed that Microsoft unfairly offers discounts on Azure to users of its productivity software, effectively locking customers into a Microsoft monoculture and making it difficult for them to switch providers as their needs change. 💶 In March, we published data indicating that despite our members' ability to provide cloud services comparable to #Microsoft's, the tech giant's discriminatory licensing terms effectively priced European competitors out of the market. Members provided evidence of being charged an average of ~18% more to run SQL server on independent clouds versus Azure. With the evidence mounting, we remain resolute in holding Microsoft to account. We urge the European Commission to launch a formal investigation into Microsoft's anti-competitive behaviour. A competitive cloud services market in Europe is essential for realising the EU's digital transformation. 📚 Learn more 👇 ◾New Evidence: Selling Microsoft Software Destroys Profit Margin for Cloud Service Providers in Europe ➡ https://lnkd.in/dZr4Td8n ◾ Yet More Evidence of Microsoft’s Discriminatory Prices in Europe ➡ https://lnkd.in/dpti-wZN ◾ The Billion Euro Unfair Software Licence Tax on EU Customers ➡ https://lnkd.in/eRG-sBrK #EU #Competition EU Competition Policy

Digital Iceland: How central governments can transform public services The Icelandic government started with a clear aim: to create a unified platform where all government services could be accessed digitally. Since the launch of the website and app island.is, 90% of people expecting a baby now apply digitally for parental leave. Learn how government leaders created Digital Iceland and how set the timeline for transformation. Hear the principles behind their success, and why they chose to use the cloud and to work with private partners to accelerate transformation. https://lnkd.in/ddt26qfP Learn more at https://go.aws/3LjOj4N & https://lnkd.in/drmU7t4w

In the evolving tech landscape, fair market competition is not just pivotal but indispensable. Tech giants like #Microsoft are facing antitrust complaints for allegedly favoring their own cloud service, #Azure, over its rivals. Companies like #AWS and #GoogleCloud emphasize this as a competitive disadvantage. This highlights the ever-growing importance of open standards and interoperability in cloud services. As an IT professional, do you ever wonder about the potential barriers for newcomers endeavoring into the tech industry? How can the deck be equalized to navigate these monopolistic tides and ensure a balanced playing field? As a thought leader in this industry, I encourage you to ponder these questions and reflect on your own approach. Let's catalyze a change that fosters fair competition and boosts innovation. #TechIndustry #MarketDominance #FairCompetition

Explore career advice from Google Cloud Director, Jennifer Petoff. In this article she explores two of her favorite things: professional development and photographing doors. #iwd2024 #InternationalWomensDay #WomeninTech #careeradvice #tcs #techcommunity #softwaredevelopment #supplychain #manufacturing #healthcare #sustainability #artificialintelligence #indiangovernment #environment #governance #india #mygovindia #wiprocloudstudio #google

I am beyond honoured to announce that BIP xTech has been named ‘2024 Google Cloud Services Partner of the Year’ for Italy for the second year in a row! This significant recognition speaks volumes about our sustained commitment to excellence and the strength of our enduring partnership with Google Cloud. This prestigious award stands as a testament to the indispensable contributions of our esteemed partner, #GoogleCloud, and its exceptional Partner team members: Antonella Bolognesi daryoush goljahani Federico Navarra Luca Belgio and Giulia Cecchetti. Your unwavering support and commitment have been instrumental in our success. As we reflect on this remarkable achievement, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of #innovation and delivering unparalleled value to our clients, as we continue to forge ahead on our journey of growth and success. #GoogleCloudPartnerAwards #TechInnovation #PartnerOfTheYear #DigitalTransformation BIP Google Cloud Partners Federico Niero Martino De Marco Marco Pesarini Mirco Nonnoi

💚 Do better for a better world At Micro Logic, we go beyond the expected. We want to create what will be. We dream bigger, to see better, to go higher, together, always further. We see beyond the data. This means daring to challenge the status quo. Daring to push boundaries and develop solutions that are always more secure, always more flexible and innovative, but also always responsible and sustainable. Daring to do what’s best for everyone, together. And this kind of collaboration starts with a lot of honesty and transparency. Buzzwords, false promises? We don’t do that. What we do is tell things as they are, clear and simple. Because we believe that’s how both our talent and our clients can truly grow and thrive. Through honest collaboration with our peers and our community, and by always holding the independence and expertise of local technological actors close to our hearts, we have managed to climb right next to the giants of this industry. And together with our amazing team of 350 experts, we intend to go even higher. ☁️ Trust the 100% Canadian sovereign cloud. 🔗 Discover our dedicated website: https://bit.ly/4cwXvi5 An ad campaign developed in collaboration with Agence dada. #sovereigncloud #canadiancloud #responsiblecloud #cloud

For the last few months we have been working with Christian Newman to develop an application in App Sheet. The project was really exciting - an app for inspectors to report on care homes conditions. We are happy that we could accompany Christian on this journey and that he could share this development with the world. This tool will make the work of thousands of people easier. Interested in learning more about this project? Leave us your comments! #GoogleCloudNext  #GoogleWorkspace  #automation #Innovation #Entrepreneurship  #Google #appsheet