Amazon-like megacorps dominating various online sectors could become norm for pandemic-stricken planet

Shifts in consumer behaviour could see a handful of companies come to dominate the online food, education and leisure industries, as Amazon has in e-commerce, according to research. A study [PDF] by the UK's Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) suggests that the "winner takes most" dynamic that gives the …

[Anonymous Coward]

Just as the Feds started to move on Amazon, Google, FB and Apple over antitrust.

The House of Representatives released a roughly 450-page report on the findings of their investigation of these companies, and there is some conjecture that we will now start to see things like:

1) FB spinning off Instagram and WhatsApp to create more social media competition

2) Google making some concessions on search

3) Apple relaxing its Apple Store monopoly (Just as it seems that Google wants to move to the Apple 30% "house rake" model)

4) Amazon making concessions to third-party resellers who use the Amazon platform.

I'll believe it when I see it, but the report is out there, so you might actually see something done to reduce these firm's monopoly power in specific areas.

[diodesign]

"the report is out there"

Yes, we wrote about it and linked to the report PDF right here.

C.

[DS999]

Re: Just as the Feds started to move on Amazon, Google, FB and Apple over antitrust.

If they try it, it will be tied up in court for years, so I wouldn't look for any quick action on any of this.

[RLWatkins]

No, they don't.

They don't "work better" during a pandemic, or under any other circumstances, unless one's definition of "better" means suppressing competition.

[JakeMS]

Re: No, they don't.

From a business perspective, when your competition is suppressed or weaker than you in anyway.. that's always a good thing as it brings more sales to you.

No so good for customer choice however...

[Chris G]

Re: No, they don't.

So these companies will regard the end of the pandemic as bad for business.

Does that mean they will push the anti-vaxxer narrative or will they look for other ways to encourage us all to continue social distancing.

Even if the vaccines don't work, the pandemic is not going to last forever.

I don't relish a world run by a few online companies like Amazon, FB, Uber and Sainsbury's online, none of them are particularly sociable and the more of a monopoly they are, the less sociable they become

[codejunky]

And?

The government cannot create jobs but they can take them away. and with a massive lock down in many countries imposed by governments (good or bad) results in this.

[Anonymous Coward]

Cyberpunk becoming a reality

In most cyberpunk literature and films the world is controlled by mega corporations, and governments are reduced to shadows of their former selves with little real power.

Just re-reading Snow Crash where even the mafia is a franchise operation and of course William Gibson's books where shadowy mega corporations have the real power, the same in films like Blade Runner and Demolition Man.

Looks like this is on the way to becoming a reality.

Hope we don't go the Demolition Man route, don't fancy every restaurant being a Taco Bell, and the verbal abuse fines would bankrupt me in a week!

[Arthur the cat]

Re: Cyberpunk becoming a reality

Hope we don't go the Demolition Man route, don't fancy every restaurant being a Taco Bell, and the verbal abuse fines would bankrupt me in a week!

And what do you do with the seashells?