Microsoft stashes nearly half a billion in case LinkedIn data drama hits Microsoft has warned investors about a "non-public" draft decision by Irish regulators against LinkedIn for allegedly dodgy ad data practices, explaining it had set aside some cash to pay off any potential fine. How much? Oh, a mere $425 million. Pocket change really. The software giant said the funds were connected to a 2018 …
Sod the execs, they get paid danger money to do whatever the board says, criminal or not. But if we fined the board of investors, that would make them quake in their boots.
Same goes for the dodgy utility companies. Fine the investors by confiscating a portion of their shares. Only stop when they clean up their act or have been fined so heavily that they are in majority public ownership. (and thereby can be forced to clean up their act)
It's the #1 recruitment platform. They bought influence and control over who gets a good job and who doesn't. I've never heard of a job above a certain level (ie upper manglement) where LinkedIn isn't a requirement. It's "facebook" for corporate cultists and people with money. Microsoft get to surveil, model and influence that important portion of society. They get to integrate LinkedIn into Teams to make sure that you are a good corporate cultist and you stay that way. Otherwise it's a black mirror "nosedive" for you.
Ultimately I think Microsoft are trying to build the western "social credit" system before the likes of Google, Facebook or Amazon do it first. (and no, i'm not a crank who says Bill Gates put 5G chips in the covid vaccine, but I do think that sort of nonsense was spread to smear and discredit anyone who dares question the likes of the WEF..) Microsoft have even wormed their way into the justice system with their "Justice Reform Initiative". "Data driven prosecution." Yes, really.
What next? Judgement and sentence by ChatGPT?
Ireland really is a very small country that's risen in profile because its a convenient place to encourage corporate headquarters of multinational companies. Now it seems to have found a new scam, levying huge fines against technology companies. Properly positioned they can sound like "the little people striking back against big, bad, faceless technocorp", enough to fool most people, but to some of us -- no fans of MegaCorp ourselves -- it sounds a lot like extortion. Great for your current account in the short term but long term its likely to be detrimental (like all such situations the people involved see a bottomless pit of money, an endless stream of resources to be tapped....).
"Great for your current account in the short term but long term its likely to be detrimental"
That depends on whether or not Ireland gets greedy about it. As long as it's cheaper overall and th Irish government remembers to kick a little back to the correct people, it won't matter.
And the EU is trying to force Ireland to take EUR13B off Applie.
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2023/0523/1385086-cjeu-to-hear-eu-commission-appeal-of-apple-tax-case/
Ireland is fighting these cases as it wants to be seen to be friendly to big businesses. And the EU wants them to enforce the law (as the EU sees it - Ireland thinks it has the law correct).
For reference, Ireland's tax take last year was EUR82B. These fines represent a decent-sized chunk of the Irish budget.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
