• deHaga@feddit.uk
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    10
    ·
    2 days ago

    I don’t think governments should be in charge of deciding what’s innovative

    • Croquette@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 days ago

      History has shown us again and again that corporations can’t behave decently if let to their own device.

      I would much rather have the government stiffle innovation if that means that consumer are safe and benefit from said innovation.

      • deHaga@feddit.uk
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 days ago

        I’m not saying don’t regulate.

        I would much rather have the government stiffle innovation if that means that consumer are safe and benefit from said innovation.

        How can they benefit from innovation that has been stifled?

        • masterspace@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          13 hours ago

          How can they benefit from innovation that has been stifled?

          a) how are you measuring “innovation”?

          b) how are you measuring the “benefit”, and for who?

          Regulations and standardization can hold back an existing company from trying a new idea, however, they are also the only thing that creates true, lasting, interoperability, and interoperability is what let’s new companies enter markets.

          i.e. Theoretically, Apple may be held back if they want to innovate their charging port because they have to make it compatible with USB-C.

          However, now new companies that aren’t apple that want to innovate on cables and chargers can enter the market, and they’ll benefit from a consistent specified interface and not having to design a million proprietary variants, and they’ll be able to plan their products in a stabler, longer term environment, that will make it easier to attract investment.

          Standards are effectively a government created platform / framework for building and designing new ideas. True innovation often strives when you have some thoughtful constraints that lets everything work together predictably.

          • deHaga@feddit.uk
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            10 hours ago

            how are you measuring “innovation”?

            Patents, breakthroughs. Most happen in US or China.

            No risk, no reward.

        • Croquette@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 day ago

          Stifle wasn’t the right word. Sorry about that, I wrote my comment too fast amd English isn’t my first language.

          Innovation isn’t an all or nothing thing.

          There is a difference between removing all the red tape and saying “fuck it” and making sure that the said innovation isn’t outright dangerous. If we need to take thing slower to make sure that people aren’t killed directly or indirectly, then so be it.

        • Greg Clarke@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          2 days ago

          How can they benefit from innovation that has been stifled?

          If the innovation is a more efficient way to stub your toe

      • deHaga@feddit.uk
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        7
        ·
        2 days ago

        Exactly the sort of thinking that has stagnated Europe in all areas of innovation this century.