nicuramar t1_j9z0hsm wrote on February 25, 2023 at 4:42 PM

Reply to comment by FreekFrealy in Google making ‘terrible mistake’ in blocking Canadian news: Trudeau by Defiant_Race_7544

> This is a perfect example of politicians legislating on things they clearly don’t understand

Or do understand but don’t agree with you on, is also possible. It can sometimes be easy to confuse those two.

FreekFrealy t1_j9zhqu7 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 6:35 PM

If he understood it he wouldn't have been surprised by the result.

nicuramar t1_j9zyj36 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 8:27 PM

That’s just a polemic remark, as I read it. You’re assuming too much.

FreekFrealy t1_j9zzb0p wrote on February 25, 2023 at 8:33 PM

Did he or did he not understand when crafting this legislation that Google would never agree to pay to list a site and as a result would de list sites subject to this legislation?

And I'm assuming too much by taking him at his word that he didn't understand this would happen?

nicuramar t1_j9zznrs wrote on February 25, 2023 at 8:35 PM

> Did he or did he not understand when crafting this legislation that Google would never agree to pay to list a site and as a result would de list sites subject to this legislation?

I’m sure he had considered that possibility. But when communicating politically, things tend to get angled a bit.

> And I’m assuming too much by taking him at his word that he didn’t understand this would happen?

Well, it’s politics :p. But I also don’t agree that he couldn’t be surprised even if he understands the issue.

FreekFrealy t1_ja046rq wrote on February 25, 2023 at 9:06 PM

He certainly had access to experts who understood that I have no doubt tried to impress on him the reality of what would happen.

But he saw his problem "Journalists need money" and tried to find a way to treat a foreign company as a cash pinata for that need even though they had neither the justification or even the necessary leverage to do it.

He's a smart guy and definitely had the matter explained to him. Problem is you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. There's another saying that doesn't perfectly apply in this situation but is definitely in the same vein: "Don't bother trying to make a man understand something that his paycheck depends on not understanding".