Quote:
Originally Posted by Sil_liS
I agree that choices are good, but you need government regulations in order to maintain choices. Do you think that companies would have warranties on electronics if they didn't have to?
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If they want repeat business they would.
Well-run companies stand behind their product/service; that is how you earn brand loyalty.
One clear example: a couple years ago there was a debate round these parts on the price of consumer electronics in the US vs Europe and the issue of mandated warranties came up. In the US you could and can buy a $30 DVD player with a 30-day warranty or a $99 name brand model with a year warranty or pay an extra $30 for an extended warranty. With no mandatory warranty, the consumer has a choice. And sometimes a cheap disposable DVD player is all you need, like when you're waiting for BD players to drop in price.
There is no free lunch; protect fools from foolish choices and you deprive somebody who did their homework from the benefits of a fully informed choice.
Everything does not need government action.
Government intervention should come from compelling, broad-based community needs. If somebody is in a trauma center, you treat first and worry about how they got there later; if someone is unemployed and cash strapped through foolish choices you put them on the dole until you teach them to take care of themselves. Those are *serious* community issues.
Somebody worried about their precious privacy over an *optional* commercial install simply does not meet the test of compelling community need required for government action; it sounds more like trying to co-opt government to force personal preference over others' needs.
That is a no-go.