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Comment by azinman2 | Hacker News Reader

In terms of numbers, there aren’t that many SV companies that exploit kids via insecurities and screen addiction. But I don’t doubt their impact.

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The ones that do are so huge that the number of companies doesn't matter. Facebook market cap is 1.5 Trillion and has $150bn of revenue every year. That's more than many countries around the world. (and I am comparing revenues to GDP).

“I don’t doubt the impact”

Sure, but you led with something that implied the opposite. Were I your editor, I'd've struck it.

I don’t think it’s misleading. SV isn’t the sum of Meta, YouTube, and TikTok (which isn’t even SV despite some roles here) - even if those companies impacts are outsized. The article explicits calls out things like AI; Anthropic and OpenAI are nowhere near like those others. And that’s just one category.

I would hope a YCombinator news site of all places would see that.

I am not sure what your subtext here is. Are you saying it doesnt matter as much because there are fewer SV companies?

“But they ended up exactly the same. Helping the worst regimes, all-in in military complex, taking advantage of screen addiction and teen insecurities.”

This implies all. I then said I don’t doubt their impact.

They’re not all like this is my point.

Thank you for clarifying.

My take is that maybe we shouldn't paint all of SV with the same brush. Not every SV company is Philip Morris.

Right, only the ones that touch all of humanity are Philip Morris!

You are right; there are still many good people and companies in Silicon Valley. Unfortunately the Philip Morrises of Silicon Valley have outsized influence since they control major social media platforms, Web infrastructure and standards, advertising networks, cloud computing platforms, and other essential tech infrastructure. Locally, they are also large employers in the Bay Area, and due to the housing crunch it is very difficult for non-“Philip Morris” workers, even in tech, to compete for housing (not every software engineer makes $200k+ in salary and gets RSU grants), which is pushing some of them out the Valley, helping make the Valley even more of a “Philip Morris” shop.

But all of them would kill for Philip Morris levels of product-market fit.

Maybe you shouldn't demonize all of SV, and it's the one working against your self interest?

I admit that's a large ask for a consumer, to keep track of a larger organizations abusing you.

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