[salthound]

That's one silly power fantasy.

But what if they really tried to do it? Well, the most likely outcome would be the US government declaring Google a risk to national security, and taking direct control. After all if this could happen to France, it could happen to the US, and governments of sovereign states really really hate non-state competitors that could potentially meddle with the operation of the state.

After that, whatever remains of Google would probably be auctioned off to cover the costs of the backlash (and probable legal action) from Google's corporate clients.

[longstaff2009]

I would call it a thought experiment rather than a power fantasy, but sure.

Would it be a thread to US national security in the same way it could be to France? It might depend how the President at the time is and where their campaign funding came from.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Proves Just How Easily Corporate PAC Money Can Influence Politics

https://www.facebook.com/NowThisPolitics/videos/vb.908009612...

[mruts]

You're saying that Google would be nationalized if they backed out of France? Notwithstanding that it would be illegal, how is choosing which countries to transact business in a breach of national security?

[salthound]

No. What the article details is not an ordinary exit from the French market, but an overnight attempt to pressure France into a change of government, which would involve disabling critical infrastructure and not fulfilling contractual and legal obligations in an attempt to make the French state unable to perform its functions.

And yes, having a company with the power and will to "digitally coup" world powers would be an immediate threat to national security, no question about that.

I don't know where you got the nationalization part from: U.S. courts and law enforcement are perfectly capable of taking temporary control of companies' resources in an effort to stop or prevent criminal activity, and none of that involves nationalizing anything.