The news hit this week that Google copped a $425 million fine for collecting user data despite privacy controls being in place. My first reaction? A weary shake of the head and a muttered “here we go again.” The more I read about it, the more frustrated I became - not just with Google, but with our entire approach to holding tech giants accountable.

The discussion threads I’ve been following are filled with the predictable mix of outrage and resignation. Someone pointed out that this fine represents roughly 0.7% of Google’s 2023 profit of $60 billion. To put that in perspective, if you earned $100,000 last year, this would be equivalent to a $700 fine. Would that stop you from doing something lucrative but legally questionable? Probably not.

There’s something oddly satisfying about finding a good bargain, and lately I’ve been getting that little dopamine hit from ordering supplements online from overseas retailers. With deals like 29% off at iHerb, it’s hard to ignore the significant savings compared to what we pay here at home. But this whole experience has got me thinking about more than just my wallet - it’s raised some interesting questions about regulation, consumer choice, and what we’re willing to trade off for a better price.

The news that Doge is reportedly using AI to create a ‘delete list’ of federal regulations has been rattling around in my head for days now. It’s one of those stories that perfectly captures the bizarre intersection of cutting-edge technology and political ideology that seems to define our current moment.

On the surface, there’s something seductive about the idea. Anyone who’s worked in tech knows the frustration of bureaucratic bloat - those endless forms, redundant processes, and regulations that seem to exist purely to justify someone’s job. The promise of AI cutting through decades of accumulated red tape sounds almost utopian. Just feed the machine learning algorithm thousands of regulations, let it identify the redundant ones, and voilà - streamlined government.

A mate dropped a bombshell on me over coffee yesterday that’s been rattling around in my head ever since. Their sibling managed to rack up a $60,000 credit card debt playing Candy Crush. Let that sink in for a moment - sixty thousand dollars on a “free” mobile game.

This isn’t just about someone being financially irresponsible. This is about a system specifically designed to exploit vulnerable people, and it’s working exactly as intended.

As someone who values fair play and consumer rights, I was excited to hear about the recent rule change that makes it easier for people to cancel unwanted subscriptions. It’s a move that’s long overdue, and one that I think will have a significant impact on the way companies operate.

The new rule, which requires subscription providers to inform customers what they’re signing up for, obtain customer consent, and provide clear mechanisms to cancel, is a major step forward for consumer protection. No longer will people have to jump through hoops or deal with endless customer service phone calls just to cancel a subscription they no longer want.