The potential for abuse is real. As more people access information online through mobile devices, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that the data they rely on is accurate and unbiased. This can be difficult when technology giants like Google and Facebook control so much of what we see, hear, read, and do online. While there are some efforts being made to break up these companies' monopolies, such as antitrust laws and privacy regulations, more needs to be done to protect consumers from being locked into one company's ecosystem. Here are five ways that global digital infrastructures could avoid monopolization:
1. Open source software: By making software open source, anyone can access it freely without paying royalties or licensing fees. This allows developers around the world to create new applications based on this codebase, which increases competition and prevents any single company from dominating the market.
2. Decentralized storage: When data is stored across multiple servers instead of just one central server owned by a single entity, it becomes harder for hackers to steal or delete all copies simultaneously.
If one server fails due to natural disaster or technical malfunction, other servers will still have a backup copy available until repairs can be made.
3. Encryption: Keeping data encrypted prevents unauthorized parties from accessing sensitive information even if they gain physical access to the hardware where it's stored. Many governments are now requiring encryption standards in order for businesses to operate within their borders; however, it remains unclear whether they will follow through with enforcement measures should companies fail to comply.
4. Blockchain technology: Implementing blockchain technology allows transactions between users to be recorded securely and permanently across many nodes rather than relying on a single database managed by a single authority figure (such as a bank). This makes it much more difficult for someone to manipulate records or commit fraud because there would always be multiple witnesses who could verify what happened at each step along the way.
5. Competition policies: Governments must take steps to promote healthy competition among tech giants by preventing them from buying up smaller companies that may pose threats down the road.
They need to ensure that laws do not favor certain business models over others - such as how Net Neutrality laws currently favor larger corporations over startups when it comes to providing internet access - so that no one company has an unfair advantage over its competitors.
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What mechanisms can prevent the monopolization of global digital infrastructures?
The mechanisms that can prevent the monopolization of global digital infrastructure include promoting competition among companies, fostering innovation, encouraging open-source software development, creating policies for data privacy protection, and ensuring fair market practices.