There's also a broader issue for our societies, of whether we think it's right for companies like Google and others to have such control over the success or failure of other companies, and be free to use that power in any way they like, if we don't, then we may find that we need regulation, to make sure that these platforms use their power in a way that's fair and doesn't discriminate.

Margrethe Vestager

Categorized in : Technology

I get all my U.S. politics from 'The Daily Show.'

Margrethe Vestager

show daily get politics

What I have come to realize over the twenty years when I have worked in different roles as a legislator is that no legislation is as good as the enforcement of it.

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realize over good different

I do not have an issue with specific countries or companies; what I'm interested in are schemes which allow for preferential treatment, for selectivity... If this has to change, it's countries that will have to change this.

Margrethe Vestager

interested which will change

Being a politician, I know how motivating it can be when the public is outraged.

Margrethe Vestager

how being know politician

It's my impression that investment in Europe is done for the right reasons. Europe is a very good place to do business; it's a large market.

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place good done business

I think a lot can be said for consolidation, but I think it should be done for the right reasons.

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right think done said

I think it is one of the fundamentals, not only of the European Union but also of free trade, that competition is fair.

Margrethe Vestager

free think european-union competition

When we do merger rulings, we have strict deadlines: 25 days. It is extremely intensive, and you must decide how you can do it before your spouse says, 'You know I still love you, but please spend some more time at home.'

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you home time love

My parents didn't do office hours, and they did not do vacations, so if you had a problem, you could always come around. I watched them and thought, 'OK, this is what you are supposed to do.' I was very engaged in my local primary school and when I went to secondary school and to university. And one thing led to another, and here I am.

Margrethe Vestager

i-am parents you school

History shows the power-grab in every religion once it gets organised. And then it's people making you do things that you don't agree with and setting the rules. But it does mean something to me to believe that we are not alone - the human animal is quite a scary thing, left on its own.

Margrethe Vestager

alone me you history

On Amazon, you find retailers that want Amazon to do part of their services. Those, you don't find to the same degree on Google Shopping. On Google Shopping, you find sort of the bigger brands, those who want to have the customer relationship themselves - the data, the payment details, the search patterns.

Margrethe Vestager

search you shopping relationship

Part of being not only a liberal but also a human is to make your own decisions.

Margrethe Vestager

decisions your own being

Technology is, in many respects, an enabler for an open, transparent society. But it's also an enabler for supervision to a completely unforeseen degree. And for commercialising personal space to an unforeseen degree.

Margrethe Vestager

personal society technology space

I know what I need. I don't want people to tell me what I need.

Margrethe Vestager

know me want people

Dominant companies can't abuse their position to create advantage in related markets.

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create advantage abuse position

We want a free market, but we know that the paradox of a 'free' market is that sometimes you have to intervene. You have to make sure it's not the law of the jungle but the laws of democracy that works.

Margrethe Vestager

you democracy law sometimes

We have to take our democracy back. We cannot leave it to Facebook or Snapchat or anyone else. We have to take democracy back and renew it. Society is about people and not about technology.

Margrethe Vestager

democracy society technology people

If you're successful in the market, it should be because you have the best products. Then your customers like you, not because then you cut corners, or you get a tax break, or you don't inform authorities about how things actually are.

Margrethe Vestager

your best things you

Competition is one of the most important drivers of innovation because you have to stay in the race. You have to think of something new, and if you don't, well, of course you should leave the market.

Margrethe Vestager

think you innovation competition