They have offices and very probably a legal entity in Nigeria. I'd imagine that if they don't pay up, and as such decide to not follow the country's law, then Nigeria will seize the assets available and issue a ban against WhatsApp and other Meta services.
Nigeria will be the big loser if they ban Meta’s free and widely used services. No tech company could function if every banana republic levies hundreds of millions of fines when they don't even generate that much revenue in those markets.
No, the truth is that the people of Nigeria will be the big winners if Nigeria bans Meta's widely deceptive, manipulative, and harmful amalgamation of spyware, malicious and unethical secret psychological manipulation experiments, and socially destabilizing engagement-farming algorithms. Instagram is very nearly a biological warfare agent against the mental health of young women - Meta hires a surprisingly large number of neuroscientists and behavioral psychologists to make their products as addictive as possible, with no concern for the mental health ramifications for Meta's victims.
None of the positive capabilities Meta offers are unique to Meta products - there is not a single capability in Meta's entire lineup that cannot be met by competitors with a less malicious and untrustworthy past.
Meta's conglomeration of psychological poison truly is the "cigarette makers" of our generation.
I am looking for people in europe to view it like this & want to change how things are.
If you, or whoever reads this, wants to join a broke startup but have a shot at truly changing things for the better, let me know how to reach out.
Aaaalso, as always, everyone... please stop calling them the M-word. It's still the greedy, creepy facebook. Don't let them claim this awesome word & get away with making people forget who they truly are.
Any way for folks outside of Europe to help or donate?
You make a great point on namewashing, but to be clear, my issue is with the morality of the whole company, not just the individual product going by the same name as the company before their rebrand.
It’s much lower than what we have in Nigeria and Africa at large.
The worst EU leader is far better than the average African leader. Then it gets worse with civil service agencies over here…they’re corrupt to the point of being almost irredeemable.
I am from India, and I often see again and again, how good the Western people have it in terms of corruption.
Countries like India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan are corrupt to the very skeleton, for the lack of a better expression.
But, I also think people have lesser appreciation of their situation.
You might see corruption everywhere there in Nigeria. But maybe it’s much better than Sierra Leone or Somalia.
Indians see India as fully corrupt. But we have to pay bribes for making passports and recording our lands after a purchase or inheritance. Bangladeshis have to pay bribes to police for all of the above, as well as minor things like- if someone needs to drive a car at night. Police stops you, and asks you your purpose for driving at night and demands bribes. Just like that. No violation needed. That's in Bangladesh. But you won't see it in Mumbai or Delhi.
Western people have no darned idea about total ubiquitous corruption and incompetence in third world. They just self sensor and argue for the fear and risk of sounding racist and prejudiced.
Seconded! Pakistani living in the States. Have been pulled over by cops many times at night because they're bored and/or want a bribe. Bribed a guy to get my passport made. Corrupt ranger tried to squeeze cash out of my dad's startup office space.
It's very difficult to explain to Westerners how deeply corrupt our societies are relative to the rule of law we/they enjoy in the West.
Corruption has traditionally been difficult to quantify. There is the Corruption Perceptions Index, which uses perception as a (clever but tricky) proxy for actual corruption.
