In contrast to Canada and Mexico, the EU is debating primarily using a tool known as the “Anti-Coersion Instrument” (or “the Bazooka”) to specifically attack Big Tech firms and abrogate American intellectual property rights.
I think that this is an interesting idea that should be discussed in Canadian civil society for potential deployment in the event that tariffs come back. Attacking American IP, Meta, and Twitter seems like it would be less taxing on our economy and solidarity than “just” countervailing tariffs. Moreover, as the Trump administration has demonstrated that it does not give a shit about its voters, I think harming the tech oligarchs may be an effective strategy for wedge driving.
Snurgisdr on
Nice. I don’t know why this isn’t being discussed seriously here. Abrogation of IP rights hits US corporations directly, and they’re the ones holding the purse strings of the congressmen and senators who can overrule the president.
AxiomaticSuppository on
So how does the US escalate things after this? Or does the US just back down?
US threatened Canada with increasing tariffs if we retaliate, before we managed to reach a temporary “agreement”. I can’t imagine Donny is going to just let EU retaliate without doing something even dumber.
Appropriate_Mess_350 on
Retaliatory tariffs were effective. But this all began with Trump disregarding trade agreements that he himself negotiated. Disregarding agreements and terms over intellectual property certainly seems like a fair and level response.
Important-Belt-2610 on
Attacking their big tech is such an easy target and win. Magnificent 7 are 40% or US stock market and trading at historically high multiples. They are extremely exposed to a sell off which would also cause the rest of the market to sell off. This would impact investment and consumer sentiment.
The US is the biggest economy but that’s because other western nations allow their tech companies to operate freely. That could change overnight and current US government is exposed to a stock sell off or recession and would be neutered in November 2026 midterms.
They know this though, which is why western tariffs will be all bark no bite.
C4ddy on
I think this is one of the best ways to combat trumps bluster. if you start to affect the wealth of his new buddy buddy billionaires I would think things would change pretty quick.
start taking away their riches and you start to level the battlefield.
AILearningMachine on
Elon’s power over Senate comes from his fortune. His fortune comes from overvalued Tesla stock. Europe and Canada, with their pension funds, can put an end to the blackmail almost immediately by selling Tesla stock.
7 Comments
In contrast to Canada and Mexico, the EU is debating primarily using a tool known as the “Anti-Coersion Instrument” (or “the Bazooka”) to specifically attack Big Tech firms and abrogate American intellectual property rights.
I think that this is an interesting idea that should be discussed in Canadian civil society for potential deployment in the event that tariffs come back. Attacking American IP, Meta, and Twitter seems like it would be less taxing on our economy and solidarity than “just” countervailing tariffs. Moreover, as the Trump administration has demonstrated that it does not give a shit about its voters, I think harming the tech oligarchs may be an effective strategy for wedge driving.
Nice. I don’t know why this isn’t being discussed seriously here. Abrogation of IP rights hits US corporations directly, and they’re the ones holding the purse strings of the congressmen and senators who can overrule the president.
So how does the US escalate things after this? Or does the US just back down?
US threatened Canada with increasing tariffs if we retaliate, before we managed to reach a temporary “agreement”. I can’t imagine Donny is going to just let EU retaliate without doing something even dumber.
Retaliatory tariffs were effective. But this all began with Trump disregarding trade agreements that he himself negotiated. Disregarding agreements and terms over intellectual property certainly seems like a fair and level response.
Attacking their big tech is such an easy target and win. Magnificent 7 are 40% or US stock market and trading at historically high multiples. They are extremely exposed to a sell off which would also cause the rest of the market to sell off. This would impact investment and consumer sentiment.
The US is the biggest economy but that’s because other western nations allow their tech companies to operate freely. That could change overnight and current US government is exposed to a stock sell off or recession and would be neutered in November 2026 midterms.
They know this though, which is why western tariffs will be all bark no bite.
I think this is one of the best ways to combat trumps bluster. if you start to affect the wealth of his new buddy buddy billionaires I would think things would change pretty quick.
start taking away their riches and you start to level the battlefield.
Elon’s power over Senate comes from his fortune. His fortune comes from overvalued Tesla stock. Europe and Canada, with their pension funds, can put an end to the blackmail almost immediately by selling Tesla stock.