But the coronavirus pandemic has offered the companies, all of whom hold sizable cash reserves and have an outsized capacity to influence American lives, a chance to play the role of saviour while casting aside the image of profiteering data usurpers. “I’m glad that they’re willing to help,” Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, said of Google’s efforts to develop screening mechanisms for the virus. “Google cosying up to the government doesn’t hurt,” said Andre Barlow, an antitrust expert with the law firm Doyle, Barlow & Mazard. Amazon also said it would add $2 to its minimum $15 per hour to US workers’ wages through April. “This is an opportunity to reset how people think about technology companies,” said Scott Wallsten, president of the Technology Policy Institute, which counts all three companies among its members.

Source: bd News24 March 18, 2020 03:56 UTC