Seems like that is the default course of action when one country is doing a “bad” thing that the US or Europe doesn’t like.
I’ll admit that I don’t really know how that works, or how it’s enforced, or whatever. But could the EU and/or Canada or even China impose sanctions on the US now since the US is doing, um, very bad things?
At UN level, it will be pretty much impossible to sanction the US. They’ll just veto everything away. Either by procedure or behind the scenes diplomacy.
It is also debatable if UN level sanctions are that effective in 2026. North Korea kept finding creative ways to get around them.
And these days, WGAF about international law anyways? International law, shminternational law. Sorry, I’m busy. I’m off to abduct another dictator on trumped up charges and then run his country.
The EU resorted to counter-tariff the US where it hurts the financial contributors to 47 and his bootlickers the most. Harleys, jeans, and whisky were the first package, I think. I believe this is the only viable way to exert pressure. In 2026 that means playing hardball around the hardware for all this so-called AI stuff, somehow weening people off of US controled internet services, and not buying weapons from the US - just a few examples.
Counter tariffs are a shot to the feet.
I like the proposal of Mr. Doctorow more. Legalize reverse engineering and anti-DRM circumventing. Reduce copyright to 25 years tops and don’t recognise software patents at all.
Good for the local industry, bad for American tech.
Win-win
I don’t disagree with those ideas. Corey has been beating this drum for a while. I’m just afraid this is putting the cart before the horse. Europe and in particular the governments need to get off of the US clouds or they will quickly find themselves up shit cloud (creek) without a parachute (paddle). And I fear building up viable domestic competition will be harder if you reshape the market that drastically next week. But I’m onboard with it in general.