It’s a fucking stupid lawsuit in the first place. I can think of at least 5 different pc game storefronts anybody can use
Comment on Court rules Gabe Newell must appear in person to testify in Steam anti-trust lawsuit
xantoxis@lemmy.world 7 months ago
I don’t know whether valve has violated anti-trust law or not, and I certainly don’t think gaben deserves any more protection from covid than the general public but;
this is a stupid ruling. Why on earth can’t he appear remotely, as he requested? They can’t “adequately assess his credibility”? Are they gonna have an FBI body language expert on hand? Check his forehead for sweat droplets? There’s nothing they can ask him in person that they can’t ask him over a camera.
zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 7 months ago
Rose@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Can you provide a real-world example of what constitutes a monopoly in your eyes?
pandacoder@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Locked down App Store on iOS (EU is trustbusting this one)
Locked down PlayStation ecosystem
Locked down Xbox ecosystem
Locked down Switch ecosystem
Regional monopolies by ISPs
Rose@lemmy.world 7 months ago
So they are still not absolute in that the users still get to buy a PC or an Android phone or get satellite connectivity via a global ISP, which boils the issue down to inconvenience/cost/hardship, not the absence of alternatives.
TWeaK@lemm.ee 7 months ago
They did meet him in the middle, though. Everyone in court has to wear a mask when he’s there, and he only has to take it off when he’s speaking.
deafboy@lemmy.world 7 months ago
This is not how the masks work though. If I were honestly concerned about my health I’d take this as an insult.
TWeaK@lemm.ee 7 months ago
Having everyone in court wear masks absolutely does help protect him. However, what would protect everyone better is proper ventilation systems - but that would cost businesses money, rather than passing the cost and responsibility onto individuals.
Kolanaki@yiffit.net 7 months ago
Leaving the mask on the entire time is the only way it works. If everyone is taking it off to talk, they’re gonna be spreading shit around every time they talk.
ryathal@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
You’re going to need a lot more than just I’m afraid of covid to get out of being in person for a trial. People with actual fears of being killed for testimony, still appear in person. At this point with vaccines making any serious complications nearly impossible for covid, it’s a really desperate attempt to avoid attending.
Pazuzu@midwest.social 7 months ago
I was a juror last year for a civil case, half the witnesses were cross examined over zoom before the days of the trial and played back for us. The judge made it explicitly clear that we were to take remote testimony the same as any others done in person
This isn’t a criminal trial with Gabe Newell as the defendant, it’s a civil trial against the company Valve.
TWeaK@lemm.ee 7 months ago
True, but Gabe is CEO and owner of Valve.
YeetPics@mander.xyz 7 months ago
True, but Gabe is CEO and owner of Valve.
How should that change the legal process/expectations?
I own a '92 Ford ranger, what legal structure changes for me considering I own that?
Pazuzu@midwest.social 7 months ago
Another thing with the trial I was a jury on was the plaintiff themselves were not always present, most days it was just their lawyer and paralegal. The judge reminded us each day that we can’t hold their physical presence or lack thereof for or against them.
I’m no lawyer, but if neither the plaintiff nor the witnesses needed to be physically present I don’t see how they can justify forcing Gabe Newell to be. Despite being CEO he’s still not the defendant.
yumpsuit@lemmy.world 7 months ago
I think Gaben deserves the world’s sickest powered respirator with RGB lights and holographic TF2 unusual hat visual effects.
Glad to hear the court will require N95s at least.