@mEEGal@lemmy.world Google has been allowed to operate this way because they are the only real alternative to Apple. If that alternative disappears, it will pressure either the community to rally and create awareness, for it to work on alternatives, or (and this is my bet) for a bigger instance like that of an EU nation or the EU itself, to step in. Since the EU is beginning to see the US threat and voices for digital sovereignty are getting louder, such a move by Google could realistically draw the attention of the EU Commission, parliament, and courts.
However, that can only happen if Google makes the mistake. If we prevent it from making the mistake, it will have moved the Overton window enough to make the situation worse than it is now, but not as bad as it could've been. So we'll just end up with a worse situation and no political nor judicial attention. Google will have boiled the frog.
The short term gain of Google backing off will offset the long-term gain of a real solution.
We saw what it's doing for Microslop with their forceful introduction of windows 11...
Gentoo has their head screwed on straight.