alt Hacker News> The difference is that meta is providing that service world wide.
So where is the cutoff? My one free user obviously didn't make the cut. But 100 does? 1000?
Normal logs/bookkeeping need to be kept anyway if you are running a business. And special legal letters are special by definition.
I'm still not seeing why google outright couldn't delete a million random free accounts if they wish. It'd be bad for reputation but execs have done similar in the past.
I am not saying I like it. I am not saying I want it to be a certain way.
I am trying to point out that all these free accounts are running on servers provided by a business. They are subject to the whims of the business and the market the business operates in. If the business fails, so do the accounts.
You’re basically asking for legal council. The law is precise to a large extent but just as hairy and vague. You’re not getting meaningful answers from a defensive position.
But the short answer is that where is the line depends on jurisdiction, it is often along the lines of what they consider a hobby, a small business, large business, and so on.