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Here's a little thought experiment I'd like to try:

Let's say that you are possessed of a functionally limitless supply of money that's rapidly burning a hole in your pocket. So, of course, being a denizen of the internet, you decide to buy Google.

All of it.

This means all of their servers, intellectual property (trademarks, patents, etc.), infrastructure, contracts, outstanding debt and/or financial reserves, and other assets, as well as every share of the company currently owned by anyone on earth (basically re-privatizing the company). The end result: Google, perhaps the most powerful corporation on earth, is 100% under your control, to do with as you see fit.

My question: how much would this set you back?

Have at it!

1. Give YouTube back to its creators.
2. Sell Google because my work here is done.

CONTROL THE WORLD

Or at least make YouTube 100% less shit by reversing literally everything they've done in the past five years that wasn't straight upgrades like HD.

Platus said:

…how much would this set you back?

The easiest way would be to buy their stock. In order to gain 100% control, you'd need to buy every share. Google's current market capitalization--that is the total net worth of every share of stock-- is 371.07 billion dollars.

That's only part of it, though. People will want more money than the current stock price. The largest ever buyout was Vodafone Group Plc's merger with Mannesman AG. It cost Vodafone 200 billion dollars. Mannesman AG's market cap at the time was 117 billion euros. In 1999, a euro was worth about $1.10, so some quick conversion reveals Mannesman AG's market cap was worth 128.7 billion dollars.

That means Vodafone paid 55% more than Mannesman's total stock value. If this merger is any indication, to buy Google you'd have to spend at least 575.158 billion dollars. In all likelihood, the purchase price would probably be much higher due to senior Google execs owning a lot of stock and not wanting to give that stock up. The price would probably creep upwards of a trillion dollars.

If I owned Google I would reverse every single change to youtube. Then I'll use my new-found power to stamp out BS copyright laws and censorship. The after a few months or years of profits, I'll do a little spring cleaning to clean it of anti-consumer policies and give the company to the EFF