Looks like Google is cutting costs from most of the projects, to save the funds for developing AI.
If Google loses the AI war, it is no longer going to be the de-facto search engine.
I have already been using Bing Chat a lot more than Google.
If you use Firefox, install the tampermonkey extension, and then install the following script:
https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/468923-kbin-improved-collapsible-comments
There should be similar extensions for other browsers.
The term "tankie" is a slang term used to describe a person who supports or apologizes for the actions of authoritarian communist regimes, particularly those that have used tanks or military force to suppress opposition or maintain control. The term originated from the Soviet Union's use of tanks to quell protests and uprisings, most notably the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and the 1968 Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia.
While there may be varying interpretations and uses of the term, it is generally used pejoratively to criticize individuals who defend or downplay the human rights abuses, political repression, or atrocities committed by these regimes.
(ChatGPT)
It is not a public service. Deals are made between companies all the time, so I don't see how this would break the law.