95%+ of people are totally ignorant on the matter and would happily walk off a cliff. The shareholders know that.
If you look at most corporate mentality, it's not about doing a good job. It's about maximising return to shareholders and if doing a shitty job and getting away with it pays off then that's what will happen.
It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission here from a business POV.
(and yes this attitude thoroughly disgusts me but it's prevalent and unavoidable)
this isn't about profit as some claim, its about the absolute ability of governments to do as they wish. you choice as a corporation is simple, cooperate or get shut down.
to fix this requires getting voters to elect politicians who abhor this arrangement.
Do you honestly believe that is an option, when the mechanism for election is controlled by the very people and system you'd try to replace?