OK, but I don't know that the comments on an article talking about using LTV to manage help desk call volume is a relevant place to discuss public v. private responsibilities. It seems unrelated.
"Some companies use LTV to determine how long you wait on hold."
When we look at topics like transport, education, and communications, we're in an era where those things are tilting private, often due to companies discussed here and that employ people who participate on HN.
As an example, the US Postal Service, which has a universal service obligation, has made a huge difference in how the country developed. Everybody was in an important sense equal. The Internet started out with that spirit, but its implementation on mostly for-profit infrastructure means that isn't guaranteed. With the loss of net neutrality, we've taken a further step away from fair infrastructure. Is that a good idea? This article is an example of why it might not be: because companies tend to optimize for short-term revenue gains and to wildly favor rich people.
"Some companies use LTV to determine how long you wait on hold."
"This is why we shouldn't have private prison."