The 3DO game company had a similar premise back in the mid 90s. They designed their console’s chip set and allowed any manufacturer to license and build them. Because the licensees didn’t get any royalties for game purchases like 3DO would, they’d sell them at high prices and levels of quality control to make sure they’d still make a profit.
It might be easier for a single company to make an open source appliance to better control initial build quality and allow the aftermarket vendors to handle replacement parts depending on the consumer’s preferences.
To play devil’s advocate here, I think it’s necessary for a social media platform to exist that’s outside the control of the US government. Just because we have the first amendment here that doesn’t mean our speech is protected, just look at what happens when protesters do it the “wrong” way.
Does that mean China gives a shit about our freedoms? No. They just won’t be forced into censoring things the US would want though, and the gap between their opposing hegemonic ambitions is where people can truly say what they want about the US in certain topics. While it’s true the CCP is data mining American citizens, their reach to compromise individuals is dwarfed by what US companies can do already.
Their shit films are doing poorly at the box office. It must be due to piracy!