Brandless is closing down, which is being spun into a commentary on Softbank. This is fair, but the bigger takeaway is about DTC broadly.
Facebook’s Platform Opportunity
Facebook is under pressure from all sides, but that actually means it has an opportunity to build the platform it has always wanted — in digital ads.
Clearview AI, The Problem with Scraping, Tradeoffs
Clearview AI is billed as a story about facial recognition, but the most important questions it raises is about scraping. And, by doing so, it reveals how many trade-offs we have yet to confront.
Regulating Demand, Ad Targeting and Unintended Consequences, Expedia CEO Out
Google’s continued dominance may not be intransigence, but rather the difficulty of regulating demand. Then, how Apple helps Google and Facebook, and Barry Diller isn’t blaming Google.
A Framework for Regulating Competition on the Internet
Understanding the differences between platforms and Aggregators is critical when it comes to considering regulation.
Portability and Interoperability
Data portability is friendly to consumers, but it has very little to do with encouraging competition, at least relative to interoperability.
Facebook Buys Beat Saber, Capital and Copyright, The Oculus Conundrum
Facebook has bought Beat Games, a company of the future, and not just because they made a game for VR. Then, why it is the old world that needs capital, and why Oculus is still confusing strategically.
Facebook Pay, Google Checking, Tech Company Differences
Facebook announced Facebook Pay, which is far different from Libra. Then, Google is apparently getting into checking, which leads to a question of motivations: each of the tech companies are approaching financial services from a different angle.
The Google Squeeze Follow-up, Disney+ Launch, Instagram Influencer Follow-Up
Google’s approach to travel mirrors its approach to Shopping, which, correctly or not, was already ruled to be illegal in Europe. Then, Disney+ rolls out like a movie, and fails like a service. Plus, more on Instagram and influencers.
Instagram to Hide Likes, Instagram and Influence Marketing, Practical Impacts
Instagram is removing likes, because it says it cares about user welfare. Is that the reason, or is Instagram finally taking on influencer marketing?