The surprising resignation of Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger should not, in fact, be surprising: this became inevitable the moment they sold Instagram to Facebook.
The iPhone XR Delay, India, and China; Discriminatory Job Ads on Facebook; EU Versus Internet Follow-Up
More follow-up on the iPhone, then how discriminatory job ads on Facebook demonstrate how to police bad behavior on platforms with zero marginal costs. Plus, follow-up on The European Union Versus the Internet.
Apple’s iPhone Event, Facebook Fact-Checking, Vimeo Pivots Again
A preview of Apple’s iPhone event, a revelatory controversy about Facebook fact-checking, and yet another pivot by Vimeo thanks to mistakes made years ago
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Augustus; Zuckerberg’s Blindspot; The Liberal Arts Fallacy
The New Yorker is out with a huge profile of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook; what does the article get right, what is the real problem with Facebook, and where do critics go wrong?
Sandberg and Dorsey in Congress, Dorsey and Incentives, Google’s Absence
Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey testified in front of Congress; the former had the most to lose, while the latter hinted at exactly what.
AMD and Modularity Follow-Up, Trump and Tech, Tech’s Vulnerability
The problem with AMD’s modularity approach; then, Trump attacks tech. The claims are baseless but that hardly means the industry is in the clear.
Facebook, Germany, and Filter Bubbles; The Nutella Factor; Facebook’s Response
A new study suggests that Facebook is to blame for increased attacks on refugees in Germany. The data isn’t perfect, but the worries about filter bubbles should be taken seriously.
Tencent’s Profit Drops, China Freezes Game Approvals, The Tencent Behemoth
Tencent’s profit dropped, in part because the Chinese government has stopped approving games. Plus, why Tencent’s approach to the games industry makes sense in China, even if Facebook’s model may be more attractive.
Facebook Stories Follow-up, Twitter and Newton’s Third Law
History suggests that Stories will be an advertising success; then, the Alex Jones episode shows how un-monopoly-like social networks are.
Facebook’s Story Problem — and Opportunity
Snapchat is losing users, and it seems clear the biggest reason is Instagram Stories: that is a win for Facebook, but the pain in advertising may be substantial.