Tech companies unite to fight misinformation, and potentially are working on tracking COVID-19. What tradeoffs might that entail, and is it worth building capability and trusting in policy?
Defining Information
In a follow-up to Zero Trust Information, exploring the four types of information and how their value changes with time.
Cisco Sells Chips, The Conservation of Attractive Networking, Twitter MoPub Revenue
Cisco is selling chips, which is a fascinating example of the Conservation of Attractive Profits. Then, Twitter’s MoPub revenue is more than it seems.
Bluesky, The Twitter Protocol Tragedy, Alternatives
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that the company would be setting up a team to pursue a more open alternative to social network; unfortunately, the time to do so was ten years ago.
Portability and Interoperability
Data portability is friendly to consumers, but it has very little to do with encouraging competition, at least relative to interoperability.
Twitter Earnings, Snap Earnings, Escaping the Duopoly
Twitter and Snap both had encouraging earnings, for reasons that were both similar and also unique to each company and their history. Perhaps there is hope for consumer tech companies after all — and maybe Facebook and Google aren’t so bad.
Facebook’s Privacy Cake
Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement of A Privacy-Focused Vision for Social Networking is not some dramatic pivot: it is a growth opportunity for Facebook and a challenge for regulators.
Netflix Follow-up, Bill Simmons Interviews Jack Dorsey, Twitter and the Pollyannish Assumption
Why there is room for multiple winners in streaming, then Bill Simmons interviews Jack Dorsey. My takeaway is that Twitter is suffering from the Pollyannish Assumption.
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.
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.