Libra is less about an immediate benefit to Facebook, and more about creating a world where companies like Facebook have the best chance to prosper. That is why Facebook gave up so much control.
Tech and Antitrust
A review of the potential antitrust cases against Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon suggests that only Google is vulnerable.
Airbnb Eliminates Guest Fees, Airbnb’s Initial Advantage, Airbnb’s Delay
Airbnb is eliminating fees for guests, a change that is both overdue and also additional evidence that the company has been moving too slowly to secure its Aggregator position.
The Problem with “Aggregation Theory”, Demand at Scale, Supplier Power and Value
A response to The Problem with Ben Thompson’s ‘Aggregation Theory’, and why the Internet really is different (this Daily Update is freely accessible)
Google Fights Back
At Google I/O, Google was the opposite of defensive: the company set out to make the case that its approach made for better products that makes people’s lives better
Uber Questions Follow-up, Luminary Launches, Luminary’s Broken Rung
More on why giving information to investors often helps companies, then why Luminary, a new service for podcasters, is probably not going to succeed. Building bundles is hard!
Disney and the Future of TV
TV is moving from a world where distribution dictates business models to one where business models need to fit the jobs consumers want done. That is the best way to understand Disney’s latest announcement.
A Regulatory Framework for the Internet
Regulators need to stop blindly regulating “the Internet” and instead understand that every part of the Internet stack is different, and only one part is suffering from market failure.
Where Warren’s Wrong Follow-up, Amazon’s Price Parity Provision, The Amazon Marketplace Question
More on Senator Warren’s tech antitrust proposal, why regulatory focus should be on contracts, and why 3rd-parties benefit from Amazon Marketplace.
Where Warren’s Wrong
Senator Warren’s proposal about how to regulate tech is wrong about history, the source of tech giant’s power, and the fundamental nature of technology itself. That doesn’t mean there aren’t real problems — and potential solutions — though.