Research says truly fake news isn’t much of a problem; filter bubbles are, but algorithms are less responsible than it seems. That, though, is why Google in particular has a responsibility to do better.
Manifestos and Monopolies
Facebook has long had too much power, but Mark Zuckerberg’s expressed willingness to use said power for political ends means it’s time to consider countermeasures.
The State of Technology at the End of 2016
The annual Stratechery review of the state of technology, and call to build products that unlock human potential
Facebook’s China Censorship Tool, The Fake News Connection, A Thanksgiving Note
Facebook has pre-emptively built a tool for censoring content in China even as the Chinese government is talking about “fake news”. Then, a note of thanks from me to you.
Amazon Explores Sports Rights, Insta-Snapchat-Gram, Zuckerberg on Fake News
Amazon is looking into sports, but real changes won’t happen for a while. Then, Instagram continues to battle Snapchat, which is a useful reminder that the best Facebook antidote is competition.
Fake News Follow-up and Twitter Bans, Facebook Screws Up More Measurements, Snap Files for IPO
A follow-up to Fake News, and why Twitter’s bans are different. Then, the better approach to Facebook’s power is more transparency. Plus, Snap is both IPOing and showing why they are following in Facebook’s footsteps.
Fake News
Facebook is under fire for fake news and filter bubbles; they are a problem, but most of the proposed solutions are far worse.
Snapchat Spectacles “Launch”, Facebook’s Real Problem
Recent news about Snapchat (Spectacles) and Facebook (its effect on elections) couldn’t be more different; that’s why they are, in fact, related.
Donald Trump is the President-Elect, Tech Under Trump, The Big Picture
Donald Trump is the president-elect, and the temptation is to reduce his success to black-and-white issues. That would be a mistake for the tech industry in particular.
Why Twitter Must Be Saved
First, a reposting of an old Stratechery article, Rebuilding the World Technology Destroyed. Then, why Twitter is an essential antidote to Facebook and must be preserved.