Making principled stands should not mean absolutism: Facebook should seek to ameliorate its trade-offs. Then, Facebook’s earnings continue to show higher costs, plus where Zuckerberg is right and wrong in defending the Instagram acquisition.
Tech and Liberty
The First Amendment is not about a law, but rather a culture — specifically a culture of liberty. It is essential to tech, and in this context, Facebook is mostly right about political ads (but can still do better).
Zuckerberg’s Speech, Facebook Versus China, The Structure of Free Expression
Digging into the specifics of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s speech, particularly the company’s role in a contest of values with China, and why free expression depends on more than good intensions.
The Internet and the Third Estate
Mark Zuckerberg suggested that social media is a “Fifth Estate”; in fact, social media is a means by which the Third Estate — commoners — can seize political power. Here history matters.
Apple Pulls Hong Kong App, Tim Cook’s Memo, Honesty and Control
It was Apple’s turn to be in the spotlight in China; what was surprising was how unprepared the company seemed to be. Then, why companies dealing with China, including Apple, should be more honest.
China Cultural Clash Follow-Up, Disney and Blizzard, Choosing Customers
More on TikTok, then Disney and Blizzard demonstrate how expensive customers can be, while Google and Facebook benefit.
The China Cultural Clash
The NBA controversy in China highlights a culture clash that both tech companies and the U.S. government need to take to heart. Plus, why Tiktok being Chinese is increasingly a problem.
Child Sexual Abuse Material Online, The Problem With Community, Towards More Friction
A horrifying article on Child Sexual Abuse Material online is actually a sign that Facebook is doing the right thing, at least for now. Encrypting private communications, though, may make things worse.
Why Cloudflare Matters, The Absence of Gatekeepers, Promotion Versus Moderation
More on moderation, including why Cloudflare is important systematically, a reminder that there are no more gatekeepers, which means moderation is always reactive, and why Facebook and YouTube still deserve the most scrutiny.
A Framework for Moderation
The question of what should be moderated, and when, is an increasingly frequent one in tech. There is no bright line, but there are ways to get closer to an answer.