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.
8chan and El Paso, Cloudflare Drops 8chan, An Interview with Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince
Cloudflare dropped 8chan as a customer after this weekend’s shootings; CEO Matthew Prince explains the company’s thought process, the responsibilities of infrastructure providers, and what a sustainable Internet looks like.
Libra in Congress; Global Community, Revisited; Messianic Versus Money-Making
Libra had a chilly reception at Capitol Hill, which highlighted a fundamental tension between Internet companies and lawmakers. Then, why it was inevitable that Facebook would make Libra, and why it was probably the wrong choice.
Libra’s Questionable Benefits, Facebook’s Hidden Costs, Philosophical Objections
While Facebook, Libra, and the Long Game was about analysis, this Daily Update is about opinion: I don’t think Libra is a good idea.
Huawei Loses ARM, More on Values (and Facebook), Qualcomm Loses to FTC
Huawei loses its partnership with ARM, then why the question of values was a criticism of the U.S. too (and Facebook’s arguments against regulation). Plus, the FTC wins against Qualcomm
China, Leverage, and Values
If there is a new tech cold war, it is one with shots fired over a decade ago, largely by China. The questions going forward are about both leverage and values.
Alexa’s Human Listeners, New Questions, Disney’s Presentation
Why Bloomberg’s article about Alexa was both scare-mongering and a missed opportunity, plus why Disney’s 2015 plummet in the stock market was a blessing in disguise.
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.
YouTube and Toxic Videos, YouTube’s Problematic Incentives, Sins of Omission and Commission
YouTube is undergoing the same scrutiny as Facebook, and is arguably even more to blame. The problem is not simply sins of omission (not finding bad content) but sins of commission (actively promoting it).