Congressional tech hearings are becoming more compelling with time, as tech companies run the risk of making not just economic enemies but political ones.
Facebook and the NYU Ad Observatory, Facebook’s FTC Decrees, Tradeoffs and Politics
The dispute between Facebook and the Ad Observatory are just as emblematic of the trade-offs between privacy and social responsibility as Clearview AI.
United States v. Google
The Justice Department’s lawsuit against Google is appropriately narrow, and if it fails it gives a template for Congressional action.
Twitter, Responsibility, and Accountability
Twitter went too far last week for reasons that go back to 2016 and the unfair blaming of tech for media’s mistakes.
The iPhone 12 Event, iPhone Pro Differentiation, Additional Notes
Apple’s iPhone 12 introduction was surprising, not necessarily because of the iPhone 12, but because of what Apple chose to focus on.
Facebook’s Missing Monopoly, Facebook Takes Down QAnon, Facebook Versus Turkey
Calling Facebook a monopoly in the antitrust sense doesn’t make any sense, because digital goods aren’t a zero-sum game. Facebook, though, is increasingly American in the way it operates.
Anti-Monopoly vs. Antitrust
What matters about the Congressional report on tech and antitrust is that it exists, not the specific details.
Amazon One, How Amazon One Works, Good or Bad Idea?
Amazon announces Amazon One: how does it work, and is the underlying technology a good idea?
Coinbase’s Clarification, Spotify and Joe Rogan, A Framework for Politicization
Coinbase and Spotify are both grappling with political questions, which is something all companies should prepare for.
Widgetsmith, Apple’s Curation, Google’s Reported Clampdown
The story of Widgetsmith, why Apple doesn’t have to worry about curation, and why Google is happy to follow along.