Technology and Society

Snap’s Monetization Flaw; Microsoft and the Effect of Antitrust; Apple, Russia, and Telegram

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Reactions from the Code Conference interviews with Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith, plus a very problematic demand of Apple by the Russian government.

The Bill Gates Line Follow-up, Twitter and the Bill Gates Line, Data Portability and Facebook

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Following up on The Bill Gates Line, applying it to Twitter, and then why Facebook portability is a bad idea.

The Bill Gates Line

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Understanding the differences between aggregators and platforms matters for companies interacting with them and also regulators considering antitrust.

Spotify’s New Hate Policy, Twitter’s Behavior Policy, YouTube Music and YouTube Premium

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Spotify’s new hate policy and Twitter’s behavior policy seem like good things at first glance, but what they suggest about the companies’s power is worrisome. Plus, YouTube’s subscription plans are as confusing as ever.

Apple Earnings, Facebook’s F8 Keynote, Facebook Dating

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Apple’s earnings were less interesting than the expectations game. Facebook’s F8 conference, meanwhile, again cast Zuckerberg’s vision of technology in stark contrast to Steve Jobs. Plus, why Facebook Dating will likely flop.

Open, Closed, and Privacy Follow-Up; Facebook Earnings; Notes on Facebook Earnings

Thursday, April 26, 2018

A follow-up to Open, Closed, and Privacy, then multiple notes on Facebook’s earnings: the company’s executives sounded confident, and they should be.

Open, Closed, and Privacy

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Just as encryption is only viable on closed systems, so it is that increased privacy regulations will only entrench walled gardens. That should affect thinking on regulation.

Zuckerberg’s House Hearing, Toutiao’s Apology, Apple’s Siri Hire

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was back on the hill, using his usual talking points; the contrast with a Chinese news app, facing its own political pressure, was striking. Plus, why Apple’s Siri hire is so important.

The Facebook Current

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

The Senate hearing about Facebook was a bigger deal than it might have seemed, both because it happened and because of what was said.

Technologists, Politics, and Facebook; Publishers and the GDPR; Facebook and The Denver Post

Monday, April 9, 2018

Publishers are in ever more trouble, thanks to the GDPR. It increasingly seems like Facebook and Google are the inevitable saviors, for better or worse.

Play-In Chaos and Knueppel Slippage, Anyone But the Thunder, Title Picks and Awards Resolution

The Bill Gates Line

Zuckerberg’s House Hearing, Toutiao’s Apology, Apple’s Siri Hire

Play-In Chaos and Knueppel Slippage, Anyone But the Thunder, Title Picks and Awards Resolution

Vibe App Quality

(Preview) Six Questions on Frontier AI Labs, Messaging AI to a Skeptical Public, Amazon (and Apple?) Ramps Up Competition with Elon

TSMC Earnings, New N3 Fabs, The Nvidia Ramp

An Interview with F1 Driver and Venture Capitalist Nico Rosberg About the Drive to Win

Amazon Buys Globalstar, Delta to Add Leo, The Apple Angle

Play-In Chaos and Knueppel Slippage, Anyone But the Thunder, Title Picks and Awards Resolution

Vibe App Quality

(Preview) Six Questions on Frontier AI Labs, Messaging AI to a Skeptical Public, Amazon (and Apple?) Ramps Up Competition with Elon

An Interview with F1 Driver and Venture Capitalist Nico Rosberg About the Drive to Win

An Interview with Asymco’s Horace Dediu About Apple at 50

An Interview with Arm CEO Rene Haas About Selling Chips