An update on Microsoft-Activision, and then a response to a reader upset at my take, weaved in with commentary about free speech in the context of last week’s ruling about social media moderation.
Microsoft Can Acquire Activision, The FTC vs. the Record, The FTC’s Failed Vendetta
Microsoft didn’t just win its case against the FTC: the totality of its victory calls into question the FTC’s legitimacy, and may lead to more acquisitions in the future.
Amazon, Friction, and the FTC
The FTC’s Amazon complaint raises some fair points in isolation, but misses the bigger picture, both in terms of Amazon specifically and the Internet generally.
FTC Sues to Block Activision Deal (Again), Global Companies vs. Regional Regulators, How Big is the Xbox Business?
The ongoing saga around Xbox Game Pass raises a host of issues, including the FTC’s overall approach, the question of regional regulators and global businesses, and whether or on the Vision Pro will be truly open.
FTC Fines Epic, Netflix Ads, YouTube and the NFL
Epic’s FTC settlement is a reminder about the value of the App Store. Then, Netflix’s ad weakness is disappointing but not surprising, while the YouTube/NFL deal could have been worse for cable companies and other leagues.
Consoles and Competition
Reviewing the history of video games explains why Sony is dominant today, and why Microsoft is actually introducing competition, not limiting it.
The AI Moat Debate, Continued; Twitter’s Regulatory Risks; Twitter and Advertisers, Continued
More on Twitter, including the company’s real regulatory risk, and following-up on advertisers pulling back.
Launch Follow-Up, Figma Feedback, More on Antitrust and Acquisitions
More details on yesterday’s launch, then a designer explains why Figma is different, and why Adobe has a good chance in court if it goes that far.
The Twitter Whistleblower, mDAUs and Bots, Musk’s Akorn Lifeline
A Twitter’s whistleblowers report is very believable in terms of Twitter’s violation of its FTC consent decree; that may matter more to Elon Musk than the discussion about bots.
Meta’s Earnings, Facebook’s Three Challenges, Financial Versus Existential Risks
Meta’s earnings were a perfect storm of challenges facing the company.