Revisiting the FTC’s decision in 2013 makes me doubtful that a case would have made much of a difference.
The Web’s Missing Interoperability
Truly unlocking competition in tech means increasing interoperability; an absolutist approach to privacy is doing the exact opposite.
Clubhouse is a Unicorn(?); Clubhouse Versus Podcasts; Monetization, Moderation, and Monopoly
Clubhouse is (reportedly) a unicorn; where it sits as an audio app is as interesting as its status as a social network.
Context Collapse, Circles and Timing, Facebook’s Missing Platform
The ideas behind Social Networking 2.0 are not new, but the Idea Adoption Curve takes time. Plus, how Facebook missed its platform chance a decade ago.
Social Networking 2.0
Facebook and Twitter represent the v1 of Social Networking; it’s a bad copy of the analog world, whereas v2 is something unique to digital, and a lot more promising.
Facebook Sued by FTC and States, The FTC’s Case, Antitrust and Politics
Facebook clearly tried to eliminate competition by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp, but it’s not clear they were successful, which is the question that matters in a case that is ultimately about politics and power.
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.
Qualcomm Wins on Appeal, The Opinion, Apple’s Foresight
Qualcomm won its appeal against the FTC; most of the opinion’s narrow arguments make sense, but look differently when considered holistically.
Email Addresses and Razor Blades
The fate of Harry’s and other DTC companies, particularly relative to companies like Credit Karma, highlight how the Internet elevates the importance of demand over supply.
First, Do No Harm
As regulators look closer at acquisitions they should be extremely wary of unintended consequences. The current system works well for everyone, most of the time.