The FTC is suing Amazon, and some of the complaints are compelling, but ultimately not convincing.
Microsoft, Activision, and Ubisoft(?!); The Activision Deal; Foolhardy Forecasting
Microsoft has substantially reworked its deal with Activision to satisfy U.K. regulators; it’s a win for the CMA, and time to consider what comes next.
Microsoft-Activision Updates; Reader Follow-Up; Free Speech, the Government, and Scale
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.
An Interview with Marc Andreessen about AI and How You Change the World
An interview with Marc Andreessen about COVID, AI opportunities and risk, and a16z’s approach to 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.
Reddit Rage, The Tadpole Shrimp of the Internet, Judge Pauses Microsoft-Activision Deal
More on Reddit, including why my previous Update was not so much wrong on details as it was wrong in feeling; plus, how Microsoft might carve the UK out of the Activision acquisition.
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.
An Interview with Eric Seufert About Streaming Advertising, Generative AI, and Marketing Automation
An interview with Eric Seufert about Mobile Dev Memo’s new business model, the prospects for streamers building advertising business model, the potential for generative AI in advertising, along with the dangers of relying too much on marketing automation, and whether or not Meta figured out ATT. We also discuss Facebook Shops and Shopify, and the E.U.’s recent fines on Meta.
Meta’s Low E.U. ARPU, The Supreme Court and Section 230
Meta makes a surprisingly small amount of money in the E.U., particularly on an ARPU basis; then, the Supreme Court signals strong support for Section 230