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I feel like none of the problems described are really symptoms of Big Tech, they're more symptoms of technology itself along with the fact that we haven't yet a

by beaner 9y ago

I feel like none of the problems described are really symptoms of Big Tech, they're more symptoms of technology itself along with the fact that we haven't yet adjusted to it psychologically as a species. None of the problems that the author describes are problems that would not be there if "Big Tech" didn't exist and were replaced by decentralized systems or other alternatives. I think the author missed a really good opportunity to explore the developing relationship between the human psyche and the overflow of information that this age has provided us with, and instead made it political and blamey.

confounded 9y ago
I’m not so sure the role of what we’ve let become called “tech” is as neutral and inevitable as you make out. There’s nothing about the technology behind the Internet that means that ad-surveillance needs to be its default business model, for example.
- beaner 9y ago
  Yeah, there's not a law, but I think if we had started in any other model we'd've still ended up here. Information is cheap and fast. This makes it difficult to charge for most content. The only way to do this and profit is to advertise. Competition among ad networks leads to ad tracking because it results in higher revenue for publishers.
  - AstralStorm 9y ago
    Correction: only commonly available information. Want to get latest research of high value that is not a patent? Get double dipped by Elsevier. And IEEE. And ISO committee. Or pay for good online courses. Likewise with common services. Social chat app number 1001 has little value. Highly integrated with your business? Now you pay. Unfortunately for news sites, their information is commonly available. Apps are fungible and it is easy to develop "good enough" nowadays.
icebraining 9y ago
I disagree; incentives matter, and when one earns more by promoting harmful behaviors, that's what many will do. They mention the example of Snapstreak, which is designed to keep you plugged in; that's not a symptom of technology, but a symptom of the economic model of the group of people developing it.

by beaner 9y ago

confounded 9y ago

I’m not so sure the role of what we’ve let become called “tech” is as neutral and inevitable as you make out. There’s nothing about the technology behind the Internet that means that ad-surveillance needs to be its default business model, for example.

beaner 9y ago
Yeah, there's not a law, but I think if we had started in any other model we'd've still ended up here. Information is cheap and fast. This makes it difficult to charge for most content. The only way to do this and profit is to advertise. Competition among ad networks leads to ad tracking because it results in higher revenue for publishers.
- AstralStorm 9y ago
  Correction: only commonly available information. Want to get latest research of high value that is not a patent? Get double dipped by Elsevier. And IEEE. And ISO committee. Or pay for good online courses. Likewise with common services. Social chat app number 1001 has little value. Highly integrated with your business? Now you pay. Unfortunately for news sites, their information is commonly available. Apps are fungible and it is easy to develop "good enough" nowadays.

icebraining 9y ago

I disagree; incentives matter, and when one earns more by promoting harmful behaviors, that's what many will do. They mention the example of Snapstreak, which is designed to keep you plugged in; that's not a symptom of technology, but a symptom of the economic model of the group of people developing it.