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> The business model is to divert revenue that used to go to newspapers and publishers to themselves. And so by manipulating people in this specific way that th

> The business model is to divert revenue that used to go to newspapers and publishers to themselves. And so by manipulating people in this specific way that they do, which is to keep them using their system and keep surveilling them so that they can target them with ads, they are, in the process, crushing newspapers and publishers, who no longer have any financing, particularly local newspapers and niche publications like Black-owned newspapers. Is there any business this entitled? Imagine a bookstore owner describing amazon's business model as diverting revenue that used to go to bookstores, particularly black-owned backstores, to themselves. Somehow the revenue flows, like water, it used to flow to newspapers, and now it flows to facebook. I'm glad at least that the interview skips over bots, russians and algorithms and goes straight to the point, which is that people like matt make less money because everyone can share their views now, and people find their friends rants just as entertaining as matts.

nillium 6y ago
This is more like Amazon diverting the money that used to go to the book authors back to themselves, and then when the authors and publishers start layoffs and go bankrupt, people ask why the writing is so bad. Shameless plug, but we're working on something to take the good of social without the predatory leanings or misaligned interests: https://blog.nillium.com/why-were-building-forth/ https://blog.nillium.com/why-were-building-forth/
glasss 6y ago
I tend to agree with you. Imagine if a restaurant complained that they are losing money because people are making their own food at home. I think it would be clear that said restaurant isn't providing enough value to compete at that point. What would be more likely - that everyone cooking at home is a michelin star chef, or that the restaurant(s) losing money weren't very good to begin with? Enough with the food analogy - respected and valuable journalists and news agencies are still thriving. Facebook is not eating AP or Reuters lunch, nor the Financial Times or other specialized organizations.

nillium 6y ago

This is more like Amazon diverting the money that used to go to the book authors back to themselves, and then when the authors and publishers start layoffs and go bankrupt, people ask why the writing is so bad. Shameless plug, but we're working on something to take the good of social without the predatory leanings or misaligned interests: https://blog.nillium.com/why-were-building-forth/ https://blog.nillium.com/why-were-building-forth/

glasss 6y ago

I tend to agree with you. Imagine if a restaurant complained that they are losing money because people are making their own food at home. I think it would be clear that said restaurant isn't providing enough value to compete at that point. What would be more likely - that everyone cooking at home is a michelin star chef, or that the restaurant(s) losing money weren't very good to begin with? Enough with the food analogy - respected and valuable journalists and news agencies are still thriving. Facebook is not eating AP or Reuters lunch, nor the Financial Times or other specialized organizations.