4 ms·
> If there is likely to be only one social network (broadly speaking), then does that opine on whether that network can choose to be ad+tracking funded and free
by GDC7 5y ago
> If there is likely to be only one social network (broadly speaking), then does that opine on whether that network can choose to be ad+tracking funded and free, or paid?
I think it's immaterial. You can't legislate Power's Law into submission.
Winner take all type market are the dictionary definition of Power's law. They produce the most exhilarating wins (eg. Google, Facebook) and the most brutal losses (Yahoo! , MySpace).
Another thing about Power's Law and this type of markets is that they receive almost all the attention, whereas stuff like constructions, pipelining, ports, airports don't get the same attention
- ethbr0 5y agoYou can't effectively legislate competition, but you can legislate monopoly behavior. And I think it would be a hard sell to convince me that saying "If you run a company with greater than Y users / market share / etc. then you must offer a paid option that optionally disables all tracking."
- GDC7 5y agoNo, I don't think you can. You can't legislate luck which spurred the monopoly. You'd just move the problem elsewhere (eg. in another sector of the economy or within government)
- ethbr0 5y agoThat's a risk, but not a fundamental limitation. The government can mandate whatever is within the bounds of the laws its passed (and its constitution). Unintended consequences are a reason to wield power judiciously and incrementally, not a reason to avoid wielding it at all.