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We don't need new companies, we need open protocols to become A Thing again. For open protocols to develop and succeed, we need to modify the business environme
by handrous 5y ago
We don't need new companies, we need open protocols to become A Thing again. For open protocols to develop and succeed, we need to modify the business environment so capturing users isn't the #1 goal of online megacorps. That probably means passing really, really strong privacy laws, and the death of mass individually-targeted advertising.
I don't think we'll do that, but it's what it would take. Replacing the companies won't help, except maybe very briefly.
- jimbokun 5y agoTechnology companies were really the ones to drive new protocols, and beat the proprietary protocols in the open market. There were a lot of proprietary "information superhighway" projects by various companies, that were all made irrelevant by the success of the web.
- handrous 5y agoSure, and new companies will arise to develop and use open protocols if that's incentivized, but as long as not just attention or eyeballs, but capturing as much user activity and generated content as possible, is monetizable pretty directly (customize ads; feed your ML models to gain competitive advantage over those without the same reach into users' lives, and sell your ML capabilities), I think we're in for more of the same, even if we shuffle the chairs around.