Antitrust, Competition Law, and Consumer Protection
Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Economy, Strategy, and Privacy
The algorithm in the armchair. Can machine learning more accurately diagnose mental disorders, and prescribe the right medications? Maybe one day
The 5G lie: The network of the future is still slow. America’s new nationwide 5G networks weren’t much faster — and in some places they were slower
How big tech makes their billions. Big Tech has eclipsed Big Oil and other major industry groups to comprise the most valuable publicly-traded companies in the world. By continuing to grow, these companies have strengthened the financial position of their billionaire founders
The price of 1GB of mobile data in different countries
South Korea government, Samsung team up for self-sufficiency after Japan export curbs on chip material. Local suppliers will be encouraged to make and test sophisticated chipmaking materials like photoresist
Censoring Scott Atlas should be the last straw for big tech’s censorship. YouTube removed video of a presidential advisor discussing COVID-19 lockdowns. Anti-trust action and legislation must cap this abuse of power. Also, Big Tech removes a video from prominent think tank for contradicting WHO on Coronavirus
Will it still be called Alexa? Bollywood Star Amitabh Bachchan is the new voice of Amazon’s Alexa
Apple formally adopts human rights policy in the wake of criticism of manufacturer working conditions & freedom of expression issues
India expands national security ban of Chinese apps; 118 forbidden in wake of renewed border tensions
Nvidia confirms $40B purchase of Arm, bringing together two chip giants. How Nvidia’s CEO cooked up America’s biggest semiconductor company. For Jensen Huang, the landmark bid for Arm cements his ambition to supplant Intel
Mark Zuckerberg on why he doesn’t want to “put an Apple Watch on your face.” How Facebook’s CEO is thinking about the future of augmented reality, virtual reality, and more
Trump approves deal between Oracle and TikTok. The approval delays President Trump’s threat to block a popular Chinese-owned social media app from the United States until it receives investment from American partners
Why the TikTok deal is like Schrödinger’s cat. To understand the video-app saga, think of quantum mechanics
Trump’s TikTok dance: the politicisation of American business. A messy sale process triggered by national security concerns reflects the growing tech rivalry between the US and China
After Trump’s TikTok ban, China readies blacklist of foreign companies. Beijing issued rules that could allow it to halt exports, imports and investments by businesses accused of endangering national security
TikTok’s fate coming to a head. Video-sharing app and partners scramble to iron out deal to avoid ban on U.S. downloads
Judge halts Trump Administration TikTok download ban. The ban had been scheduled to begin for video-sharing app late Sunday
Here's the data showing why TikTok's court victory was vital
China wants to decouple from US tech, too. Washington’s restrictions have only sped Beijing’s development of its own ecosystem
WeChat might survive a ban by Trump as well. A federal judge temporarily blocked the president’s executive order that sought to cripple the app in the US on Sunday. The ban could present a threat to users’ free-speech rights, the judge wrote.
John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge on what the Old Establishment can teach the new Tech Elite. At a time when their talents are sorely needed, the privileged class in the West has forgotten the tradition of public service
US-China tech war: battle over semiconductors, Taiwan stokes trade feud. Semiconductors are the cornerstone technology of the information age and key to the US-China tech war, as well as both nations’ relationship with Taiwan. China trails the US, South Korea and Taiwan in the production of chips but is rolling out a suite of measures to bolster research and financing for the sector
Is it game over for the console? Subscription model entices tech firms to spend big money on cloud gaming platforms
Uber secures its London future by winning a court battle with the city's transport body
DOJ to seek congressional curbs on immunity for internet companies. The legislation is unlikely to pass during an election year, but Congress could take it up next year
Competition in Digital Markets: What Have We Learned So Far? systematically analyses and summarises 21 reports issued by 17 antitrust authorities and expert panels on digital platforms and competition
Apple countersues ‘Fortnite’ maker Epic Games, seeks punitive damages. Tech giant’s filing comes in response to Epic’s push to get popular videogame returned to App Store
Epic v Apple drama continues with a new injunction request
Apple v Epic — a briefing on the antitrust arguments and interesting facts but…
… Epic currently has to deal with a far larger issue than antitrust actions against Apple
Is DOJ's Antitrust Division obstructing the administration's Big Tech investigation?
Germany moves to crack down on big tech with anti-trust bill
Antitrust? Big Tech is turning on one another amid antitrust probes and litigation. Facebook and Microsoft are mad at Apple, Google and Amazon are being targeted by high-profile tech execs, and everybody wonders why Microsoft is avoiding any scrutiny…
The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly working on an antitrust lawsuit that it could potentially bring against Facebook [also on WSJ]
A top Washington analyst weighs the risks of antitrust actions against Big Tech
The FTC and DOJ antitrust divisions are underfunded, as current and ex-staffers say tech giants use close personal ties and deep pockets to stymie regulation
Antitrust measures must leave room for innovators
NY considers antitrust measure to curb power of corporate giants [video recording here] and TikTok-Oracle deal raises fresh privacy concerns
Amazon restricts how rival device makers buy ads on its site. Some makers of smart speakers, video doorbells and other hardware hit roadblocks buying key ads in search results
Everybody v the App Store: Why companies are taking issue with Apple’s growing revenue engine. Critics say Apple wields monopoly power over the gateway that connects users to mobile apps, which the tech giant disputes. Is this why…
…Apple makes unexpected concession on 30% App Store fees. It will drop charge for businesses forced by pandemic to pivot to online services
Google’s search business targeted in looming US anti-trust case. It controls about 90% of the online search market in the US
Concentrated power in Big Tech harms the US. The outsized influence of corporations is America’s biggest competitive threat
“Doubt is Their Product”: the difference between research and academic lobbying
A Snowden pardon could have a snowball effect on protecting national security secrets
Andrew Yang backs California’s data privacy campaign. "Our data should be ours no matter what platforms and apps we use," Yang said
Non-personal data rules draft has ‘grey areas’, data privacy bill architect BN Srikrishna says. India’s Non-Personal Data Governance Framework has been devised by an expert committee led by Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan. It's currently open for feedback
'Break data silos and monopolies, enable consent managers,' India’s NITI Aayog proposes in new draft data policy
India needs paradigm shift in personal data management: Niti Aayog
What is data protection, and why is it important? Data protection regulations ensure the security of individuals’ personal data and regulate the collection, usage, transfer, and disclosure of the said data
China launches initiative to set global data-security rules. Move is meant to counter U.S. Clean Network effort
Ireland to order Facebook to stop sending user data to U.S. Privacy regulator’s order to suspend the company’s data transfers to the U.S. cites concerns over American government surveillance practice
Facebook appeals move to curb EU-U.S. data transfer. The social media company says move by Ireland’s privacy regulator is premature
Facebook says it may quit Europe over ban on sharing data with U.S. EU court in July ruled there were insufficient safeguards against snooping by US intelligence agencies
Challenges of data privacy and protection in a Covid and post-pandemic world
Blackbaud ransomware demonstrates the potential devastation caused by supply chain attacks
US e-Commerce companies in the dark on European Privacy Rules
Regulate non-personal data
Facebook accused of secretly watching Instagram users through cameras. Facebook blamed a bug, which it said it was correcting for the issue
Companies can track phone movements to target users with ads. Google (really? It makes a ton of cash selling ads!) and Apple have taken steps this year to protect users from hundreds of companies
The Washington Privacy Act is back because everyone agrees – we need a comprehensive U.S. privacy law.
McKinsey’s annual reading list is back—reimagined for this pandemic year
Adam Grant’s book recommendations
The US doesn’t have enough printing capacity to meet demand for Barack Obama’s autobiography, A Promised Land, that it is importing 112 containers of it from Germany
If Then by Jill Lepore — the ominous power of big data. A new book examines the long US history of harnessing technology to predict behaviour and win ‘hearts and minds’
Why meritocracy isn’t working. As profession-based privilege supplants hereditary privilege, three new books champion essential blue-collar skills
Apple lost the most money in history in one day, but still worth $2 trillion. Companies can lose hundreds of billions and still be worth more than entire countries or continents
Uber CEO promises workers scraps while fighting their basic rights. Facing new laws and legal challenges, Dara Khosrowshahi wrote in the New York Times that Uber would create a benefits fund to preserve drivers' status as 'independent contractors'—but only with a law that forces other companies to do the same
Parents got more time off. Then the backlash started. Pandemic policies at tech companies have created a rift between parents offered more benefits and resentful workers who don’t have children
The Jumbo Jet was the pinnacle of air luxury—now its days are numbered. Boeing and Airbus are winding down production of the 747 and A380, planes that ended up being too big for their own good
And…what made brand new 737 max planes crash explained in a 245 pg report
And on planes, Singapore Airlines reportedly plans to offer sightseeing 'flights to nowhere' that take off and land at the same airport
Airlines pine for roar of jet engines over the Atlantic. Big carriers face growing threat on what was one of the busiest and most lucrative routes
The Guardian on Inside the airline industry's meltdown. Coronavirus has hit few sectors harder than air travel, wiping out tens of thousands of jobs and uncountable billions in revenue. While most fleets were grounded, the industry was forced to reimagine its future
Ford details plans for new $700m high tech factory for electric pickup trucks. The new plant will be built within its 92 year-old complex in Michigan and will be its 'most advanced facility'
Tesla tries to expand its lead in batteries. Boosted by the powerful rally in its shares this year, the company has seen its rivals’ electric vehicles sputter
‘Car dealers must become technology companies’: An interview with the CEO of Vertu Motors
The 50 most popular fast food chains in America
Big business is no longer the planet’s biggest problem. Multinationals will not achieve their sustainability agenda unless they convince smaller companies of the merits
A free market manifesto that changed the world, reconsidered. Milton Friedman’s libertarian economics influenced presidents and inspired “greed is good.” So what did Friedman get right — and wrong? Today’s business leaders and economists weigh in.
Stakeholder Theory: An In-Depth Series. What is stakeholder theory and how does it differ from the Friedman model underlying the past half-century of economic policy? Learn more on the approach, practice, and future of this idea from "the father of stakeholder theory" in this extensive video series
The ghost of Milton Friedman will haunt the markets until companies fix CEO pay (also see Stakeholder Capitalism v Milton Friedman: A discussion with Darren Walker and James Stewart)
What Milton Friedman missed about social inequality. Since the economist wrote his influential essay on capitalism, the “haves” have gained much — and everyone else has missed out
50 years of blaming Milton Friedman. Here’s another idea. Half a century after he blessed corporate greed, liberals are still trying to rebut his arguments. They’re fighting the wrong battle
Which problems should companies try to solve?
‘We were shocked’: RAND study uncovers massive income shift to the top 1%. The median worker should be making as much as $102,000 annually—if some $2.5 trillion wasn’t being “reverse distributed” every year away from the working class
North Korea has been using US banks to launder money. That’s just one disturbing conclusion from a huge trove of leaked “suspicious activity reports,” written by most of the world’s biggest banks. The stories detail how banks knowingly handled cash from drug cartels, corrupt politicians, terrorists, and con artists
Amazon bans foreign plant sales in the US, after mystery seeds sent to households this summer led US officials to raise alarm over ease of e-commerce seed sales
Ikea’s e-commerce was already pretty bad. During COVID-19, it absolutely fell apart. The global furniture giant claimed to have modernised. Then COVID-19 struck
India’s economy contracts 24% during coronavirus lockdown. Quarter to June highlights severity of initial strategy to contain pandemic
Veronique de Rugy: I study corporate welfare. Even I was shocked by this cronyism. A privately owned entity created by the Export-Import Bank allows its customers to also be its owners
Ranking the mega-regions driving the global economy in 2019
2020 has been a “Nightmare Year” for America, and the economic fallout is just getting started
Remember 1929 when looking for the cause of the coming financial crisis. Alarm bells are ringing in the market for commercial mortgage-backed securities
The next subprime crisis could be in food. If trade financing is out of reach for small and midsized farmers, everyone may suffer
Related to food… Indian farmers block railway lines and roads to protest agricultural reforms. Modi targeted in nationwide strike after opening up sector to private agribusinesses
Amazing! JPMorgan pays record $920 million fine for rigging commodity markets
The future of the university in the age of Covid. As students start a term like no other, higher education is being reinvented for the post-pandemic world
An online course or degree can help you achieve career goals—here’s how to pick the right one
Applicants flock to elite business schools to ride out the coronavirus pandemic. Extended deadlines, test waivers and a recession help create a surge in business school applications after years of declines
Every Christopher Nolan film ranked for you to disagree with. Nolan's latest, Tenet, is finally out. Here's how it stacks up to the rest of his movies
‘Tenet’ and the twilight of Hollywood’s power. No empire has ever had an asset quite like it — but the sun is setting on the US film industry
Challenger: Remembering the day America's space dream died. The shuttle disaster is the focus of a new Netflix series that underlines the fragility and bravery of exploring space
The UK's chief Brexit negotiator has said the government is not “scared” of walking away from talks without a trade deal ready to come into force in 2021
Why populists have given up on promises. Shorn of innovative policies or competence, Trump and Johnson face a fork in the road
Climate change? Denver weather set to go from record heat to possible record cold in a day. See also CNN. Can temperatures shift so fast?
Saudi Arabia puts crown prince’s flagship charity, Misk, under review. Foundation has been central to Mohammed bin Salman’s drive to extend his brand overseas
What the death of coffee shops tells us about Silicon Valley. The tech community needs physical places to meet, program, pitch, make deals and brainstorm
As of 2 September 2020, a US passport holder could travel to 86 countries without a pre-approved visa, down from 171 countries last year
At the 19th anniversary of 9/11, at least 37 million people have been displaced by America’s War on Terror. A new report calculates the number of people who fled because of wars fought by the United States since 11 September 2001.
China’s tech and finance groups flock to Singapore. City’s tech allure burnished as barriers go up against Chinese groups in US and India
China, once Germany’s partner in growth, turns into a rival. ‘China is not a developing country, not at all. It’s an established, top-notch manufacturing country’
The west should heed Napoleon’s advice and let China sleep. The next phase of western policy demands a complete reboot of its dealings with the Communist party
Niall Ferguson: ‘We’re in Cold War 2 – China is the Soviet Union’s heir. India under PM Modi is very close to the USA’
Beijing blocking Wikipedia from United Nations intellectual property agency over Taiwan is resistance against ‘Western values’, analysts say. The move counters Washington’s successful campaign earlier this year to derail China’s candidate as head of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, which has an outsize role in global patents and trademarks, attractive to both China and the US as they battle over technology
Polylateralism imperative for resurrecting multilateralism
The United Nations: Indispensable or irrelevant? Many consider it no coincidence there hasn’t been a world war since the U.N. was founded 75 years ago. But the institution faces the challenge of staying relevant as rising nationalism threatens the very idea of interdependence
Singapore charts its way to digital future for trade. Post-pandemic success hinges on ‘connecting ourselves with the world’, says PM
Indian charities battle for survival after government crackdown. Modi administration regards most foreign-funded NGOs with deep suspicion
A supercomputer analysed COVID-19 and an interesting new theory has emerged. A closer look at the Bradykinin hypothesis
'Mind-bogglingly complex': Here's what we know about how COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed when it's approved
3 signs it’s time to change careers
We need to do more research on honesty. Scientists and philosophers know a lot about why we lie. Now let’s figure out how not to do so
This is our big chance to create better workplaces. The pandemic has sent a loud message that change is overdue — and it would be unwise to ignore it
How managers are harnessing employees’ hidden skills. Some businesses are applying the lessons of lockdown to introduce new ways of organising and overseeing work
Is Spotify killing the top 40? The most popular songs appear to be getting a little less popular. The share of top-200 streams going to the top 40 songs fell from about 44% of streams to 39%
“Athens, Georgia, was my home. Its leaders are letting Covid-19 wreak havoc,” says Michael Stipe, former singer of R.E.M.
He’s had hits in every decade since the 70s… 100 greatest Bruce Springsteen songs of all time. An expert panel of writers and artists pick Springsteen’s best songs, from “Rosalita” to “Wrecking Ball”
How Radiohead predicted our tumultuous times 20 years ago. A new book, ‘This Isn’t Happening,’ explores the rock band’s eerily prescient 2000 album, ‘Kid A’
I was bullied for being Arab. Nine Inch Nails threw me a lifeline. As a teenage girl paralysed with fear, one of the darkest albums of the 1990s, “The Downward Spiral,” gave me the guts to rebel against my tormentors
More than 300 artists, journalists, and industry figures — everyone from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift to members of U2 — helped determine the all-new list of the 500 greatest albums
An unhappy elephant on a long journey to better conditions has responded well to singing from his rescuers, especially Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Steven Levitt on People I (Mostly) Admire Ep 2: Mayim Bialik
Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers.’ The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic. The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg: "I stand by my reporting."
As Trump vehemently disputes reports that he has disparaged veterans, some silences speak loudly
And how reality-TV fame handed Trump a $427 million lifeline
He invented the Rubik’s Cube. He’s still learning from it. Erno Rubik opens up about his creation in his new book, “Cubed”
Obituary: David Graeber, anthropology professor, 1961-2020. Self-styled anarchist who played a prominent part in the Occupy Wall Street movement. His last book, ‘Bullshit Jobs,’ provides a thought-provoking examination of our working lives
Ginsburg’s death sparks election battle over Supreme Court. Democrats and second key Republican oppose Trump plan to announce nominee next week
Bill & Melinda Gates: Vaccine fairness will make us all safer. Sharing Covid-19 jabs equitably would result in fewer deaths and faster control everywhere
Australia’s misguided attack on Big Tech. A co-ordinated approach is needed towards large technology groups
Facebook threatens to block news-sharing in Australia. Social media group responding to Canberra’s push to force big tech to pay media for content
Contextualising the dispute between Australia, Facebook, and Google
Facebook, under pressure in India, bans politician for hate speech. T. Raja Singh is a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. See also internet superpowers
Facebook’s political ad ban also threatens ability to spread accurate information on how to vote. Two months out from Election Day, Facebook’s changes to its political ad rules cause additional problems for the government officials running the vote
Say hello to the latest weird viral Facebook hoax: ‘Selene Delgado Lopez’
Facebook has been a disaster for the world. How much longer are we going to allow its platform to foment hatred and undermine democracy?
Facebook’s oversight board, becoming operational in October, is a Supreme Court within a dictatorship and can't legislate a better government
“I have blood on my hands”: A whistleblower Says Facebook ignored global political manipulation
Another Facebook worker quits in disgust, saying the company ‘is on the wrong side of history.’ Mark Zuckerberg’s stances on hateful and racist speech prompted the engineer to resign
Facebook fears ruling may force it to pull social media platforms from EU. Court filings show tech giant doesn’t believe it can convince Data Protection Commission to overturn preliminary ruling that bans transfer of data from EU to US
Facebook vows to restrict users if US election descends into chaos. Nick Clegg, head of global affairs, says social network could use aggressive and exceptional measures
TikTok says it removed over 100 million videos in first half for policy violations. The videos represent less than 1 per cent of all its content worldwide
How to boost WhatsApp’s privacy and better protect your data. It has end-to-end encryption by default—but that doesn't mean the service’s settings are as private as they could be
Advertisers make deal with Facebook and YouTube on risky content. External audits and common standards satisfy companies who were boycotting social media
Why the right wing has a massive advantage on Facebook
The 300,000-year case for the 15-hour week. To understand the future of work, look deep into our past, writes anthropologist James Suzman
Working from home! Have we just stumbled on the biggest productivity increase of the century?
The counterpoint: How work became an inescapable hellhole. Instead of optimising work, technology has created a nonstop barrage of notifications and interactions. Six months into a pandemic, it's worse than ever.
How COVID-19 created a new kind of consumer in just 90 days. After two decades of steady growth, the trajectory of digital consumerism went into hyperdrive when the pandemic changed everything—giving us ‘Generation N’
'Covid has magnified every existing inequality' – Melinda Gates. Pandemic could result in a ‘lost decade’ for developing countries, says co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in stark report
Social and emotional learning has never been more important—or more difficult. Schools are increasing the focus on students’ mental health but run into challenges in online classrooms
Plotting US election probabilities… Biden is favoured to win the election, according to Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight project
America’s tech billionaires could help protect the election. if they wanted to. The most patriotic thing that companies could do is make democracy work better.
This 'moonshot' hype only illustrates No 10's obsession with tech hyperbole
Zoom heralds digital judgement day for religion. Covid means empty houses of worship, online services and little income
Trump gloated over an MSNBC anchor being shot by a rubber bullet at an anti-racism protest, calling it a 'beautiful sight'
What makes strangers click?
Why loneliness fuels populism. As curbs on socialising return, we need to examine the link between isolation and the politics of intolerance
That's all folks!!!!
Comments
Post a Comment