Category Archives: Technology and innovation

Schaudenfreude Alert: Bezos-Buffet-Dimon Health Care Industry Disruptor Haven Makes Faceplant, Announces Closure

Even three rich smart guys couldn’t get a half baked idea like Haven off the ground.

Google Rigged Its Own Advertising Auction In Favor of Facebook for a Price (and What That Means for the So-Called Free Market)

Google fiddles with the weights and measures of commerce.

Critics Warn Repeal of Section 230 ‘Would Be Devastating for Human Rights, Social Movements, and Marginalized People’

No, Section 230 is not about Facebook. It protects you from liabilty if you forward an e-mail, so you should think twice about a repeal.

Larry Wilkerson: No Evidence of Massive Russian Hack

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson says so far the anti-Russia hysteria about an alleged hack looks like the phony claims about WMD in Iraq.

Antitrust Spring

Regulators and officials are dusting off antitrust rule books to go after tech monopolists.

How President Biden Can Fix our Trade Problem

Trump’s approach to trade largely failed because the problem can’t be solved by tariffs. Here’s the answer.

DoorDash Delivery Workers Would Need to Toil for Two Days to Buy a Single Share of Their $60 Billion Company

A look at how DoorDash exploits its workers, and how they and some legislators are seeking to change that.

Google Monopolizes Ad Markets Through Conduct Lawmakers Prohibit in Other Electronic Trading Markets

How Google’s abuses allow the search giant to dominate online advertising, and what can be done about it.

This Is What Can Happen When a Cross-Border Bank Merger Goes Horribly Wrong

As Banco Sabadell’s disastrous acquisition of UK TSB has shown, a bank merger can founder due to botched IT integration.

How Do You Combat Information Overreach?

A shaggy dog story, and a request for reader ideas on how to escape unreasonable requests for personal information.

What Would a State-Owned Amazon Look Like? Ask Argentina

Amazon hasn’t done well in Latin America. Now Argentina will challenge private platforms to benefit workers, consumers and sellers.

Ticketmaster’s Reckless, Privacy-Shredding Covid Plan to Get You in Their Seats

Ticketmaster wants to use technology to make events safer. Too bad its ideas are intrusive and medically questionable.

Why Google Is Facing Serious Accusations of Monopoly Practices

The regulatory worm seems to be turning against Google in many countries, even in the U.S. where it had been hibernating.

China Takes Step Against Securitization, Consumer Borrowing With Suspension of Ant IPO

With its smackdown of Ant and its billionaire founder Jack Ma, China has made clear that financiers do not call the shots.

Gig Worker Employment Fights Like Those in California Pit Flexibility Against a Livable Wage – But ‘Platform Cooperatives’ Could Ensure Workers Get Both

A proposal to improve gig worker bargaining power and solidarity.