Matt Panhans @mpanhans@librem.one

@lightweight The connection I see is that the implication is the same: we need policies that go beyond antitrust, because breaking up big firms might only be a temporary reprieve. We ultimately need policies or movements that encourage innovation of new organizational forms.

@lightweight Thanks for sharing your blog! In short, I think it's spot on in characterizing a problem with corporations. The FSF article focuses on tech platforms, where issues of market dominance are especially pronounced bc of network effects and data barriers to entry. Breaking up with antitrust, however, doesn't really help. The market might just tip again to another platform. What is needed is a change in business model, and that's the connection to your post.

@nightpool@cybre.space @1br0wn @doctorow @cwebber@octodon.social But even if this happened, FB wouldn't play nice. If open social protocols had been established earlier, we could be in the equilibrium described in the article, with people on whatever social platforms they liked best. Instead we're stuck in this inferior equilibrium. But I think the transition cannot involve FB w/ its business model. We need to start from scratch. And I think the Fediverse is the most promising path to realizing that superior equilibrium.

@nightpool@cybre.space @1br0wn @doctorow @cwebber@octodon.social I've seen interoperability as a compelling tool to inject competition into tech platforms for a while. FB beat the competition in the early 2010s and was rewarded with profits; but today it is profiting because users are locked in. Interoperability would give users more ability to switch and multi-home to try new services. If this had been in place, I'm sure people would have switched from FB during #StopHateForProfit. But it's hard to coordinate that move.

@lightweight I work in antitrust and sometimes related to tech issues, and I also agree that this resonates. Antitrust is just one tool, and it has some uses, but there remain some fundamental problems it cannot fix

@michel_slm Yes I’m eager to see where BlueSky goes, though it’s been so quiet I’ve been lowering my expectations

Is anyone familiar with the project called LibreSocial? They are building a p2p social network that is decentralized, privacy-respecting, and extendable.

I would be very interested to read a comparison of Fediverse vs. LibreSocial (vs. Solid?) projects, to understand their different goals and different approaches to common goals.

https://libresocial.com/en/startpage/

@strypey This is super. It's always struck me that a major problem with the food system is that information doesn't travel well along supply chains, besides price information. This is a great way to have more information provided to consumers than simply price.

Mark Zuckerberg is now worth $100 billion. Another reason to switch to the fediverse: stop fueling this massive global inequality

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/07/tech/mark-zuckerberg-net-worth-intl-hnk/index.html

@jeremiahlee This study went on to be published in the top economics journal. Facebook is like other addictive substance and habits- cut users off and they find they are happier. This is in fact a large part of what drove me to join the Fediverse, because it is software designed only for social networking, and not also trying to keep you addicted.

@emacsen I do believe individual decisions matter. But with social apps, individual options are constrained because of aggregate decisions. I think using your podcast platform to influence the aggregate decisions will have greater overall impact. So I think priority is to keep producing great episodes with great guests - even if it means using the Twitter. But maybe in the future you won't be forced to make this choice!