Linked: Spotify’s Rogan problem is a cautionary tale for other tech platforms
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Linked: Spotify’s Rogan problem is a cautionary tale for other tech platforms

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 3 minutes

The article below points out that many of the platforms that exist today may find themselves in a similar situation and face a similar temptation. As shareholders start demanding more “growth” of a platform they are going to have a hard time providing that. There isn’t a large group of people clamoring to get Twitter or Facebook accounts that don’t currently have one. Eventually, they may be tempted to provide some kind of content exclusively on their platform. This pushes them into being publishing and media companies as opposed to tech companies. (We could argue that many of these platforms have started to dabble in being media companies but that haven’t quite taken the step that Spotify did and buy exclusive rights to podcasts.)

Linked: Cities and States Find New Ways to Tax Streaming Services
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Linked: Cities and States Find New Ways to Tax Streaming Services

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

I reject that argument too, and here is why.

In order to be a customer of Netflix, Disney+, etc. you need broadband internet access, which runs through those wireline facilities. The ISP is already paying for using the right of way and passing that expense on to you. Any service, streaming video, audio, websites you visit, etc. is using the connection that has already been paid for and passed on to you. Taxing each individual service simply creates a situation where there is one connection using the infrastructure, being paid for over and over again and then being passed back to you over and over again.

Talking Backups On the Every Day Cyber Podcast
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Talking Backups On the Every Day Cyber Podcast

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 1 minute

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of being invited to chat about backup strategies for consumers and small businesses with the hosts of the Every Day Cyber podcast

The bottom line?  – Some backup is better than none. Multiple copies in various locations and states of being connected to the internet are better.

Linked: The Third Web
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Linked: The Third Web

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

Here’s the thing. I’ve been around the internet, and the Web, a long time. Long enough to remember when HTML was going to “democratize” publishing and when blogging was going to “democratize journalism” and when social media was going to be the thing that finally “democratized” the Web and gave everyone a voice.

None of that proved to be true. Each and every iteration of Internet technology eventually wound up with a couple of big winners, and some sort of monopoly.

What is it about Web3 that makes people think this will end any differently?

Linked: The Metaverse Via Oculus Is Awkward if You’re a Woman. And Beware of Griefers
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Linked: The Metaverse Via Oculus Is Awkward if You’re a Woman. And Beware of Griefers

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

Why it’s almost as if trolls will be trolls, creeps will be creeps, and people will continue to be everything they are on social media or yes, even in person. Because while those who seem to think that the virtual reality and presence of a real voice will somehow dim the hate and harassment that comes from a network where you can be anonymous, we can see plenty of real-life examples where being identifiable didn’t stop anyone from acting this way. I mean, half the folks who took part in Jan. 6 bragged about it on social media for days. Do you really think a little VR is going to make them suddenly self-conscious?

It’s a humanity issue, not a tech issue. No “new” tech that allows people to interact in real-time is going to be without it.