Pluralistic: America's largest hospital chain has an algorithmic death panel (05 August 2023)

Today's links

America's largest hospital chain has an algorithmic death panel: HCA's administrators berate doctors over "missed hospice opportunities."
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: America's largest hospital chain has an algorithmic death panel (05 August 2023)"

Pluralistic: Fighting junk fees is "woke" (04 August 2023)

Today's links

Fighting junk fees is "woke": Visa and Mastercard want you to pay credit card swipe fees to own the libs.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2008, 2013, 2018, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Fighting junk fees is "woke" (04 August 2023)"

Pluralistic: Cloudburst (03 August 2023)

Today's links

Cloudburst: The timely surge of "local-first computing."
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Cloudburst (03 August 2023)"

Pluralistic: Forcing your computer to rat you out (02 August 2023)

Today's links

Forcing your computer to rat you out: Self determination starts with the right to decide who can know which facts about you.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Forcing your computer to rat you out (02 August 2023)"

Pluralistic: Kickstarting a book to end enshittification, because Amazon will not carry it (31 July 2023)

Today's links

Kickstarting a book to end enshittification, because Amazon will not carry it: "The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation" comes out from Verso on Sept 5.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Kickstarting a book to end enshittification, because Amazon will not carry it (31 July 2023)"

Pluralistic: When the app tries to make you robo-scab (30 July 2023)

Today's links

When the app turns you into a robo-scab: The implacable, inarguable tactics of disciplinary technology.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: When the app tries to make you robo-scab (30 July 2023)"

Microincentives and Enshittification

How the Curse of Bigness wrecked Google Search.

A clip from a Jenga ad showing a dad knocking over the Jenga tower.

It’s hard to convey just how revolutionary Google Search was when it debuted in 1998. It blew rivals — from AskJeeves and Altavista to Yahoo — out of the water. It was so good, it was almost spooky, surfacing the best of the web with just a few clicks.

Today, Google owns the search market, controlling more than 90 percent of searches. Its worth hovers in the trillion-dollar range, and it employs some 180,000 people in offices all over the world. Almost every online journey we take starts with a Google search.

And here’s the thing: Google Search suuuuucks.

Continue reading "Microincentives and Enshittification"

Pluralistic: Tesla's Dieselgate (28 July 2023)

Today's links

Tesla's Dieselgate: How DRM let Tesla defraud every one of its customers.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Tesla's Dieselgate (28 July 2023)"

Pluralistic: The surprising truth about data-driven dictatorships (26 July 2023)

Today's links

The surprising truth about data-driven dictatorships: No autocrat is more powerful than GIGO.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: The surprising truth about data-driven dictatorships (26 July 2023)"

Pluralistic: Autoenshittification (24 July 2023)

Today's links

Autoenshittification: How the computer killed capitalism.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: Autoenshittification (24 July 2023)"