Pluralistic: The 40-year economic mistake that let Google conquer (and enshittify) the world (06 Nov 2025)

Today's links

The 40-year economic mistake that let Google conquer (and enshittify) the world: If reality doesn't fit the theory, ignore reality.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: The Master Switch; Dueling useless machines; Chrome delists Symantec; Someone tried to buy the UK; "Made to Kill"; #Audiblegate; Sony lies about de-rootkitifier; “Aurora”; Bluesky and enshittification; Polostan; New Zealand's 3 strikes law; Open Kinekt drivers; Co-op platforms vs Uber; Chelsea Manning's surveillance reform bill.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

How to fix the UK housing crisis: Reconverting homes to human rights, rather than assets.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Theme park privacy; 3 strikes dead in Eire; HK ghost posters; Hotel wifi sucks; Facebook pays no UK tax; Econ research replicability crisis; Herd immunity.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

The real (economic) AI apocalypse is nigh: Sweating (the assets) to the oldies.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Dying on the job; Google audiocomplete blacklist; Lockheed Martin v. 'gathering information.'
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

How much (little) are the AI companies making?: Ed Zitron does the math.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Wil Wheaton on /., G20 Toronto; London's war on photograhy, debating C-11 on Twitter with James Moore, breaking up Google, Female Furies…
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

What's wrong with tariffs: Trump's mirror-world policies fill the vacuum left by neoliberal gaslighting.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2020
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Eggflation is excuseflation: We don’t have egg companies in the business of making eggs anymore, we have egg companies in the business of exploiting egg shortages.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.