Olives @olives@qoto.org

#Platformization / Platform Syndrome - The bane of the #OpenWeb?

So-called "#platforms" have risen a fair bit in recent years (i.e. particularly after 2017, and even including Discord, honestly, they are copying some of these negative patterns). These seem to differ a fair bit from previous services which people used to use. For starters, they try to be a one stop shop which covers everything someone might want to do, whereas previously, someone might use one tool for this, a service for this, and a service for that. Even when such platforms existed, they weren't quite so proliferant.

It also seems a lot of the problems which people complain about seems to come from this unholy concentration of services into grand big ones. It also means that you might have inaccurate PR, marketing, media bubbles around particular bigger than life companies. Also, these platform's propensity towards politicisation, including in negative ways. Also, all kinds of contexts which might work more neatly separately have a tendency of collapsing into one, this might involve "algorithms".

Frankly, different services should be logically separated. Instagram shouldn't know anything about your email provider, or your contacts. Google shouldn't only know anything about YouTube (this separation seems to have been undermined during the Google+ hubbub). Facebook shouldn't know anything about Instagram. Threads shouldn't know anything about Instagram. But, questions might have to be asked too about why single companies control so many venues.

Some people like to point to particular things, perhaps, this feature, or that feature, it seems intuitive enough, but imo this is a phantom, a shadow, it is ignoring this phenomena going on in the background. It also tends to lead to proposals which would probably be quite unpleasant for users, and even (bad) ones which aren't really compatible with liberal values.

Is there anything you think I've missed here?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/26/missouri-republican-dueling-statehouse

"A Missouri Republican’s proposal to reintroduce dueling to solve statehouse differences was branded “utter stupidity” by a leading historian of political violence."

...Guys... Please...

There really is a manga based on George Orwell's 1984, lol.

That character after "1984" is an indicator to tell you that it's a year.

Memes. #kosa

More nonsense to overcome on Monday, I guess. Ugh.

https://www.techdirt.com/2024/01/25/palworld-is-a-great-example-of-the-idea-expression-dichotomy/ Lol.

Though, statistically speaking, I can imagine stranger people buying those (as there is a price barrier), but it doesn't really stand to reason that they're necessarily bad.

I suspect it'll be like the sex robots. Fairly mundane when you actually look into it.

Perhaps, a more ambitious headline could be: "OpenAI won't last".

Lol.

I think it is a perfect illustration of how the European Commission has been lately, where someone suddenly gets a pet idea, and tries to shove it through.

The former ISP CEO tries to gut net neutrality.

Ylva is fixated on being a white knight.

The Commission reckons that EHDS would be "convenient", despite being bad for people's rights, and barely justifying itself.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/27/a-wolf-killed-the-eu-presidents-precious-pony-then-the-fight-to-catch-the-predator-began

"After being hunted to near extinction, wolves have returned to Europe. But when one killed Ursula von der Leyen’s family pony, it ignited a high-stakes battle. Are the animals’ days numbered?"

Not a story I expected to see, and it again makes it sound as if the European Commission has too much power.

It looks like I got a bit of dissent as the guy who was tortured to death in Alabama seemingly chose it at first, before changing his mind. Well, first off, I don't particularly care about what legal gymnastics he is using to drag out legal proceedings. But, secondly, a prohibition on torture means a prohibition on torture, it's really that simple.

Of course, the other reason I'm going to turn Wisconsin into my new punching bag, is that it's an illiberal shithole where they hold "voice votes" on contentious bills and have readings 1, 2, and 3 on the same day, because fuck scrutiny.

Interesting people there.