Better Boundaries

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Article from Issue 270/2023

Author(s): Joe Casad

Is the whole high-tech scene imploding? If so, it won't be the first time, but every time it implodes, it comes back a little different, so even temporary implosions are relevant.

Dear Reader,

Is the whole high-tech scene imploding? If so, it won't be the first time, but every time it implodes, it comes back a little different, so even temporary implosions are relevant. The layoffs continue, with more pink slips circulating through the tech giants. Meta announced another round. Microsoft sent away the remnants of its ethics and society team. Members of both parties in the fractious US Congress are clamoring to reign in the power of big tech. Where will all this lead? At least for this news cycle, all eyes are on Amazon.

The number of ongoing investigations into Amazon practices is really quite extraordinary [1]. The probes include antitrust, privacy violations, deceptive advertising, and so-called dark patterns (manipulative tricks played within a user interface to make the user spend money, sign up, or stay signed up when they want to quit). Of course, in such cases, the subject is always innocent until proven guilty; however, given the current state of public opinion, the pressure is for the government to make something stick.

[...]

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