Continuing on the theme that math doesn’t solve anything…
At the same time when Elon has taken over Twitter, @Jack has started up his own Twitter alternative, which isn’t exactly a platform, more like a super-browser. @Jack is making the same basic marketing error that Brendan Eich made with his Brave browser.
When you introduce a new product, you must solve a problem that customers already KNOW. Elon recognizes the real problem with social media. It’s fiendishly designed to make us angry and ashamed and divided. Every aspect of the algorithm works toward this goal.
I have no idea whether Elon will actually solve the problem, but at least he defines it correctly.
@Jack and Eich are focusing on the strange concept of “data ownership”.
On Tuesday, Bluesky announced the roadmap of its decentralised social network protocol, which will be the underlying code behind the app. Importantly, it says user data will be free from governmental influence and controlled by users rather than commercialised by a corporation, a move which could revolutionise the personal data economy. The app’s code will allow user account data to be moved from platform to platform. Bluesky users will be able to use their account to log in to any social media account that adopts the new code. So a single account will give them access to all of their favourite social media.
First, “a single account” is more central, not less central. Second, there’s absolutely no way to pry your data out of the NSA’s claws. You can’t own and control something that is already owned and controlled by Deepstate and corporations.
As I said earlier in the context of Eich’s project:
I’ve been trying to compare Bitcoin and MMT. Both are transparently obvious scams, and both have ferocious cult followings.
The main difference is in the Cui Bono department. Bitcoin easily fits into the Ponzi and MLM models, where the first insiders get rich and everyone else gets poor. MMT doesn’t fit those models. The founders are not receiving a cash flow. At most they’re getting academic status, which is important but not enough to sustain the level of cult zealotry.
A new hi-tech scam has recently emerged. “Data Ownership” claims to monetize your personal data in some way that isn’t yet defined or described. It’s even more obvious than the first two. Your web-based data is public property. Trying to own it and rent it out is EXACTLY THE SAME as buying the Brooklyn Bridge for $1000 and renting it out to drivers.
… Well, not exactly. A sucker can easily see why drivers would want to pay tolls for his “own” bridge. Bridges are sparse, and alternate bridges require long detours. There is no visible reason why ANYONE would want to pay tolls for your data, because billions of other data points are instantly available without tolls. Removing your data from the digital commons makes it worth LESS than the billions of other data points, not MORE. The whole fraud can’t possibly pay off until ALL data is personally monetized, which will never happen.
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