Post #1365419

2022-12-19 18:00 UTC

@michaelchampion @cdub @danbri Some rando like Musk could buy a browser and drive traffic away, or Apple could decide to pick a fight. Under dominance-from-quality assumptions, these are real strategic threats worth mitigating. In that case, let's all fix the browser/search model together. If (2), then given the centrality of search & browsers, we have a *serious* problem. Even just 5% of that income redistributed would be *huge* for Web vitality and innovation. So same fix!

Replies (2)

@robin@mastodon.social 2022-12-19 18:07

@michaelchampion @cdub @danbri Part 2, governance. At this kind of scale, what G does isn't just about quality but also governance. A nice property of governance systems is accountability. Again, sticking mostly to search since that was the example, I think that we have enough evidence of misgovernance (note that I'm not at all saying malicious, just bad) to expect accountability — but the browser/search feedback loop guarantees dominance so it just isn't possible.

Open ##1365420
@michaelchampion@indieweb.social 2022-12-19 19:50

@robin @cdub @danbri "Even just 5% of that income redistributed would be *huge* for Web vitality and innovation" Sure, that income WELL SPENT would be useful. But nothing in my experience with governments or non-profit organizations gives me any hope that dumping a billion dollars on either a government entity or something like W3C would lead to anything but a boondoggle.

Open ##1365421