TechChannel News’ Post

ICYMI: "If the U.S. wants [internet] rules, and they aren't to come exclusively from Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, we need to do one of two things..." "We can retract from the contractarian model of internet governance; or we can allow contracts to set the rules, but courts need to get in the action and police the societal impacts of these agreements." https://lnkd.in/gHjNh5DZ #legaltech #bigtech #internetnews #socialimpact #technologynews #lawtech

Meta's recent $25 million settlement with Donald Trump marks a pivotal moment for corporate America. As firms increasingly opt for legal compromises rather than contentious battles, we see a strategic shift in navigating political landscapes. This deal, coupled with Trump's impending influence in the 2024 election cycle, prompts a crucial question: Are companies like Meta compromising their content moderation integrity for political harmony? While Meta denies any wrongdoing, their actions could signal a growing trend of corporations siding with political figures to avoid backlash, potentially jeopardizing platform independence. As we witness other tech giants like X and YouTube reevaluate their policies, the implications for free speech and misinformation during elections loom large. Investors must navigate these political waters with caution. The stakes have never been higher as we assess the intertwining of business strategy and political influence. Will this settlement fuel a more lenient approach to moderating political content? Stay tuned.

Donald Trump’s intervention in the #TikTok ban case in the U.S. highlights how politics and #Tech are going to be increasingly intertwined in the U.S. - and world - over the next few years. Arguably, more than #AI - which is more an expensive and necessary cost of doing business increasingly for these companies - it will be politics that will be a key driver of the fate of the Tech companies. Although the filing states that Trump has no view on the merits of the case, my view is that his Administration will, ultimately, decide against a ban despite the strong support with the Republican Party for one. Incidentally, I’d also see this filing as negative for #Meta (#Facebook) given what it may imply about the future actions of the Administration. As usual, this is not investment advice.

TikTok Ban and Trump Executive Order Lead to Tech Company Dilemma The federal law banning TikTok has revealed a major schism among American tech companies: Some are willing to flout the law — and some, including Apple and Google, are not. https://ift.tt/nA2zqsT

I guess you can check into Hotel California but you can never leave. How can Meta/Facebook even imagine that unfollowing users is “restricting operations”? Let’s play a game: one of these things is not like the other. In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg spoke at Harvard Law School with Jonathan Zittrain and I think my ancestor who was in Harvard’s first graduating class in 1642 would be confused about his use of the word fiduciary in 2019, vs behavior by Facebook and Meta. (fiduciary = in your best interests) https://is.gd/FRd1aI “The idea of us having a fiduciary relationship with the people who use our services is intuitive” Intuitive, yes. The Internet is both interstate and intrastate. In Illinois a verbal agreement is legally binding. Intuitive = self-evident. We hold these truths to be self-evident. How much time is spent on social media and how much money is made with AI and our data? (alot) Are users fully informed about how valuable this data is? (no) How can you give fully informed consent for your data to be utilized if you are not fully informed? (you can’t) Do we have freedom to unfollow people, disconnect, leave social networks, take our data with us, and decide how to benefit from our own data, beyond the technical value of the app/website? Not really. The real value of a social network is based on relationships people bring, enable and maintain. If people leave, a social network’s value is zero. The stakes are high, they affect us all, including the many fine people who work at Meta. But Facebook and Meta’s behavior has been confusing and the Delaware Court of Chancery is adding to that confusion. A few months ago, whilst I was contemplating the impending invasion of a trillion cicadas, the Court issued a confusing decision stating that Meta’s fiduciary duty to shareholders was only specific to Meta. This does not seem intuitive. https://is.gd/PiQAem If fiduciary = in the best interest of the client, doesn’t that at least include taking into account how the client would define it? The Delaware decision defines fiduciary as Meta and the Chancery court judge would define it. Zuck & Zuck. They would certainly think I’m crazy but I think they should have a public debate (Mark can brush his new curls and Ethan Zuckerman can comb his groovy beard). And they should also make nice, make a law firm for the public good, and ask Richard Whitt (Sr Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center), to run the firm with Jonathan Zittrain. The Firm should help make novel transparent corporate governance and public policy, steep their Boston-style representative legal tea in common law, and ask people for their perspective. You’re invited: Meta, the Chancery judge, Jonathan Zittrain, Mark, Ethan and anyone else are invited to bother Richard Whitt, join the 14+ companies in the newly forming open/transparent GliaNet Alliance and help define the fiduciary future: https://lnkd.in/g_RUCenn NYT paywall-bypassing Gift link: https://is.gd/EQ8jaO

If Google does not want to flout the law, they need to cut off hosting and AI training services for TikTok — and not try the sleazy trick of bundling it under a “general contract” with ByteDance. Other major cloud companies are doing the same thing.

I am excited to share a noteworthy blog post detailing the recent Supreme Court decision that allows a multibillion-dollar class action lawsuit to move forward against Meta. This ruling marks a significant moment in the legal landscape for large tech companies and raises critical questions about accountability and corporate practices. For those interested in the implications of this landmark decision and its potential impact on the future of social media, I highly recommend reading the full article. You can find the blog post here: https://ift.tt/8IXjuJW.

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. U.S. Court Upholds ByteDance Divestiture Law: A Significant Victory for DOJ and Advocates of Tighter Controls on Chinese-Owned Technology In a major development, a U.S. federal appeals court has upheld a law mandating ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest its U.S. operations by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. This ruling is a significant victory for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and advocates of tighter controls on Chinese-owned technology. The decision intensifies pressure on ByteDance, as it now has a limited timeframe to comply with the divestiture requirement. Failure to do so could result in a nationwide ban on TikTok, a popular social media platform with millions of users in the United States. As an experienced Investment Advisor, I urge you to take action to navigate the ever-changing landscape of investments. With this ruling, there is a sense of urgency to reassess your investment strategies and seize opportunities that align with potential outcomes. Don't let the Fear of Missing Out hold you back. Act now to explore alternative investment options. By investing through a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can benefit from tax advantages while growing your wealth. #HSA #investing #healthcare #health #family #wellness Invest wisely and secure your financial future, leveraging the power of HSAs. Let's work together to make informed decisions and maximize your investment potential. 💪💼📈

Houston! We have a problem! The other day, a parent asked me how to filter content that is posted on YouTube. They mentioned that they have tried restricted mode, 3rd party filters, but nothing seems to work. This is not the first time someone has asked this question. Regardless what YouTube and Google states, the video platform is filled with objectionable content and global users have found ways to circumvent their algorithm and post sexual content. Age restrictions are not the answer. What would be ideal is to remove sexual content completely. Regardless of what big tech thinks, there needs to be more control over what users and parents want to see. It is time for a clean up. We all have watched "Big Tech" Congressional Hearings. When questioned about their platforms, it is a rehearsed response and we have yet to see any fixes. While there are tools to mitigate "digital landmines" on YouTube, it unfortunately leaves many flanks exposed. If you would like to know more about how to clean up you digital life, please reach out. #cleanupcontent #YouTube https://lnkd.in/gN2aZss4

Here's the reason of the last days' repositioning on fact checking and diversity and inclusion policies: ingratiating Trump so to put pressure, not only in the Us , but abroad. These new - so to speak - tech oligarchs are getting closer and closer to power, just like their Russian colleagues. In doing so, they could obviously get burned by the flame - and, even in this respect , Russia has something to teach : the same man who can create your lucks can suddenly destroy you. And in the long run, that's the most probable thing. But companies divide the reality in quarters. There's a third similarity to Russia. Or, to better say, with the old Soviet union. Trump is trying to extend America's area of influence like the Ussr did in the 20th century with Eastern Europe and the Warsaw pact. Canada, Greenland, Panama. "It's our national interest", he says. Someone, a hundred years ago, coined an expression for this: "vital space ". Europe is not a giant in strictly military terms (at all). But it is, actually , in an economic perspective, in regulations (think about the Ai act, the best legislation in the world on Ai), in culture. And it represents an alternative to the American way of living and doing business, not to mention to its perspective on the world. We have fundamentally experienced colonialism and had enough of it, at least in its "open" version, with tanks and soldiers. Europe's only strength to resist to these attacks is to deepen the ties between member countries: more integration between us, more autonomy from America in key strategic sectors. More cultural self consciousness. We represent an alternative to the US, a pacific one. No need to get engaged in Trump's wars. But, nevertheless, we do have to need to stand firmly in front of these menaces. #meta #us #russia #trump #zuckerberg #regulations #eu #war