I’m making some experimental updates to my newsletter: Starting next week, this newsletter will come in several flavors: Technology, Media, and Society: technology and its impact on the way we live, work, learn, and vote. Late Stage: personal reflections on living and surviving in the 21st century. The Outmap:
“Andreessen wasn’t advocating for a tech industry that accelerates the development of the human race, or elevates the human condition. He wanted to (and succeeded in creating) a Silicon Valley that builds technology that can, and I quote, “eat markets far larger than the technology industry has historically been
I spent a little time updating my resumé, which is a process that basically sits at the top of all the things I least like to do in the world. This time around I tried to have an eye towards focus: what about the work I do might other organizations
If I was building technology to let people watch Netflix and check their email from remote locations, I would also be upset about it being used for drone strikes. But if that's the case, you shouldn't be deploying your tech to the military in the first
I was pleased to see this announcement from the MacArthur Foundation: A coalition of 22 donors today announced Press Forward, a national initiative to strengthen communities and democracy by supporting local news and information with an infusion of more than a half-billion dollars over the next five years. Press Forward
No surprises here. We need more progressive change than we’re getting. But obviously, if it’s Biden v Trump, there’s only one choice. #Democracy [Link]
Snoop Dogg gimmick aside, this is actually pretty neat, and useful. I'd also like the opposite: sometimes I want to read podcasts. Different contexts demand different media; I wish content itself could be more adaptable. #Media [Link]
Here are my high-level technology values. And when it comes to building and selecting technology: Always build the smallest, simplest thing you can. Start with the spark, not the fire. The only code you should ever build yourself is that which adds to your core value proposition. The cloud is
I really need this for my home, and I suspect my entire region needs it. This could do a lot of good and be the start of something much bigger using virtual power plants as a platform. #Technology [Link]
My technology thesis is this: All technology should punch up, not down. It should connect the disconnected. It should empower the disempowered. It should inform the uninformed. It should empower communities that historically have been underrepresented and underserved. It should help people with similar needs and values to organize together
Every modern car brand abuses your personal information. 84% sell your data (including where you go and when). 56% will share it with law enforcement without a warrant. And none of them have demonstrably adequate security. #Technology [Link]
Rest in peace, Molly. We've lost one of the really good people who made the web better. #Technology [Link]