1 Last week Bob Ferguson the State’s attorney general for Washington launched an anti-trust probe into Google and Facebook . Among...
1
Last week Bob Ferguson the State’s attorney general for Washington
launched an anti-trust probe into Google and Facebook. Amongst the many allegations,
he claimed that the Duopoly had not only formed an unfair monopoly to squeeze publishers
and “squash competition”, but also that Google and Facebook had gone one step further by,
“actively seeking to harm consumers.”
launched an anti-trust probe into Google and Facebook. Amongst the many allegations,
he claimed that the Duopoly had not only formed an unfair monopoly to squeeze publishers
and “squash competition”, but also that Google and Facebook had gone one step further by,
“actively seeking to harm consumers.”
How and why? I’ll explain why below but to put it succinctly – it is in their best interest to do
so. Once complete they will have succeeded in creating a platform-based internet, keeping
you in their walled garden and removing your freedom of choice. You will see whatever they
want you to see. Adios free will.
so. Once complete they will have succeeded in creating a platform-based internet, keeping
you in their walled garden and removing your freedom of choice. You will see whatever they
want you to see. Adios free will.
This is tearing at the fabric of our society. They create filter bubbles, fuel hate, and narrow our
worldview. They are invading our privacy. Have you ever talked about something and then
seen an ad for it? Yes, they’re listening in on every device.
worldview. They are invading our privacy. Have you ever talked about something and then
seen an ad for it? Yes, they’re listening in on every device.
You see, when you harm publishers, you also harm the end user, and that’s you.
You are collateral damage in the biggest landgrab in the history of modern society.
You are collateral damage in the biggest landgrab in the history of modern society.
At the same time the government launched their probe, the top publishers in the country had
gathered for an emergency summit in New York. Advertising dollars from 2015-2018 were
slowly declining. 2019 trends were showing an alarming trend with programmatic revenues
in freefall industry-wide. Ad revenue across publishing was down over 50%??? There’s gotta
be an explanation for this?
gathered for an emergency summit in New York. Advertising dollars from 2015-2018 were
slowly declining. 2019 trends were showing an alarming trend with programmatic revenues
in freefall industry-wide. Ad revenue across publishing was down over 50%??? There’s gotta
be an explanation for this?
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Here’s the sticky-fingered culprit. Facebook has decided to sweep the leg on the entire
industry, it’s actually happening now. But why now? The reason why is shockingly simple.
industry, it’s actually happening now. But why now? The reason why is shockingly simple.
Google and Facebook are ad-supported businesses. They want to get you on their pages
and keep you there at all costs. This puts them at odds with the publishing community,
much of which is ad supported. Google. Facebook, and Amazon control 70% of all online
ad dollars spent. The rest of the publishing world fights for scraps of the other 30%. But
Google and Facebook got together last year and colluded with each other, asking a simple,
shocking question, a question that prompted the anti-trust probe:
and keep you there at all costs. This puts them at odds with the publishing community,
much of which is ad supported. Google. Facebook, and Amazon control 70% of all online
ad dollars spent. The rest of the publishing world fights for scraps of the other 30%. But
Google and Facebook got together last year and colluded with each other, asking a simple,
shocking question, a question that prompted the anti-trust probe:
“What if we took it all?”
And these clowns actually agreed they should fuckin’ do it. Holy smokes.
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The endgame is underway. Last Thursday, Rooster Teeth, a company I admire and have
tremendous respect for laid off 50 people. To avoid the same fate publishers have absolutely littered their website with ads; Pop-ups, Auto-sound ads, the kitchen sink, to stay afloat. We haven’t followed suit. Frankly I’d rather
die.
tremendous respect for laid off 50 people. To avoid the same fate publishers have absolutely littered their website with ads; Pop-ups, Auto-sound ads, the kitchen sink, to stay afloat. We haven’t followed suit. Frankly I’d rather
die.
Fewer publishers, and the ones left must worship a new god. Sound familiar?
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By taking it all, the Duopoly actually wins twice. Not only do they kill publishers and take their
money, what’s left of the publishers who hang on will have no choice but to attach their
skeleton crew to Facebook and Google for life support. Facebook will actually have the
balls to play savior by creating, say, a ‘preferred publisher program’, anointing a handful of
publishers as partners who will get traffic from FB and just enough ad revenue to survive.
Then Facebook’s algorithm will only show
you articles from those publishers that their algorithm thinks you want to see.
money, what’s left of the publishers who hang on will have no choice but to attach their
skeleton crew to Facebook and Google for life support. Facebook will actually have the
balls to play savior by creating, say, a ‘preferred publisher program’, anointing a handful of
publishers as partners who will get traffic from FB and just enough ad revenue to survive.
Then Facebook’s algorithm will only show
you articles from those publishers that their algorithm thinks you want to see.
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BUT – I am giving you an option to support us directly and cut out the vampire squids.
How will this work? Simple, for the price of a beer ($4.99) we’re going to give you a ton of
bang for you buck and a chance to win big prizes every month.
bang for you buck and a chance to win big prizes every month.
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… especially if you’re Joshua Horne who just beat cancer for the second time, his letter and
coin are already in the mail.
coin are already in the mail.
And one lucky Chiver will open up a card to find something rare and very special.
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This is the first look at the official BFM Solid Gold Coin. It is literally worth its weight in Gold
($1,500) and it will also get you entrance to theCHIVE HQ for life. The only people who own
a BFM Gold are Bill (he uses it for magic tricks), theCHIVE Box winner, and possibly you.
I don’t even have one of these fuckers.
($1,500) and it will also get you entrance to theCHIVE HQ for life. The only people who own
a BFM Gold are Bill (he uses it for magic tricks), theCHIVE Box winner, and possibly you.
I don’t even have one of these fuckers.
Pro Tip: Read the membership page to give yourself a leg up to win the solid gold coin.
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So the war beings. The bad guys have an endless war chest, political lobbyists, and intend
on making a whole industry bend the knee.
on making a whole industry bend the knee.
But they don’t have the hearts and minds of the people. The “Techlash” has begun and phrase
s like ‘feed fatigue’ has entered our parlance as the nation wakes up to the the negative effects
of social media, both physical and mental. Recently, Wordpress’ parent company Automattic
bought Tumblr from Yahoo. When Automatic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg was asked why he
responded, “We have to believe in a world of distributed media and a free and open internet
because the opposite is the absolute dominance of the platforms, and that cannot happen.”
s like ‘feed fatigue’ has entered our parlance as the nation wakes up to the the negative effects
of social media, both physical and mental. Recently, Wordpress’ parent company Automattic
bought Tumblr from Yahoo. When Automatic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg was asked why he
responded, “We have to believe in a world of distributed media and a free and open internet
because the opposite is the absolute dominance of the platforms, and that cannot happen.”
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I’ve known this was coming for a while and you have to take a stand sometime, that time is
now. If it works, others will follow and begin taking the power back from the Duopoly. Believe
me when I tell you that something far greater than theCHIVE is at stake here. And I have no
oblem being the first to step up on behalf of an industry I love. For all that we aren’t, for all our
flaws, I believe in theCHIVE and our community more than anything i’ve ever believed in my
life. I have no wife, no kids, this is my life’s work.
now. If it works, others will follow and begin taking the power back from the Duopoly. Believe
me when I tell you that something far greater than theCHIVE is at stake here. And I have no
oblem being the first to step up on behalf of an industry I love. For all that we aren’t, for all our
flaws, I believe in theCHIVE and our community more than anything i’ve ever believed in my
life. I have no wife, no kids, this is my life’s work.
I’ll likely pay for all this too, the last time I spoke up against Google they tanked our SEO
overnight, this actually happened. Our overlords do not like voices of dissent, especially mine. Bullies scare easily. I believe the world will be free to discover their favorite internet destinations rather than having it dictated to
them. I choose freedom over autocracy.
overnight, this actually happened. Our overlords do not like voices of dissent, especially mine. Bullies scare easily. I believe the world will be free to discover their favorite internet destinations rather than having it dictated to
them. I choose freedom over autocracy.
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