Anti-trust, Enshitification, Privacy, and "You're the Product": a Hypothesis
Added 2025-06-24 15:00:15 +0000 UTCSorry about the sweat, it is so fucking hot here!
Cory Doctorow on enshitification: https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/
Lina Khan on Amazon: https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox
Knowledge and Decisions, Sowell
Comments
Yes, but it's a source for the claims about antitrust
Unlearning Economics
2025-08-14 09:29:38 +0000 UTCDid I miss something? Why the Sowell reference at the end of the list? Is he just living rent free in your mind, at this point?
Isaak Osterbur
2025-08-09 14:46:48 +0000 UTCI'd say it's definitely worse in the USA than elsewhere. From looking at OfWat's website, it does seem that they have a broad remit eg in their 'regulating monopolies' section they include experience, information quality, and engaging with customers. Having said that, they devote a lot of space to price reports so I'd imagine it factors in heavily due to the influence of neoclassical theory. https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/
Unlearning Economics
2025-08-07 07:51:06 +0000 UTCReally interesting video around monopolies and the wider cost of them. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to a different topic though on the UK water industry. A particular line you made in this video on anti trust laws today being focused solely on the consumer and holding down the cost of consumer goods made me think of parallels of the failure of the water industry and the regulator to build new infrastructure and prevent pollution of the UK water ways but that was "okay" because they were able to hold down the water bill until recently. Obviously a lot of other factors involved in this such as asset stripping by the private owners of the water companies but this theory of yours does make me think was one reason the regulator failed to hold companies to account because they only focused on the monthly bill payment to consumers?
Alex Langton
2025-08-03 23:38:15 +0000 UTC
