#digitopoly

[addverd]

Joshua Gans adds another perspective on Amazon:

[Amazon] has brought consumers into the fight. We should be saddened by this.

[maxleibman-blog]

"Paying by sharing" is paying, not sharing.

Joshua Gans comments on why AdWeek's new "to continue reading this page please share it" controls are a bad idea:

While this seems like a novel approach compared with a paywall, I have to point out what a terrible tactic it is.

When I share an article on a social network, I am saying to that network that I have read this and think it is worth your attention. That is what gives it value. However, when I have to click share in order to read the article in the first place, I can no longer send that signal.

Gans points out that the signal becomes "this is what I'm reading now," which he sees as the inherently less valuable (and noisier) signal coming out of many "social reader apps." Which reminds me of the apps that were gaining traction in my circle circa 2007 that told everyone via Facebook or IM status what song one was listening to at any given moment--a signal that, frankly, I don't really feel like I need from anyone.