C_NCENTRATE #875: New cancer treatment, big tech nation states, the real metaverse, and how to be less wrong +
THIS ISSUE OF C_NCENTRATE IS FREE THANKS TO TBD CONFERENCE
POLITICS AND BIG TECH: WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE?
I don't need to tell a single subscriber what is happening in Ukraine. The images and sounds are echoing around the world 24/7 right now. Arguments, threads and hot takes are falling all around. One element I have been interested in is the almost immediate direct calls to companies that previous wars and geopolitical issues had not seen; such is the power these platforms now (can) yield. Ukraine's vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Tim Cook to halt Apple's product sales in Russia and shut down its App Store in Russia. Sales in Russia aren't what most would expect; Apple ranks third for phone ownership (about half of #1 Samsung). Apple and Russia do have a past, however. Apple is the only company to agree to let Russia recommend state apps/home-developed apps.
The ask is akin to asking a nation-state for help. Let that sink in for a bit. Tim Cook has not publically agreed but has said Apple will support humanitarian efforts on the ground. While many instantly say 'yes, cut them off', it's easy to forget that many do not support Putin or this invasion. Their phones are just as essential and integral in living their daily lives, organising protests and other, often personally dangerous, activities. Herein lies the crux of big technology and the future of internet access; it can be hammer used to build or destroy. While there is precedent (India has banned Chinese apps in retaliation for military border conflicts with China), the chances of Apple being a test case and cutting off access is virtually nil.
An interesting thought experiment starts to emerge. Now think about the customer base of, say, Apple. Do they have more political power to inflict harm/change than a country? Could they? Could future wars be fought/won by consumer political pressure? Of course, this is all earth-bound; let's think bigger. Imagine Musk and Bezos, who hold the keys to future internet capabilities with Starlink and Project Kuiper for millions now, billions in the next decade? Do their political beliefs mean they wouldn't flick the switch? Maybe just a little here and there? What would they be able to control or manipulate? Now think about China and the control they have over their infrastructure. Would people notice? We're unlikely to find out in this conflict. Russia's internet and telecom regulator is already 'partially blocking' Meta as a reaction to Meta (and Twitter) pausing ads in the region to avoid misinformation. Sadly, this war is just getting going; whether big tech will take a hard/er stance is yet to be seen.
SO WHAT?
__ DO __ Look at what technology can do, but also what underpins it and where the power lies when geopolitical situations flare-up. James Ball has a superb book on this. // __ DON'T __ Think this will be the last time big tech juts up against geopolitical conflict. Devices and services can aid and abet each side. Where the line gets drawn in the sand, it is still very much an area few (to no) companies want to get into. Whether this is the best we can hope for from big tech remains to be seen.
Google Maps was used to track troop invasion in Ukraine before news channels. /3 mins
How to be less wrong. /2 mins
This is what Meta/Facebook should have launched instead of the ‘vision’ presentation. /4 mins
A breakdown of SWIFT and why it matters. /5 mins
Experts say the internet could soon be entirely generated by AI. /7 mins
// Do you know enough about the moves Amazon is making in retail, tech, content, healthcare, space? Now you do.
Sign up to ‘What Did Amazon Do This Week?’ and get it sent straight to your inbox (£15pm).
Instant food delivery services aren’t easy, or green as you might think. /6 mins
This wooden furniture assembles itself. /4 mins
Five ways to ensure your hybrid office is inclusive. /4 mins
Putin’s invasion might kickstart the renewable energy future we need. /5 mins
Expect to hear a lot more about ‘Cindela’, a cancer beating treatment that is applicable to every cancer without damage to normal cells. /5 mins