A weekly newsletter that tells the story of how tech companies became unelected governments and what to do about it, by former Google executive and 30-year Internet veteran Jonathan Bellack.

Posts

Jul 25, 2025

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9 min read

Why Is Every Parent I Know Frustrated With Parental Controls?

Platforms offer us features, but we actually need context and customization. Believe it or not, AI could help. Call it Vibe Parenting.

Jul 18, 2025

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8 min read

Explainer #2: Guardianship Is Why Tech Execs Think They Are Uniquely Qualified To Protect Communities

Two millennia ago, Plato called them “philosopher-kings.” Today, we call them “global heads of platform safety.” They are still not a good idea.

Jul 11, 2025

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6 min read

Unchecked Surveillance In The Name Of Safety Is Dangerous

Online policing could be corrupted and we’d never know.

Jun 27, 2025

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7 min read

Reader Mailbag #1: A Role For Blockchain? Plus Ad Fraud Debate And The Small Platform Struggle

Current and former luminaries from Harvard, ROOST, and the ad tech world weigh in on my first few weeks.

Jun 20, 2025

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6 min read

Explainer #1: “Implicit Feudalism” is why online communities feel like warring kingdoms

Ideas from the dial-up era are holding us back today. We can do better.