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Democracy

My case that we deserve representation and authority over our online lives.

Explainer #4: “Exit, Voice, and Loyalty” is why big tech platforms want you to leave

Oct 17, 2025

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8 min read

Explainer #4: “Exit, Voice, and Loyalty” is why big tech platforms want you to leave

A legendary economist and World War 2 badass tells us why heading to Bluesky or the Fediverse makes big platforms’ lives easier, and what it would take to convince you to stay and fight.

There is no online safety without anonymity

Sep 26, 2025

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10 min read

There is no online safety without anonymity

Last week, I said we need real-world identity online. This week, I rebut myself. Nobody said this Internet thing was going to be easy.

If an account is not a person, then you don’t have to treat it with respect

Sep 19, 2025

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8 min read

If an account is not a person, then you don’t have to treat it with respect

Free, anonymous online accounts let bad guys proliferate and platforms pretend we are disposable. Real-world identity requirements could help us reclaim our digital selves.

Can we protect the Internet without revealing our real-world identities?

Sep 12, 2025

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9 min read

Can we protect the Internet without revealing our real-world identities?

Free, anonymous online accounts are a cornerstone of the Internet. Fraud and child safety fears are putting that principle to the test.

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

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.

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

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.

Bluesky trust and safety is too important to be left to Bluesky

Jun 6, 2025

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11 min read

Bluesky trust and safety is too important to be left to Bluesky

Bluesky is open about almost everything, except setting and enforcing their community guidelines. They have an opportunity to lead the Internet forward with a democratic alternative.

What Is The Platformocracy?

Jun 3, 2025

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5 min read

What Is The Platformocracy?

Tech companies just wanted to keep people safe. Now they are unelected governments. What went wrong, and what's next?

Platformocracy Pre-History: Social Media Dumpster Fires

Jun 3, 2025

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8 min read

Platformocracy Pre-History: Social Media Dumpster Fires

In September 2024, I gave a talk at Harvard that foreshadowed this newsletter. Here's a key excerpt.

How tech companies became unelected governments and what to do about it, as told by a former Google executive.

© 2025 Jonathan Bellack.

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