[liberationtech] Today's NYT On Tech is a good one: "Big Oil faded. Will Big Tech?"

Thu Aug 27 19:15:18 CEST 2020

[image: Technology]
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/6jkiRP4FO43yLyWPXy9OMw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi90ZWNobm9sb2d5P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>

August 27, 2020
Big Oil faded. Will Big Tech?
Lydia Ortiz
[image: Author Headshot]
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/-6UWlQPC1Q9U1xzO4B8zDw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGU_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>

By Shira Ovide
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/-6UWlQPC1Q9U1xzO4B8zDw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGU_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>

Less than a decade ago, Exxon Mobil was the most valuable company in the
world. On Monday, it’s being kicked out of the Dow Jones industrial average
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/I4bw1yVXh3jrFf23oMrwWg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QJAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNic25ld3MuY29tL25ld3MvZG93LWpvbmVzLWV4eG9uLW1vYmlsLXBmaXplci1yYXl0aGVvbi1yZXBsYWNlZC1zYWxlc2ZvcmNlLWFtZ2VuLWhvbmV5d2VsbC8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
after nearly a century of inclusion in the stock index.

I’m mentioning an energy company in a technology newsletter for two
reasons: First, as wild as it feels to have a handful of American
technology superpowers rule the economy and the stock market
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/NKCMvCLISAVAS7eKRpzt0Q~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8xOS90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2JpZy10ZWNoLWJ1c2luZXNzLWRvbWluYXRpb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0xNTgmZW1jPWVkaXRfb3RfMjAyMDA4MjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjE2NjYmbmw9b24tdGVjaC13aXRoLXNoaXJhLW92aWRlJnJlZ2lfaWQ9OTIxMDUyMCZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTM3MDQzJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD0xNzM1YjYzNWY2Y2QzYmQ1YWUyOWEzYmI0MDBhNmVhOFcDbnl0QgoAP_XbR1-zl7KiUhN5Y29tcGFueXNAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA>
and influence world events, oil superpowers like Exxon were in a similar
position not very long ago.

And second, while it’s hard to imagine Big Tech losing relevance, most
people didn’t predict that demand for fossil fuels would start to wane,
until it did
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/Q-qgNy-k2a-OanFGOZwYuQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAxOS8xMS8wMy9idXNpbmVzcy9lbmVyZ3ktZW52aXJvbm1lbnQvb2lsLXN1cHBseS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>.
That’s part of the sweeping changes that ushered out the era of Big Oil and
started the Big Tech age. Today all of Exxon is worth less than Jeff Bezos
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/g30ctJjfW5DUBe08YbakdA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmxvb21iZXJnLmNvbS9iaWxsaW9uYWlyZXMvcHJvZmlsZXMvamVmZnJleS1wLWJlem9zLz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0xNTgmZW1jPWVkaXRfb3RfMjAyMDA4MjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjE2NjYmbmw9b24tdGVjaC13aXRoLXNoaXJhLW92aWRlJnJlZ2lfaWQ9OTIxMDUyMCZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTM3MDQzJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD0xNzM1YjYzNWY2Y2QzYmQ1YWUyOWEzYmI0MDBhNmVhOFcDbnl0QgoAP_XbR1-zl7KiUhN5Y29tcGFueXNAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA>
.

Exxon’s star faded because the world changed, and it didn’t. The question
is whether what happened to Exxon is a warning about the potential
vulnerability of today’s tech superpowers — or if it’s the opposite: a sign
of how Big Tech is invincible in ways that Exxon wasn’t.

The 2012 book “Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/-Q2IKgZ8DQ7IYd4OoXhUKg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QIAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMTIvMDYvMTAvYm9va3MvcmV2aWV3L3ByaXZhdGUtZW1waXJlLXN0ZXZlLWNvbGxzLWJvb2stYWJvdXQtZXh4b24tbW9iaWwuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0xNTgmZW1jPWVkaXRfb3RfMjAyMDA4MjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjE2NjYmbmw9b24tdGVjaC13aXRoLXNoaXJhLW92aWRlJnJlZ2lfaWQ9OTIxMDUyMCZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTM3MDQzJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD0xNzM1YjYzNWY2Y2QzYmQ1YWUyOWEzYmI0MDBhNmVhOFcDbnl0QgoAP_XbR1-zl7KiUhN5Y29tcGFueXNAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA>”
described how the company at its peak helped steer U.S. foreign policy,
supported sometimes authoritarian leaders in oil-rich countries and shaped
people’s views on important issues like climate change to suit its
interests. Its author, Steve Coll, called Exxon the world’s most powerful
unelected force, and I’ve wondered for years whether big tech companies are
the new Exxon.

Apple wouldn’t be the company it is today without its savvy diplomatic
skills in the United States and China to advance its own business interests
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/0t4eX6e4NnP9RN0vs6YCow~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAxOC8wNi8xOC90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2FwcGxlLXRpbS1jb29rLWNoaW5hLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>.
Facebook is so influential that it’s a tool used both against
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/G3zssNLNizTAxbe8NuHwtw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8yNS93b3JsZC9hc2lhL3RoYWlsYW5kLWZhY2Vib29rLW1vbmFyY2h5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
and by authoritarian
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/GEnFxxpV9VUt1mnnPqJPvQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0T1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8yMy93b3JsZC9hc2lhL2NhbWJvZGlhLWZhY2Vib29rLWRpc2luZm9ybWF0aW9uLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
governments. Google shapes how government regulators
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/l3nNbRLdHaRY8YkG1N5qVg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QGAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjAvMDcvMjQvdGVjaG5vbG9neS9nbG9iYWwtYW50aXRydXN0LWluc3RpdHV0ZS1nb29nbGUtYW1hem9uLXF1YWxjb21tLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
and the public
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/GSLmuTQp_VP6MIQlakltoA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QGAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndzai5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZXMvcGF5aW5nLXByb2Zlc3NvcnMtaW5zaWRlLWdvb2dsZXMtYWNhZGVtaWMtaW5mbHVlbmNlLWNhbXBhaWduLTE0OTk3ODUyODY_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
think about antitrust laws. It’s an imperfect comparison, but big tech
companies are private empires in some of the same ways as the old Exxon.

But not long after Coll’s book was published, Exxon’s influence and riches
started to decline. The status of the world’s most valuable company shifted
to Apple. Exxon and other oil giants mostly missed out on the fracking
boom, and on the move away from fossil fuels. Exxon still has influence like
it did in the old days
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/U7sRhp_NnbEZmbRpZSOKEg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wMy8xOC93b3JsZC9hbWVyaWNhcy9ndXlhbmEtb2lsLWV4eG9uLWVsZWN0aW9ucy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>,
but it’s not the same.

“Time has marched on and these big companies have not been nimble enough,”
Clifford Krauss, a New York Times energy correspondent, told me when I
asked about the comparison between Big Oil and Big Tech.

One fundamental difference is that Big Oil’s fate relies on demand for a
product that the companies can’t control. The tech industry doesn’t seem to
have this essential vulnerability.

I’ve said here before that many tech executives live in fear of their
companies dying or becoming irrelevant
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/fl9U0AraZGHVg9UGAMehGA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wNy8zMS90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2FtYXpvbi1lYXJuaW5ncy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>.
They’re not thinking about Exxon but about a history of technology in which
evolutionary changes have ruined seemingly invincible industry leaders. But
while it’s possible to imagine some of the individual tech powers losing
relevance — maybe
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/fl9U0AraZGHVg9UGAMehGA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wNy8zMS90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2FtYXpvbi1lYXJuaW5ncy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
— it’s much harder to imagine the tech industry overall growing less potent
or essential.

I’ll leave you with two notes of symbolism about Exxon giving way to a
dominant tech industry. Exxon is being dropped from the Dow Jones index because
of a technical change
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/FKyyZCivVFz7UhzUIBwMQA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QyAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBybmV3c3dpcmUuY29tL25ld3MtcmVsZWFzZXMvc2FsZXNmb3JjZWNvbS1hbWdlbi1hbmQtaG9uZXl3ZWxsLWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwtc2V0LXRvLWpvaW4tZG93LWpvbmVzLWluZHVzdHJpYWwtYXZlcmFnZS0zMDExMTczOTUuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0xNTgmZW1jPWVkaXRfb3RfMjAyMDA4MjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjE2NjYmbmw9b24tdGVjaC13aXRoLXNoaXJhLW92aWRlJnJlZ2lfaWQ9OTIxMDUyMCZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTM3MDQzJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD0xNzM1YjYzNWY2Y2QzYmQ1YWUyOWEzYmI0MDBhNmVhOFcDbnl0QgoAP_XbR1-zl7KiUhN5Y29tcGFueXNAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA>
necessitated by Apple’s stock getting too expensive. And Exxon’s spot is
being taken by a tech company: Salesforce.com.

If you don’t already get this newsletter in your inbox, please sign up here
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/QgyZtYuskXfMI92tLzkVOg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vbmV3c2xldHRlcnMvc2lnbnVwL09UP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
.

Tech empires can use their power for good

Apple is changing its rules
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/VcLhkEqAdSplVYpu9Hl94w~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wNi8yMy90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2FwcGxlLWFubm91bmNlcy1uZXctcHJpdmFjeS1mZWF0dXJlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>to
make it harder for apps to track what we do on our phones. Google is
also remaking
its popular Chrome web browser
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/May7HyzGAd9MLo48Vk6tbw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P4QQAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXZlcmdlLmNvbS8yMDIwLzEvMTQvMjEwNjQ2OTgvZ29vZ2xlLXRoaXJkLXBhcnR5LWNvb2tpZXMtY2hyb21lLXR3by15ZWFycy1wcml2YWN5LXNhZmFyaS1maXJlZm94P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
with a similar goal of limiting the perpetual digital tracking that is a
staple of our online lives.

I’ve said before that digital data surveillance is out of control
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/uJmhuKH4TuAi4wLypcFaeA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wNy8xNS90ZWNobm9sb2d5L2p1c3QtY29sbGVjdC1sZXNzLWRhdGEtcGVyaW9kLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>,
and Apple and Google might be powerful enough to single-handedly change the
rules for digital privacy. Sometimes we want powerful companies to assert
their authority. It should still make us nervous that they have this much
authority.

Here’s what is happening with Apple: Very soon, most people with iPhones
will start to see pop-up messages in apps that ask permission to let the
app log everything they do on other apps and websites. Apps want this
information, in part, to personalize the advertisements we see and to
figure out if we’re responding to them.

I suspect that a lot of people are going to say heck no when they get these
messages, meaning fewer companies will be able to compile digital dossiers
on us. (There is a good explanation from Recode
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/Yz2LXuz9ANf5OgTLNtcszg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS9yZWNvZGUvMjAyMC84LzI2LzIxNDAyNDU3L2FwcGxlLWZhY2Vib29rLWFkdmVydGlzaW5nLXRyYWNraW5nLWlvczE0P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
on what Apple is doing and the potential effects.)

Companies tend to find workarounds for most data privacy guidelines, and
Apple’s latest change won’t slow down the biggest digital data hogs of all,
Google and Facebook. But I think Apple is taking a good step to put more
guardrails around companies that try to follow our every move online and in
the real world.

It is also a reminder that in the absence of effective government policy in
the United States to limit digital privacy intrusions, we have Apple and
Google remaking how the digital world works without input or oversight on
this important policy issue.

I’m glad that these powerful companies are flexing their muscle for what I
think is a worthy mission. It also makes me queasy.

Before we go …

   - Common sense tips to fight the data surveillance machine: My colleague
   Brian X. Chen walks through questions we should ask ourselves
   <https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/3Dp3EmqhnhgJn3A5NrDxMA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8yNi90ZWNobm9sb2d5L3BlcnNvbmFsdGVjaC90aWt0b2stZGF0YS1hcHBzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MTU4JmVtYz1lZGl0X290XzIwMjAwODI3Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxNjY2Jm5sPW9uLXRlY2gtd2l0aC1zaGlyYS1vdmlkZSZyZWdpX2lkPTkyMTA1MjAmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzA0MyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MTczNWI2MzVmNmNkM2JkNWFlMjlhM2JiNDAwYTZlYThXA255dEIKAD_120dfs5eyolITeWNvbXBhbnlzQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>
   when we get all those pop-up requests from apps that want to track what we
   do. The bottom line: It takes a lot of research and work on our part to be
   informed consumers in the digital surveillance economy.
   - The weird saga of TikTok is even weirder than you thought: Mike Isaac
   and Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times have great back-room details
   <https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/pUg9UWY_S93Iv37bNVAxxg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8yNi90ZWNobm9sb2d5L3Rpa3Rva3MtbWljcm9zb2Z0LWRlYWwtc29hcC1vcGVyYS10cnVtcC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
   about the U.S. government forcing TikTok to sell at least part of the app
   company over concerns that it’s a potential conduit for Chinese spying and
   propaganda. This will be ugly for awhile with everyone involved trying to
   maximize what they get out of this drama.Related: TikTok’s C.E.O. quit
   after just a few months on the job
   <https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/8fRnkD5jCxLsCbsvzFg7SA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMC8wOC8yNy90ZWNobm9sb2d5L3Rpa3Rvay1rZXZpbi1tYXllci1yZXNpZ24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0xNTgmZW1jPWVkaXRfb3RfMjAyMDA4MjcmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjE2NjYmbmw9b24tdGVjaC13aXRoLXNoaXJhLW92aWRlJnJlZ2lfaWQ9OTIxMDUyMCZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTM3MDQzJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD0xNzM1YjYzNWY2Y2QzYmQ1YWUyOWEzYmI0MDBhNmVhOFcDbnl0QgoAP_XbR1-zl7KiUhN5Y29tcGFueXNAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA>.
   This soap opera is not what he signed up for.

We want to hear from you. Tell us what you think of this newsletter and
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<ontech at nytimes.com?subject=On%20Tech%20Feedback>

If you don’t already get this newsletter in your inbox, please sign up here
<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/QgyZtYuskXfMI92tLzkVOg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhKmD1P0TPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vbmV3c2xldHRlcnMvc2lnbnVwL09UP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTE1OCZlbWM9ZWRpdF9vdF8yMDIwMDgyNyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTY2NiZubD1vbi10ZWNoLXdpdGgtc2hpcmEtb3ZpZGUmcmVnaV9pZD05MjEwNTIwJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzcwNDMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTE3MzViNjM1ZjZjZDNiZDVhZTI5YTNiYjQwMGE2ZWE4VwNueXRCCgA_9dtHX7OXsqJSE3ljb21wYW55c0BnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~>
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