6 free resources on this topic. Everything here is free and hand-picked. You can also search within this topic.
Ben Thompson's free 2017 essay giving a precise definition of aggregators, a way to classify them, and how to think about regulating them.
Why I recommend it: This essay is free; daily Stratechery updates need a paid plan.
Mike Masnick's influential free essay arguing that open protocols, rather than centrally moderated platforms, are the durable answer to online speech problems.
Why I recommend it: One of the most cited pieces on platform power — read it before joining any debate about content moderation.
Shopify's official documentation for Sidekick, the built-in AI assistant that answers store questions, edits products, and runs setup tasks inside the Shopify admin.
Why I recommend it: If you already pay for Shopify, this is included. Learn what it can do before buying a third-party app that does the same thing.
An a16z essay arguing that platform decline is better explained by platform incentives and narcissism than by the popular "enshittification" framing.
Why I recommend it: Read this next to Cory Doctorow's original argument. Holding two competing explanations of platform decay makes you sharper when you evaluate the tools your career depends on.
Reporting on the intersection of Silicon Valley and democracy, by Casey Newton.
In plain terms: This publication delivers reporting and analysis on artificial intelligence, social platforms, and the tech industry. You can read free articles to stay updated on how new technology impacts modern work and business.
Why I recommend it: Independent accountability reporting on the platforms we all depend on.
Announcement of Spaces, an extension to the open AT Protocol (the tech behind Bluesky) that supports private, permissioned data.
In plain terms: The team behind Bluesky opened an alpha for Spaces, a way to store private or group-only data on their open protocol. If you build community tools, it is an early look at owning your data instead of renting a platform.
From the site: Atproto Spaces, formerly known as “the permissioned data protocol,” is a new extension to atproto that enables non-public data. The alpha is now officially open.
Why I recommend it: If you build community or product, open protocols are a real alternative to renting an audience from a platform. Worth watching early.
