@plotnik this text explains how sub-imperialism, including the one practiced by the UAE, is characterised by its alignment with the core imperial powers (notably the US). It's lazy to say that the US is to blame for everything, but UAE's practices are closely related to what the US are and do, and mostly advance the interests of US capitalist elites, despite some signs of "diversification" towards China and Russia.

@plotnik this text explains how sub-imperialism, including the one practiced by the UAE, is characterised by its alignment with the core imperial powers (notably the US). It's lazy to say that the US is to blame for everything, but UAE's practices are closely related to what the US are and do, and mostly advance the interests of US capitalist elites, despite some signs of "diversification" towards China and Russia.

I think it's a great thing that Pixelfed is getting adopted by a lot of people who are not Mastodon users.
Among other reasons because people will finally start to understand what the Fediverse is and that it's not synonymous with Mastodon.

#PixelFed #Mastodon #Fediverse #SocialMedia

Victoire historique de la Commission européenne contre Apple

Après huit ans de guerre juridique, la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne a définitivement condamné l’entreprise à verser 13 milliards d’euros, jugeant ses arrangements fiscaux avec l’Irlande illégaux. C’est le plus gros redressement fiscal de l’histoire en Europe.

Par @dan_mdpt › https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/international/100924/victoire-historique-de-la-commission-europeenne-contre-apple?at_medium=rs-cm&at_campaign=mastodon&at_account=mediapart

Interested in #media ownership? Just published this open access article in the European Journal of Communication!

I explain the theory & methodology behind the pilot Euromedia Ownership Monitor (EurOMo, https://media-ownership.eu), including achievements and shortcomings.

Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02673231241270994

Short comments ⬇️

But you can control media beyond legal ownership. In other areas, such as economic control, there's still a lot to do regarding #transparency. E.g., we know little about how much money flows from governments to private media.

And #media ownership transparency can't be an end in itself!! It must be a step to media pluralism.

Thanks to the wonderful EurOMo team, to the great editors @hendriktheine & Sebastian Sevignani, and to the University of Salzburg for the support!

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02673231241270994

In this project, we develop a multidimensional approach of ownership and control, monitoring legal ownership, management, economic control, relations, distribution and public policy.

How transparent EU media are depends on the dimension one looks into.

Legal ownership in EU media is overall very transparent! 👏
(yeah, there are caveats like (1) strange foundation constructs and (2) usual suspects/countries with poor performance, but still, all in all we know who owns what...) ⬇️

Interested in #media ownership? Just published this open access article in the European Journal of Communication!

I explain the theory & methodology behind the pilot Euromedia Ownership Monitor (EurOMo, https://media-ownership.eu), including achievements and shortcomings.

Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02673231241270994

Short comments ⬇️

Excellent new essay by Ted Chiang, who gets to the heart of why language and art are inherently about conveying meaning and experience, not just form:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/why-ai-isnt-going-to-make-art

The average CEO-to-worker pay ratio was 268-to-1 for S&P 500 Index companies in 2023.

It would take more than five career lifetimes for workers to earn what CEOs receive in just one year.

How come we never talk about CEO pay when we talk about rising prices?

AddisMapTransit has mapped over 2,300 public transport stops and 443 routes in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 . These routes were then converted from OSM to standardised open transport data (GTFS) and submitted to the DigitalTransport4Africa repository. ( 🙏 @weeklyOSM for the write-up)

https://www.trufi-association.org/addismaptransit-submits-transport-routes-to-dt4a/
#OpenStreetMap #OSM #PublicTransport #Ethiopia

Come work with us at the MIC Center! We have an opening for a postdoctoral researcher who focuses on the political economy of broadband, digital equity, and the future of local media infrastructures. Please share the good word!

https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/media-inequality-and-change-center/opportunities

#OpenWashing has become a growing issue in the Free Software community. Many companies claim to be working on “Open Source” or “Free Software” while distributing proprietary software products.

We at the @fsfe would like to learn more about current market practices, and we need your help!

Please share your views and experiences on openwashing here:
https://share.fsfe.org/apps/forms/s/Z6xHfa8EiXk77FFreg2R6A6T

Please spread the word, any input is welcome!

#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #FSFE #publiccode

:alerta:

I'm being asked why I think #Google is pulling the standard "Undo" function out many Chrome text input right-click context menus, and replacing that menu selection (without any advance warning or explanation) with their AI-based "Help me write".

I don't know, but I can guess. I suspect it was something like this at a team meeting:

"Hey, word is that we really need to up the AI engagement metrics. What haven't we covered yet? [ laughter ]"

"Well, we could get rid of context menus Undo and replace it with an AI selection. Then when users right-click during text input, they'll get the "Help me write" prompt where they've pretty much always expected undo to be."

"I like that. It'll be right in their faces. Do you think there will be any blowback from people not finding Undo in those context menus anymore?"

"Naw, pretty much everyone knows the keyboard shortcut for undo is Control-Z. They can just use the shortcut. Only a fool wouldn't know that. And we don't care about fools!"

"Absolutely. OK, I'm in. Should there be any kind of warning or explanation for this?"

"No way -- let it be a surprise to the users! More impact!"

"Wow, I can feel those AI engagement metrics going up already!"

"Great work, team! All AI, all the time!"

Ain essa polarizassaum

#politica #meme

Rep Jasmine Crockett -- who is amazing -- takes down a Republican witness in a House hearing who had a hand in writing the Heritage Foundation's #Project2025.

(Video via Aaron Rupar & downloaded with an app so y'all don't have to go to the Bad Place.)

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1790779777332232192/vid/avc1/1280x720/pOKSWKAlPQOiQ1gW.mp4?tag=14

Too many people have no idea what's in store if #Biden doesn't win. Share with your friends, family, and other networks about Project 2025, using this handy-dandy guide from Media Matters:

https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration

@taylorlorenz

Maybe a search engine should be one of the things publicly funded libraries do. That is we should fund a not-for-profit public search engine in the name of extending the natural work of libraries helping people to find information.

How can a private company ever do a good job?

Can you imagine what the wikipedia would be like if it'd been a for profit startup?

It'd be dead by now.

Instead it's boring, ugly, has flaws, but gets its job done mostly correctly and that's great.

1/3 📣Today, EDRi & @accessnow along with 9 civil society orgs call on @EU_Justice & @VeraJourova to provide further clarity on Israel's inclusion in the adequacy review.

This decision will renew the unrestricted data transfer between the EU & Israel.

Read more: https://edri.org/our-work/open-letter-european-commissions-decision-to-allow-data-flows-to-israel-alarms-privacy-experts/

‘Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has continued on a downward trajectory despite a sharp increase in fires associated with the severe drought in the region, reveals data released by Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (INPE)… Forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon amounted to 5,010 square kilometers over the past twelve months, the lowest level recorded since May 2019.’ https://news.mongabay.com/2024/03/fires-surge-in-the-amazon-but-deforestation-continues-to-fall #environment #politics