Episode 167 — YouTube and the End of Friction

Episode 167 — YouTube and the End of Friction

Author: Ben Thompson / James Allworth April 5, 2019 Duration: 56:58
Ben and James discuss the question of YouTube, why it’s similar and different from Facebook, and why engagement is both alluring and a potential problem. Links YouTube Executives Ignored Warnings, Letting Toxic Videos Run Rampant — Bloomberg Ben Thompson: Apple’s Services Event — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Mark Zuckerberg’s Proposal, The Copyright Directive and Sunk Costs — Stratechery Daily Update Ben Thompson: YouTube and Toxic Videos, YouTube’s Problematic Incentives, Sins of Omission and Commission — Stratechery Daily Update Ben Thompson: Friction — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The Pollyannish Assumption — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The Wall Street Journal and Apple News, The Problem with Regulating … Continue reading Episode 167 — YouTube and the End of Friction

Hosted by Ben Thompson and James Allworth, Exponent is a conversation that digs into the deeper currents shaping our world. The discussion moves beyond mere gadget reviews or Silicon Valley hype, focusing instead on how technology fundamentally reshapes business models, industries, and the very fabric of society. Thompson, known for his Stratechery blog on tech business strategy, and Allworth, a writer and co-author of "How Will You Measure Your Life," bring distinct but complementary perspectives. Each episode feels like a thoughtful dialogue, where ideas are examined from multiple angles. You’ll hear them analyze how a single platform can upend entire sectors, or debate the societal trade-offs that come with rapid innovation. This podcast is for anyone who wants to understand not just what is happening in tech, but why it matters. The conversations are detailed and often forward-looking, connecting strategic insights with their broader human implications. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a compelling weekly discussion between two sharp observers, making sense of the complex forces driven by technology.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Exponent
Podcast Episodes
Episode 137 — Addicted to Facebook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 136 — It’s All 1s and 0s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Ben and James discuss the Meltdown and Spectre bugs and what they say about processors, technology, and even society. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. Links Ben Th…
Episode 135 — Two Is Better Than One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:02
Ben and James discuss Disney’s recent history, its acquisition of Fox, Netflix’s power, and why more and more policy decisions are about choosing the worst of two options. Note: This episode was recorded on Monday, Decem…
Episode 134 — Human Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:53
Ben and James discuss why effective content moderation is so hard, how it can be done, and why it sometimes shouldn’t be. Plus, how tech optimists and tech critics make the exact same mistake. Presented by WordPress.com:…
Episode 133 — Two Terrible Options [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:55
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Episode 132 — Successful Disappointments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:07
Ben and James discuss IPOs, including those of Stitch Fix, SendGrid, and Blue Apron, and the importance of understanding what type of company you are. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting Wor…
Episode 131 — Head-on is Hard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:37
Ben and James break down the differences between new market and low end disruption and how they apply — or don’t — to Apple and the iPhone. Links Ben Thompson: Apple at Its Best — Stratechery Apple’s iPhone X Parts Cost…
Episode 130 — The 50,000 Foot View [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:05
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Episode 129 — The Disruption Antidote [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:02
Ben and James discuss why acquisitions should be the focus of tech regulators in the context of Facebook buying tbh today, and Instagram and WhatsApp previously. Links Ben Thompson: Why Facebook Shouldn’t Be Allowed to B…
Episode 128 — Counterfactuals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:47
Ben and James discuss the structure that leads to gatekeepers and abusers like Harvey Weinstein, and why it is so dangerous to accept as fact that the world was better before the Internet. Links Ben Thompson: Goodbye Gat…