@benedelman.org
Economist, attorney, software developer. Research focus: Fixing the Internet. www.benedelman.org
Reposted
What's going on with AppLovin? It's complicated
mikeshields.substack.com/p/applovin-a...
mikeshields.substack.com/p/applovin-a...
AppLovin Appears to Be Installing Apps That People Don't Want Via Some Questionable Ad Practices
The Wall Street darling keeps having to answer questions
mikeshields.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM
What's going on with AppLovin? It's complicated
mikeshields.substack.com/p/applovin-a...
mikeshields.substack.com/p/applovin-a...
How Adware Manipulates Attribution to Monetize a Merchant’s Own Traffic - VPT Blog - vptdigital.com/blog/how-adw...
How Adware Manipulates Attribution to Monetize a Merchant’s Own Traffic - Home
When adware programs and their partners want to drain advertisers’ budgets, they have an oddly well-established path to do so: Wait for the user to browse an advertiser’s site, then invoke an advertis...
vptdigital.com
August 4, 2025 at 8:03 PM
How Adware Manipulates Attribution to Monetize a Merchant’s Own Traffic - VPT Blog - vptdigital.com/blog/how-adw...
Online marketing thought-leader Tye DeGrange interviewed me in his podcast Always Be Testing. Broad focus: affiliate marketing abuse -- why enforcement is hard, how incentives shape outcomes, what advertisers can do. open.spotify.com/episode/2oum...
#94 Fraud Protection : Lessons in Taking Down the Internet’s biggest fraudsters | Ben Edelman
Always Be Testing · Episode
open.spotify.com
July 24, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Online marketing thought-leader Tye DeGrange interviewed me in his podcast Always Be Testing. Broad focus: affiliate marketing abuse -- why enforcement is hard, how incentives shape outcomes, what advertisers can do. open.spotify.com/episode/2oum...
Last week's spoliation filings in In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation. Forceful criticism of Google's misconduct collecting facts from multiple cases. www.benedelman.org/google-disco...
Google Discovery Violations in In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation – Ben Edelman
www.benedelman.org
June 9, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Last week's spoliation filings in In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation. Forceful criticism of Google's misconduct collecting facts from multiple cases. www.benedelman.org/google-disco...
In docket DOT-OST-0031 www.regulations.gov/docket/DOT-O... , passenger David Granet complains that his AA Systemwide Upgrades (earned for substantial flying on AA) expired at midnight Dallas time on the day of expiration. He lives in California and intended to apply them in the final hours. (1/5)
Regulations.gov
www.regulations.gov
May 5, 2025 at 8:06 PM
In docket DOT-OST-0031 www.regulations.gov/docket/DOT-O... , passenger David Granet complains that his AA Systemwide Upgrades (earned for substantial flying on AA) expired at midnight Dallas time on the day of expiration. He lives in California and intended to apply them in the final hours. (1/5)
Reposted
The monopoly round-up for the week is out. Why is Wall Street unconcerned over Google's antitrust losses? Probably because Google has generated an additional half a trillion in revenue while on trial for business methods a judge called illegal. Crime pays.
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
Monopoly Round-Up: Google Generated $468 Billion Delaying Its Antitrust Trial
The Google and Meta trials are taking way too long, and both companies are garnering huge additional revenue as a result. Plus, fake trade deals, and Trump is running out of lawyers.
www.thebignewsletter.com
April 28, 2025 at 3:05 AM
The monopoly round-up for the week is out. Why is Wall Street unconcerned over Google's antitrust losses? Probably because Google has generated an additional half a trillion in revenue while on trial for business methods a judge called illegal. Crime pays.
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
Feeling glum at the withdrawal of Mint from BOS-SEA. Believe last flight is April 29. Already gone from JFK-SEA. I was able to commute Boston-Seattle weekly, overnight both ways, for many months thanks to this unmatched product. @martysg.com, I hope you'll find a way to bring this back profitably!
April 27, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Feeling glum at the withdrawal of Mint from BOS-SEA. Believe last flight is April 29. Already gone from JFK-SEA. I was able to commute Boston-Seattle weekly, overnight both ways, for many months thanks to this unmatched product. @martysg.com, I hope you'll find a way to bring this back profitably!
The inimitable Edward Hasbrouck works through flying without Real-ID on May 7, 2025 and beyond. papersplease.org/wp/2025/04/2...
REAL-ID FAQ: What will happen at US airports on May 7, 2025? – Papers, Please!
The key thing to know is that — unless the TSA makes undisclosed changes to its procedures — air travelers with “noncompliant” ID on or after May 7, 2025, should be treated, and should be allowed to fly, the same way people with no ID fly today.
papersplease.org
April 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The inimitable Edward Hasbrouck works through flying without Real-ID on May 7, 2025 and beyond. papersplease.org/wp/2025/04/2...
Notable new passenger complaint to DOT: www.regulations.gov/document/DOT... . Guy exchanged credit card points for Virgin points, redeemed for parents & brother w/ same last name. Virgin claimed "fraud" and canceled the tickets. "Decision is final", they say. @petebuttigieg.bsky.social, we miss you.
Regulations.gov
www.regulations.gov
April 11, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Notable new passenger complaint to DOT: www.regulations.gov/document/DOT... . Guy exchanged credit card points for Virgin points, redeemed for parents & brother w/ same last name. Virgin claimed "fraud" and canceled the tickets. "Decision is final", they say. @petebuttigieg.bsky.social, we miss you.
Meta wants to argue that the Facebook app competes with YouTube. An uphill battle for sure. Below, @kint.bsky.social shows a notable FTC filing that tilts the odds even further against Meta.
Bam. When FTC v Meta starts Monday, one key thing to watch is whether they will be able to convince the Court the FTC's relevant market definition, "personal social networking services" is bogus. One damaging exhibit Meta was trying to keep out of trial was just unsealed. 1/4
April 10, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Meta wants to argue that the Facebook app competes with YouTube. An uphill battle for sure. Below, @kint.bsky.social shows a notable FTC filing that tilts the odds even further against Meta.
Reposted
In other Judge Boasberg news, New York Times just filed to intervene on behalf of the public interest. They take a page out of US v Google in 2023 where Judge Mehta has reflected in hindsight that courtroom and documents were closed off unnecessarily. Bravo.
March 23, 2025 at 7:40 PM
In other Judge Boasberg news, New York Times just filed to intervene on behalf of the public interest. They take a page out of US v Google in 2023 where Judge Mehta has reflected in hindsight that courtroom and documents were closed off unnecessarily. Bravo.
Strong complaint by a passenger who bought a ticket for travel on Japan Airlines... and, contrary to explicit statement in the booking process, was sold travel on AA. Screenshots indicate clear violation of codeshare disclosure rules. Details below.
Marc Barenberg v American Express Travel - Codeshare Disclosure Complaint: airlineinfo.com/ost27/ost030... #AmExTravel #Codeshare #Complaint
Airline Information Research - Login
airlineinfo.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Strong complaint by a passenger who bought a ticket for travel on Japan Airlines... and, contrary to explicit statement in the booking process, was sold travel on AA. Screenshots indicate clear violation of codeshare disclosure rules. Details below.
Reposted
OK, Google. lol, Kent Walker.
February 18, 2025 at 10:06 PM
OK, Google. lol, Kent Walker.
@kint.bsky.social correctly points out two decisions criticizing Google spoliation. Plus two other cases where a decision is likely. And one where Google avoided a decision (because Viacom didn't pursue spoliation vigorously). Quotes & primary sources at www.benedelman.org/google-disco...
January 23, 2025 at 5:53 AM
@kint.bsky.social correctly points out two decisions criticizing Google spoliation. Plus two other cases where a decision is likely. And one where Google avoided a decision (because Viacom didn't pursue spoliation vigorously). Quotes & primary sources at www.benedelman.org/google-disco...
DOT today fined Turkish Airlines for arbitrarily limiting baggage reimbursements in violation of Montreal Convention. DOT learned about this thanks to an excellent third-party complaint from Mirel Baumgarten, submitted using template and instructions on my site. www.benedelman.org/turkish-bag-...
January 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
DOT today fined Turkish Airlines for arbitrarily limiting baggage reimbursements in violation of Montreal Convention. DOT learned about this thanks to an excellent third-party complaint from Mirel Baumgarten, submitted using template and instructions on my site. www.benedelman.org/turkish-bag-...
Reposted
wow. Upon Court order, incriminating exhibits were unsealed at 3:30am in an AI lawsuit against Meta. Once past a 'fake privilege,' it appears Zuckerberg approved the use of a highly controversial, pirated dataset.
Note OpenAI, too? AI companies with no ethics or guardrails. /1
Note OpenAI, too? AI companies with no ethics or guardrails. /1
January 14, 2025 at 1:38 PM
wow. Upon Court order, incriminating exhibits were unsealed at 3:30am in an AI lawsuit against Meta. Once past a 'fake privilege,' it appears Zuckerberg approved the use of a highly controversial, pirated dataset.
Note OpenAI, too? AI companies with no ethics or guardrails. /1
Note OpenAI, too? AI companies with no ethics or guardrails. /1
Many people watched MegaLag's excellent video about Honey claiming affiliate commissions not fairly earned. But this is more than a question of fairness. There are detailed contracts on point. benedelman.org/honey-breach...
January 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Many people watched MegaLag's excellent video about Honey claiming affiliate commissions not fairly earned. But this is more than a question of fairness. There are detailed contracts on point. benedelman.org/honey-breach...
California regulator CPUC required Uber to fingerprint drivers who transport unaccompanied minors ("Uber Teen"). Rather than do so, Uber suspended the service -- and blamed CPUC. My thoughts at www.benedelman.org/teen-safety-... (1/3)
Teen Safety, Uber’s Protests, and the Democratic Process – Ben Edelman
www.benedelman.org
December 23, 2024 at 6:34 AM
California regulator CPUC required Uber to fingerprint drivers who transport unaccompanied minors ("Uber Teen"). Rather than do so, Uber suspended the service -- and blamed CPUC. My thoughts at www.benedelman.org/teen-safety-... (1/3)
bsky.app/profile/xjon... JonNYC posts about JetBlue Mint service cuts including JFK-SEA and BOS-SEA. These as routes where Mint should thrive -- competitors offer recliners; JetBlue has lie-flat beds. (In contrast, on JFK-LAX/SFO, competitors have lie-flat beds, so JetBlue's edge is smaller.) Sad.
JetBlue network updates
December 5, 2024 at 6:52 AM
bsky.app/profile/xjon... JonNYC posts about JetBlue Mint service cuts including JFK-SEA and BOS-SEA. These as routes where Mint should thrive -- competitors offer recliners; JetBlue has lie-flat beds. (In contrast, on JFK-LAX/SFO, competitors have lie-flat beds, so JetBlue's edge is smaller.) Sad.
For a deep dive on Google discovery violations, I read 5,000+ pages of litigation documents, then pulled out the most notable quotes from plaintiffs, Google, and G's employees. 6,000+ words of quotes at bit.ly/googledisc (1/6)
Revisiting Litigation Alleging Google Discovery Violations – Ben Edelman
bit.ly
December 5, 2024 at 6:43 AM
For a deep dive on Google discovery violations, I read 5,000+ pages of litigation documents, then pulled out the most notable quotes from plaintiffs, Google, and G's employees. 6,000+ words of quotes at bit.ly/googledisc (1/6)