Jason Kint
@kint.bsky.social
#HoldTheLine. Ask, think, translate tech/media strategy (subs, ads, video, monopolies, privacy, press freedom, trust) for @dcnorg.bsky.social to advance future of trusted news and entertainment. @jason_kint on X, 20yrs leading major sports sites
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November 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
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Amazing. I am going to tip my hat right now to Governor @governor.ca.gov He stood up to Google and powerful supporters of surveillance capitalism. He has signed into law a smart way to enable their state’s strong consumer privacy rights in a simple, smart way. More of this elsewhere. 🙏 1/2
October 9, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Amazing. I am going to tip my hat right now to Governor @governor.ca.gov He stood up to Google and powerful supporters of surveillance capitalism. He has signed into law a smart way to enable their state’s strong consumer privacy rights in a simple, smart way. More of this elsewhere. 🙏 1/2
Two minutes worth your time on a very important issue to the economy and democracy. It asks to hold the line on accountability so that Amazon, Google, Meta, Apple can’t abuse their market power to break the law. @dcnorg.bsky.social was proud to sign on to the letter.
October 9, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Two minutes worth your time on a very important issue to the economy and democracy. It asks to hold the line on accountability so that Amazon, Google, Meta, Apple can’t abuse their market power to break the law. @dcnorg.bsky.social was proud to sign on to the letter.
The Court snaps back at the suggestion the jury verdict in the Flo lawsuit had any jurors who were "irrationally crazed in their hatred of Meta." 2/3 storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 4, 2025 at 3:22 AM
The Court snaps back at the suggestion the jury verdict in the Flo lawsuit had any jurors who were "irrationally crazed in their hatred of Meta." 2/3 storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Amazing. Facebook trial is in two weeks for allegedly inflating its potential reach metrics and their attorneys admit to being concerned "that Meta is a widely hated and viled company" so jurors need to be screened for their hatred. Especially towards Mark Zuckerberg. 1/3
October 4, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Amazing. Facebook trial is in two weeks for allegedly inflating its potential reach metrics and their attorneys admit to being concerned "that Meta is a widely hated and viled company" so jurors need to be screened for their hatred. Especially towards Mark Zuckerberg. 1/3
20 seconds. The New York Times Daily this morning ends with the most important warning in this moment…by Pulitzer-prize winning reporter, Devlin Barrett. Highly recommend the entire episode, linked here. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/p...
September 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
20 seconds. The New York Times Daily this morning ends with the most important warning in this moment…by Pulitzer-prize winning reporter, Devlin Barrett. Highly recommend the entire episode, linked here. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/p...
And here is the tie (reciprocal dealing)... PMC alleges Google violates the Sherman Act by tying search referral traffic to PMC's free supply of content - for AI training, republishing, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
In other words, no content = no traffic. /14
In other words, no content = no traffic. /14
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
And here is the tie (reciprocal dealing)... PMC alleges Google violates the Sherman Act by tying search referral traffic to PMC's free supply of content - for AI training, republishing, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
In other words, no content = no traffic. /14
In other words, no content = no traffic. /14
PMC calls its content a “golden corpus” for AI - meticulously researched and edited, making it ideal to train generative AI outputs.
But that value, PMC says, comes from massive investment - tens of millions/year in real journalism. Google pays $0 for it through the tie. /13
But that value, PMC says, comes from massive investment - tens of millions/year in real journalism. Google pays $0 for it through the tie. /13
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
PMC calls its content a “golden corpus” for AI - meticulously researched and edited, making it ideal to train generative AI outputs.
But that value, PMC says, comes from massive investment - tens of millions/year in real journalism. Google pays $0 for it through the tie. /13
But that value, PMC says, comes from massive investment - tens of millions/year in real journalism. Google pays $0 for it through the tie. /13
Google’s search results design leaves publishers with no good choices:
(a) Opt out of AI use? You vanish from Search.
(b) Stay in? You hand over content for free.
The result: a “race to the bottom” where everyone’s coerced into supplying AI content - and only Google benefits. /12
(a) Opt out of AI use? You vanish from Search.
(b) Stay in? You hand over content for free.
The result: a “race to the bottom” where everyone’s coerced into supplying AI content - and only Google benefits. /12
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Google’s search results design leaves publishers with no good choices:
(a) Opt out of AI use? You vanish from Search.
(b) Stay in? You hand over content for free.
The result: a “race to the bottom” where everyone’s coerced into supplying AI content - and only Google benefits. /12
(a) Opt out of AI use? You vanish from Search.
(b) Stay in? You hand over content for free.
The result: a “race to the bottom” where everyone’s coerced into supplying AI content - and only Google benefits. /12
PMC outlines three forms of coerced content usage:
(1) Republishing in snippets
(2) Training LLMs
(3) Repurposing for RAG
All tied to access to search traffic - which Google monopolizes.
This bundling strategy, PMC argues, is illegal under antitrust law. /11
(1) Republishing in snippets
(2) Training LLMs
(3) Repurposing for RAG
All tied to access to search traffic - which Google monopolizes.
This bundling strategy, PMC argues, is illegal under antitrust law. /11
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
PMC outlines three forms of coerced content usage:
(1) Republishing in snippets
(2) Training LLMs
(3) Repurposing for RAG
All tied to access to search traffic - which Google monopolizes.
This bundling strategy, PMC argues, is illegal under antitrust law. /11
(1) Republishing in snippets
(2) Training LLMs
(3) Repurposing for RAG
All tied to access to search traffic - which Google monopolizes.
This bundling strategy, PMC argues, is illegal under antitrust law. /11
“The open web is already in rapid decline.” - Google, in court filings we flagged last weekend.
PMC points to this as an admission that AI Overviews - by siphoning referral traffic - are accelerating the collapse of the open, ad-supported web. ergo, why it was so sensitive. /10
PMC points to this as an admission that AI Overviews - by siphoning referral traffic - are accelerating the collapse of the open, ad-supported web. ergo, why it was so sensitive. /10
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
“The open web is already in rapid decline.” - Google, in court filings we flagged last weekend.
PMC points to this as an admission that AI Overviews - by siphoning referral traffic - are accelerating the collapse of the open, ad-supported web. ergo, why it was so sensitive. /10
PMC points to this as an admission that AI Overviews - by siphoning referral traffic - are accelerating the collapse of the open, ad-supported web. ergo, why it was so sensitive. /10
And now this complaint was clearly being finalized up until the last week. It includes not only reporting by Digiday here on DCN's research as to the impact of Google AI Overviews and AI Mode on publishers of all types... /9
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
And now this complaint was clearly being finalized up until the last week. It includes not only reporting by Digiday here on DCN's research as to the impact of Google AI Overviews and AI Mode on publishers of all types... /9
This came up in DC search remedies as Dept of Justice included a remedy requiring Google allow the publisher more choice. But Judge Mehta decided it wasn't appropriate based on the complaint before him. That said, he rightly kicked open the door with his opinions. /8
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
This came up in DC search remedies as Dept of Justice included a remedy requiring Google allow the publisher more choice. But Judge Mehta decided it wasn't appropriate based on the complaint before him. That said, he rightly kicked open the door with his opinions. /8
On to stage 2. PMC says Google’s behavior is unlawful reciprocal dealing - forcing a tie between services to reinforce its monopoly.
In lay terms Google is saying: “Let us use your content for AI or we’ll demote you in Search.” /7
In lay terms Google is saying: “Let us use your content for AI or we’ll demote you in Search.” /7
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
On to stage 2. PMC says Google’s behavior is unlawful reciprocal dealing - forcing a tie between services to reinforce its monopoly.
In lay terms Google is saying: “Let us use your content for AI or we’ll demote you in Search.” /7
In lay terms Google is saying: “Let us use your content for AI or we’ll demote you in Search.” /7
And now that the Court has ruled Google has abused its monopoly power, the past conduct becomes part of the story. Google forced featured snippets on to publishers even as EU copyright rules made it clear they needed permission from the publisher. That is called stage 1. /6
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
And now that the Court has ruled Google has abused its monopoly power, the past conduct becomes part of the story. Google forced featured snippets on to publishers even as EU copyright rules made it clear they needed permission from the publisher. That is called stage 1. /6
Yes, we already know it's an incredibly large, profitable business in terms of revenues but underneath it is what the Court described as "scale" which includes the data, the queries, the clicks. Incredibly valuable to training search results and importantly AI. /5
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Yes, we already know it's an incredibly large, profitable business in terms of revenues but underneath it is what the Court described as "scale" which includes the data, the queries, the clicks. Incredibly valuable to training search results and importantly AI. /5
Plaintiffs explain what makes search traffic unique as a market leveraging DC opinion to explain intentionality. General Search Engine is a gateway to the rest of the open web and the DC District Court ruled that Google has illegally maintained a monopoly in that market. /4
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Plaintiffs explain what makes search traffic unique as a market leveraging DC opinion to explain intentionality. General Search Engine is a gateway to the rest of the open web and the DC District Court ruled that Google has illegally maintained a monopoly in that market. /4
Penske says this is not a fair exchange. If it weren't for Google's adjudicated monopoly power (recall Judge Mehta said they get 19x as many queries as next biggest), Google would be paying pubs for these rights or if it didn't then they would opt-out of providing them. /3
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Penske says this is not a fair exchange. If it weren't for Google's adjudicated monopoly power (recall Judge Mehta said they get 19x as many queries as next biggest), Google would be paying pubs for these rights or if it didn't then they would opt-out of providing them. /3
The core claim: Google is abusing its search monopoly to force pubs to hand over content - not just for traditional search indexing but to feed its AI. Google then repurposes it to substitute them with its own services breaking the fundamental bargain of the open web. /2
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The core claim: Google is abusing its search monopoly to force pubs to hand over content - not just for traditional search indexing but to feed its AI. Google then repurposes it to substitute them with its own services breaking the fundamental bargain of the open web. /2
ok, this is HUGE. Late Friday, Penske (PMC) filed a wicked-smart, landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google. I've now read it in full and I'm very impressed. Importantly, it's the first antitrust suit for Google tying its AI-driven products to its adjudicated search monopoly. /1
September 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
ok, this is HUGE. Late Friday, Penske (PMC) filed a wicked-smart, landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google. I've now read it in full and I'm very impressed. Importantly, it's the first antitrust suit for Google tying its AI-driven products to its adjudicated search monopoly. /1
One of those employee witnesses is Tim Craycroft. It appears Google counsel shut down some of his answering on this matter. Craycroft worked at Amazon for a long time so I find him very interesting as a witness here. /14
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
One of those employee witnesses is Tim Craycroft. It appears Google counsel shut down some of his answering on this matter. Craycroft worked at Amazon for a long time so I find him very interesting as a witness here. /14
Google also claims AI has changed everything since this case was brought. This is Google's "jazz hands" that succeeded in the Search case (5yrs). But this case was filed 2yrs ago. WTF. Google claims we have "entirely new enormously popular publishers, such as AI chatbots" !!!
/11
/11
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Google also claims AI has changed everything since this case was brought. This is Google's "jazz hands" that succeeded in the Search case (5yrs). But this case was filed 2yrs ago. WTF. Google claims we have "entirely new enormously popular publishers, such as AI chatbots" !!!
/11
/11
But wait, what is Google's side of story as they also just posted their 25 pages. Google states (this is news by the way)
"the open web is already in rapid decline"
which IMHO is a pretty rich claim considering Google has dominated distribution, design, monetization of it. /10
"the open web is already in rapid decline"
which IMHO is a pretty rich claim considering Google has dominated distribution, design, monetization of it. /10
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
But wait, what is Google's side of story as they also just posted their 25 pages. Google states (this is news by the way)
"the open web is already in rapid decline"
which IMHO is a pretty rich claim considering Google has dominated distribution, design, monetization of it. /10
"the open web is already in rapid decline"
which IMHO is a pretty rich claim considering Google has dominated distribution, design, monetization of it. /10
And finally, those who helped shine sunlight on all of Google's abuses over the last decade to the critical moment of these trials will be able to go back to their day lives without retaliation from Google. Note: no publishers testified in the search remedies. Hmmm. /9
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
And finally, those who helped shine sunlight on all of Google's abuses over the last decade to the critical moment of these trials will be able to go back to their day lives without retaliation from Google. Note: no publishers testified in the search remedies. Hmmm. /9
Disgorgement. Super important. Call it a DCN special - but for all pubs. Google must put 50% of its net revenue from AdX and DFP into a court-monitored escrow starting 4/17/25 to:
* support pubs' ops while moving off DFP
* fund neutral industry-run open-source ad auction /5
* support pubs' ops while moving off DFP
* fund neutral industry-run open-source ad auction /5
September 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Disgorgement. Super important. Call it a DCN special - but for all pubs. Google must put 50% of its net revenue from AdX and DFP into a court-monitored escrow starting 4/17/25 to:
* support pubs' ops while moving off DFP
* fund neutral industry-run open-source ad auction /5
* support pubs' ops while moving off DFP
* fund neutral industry-run open-source ad auction /5