Benedict Evans
@thebenedictevans.bsky.social
Trying to work out what's going on, and what happens next. Mostly tech.
Ben-Evans.com
Ben-Evans.com
But as Jonathan Swift tells us, you can’t reason someone out of an idea that they weren’t reasoned into. The people who would need to read the book aren’t willing to learn.
November 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
But as Jonathan Swift tells us, you can’t reason someone out of an idea that they weren’t reasoned into. The people who would need to read the book aren’t willing to learn.
The funny thing about this thread is all the people who are very toxic, very sure they're right, and say things that ten seconds in Google would have shown them aren't true. There are still people who believe in Cambridge Analytica!
November 3, 2025 at 2:33 PM
The funny thing about this thread is all the people who are very toxic, very sure they're right, and say things that ten seconds in Google would have shown them aren't true. There are still people who believe in Cambridge Analytica!
You should read that link. For the first time. Then you would know that Cambridge Analytica didn't buy data from Facebook.
November 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
You should read that link. For the first time. Then you would know that Cambridge Analytica didn't buy data from Facebook.
Yes, she's the only person who still believes Cambridge Analytica was a thing, bless her.
November 3, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Yes, she's the only person who still believes Cambridge Analytica was a thing, bless her.
Yes, 'sells data' and doesn't sell data' are the same thing and you have to be pedantic to suggest that's kind of a convoluted piece of logic
November 3, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Yes, 'sells data' and doesn't sell data' are the same thing and you have to be pedantic to suggest that's kind of a convoluted piece of logic
Cambridge Analytics did not buy data from Facebook, didn't actually do anything, and is best thought of as a hoax.
Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look. Do you still think MMR causes autism, too?
Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look. Do you still think MMR causes autism, too?
November 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Cambridge Analytics did not buy data from Facebook, didn't actually do anything, and is best thought of as a hoax.
Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look. Do you still think MMR causes autism, too?
Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look. Do you still think MMR causes autism, too?
'Selling your data' and 'not selling your data' are the same thing. Sure.
November 3, 2025 at 2:24 PM
'Selling your data' and 'not selling your data' are the same thing. Sure.
No, they don't so that.
Imagine having such strong opinions about something you've never bothered to spend any time at all looking at
Imagine having such strong opinions about something you've never bothered to spend any time at all looking at
November 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM
No, they don't so that.
Imagine having such strong opinions about something you've never bothered to spend any time at all looking at
Imagine having such strong opinions about something you've never bothered to spend any time at all looking at
This is untrue. Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look.
November 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
This is untrue. Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look.
This is untrue. Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look.
November 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
This is untrue. Ten seconds in Google would have told you this. You're so sure, and so wrong, and never even once bothered to look.
Generally, in the English language, if I sell you something, then you have it.
In your usage, if you give me money and I do not give you X, then I have sold you X.
At best, that's a wild abuse of language, and there is 'no universe' in which that's the only meaning.
In your usage, if you give me money and I do not give you X, then I have sold you X.
At best, that's a wild abuse of language, and there is 'no universe' in which that's the only meaning.
November 3, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Generally, in the English language, if I sell you something, then you have it.
In your usage, if you give me money and I do not give you X, then I have sold you X.
At best, that's a wild abuse of language, and there is 'no universe' in which that's the only meaning.
In your usage, if you give me money and I do not give you X, then I have sold you X.
At best, that's a wild abuse of language, and there is 'no universe' in which that's the only meaning.
It's self-selection of idiots
November 3, 2025 at 2:11 PM
It's self-selection of idiots
This is hilarious
I said that SF is a small place with not much going on... and the local newspaper wrote a story about it. It proved my point just absolutely perfectly.
But also... it's been a decade, and you still care so much that a total stranger didn't like SF, and yet you never realised this?
I said that SF is a small place with not much going on... and the local newspaper wrote a story about it. It proved my point just absolutely perfectly.
But also... it's been a decade, and you still care so much that a total stranger didn't like SF, and yet you never realised this?
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
This is hilarious
I said that SF is a small place with not much going on... and the local newspaper wrote a story about it. It proved my point just absolutely perfectly.
But also... it's been a decade, and you still care so much that a total stranger didn't like SF, and yet you never realised this?
I said that SF is a small place with not much going on... and the local newspaper wrote a story about it. It proved my point just absolutely perfectly.
But also... it's been a decade, and you still care so much that a total stranger didn't like SF, and yet you never realised this?
There are two different questions
Does Facebook sell your data? No. People insisting on this are simply idiots.
Does it have data? Well yes, that's how it works. But what data? Why do you care? is it sensitive data? Does it matter? It depends, and it's not an absolute.
Does Facebook sell your data? No. People insisting on this are simply idiots.
Does it have data? Well yes, that's how it works. But what data? Why do you care? is it sensitive data? Does it matter? It depends, and it's not an absolute.
November 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
There are two different questions
Does Facebook sell your data? No. People insisting on this are simply idiots.
Does it have data? Well yes, that's how it works. But what data? Why do you care? is it sensitive data? Does it matter? It depends, and it's not an absolute.
Does Facebook sell your data? No. People insisting on this are simply idiots.
Does it have data? Well yes, that's how it works. But what data? Why do you care? is it sensitive data? Does it matter? It depends, and it's not an absolute.
Also - wow, what a lot of really toxic people left Twitter for Bluesky.
November 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Also - wow, what a lot of really toxic people left Twitter for Bluesky.
And here you have hundreds of people all chiming into say "yes, if I buy an ad, and get no user data, then Facebook has sold me some user data! Anything else is nonsense!"
It's a cult.
It's a cult.
November 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
And here you have hundreds of people all chiming into say "yes, if I buy an ad, and get no user data, then Facebook has sold me some user data! Anything else is nonsense!"
It's a cult.
It's a cult.
And so, you twist yourself into strange little pretzels to persuade yourself that not selling data and selling data are the same thing....
Indeed, you persuade it's so self-evident that 'not X' and 'X' are the same thing that anyone who says that's a weird idea must be a moron. Think about that.
Indeed, you persuade it's so self-evident that 'not X' and 'X' are the same thing that anyone who says that's a weird idea must be a moron. Think about that.
November 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
And so, you twist yourself into strange little pretzels to persuade yourself that not selling data and selling data are the same thing....
Indeed, you persuade it's so self-evident that 'not X' and 'X' are the same thing that anyone who says that's a weird idea must be a moron. Think about that.
Indeed, you persuade it's so self-evident that 'not X' and 'X' are the same thing that anyone who says that's a weird idea must be a moron. Think about that.
I find this whole topic fascinating.
If you buy an ad on FB, and I see it, you don't get my data. You don't get ANY user data. You didn't buy user data, and FB didn't sell it.
You know this!
If FB sold user data, you would have it.
But you're also totally sure that Facebook sells user data.
If you buy an ad on FB, and I see it, you don't get my data. You don't get ANY user data. You didn't buy user data, and FB didn't sell it.
You know this!
If FB sold user data, you would have it.
But you're also totally sure that Facebook sells user data.
November 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
I find this whole topic fascinating.
If you buy an ad on FB, and I see it, you don't get my data. You don't get ANY user data. You didn't buy user data, and FB didn't sell it.
You know this!
If FB sold user data, you would have it.
But you're also totally sure that Facebook sells user data.
If you buy an ad on FB, and I see it, you don't get my data. You don't get ANY user data. You didn't buy user data, and FB didn't sell it.
You know this!
If FB sold user data, you would have it.
But you're also totally sure that Facebook sells user data.
I make many mistakes on social media, but I have always avoided making personal attacks on people.
As ir happens, I very rarely think people are fools, but I often think they're wrong. That is not the same thing.
As ir happens, I very rarely think people are fools, but I often think they're wrong. That is not the same thing.
August 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I make many mistakes on social media, but I have always avoided making personal attacks on people.
As ir happens, I very rarely think people are fools, but I often think they're wrong. That is not the same thing.
As ir happens, I very rarely think people are fools, but I often think they're wrong. That is not the same thing.
As far as I can see usage has been flat to down for a year.
May 20, 2025 at 11:17 AM
As far as I can see usage has been flat to down for a year.
By extension there are some companies that aren’t suited to venture scale, but there are also some that only really work at that scale, and if you try to keep them small and handcrafted, then you get into just as much trouble.
May 5, 2025 at 11:20 PM
By extension there are some companies that aren’t suited to venture scale, but there are also some that only really work at that scale, and if you try to keep them small and handcrafted, then you get into just as much trouble.
There are lots of different kinds of business and a ‘venture-scale startup’ is only one.
The problems come when the entrepreneur isn’t suited to or doesn’t want to built that, or the business itself isn’t suited to that, and sometimes the entrepreneur or the VC fool themselves.
The problems come when the entrepreneur isn’t suited to or doesn’t want to built that, or the business itself isn’t suited to that, and sometimes the entrepreneur or the VC fool themselves.
May 5, 2025 at 11:15 PM
There are lots of different kinds of business and a ‘venture-scale startup’ is only one.
The problems come when the entrepreneur isn’t suited to or doesn’t want to built that, or the business itself isn’t suited to that, and sometimes the entrepreneur or the VC fool themselves.
The problems come when the entrepreneur isn’t suited to or doesn’t want to built that, or the business itself isn’t suited to that, and sometimes the entrepreneur or the VC fool themselves.
The average venture exit is seven years and the fund life is 10 years. They don’t want quick success- they want you to build a giant business over 7 to 10 years.
The best analogy is that VCs sell rocket fuel - if you don’t want to build a rocket ship, you shouldn’t buy hydrogen peroxide
The best analogy is that VCs sell rocket fuel - if you don’t want to build a rocket ship, you shouldn’t buy hydrogen peroxide
May 5, 2025 at 10:41 PM
The average venture exit is seven years and the fund life is 10 years. They don’t want quick success- they want you to build a giant business over 7 to 10 years.
The best analogy is that VCs sell rocket fuel - if you don’t want to build a rocket ship, you shouldn’t buy hydrogen peroxide
The best analogy is that VCs sell rocket fuel - if you don’t want to build a rocket ship, you shouldn’t buy hydrogen peroxide