Todd Davies
@todddavi.es
Competition Law PhD Candidate @ University College London
Working on a theory of the competitive process, polycrisis, private power, political economy, ecology and democracy. Previously a software engineer.
https://todddavi.es
🍉🌱
Working on a theory of the competitive process, polycrisis, private power, political economy, ecology and democracy. Previously a software engineer.
https://todddavi.es
🍉🌱
Pinned
Todd Davies
@todddavi.es
· Mar 21
Error Costs, Platform Regulation, and Democracy
Abstract. Competition law has long favoured an error-cost framework that advocates for non-intervention under the assumption that market power self-correct
doi.org
How can decisions about whether competition authorities should intervene against tech platforms have implications for democracy? 🗳️
@spencercohen.bsky.social and I tackle that question in a new paper published in Journal of Competition Law & Economics! 🧵
doi.org/10.1093/jocl... (OA)
@spencercohen.bsky.social and I tackle that question in a new paper published in Journal of Competition Law & Economics! 🧵
doi.org/10.1093/jocl... (OA)
Reposted by Todd Davies
"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
www.windowscentral.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:30 PM
"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
The Italian Competition Authority has imposed interim measures on Meta for tying its AI assistant into WhatsApp. An extremely welcome development! I wrote up an analysis in the Kluwer Competition Law Blog: legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
The Italian Competition Authority Imposes Interim Measures in its Abuse of Dominance Case Against Meta AI
As previously covered on this blog, Meta recently decided to integrate its AI assistant (Meta AI) into its WhatsApp platform, introducing the ability to chat to Meta AI at various points within the Wh...
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The Italian Competition Authority has imposed interim measures on Meta for tying its AI assistant into WhatsApp. An extremely welcome development! I wrote up an analysis in the Kluwer Competition Law Blog: legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
Reposted by Todd Davies
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Todd Davies
1/This week has seen a blitz of what looks like corruption sandals: Saudi development deals for US military tech, Pakistani payments to Trump insiders for tariff relief, Swiss gold bars for a trade deal. Far from a payoff, this is a reordering of internat'l system.
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mxthh...
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mxthh...
www.dropbox.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:59 PM
1/This week has seen a blitz of what looks like corruption sandals: Saudi development deals for US military tech, Pakistani payments to Trump insiders for tariff relief, Swiss gold bars for a trade deal. Far from a payoff, this is a reordering of internat'l system.
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mxthh...
www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mxthh...
Reposted by Todd Davies
This is, of course, a fascinating thread from Kate asking why Google is effectively cannibalizing its own market for both digital ads on third party properties and search ads, by effectively taking away the incentive to click through to third party sites. I have a theory as to why they're doing it.
So this ad revenue metric is indicative of such a fascinating and weird set of business decisions by Google to inexplicably kill of SEO-- and I honestly don't get how they think this is going to pay off for them in the long run.
🧵
1/
🧵
1/
Stereogum says Google's switch to AI Overviews reduced its ad revenue by *70 percent* www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
November 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This is, of course, a fascinating thread from Kate asking why Google is effectively cannibalizing its own market for both digital ads on third party properties and search ads, by effectively taking away the incentive to click through to third party sites. I have a theory as to why they're doing it.
Reposted by Todd Davies
In applying AI to material science, biology, etc, capitalism is trying to shed science.
The point is to substitute the engineering of a machine that can generate what science has hitherto done, but without having people know things. Knowledge ultimately residing in private property is the dream.
The point is to substitute the engineering of a machine that can generate what science has hitherto done, but without having people know things. Knowledge ultimately residing in private property is the dream.
Jeff Bezos Creates A.I. Start-Up Where He Will Be Co-Chief Executive
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
In applying AI to material science, biology, etc, capitalism is trying to shed science.
The point is to substitute the engineering of a machine that can generate what science has hitherto done, but without having people know things. Knowledge ultimately residing in private property is the dream.
The point is to substitute the engineering of a machine that can generate what science has hitherto done, but without having people know things. Knowledge ultimately residing in private property is the dream.
Reposted by Todd Davies
In 1850 the weight of all the world's wild mammals equalled the weight of humans and our livestock
Today they are outweighed 1 to 20
Reconfiguring life on this planet to produce cheap meat and dairy
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Today they are outweighed 1 to 20
Reconfiguring life on this planet to produce cheap meat and dairy
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 28, 2025 at 11:53 AM
In 1850 the weight of all the world's wild mammals equalled the weight of humans and our livestock
Today they are outweighed 1 to 20
Reconfiguring life on this planet to produce cheap meat and dairy
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Today they are outweighed 1 to 20
Reconfiguring life on this planet to produce cheap meat and dairy
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Todd Davies
Big story from Sky news. It is a mistake to think the DSA alone is going to fix this. This requires more, including and most particularly enforcement of GDPR Art 9 news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Big story from Sky news. It is a mistake to think the DSA alone is going to fix this. This requires more, including and most particularly enforcement of GDPR Art 9 news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Todd Davies
"The authoritarian populists target Verfassungsblog not only for what it does, but also for what it is: an open space dedicated to the serious and systematic pursuit of truth."
The AfD is asking questions about us and sending a message. No big surprise here. We are staying on course with our goal of providing constitutional expertise on the challenges democracy faces in Germany, the U.S., and elsewhere. Read more in our new editorial by MAX STEINBEIS buff.ly/eVxn5WT
Counting on You to Count on Us: The highly interesting question of how Verfassungsblog is financed
The highly interesting question of how Verfassungsblog is financed
verfassungsblog.de
November 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
"The authoritarian populists target Verfassungsblog not only for what it does, but also for what it is: an open space dedicated to the serious and systematic pursuit of truth."
The dark side of "computational antitrust" is when companies use AI to stymie competition law. It appears that tools to help them do so are emerging, as I wrote about in the Kluwer Competition Blog today. 1/n
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
The Dark Side of Computational Antitrust: When AI is Used to Evade the Law
Given the creeping complexity of cases, expanding evidence bases, and the ever present threat (or reality) of budget cuts, competition authorities around the world are on the lookout for ways to strea...
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:21 AM
The dark side of "computational antitrust" is when companies use AI to stymie competition law. It appears that tools to help them do so are emerging, as I wrote about in the Kluwer Competition Blog today. 1/n
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/competition-...
Reposted by Todd Davies
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
Reposted by Todd Davies
As the single most important news story this year, I can't wait to see the detailed and central coverage this will get in every media outlet we have
‘Change course now’: humanity has missed 1.5C climate target, says UN head
Exclusive: ‘Devastating consequences’ now inevitable but emissions cuts still vital, says António Guterres in sole interview before Cop30
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
As the single most important news story this year, I can't wait to see the detailed and central coverage this will get in every media outlet we have
Reposted by Todd Davies
Doing things simpler may be a good idea. Deregulating may leave people behind and incentivise 27 different answers to replace the common one.
www.ft.com/content/adba...
www.ft.com/content/adba...
Developing countries at risk from EU’s simplification drive, UN warns
Bid by Brussels to cut red tape is too dominated by politics, top officials say
www.ft.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Doing things simpler may be a good idea. Deregulating may leave people behind and incentivise 27 different answers to replace the common one.
www.ft.com/content/adba...
www.ft.com/content/adba...
The biggest risk from generative AI isn't about super intelligence.
The risk is it creating believable but fabricated realities, which will eat away at our ability to collectively discover what is true.
The risk is it creating believable but fabricated realities, which will eat away at our ability to collectively discover what is true.
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The biggest risk from generative AI isn't about super intelligence.
The risk is it creating believable but fabricated realities, which will eat away at our ability to collectively discover what is true.
The risk is it creating believable but fabricated realities, which will eat away at our ability to collectively discover what is true.
Reposted by Todd Davies
Code shouldn't be law - as @todddavi.es says, these platforms could just as easily have been coded differently - "No magic going on here" open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
October 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Code shouldn't be law - as @todddavi.es says, these platforms could just as easily have been coded differently - "No magic going on here" open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
Reposted by Todd Davies
Tech companies are potentially as dangerous to western economic security as China, and governments are struggling in the same way to balance the potential economic upsides with the threats.
The British government is preparing to roll back on its pledge to make Big Tech companies pay for scams in its upcoming fraud strategy.
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
www.politico.eu/article/keir...
Banks furious as UK shies away from making Big Tech pay for fraud
Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged before the election to put tech giants on the hook for fraud.
www.politico.eu
October 24, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Tech companies are potentially as dangerous to western economic security as China, and governments are struggling in the same way to balance the potential economic upsides with the threats.
I was delighted to appear on the Shaping Competition in the Digital Age podcast recently, speaking about some recent work on generative AI and competition law.
The episode is here: open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
The paper it mostly draws from is here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/...
The episode is here: open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
The paper it mostly draws from is here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/...
Episode 4 - Todd Davies - Generative AI: Innovation or Infringement of Competition Law?
open.spotify.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM
I was delighted to appear on the Shaping Competition in the Digital Age podcast recently, speaking about some recent work on generative AI and competition law.
The episode is here: open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
The paper it mostly draws from is here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/...
The episode is here: open.spotify.com/episode/7H8b...
The paper it mostly draws from is here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/...
Is it possible to have smartphones digitally sign photos/videos that they take? I can't think of a reason why not (although editing afterwards might be a bit tricky).
This person is one hundred percent correct and it’s scary af. We will never “media literacy” our way out of this as a society. We are about to reap the whirlwind when it comes to misinformation, disinformation, and informational warfare.
October 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Is it possible to have smartphones digitally sign photos/videos that they take? I can't think of a reason why not (although editing afterwards might be a bit tricky).
Running a private equity firm in 2025 be like...
October 21, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Running a private equity firm in 2025 be like...
Reposted by Todd Davies
As we warned in an @openmarkets.bsky.social report earlier this year, our dependence on a handful of US tech giants for essential cloud infrastructure isn’t just a competition problem, it’s a serious threat to national security & societal stability.
How many more outages before we get the message?
How many more outages before we get the message?
there’s a major AWS outage going on right now that’s taken down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, Perplexity, Roblox, and lots more of the internet. US-EAST-1 is down and impacting a lot of services that rely on AWS www.theverge.com/news/802486/...
Major AWS outage takes down Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and more
A chunk of the internet has been taken offline.
www.theverge.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:31 AM
As we warned in an @openmarkets.bsky.social report earlier this year, our dependence on a handful of US tech giants for essential cloud infrastructure isn’t just a competition problem, it’s a serious threat to national security & societal stability.
How many more outages before we get the message?
How many more outages before we get the message?
Reposted by Todd Davies
As it happens, this is almost exactly the same as Nintendo’s annual revenue. Which seems like the right comparison- a successful producer of electronic toys. on.ft.com/4nMkP0B
October 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
As it happens, this is almost exactly the same as Nintendo’s annual revenue. Which seems like the right comparison- a successful producer of electronic toys. on.ft.com/4nMkP0B
Excellent essay!
It rebuts Marxist pessimism about the anti-monopoly movement, highlights the importance of contesting Capital's control of economic production, and ties it all into the recent failures of the movement (particularly wrt. the recent anti-monopolisation case against Google).
It rebuts Marxist pessimism about the anti-monopoly movement, highlights the importance of contesting Capital's control of economic production, and ties it all into the recent failures of the movement (particularly wrt. the recent anti-monopolisation case against Google).
I have a new piece in @lpeblog.bsky.social
“Anti-monopolism as an Ideology of the Left”
responding to @gabrielwinant.bsky.social’s “provocation.”
lpeproject.org/blog/anti-mo...
“Anti-monopolism as an Ideology of the Left”
responding to @gabrielwinant.bsky.social’s “provocation.”
lpeproject.org/blog/anti-mo...
October 14, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Excellent essay!
It rebuts Marxist pessimism about the anti-monopoly movement, highlights the importance of contesting Capital's control of economic production, and ties it all into the recent failures of the movement (particularly wrt. the recent anti-monopolisation case against Google).
It rebuts Marxist pessimism about the anti-monopoly movement, highlights the importance of contesting Capital's control of economic production, and ties it all into the recent failures of the movement (particularly wrt. the recent anti-monopolisation case against Google).
Reposted by Todd Davies
Reposted by Todd Davies
Put differently...
October 14, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Put differently...