YouTube disallowing adblockers, Reddit charging for API usage, Twitter blocking non-registered users. These events happen almost at the same time. Is this one of the effects of the tech bubble burst?

  • merc@sh.itjust.works
    1·
    1 year ago

    It’s the end of cheap credit.

    https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.png?g=16J5X

    That graph shows the Federal Funds Effective Rate. Until recently, VCs could borrow money while effectively paying zero interest. That meant their investments weren’t under any pressure to become profitable any time soon. Now, borrowing is expensive. VCs don’t want to loan any more money, and want their investments to pay off. Reddit and other pre-IPO companies are scrambling to become profitable.

    I assume the big companies like YouTube / Google going against people blocking ads are just taking advantage of the chaos.

    As for Twitter: Elon Musk is an idiot.