This week, on This Week in Tech, hosts Leo Laporte, Devindra Hardawar, Doc Rock, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy discussed a range of topics including Australia’s ban on social media for under 16s, smart home technology, CES 2024 expectations, Black Friday sales records, Elon Musk’s legal battles, and the FTC’s efforts to protect consumers. The panel also touched on the lifespan of smart devices, the ownership of social media accounts, and the growth of alternative social media platforms like Bluesky.
Australia’s ban on social media for under 16s raised questions about age verification and the impact on children’s social lives. The panel also discussed the progress and challenges of the Matter protocol in smart home technology and the potential killer use cases like energy management. They also looked forward to CES 2024, talked about Black Friday sales hitting a record high, Elon Musk’s legal battles with OpenAI, the FTC’s efforts to protect consumers, and the growing threat of infrastructure sabotage.
As alternative social media platforms gain traction, the panel considered the challenges of managing multiple platforms and a potential move towards a decentralized social media landscape. The FTC’s report on the hidden lifespan of smart devices and changes to telemarketing rules were also discussed. In addition, concerns over infrastructure sabotage and Meta’s plans to build a $10B subsea cable were highlighted.
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