As We're All Living, Working, And Socializing Via The Internet... MIT Tech Review Says It Proves Silicon Valley Innovation Is A Myth

from the say-what-now? dept

I get that people are getting a bit of cabin fever and perhaps that's impacting people's outlook on the world, but a recent piece by David Rotman in the MIT Tech Review is truly bizarre. The title gets you straight to the premise: Covid-19 has blown apart the myth of Silicon Valley innovation. Of course, even the paragraph that explains the thesis seems almost like a modern updating of the famous "what have the Romans ever done for us?" scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian:

Silicon Valley and big tech in general have been lame in responding to the crisis. Sure, they have given us Zoom to keep the fortunate among us working and Netflix to keep us sane; Amazon is a savior these days for those avoiding stores; iPads are in hot demand and Instacart is helping to keep many self-isolating people fed. But the pandemic has also revealed the limitations and impotence of the world’s richest companies (and, we have been told, the most innovative place on earth) in the face of the public health crisis.

Wait, what? That doesn't seem "lame" at all. That kinda seems central to keeping much of the world safe, sane, and connected. And the next paragraph seems equally ridiculous:

Big tech doesn’t build anything. It’s not likely to give us vaccines or diagnostic tests. We don’t even seem to know how to make a cotton swab. Those hoping the US could turn its dominant tech industry into a dynamo of innovation against the pandemic will be disappointed.

Leaving aside the hilariously wrong "big tech doesn't build anything," this paragraph reads like "how dare pharmaceutical companies not build video conferencing software." Besides, tons of big tech companies are doing a lot (beyond the admitted list above) to help during the pandemic, including Google's and Apple's efforts to help with contact tracing, and then, of course, there are plenty of examples of the big tech companies of Silicon Valley trying to do more to help out in the pandemic as well. No matter what you think of Elon Musk, engineers at Tesla have been working on using a bunch of existing parts to build ventilators:

And that's already received praise (and some constructive suggestions) from healthcare professionals.

Basically, the entire premise of Rotman's article makes no sense at all, and he just keeps repeating it like if he says it enough, maybe people will believe him:

The pandemic has made clear this festering problem: the US is no longer very good at coming up with new ideas and technologies relevant to our most basic needs.

Except that we are -- as his own article makes clear. The fact that internet companies aren't magically creating vaccines isn't a condemnation of Silicon Valley innovation. I mean, at best, you could argue that it's a failure of big pharma innovation, but it seems a bit early to be saying that one way or another given that we're just a few months into this thing, and a bunch of innovations that are helping to rapidly create a vaccine, like genetic testing, have also developed with help from Silicon Valley.

The only way Rotman supports his premise is to argue that software/internet companies are producing software/internet products, rather than manufacturing physical goods. But, again, that's like saying "why doesn't Pfizer create videoconferencing software." It's not their business. And, perhaps Rotman should get out of Cambridge and come to Silicon Valley (well, post pandemic) to learn about how there'a a hardware renaissance happening in Silicon Valley, in part thanks to new innovations like 3D printing.

The whole article reads like Rotman had a premise, and then wrote the article despite the near total lack of any actual evidence to support the premise. It's a bad look for MIT's Tech Review, but what good has MIT ever brought the world anyway?

Filed Under: david rotman, hardware, innovation, pandemic, remote work, silicon valley, social distancing, software, technology

Charter Spectrum Under Fire For Putting The Public At Risk During Coronavirus

from the monopolizing-stupidity dept

Charter Communications literally has some of the worst customer satisfaction ratings of any company in any industry in America. Like Comcast, Charter has spent years merging its way to market domination, and now enjoys a notable monopoly over broadband in numerous U.S. markets. This monopoly, combined with regulatory capture, has resulted in a company that literally doesn't have to give a damn about its customers.

As it turns out, the company doesn't treat its employees much better.

For the last few days, both Gizmodo and TechCrunch have been fielding complaints from a torrent of Spectrum employees who say the company is putting them at unnecessary risk. Employees who say there's no technical reason they can't perform their work remotely have been mandated to continue coming into the office, despite CDC warnings that social distancing will be essential to slow the spread of the pandemic across the United States. Several employees sent internal memos warning all employees the company was ignoring CDC recommendations:

"The CDC guidelines are clear. The CDPHE guidelines are clear. The WHO guidelines are clear. The science of social distancing is real. We have the complete ability to do our jobs entirely from home,” he wrote, reeling off the advice from several state and federal government departments and international health organizations. “Coming into the office now is pointlessly reckless. It’s also socially irresponsible. Charter, like the rest of us, should do what is necessary to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Social distancing has a real slowing effect on the virus — that means lives can be saved."

But employees who are raising alarm bells that Charter is putting lives at risk are being told to take sick leave or quit:

"Wheeler said he was given an ultimatum. Either he could work from the office or take sick leave. Staff are not allowed to work from home, he was told. Wheeler offered his resignation, but was sent home instead and asked to think about his decision until Monday.

Later in the day, he received a call from work. Charter accepted his resignation, effective immediately."

In some instances, staff are being told to report to work despite positive COVID-19 tests being found at Charter offices. At the heart of the problem is Charter CEO (and formerly Comcast executive) Tom Rutledge, who, much like his belief that streaming password sharing is the biggest problem facing the industry at the moment, doesn't think much of this whole modern telework thing:

"The employees we spoke to said that while Charter has the means to allow staff to work from home, executives are reluctant to relax the policy. Charter chief executive Tom Rutledge said in an internal email to staff this week that employees are “more effective from the office."

The same monopoly mindset -- in which the reality on the ground doesn't, can't, and won't matter because there's no organic or regulatory penalty for bad behavior -- is certainly evident in the way Charter treats its employees. Though it's not just monopoly power, given that Comcast is not only letting its employees work from home but is doling out hazard pay. Which means at the end of the day it comes down to terrible management, and an unwillingness to listen to your own employees, and a top down failure in leadership that's literally now putting human lives at risk. Not just those of Charter employees, but, given the symptomless transmission evident in COVID-19, everybody in the regions that Charter does business.

Update: It sounds like Charter may finally be getting the message.

Filed Under: coronavirus, covid-19, efficiency, health and safety, remote work, tom rutledge, work from home
Companies: charter communications