Ignacio N. Cofone Journalist Profile

Articles

Harm and Power in the Information Economy

Nov 12, 2024 | cambridgeblog.org | Ignacio N. Cofone

The Information EconomyAt Facebook’s initial public offering in 2012, Mark Zuckerberg shared a motto: “Move fast and break things.” Later abandoned by Facebook, the catchphrase prevails as a call for disruptive innovation. It’s invoked by tech executives who insist they must “break eggs to make an omelet,” and also in policy circles to condemn the tech industry’s recklessness. But the harsh truth is we gave the tech industry no incentive to do anything other than move fast and break things.
Our online world is the new Wild West—and just as dangerous - The Hub

May 3, 2024 | thehub.ca | Ignacio N. Cofone

As part of a paid partnership, this month The Hub will feature excerpts from this year’s five shortlisted books for the Donner Prize, awarded to the best public policy book in Canada. Our podcast Hub Dialogues will also feature interviews with the authors. The winning title will be awarded $60,000 by The Donner Canadian Foundation on May 8th. The following is an excerpt from The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy (Cambridge University Press, 2023).
5 books shortlisted for the $60K Donner Prize for best Canadian public policy book

Apr 11, 2024 | cbc.ca | Ignacio N. Cofone

BooksBooks about space, privacy and the pandemic are among the finalists. The annual award, founded in 1998, recognizes the best public policy book by a Canadian. Books about space, privacy and the pandemic are among the 2023 finalistsCBC Books · Posted: Apr 11, 2024 4:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoFive books about public policy are shortlisted for the 2023 Donner Prize.
The Privacy Fallacy

Dec 22, 2023 | promarket.org | Ignacio N. Cofone

The following is an excerpt from Ignacio Cofone’s new book, “The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy,” out now. Anti-privacy Choice DesignIn 2018, you may have noticed a spike in the number of corporate emails you received. Dozens of companies (some of them you didn’t know you interacted with) contacted you to let you know that they updated their privacy policy because they want to better protect your privacy.
Meta charging European users to remove ads is a privacy red herring

Dec 19, 2023 | vancouverisawesome.com | Ignacio N. Cofone

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. ___Author: Ignacio Cofone, Associate professor, Law, McGill UniversityThis November, Meta rolled out a new subscription model for Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union, where they could pay a fee in exchange for an ad-free browsing experience on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta charging European users to remove ads is a privacy red herring

Dec 18, 2023 | tolerance.ca | Ignacio N. Cofone

By Ignacio Cofone, Associate professor, Law, McGill University This November, Meta rolled out a new subscription model for Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union, where they could pay a fee in exchange for an ad-free browsing experience on Facebook and Instagram. Referred to by critics as a “Pay or Okay” model, and charging 9.99 to 12.99 euros monthly, the option is already an object of controversy.
Meta charging European users to remove ads is a privacy red herring

Dec 18, 2023 | theconversation.com | Ignacio N. Cofone

This November, Meta rolled out a new subscription model for Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union, where they could pay a fee in exchange for an ad-free browsing experience on Facebook and Instagram. Referred to by critics as a “Pay or Okay” model, and charging 9.99 to 12.99 euros monthly, the option is already an object of controversy. Meta, among many others, presented the new policy as a privacy-preserving measure. Meta explains it responds to EU privacy regulations.
LaunchVic is waving $300,000 cheques at VCs to get them to set up shop in Victoria

Oct 30, 2023 | startupdaily.net | Simon Thomsen |Ignacio N. Cofone

Victoria’s startup agency, LaunchVic, is hoping to lure more venture capital to south, offering VC funds up to $300,000 in backing if they put up their shingle in the state. Eligible funds can either new or “new to Victoria,” under the incentive program, providing existing fund managers with operations elsewhere to set up local offices in Victoria, and commit to raising a minimum of $10 million.
Sydney's $31 million climate tech hub Greenhouse, is open for business

Oct 30, 2023 | startupdaily.net | Simon Thomsen |Ignacio N. Cofone |Benjamin Chong

The $31 million Greenhouse climate tech hub has opened in Sydney’s newest skyscraper, Salesforce Tower. Four years in the making – the Covid pandemic slowed its opening by two years – Greenhouse has been backed by the City of Sydney with $31 million in funding, and is being run as a subsidiary of early-stage venture capital firm Investible for the next decade. Investible cofounder Creel Price is Greenhouse CEO. The VC launched the $100 million Investible climate tech fund in 2019.
Investible doubles down on early-stage climate tech VC with Indonesian partnership

Oct 30, 2023 | startupdaily.net | Simon Thomsen |Ignacio N. Cofone |Benjamin Chong

Sydney VC fund Investible is gearing up to launch a new global climate tech fund in a partnership with Mandiri Capital Indonesia (MCI). MCI is the VC subsidiary of Indonesia’s largest financial institution, Bank Mandiri. The joint venture Mandiri-Investible Global Climate Tech Fund will support and back climate tech startups in the Southeast Asia and Oceania regions and beyond.