Narconomics and Big Tech

I really enjoyed Wainwright’s Narconomics, which explores the economics of the illegal drug trade. It turns out that (for example) HR is more of a problem than you’d think: good accountants know they can actually make more money on Wall Street where crime is legal. Marketing, dispute resolution, quality control: it’s a very fun read. But it sparked a thought: I think a book comparing Big Tech to drug cartels would be awesome. Both make money from selling addictive products and shrugging off externalities; both needed new offerings to bring in new revenue (AI is to Google what meth was to the Juarez cartel); both regard the legal system as merely an operating cost; and both tend to be run by egomaniacal sociopaths. (I expect Musk and Escobar would have gotten on well.) If I knew enough, I’d start writing today; if you do, please start writing tomorrow.