Facebook is apparently making a deal with publishers to host their content on Facebook itself. I think for many people that sounds like a terrible idea, leaving yourself at the whim of a company whose interests are not necessarily aligned with yours. It also means these publishers will lose the customer interface.

The question is, whilst this seems dangerous, is resisting like King Canute trying to hold back the incoming tide? Possibly. Facebook has all of the content (provided by the publishers) whilst paying none of the costs. They also have the final interface with the customers, which is where all of the money is. And this brand of thin, final-layer company is growing and growing – think Uber and Airbnb.

Most telling of all, Twitter’s favourite riposte to the Facebook/publisher plans was posted on…Medium, of course.

Dave Pell, writing on Medium:

“Technology has shaken old media to its core. I get that. But they can and must figure out how to deliver content to their readers without ceding the last mile”

Bit rich, no?

(Disclaimer – I like Pell’s NextDraft newsletter, just think this post in particular was a little hypocritical)