#monopsony — Public Fediverse posts

RE: https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica/116954359639997387

this being the Ellisons and that asshat that deleted 30 years of MTV web history (Zlatlav?), how much you wanna bet they don't have a plan B

#techbros #fascism #monopsony #oligarchy #media

RE: https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica/116954359639997387

this being the Ellisons and that asshat that deleted 30 years of MTV web history (Zlatlav?), how much you wanna bet they don't have a plan B

#techbros #fascism #monopsony #oligarchy #media

Why your fare cost so much, and uber drivers get paid so little:
It is the result of a highly calculated corporate strategy known as surveillance pricing (or algorithmic personalized pricing).
In a genuine free market, prices function as transparent signals shaped by open supply and demand. Both buyers and sellers see the market rate, ensuring fairness. If a business overcharges, consumers walk; if it underpays, workers leave for a competitor.
Surveillance pricing completely subverts this dynamic by weaponizing information asymmetry. Using a massive hoard of data, the platform creates an invisible digital partition between the customer and the service provider. Instead of a shared, transparent marketplace, the algorithm isolates both sides into separate, closed-door negotiations where the platform holds all the cards.
For the passenger: The algorithm calculates the exact upper ceiling of what you will tolerate paying at that specific second—factoring in everything from your immediate location, time of day, and urgency, to your historical behavioral trends.
For the driver: The platform acts as an electronic monopsony (a market with many sellers but only one dominant buyer of labor). It isolates the worker and calculates the absolute structural floor of what that specific driver will accept to keep their car moving. By dangling unpredictable, variable incentives, it extracts hours of uncompensated labor (waiting and idling time), leaving the driver to absorb all the capital risk, vehicle depreciation, and fuel costs.
By blinding both sides of the transaction, the platform acts as a centralized command structure rather than a passive matching service. It systematically strips away the "consumer surplus" (the extra value and savings a buyer gets) and the "producer surplus" (the fair profit a worker keeps) and absorbs that wealth entirely for itself.
This mechanism is profoundly anti-free market because it replaces transparent competition with a proprietary information monopoly. True markets thrive on decentralized, shared knowledge; this system relies entirely on keeping everyone else in the dark.
#SurveillanceCapitalism #GigEconomy #PlatformCapitalism #FreeMarket #Economics #monopsony

🎧 The real horror of ‘Alien’ and how it explains why we’re not paid enough
#podcast Planet Money #monopsony
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/19/nx-s1-5863604/alien-monopsony-wages-inequality

all these #ads are either #aislopped or selling #aislop. i fucking hate this country’s #media oligarchy.

#NBAFinals2026 #ABCtv #Disney #sports #monopsony

all these #ads are either #aislopped or selling #aislop. i fucking hate this country’s #media oligarchy.

#NBAFinals2026 #ABCtv #Disney #sports #monopsony

The hidden power keeping wages low
https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2026/04/21/g-s1-118071/the-hidden-power-keeping-wages-low
#Monopsony theory explains how employer dominance suppresses wages by distorting competitive market dynamics. Modern research reveals that market concentration and search frictions grant firms widespread control over pay; most employers have power to keep #wages low because worker options are actually limited. This explains why minimum wage hikes often raise incomes without reducing employment as once predicted. While new rules could raise pay, these fixes are limited by the choices of politicians and companies.
#laborMarkets

The hidden power keeping wages low
https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2026/04/21/g-s1-118071/the-hidden-power-keeping-wages-low
#Monopsony theory explains how employer dominance suppresses wages by distorting competitive market dynamics. Modern research reveals that market concentration and search frictions grant firms widespread control over pay; most employers have power to keep #wages low because worker options are actually limited. This explains why minimum wage hikes often raise incomes without reducing employment as once predicted. While new rules could raise pay, these fixes are limited by the choices of politicians and companies.
#laborMarkets

@lkanies

Form a fibre coop with neighbours

Edit, red states may have laws that force you to "choose" which oligarch to pay and prevent personal, coop and/or municipal coops. Because oligarchs need freedom, and Americans need frightened obedience.

https://jasondeegan.com/unhappy-with-his-internet-provider-a-man-sets-up-his-own-network-and-competes-with-his-former-provider/

#coup #oligarchs #freedumb #fibre #monopsony #monopoly #coerce

@lkanies

Form a fibre coop with neighbours

Edit, red states may have laws that force you to "choose" which oligarch to pay and prevent personal, coop and/or municipal coops. Because oligarchs need freedom, and Americans need frightened obedience.

https://jasondeegan.com/unhappy-with-his-internet-provider-a-man-sets-up-his-own-network-and-competes-with-his-former-provider/

#coup #oligarchs #freedumb #fibre #monopsony #monopoly #coerce

RE: https://toot.wales/@gavin57/115748752423389729

3 billion dollars down the drain.

get rid of billionaires and break up companies worth the GDP of small countries.

#monopsony #capitalism #fascism #tech #microsoft

RE: https://toot.wales/@gavin57/115748752423389729

3 billion dollars down the drain.

get rid of billionaires and break up companies worth the GDP of small countries.

#monopsony #capitalism #fascism #tech #microsoft

REMINDER:

#Disney owns #ESPN and still holds a controlling interest on #FOXSports, making it the defacto boss of USA’s sports broadcasting m̶a̶f̶i̶a̶ and the leader of the largest media #monopsony in the planet

“ESPN has dropped Spike Lee‘s forthcoming multi-part documentary series about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.”

h/t
https://universeodon.com/@jaykuo/115057557492487452

REMINDER:

#Disney owns #ESPN and still holds a controlling interest on #FOXSports, making it the defacto boss of USA’s sports broadcasting m̶a̶f̶i̶a̶ and the leader of the largest media #monopsony in the planet

“ESPN has dropped Spike Lee‘s forthcoming multi-part documentary series about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.”

h/t
https://universeodon.com/@jaykuo/115057557492487452

"The minimum wage in Mexico has more than doubled in real terms over the last six years. This is no small feat, especially if we take into account that the policy neither led to feared job losses nor price increases. This was partly because the Mexican minimum wage was well below those of other Latin American countries. With the latest increase, however, Mexico’s minimum wage is now greater than those in half of the region. Each successive increase has helped more people—in the first year, the increase benefited 13.3 percent of the formal labor force and by 2025 it benefited 37.4 percent, representing around 8.4 million workers.

With the radical shift in Mexico’s wage policy, these recent increases in the minimum wage—while translating into an average income growth of 25 percent in real terms and a significant decrease in poverty and inequality—have only begun to chip away at corporate power. The share of wages has only grown slightly, and the negligible increase in unemployment and inflation underscores drastic asymmetries in the relationship between employers and workers. The Mexican labor market is extremely monopsonistic, in part because there are relatively few large companies, but also due to poor labor law enforcement and weak unions. Common labor practices in Mexico allow firms to exercise more power to determine wages well below what they would be in a perfectly competitive market, which has led to the prevalence of high profits at the expense of working conditions.

Analyzing the historical evolution of the minimum wage in Mexico is fundamental to understanding how the Mexican wage policy has become a successful and innovative model. Its implementation has reduced poverty for millions of people and generated unprecedented growth in family income, defying traditional forecasts that linked minimum wage increases with uncontrolled inflation and unemployment."

https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/mexico-minimum-wage/

#Mexico #MinimumWage #Poverty #PovertyReduction #Monopsony

"The minimum wage in Mexico has more than doubled in real terms over the last six years. This is no small feat, especially if we take into account that the policy neither led to feared job losses nor price increases. This was partly because the Mexican minimum wage was well below those of other Latin American countries. With the latest increase, however, Mexico’s minimum wage is now greater than those in half of the region. Each successive increase has helped more people—in the first year, the increase benefited 13.3 percent of the formal labor force and by 2025 it benefited 37.4 percent, representing around 8.4 million workers.

With the radical shift in Mexico’s wage policy, these recent increases in the minimum wage—while translating into an average income growth of 25 percent in real terms and a significant decrease in poverty and inequality—have only begun to chip away at corporate power. The share of wages has only grown slightly, and the negligible increase in unemployment and inflation underscores drastic asymmetries in the relationship between employers and workers. The Mexican labor market is extremely monopsonistic, in part because there are relatively few large companies, but also due to poor labor law enforcement and weak unions. Common labor practices in Mexico allow firms to exercise more power to determine wages well below what they would be in a perfectly competitive market, which has led to the prevalence of high profits at the expense of working conditions.

Analyzing the historical evolution of the minimum wage in Mexico is fundamental to understanding how the Mexican wage policy has become a successful and innovative model. Its implementation has reduced poverty for millions of people and generated unprecedented growth in family income, defying traditional forecasts that linked minimum wage increases with uncontrolled inflation and unemployment."

https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/mexico-minimum-wage/

#Mexico #MinimumWage #Poverty #PovertyReduction #Monopsony

Today I learned a useful new word:

#monopsony (n): the market condition that exists when there is only one buyer

Today I learned a useful new word:

#monopsony (n): the market condition that exists when there is only one buyer

Labor share and market power in European firms https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123442&r=&r=lma
"firms’ product and labor market power, as reflected in product markups and labor markdowns, enable firms to capture a larger share of economic output at the expense of workers.
… empirical analysis shows that markdowns are negative correlated with labor share, as firms reduce employment and suppress #wages below the marginal revenue of labor.
Product markups exhibit a dual effect: they can positively influence the labor share by increasing wages and employment when firms reinvest additional profits into production expansion. … markups indirectly reduce the labor share due to their positive link with labor markdowns. Firms with significant pricing power often suppress wages and limit hiring, diminishing the labor share.
… empirical results reveal the presence of a hump-shaped relationship between product markups and labor share. Initially, as product markups increase, the labor share rises, but this trend reverses when markups reach high levels. This nonlinearity underscores the dual nature of markups: while moderate markups have a direct positive effect on labor share, mitigating labor markdowns, high markups enable firms to exert substantial #monopsony power, diminishing the labor share.
The analysis reveals significant cross-country #heterogeneity in the effects of markups and markdowns on the labor share."
#IndustrialOrganization #LaborMarkets

Labor share and market power in European firms https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:123442&r=&r=lma
"firms’ product and labor market power, as reflected in product markups and labor markdowns, enable firms to capture a larger share of economic output at the expense of workers.
… empirical analysis shows that markdowns are negative correlated with labor share, as firms reduce employment and suppress #wages below the marginal revenue of labor.
Product markups exhibit a dual effect: they can positively influence the labor share by increasing wages and employment when firms reinvest additional profits into production expansion. … markups indirectly reduce the labor share due to their positive link with labor markdowns. Firms with significant pricing power often suppress wages and limit hiring, diminishing the labor share.
… empirical results reveal the presence of a hump-shaped relationship between product markups and labor share. Initially, as product markups increase, the labor share rises, but this trend reverses when markups reach high levels. This nonlinearity underscores the dual nature of markups: while moderate markups have a direct positive effect on labor share, mitigating labor markdowns, high markups enable firms to exert substantial #monopsony power, diminishing the labor share.
The analysis reveals significant cross-country #heterogeneity in the effects of markups and markdowns on the labor share."
#IndustrialOrganization #LaborMarkets

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/12/walmart-prices-poverty-economy/681122/ “Walmart makes the places it operates in poorer than they would be if it had never shown up at all” #economics #monopsony #poverty #localfood #walmart

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/12/walmart-prices-poverty-economy/681122/ “Walmart makes the places it operates in poorer than they would be if it had never shown up at all” #economics #monopsony #poverty #localfood #walmart

Great article on Walmart and monopsony effect, depressing the entire surrounding market. Transferable to the music industry if we posit Spotify as quasi-monopsony or part of an oligopsony. Recommended read for all music media folks. #Walmart #monopsony #oligopsony
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/12/walmart-prices-poverty-economy/681122/

❝ The Federal Trade Commission sued the largest U.S. distributor of wine and spirits—Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, LLC (Southern)—alleging the company violated the Robinson-Patman Act, harming small, independent businesses by depriving them of access to discounts and rebates, and impeding their ability to compete against large national and regional chains. This loss of competition ultimately harms consumers on choice and price.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/12/ftc-sues-southern-glazers-illegal-price-discrimination

#greedflation #monopsony

❝ The Federal Trade Commission sued the largest U.S. distributor of wine and spirits—Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, LLC (Southern)—alleging the company violated the Robinson-Patman Act, harming small, independent businesses by depriving them of access to discounts and rebates, and impeding their ability to compete against large national and regional chains. This loss of competition ultimately harms consumers on choice and price.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/12/ftc-sues-southern-glazers-illegal-price-discrimination

#greedflation #monopsony

#Amazon worker #protests worldwide spotlight a crucial issue: as #employment concentrates in a few corporations, #monopsony effects risk distorting #LaborMarket dynamics—unless counterbalanced by forces like collective employee action.
#FutureOfWork
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/nov/25/amazon-protest-strike-black-friday

#Amazon worker #protests worldwide spotlight a crucial issue: as #employment concentrates in a few corporations, #monopsony effects risk distorting #LaborMarket dynamics—unless counterbalanced by forces like collective employee action.
#FutureOfWork
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/nov/25/amazon-protest-strike-black-friday

Minimum Wages in Concentrated #LaborMarkets https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17357&r=&r=lma
"Labor Market concentration turns out substantial in Germany …higher concentration reduces #wages & employment, reflecting monopsonistic conduct of firms. Sectoral minimum wages lead to negative employment effects in more competitive labor markets
…empirical support to the #monopsony argument, implying that conventional minimum wage effects on employment conceal #heterogeneity across market forms

Minimum Wages in Concentrated #LaborMarkets https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17357&r=&r=lma
"Labor Market concentration turns out substantial in Germany …higher concentration reduces #wages & employment, reflecting monopsonistic conduct of firms. Sectoral minimum wages lead to negative employment effects in more competitive labor markets
…empirical support to the #monopsony argument, implying that conventional minimum wage effects on employment conceal #heterogeneity across market forms

Scarce Workers, High Wages? https://arxiv.org/pdf/2408.04508
"… #LaborMarkets tightness has a significant but modest impact on #wages
…find large elasticities for newly hired workers, high-skilled workers, the Eastern German labor market, and the service sector
… #monopsony power is more pronounced in Eastern Germany and, thus, there is more scope for higher tightness to counteract markdowns."

Scarce Workers, High Wages? https://arxiv.org/pdf/2408.04508
"… #LaborMarkets tightness has a significant but modest impact on #wages
…find large elasticities for newly hired workers, high-skilled workers, the Eastern German labor market, and the service sector
… #monopsony power is more pronounced in Eastern Germany and, thus, there is more scope for higher tightness to counteract markdowns."

The fall and rebound of average establishment size in West Germany http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:bubdps:287762&r=lma
"There is a positive association between aggregate productivity and the average establishment size.
…results imply that #monopsony power incentivizes incumbent establishments to downsize and new establishments to enter, which reduces both the average establishment size and aggregate productivity."
#LaborMarkets

The fall and rebound of average establishment size in West Germany http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:bubdps:287762&r=lma
"There is a positive association between aggregate productivity and the average establishment size.
…results imply that #monopsony power incentivizes incumbent establishments to downsize and new establishments to enter, which reduces both the average establishment size and aggregate productivity."
#LaborMarkets

the Denver #Nuggets are 3-0 against the #Lakers? every day that the Lakers and Lebron James do not make it to an #NBA playoffs or a finals is another good day to say FUCK YOU #DISNEY for hiding behind #FOX #Newscorp #TBS and #ESPN for holding the most disgustingly convoluted #monopsony of live sports programming.

i do not care how you feel about US Senator Elizabeth Warren. she is right: Disney needs breaking up. broadcasting of live sports is yet another reason why.

#basketball #tv

the Denver #Nuggets are 3-0 against the #Lakers? every day that the Lakers and Lebron James do not make it to an #NBA playoffs or a finals is another good day to say FUCK YOU #DISNEY for hiding behind #FOX #Newscorp #TBS and #ESPN for holding the most disgustingly convoluted #monopsony of live sports programming.

i do not care how you feel about US Senator Elizabeth Warren. she is right: Disney needs breaking up. broadcasting of live sports is yet another reason why.

#basketball #tv

Editorial re: anniversary of March 23, 2010 Obamacare #AffordableCareAct #PPACA #ACA signing by Mr. #AudacityOfHope #Obama #HopeChange #ObamaBiden #JoeBiden

#SinglePayer #MedicareForAll #Americare #UniversalHealthCoverage #UHC2030 #monopsony🙏🖖> #PublicOption👍(#Baucus #Lieberman, #Podesta, et al. sabotage🖕) > #Obamacare / Heritage Foundation #RomneyCare☹️ pre-ACA gaslit / Stockholm syndrome pre-existing condition health insurance disqualification, denial👎😡🖕
Cc: @PDAmerica

Editorial re: anniversary of March 23, 2010 Obamacare #AffordableCareAct #PPACA #ACA signing by Mr. #AudacityOfHope #Obama #HopeChange #ObamaBiden #JoeBiden

#SinglePayer #MedicareForAll #Americare #UniversalHealthCoverage #UHC2030 #monopsony🙏🖖> #PublicOption👍(#Baucus #Lieberman, #Podesta, et al. sabotage🖕) > #Obamacare / Heritage Foundation #RomneyCare☹️ pre-ACA gaslit / Stockholm syndrome pre-existing condition health insurance disqualification, denial👎😡🖕
Cc: @PDAmerica

@luckytran
Expanded, improved world-class MedicareForAll: U.S.A. Uncle Sam's AmeriCare: healthcare where and when you need, Uncle Sam pays the bills.👍🖖😊

"Health insurance premiums, high *annual* deductibles, co-pays, closed networks, medical bankruptcy😡 are a human right"… said no one ever.☹️ #MedicareForAll: free at point of care, will save you money👍 but… "nah, socialism!"☹️
#M4A #AmeriCare #UniversalHealthcare #UniversalHealthCoverage #UHC2030 #UHC #EverybodyInNobodyOut #monopsony

@luckytran
Expanded, improved world-class MedicareForAll: U.S.A. Uncle Sam's AmeriCare: healthcare where and when you need, Uncle Sam pays the bills.👍🖖😊

"Health insurance premiums, high *annual* deductibles, co-pays, closed networks, medical bankruptcy😡 are a human right"… said no one ever.☹️ #MedicareForAll: free at point of care, will save you money👍 but… "nah, socialism!"☹️
#M4A #AmeriCare #UniversalHealthcare #UniversalHealthCoverage #UHC2030 #UHC #EverybodyInNobodyOut #monopsony

Acquihiring for Monopsony Power http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2024_500&r=lma
"… the goal of such acquihires might be to shut down the most relevant labor market competitor. This grants the acquirer #monopsony power over specialized talent. As a consequence, acquihiring may harm employees and be socially inefficient."
#LaborMarkets #IndustrialOrganization #wages

Acquihiring for Monopsony Power http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2024_500&r=lma
"… the goal of such acquihires might be to shut down the most relevant labor market competitor. This grants the acquirer #monopsony power over specialized talent. As a consequence, acquihiring may harm employees and be socially inefficient."
#LaborMarkets #IndustrialOrganization #wages

Wie das Monopol von #Amazon sich so auswirkt, dass wir alle verlieren, damit Jeff Bezos sich eine lächerliche Penis-Rakete leisten kann, erklärt Cory Doctorow hier im Interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiIovIKzBlc&t=424s

#Wirtschaft #Monopol #Monopsony #Oligarchie

Wie das Monopol von #Amazon sich so auswirkt, dass wir alle verlieren, damit Jeff Bezos sich eine lächerliche Penis-Rakete leisten kann, erklärt Cory Doctorow hier im Interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiIovIKzBlc&t=424s

#Wirtschaft #Monopol #Monopsony #Oligarchie

Thurs 9/21 - Judge Newman Suspended 1 year, UFC Monopsony Suit, Judiciary has 2 weeks Funding, $10k/hour Legal Fees in Tesla Case, America Supports Strikes and Authors Sue OpenAI

Elder Judge suspended for a year, #UFC #monopsony suit, #judiciary can run for 2 weeks if the government shuts down, attorneys that sued #Tesla want $10k/hour, support for #strikes is high and #authors sue #openai

#lawfedi @law

https://www.minimumcomp.com/p/thurs-921-judge-newman-suspended#details

Thurs 9/21 - Judge Newman Suspended 1 year, UFC Monopsony Suit, Judiciary has 2 weeks Funding, $10k/hour Legal Fees in Tesla Case, America Supports Strikes and Authors Sue OpenAI

Elder Judge suspended for a year, #UFC #monopsony suit, #judiciary can run for 2 weeks if the government shuts down, attorneys that sued #Tesla want $10k/hour, support for #strikes is high and #authors sue #openai

#lawfedi @law

https://www.minimumcomp.com/p/thurs-921-judge-newman-suspended#details

@travis @laimis @arstechnica For sure #SpaceX would not exist as we know it in the essentially #Monopsony world of space flight but to deny their advances in tech, process, and cost as mere fudging does them a disservice.

PS I am in no way, shape, or form a Muskovite, I loathe the man.

City Size, Employer Concentration, and Wage Income Inequality http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:ratioi:0363&r=lma
… reduced average employer #concentration in larger cities accounts for almost all variation in the (positive) link between city size-and wage #inequality, except for the largest metropolises where it captures around 30-50 percent of variation depending on the income segment
#LaborMarkets #wages #Monopsony

@kegill @nomdeb Monopsony means buyers like Amazon who are the only buyer for its Marketplace selling platform to control pricing. I’ve never seen it used to apply to wage earners having increasing power over corporations. #monopsony

A word you don’t see everyday (or often enough): #monopsony.

It’s the flip side of #monopoly (when sellers have extreme power over buyers).

In monopsony, buyers have the power. There are fewer employers than potential employees, in the main.

So it’s pretty awesome to read (belatedly) the strides made by low-wage workers from 2019- 2022.

“Wage growth in the current business cycle is nearly three times as fast as the next closest period over the last 40 years.”

1/
https://www.epi.org/publication/swa-wages-2022/

Useless Facts, Badly Drawn #282: Monopsonies.
.
.
#monopsony #grammar #orphanednegatives #words #english #wtf #grammarbuffalo #didyouknow #facts #trivia #linguistics #webcomics #comics #webtoons #uselessfacts #uselessfactsbadlydrawn