Here’s an interesting problem appeared in the final exam of market mechanism design. And I didn’t figure it out during then💔. The original question is from lecture note of 21 Algorithmic Game Theory, instructed by Michael Dinitz. background Consider combinatorial auction allocating $m$ items to $n$ players. Outcome is each bidder get a set $S_i\subset [m], \forall i \in [n]$ and they don’t overlap. Valuation: in this question we consider Single-Minded bidders....

This survey comprehensively covers the recent developments over the past two decades in autobidding within the online advertising ecosystem: Most research focuses on specific interactions between two of these components, often through the lenses of mechanism or algorithm design. Alimohammadi (2023). The complexity of the system is evident as it integrates various components—the advertisers, the autioneer, the auto-bidding agents—they are rarely analyzed collectively. The key areas of focus in the survey are divided into three main perspectives:...

Here’s another Nature’s story on slow productivity: Slow productivity worked for Marie Curie — here’s why you should adopt it, too August 2024. Link. The story is immensely inspiring. I archived it here and highly recommend reading it! Here are some excerpts: Slow Productivity is a call to arms to reject the performative busyness of the modern workplace, where frequent virtual meetings and long e-mail chains sap so much of workers’ attention....

Cal Newport is a computer scientist at Georgetown University in Washington DC. He also writes books about time management. Nature career summarized from his latest book Slow Productivity, the 7 ways to practise slow productivity in the lab: Limit daily goals. Newport recommends working on, and obsessing about, one large project a day rather than switching back and forth between multiple big tasks. This is something Newport learnt from computer scientist Nancy Lynch, his doctoral adviser at MIT....

There used to be an interesting debate on whether it is better to leave the notification on or block all notifications—in terms of reducing screen time and improving productivity. Two lovely read to begin the new semester: Nature has the stories: Science must protect thinking time in a world of instant communication July 2024. Link. Productivity is the eternal goal of corporate and academia. Apps—all kinds of apps—has been trying to increase connectivity....

Here are paragraphs in Subprime Attention Crisis that contains some key statistics—how to make buttloads of money on the internet to sustain a business. The answer is, resoundingly, advertising: From the biggest technology giants to the smallest startups, advertising remains the critical economic engine underwriting many of the core services that we depend on every day. In 2017, advertising constituted 87 percent of Google’s total revenue and 98 percent of Facebook’s total revenue....

Here’s an episode of Game Changer - the game theory podcast that shares enthusiasm and passion for game theory and its applications. Link to the podcast How auctions conquered the internet. In this episode Michael Ostrovsky walks us through the history of online advertising auctions, from their modest beginnings at Yahoo and other internet pioneers to the lucrative business models many internet giants like Google and Amazon rely on today. Even though online ad auctions are a story of incredible success Michael also gives some insights into which flaws existed in its early days and how these were overcome as time passed....

‘Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.’ — John Heywood Here’s a news that demonstrate one side effect of ad targeting technology: UW News | For $1000, anyone can purchase online ads to track your location and app use Jennifer Langston, October 18, 2017. not in the catwoman way though Privacy concerns have long swirled around how much information online advertising networks collect about people’s browsing, buying and social media habits — typically to sell you something....

Here’s a new book that I cramed down my stomach over a weekend trip: Tim Hwang (2020) Subprime Attention Crisis Advertising and the Time Bomb at the Heart of the Internet An irritatingly catchy cover, right? content summary In Subprime Attention Crisis: Advertising and the Time Bomb at the Heart of the Internet, author Tim Hwang sets out to make a provocative argument: The programmatic advertising industry has created a subprime attention crisis, a market bubble that—if popped—will have disastrous results for the publishers of content and users on the Internet....

Here’s Siddharth Kannan’s review on Subprime Attention Crisis by Tim Hwang. He reorganized and summarized key facts and arguments. It almost covers all points of the book and would be a nice substitute if one doesn’t want to read through the book. Here’s the keypoints of the review (in quotes): intro What would happen if all the free services that you use on the Internet, which are powered by advertisements, stop being free one day?...