Institutional punishments can act like free advertising in the attention economy. Columbia’s suspension of Cluely’s founder coincided with massive press, a viral ad campaign, and a $15 million a16z round, turning formal censure into traction.
— If sanctions reliably boost distribution and valuation, institutions will unintentionally reward norm‑eroding products and provoke copycats.
Julia Steinberg
2025.06.30
100% relevant
Columbia University’s suspension of Roy Lee and the subsequent a16z‑led Series A following Cluely’s 'cheat on everything' campaign.
← Back to All Ideas