Virtual Skinny: Open Up!

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on August 26, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

8.26.2016

Good to Know: Need to kill some time on a Friday? Google ‘solitaire’ or ‘tic-tac-toe’ and get your game on…Enjoy!

THE SKINNY

When You’re Doing An About-Face …

Messaging app WhatsApp was hell-bent on protecting its users privacy, but things change.

When You’re Not Selling Out Completely …

To be fair, WhatsApp isn’t completely going back on its word. It just announced that it’ll be sharing ‘limited data’ (including phone numbers) with Facebook, it’s parent company. In case you forgot, FB bought WhatsApp for a whooping US $22 billion back in 2014.

When You’re Not Sure Why This Is Happening …

There are a number of reasons for the change. Better friend suggestions is one … Getting better FB ads and just having a better experience with the app generally are others … And, even helping businesses offer better customer service is also on the list. In other words, WhatsApp need to make money.

When You’re Trying to Be Open …

WhatsApp understands that this privacy policy change doesn’t look good, but it wants users to know that it’s encryption game is still hella strong. But if you’d rather be excluded from this narrative all together, you’ve got a couple of options. You can opt-out right away or within a month if you’ve already agreed to the app’s new terms.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’?

This week, rapper Frank Ocean released his long, looooooooong awaited album called, Blonde. Ocean released his latest work independently and got his work to the masses via iTunes and Apple Music. Turns out this is a nightmare scenario for record labels. If artists aren’t happy with their record label contracts, what’s stopping them from putting out music on their own then turning to music streaming services for distribution? Well, the answer is nothing (assuming the artist is no longer under contract). Record labels are shaking in their boots. We’ve even heard that Universal Music Group is banning ‘streaming exclusives’ for its artists. Ocean’s the first to break away from a major record label and do something like this. Now the question is … Who’s next? Bey? Drake? How much longer before music labels are a thing of the past?

See Something, Say Something …

Before we all started hating EpiPen maker Mylan for it’s ridiculously high prices for the live-saving allergy treatment, actress Mellini Kantayya learned about the whole thing via her Facebook friends back in July. Kantayya launched an online petition called ‘Stop the EpiPen Price Gouging, which went viral. Then, others jumped in on the ‘social’ discussion. Robyn O’Brien, founder of AllergyKids.com, started the ‘EpiGate’ hashtag. And just like that, the #EpiGate turned into one of the biggest news stories of the summer. Never underestimate the power of social media…

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Presidents and Wanna Be Presidents …

Check out this 11-minute video and President Obama’s Yosemite National Park visit in VR (formally known as virtual reality). The video is courtesy of Facebook-owned Oculus and VR content studio Felix and Paul Studios. Or skip the video and check out the President watching himself in VR.

President Barack Obama watches a virtual reality film captured during his trip to Yosemite National Park earlier this year, in the Outer Oval Office, Aug. 24, 2016. Personal aide Ferial Govashiri sits at her desk at left. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

These days you gotta meet people where they are … That’s why Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are forking over $$$ for ads on Snapchat. Video ads are where it’s at to reach America’s youth.

Cars You Drive and Those That Drive Themselves…

Somehow Uber managed to drain US $1.27 BILLION dollars in just 6 months. In Uber’s world, it’s literally a drop in the bucket. Price competition from Lyft and drivers’ subsidies are partly to blame. Speaking of Uber drivers, retirement plans are in their future (sort of). Uber’s linked up with robo-advisor Betterment to set up drivers with IRAs or Roth IRAs.

When you did it first … Singapore’s nuTonomy just became the first company to get the world’s first self-driving taxis on the road. Still in test mode but still a very big deal. Uber and Google are working on it but aren’t there yet.

Add Amazon to the automotive list. It’s launched a new hub to help those in the market for new rides compare specs, prices, and get smart before making a purchase. It’s all about building that ‘automotive community.’

How to Avoid Being Hangry …

More on Amazon … It’s taking a cue from Walmart. Shop groceries with the online retailer and then pick up your loot at a nearby drive-in location. No more wasting time by waiting for those deliveries at your door. Yay! That’s the plan at least… Amazon’s still testing things out.

Southern Global Hospitality…

It hasn’t been smooth sailing for home sharing service AirBnB as of late. It’s been dealing with some heavy subjects like racism and discrimination on the app. But, not every host on the app is a jerk. Over 300 hosts are taking in people for free that have been devastated by the natural disasters in Italy, Louisiana, and Cali. It’s all part of the company’s disaster response program. #GoodWork

Keep Me Entertained …

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. First Instagram, now Apple. The iPhone maker is working on a video feature reminiscent of Snapchat.

Pandora just got a new partner, and it makes sense. The Root’s Questlove and the music streaming service are doing a lil collabo called “Questlove Supreme,” a weekly radio show. The ‘black nerd version of NPR’ kicks off on Sept. 7.

Introducing Fans.com, a social network for all things concerts.

So, North Korea’s apparently working on a Netflix-type service called ‘ManBang.’ Interesting move since a ton of North Korean citizens aren’t even allowed to access the InterWebs. Things that make you go hmmm…

So Not Entertaining …

Internet trolls truly outdid themselves this week. If you remember, not too long ago the Cincinnati Zoo had to unfortunately take down Harambe (one of its gorillas). People were outraged and started trolling not only the zoo but it’s director on social. Things got so bad, the zoo said ‘screw this, we’re out.’ It got off of social.

Things went from bad to worse when we learned that also this week, Saturday Night Live and Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones was hacked. It’s been a rollercoaster summer for the celeb who was the target of vicious racist attacks on Twitter. We thought things calmed down, but that was a mistake. Hackers got access to some explicit pics of Leslie and her passport info then posted them to her official website (complete with racial remarks). The website’s been taken down, other celebs rallied behind Leslie, and the Department of Homeland Security is investigating. #DoBetter

MAKIN’ MOVES

Tech magazine Wired is losing another exec. Mark McClusky turned in his two-week notice and will be heading back to Sports Illustrated to run its digital division.

Tragedy Strikes In Orlando

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on June 13, 2016 in Trending 0 Comment

Social media outpour after gunman takes the lives of 50 people in Orlando, Florida.

This past Saturday, a gunman walked into Pulse, an Orlando gay nightclub, and opened fire. Authorities identified Omar Saddiqui Mateen, an American born, 29-year old male, as the perpetrator. Mateen claimed about 50 lives and injured 53 more. In a shoot out with law enforcement, Mateen was shot dead.

Why did this happen?

The attack is being called the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Shortly after the massacre, President Obama said at a press conference “…we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate.” As the investigation advances, law enforcement will be looking to Mateen’s computers, phones, devices, and social media presence to determine the motive behind his horrific act.

What do we already know?

As of now, we know that the U.S. FBI had its eye on Matten over the past few years. The first encounter took place in 2013 after co-workers reported him to the FBI based on beliefs that Mateen could have terrorist ties. A year later, the FBI uncovered a potential connection between Mateen and Moner Mohammad Abusalha, an American suicide bomber. Neither of those investigations panned out, and the FBI cleared Mateen. Authorities believe Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS based on a 911 call he placed from inside the night club’s bathroom. However, Mateen’s father – Seddique Mir Mateen – does not believe that his son’s actions had anything to do with religion but simply his disapproval of the gay community.

How did people react?

Shortly after the attack, Facebook launched its Safety Check feature for users in Orlando. Then, many people, including celebrities and politicians, immediately took to social media to pray for the victims and their families. U.S. presidential candidates tweeted and shared their thoughts on the attack via other social media platforms.

In a series of tweets, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sent prayers and thoughts to those affected.

Republican candidate Donald Trump continued his call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. and said that the country’s current leadership is weak and ineffective.

Earlier today, Hillary responded with the following:

What needs to happen next?

The Orlando event tops the list of mass shootings that have occurred in recent U.S. history. After every highly publicized, gun-related tragedy, there’s an outcry to end gun violence. Do you think the U.S. has finally reached breaking point? Let us know what you think.

Virtual Skinny: Friday Fave

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on May 13, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

5.13.2016

Good to Know: Want to delete your fave dating app? Just deleting the app from your phone won’t do the trick. Take these steps to delete your profile and avoid any awkward encounters or questions.

THE SKINNY

When It’s The Same Story, Different Source …

Facebook is having one of the worst weeks ever. More info has leaked about its editorial team and “Trending Topics” section. This time it’s courtesy of The Guardian.

When It’s More Of The Same …

The Guardian obtained a leaked internal document intended to give FB’s editorial staff guidelines on how to determine what news is trending and what’s not. The docs confirms things that we’ve already heard. FB’s new team relied on 10 major new sources, staff can “inject” a story into Trending Topics even if it actually isn’t trending on the network, and new stories about FB are kind of off limits. A couple of things here: (1) FB’s VP Tom Stocky said earlier this week that the company does not “insert stories artificially” and (2) FB leads users to believe the stories are picked by algorithms, but there’s actually quite a bit of human involvement. Hmmm … Whoops!

When It’s Time to Deny, Deny, Deny …

FB responded and said that the Guardian’s doc is out of date and isn’t the current practices of the company. FB’s VP of Global Operations Justin Osofsky responded with an official blog post of how “Trending Topics” actually works. He says the team relies on 1,000 new sources (not just 10). Osofsky says the team also uses an RSS web crawler to I.D. hot topics. And, he says that FB’s not about suppressing political views even if they are conservative.

When You Don’t Want No F&^#@! Problems …

Mark Zuckerberg is in full on damage control. He put out a lengthy FB status about the situation. He says the company is investigating the matter but has not found any wrongdoing yet. Also, he wants to pow-wow with conservatives and others to put this whole thing to bed.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

When Amazon Isn’t Your Fave …

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is not a fan of Amazon. He thinks the company has a “huge antitrust problem.” It all comes down to the fact that Amazon’s Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos also owns the Washington Post (WaPo). Trump is under the impression that Bezos is using WaPo to influence politicians and ultimately avoid paying taxes. #Interesting

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Pitching your startup to venture capitalists – the latest thing you can do on Snapchat.

Basketball legend Magic Johnson is leaving payment company Square’s board. Who knew? Johnson’s kicking off his fund for urban development.

Virtual Skinny: Consistency Is Key

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on March 16, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

3.16.2016

Good to Know: Consistency is the name of the game for the Obama Administration when it comes to nominating someone to fill the current vacancy on the Supreme Court (like previous Administrations). In a slight departure from tradition, the Administration created an account (@SCOTUSnom) just to announce President Obama’s nominee. Congrats, Judge Merrick Garland. Now, good luck getting Senate approval.

THE SKINNY

You Came In Like A Wrecking Ball …

Is the Internet partly responsible for giving the American people Senators Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz … and even Donald J Trump for the 2016 presidential election? It could be the case since they’ve all gained traction despite the fact that the establishment isn’t here for any of them.

What Used to Be …

Historically, Republican presidential nominations came down to media and political powerhouses … But that was then. Now, thanks to online fundraising, presidential candidate no longer need to rely on political and media insiders but can rake in tons of online donor cash to support their campaigns.

Role Reversal …

These days, Internet users are driving content. And, it’s no different when it comes to politics. Case in point? Online media sites like Vox and others picked up on stats that articles about Bernie Sanders generate heavy traffic. So, they do what any savvy biz person would do … Give the people what the want – more articles of Sanders.

Bottom line …

Some of you guys on social media are partly responsible for Sander’s popularity and the unexpected rise of Donald J Trump (to which DJ Khaled would say, “Congratulations, you played yourself.”) Moving forward, the Internet’s shake up of the media’s influence in U.S. politics is just starting.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

When Consistency is Overrated and You Need to Change Strategy …

Apple filed its latest response yesterday in its ongoing beef with the U.S. government. Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed its own documents with the court and fired (more) shots. The DOJ alleges that Apple is only making a thing out of the entire situation for its marketing purposes. In response, Apple took a more measured approach to dispel the government’s characterization of its position. With its filing, Apple’s trying to change the convo from marketing chatter to more serious things like privacy and security.

It’s Not As Easy As It Looks …

There’s been a lot said about what’s going on in this very heated debate. Late last week, President Obama even weighed in at tech and music festival South by Southwest. Obama basically said there has to be a middle ground. But, no so fast … John Oliver’s got the illest 18-minute long explanation of the whole issue. Definitely worth a looksy…

Not This Again …

Online streaming services have been going through it. Last year, Taylor Swift piped up to pen an open letter about how she won’t be putting her work on streaming services like Spotify because they don’t properly compensate artists the way they should … U.S. music licensing laws are insanely complicated, and Swift’s argument isn’t exactly accurate. While that’s still an ongoing issue, music streaming services now have a new problem: Click fraud. Turns out it’s pretty easy to defraud streaming services into forking over royalties even if you aren’t a legit artist. You basically need three things to pull it off: (1) fake artists, (2) auto-generated tunes, and (3) “bots” that’ll click all will nilly on songs by real and fake artists. Things that make you go hmmmm…

QUICK POLL – RUN THOSE NUMBERS …

Some of you guys in the U.S. aren’t paying up for Netflix. A recent study found that about 31% of Americans who have access to the service aren’t actually paying for it. On a related, here are tips to sharing your account the right way. You’re welcome …

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Instagram’s going rogue … The platform plans to start showing posts not in chronological order but based on what people want to see. While we’re on Insta, Pope Francis is getting ready to make his debut.

AirBnB just announced in Tokyo that neighbors of AirBnB hosts will soon be able to put the hosts and their properties on blast via an online form.

If you’ve got an MBA, e-commerce giant Amazon may just be interested. The company’s got a thing for business school grads. While it’s recruiting MBAs, Amazon is putting its lawyers to work. The company just filed a patent application on the process that would allow people like you and me to pay for things via selfies.

Internet veteran Yahoo is still trying to figure out the best way to move its business forward. But no matter what happens, its current CEO Marissa Mayer wants to stay put for at least three years.

Ride-hailing service Lyft and GM are teaming up to make car rentals easy peasy for Lyft’s drivers.

Waffle , anyone? No, we’re not talking the better alternative to pancakes. It’s Samsung’s new social network.

Btw, Twitter’s trying to make a comeback. Here are someways to make your account work for you.

Virtual Skinny: “FBI, Step Back!”

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on February 18, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

2.18.2016

Good to Know: The Oscars are coming up. Pretty much everyone’s pulling for Leo DiCaprio to take home his first little gold man. Now, there’s a game to help him do just that. Leo’s on a rampage!

THE SKINNY

What We’re Not Gonna Do Is …

Remember the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, CA a couple of months back? Well, the U.S. government wants Apple to “unlock” the attackers’ iPhones so they can get some info. But, Apple said “nah.”

When You’ve Gotta Pull Rank …

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI, and Apple couldn’t settle their differences in closed door discussions so a federal district court judge stepped in at the DOJ’s request. The FBI said they couldn’t access the information they needed off one of the attackers’ phones so Judge Sheri Pym issued an order earlier this week to get Apple to help out law enforcement. #SetItOff

When You Use Fighting Words …

Apple CEO Tim Cook was not pleased with how the government took the issue public. So, he fired off an 1,100 word “customer letter.” In a nutshell, the letter says that what the U.S. is asking Apple to do is not right. Cook wants everyone to know that encryption is key to keeping users safe and secure. He admits that not even Apple employees can access people’s phone data. That’s how serious the company is about users’ security and privacy. And, this letter is basically his attempt to “rally the troops” and get everyone talking about this important issue. #KnowledgeIsPower

When You’re Either With Me Or You’re Not …

Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, WhatsApp Founder Jan Koum , and your fave resident whistleblower Edward Snowden are rallying behind Apple and its stance against this whole thing. But of course, everyone has their critics. U.S. Republican presidential hopeful doesn’t understand who [Apple] thinks they are and says the company is “disgraceful.”

When You’re Not Sure What’s Coming Next …

Things are just getting started. Think tons of articles and opinion pieces, possible action from Congress in terms of legislation and maybe even a Supreme Court battle.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Well, That’s Interesting …

Since we’re on the topic of the U.S. government trying to get access to people’s info … Turns out the NSA isn’t hoarding troves of your information like most people think. A new declassified NSA report says that the information it collects from online companies is usually limited to email to, from, or about its target. Hmmmm…

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Ride hailing app Uber is shelling out a billion dollars annually just to play in China.

Uganda voted to elect its next president this morning. Citizens tried to access social media (Twitter & Facebook) but couldn’t. Turns out the country’s electoral commission requested to block the services. #UgandaDecides

In routine fashion, Yahoo let go of more of its employees this past Wednesday. And, it also shut down several of its digital magazines.

Sports network ESPN may be coming to a streaming service near you.

Google Express now delivers fresh food but only if you happen to live in select areas like Los Angeles or San Francisco. In more Google news, the time may soon come to ditch your Rosetta Stone, the number of language on Google Translate just went over the 100 mark.

Back to deliveries for a hot sec … Amazon is growing its on-demand delivery service by quietly hiring drivers to join the team.

Shop Snapchat soon, according to the company’s board member Joanna Coles.

Say hello to Twitter’s new Gif button (and we’ve learned that’s Gif with a “hard G’) … Also, Twitter just lost another user. Who? God, apparently.

The Virtual Skinny: Brace Yourself …

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on December 16, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

12.16.2015

Good to Know: In 2015, you all cared a lot about Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom. Don’t try to deny it. Google’s put you on blast.

THE SKINNY

Here We Go Again …

Last night, the U.S. Republican presidential candidates threw down in their fifth round of debates. Everything from terrorism and immigration to the Internet were on the table.

Um, What Now?

Not one to disappoint, Donald Trump had some thoughts on fighting terrorist group ISIS. He says shutting down parts of the Internet and “penetrat[ing] the Internet [to[ find out exactly where ISIS is and everything about ISIS” is the way to go.

When Other People Have Stuff to Say …

When it comes to the Internet, Trump’s fellow Republican candidate Senator Marco Rubio is the one to watch. He recently put his name to a letter basically letting the U.S. Federal Communications Commission know that he doesn’t support its efforts to help local cities and towns set up their very own, publicly run Internet providers. In the past, he’s also said that he’s unimpressed with China’s online censorship.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Can We Live?

China’s definitely got a bad rap when it comes to allowing people to do as they please online. People are saying China’s launched an “all-out assault on Internet freedoms.” Speaking at the World Internet Conference this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping hit back and his message to the global community is pretty clear: Stay out of how we handle our biz. He thinks countries should have the right to handle the Internet they way they see fit, and no one should have anything to say about it. But, others aren’t buying it. There’s speculation that China is being shady and is on the low trying to extend its views on surveillance and online censorship across the globe.

When Someone Needs their mouth washed out with soap…

Internet companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are falling in line with Germany’s anti-hate speech rules. This year, Germany’s opened up its borders to about 1 million refugees. It’s also seen an influx of a lot of hate talk online. So now, Germany wants online platforms to help out in monitoring comments that go a little too far. These platforms already have policies against that type of thing, but they’ll do better in allowing users to easily flag hate speech. In Germany, saying hateful things about someone’s race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or disability could get you five years in the slammer. Companies have 24 hours to make good on their promise.

It’s Officially Off-ish …

Internet companies had their eyes set on Europe yesterday. The European Union’s (EU) been trying to figure out new EU-wide privacy laws and looks like they finally came to an agreement. Things like upping fines on companies’ that violate the law and putting restrictions on how advertising companies’ can use people’s personal information is in. One thing that’s making people’s heads turn is what it says about kids 16 years or younger. The new law would ban these kids from using online services that collect data without parental consent. It’s bad news for the kids and online platforms. Meaning, there goes kids FB-ing, snapchatting, tweeting, instagramming w/o their parents giving the go ahead. And for companies, there goes potential users and ad $$$. #NoBueno

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Google’s serious about getting more people in India online. It’s working on partnerships with India’s government and is also looking to the country as a place to test out new products. Getting people online means more dolla dolla bills for the company in terms of ad revenue.

Facebook isn’t one to stay in its lane. The social network is now taking on recommendation sites like Yelp and Angie’s List with its new local-service site. It’s also easing up on its “real name” policy.

It’s the holiday season, which means holiday office parties. Yahoo’s been going through some tough times (it plans to shut down its Dubai office), but that didn’t stop the company from throwing its employees an alleged $7 million party Great-Gatsby themed. Employee morale can go a long way.