Virtual Skinny: ClickBait…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on August 8, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

8.8.2016

Good to Know: It’s #InternationalCatDay. BTW, over the weekend, the hashtag #FirstSevenJobs was trending thanks to @mariancall. People shared their first seven jobs. Did you? If not, it’s not too late! Take a min, reflect a little, and tweet at us (@virtual_skinny)!

THE SKINNY

When You’re Just Looking Out (For clickbait)…

Facebook doesn’t want its users to deal with ‘clickbait’ articles in your newsfeed.

When You Need To Use It In A Sentence …

Clickbait aka articles with headlines that leave you feeling misled, tricked, or underwhelmed after clicking the link (e.g., Headline: You won’t believe what XYZ celeb did! The Actual Content: [Insert uninteresting, mundane activity like a grocery story run].

When They’ve Heard You Loud & Clear …

Facebook users aren’t amused and complain about these annoying clickbait articles. So, FB decided to put some brainpower behind solving the problem. FB employees have narrowed down types of click bait into two groups. Category 1: ‘Curiosity gap headlines’ (see example above) and Category 2: Flat out misleading headlines.

When You’ve Found A Solution …

FB’s changed up its algorithm so that publishers who dabble with the worst type of clickbait just simply won’t reach the number of FB users they’d like. But no need to go to basic, boring, and bulky headlines just yet. FB’s only going after the worst offenders.

When Others Chime in…

Last night, John Oliver dug deep into journalism and even talked ‘clickbait’ and what that means for the future of journalism.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Didn’t They Tell You That I Was a Savage?

In case you haven’t heard, Instagram hit ‘copy and paste’ on Snapchat’s Stories. That’s right … Insta pulled a boss move and copied Snapchat’s Stories feature. The basic concept is that you can post pics at the top of your newsfeed, but it’ll “disappear” after a day. Insta’s version is called ‘Instagram Stories.’ #ShockerButNotReally Turns out people seem to like it better. And business wise, Snapchat should be worried. Instagram’s got a larger audience (its 350 million daily users v. Snapchat’s 150 million users) and possibly better tools. Uh Oh!

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN

E-commerce site Jet.com tried to take on e-commerce giant Amazon. But, it didn’t work. Walmart stepped in and paid $3 billion in cash money for Jet.com. Now, it’s back to the Wal-Mart v. Amazon matchup. Advantage, Walmart?

Back on! Online fantasy sports sites FanDuel and DraftKings can now legally operate again in New York. But, there’s a catch. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo says the sites’ contests are now considered a “game of skill,” which basically means NY regulators will be watching. And, the sites will have to pay new fees.

Google is off to the races in India. The company’s winning the emerging market (ahead of Facebook and Microsoft) with its free Wi-Fi program, and that’s major! #NextBillion

Yahoo’s going through things right now. But, it’s still got its eye on the prize. It’s launching Yahoo View, a TV watching site, with the help of Hulu.

In more TV watching news, Comcast, Time Warner, Disney, etc. have all poured money into online companies to reach younger audiences. But not Viacom. The company hasn’t gone down the digital investments road yet. Rumor has it that Viacom has its eye on BuzzFeed. Unlikely, but anything’s possible…

Speaking of not making investments, Chinese Internet giant Alibaba has no plans to get involved with U.S. streaming service Netflix.

MAKING MOVES

Twitter just lost a member of its Comms team. Jim Prosser is heading over to marketplace lending company SoFi.

Everyone’s trying to be a tech company, including healthcare and consumer goods company Johnson & Johnson. J&J is kicking of its new tech business with the help of former Dropbox exec Marc Leibowitz.

After almost 8 years on Google’s self-driving car projects, Chris Urmson is peacing on account of he’s ‘ready for a fresh new challenge.’

And now that Verizon is buying Yahoo, the Internet company’s VP of global PR & Communications Anne Espiritu is ready to dip. She’s going the startup route and is joining health-care company Oscar Insurance Corp.

Virtual Skinny: Doing the Absolute Most…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on August 1, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

8.1.2016

Good to Know: Snapchat’s geofilters aka personalized filters could be the new hashtag. All the kids are doing it …

THE SKINNY

When You Need to Do the Absolute Most…

Alphabet’s Google, Facebook, and Twitter teamed up for a three-week, experimental collabo by using online videos to counter terrorist and extremist propaganda on their platforms. The social platforms are targeting teens and young adults that use words like “sharia” and “mujahideen” in their posts.

When You Need More Information…

Islamist radicals and far-right groups’ extremist propaganda and violent content on the InterWebs play a major role in terrorism. So, Internet companies are fighting back. They want to figure out what messages work to keep the youth from becoming full-blown radicals.

When You’re Not Trying to Hear It …

Young people are saying ‘no’ to government-sponsored messages. And ‘definitely maybe’ to videos shading jihadist groups, the Taliban, and white supremacist groups. The videos are courtesy of organizations like U.S. based Average Mohamed, Pakistan’s Harakat-ut-Taleem, and ExitUSA.

When You’re Not Sure It’s Working …

Are the videos working? Hard to tell. But, starting a discussion is always a positive first step. And for the most part, the videos are getting people chatting online about the videos.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

If They Ever Did That, I Think We’d Have a Cyber-Attack …

Remember that time someone hacked the U.S. Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) emails … Russia’s name came up as the potential culprit … Then, Donald Trump looked straight into a press camera and challenged Russians to find Hillary’s missing emails but later said ‘just kidding?‘ Of course you do, that was just last week. Well, security expert Bruce Schneier thinks things could get worse. Schneier says Russia could go after the nation’s voting machines come this November. He says the U.S. needs to get its cyber-defense game in order. And apparently, Internet voting is not the answer.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Looks like maps and driverless cars are on Uber’s 2016 vision board. The ride-hailing services just dropped a cool US $500 millie on a global mapping project so it can say “bye” to Google Maps. Oh and, Uber’s packing it in … at least in China. The company’s done competing with its Chinese rival Didi Chuxing and decided that both companies need to become one in a deal worth $35 billion.

Speaking of the Googler, navigational app Waze just released a new bomb feature called Child Reminder to make sure people don’t forget their kids in the car.

Interior design app Homee didn’t make the cut on Shark Tank, but Tinder co-founder Sean Rad happened to catch its episode. Rad decided to pony up hard cash for Homee. He’s its first investor. As they say, any publicity is good publicity …

Fresh off of exposing Taylor Swift’s B.S., Kanye West has made it clear that he’s done with Apple’s B.S. too. Word on the street is Apple wants to buy music service Tidal owned by West’s bestie Jay-Z. West tweeted “Apple give Jay his check for Tidal now and stop trying to act like you Steve.” And by Apple, we think he means Tim Cook. #ShotsFired

The Rio Olympics start this Friday. But if you’ve been paying attention, you know that many people (including athletes) will be skipping it on account of Brazil’s issues with Zika, its water supply, and general turmoil. Even if you won’t be in Brazil, Google’s is bringing the favela (aka slum) experience to you via Street View.

One more thing about the Olympics … Those that are going have much to complain about including an ‘uninhabitable’ Olympic Village and maybe even worse no access to Pokemon Go. #Messy

MAKING MOVES …

In the wake of the Verizon-Yahoo deal announcement, Verizon’s Marni Walden and AOL head Tim Armstrong got together at Yahoo’s Sunnyvale, CA HQ. The message to Yahoo employees was positive, but everyone’s well aware there’ll be issues joining both companies. A new company structure and potential unforeseen costs to name a couple.

Founder of CODE2040 Laura Weidman Powers is headed to Washington. For six months, she’ll be taking on the role as senior policy adviser to U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Diversity and inclusion in tech and entrepreneurship generally are at the top of her “to-do” list.

Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is writing a second book tentatively called “Option B.” It’ll be about resilience. Sandberg has had to show quite a bit of it after the tragic and untimely passing of her husband last year.

Virtual Skinny: Smile! You’re On Candid Camera

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on June 7, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

6.7.2016

Good to Know: Placing stickers or plastic slides over laptop cameras is definitely a trend due to privacy and security concerns. If FBI Director James Comey does it, then perhaps it’s worth jumping on the bandwagon.

THE SKINNY

When You Call It Like You See It …

Last night, the Associated Press (AP) went right ahead and called the Democratic nomination for Hillary Clinton. Note to the AP: citizens in six states including California still have to cast their votes in today’s primary.

When It’s Not Over Till It’s Over …

Hillary’s team immediately took to Twitter and sent out a clear message: “We’re flattered, @AP, but we’ve got primaries to win. CA, MT, NM, ND, NJ, SD, vote tomorrow!“

When It’s all hands on deck …

Calling all the “Bernie tech bros” aka the young white college-educated men in Silicon Valley that make up a good portion of Bernie’s base. You could say Bernie Sander’s campaign is version 2.0 of Obama’s 2008 campaign – heavy on online grassroots. Bernie supporters are tech savvy and like what they hear in terms of Bernie’s plans to disrupt Washington D.C. They’re keeping the fight alive by relying on social media platforms and tools.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Make It Better …

Uber’s trying to do right by its drivers. The ride-hailing service company just added a few new features for drivers’ benefit (e.g., drivers get will ride discounts when they participate on the platform as passengers and instant pay is now a thing). Even if you’re not an Uber driver, you’ll want to know about one feature: The company plans to expand its new $5 or $10 penalty fee to more cities. Bottom line is just make sure you don’t keep the Uber driver waiting longer than 2 minutes.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Spotify just brought on Lady Gaga’s former manager Troy Carter as its Global Head of Creator Services. The music streaming company wants Carter to write a “bad romance” with artists, songwriters, and record labels. And by bad, we really mean “good.” #RelationshipGoals

Attention iOS users: Sharing pics and videos on Insta just got a whole easier. Launching the app isn’t even needed.

Verizon is willing to put up US $3 billion for Yahoo’s Internet parts.

Virtual Skinny: We Can Be Your Motivation…

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

4.18.2016

Good to Know: Does your LinkedIn profile bring all the recruiters to the yard? If not, you’ll need three things: a strong headline, a well-written summary, and keywords. #MondayMotivation

THE SKINNY

When Presidents Are Just Like Us …

It’s his last year in office, and President Obama is telling us how he really feels. This time, he’s talking cable set-top boxes. Obama is not here for providers forcing you to rent old-school cable boxes from them.

When You Want to Know More…

Last Friday, he went on the record and made a public statement about the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s pending proposal to increase competition in the cable set-top box market. Obama thinks consumers are spending billions of dollars every year to rent those damn boxes and don’t even have a say in what they get. He’d like to see the market open up to innovative players like Internet and tech companies (e.g., Google, Amazon, and Apple).

When People Come For You …

The U.S. cable market is not happy with Obama’s latest revelation. Given Obama’s close ties to the tech industry, companies like AT&T say that Obama is simply giving a little shine to his political squad.

When You Let Your Haters Be Your Motivator…

While the cable market cries over spilled milk, the Obama Administration has filed its official comments re the FCC’s proposal. The Administration wants a “measured and balanced” plan to get the market competitive again. Based on the president’s 2016 State of the Union address, this is all part of the course.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

**If You Stay Ready, You Never Have to Get Ready …**

Looks like Verizon is prepping for the new cable set-top box market. It’s coming out with “Mallard,” a new device (complete with new interface features) to change-up how it offers cable and Internet services to FIOS users.

The European Union’s Back At It Again …

With an antitrust probe into Google. The company’s coming under fire in a couple of different ways. First, News Corp is the latest to question whether the Google machine’s search and news services are legal. And, EU regulators are gunning for mobile operating system Android. The EU thinks Google should let phone makers and operators do what they want. In other words, EU regulators are not cool with Google requiring phone makers to pre-load Google apps rather than allowing them to choose their own “app” adventure.

QUICK POLL – RUN THOSE NUMBERS …

Amazon v. Netflix v. Hulu: Which Streaming Service Should You Got With? Check It Out …

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

In 2005, Mark Zuckerberg was just another “bro.” At the time, he described Facebook as “an online directory for colleges.” He’s come a long way …

IRL, Brazil’s government is getting ready to impeach its president Dilma Rousseff for cookin’ the country’s books for her 2014 re-election. The government’s lower chamber had no problem saying yes to Rouseff’s ousting. The Senate is up next. Meanwhile, Netflix is prepping for an original series based on Brazil’s political drams. The new show will be created by Jose Padilha, formerly of another Netflix original, “Narcos.” #MentalNotes #AddtoQue

What’s the Amazon version of “Netflix and Chill?” While you’re thinking about that, Amazon’s becoming more open. It’s going with a $9/month video-only subscription to compete with the ‘Flix.

Home-sharing service AirBnB is already in India, but now it’s taking market domination more seriously. Turns out India’s travel market could be worth a whopping US $40 billion within 5 years. How do we sign up?

When will this whole ordeal come to an end? Verizon may be the likely buyer of Yahoo. #OverIt

Virtual Skinny: Monday Motivation

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on March 28, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

3.28.2016

Good to Know: “You’re not normal. You’re you. You’re awesome.” – @thekidpresident #mondaymotivation

THE SKINNY

When You’re Still Working Out the Kinks …

Over the weekend, a deadly bombing happened at a children’s park in Lahore, Pakistan,
taking the lives of 69 people and leaving about 300 injured. So, Facebook launched its “Safety Check” to let people “check in” as safe. But, it didn’t work as expected.

When Something Is A Major Fail …

The “Safety Check” is intended to be avail for people close to the event, but that wasn’t the case on Sunday, March 27. Instead, FB asked people all over the world (South Africa, Nepal, Canada, and U.S.): “Are you okay?”

When You Need to Apologize for Your Behavior …

Before it was too late, Facebook said “sorry.” The company copped to its mistake and blamed it on a bug that is “counter to the product’s intent.” Safety Check’s been giving FB some issues since its debut, but those issues have been more along the lines of FB alleging playing faves on when and where to launch the features.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

What’s your motivation?

By now, you’ve probably heard a lil’ something, something about Apple’s rumble with the U.S. government over encryption. Now, the issue is going global. With the recent terrorist attacks in Europe, France wants to act quickly. French lawmakers are seeking to make it easier for intelligence bodies to have more power in getting people’s personal data. A similar proposal allowing governments to “snoop” has cropped up in Britain. But, German and Dutch officials aren’t here for any of it and oppose “back doors” in encryption services. In the meantime, all eyes are on Britain since it’s a big market for American tech companies.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Ride-hailing app Uber is using its “Code on the Road” game to recruit engineering talent. Fun Fact: Some people who have played already work in engineering. Uber says it’s not playing the “targeting” game when it comes to who can play. Rather, the company says it’s launching the game in cities where there are tons of tech jobs. Hmmm … We’ll go along with that … for now. BTW, $10K is on the line for people who play and find bugs, which could threaten privacy and security.

Yahoo is putting its core Internet business (think search, email, etc.) up for sale. And, the latest word on the street is that Microsoft is chatting with Yahoo’s investors about a private equity deal.

You’re a lucky man, Ross Martin! He’s the first customer to receive the first Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.

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.

Virtual Skinny: Did You Hear?

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on February 11, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

2.11.2016

Good to Know: It’s that time of year again … Valentine’s Day is coming up. Dating apps are changing this up. Here’s 5 of them.

THE SKINNY

When You Listen to Kanye West who took advice from “50”…

Twitter’s switchin’ its style up to hopefully watch its money pile up.

When You Make Things Easy …

Following reports last week from BuzzFeed, the micro-blogging site is in fact making changes to its timeline. But, it’s not what you think. To clear the air, no Twitter isn’t turning into Facebook so we can all cool it with the #RIPTwitter hashtags.

When You Step away for a hot minute …

Some Twitter users follow many, many people. But, who really has time to check tweets all day? Twitter doesn’t want its users to miss the good stuff so it’s making two very similar but different changes. First up, the company will start placing more tweets at the top of users’ timelines (personalized, of course). And second, when users launch their Twitter apps, they’ll be greeted with the “best” tweets right out the gate. Confusing, but we’ll figure it out.

Keep ‘Em Coming Back For More …

Turns out CEO Jack Dorsey couldn’t do much to up Twitter’s user numbers (305 million monthly users) at the end of 2015. The company knows that it needs to make the platform more user-friendly, but it’s a work in progress.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

When Cam Newton Isn’t The Only “Sore Loser…”

The Indian government dealt Facebook a blow earlier this week when it put the kibosh on the social network’s Free Basics program. The effort was intended to help spread Internet access across India by offering a bare bones version of the Web (the technical term is zero-rating). Civil societies in India opposed the program and turns out that their advocacy game is strong. Ultimately, the Indian government essentially banned the program. The Zuck put out a statement expressing his disappointment in the decision but also his commitment to the country. Reports speculate that this decision could potentially negatively impact the company. But before we even get there, the Zuck had to put out yet another statement distancing himself from one of his board members, Marc Andreessen. What did Andreessen say? Let’s just say he referenced colonialism in a tweet convo … Yikes! Many people were understandably upset … Andreessen has since apologized …

When You Don’t Play By The Rules …

Parker Conrad, Co-Founder and CEO of online HR software company Zenefits, is back in the market for a new job. The company grew pretty quickly and became a $4.5 billion in almost no time.But turns out, things don’t work out when you cut corners. The startup operates in the highly regulated industry of insurance, but the company wasn’t exactly on the up and up with compliance, licensing, etc. The company wants to get right with its paperwork and processes so now Parker’s out, and the company’s Chief Operating Officer David Sacks is in …

Wha???

FBI Director James Comey wants people to know that the U.S. government doesn’t want special access to your devices. No, not at all. Comey said they’d rather just have companies like Apple, Google and Facebook to keep your encrypted data just in case the government needs it. *Head Tilt* While we’re talking encryption, two members of the U.S. Congress just introduced a bill that would ban states from passing laws, which would prevent manufacturers from encrypting smartphones. New York and California have already seen these type of proposals. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) don’t this is exactly feasible so they’re trying to stop the madness.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

HBO came out with its HBO NOW streaming service for all you cordcutters, but things aren’t picking up like people thought it would. The service only has 800,000 subscribers.

Verizon Communications is in the market for another Internet company. Looking at you, Yahoo.

Unlike Kenya’s government, Hungary is showing ride hailing app service Uber no love. The country’s considering banning the app.

Wanna step your selfie game up to Kardashian status? Easy … Just pony up US $55 for a Lumee lighting phone case.

Seems like everyone and their moms is on WhatsApp. But, Pope Francis does want he wants. He’s opting for messaging app Telegram to reach out to young peeps during Lent.

Virtual Skinny: Listen Up!

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on February 4, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

2.4.2016

Good to Know: The Super Bowl is coming up this weekend. Don’t have cable? No problem. CBS Network is streaming the game for free on more devices this year. There’s still time to get yourself a Roku set-top box, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Firebox, etc. Even if you’re not into football, band Coldplay is the halftime entertainment; BUT, we hear Beyonce will be stopping by! #YASSSS

THE SKINNY

Are You Ready For This?

And by this, we mean predictive policing. What it boils down to is using different data sources (e.g., past criminal activity, population density; census data; the locations of bars, churches, schools, and transportation hubs; schedules for home games, etc.) to pinpoint patterns for future crimes. Trippy, right?

This Is Happening …

We all saw what happened in Ferguson, Missouri (police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed unarmed black teen Michael Brown). Some people are looking for ways to improve law enforcement’s relationship with local communities. Just so happens that some police officers think that relying on data could help them make better, more objective decisions. One community is working with HunchLab, a startup that offer the latest version of predictive policing. You should know that other companies like Predpol, IBM, Hitachi, and Lexis have been in on predictive policing for some time now.

We Call B.S. …

Activists and academics think that this is a pretty terrible idea. They think it’s pretty simple to conclude that the data being used would only reflect a system that already targets young black men at disproportionate rates. Proponents for cops using predictive technology say that at least with HunchLab’s system it protects against racially disproportionate policing by only focusing on serious felonies and not low-level crimes (i.e., drug possession). Seem like most people think that’s a tough sell.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Let’s Get Down to Biz …

Mixing the old with the new. That’s pretty much Yahoo’s plan to do better in 2016. It’s a three-step plan. The first is something Yahoo’s already done – many times.Yahoo’s telling 1600 more of its employees that “they don’t gotta home, but they gotta get the heck outta there!” And in what seemed to be a crazy plan when we first heard of it, turns out not so crazy after all. Yahoo is willing to sell its core Internet business and also its stake in Yahoo Japan. Last on the list? They’re even willing to sell the whole shebang to the highest bidder. It’s an aggressive plan. Only problem is … How do you motivate people who may not be around for much longer? Things to think about …

On That Note …

Speaking of selling to the highest bidder, Twitter is struggling and should probably be giving its next steps some serious thought. Otherwise, a hostile takeover may be in its future. Meaning the company could either be bought by or merged with another company whether Twitter’s board of directors likes it or not. The good news here is a hostile takeover probably won’t happen for now mainly because of how the company’s board is structured. But, things could change.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered …

The U.S. and European Union (EU) finally struck a new deal on transferring people’s personal data across borders. In what seems like a Hail Mary-type move, both economies came together and signed off on what they’re calling the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, intended to replace the previous agreement known as the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor. The agreement is likely a huge relief for American companies that do business in Europe. Now, they can somewhat relax and get back to business as usual without having to jump through much legal and regulatory hurdles. Even though the EU and US shook it, an EU watchdog still wants to take a hard look at the new deal to see if it really protects Europeans’ data when it makes its way across the U.S. border.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Sometimes, running your mouth can get you into uncomfortable situations. Just ask CEO of shopping mall operator General Growth Properties Sandeep Mathrani. He said that Amazon plans to open about 400 physical bookstores. Not true!

Action camera maker GoPro has got some news for ya. Are you sitting? The year ahead will be a bumpy ride for the company. And by bumpy, we mean its sales will be taking a dip.

Messaging platform Slack wants to change the way people work. E-mails are a huge time suck, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who loves those “reply all” messages. The platform wants to push office convos via channels and figure out how to better manage those discussions.

Let’s get back to the big game … Tech companies are digging deep into their wallets for Super Bowl Sunday. We’re talking US $ 4.3 million for a 30 second spot. Yikes! Expect to see ads from the likes of Amazon, PayPal, Apartments.com, and Squarespace. Ride hailing app company Lyft is taking a different marketing approach. It involves ex-NFL pro Jerry Rice as an undercover driver.

There’s now a text generator emulating unlikely Snapchat star DJ Khaled’s “keys to success” messages. #BlessUp

Looking for new things to watch? YouTube’s out with its very own original content February 10.

Virtual Skinny: Listen Up…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on February 4, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

2.4.2016

https://storify.com/hoo2/virtual-skinny-listen-up