1. Elon Musk is looking for a way out of his agreement to buy Twitter for $44 billion. According to sources close to the SpaceX and Tesla founder, Musk's camp is prepared to take "drastic action" after deciding it couldn't verify internal figures the platform shared around spam accounts. If Musk does walk away from the deal, it would be a major setback for Twitter, which has been counting on the acquisition to boost its flagging user
growth. Musk reportedly believes that the social media platform is overvalued and that the price he agreed to pay is too high. However, it is not clear how easy it would be for Musk to back out of the deal, as he hastily signed the agreement in April without fully negotiating the terms. If Musk does choose to renegotiate the price or pull out of the deal entirely, it is likely that he will face some legal challenges including a $1 billion penalty that didn't include due
diligence. Nevertheless, given Musk's history of renegotiation deals, it is not impossible that he will be able to reach a new agreement with Twitter.
2. On Thursday, Twitter executives held a briefing with reporters in which they gave more context as to how the platform polices fake and spam accounts, and removes such from the platform. As reported by Reuters, Twitter removes more than 1 million spam accounts each day. This is just one of the many ways Twitter is working to reduce harmful automated bots, as billionaire Elon Musk has demanded more transparency from the social media
giant.
3. Reddit is launching a new series of collectible avatars, which are artist reimaginings of its Snoo brand character. Users can buy the avatars to use in the app. The first series of avatars will be available starting today, and will include eight different designs. The avatars will be available for purchase in the Reddit app on iOS and Android, as well as on the web. Each avatar will cost $0.99, and
all proceeds will go to charity. Reddit has also partnered with a number of artists to create exclusive avatars for their own personal use. These artists include: Chris Ryniak, Drew Wise, Gary Ham, Jerrod Lingerfelt, Justin White, Mike Winklemann (Blamo!), Scott Tolleson, and Thomas Romain.
4. Equativ, an independent ad monetization platform, Thursday announced a strategic investment in Nowtilus, a Germany-based video personalization company helping broadcasters and publishers transition to digital streaming. The move is the latest in a series of acquisitions and partnerships accelerating the company's growth in connected television (CTV). "As Equativ expands its global footprint, we are always looking for new ways to bring
value to our customers," said Equativ CEO Ari Paparo. "Nowtilus has developed a powerful set of tools that will help our customers maximize the value of their video inventory and better compete in the CTV landscape." Founded in 2013, Nowtilus offers a suite of video products that helps broadcasters and publishers personalize their content for digital audiences. The company's technology analyzes user behavior and delivers targeted recommendations for individual viewers. "We are excited to join
forces with Equativ," said Nowtilus CEO Markus Breitenbach. "This investment will help us accelerate our growth and continue to innovate our product offerings."
5. Pinterest has announced a number of new updates designed to make the platform more shopping and selling friendly. Among the changes is a new Pinterest API for Shopping, which will allow merchants to better manage and customize product catalogs and metadata. This should result in improved product data for customers. Other new features include support for multiple languages, improved search functionality, and enhancements to the checkout
process. With these changes, Pinterest is positioning itself as a serious e-commerce player.
6. Amazon has come under fire for bowing to pressure from the United Arab Emirates and restricting search results for LGBTQ+-related products on its website in the country.The company decided to restrict the searches after being threatened with penalties by the UAE government, according to the New York Times which first reported the story. LGBTQ+ rights activists have condemned Amazon for censoring its content in order to appease the UAE
government. The move will make it harder for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the UAE to access information and resources about their sexuality and gender identity. Amazon has defended its decision, saying that it is complying with local laws and regulations in the UAE. However, critics argue that the company should not be censoring its content in order to operate in a country with restrictive laws. Homosexuality is illegal in the UAE punishable by DEATH.
7. This week Google is starting to allow mail-order abortion providers to apply for the “provides abortion” label for their ads. Telemedicine providers who mail FDA-approved medications to people looking for at-home abortions previously weren’t allowed to use the label, but will now be able to do so. The change comes as more and more people are seeking at-home abortions during the coronavirus
pandemic. Google said that it hopes the new label will help people “find the health information and resources they need.” Mail-order abortions are currently available in 37 states, and the FDA-approved medications can be used up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy.
8. Japanese legal experts have said an antitrust case related to a local restaurant website could change how large internet platforms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon operate in the country, forcing them to reveal the data they hold on users and businesses. The case, which is being heard by the Supreme Court, revolves around a website called Tabelog that allows users to book restaurants and read reviews. The site is owned by Tokyo-based
Recruit Holdings, which also owns the popular Indeed jobs website. Tabelog sued Google in 2015, alleging that the US tech giant used its dominance of the search market to stifle competition. Google has denied any wrongdoing. The case is being closely watched by antitrust regulators and legal experts around the world, as it could set a precedent for how internet platforms are regulated. In Japan, Tabelog is one of the most popular restaurant booking sites, with around 10 million users. However,
it only has around 1% of the search market share. Google's dominance of the search market means that it is very difficult for new entrants to gain traction. If Tabelog wins its case, it could force Google to change the way it operates in Japan, and potentially open up the market to more competition. This would be a major victory
9.Today Google announced support for Signed Exchanges (SXG) on desktop site navigations. SXG is a delivery mechanism that can help speed up your site and improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) by enabling privacy-preserving cross-origin prefetch. With this announcement, SXG is now available on all major browsers, making it a more viable option for web developers who are looking to improve the performance of their site. This is a welcome development
for those who are concerned about the privacy of their users, as SXG allows for a more secure way to prefetch resources from other sites. In addition, this announcement also signals Google's continued commitment to improving the performance of the web. As the size and complexity of websites continue to increase, developers will need to increasingly rely on mechanisms like SXG to ensure that their site loads quickly and efficiently.
10. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is reportedly scrutinizing Voyager Digital’s marketing practices after it was revealed that some customers did not understand the scope of FDIC protection for their deposits. This comes as the firm’s ties to the so-called shadow banking system come to light. According to sources familiar with the matter, the FDIC is specifically looking into whether Voyager Digital misled customers about the
level of protection their deposits would receive. The scrutiny comes as the firm’s ties to the shadow banking system are coming to light. Shadow banks are non-bank financial institutions that provide lending and other services that are typically associated with banks. However, they are not subject to the same regulations as banks. As a result, they can be riskier for consumers. Voyager Digital is reportedly tied to several shadow banks, including Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank. The FDIC’s
scrutiny of Voyager Digital’s marketing practices highlights the risks associated with investing in firms that are tied to the shadow banking system.