The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Chart by Shane Burke

Why E-Commerce Disruptors Are Trading Like Brick-and-Mortar Dinosaurs

By Akash Pasricha and Martin Peers · Oct 17, 2022 6:00am PDT

E-commerce is on sale. Online commerce companies including ThredUp, Rent the Runway, Stitch Fix and Farfetch have seen their valuations tumble, putting them in the same ballpark as aging brick-and-mortar giants like Macy’s and Nordstrom. Already South Korea’s internet search giant, Naver, has taken advantage of the collapse to snap... E-commerce is on sale. Online commerce companies including ThredUp, Rent the Runway, Stitch Fix...

At Silver Peak, concentrated lithium turns the last in a string of ponds an eerie blue. Photo: The Electric

The Electric: In Remote Nevada, Evidence of the Decade’s Lithium Shortage

By Steve LeVine · Oct 16, 2022 2:00pm PDT

Save the date: The world is in a lithium shortage, and looks likely to remain so for at least the remainder of the decade. This is bad news for those hoping for a fast and massive shift to electric vehicles. To plumb why the industry hasn't managed to move more rapidly, and what it can do to turn things around, I'm delighted to host Eric Norris,... Save the date: The world is in a lithium shortage, and looks likely to remain so for at least the...

Legs in the Metaverse, Heads in Reality

Legs in the Metaverse, Heads in Reality

By Jon Steinberg · Oct 15, 2022 7:00am PDT

Hi, welcome to your Weekend!The observant reader may notice an odd disconnect in this weekend’s newsletter. Above the fold, you’ll see Margaux’s cover story exploring how social media platforms can identify when users are experiencing manic episodes or other symptoms of bipolar disorder. Her reporting is backed by a decade’s worth of research... Hi, welcome to your Weekend!The observant reader may notice an odd disconnect in this weekend’s...

Elon Musk. Photo by Bloomberg.

Musk Will Have Absolute Control Over Twitter, Documents Show

By Kate Clark, Becky Peterson and Martin Peers · Oct 14, 2022 3:29pm PDT · 5 comments

Elon Musk. Photo by Bloomberg.

Musk Will Have Absolute Control Over Twitter, Documents Show

By Kate Clark, Becky Peterson and Martin Peers · Oct 14, 2022 3:29pm PDT · 5 comments

Elon Musk may be relying on outside investors to help finance his $44 billion purchase of Twitter. But that doesn’t mean he’s giving those investors a say in how the company is run. A shareholders’ agreement prepared by Musk’s lawyers for equity investors shows that Musk will retain absolute authority over key decisions.... Elon Musk may be relying on outside investors to help finance his $44 billion purchase of...

Art by Clark Miller

‘Sometimes You’ve Got to Fight Fire With Fire’: A Vigilante Coder Goes to War Against Misinformation

By Jessica Lucas · Oct 14, 2022 1:00pm PDT · 1 comment

For the people closest to Christopher Bouzy, like his wife Jennifer, the battles he wages against trolls online can be both captivating and devastating to watch. “It’s fun when he mops the floor with them,” she said. “I’m really proud! I’m like, ‘Yeah! Get them.’ But it’s stressful. Especially when they put out your address and all this other... For the people closest to Christopher Bouzy, like his wife Jennifer, the battles he wages against...

Instacart Cuts Internal Valuation Third Time, to $13 Billion

By Erin Woo · Oct 14, 2022 10:58am PDT · 5 comments

Instacart, the instant delivery company gearing up to go public, has slashed its internal valuation to about $13 billion, according to two people familiar with the matter. It’s the third time the San Francisco startup has reduced its internal valuation this year, in a period when public delivery stocks have continued to shed value. The new... Instacart, the instant delivery company gearing up to go public, has slashed its internal...

Art by Clark Miller.

Unsolicited Advice

If Sheryl Sandberg Had a War Room…

By Annie Goldsmith · Oct 14, 2022 10:00am PDT · 7 comments

Last week, just days after stepping down as chief operating officer of Meta Platforms, Sheryl Sandberg donated $3 million to the American Civil Liberties Union “to protect reproductive health care in courts, legislatures, and at the ballot box over the next three years.” It was a clear statement of her values, and a resounding signal that... Last week, just days after stepping down as chief operating officer of Meta Platforms, Sheryl...

Art by Clark Miller

‘You’re Not in Control of Your Thoughts’: Social Media Companies Know When Users Are Manic or Bipolar. So Why Don’t They Help Them?

By Margaux MacColl · Oct 14, 2022 9:05am PDT · 2 comments

Art by Clark Miller

‘You’re Not in Control of Your Thoughts’: Social Media Companies Know When Users Are Manic or Bipolar. So Why Don’t They Help Them?

By Margaux MacColl · Oct 14, 2022 9:05am PDT · 2 comments

Last month, before an audience of millions, Gabbie Hanna unraveled in her living room, convinced she was the second coming of Jesus Christ. Hanna, a popular influencer who made her name on Vine in the early 2010s, had ignited controversy before, usually for her public feuds with rival influencers or dismissive comments about mental health. But... Last month, before an audience of millions, Gabbie Hanna unraveled in her living room, convinced...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset to Offer Iris Scanning for Payments, Logging In

By Wayne Ma · Oct 14, 2022 6:00am PDT

By the time Apple introduces its much-anticipated mixed reality headset—planned for sometime next year—Meta Platforms will have had the advantage of selling products in the category to the public for almost seven years. But Apple’s device will also have a few technological tricks up its sleeve that even the latest Meta headset... By the time Apple introduces its much-anticipated mixed reality headset—planned for...

Photo by Bloomberg

Netflix Fast Forwards To Ads

By Martin Peers · Oct 13, 2022 5:00pm PDT

When it comes to moving fast, the old entertainment folks just can’t beat Netflix. The streaming giant said today it was launching its ad-supported tier of service on Nov. 1 in Mexico and Canada, and then in the U.S. two days later. That’s barely six months after CEO Reed Hastings interrupted an earnings call to reveal his willingness to... When it comes to moving fast, the old entertainment folks just can’t beat Netflix. The streaming...

Jacqueline Poh, managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board. Photo by Erin Beach.

Partner Content

Cashless Society: Digital Payments and Fintech

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 13, 2022 4:12pm PDT

Is cash still king—or in the case of this female-led WTF Summit masterclass, queen? Or is that title going to digital payments now? Will we ever reach a point where we’re truly a cashless society? That was the topic at hand in a panel hosted by Erin Woo, reporter for the Information, featuring three global experts in Fintech: ... Is cash still king—or in the case of this female-led WTF Summit masterclass, queen? Or is...

Photo by Erin Beach.

Reaching the Customers of the Future Using AI and Analytics

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 13, 2022 3:59pm PDT

Photo by Erin Beach.

Partner Content

Reaching the Customers of the Future Using AI and Analytics

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 13, 2022 3:59pm PDT

Artificial intelligence is constantly evolving. But what is it evolving into and how will this constant evolution affect the relationship between customers and brands? In a lively master class session at The Information’s Women in Tech, Media and Finance Summit, three panelists well positioned to see the future of AI explored this topic. ... Artificial intelligence is constantly evolving. But what is it evolving into and how will this...

Partner Content

High-tech Farming in Singapore Offers Alternative Solutions

By The Information Partnerships · Oct 13, 2022 3:54pm PDT · 1 comment

Singapore, an island nation just about 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C., cannot feed the entire world. But the technology some U.S.-based tech companies develop on Singapore’s shores might eventually, according to Jacqueline Poh, managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “The reason Singapore is... Singapore, an island nation just about 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C., cannot...

Photo by TikTok. Illustration by Shane Burke.

Creator Economy

TikTok Steps Up Ad Offerings; Visa Joins Creator-Payments Rush

By Kaya Yurieff · Oct 13, 2022 2:34pm PDT

Later this month, Snap and Instagram-parent Meta Platforms will reveal whether their digital ad businesses managed to rebound in the third quarter—or whether, as Wall Street analysts anticipate for Meta, the business has worsened. One mounting headwind? TikTok’s ad business. A recent U.K. filing for TikTok’s European business... Later this month, Snap and Instagram-parent Meta Platforms will reveal whether their digital...

Art by Clark Miller

Market Research

Tech’s ‘Overnight Shift’: The Smart Mattresses, Pillows and Gummies Putting Silicon Valley to Sleep

By Arielle Pardes · Oct 13, 2022 12:30pm PDT · 11 comments

All-nighters were once a badge of honor among the tech elite. Now there’s nothing more embarrassing than a sleepless CEO. “It’s almost like there was this overnight shift in the tech scene,” said Aaron Bailey, co-founder of BuiltFirst, a cloud marketplace platform. “Everyone was glorifying how little sleep they get, and now it’s become how much... All-nighters were once a badge of honor among the tech elite. Now there’s nothing more...

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Venture Capital’s ‘Yikes Moment’

By Kate Clark · Oct 13, 2022 11:02am PDT · 2 comments

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Venture Capital’s ‘Yikes Moment’

By Kate Clark · Oct 13, 2022 11:02am PDT · 2 comments

Welcome to Dealmaker, my new weekly column on venture capital deals and the people behind them, where I’ll tell readers where the money is headed next, as well as who’s winning—and losing—in the chase to back the next generation-defining startup.Since I joined The Information three years ago, I’ve been breaking news about the massive shift... Welcome to Dealmaker, my new weekly column on venture capital deals and the people behind them,...

Coatue partner Sri Viswanath. Photo: YouTube.

Coatue, Under Pressure from Late-Stage Bets, Seeks $500 Million for Early-Stage Deals

By Erin Woo · Oct 13, 2022 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

Coatue Management is raising its third fund to invest in early-stage startups, according to two people with knowledge of the firm’s plans. The fundraising efforts come as the firm’s investments in later-stage startups such as delivery firm Gorillas face steep valuation cuts. The New York–based investment firm, one of the... Coatue Management is raising its third fund to invest in early-stage startups, according to two...

Photo by Bloomberg

Apple’s Mixed-Reality Plans Have Mark Zuckerberg Sweating

By Martin Peers · Oct 12, 2022 5:00pm PDT · 2 comments

You have to hand it to Mark Zuckerberg. He has managed to change the conversation around his company—from the noxious effects of social media to his hugely ambitious metaverse plans. This week in particular he rode a wave of publicity around Meta’s upcoming new high-end virtual reality headset. There are plenty of skeptics about his metaverse... You have to hand it to Mark Zuckerberg. He has managed to change the conversation around his...

Kyra co-founders Devran Amaratunga Karaca (left) and Nicholas Dart (right). Photo: Jonathan Dwyer

Creator Economy

Video Content Studio Kyra Raises $15 Million in Funding; Q&A with Creator and Former Product Manager Luo

By Mahira Dayal · Oct 12, 2022 2:57pm PDT

Kyra, a 5-year-old startup that helps creators produce content and connect with advertisers, raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Bonnier Ventures, the startup exclusively told The Information. LionTree, Firstminute Capital, Guardian Group Media Ventures and Torch Capital participated. The new funding more than doubles Kyra’s previous... Kyra, a 5-year-old startup that helps creators produce content and connect with advertisers,...

Photo by Shutterstock

What’s Behind Crypto’s Confusing Week of Breakthroughs and Setbacks

By Akash Pasricha · Oct 12, 2022 1:30pm PDT

Photo by Shutterstock

What’s Behind Crypto’s Confusing Week of Breakthroughs and Setbacks

By Akash Pasricha · Oct 12, 2022 1:30pm PDT

If you spend any time on crypto Twitter, you’ve probably seen this expression pop up: “We’re still so early!” It’s a phrase that sums up all the sector’s craziness—hacks and other problems come with the territory, while industry “firsts” on mainstream adoption are seen as big signals for what’s to come. Well, this week’s news cycle—a set of... If you spend any time on crypto Twitter, you’ve probably seen this expression pop up: “We’re...