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

Collage by Joanna Lin Su. Photos by Bloomberg (buildings), Flickr (flag)

After Beijing Takes ByteDance Board Seat, Tencent and Alibaba May Be Next

By Shai Oster and Juro Osawa · Aug 23, 2021 6:01am PDT

The move by Chinese authorities to take an equity stake and board seat in ByteDance’s China subsidiary isn’t a one-off. It’s part of Beijing’s effort to increase oversight of all social media and news, which means other major owners of online content platforms, such as Tencent, Alibaba and Kuaishou, will likely be on the... The move by Chinese authorities to take an equity stake and board seat in ByteDance’s China...

Image: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/AP

EV Hackers Are Coming—and a Fortune Awaits Their Foes

By Steve LeVine · Aug 22, 2021 2:00pm PDT

Starting around 2025, the world’s cyberspace bad actors will suddenly have a gigantic and fast-expanding new arena in which to operate—some 50 million electric vehicles that by then are expected to be plying roads everywhere, with hundreds of millions more to come in subsequent years. All of them will be connected to the internet through dozens... Starting around 2025, the world’s cyberspace bad actors will suddenly have a gigantic and...

‘Speed’ and ‘Growth’ and WTF 2021

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 21, 2021 7:45am PDT

A lot of words seem to capture the last 18 months, none of them terribly positive: Virus, death, upheaval and tragedy are some that come to mind.But two more positive ones that I don’t think are getting enough attention are speed and growth. Throughout the business world—and especially in tech, media and finance—these words capture what so many... A lot of words seem to capture the last 18 months, none of them terribly positive: Virus, death,...

A rendering of the Propel Center, a tech-focused learning hub Apple is funding in Atlanta. Image provided by Apple.

Apple’s Unsavory Lobbying; Musk’s Autopilot Dream Is Still Far Off

By Nick Wingfield · Aug 20, 2021 5:41pm PDT

A rendering of the Propel Center, a tech-focused learning hub Apple is funding in Atlanta. Image provided by Apple.

Apple’s Unsavory Lobbying; Musk’s Autopilot Dream Is Still Far Off

By Nick Wingfield · Aug 20, 2021 5:41pm PDT

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone when companies pull out the stops to lobby against legislation they view as harmful to their interests. And yet, a new examination of Apple’s lobbying tactics contained a detail about Apple’s tactics in a recent battle with Georgia state lawmakers that was jaw-dropping, especially for a company that often... It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone when companies pull out the stops to lobby against...

Dan Rose (left), Thomas Laffont (center) and Philippe Laffont (right) of Coatue Management. Photo of Rose and Philippe Laffont by Bloomberg. Thomas Laffont photo by Erin Beach.

Coatue’s Newer Growth Funds Return More Than 45% Annually, Internal Data Show

By Berber Jin · Aug 20, 2021 2:31pm PDT · 5 comments

The private tech funds of Coatue Management, the New York hedge fund that’s become one of Silicon Valley’s biggest investors, have started to outpace the returns of rival VC firms in recent years as the size of those funds swelled, according to internal data reviewed by The Information. Coatue’s third venture growth fund, which... The private tech funds of Coatue Management, the New York hedge fund that’s become one of...

A semitruck hauling Amazon cargo in February. Photo by Bloomberg

New Amazon Tracking Device to Monitor Trucker Safety, Collect Data

By Paris Martineau · Aug 20, 2021 6:06am PDT

Amazon is moving to more directly monitor the hours truck drivers spend transporting freight between its warehouses, which could give it better insight into possible safety violations—and capture a wealth of other data. The internet retailer has developed its own version of a technology, known as an electronic logging devices, to track... Amazon is moving to more directly monitor the hours truck drivers spend transporting freight...

The Federal Trade Commission building in Washington, D.C. Photo by Bloomberg

The FTC’s Clumsy Second Salvo Against Facebook

By Amir Efrati · Aug 19, 2021 5:51pm PDT

Two months ago, the Federal Trade Commission was chastened by a federal judge who summarily dismissed the agency’s antitrust lawsuit against Facebook in which it sought to force the company to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp. Now the agency seems to be asking for another lashing from the jurist—and a similar result.On Thursday the agency filed a... Two months ago, the Federal Trade Commission was chastened by a federal judge who summarily...

Photo: Bloomberg

Who Wins as OnlyFans Sheds Its Porn Past

By Kaya Yurieff · Aug 19, 2021 4:21pm PDT · 1 comment

Photo: Bloomberg

Creator Economy

Who Wins as OnlyFans Sheds Its Porn Past

By Kaya Yurieff · Aug 19, 2021 4:21pm PDT · 1 comment

OnlyFans was one of the startups that became synonymous with the rise of the creator economy last year, as it grew to a $383 million-revenue company on subscriptions and tips that went directly to performers, who were largely producing sexually explicit content. So it’s huge news that it’s getting out of the business that made it such a... OnlyFans was one of the startups that became synonymous with the rise of the creator economy last...

Jay Clayton, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in 2019. Photo: Bloomberg

Ex-SEC Chair Joins Crypto Firm; Coinbase Japan Goes Live

By Hannah Miller · Aug 19, 2021 2:30pm PDT

Jay Clayton, who served as the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission under former President Donald Trump, has joined the advisory board of Fireblocks, a digital asset custodian that raised $310 million at a $2 billion valuation last month from investors including Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital and Coatue Management. Clayton... Jay Clayton, who served as the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission under former...

Illustration by Hae Jin Park.

The New Startup Trend: Founders Say ‘No’ to the Highest VC Offers

By Kate Clark · Aug 19, 2021 12:34pm PDT · 8 comments

Earlier this month, Jijo Sunny found himself weighing two offers: An angel investor wanted to take a 1% stake in his 3-year-old creator economy startup for $500,000, at a valuation of $40 million, while a more established VC fund proposed buying a 5% stake at a far higher valuation of $60 million. He chose the lower-priced deal. Startup founders... Earlier this month, Jijo Sunny found himself weighing two offers: An angel investor wanted to...

Avatars holding a meeting in Horizon Workrooms. Credit: Facebook

Facebook Remote VR Meetings Are Tip of Iceberg; A Q&A With Rec Room’s CEO

By Mathew Olson · Aug 19, 2021 11:00am PDT · 5 comments

This morning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg launched Horizon Workrooms, a way for Oculus users to hold meetings in VR. As the name suggests, it’s a sort of offshoot of Facebook’s Horizon platform, which has been in early development for about two years. Horizon’s goal is to be Facebook’s main social VR product. Think of Horizon as VR’s... This morning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg launched Horizon Workrooms, a way for Oculus users to...

Chart by Joanna Lin Su.

Quantum Computing Startups Draw Record Investment

By Sarah Krouse · Aug 19, 2021 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

Chart by Joanna Lin Su.

Quantum Computing Startups Draw Record Investment

By Sarah Krouse · Aug 19, 2021 6:00am PDT · 1 comment

Deal making among quantum computing companies is at an all-time high as startups race to develop hardware and software that can more quickly crunch data and solve problems that are orders of magnitude more complex than what today’s supercomputers can handle. Capital invested in global companies focused on quantum computing and... Deal making among quantum computing companies is at an all-time high as startups race to develop...

A Whole Foods Market in Houston. Photo provided by Whole Foods

Where Amazon’s Physical Growth Isn’t So Explosive

By Nick Wingfield · Aug 18, 2021 5:11pm PDT

Amazon has a voracious appetite for physical space for its warehouse and other facilities. Paris showed that vividly in her story today about how dramatically the company has increased its physical footprint over the past couple years (by six Disneylands-worth of space, doubling its U.S. real estate holdings over that time, she writes).But there... Amazon has a voracious appetite for physical space for its warehouse and other facilities. Paris...

TikTok star Olivia Rodrigo at the White House. Photo: Bloomberg

Creator Economy

Influencers Discover New Source of Funding: the Government

By Kaya Yurieff · Aug 18, 2021 4:14pm PDT

The Biden administration has been teaming up with social media influencers to fight Covid-19 vaccine misinformation, inviting pop star Olivia Rodrigo to visit the White House and enlisting popular comedic creator Benito Skinner, a.k.a Benny Drama, to make a viral video urging vaccine shots. Local governments have also been tapping into... The Biden administration has been teaming up with social media influencers to fight Covid-19...

Facebook's David Marcus. Photo: Bloomberg

Robinhood’s New Crypto Status, Facebook’s Stablecoin Play

By Hannah Miller · Aug 18, 2021 3:28pm PDT

Robinhood’s first quarterly results following its bumpy initial public offering came out Wednesday, revealing more details about just how important cryptocurrencies are to the company. Once associated with consumer meme stocks, the trading platform is now, without a doubt, primarily a crypto business. The second-quarter results showed that... Robinhood’s first quarterly results following its bumpy initial public offering came out...

The Chevy Bolt, the subject of two GM recalls because of a possible danger of fire. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/AP

The Electric Flash Analysis: GM Bolt Owners Violate Fire Safety Rules Amid Battery Recall

By Steve LeVine · Aug 18, 2021 1:19pm PDT

The Chevy Bolt, the subject of two GM recalls because of a possible danger of fire. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/AP

The Electric Flash Analysis: GM Bolt Owners Violate Fire Safety Rules Amid Battery Recall

By Steve LeVine · Aug 18, 2021 1:19pm PDT

GM is replacing the Bolt's battery modules because of a danger of fire. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/APIn the three weeks since General Motors issued a second recall of Chevy Bolts whose batteries may be in danger of catching fire, new data show that a significant minority of Bolt owners didn’t follow the company’s electric-charging guidelines for... GM is replacing the Bolt's battery modules because of a danger of fire. Photo: Gene J....

An Amazon worker at a company warehouse in Raleigh, North Carolina, in June. Photo by Bloomberg

Amazon Provides Free Covid Test Kits for Employees in California

By Mark Di Stefano · Aug 18, 2021 11:45am PDT

Last month, when Amazon announced it would scrap an ambitious on-site Covid-19 testing program for its warehouse workers, the decision raised eyebrows, given the surge in cases across the U.S. But now, Amazon has begun notifying its workers in California—where it employs more people in than in any other state—that it will offer free... Last month, when Amazon announced it would scrap an ambitious on-site Covid-19 testing program...

A selection of Intel's RealSense devices. Credit: Intel

Intel Abandons Its AR/VR Camera Tech

By Mathew Olson · Aug 18, 2021 11:00am PDT

In 2021, Intel has made a series of big moves to try to reverse the decline that’s seen the company cede ground to Nvidia and AMD on processors, its core business. Here’s the latest: Intel is killing off RealSense, its line of depth-sensing cameras.CRN’s Dylan Martin reported on RealSense’s end on Tuesday. “We are winding down our RealSense... In 2021, Intel has made a series of big moves to try to reverse the decline that’s seen the...

Amazon’s Space Race: Delivery Hubs Near Cities, Airports Propel Warehouse Growth

By Paris Martineau · Aug 18, 2021 6:00am PDT

Back in mid-2019, before the pandemic turned the world on its head, Amazon’s U.S. distribution network took up about the same amount of space as seven Disneylands, including hotels, the Downtown Disney District and the California Adventure Park. In just two years since then, Amazon has added another six Disneylands’ worth of real... Back in mid-2019, before the pandemic turned the world on its head, Amazon’s U.S....

People near Taliban signature white flags at a border crossing point in Pakistan on Aug. 17. Photo: AP

Facebook’s Taliban Maneuvers; Lina Khan Buzz on the Conference Circuit

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan · Aug 17, 2021 5:30pm PDT

People near Taliban signature white flags at a border crossing point in Pakistan on Aug. 17. Photo: AP

Facebook’s Taliban Maneuvers; Lina Khan Buzz on the Conference Circuit

By Sylvia Varnham O'Regan · Aug 17, 2021 5:30pm PDT

As the Taliban moves to seize control of Afghanistan, Facebook’s actions in crisis are under scrutiny once more. A top executive at the social media company said Tuesday it was "proactively" taking down content related to the Taliban across Facebook's apps. (The group is banned under Facebook’s policy against terrorist organizations.) But... As the Taliban moves to seize control of Afghanistan, Facebook’s actions in crisis are under...