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

Startups Embroiled in Debate Over Ethics of Facial Recognition

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jan 22, 2019 10:02am PST

The controversy that swept up leading tech companies last year over whether facial recognition software is accurate enough to be sold to law enforcement agencies shows no signs of abating. Last week, a group of Amazon shareholders demanded that it stop selling the technology to police, and pushed for a vote on the matter at the company’s... The controversy that swept up leading tech companies last year over whether facial recognition...

Washington state senator Reuven Carlyle sponsored a new data privacy bill introduced last week. Photo by the Washington State Legislature

A Surge of States Take on Data Privacy as Congress Stalls

By Ashley Gold and Sarah Kuranda · Jan 22, 2019 7:00am PST · 2 comments

Last June, the technology industry cringed as California’s legislature passed a new data privacy law that will give residents more control over how their personal data is used by Facebook, Google and other big companies. Now it is bracing for a wave of action by other states, at least eight of which are considering similar data privacy... Last June, the technology industry cringed as California’s legislature passed a new data...

Modest Proposals

How Political Content Fills the Void Left by Micro-Targeting

By Sam Lessin · Jan 21, 2019 7:00am PST · 6 comments

What if in the near future inequality continues to rise and the most valuable reason to advertise to many people becomes to seek their votes rather than their dollars?This was the fascinating question that my friend and collaborator Andrew Kortina posed over dinner recently, and I think it is an important question to consider seriously. What if in the near future inequality continues to rise and the most valuable reason to advertise...

Has Subscription Media Peaked?

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 19, 2019 1:36pm PST · 5 comments

Has Subscription Media Peaked?

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 19, 2019 1:36pm PST · 5 comments

For someone with a keen interest—ok, obsession—with media business models, I can’t help but notice an interesting trend: Free ad-supported media is back in vogue.Tom and Jessica wrote about a slew of new ad-supported video services Friday, including Pluto TV, which Viacom is in talks to acquire for $300 million to $500 million,... For someone with a keen interest—ok, obsession—with media business models, I...

The Information’s 411 — Quibis and Bits

By Tom Dotan · Jan 18, 2019 3:32pm PST

Beejoli talks about whether Hollywood is on board with Jeffrey Katzenberg's new streaming service. Zoë gives her take on Slack and its finances as the company prepares to go public. Beejoli talks about whether Hollywood is on board with Jeffrey Katzenberg's new streaming...

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Free TV With Ads Is Digital Media’s Old New Idea

By Tom Dotan and Jessica Toonkel · Jan 18, 2019 7:01am PST · 5 comments

Two years ago, streaming-device maker Roku circulated a presentation to partners that showed a school of fish swimming toward an area marked “subscription.” Meanwhile, a lone fish labeled “Roku” was heading away from the group toward an area called “advertising.” The implication: Roku was swimming against the... Two years ago, streaming-device maker Roku circulated a presentation to partners that showed a...

Chris Williams. Photo by pocket.watch.

Q&A

Pocket.watch Rides Wave of Demand for Kids’ Content

By Beejoli Shah · Jan 17, 2019 10:02am PST · 1 comment

The explosion in demand for TV shows driven by streaming services is lifting all boats, but one genre may be rising more than most: children’s programming. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Disney’s upcoming streaming service are all ordering more kids shows or movies. Among the beneficiaries are some little-known startups that are... The explosion in demand for TV shows driven by streaming services is lifting all boats, but one...

‘Non-Amazon’ Online Retail Strategies Attract Venture Funding

By Priya Anand · Jan 17, 2019 7:00am PST · 4 comments

‘Non-Amazon’ Online Retail Strategies Attract Venture Funding

By Priya Anand · Jan 17, 2019 7:00am PST · 4 comments

Amazon may be the Goliath of online retail. But venture capitalists last year poured more money into startups that are hoping to carve out niches in areas where they feel they can build businesses around the e-commerce giant’s edges, data show.U.S. venture capitalists put about $5 billion into internet retail startups last year, according... Amazon may be the Goliath of online retail. But venture capitalists last year poured more money...

Mike Sullivan

Crypto Newsletter

Trump Administration Gets Involved on Crypto

By Jon Victor · Jan 16, 2019 12:31pm PST

The government shutdown continues, stymieing developments in crypto that require regulators’ approval. Bakkt’s platform for bitcoin futures trading, which was set to launch next week, is being held back by the furlough at the CFTC. There is a silver lining for some crypto market participants, however: A lawyer tells me the shutdown... The government shutdown continues, stymieing developments in crypto that require...

Photos by Bloomberg. Photo illustration by Mike Sullivan.

Apple, Facebook Messaging Rivalry Hints at Intensifying Services Battle

By Sarah Kuranda · Jan 16, 2019 7:01am PST · 8 comments

Publicly, Apple and Facebook have brawled over privacy issues, with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg trading high-profile barbs over the past year. But behind the scenes the two companies are fighting what may be a more consequential battle for leadership in messaging, vying for customers’ attention and loyalty through... Publicly, Apple and Facebook have brawled over privacy issues, with Apple CEO Tim Cook and...

Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield at the DLD conference in Berlin in 2017. Photo: AP

Slack’s Financials Ahead of Listing Plans

By Zoë Bernard and Alfred Lee · Jan 15, 2019 10:16am PST

The news that Slack wants to go public through a highly unconventional direct listing, in which it doesn’t sell new shares to raise money, has come as a surprise to some. But the messaging startup has built a strong enough cash position to pull it off, according to financial documents viewed by The Information and a person familiar with... The news that Slack wants to go public through a highly unconventional direct listing, in which...

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. Photo by Bloomberg.

To Stream or Not: How Comcast’s Wavering on Streaming Left an Opening for Netflix

By Jessica Toonkel · Jan 15, 2019 7:01am PST

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. Photo by Bloomberg.

To Stream or Not: How Comcast’s Wavering on Streaming Left an Opening for Netflix

By Jessica Toonkel · Jan 15, 2019 7:01am PST

Last January, at drinks before an offsite for NBCUniversal’s digital executives in New York City, someone asked NBCU CEO Steve Burke when the Comcast-owned entertainment company was going to launch a service to compete with Netflix, according to a person who was there.Mr. Burke went through an analysis of how much it would cost to compete... Last January, at drinks before an offsite for NBCUniversal’s digital executives in New York...

Photo: Katerra

SoftBank Plans Another Big Investment in Construction Startup

By Cory Weinberg and Alfred Lee · Jan 14, 2019 7:26pm PST

SoftBank’s Vision Fund plans to double down on Katerra, a startup run by electronics industry veterans trying to build apartments and hotels faster and cheaper than traditional construction firms. The massive fund is expected to lead a $700 million round of financing that would value Katerra at more than $4 billion, up slightly from its... SoftBank’s Vision Fund plans to double down on Katerra, a startup run by electronics...

Didi Reshuffles Amid Domestic Pressure

By Yunan Zhang · Jan 14, 2019 10:01am PST

Didi Chuxing is restructuring for the second time in a year, placing new emphasis on safety and user experience to jump-start domestic growth in its ride-hailing business.The management changes, which include a new chief safety officer and a new chief customer officer, come after two passengers were killed in separate incidents in China last... Didi Chuxing is restructuring for the second time in a year, placing new emphasis on safety and...

Jeffrey Katzenberg. Photo by Bloomberg

Katzenberg’s Quibi Faces Quandary: Meeting Ambitious Content Goal

By Beejoli Shah · Jan 14, 2019 7:01am PST

With his new mobile video startup Quibi, veteran Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg is trying to turn short videos for mobile phones into can’t-miss programming. He has promised to stack Quibi with 5,000 10-minute episodes of various movies or TV shows within its first year of launch. But at a time when there’s no shortage of... With his new mobile video startup Quibi, veteran Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg is trying...

The Information’s Books to Get Ahead in 2019

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 12, 2019 8:21am PST · 1 comment

The Information’s Books to Get Ahead in 2019

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 12, 2019 8:21am PST · 1 comment

This time of year, recommended reading lists abound. But if there is one thing we know about The Information subscribers, it’s that you are curious, smart and always looking to expand your knowledge. So we pulled together a list of books that you told us you love, spanning categories from tech to self-improvement to yes, even fiction!... This time of year, recommended reading lists abound. But if there is one thing we know about The...

Jobs@TheInformation

puts “Hi Information Engineering, I’m #{name}”

By The Information Staff · Jan 11, 2019 4:37pm PST · 1 comment

The Information is looking for a passionate, product-oriented engineer to join our growing engineering team in San Francisco.About UsThe Information is a San Francisco-based business publication known for original, in-depth reporting about the technology industry. We're the go-to daily read for the most important people in technology and... The Information is looking for a passionate, product-oriented engineer to join our growing...

The Information’s 411 — Turning a CE-No Into a CE-Yes

By Tom Dotan · Jan 11, 2019 3:32pm PST

Cory returns from Vegas to give his take on the latest hardware trends at CES. Kevin talks about Amazon's plans to launch a game streaming service. Cory returns from Vegas to give his take on the latest hardware trends at CES. Kevin talks about...

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish. Photo by Bloomberg

Viacom Looks to Buy Ad-Supported Streaming Service

By Jessica Toonkel and Tom Dotan · Jan 11, 2019 12:52pm PST

Nearly every major media company in recent years has launched video streaming services that cost viewers a few dollars a month and don't carry ads, looking to compete with Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Viacom, owner of MTV and Nickelodeon, wants to expand in a different part of the market—free, ad-supported streaming video.Viacom in... Nearly every major media company in recent years has launched video streaming services that cost...

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. Photo by Bloomberg.

Tech’s Next Big Battle: Protecting Immunity From Content Lawsuits

By Ashley Gold · Jan 11, 2019 10:02am PST · 11 comments

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. Photo by Bloomberg.

Tech’s Next Big Battle: Protecting Immunity From Content Lawsuits

By Ashley Gold · Jan 11, 2019 10:02am PST · 11 comments

One of the more controversial legal protections internet companies like Facebook and Google receive—not being liable for offensive or illegal content posted by users on their services—faces a growing challenge in Washington, prompting intensifying lobbying on both sides of the issue.While the privacy of consumer data held by tech... One of the more controversial legal protections internet companies like Facebook and Google...