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

DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis. Photo by Bloomberg.

Deep Confusion: Tensions Lingered Within Google Over DeepMind

By Kevin McLaughlin and Jessica Lessin · Apr 19, 2018 7:01am PDT · 6 comments

When Google unveiled its plan to form an Alphabet holding company in 2015, it was pitched as a way to ensure Google’s blue-sky bets in areas like self-driving cars and health care could flourish under independent leadership. One business that hoped to capitalize on the new arrangement was the London-based artificial intelligence startup... When Google unveiled its plan to form an Alphabet holding company in 2015, it was pitched as a...

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. Photo by Bloomberg

Intel Plans to Shut Down Smart Glasses Group

By Aaron Tilley · Apr 18, 2018 5:39pm PDT · 1 comment

Intel’s long-failing foray into wearables and augmented reality is officially dead.The chip giant’s new devices group will shut down, according to people familiar with the situation. The division, formed in 2013, made fitness trackers and smart glasses. Despite an investment of several hundred million dollars by Intel, including... Intel’s long-failing foray into wearables and augmented reality is officially dead.The chip...

The CIA's seal at its Virginia headquarters. DataTribe draws on talent from the CIA and the NSA. Photo by AP

DataTribe’s Cybersecurity Investment Strategy: Building Firms From Scratch

By Sarah Kuranda · Apr 18, 2018 11:18am PDT · 2 comments

Venture capitalist Bob Ackerman doesn’t want to compete for funding deals. Instead, the founder of VC firm AllegisCyber is taking a new approach. He looks for gaps in the cybersecurity market and creates companies to fill them.Mr. Ackerman co-founded a company two years ago called DataTribe, which looks for problems it believes... Venture capitalist Bob Ackerman doesn’t want to compete for funding deals. Instead, the...

Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg. Photo by Bloomberg.

In Search for Profits, Cheddar and TYT Take Long View on Skinny Bundles

By Tom Dotan · Apr 18, 2018 7:01am PDT

Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg. Photo by Bloomberg.

In Search for Profits, Cheddar and TYT Take Long View on Skinny Bundles

By Tom Dotan · Apr 18, 2018 7:01am PDT

Online-only video networks like Cheddar and TYT Network have raised tens of millions of dollars in venture capital money on the premise that online video viewing will skyrocket. Now comes the hard part: figuring out how to make money.Both startups have been generating revenue from advertising—Cheddar reported $11 million in sponsorship... Online-only video networks like Cheddar and TYT Network have raised tens of millions of dollars...

McAfee CEO Chris Young. Photo: Bloomberg

McAfee Has Held Talks to Acquire Security Startup Endgame

By Sarah Kuranda · Apr 17, 2018 3:34pm PDT

Security giant McAfee has held talks to acquire security startup Endgame, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. A deal would help McAfee expand its technology to protect computers and other devices on corporate networks from cybersecurity threats. The talks were taking place as recently as two weeks ago, said one of the people... Security giant McAfee has held talks to acquire security startup Endgame, according to multiple...

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings speaking in Tokyo in 2016. Photo: Bloomberg

Netflix, Long an AWS Customer, Tests Waters on Google Cloud

By Kevin McLaughlin · Apr 17, 2018 7:01am PDT · 6 comments

Netflix, one of Amazon Web Services’ biggest customers, is expanding its use of Google Cloud, one of AWS’s biggest rivals, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. The move, which hasn’t previously been reported, could portend a shift in the balance of power in the cloud computing market.Netflix is using Google... Netflix, one of Amazon Web Services’ biggest customers, is expanding its use of Google...

Note: Maps generally exclude markets where only "professional" drivers are allowed to carry passengers. Source: The Information

The New Global Order in Ride Hailing: Didi vs. Uber

By Amir Efrati and Mike Sullivan · Apr 16, 2018 10:00am PDT · 3 comments

Uber became the giant of ride hailing in part by capturing markets around the world. But now Didi Chuxing of China is challenging that dominance, pumping money into a variety of Uber rivals or directly entering markets ranging from Brazil to sub-Saharan Africa.The Information put together a graphic mapping the countries in which Uber and Didi... Uber became the giant of ride hailing in part by capturing markets around the world. But now Didi...

Contractors worked on a house under construction at the Lennar Tree Tops community development in Lancaster, S.C. Photo: Bloomberg

Apple Loses Ground to Amazon in Smart Home Deals With Builders

By Aaron Tilley and Priya Anand · Apr 16, 2018 7:02am PDT · 10 comments

Contractors worked on a house under construction at the Lennar Tree Tops community development in Lancaster, S.C. Photo: Bloomberg

Apple Loses Ground to Amazon in Smart Home Deals With Builders

By Aaron Tilley and Priya Anand · Apr 16, 2018 7:02am PDT · 10 comments

As Amazon and Apple race to get consumers to buy smart devices that do everything from unlock a door to turn on lights, the companies are pursuing a second line of attack: installing the devices in homes while they are under construction. On this front, Amazon appears to have an edge.A division of Shea Homes that builds retirement communities in... As Amazon and Apple race to get consumers to buy smart devices that do everything from unlock a...

The Information’s 411 — Zuck Between a Swamp and a Hard Place

By Tom Dotan · Apr 13, 2018 1:56pm PDT · 2 comments

Jessica and Cory talk about Facebook's big week as Mark Zuckerberg faced questions from Congress. Sarah explains how a conman tricked a cybersecurity company to hire him as a top human resources executive. Jessica and Cory talk about Facebook's big week as Mark Zuckerberg faced questions from...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks to a House committee on Wednesday. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook in 2020: ‘The AI Made Us Do It’

By Jessica Lessin · Apr 13, 2018 7:01am PDT · 6 comments

Data privacy took center stage at this week’s Facebook hearings. But as lawmakers grilled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on what data it tracks and what data it “sells,” another important question emerged. Zuckerberg said in very clear terms that he was responsible for the content on Facebook. The days of pretending to be a... Data privacy took center stage at this week’s Facebook hearings. But as lawmakers grilled...

GoPro CEO Nick Woodman at an event last September, unveiling a new version of its Hero wearable action camera. Photo by Bloomberg.

GoPro’s Stock Rests on Potential Sale

By Alfred Lee · Apr 12, 2018 9:48am PDT

GoPro’s stock has hurtled downhill this year, not unlike one of the thrill-seeking mountain bikers who put on its wearable cameras before taking the plunge. Shares are down 36% in 2018, cutting its market capitalization to roughly $700 million. GoPro investors now have to hope the company will get acquired to see any lift in the price.In a... GoPro’s stock has hurtled downhill this year, not unlike one of the thrill-seeking mountain...

Cybereason CEO Lior Div. Photo by Bloomberg.

Fake Hire, Staff Departures Roil SoftBank-Backed Security Startup

By Sarah Kuranda · Apr 12, 2018 7:01am PDT

Cybereason CEO Lior Div. Photo by Bloomberg.

Fake Hire, Staff Departures Roil SoftBank-Backed Security Startup

By Sarah Kuranda · Apr 12, 2018 7:01am PDT

Cybereason, a Softbank-backed rising star in corporate cybersecurity, touts its ability to spot attacks on data networks. But one threat slipped past the roughly $1 billion startup’s defenses: an executive hired to run Cybereason’s human resources unit who the company says turned out to be a fraud.The incident was just the... Cybereason, a Softbank-backed rising star in corporate cybersecurity, touts its ability to spot...

Bytedance CEO Zhang Yiming. Photo by Bloomberg.

What China’s Online Media Crackdown Means for Toutiao’s Owner

By Juro Osawa and Yunan Zhang · Apr 11, 2018 2:37pm PDT · 3 comments

For foreign investors in China’s tech sector, Beijing’s crackdown on the country’s most valuable media startups is a reminder that the success of their bets could hinge on the whims of the Communist Party. On Tuesday, China’s media regulator ordered Bytedance, the $30 billion startup that operates the popular newsfeed app... For foreign investors in China’s tech sector, Beijing’s crackdown on the...

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy. Photo by Bloomberg.

Free Speech Lawsuits Pressure Tech Firms on Content Removal

By Matt Drange and Reed Albergotti · Apr 11, 2018 11:46am PDT · 9 comments

As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg fielded questions from lawmakers Tuesday and Wednesday, questions about data privacy, political advertising and foreign governments influencing U.S. elections showcased bipartisan concerns that are likely to shape the upcoming discussions over regulating the tech industry.Senator Ted Cruz, however, used his... As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg fielded questions from lawmakers Tuesday and Wednesday, questions...

Apple CEO Tim Cook. Photo by Bloomberg

With DOJ Encryption Fight Looming, Are Tech Companies on the Same Team?

By Jessica Lessin and Sarah Kuranda · Apr 11, 2018 7:01am PDT

With Mark Zuckerberg on Capitol Hill, all eyes are on what regulation might be foisted upon Facebook. A more immediate question is how Facebook’s weakened position might affect Silicon Valley’s negotiating power in D.C. The issue that is most pressing is encryption. The U.S. Department of Justice is set to renew its fight to require... With Mark Zuckerberg on Capitol Hill, all eyes are on what regulation might be foisted upon...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress on Tuesday. Photo by Bloomberg.

Zuckerberg Avoids Damage, Can’t Bridge Trust Gap

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 10, 2018 5:18pm PDT · 6 comments

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress on Tuesday. Photo by Bloomberg.

Reporter’s Notebook

Zuckerberg Avoids Damage, Can’t Bridge Trust Gap

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 10, 2018 5:18pm PDT · 6 comments

One of the few tough, striking lines of questioning during Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate testimony Tuesday came from Sen. Lindsey Graham, who scrutinized Facebook’s competitive power. “You don’t think you have a monopoly?” he asked. “It doesn’t feel like that to me,” the Facebook CEO said, ticking off... One of the few tough, striking lines of questioning during Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate...

Art by Mike Sullivan

Lessons From Silicon Valley’s Latest Female VC Partners

By Serena Saitto · Apr 10, 2018 10:01am PDT · 3 comments

Eight of the biggest venture capital firms, including Benchmark Capital, Union Square Ventures and General Catalyst, named their first female partners in the past 16 months. Those hires helped slightly increase women’s representation in the upper ranks of venture capital, as The Information reported Monday.Today, we are profiling the new... Eight of the biggest venture capital firms, including Benchmark Capital, Union Square Ventures...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arriving for a meeting with Sen. John Thune on Monday. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Lawmakers Who Will Dictate Facebook’s Regulatory Future

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 10, 2018 7:01am PDT

Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in front of several dozen senators Tuesday is likely to produce confrontational sound bites from lawmakers of both parties. Whether fiery hearings will lead to legislative action is far less clear, though there are signs that Facebook’s CEO will contend with more hostility from Washington in the coming... Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in front of several dozen senators Tuesday is likely to produce...

Art by Sam Lessin

Modest Proposals

Governing the Internet

By Sam Lessin · Apr 9, 2018 10:11am PDT · 7 comments

It has always been inevitable that regulation would come to the internet just as it has come to every major communications platform that preceded it. Once the Web became critical infrastructure and started down the path of consolidation to just a handful of large platforms, it was only a matter of time.What is less clear is exactly what the... It has always been inevitable that regulation would come to the internet just as it has come to...

Graphics by Mike Sullivan

Silicon Valley’s Most and Least Diverse Investors

By Serena Saitto · Apr 9, 2018 7:00am PDT · 8 comments

Graphics by Mike Sullivan

Silicon Valley’s Most and Least Diverse Investors

By Serena Saitto · Apr 9, 2018 7:00am PDT · 8 comments

The proportion of women in decision-making positions at the most prominent venture capital firms inched up to nearly 15% last year from roughly 11% in 2016. Black representation rose marginally. That’s according to the results of a survey conducted by The Information and VC firm Social Capital, our third since 2015. The VC... The proportion of women in decision-making positions at the most prominent venture capital firms...