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

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 3, 2016 12:17pm PDT

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. Photo by Bloomberg.

Silicon Valley: It’s Time to Look in the Mirror

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 3, 2016 7:01am PDT · 6 comments

Last week, I argued that the public was too quick to pounce on tech companies and leaders for pursuing hidden agendas against the media. This week, I want to talk about how tech leaders are making their image problems worse.It’s plain to everyone that there is a huge and widening gap between the tech titans of today and ordinary people.... Last week, I argued that the public was too quick to pounce on tech companies and leaders for...

The Information reporters Cory Weinberg, left, and Tom Dotan, at our recent New York Subscriber Summit. Photo by Chris Fargo.

Jobs@TheInformation

Join The Information’s Expanding Reporting Team!

By The Information Staff · Jun 2, 2016 3:19pm PDT

Want to have a real impact with your journalism? Tired of writing five stories a day? Looking to do more than rewrite the latest press release? Then The Information might be for you.The Information is looking for reporters in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles for several different new beats, including the future of the auto industry;... Want to have a real impact with your journalism? Tired of writing five stories a day? Looking to...

Information Score = More Optimistic - Less Optimistic

Subscribers Sour on Tech and Economy

By Peter Schulz and Steve Nellis · Jun 2, 2016 11:48am PDT · 1 comment

Information Score = More Optimistic - Less Optimistic

Subscriber Survey

Subscribers Sour on Tech and Economy

By Peter Schulz and Steve Nellis · Jun 2, 2016 11:48am PDT · 1 comment

The Information’s subscribers soured on both the technology sector and the overall economy in the past month, our latest subscriber survey showed. On balance, though, subscribers remain positive toward tech even as they turned slightly negative toward the economy.Tech got a sentiment score of 15.2% while the general economy clocked in at... The Information’s subscribers soured on both the technology sector and the overall economy...

Nest CEO Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Former Nest Employee Takes Aim at Google’s Media Policy

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 2, 2016 7:00am PDT

A National Labor Relations Board complaint lodged against Google and Nest recently by a former Nest employee has raised the prospect that tech firms could be forced to change confidentiality rules to allow employees to talk publicly about working conditions.The complaint was filed May 17 by a former Nest product manager who was fired by Nest in... A National Labor Relations Board complaint lodged against Google and Nest recently by a former...

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Photo by Bloomberg.

SpaceX’s Share Price Climbs Further

By Alfred Lee · Jun 1, 2016 3:56pm PDT

SpaceX shares recently sold at a price 24% higher than the last fundraising round, a securities filing by Fidelity Investments indicates, a price that would value the firm at close to $15 billion. It suggests that SpaceX shares have continued to rise in the secondary market and likely explains why Fidelity marked up its stake in the company to... SpaceX shares recently sold at a price 24% higher than the last fundraising round, a securities...

IFTTT CEO Linden Tibbets. Art by Matt Vascellaro.

The Big Interview

IFTTT: The Would-Be Lynchpin of the Connected Home

By Steve Nellis · Jun 1, 2016 7:00am PDT · 5 comments

In the tech world, which apps or devices will work with each other usually gets decided by the companies who make them. If you want to post an Instagram photo to Twitter, for instance, you’ll have to do so from separate apps. But startup IFTTT lets you connect the two so that whenever you Instagram something, it goes out to your Twitter... In the tech world, which apps or devices will work with each other usually gets decided by the...

Didi President Jean Liu. Photo by Bloomberg.

Rental Cars Play Growing Part in China’s Ride-Sharing War

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 1:09pm PDT

Didi President Jean Liu. Photo by Bloomberg.

Rental Cars Play Growing Part in China’s Ride-Sharing War

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 1:09pm PDT

Amid the noisy war in China between privately held ride-sharing firms Didi Chuxing and Uber, two publicly traded transportation companies are worth watching: China Auto Rental and eHi Car Services.They are the country’s top two rental car firms that also employ drivers to chauffeur business passengers. And while neither Didi nor Uber is... Amid the noisy war in China between privately held ride-sharing firms Didi Chuxing and Uber, two...

Google's Vice President of Product Management, Mario Queiroz, talking about Google Home at Google I/O this month. Photo by Bloomberg.

Google Home’s Little Secret

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 9:07am PDT · 1 comment

When Google executive Mario Queiroz unveiled a new voice-controlled virtual assistant, Google Home, at the company’s developer conference this month, he left out a key detail: Home is a dressed-up version of Chromecast, the video-streaming device Mr. Queiroz’s team previously developed.The guts of Home, including its ARM-based... When Google executive Mario Queiroz unveiled a new voice-controlled virtual assistant, Google...

Frerk-Malte Feller, head of business and monetization at Facebook Messenger, speaking at a presentation at the Shoptalk e-commerce conference this month. Photo by Cory Weinberg.

Social Commerce Struggles To Drive Sales

By Cory Weinberg · May 31, 2016 7:02am PDT · 7 comments

The hype around social media apps trying to become shopping hubs has never been higher. But so are the red flags.Facebook was eager to showcase its partnership between Messenger and retail startup Spring at the developer conference F8. But Spring CEO Alan Tisch said he had “very low expectations” going into the deal with Messenger to... The hype around social media apps trying to become shopping hubs has never been higher. But so...

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on stage at Google I/O this month. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Information Recommends

Most Valuable Tech Events of 2016

By The Information Staff · May 30, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

If you skipped SXSW this year, you were not alone. The artsy Austin, Tx. tech, music and film festival received the highest number of “not attending this year” votes from The Information subscribers in our annual event survey. Right behind it: the Consumer Electronics Show.But don’t get ready to bail on next year’s CES... If you skipped SXSW this year, you were not alone. The artsy Austin, Tx. tech, music and film...

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · May 28, 2016 8:01am PDT

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · May 28, 2016 8:01am PDT

Happy Memorial Day weekend!Yes it’s the unofficial start of summer. Maybe even San Francisco will see some warm weather. And there’s plenty of news, both in tech and elsewhere, to catch up on. Happy Memorial Day weekend!Yes it’s the unofficial start of summer. Maybe even San...

The Information’s 411 — Tech-Media Overlords

By Tom Dotan · May 27, 2016 1:03pm PDT

Amir and Reed debate the uproar over Peter Thiel bankrolling the Gawker lawsuit. Also we discuss the self-driving car startup ecosystem and Apple's decision to open up Siri and develop an Amazon Echo competitor. Amir and Reed debate the uproar over Peter Thiel bankrolling the Gawker lawsuit. Also we discuss...

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · May 27, 2016 9:44am PDT

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

Peter Thiel. Photo by Bloomberg.

Let Silicon Valley Speak

By Jessica E. Lessin · May 27, 2016 7:00am PDT · 10 comments

These past few weeks, Silicon Valley’s been awash with controversies around tech leaders’ secret agendas for manipulating the news. Conservative leaders questioned the impartiality of a Facebook feature that curates the news. Commentators question whether Peter Thiel’s backing of anti-Gawker lawsuits is appropriate. These past few weeks, Silicon Valley’s been awash with controversies around tech...

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch.

Snapchat Raised Money at a Flat Share Price

By Alfred Lee and Tom Dotan · May 26, 2016 1:53pm PDT

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch.

Snapchat Raised Money at a Flat Share Price

By Alfred Lee and Tom Dotan · May 26, 2016 1:53pm PDT

Talk that Snapchat has boosted its valuation sharply is off base.Snapchat disclosed Thursday that it raised $1.81 billion dating back to last year, and some media outlets have reported it was at a valuation as high as $22 billion. Talk that Snapchat has boosted its valuation sharply is off base.Snapchat disclosed Thursday that...

Elisabeth Murdoch. Photo by Flickr/Nordiske Mediedager.

Media Exec Joins Liz Murdoch’s Video Firm

By Tom Dotan · May 26, 2016 10:26am PDT

Former Vimeo executive Greg Clayman has joined Elisabeth Murdoch’s new company, Vertical Networks, which is creating original content for Snapchat, according to multiple people briefed on the situation. He will be U.S. president of the firm.Mr. Clayman left Vimeo, the IAC-owned video streaming site, in January. He previously worked at both... Former Vimeo executive Greg Clayman has joined Elisabeth Murdoch’s new company, Vertical...

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook Eyes More Retail Dollars With “Shoppable” Video Ads

By Cory Weinberg · May 26, 2016 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

Facebook next month will start testing a type of video ad promoting products that users could tap and buy, a person briefed by the social network said. The ad format is the next step in Facebook’s strategy to prove to marketers its ads can drive consumer purchases, not just raise brand awareness.“Shoppable video ads,” as the ad... Facebook next month will start testing a type of video ad promoting products that users could tap...

Source: PitchBook. Graphic by Peter Schulz.

The Downside of IPO Veto Rights

By Alfred Lee · May 25, 2016 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

When Jet.com joined the ranks of billion-dollar startups in November by raising money at a $1.62 billion valuation, CEO Marc Lore told the media that the deal terms were “clean”—implying that investors did not receive onerous protections that might hurt certain classes of shareholders later.It’s true that the e-commerce... When Jet.com joined the ranks of billion-dollar startups in November by raising money at a $1.62...

Apple CEO Tim Cook. Photo by Bloomberg.

Apple Opening Siri, Developing Echo Rival

By Amir Efrati · May 24, 2016 1:23pm PDT · 3 comments

Apple CEO Tim Cook. Photo by Bloomberg.

Apple Opening Siri, Developing Echo Rival

By Amir Efrati · May 24, 2016 1:23pm PDT · 3 comments

Apple is upping its game in the field of intelligent assistants. After years of internal debate and discussion about how to do so, the company is preparing to open up Siri to apps made by others. And it is working on an Amazon Echo-like device with a speaker and microphone that people can use to turn on music, get news headlines or set a timer.... Apple is upping its game in the field of intelligent assistants. After years of internal debate...