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☆ Discord banned accounts related to a site that sold messages from more than 620 million users
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Discord banned accounts tied to Spy.Pet, a website known for mining and selling millions of users' messages. Spy.Pet used bots to scrape data from 14,000 servers, affecting nearly 620 million Discord users. Related storiesThe site used bots to scrape users messages and other data from 14,000 Discord servers. AdvertisementIn all, the bots collected data from nearly 620 million Discord users, according to Kotaku. Following the report, Discord announced that it has banned several accounts related to the site after an investigation.

Persons: —, Jason Citron, Citron Organizations: Service, Media, PC Gamer Locations: Spy.Pet

☆ Snap plunges 30% on revenue miss and light guidance, as Middle East conflict creates 'headwind'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Revenue : $1.36 billion vs. $1.38 billion expected, according to LSEG. : $1.36 billion vs. $1.38 billion expected, according to LSEG. Global Daily Active Users : 414 million vs. 412 million expected, according to StreetAccount. : 414 million vs. 412 million expected, according to StreetAccount. Daily active users for the first quarter will be 420 million, Snap said, slightly topping analyst estimates of 419.3 million.

Persons: Evan Spiegel, Porte, Debra Aho Williamson, Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Shou Zi Chew, Jason Citron, Pinterest Organizations: Inc, Viva Technology, Porte de, CNBC, Meta Locations: Paris, Israel

☆ Shaquille O’Neal says this advice from Jeff Bezos got him to invest in a $29 million education startup backed by Sam Altman
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When you're considering investment advice, taking a tip from one of the world's wealthiest people is probably a good place to start. That's why Shaquille O'Neal says he turned to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for inspiration before deciding to invest in Campus, the online community college startup that's already raised more than $29 million from investors like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Discord founder Jason Citron. "I heard Jeff Bezos say, if you invest in things that's going to change people's lives, you'll always get a great return on your investment," O'Neal said. And, O'Neal has long touted Bezos' advice to seek out investment opportunities that he truly believes can "change people's lives." "If something comes across my desk and I don't believe in it, I don't even look at it," O'Neal told The Wall Street Journal in 2019.

Persons: Shaquille O'Neal, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Jason Citron, O'Neal, Fortune, he'd, you'll, Tade Oyerinde, Oyerinde, It's, Bezos, Matt Isbhia, Papa John's, Auntie Anne's, it's Organizations: Amazon, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Spelman College, of Famer, Phoenix Suns, Bezos, Wall Street, Google

☆ Lawmakers to grill CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media firms at hearing on child safety
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel and other leading social media executives face a grilling on Wednesday from lawmakers concerned about child exploitation and safety on their services. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have blasted the companies for failing to properly address what some have called a "plague of online child sexual exploitation" on social media apps. Wednesday's hearing is focused specifically on issues pertaining to child exploitation and the prevalence of child sexual abuse material on social media. The social media executives are expected to detail their efforts combating child exploitation on their platforms, which include working with law enforcement and tasks like proactively identifying potential predators. Watch: Early Meta platforms investor Brad Gerstner tackles big tech ahead of key earnings week

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, —, Shou Zi Chew, Jason Citron, Sen, Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, S.C, Citron, Meta, Brad Gerstner Organizations: Meta, U.S, Senate, Intelligence, Capitol, Washington , D.C, TikTok, Spiegel, Google YouTube, Committee, Lawmakers, Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: Washington ,, Washington, . New

☆ Opinion: Mark Zuckerberg’s extraordinary apology should only be the beginning
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Opinion Kara Alaimo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —On Wednesday, the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, X, Snap and Discord testified before the Senate about what they’re doing to protect kids from harm online. In the leadup to the testimony, tech companies announced new initiatives to protect kids. The Stop CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) Act of 2023 would make it possible to hold tech companies civilly liable for hosting child sexual abuse material. This would be an important way of incentivizing tech companies to do more to protect kids from sextortion and other forms of online exploitation. Tech companies also have a lot more work to do.

Persons: Kara Alaimo, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok’s Shou Chew, Democratic Sen, Dick Durbin, Snap’s Evan Spiegel, X’s Linda Yaccarino, Discord’s Jason Citron, Kara Alaimo Durbin, “, —, ” South Carolina Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham, Chew, Yaccarino, Spiegel, Zuckerberg, it’s, Taylor Swift Organizations: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Women, Press, Facebook, CNN, Meta, Senate, Democratic, Illinois, ” Senators, ” South Carolina Republican, Tech, Media Locations: ”

☆ Big Tech CEOs are headed to DC to face the Senate over child safety online
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Lauren Steussy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Congress is set to grill leaders from Meta, X, TikTok, and other tech companies in a hearing Wednesday. The session will cover efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation online. This will be X CEO Linda Yaccarino's first time testifying before Congress. AdvertisementTech leaders are arriving in Washington, DC, voluntarily or not, to answer for their platforms' efforts to protect kids from sexual exploitation. Over the weekend, X announced plans to hire 100 full-time workers for a yet-to-be-opened content moderation hub in Austin aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation on its platform.

Persons: Linda Yaccarino's, —, X —, Elon Musk, Axios, She'll, Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, Jason Citron, Meta, We're, X Organizations: Meta, Service, Tech, Elon, Wall, Journal, The New York Times, Times Locations: Washington , DC, Austin

☆ Premarket stocks: Blue chips are crumbling. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Blue chip stocks have long been synonymous with stability and reliability. Named for the most valuable poker chips, these stocks supposedly represent the crème de la crème of the corporate world, companies like Disney, General Motors and Verizon. Known for their strong financial foundations, longevity, and a healthy flow of dividends, blue chip stocks have long been the go-to for investors seeking steady returns. Their values have surged so high that they’ve been buoying the broader market even as many blue chips have struggled. The problem is that despite being included in blue chip ETF indexes, companies like Nvidia and Tesla aren’t truly blue chip stocks, George Pearkes, an analyst at Bespoke, told CNN.

Persons: Tesla, ”, Henry Allen, George Pearkes, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, Read, Brian Fung, Joe Biden, Frank Pallone Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Disney, General Motors, Verizon, Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Investment, Nasdaq, Big Tech, Deutsche Bank, Tesla, Target, Pfizer, Nike, Charter Communications, CNN, Tech, —, House Democrats, New, New Hampshire voters, YouMail, House Energy, Commerce Locations: New York, DC, —, New Hampshire

☆ Kids aren’t safe on social media, lawmakers say. Tech CEOs are back in DC this week to pledge (again) that they’ll handle it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Until now, the social platforms have largely had the same response: We’ll help teens and families make smart decisions themselves. But now, with growing claims that social media can hurt young users, including worries that it risks driving them to depression or even suicide, online safety advocates say that response falls far short. This month Meta announced a proposed blueprint for federal legislation calling for app stores, not social media companies, to verify users’ ages and enforce an age minimum. Safety action beyond CongressAs efforts to rein in tech platforms have ground to a standstill on Capitol Hill, much of the momentum for regulating social media has picked up outside the halls of Congress. Elsewhere, state-backed and consumer lawsuits against the companies are ramping up pressure to regulate tech platforms as the litigation reveals more about their inner workings.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, ”, Jeff Chester, TikTok, ’, Meta, ’ Instagram, Frances Haugen, Josh Golin, Zamaan Qureshi, Qureshi, Elon Musk, X, ” Golin Organizations: CNN, —, Center for Digital Democracy, Meta, Center, ” Locations: —, Arkansas , Louisiana , Ohio , Utah, Austin , Texas

☆ TECH'S JOB-CUTS JANUARY
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . But by the third week of the month, layoffs had become a reality for many in tech. More than 70 tech companies have swung the ax so far this year, affecting more than 13,000 workers, according to tracker Layoffs.fyi. January is historically a common month for layoffs as companies adjust budgets and plans for a new year. In January 2023, more than 270 tech companies laid off nearly 90,000 employees, according to Layoffs.fyi.

Persons: —, Sundar Pichai, Dan Clancy, it's, Jason Citron Organizations: Industry, Google, Service, Tech, Workers, Prime, Amazon MGM Studios, YouTube, eBay Locations: TikTok, overhiring

The Discord app is seen on an iPhone in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland, on April 3, 2021. Discord will lay off 17% of the company's workforce, which equates to 170 employees, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday. Discord, which ranked 18th on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list for 2023, was valued at about $15 billion in 2021 at the height of the tech boom. Layoffs have been a big story across the tech landscape since the calendar turned to 2024. WATCH: Google to lay off hundreds as big tech layoffs continue

Persons: Jason Citron, Bob Carrigan Organizations: Google, Unity Software Locations: Warsaw, Poland

☆ US Marshals serve CEOs of X and Discord with congressional subpoenas ahead of Big Tech child safety hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Tech CEOs are once again being summoned to Congress to testify about their business practices — and this time, the US Marshals Service is getting involved. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee said it had subpoenaed three top social media executives — X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Discord CEO Jason Citron — for a Dec. 6 hearing on children’s online safety and content moderation. “At our February hearing on protecting children’s safety online, we promised Big Tech that they’d have their chance to explain their failures to protect kids. In a statement, X said it has been cooperating with the committee. “We have been working in good faith to participate in the Judiciary committee’s hearing on child protection online as safety is our top priority at X,” said Wifredo Fernandez, head of US & Canada government affairs at X.

Persons: —, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron —, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, Yaccarino, Citron, ”, Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, X, “, Wifredo Fernandez, ” Meta, didn’t Organizations: CNN — Tech, US Marshals Service, Committee, US, Big Tech, Republican, ” Locations: Sens, Canada

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee has issued bipartisan subpoenas to the CEOs of Discord, Snap and X, demanding that the heads of the three companies testify at a December hearing on protecting children online. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the panel, announced Monday that they had issued the subpoenas to Discord CEO Jason Citron, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, “after repeated refusals to appear” during weeks of negotiations. "Big Tech’s failure to police itself at the expense of our kids cannot go unanswered,” the two senators said in a statement. The committee said that “in a remarkable departure from typical practice," Discord and X refused to accept service of the subpoenas and the panel was forced to enlist the U.S. Durbin and Graham said the committee remains in discussions with both Meta and TikTok and expects their CEOs, Mark Zuckerberg and Shou Zi Chew, to testify voluntarily.

Persons: Dick Durbin, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Jason Citron, Evan Spiegel, Linda Yaccarino, “, X, Durbin, Graham, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, Barbara Ortutay Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, South, Republican, U.S . Marshals Service, Social, Meta, Facebook, Associated Press Locations: South Carolina, Washington, San Francisco

☆ Discord CEO Jason Citron: 15% of our workforce is dedicated to trust and safety
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Discord CEO Jason Citron: 15% of our workforce is dedicated to trust and safetyJason Citron, Discord co-founder and CEO, joins 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk user growth, partnerships with Xbox and Playstation, user safety, the possibility of going public and more.

Persons: Jason Citron, Jim Cramer Organizations: Xbox

☆ Discord to roll out AI-powered chatbot, messaging features
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Discord, which lets groups of users chat by text, video and voice, said it will revamp a bot called Clyde, who will now be powered by OpenAI technology. Discord users can invoke the AI-powered Clyde to answer trivia questions, help schedule meetings or recommend playlists, the company said. The tool will begin to roll out next week in a limited number of Discord groups, the company said. Discord said it will also experiment with OpenAI technology to improve an existing content moderation tool that helps automatically block harmful or unwanted messages from a Discord chat. The revamped tool can flag messages to moderators and also understand the context of the conversation, the company said.

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