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☆ Fanatics Hires Google Executive to Lead Push Into Live-Streamed Shopping
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Fanatics sees the potential for success thanks in large part to its internal database of some 90 million sports fans, said Mr. Bell. It will host video events led by digital content creators and influencers who focus on trading cards. Much of the initial content will focus on “breaking,” in which creators will open new boxes of trading cards live on camera and sell them to followers. Viewers will be able to buy cards directly from Fanatics’ app or website, with the company taking a portion of that sale, said Mr. Bell. Fanatics’ valuation reached $31 billion in December after a $700 million fundraising round led by private-equity firm Clearlake Capital Group LP.

☆ Democratic senator urges Apple and Google to ban TikTok from their app stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —A member of the Senate Intelligence Committee is calling on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores over concerns about national security, in the latest indication of mounting scrutiny on the short-form video app from members of Congress. The laws in question, Bennet wrote, require organizations in the country to “cooperate with state intelligence work” and to allow the government to access company resources. China could potentially try to shape what US users see on the app, Bennet warned, with possible implications for foreign policy and democracy. Apple, Google and TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Some other US officials have also called on Apple and Google to voluntarily remove TikTok from their app stores.

☆ Who is Shou Zi Chew? Mounting scrutiny on TikTok could put new spotlight on its CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Months later, when TikTok was grilled by Congress over privacy and security concerns, Pappas was the TikTok executive in the hot seat fielding questions. But Chew, who took over as TikTok CEO in April 2021, has largely stayed out of the spotlight at a time when the app he leads can’t seem to avoid it. He eventually went on to become the CFO of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, which he helped take public in 2018. While Chew is not a Chinese national, Quint noted Chinese tech companies and leaders that have drawn too much attention to themselves have faced tough government crackdowns. Ultimately, Quint said, “I don’t think the CEO of TikTok has much relevance at all” for US lawmakers scrutinizing its ties to China.

☆ TikTok confirms that journalists’ data was accessed by employees of its parent company
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —TikTok parent company ByteDance has fired four employees who improperly accessed the personal data of two journalists on the platform, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter confirmed to CNN Thursday. TikTok user data from the two journalists, who worked for the Financial Times and BuzzFeed, was accessed while ByteDance employees were investigating potential employee leaks to the press, according to the company. “The individuals involved misused their authority to obtain access to TikTok user data,” TikTok CEO Shou Chew said in his email to employees, according to an excerpt of the email reviewed by CNN. In October, Forbes reported that ByteDance planned to use TikTok data to surveil certain US citizens. It has also said it has taken steps to isolate US user data from other parts of its business, including through a partnership with US-based Oracle.

☆ China decoupling takes one step forward, one back
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

It has pushed for reshoring production of electric vehicles and silicon chips, and legislated to delist Chinese companies from New York. Europe, Japan, Australia and India have implemented their own measures ranging from restrictions on Chinese investment, excluding equipment from telecoms networks, and banning consumer apps. The impact the pandemic has had on Chinese supply chains has retroactively validated the push to separate. For politicians who hope to replicate the Chinese supply chain via tax tweaks, subsidies and sanctions, it’s worth remembering China started building out the requisite logistical infrastructure in the 1980s. Non-financial outbound direct investment in the same 10-month period rose 10.3% year-on-year to 627.4 billion yuan, Shu said.

☆ As Meta and Twitter slash staff, TikTok plans to keep hiring
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —While much of Silicon Valley is grappling with hiring freezes and job cuts, at least one social media company is still planning to keep hiring: TikTok. News of TikTok’s hiring plans was first reported by The Information. The shift in the hiring landscape in Silicon Valley could help TikTok as it looks to appease critics and cement its position in the United States, and also as it works to expand into new product categories. TikTok’s career portal website currently lists more than 4,000 global positions, though it is not clear how often the hiring site is updated. “We are still hiring,” Chew said at the conference last week, “although, you know, at a pace that we think has corresponds with the global challenges that we’re facing.”

☆ TikTok Hires Former NBA CMO as Its New Marketing Chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

ByteDance Inc.’s TikTok named the National Basketball Association’s former top marketer, Kate Jhaveri, as its global head of marketing as the video-sharing platform aims to continue its growth. Ms. Jhaveri will oversee the social-media platform’s consumer and brand marketing, reporting to Vanessa Pappas, TikTok’s chief operating officer, the spokeswoman said. Ms. Jhaveri also will head up TikTok’s marketing to content creators on the platform, and will work closely with Sofia Hernandez, TikTok’s global head of business marketing. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CMO Today CMO Today delivers the most important news of the day for media and marketing professionals. Ms. Jhaveri had been chief marketing officer of the NBA from 2019 until August this year.

☆ Alibaba’s Jack Ma and China’s super-rich see billions wiped off fortunes as economy slows
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

China’s super-rich saw their wealth tumble by the most in over two decades this year, as the Russia-Ukraine war, Beijing’s zero-Covid measures and falling mainland and Hong Kong stock markets pummeled fortunes, according to an annual rich list. Tencent founder Pony Ma posted the second largest drop in wealth amid sliding tech stock prices. The founder of TikTok owner ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, took second place, but saw his wealth fall 28% to $35 billion due to a drop in ByteDance’s valuation. Tencent (TCEHY) founder Pony Ma posted the second largest drop in wealth of $14.6 billion amid sliding tech stock prices, to take fifth place on the list. Alibaba (BABA) founder Jack Ma and his family tumbled four places to be ranked No.

☆ ByteDance might deserve its most-watched status
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It’s a good show despite a stalled initial public offering plan, a global tech rout, and a politically difficult reception for its popular short-video streaming app. The company eked out an operating profit, too, in the first three months this year. ByteDance might be eating its rival’s lunch in more ways than one. (By Yawen Chen)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFollow @Breakingviews on Twitter(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

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