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☆ He prosecuted child sex predators. Now, he’s going after Meta for allegedly enabling them
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Meta, along with other major social media companies, faces growing scrutiny over the safety of young users on its platforms. But of the several lawsuits filed against Meta over child safety in recent years, none have focused as pointedly as Torrez’s case on alleged child sexual exploitation. In some cases, Torrez said he volunteered to take child abuse cases and to visit safe houses to conduct interviews with child victims. The New Mexico Attorney General's office alleges it found in an investigation of Facebook and Instagram accounts promoting sexualized images of minors. Meta also says it has removed hundreds of thousands of accounts, groups and devices for violating its child safety policies.

Persons: Raúl Torrez, Torrez, Presiliano Torrez, ”, Mark Zuckerberg, pornographers, General Raúl Torrez, Countess, ” Torrez, Zuckerberg, Frances Haugen, ” Meta, Obama, Meta, Rebecca Wright, —, Linda Atkinson, aren’t, “, New Mexico Attorney General's, Issa Bee, Issa, you’re, Nkechi Nneji, Evelyn Hockstein, Ann Olivarius, McAlister Olivarius Organizations: New, New York CNN, Facebook, Meta, Tech, Getty, CNN, Communications, ”, Harvard, London School of Economics, Stanford Law School, New Mexico Department of Justice, New Mexico Attorney, PayPal, National Center for, Force, Reuters, Bureau, US News Locations: New York, New Mexico, Torrez, Washington ,, Albuquerque, Mexico, ”, Bernalillo County, Torrez’s, United States

☆ Before 'Barbie', Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig was rejected by every writing program she applied to
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The 40-year-old multihyphenate has been nominated for four Academy Awards, once for directing "Lady Bird" and three times for her writing. "I got rejected from every graduate school I applied to," she once said in an appearance on the "Employee of the Month" podcast. The challenge of breaking into the industry also had another side effect: for years, Gerwig was hesitant to negotiate her salary. In a 2020 interview with CNBC Make It, she said she worried about asking "for too much." Regardless of whether she takes home a statuette for "Barbie", Gerwig isn't facing much rejection these days.

Persons: Greta Gerwig, Barbie, Frances Ha, Joe Swanberg's, Hanna, Gerwig, didn't Organizations: Yale, Juilliard, NYU, CNBC, Netflix Locations: Hollywood

☆ Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen says Zuckerberg's apology to families a 'turning point'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Taylor Craig | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen felt co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress was "powerful" on Wednesday — especially when he turned to apologize directly to families who blamed the toxicity of social media for the loss of a loved one. "That apology, I think, is a turning point because it's the first time he's actually had to visibly face the consequences of his choices," Haugen said on CNBC's Last Call. The hearing regarding child safety on social media featured several prominent tech CEOs from Discord, Snap , TikTok, and X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Haugen, the former Facebook product manager turned whistleblower who leaked a trove of internal documents to the Wall Street Journal in 2021, said the apology was amplified by the many families in attendance. Many of the internal documents Haugen leaked detailed the company's knowledge of the potentially harmful impact social media platforms Facebook and Instagram may have on underage users.

Persons: Frances Haugen, Mark Zuckerberg's, he's, Haugen, Zuckerberg, Missouri Republican Sen, Josh Hawley, Hawley, You've Organizations: Missouri Republican, Facebook, Wall Street Locations: Missouri

☆ Mark Zuckerberg's apology during hearing a 'turning point', says Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMark Zuckerberg's apology during hearing a 'turning point', says Meta whistleblower Frances HaugenHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Mark, Frances Haugen, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: CNBC

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: A lot of great films by women got snubbed by the Oscars and none of them are ‘Barbie’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Opinion Hannah Ryan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —It’s Oscars season and “Barbie” is dominating the discourse. But here’s the thing; “Barbie” is neither smart enough nor interesting enough to be inspiring this level of uproar. It’s also important to remember that “Barbie” has most certainly not been ignored by the Academy Awards’ members. It has eight nominations – which is far more than many of 2023’s other women-directed films got. While “Barbie” achieved cultural phenomenon status last year, other films that took a more complicated approach to womanhood were shut out of the Oscars and the mainstream awards circuit completely.

Persons: Hannah Ryan, CNN —, “ Barbie ”, Hannah Ryan Hannah Ryan, Greta Gerwig’s, Margot Robbie didn’t, Robbie, Gerwig, Hillary Clinton, Ryan Gosling, Ken, Barbie’s, Barbie ”, “ Barbie, ”, Frances Ha ”, Barbie, Ken –, It’s, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla ”, Priscilla Presley’s, Elvis –, Molly Manning Walker’s, –, Ava DuVernay’s, Cailee Spaeny, Mia Mckenna, Bruce, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Isabel Wilkerson’s, Priscilla ”, Lily Gladstone, Martin Scorsese, Gladstone, Bird ”, Wes Anderson’s, Rockwell’s, haven’t Organizations: CNN International, CNN, Mattel, Academy, Pulitzer, Cannes Film Locations: The, A.V

☆ Former researcher alleges Harvard forced her out to preserve Facebook donations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Eamon Javers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

WASHINGTON — Social media researcher Joan Donovan says she knows the exact moment her career began to go off the rails. "I got called into the principal's office and was questioned about why I'm talking about Facebook," Donovan said. In a statement to CNBC, Harvard Kennedy School Director of Public Affairs James Smith disputed Donovan's account of her departure. "The narrative is full of inaccuracies and baseless insinuations, particularly the suggestion that Harvard Kennedy School allowed Facebook to dictate its approach to research." Smith told CNBC that Harvard University and the Kennedy School continue to carry out misinformation and social media research to this day.

Persons: Harvard Kennedy, Joan Donovan, Donovan, John F, Frances Haugen, Haugen, Elliot Schrage, Schrage, Nick Clegg, Clegg, didn't, Douglas Elmendorf, Dean Elmendorf, Sheryl Sandberg, Sandberg, Elmendorf, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan –, –, Zuckerberg's, Guillermo S, Hava, Eleanor V, Wikstrom, —, Chan, Public Affairs James Smith, Smith, Kennedy, Chan Zuckerberg, Donovan's Organizations: Harvard, Media Politics, WASHINGTON — Social, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Dean's Council, CNBC, Meta, Facebook, Dean's, Kennedy School, Elmendorf, Harvard's Kennedy School, Twitter, Google, Washington Post, Initiative, Technology, Research, Whistleblower, Massachusetts, U.S . Department of Education's, Civil Rights, Harvard Kennedy School, Public Affairs, School, Kennedy, Media, Politics, Public, Tech, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Locations: Malden, Harvard, Central, Dean's, FBarchive.org

☆ Former Harvard disinformation scholar says she was pushed out of her job after college faced pressure from Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A nationally recognized online disinformation researcher has accused Harvard University of shutting the project she led to protect its relationship with mega-donor and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The allegations, made by Dr. Joan Donovan, raise questions about the influence the tech giant might have over seemingly independent research. Beginning in 2018, Dr. Donovan worked for the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and ran its Technology and Social Change Research Project, where she led studies of media manipulation campaigns. But last year Harvard informed Dr. Donovan it was shutting the project down, Donovan claims. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is the philanthropy run by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, who both attended Harvard.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Joan Donovan, Donovan, Harvard University’s John F, Dr, Miguel Cardona, Chan, Chan Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, ” Libby Liu, Frances Haugen, “ We’ve, ” Liu Organizations: CNN, Harvard University, Meta, Shorenstein, Harvard University’s, Kennedy School of Government, Technology, Research, Harvard, US Education, University, Initiative, The Washington Post, Post, Big Energy, Big Pharma

☆ Judge dismisses Indiana state’s lawsuit against TikTok over child safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the state of Indiana against TikTok accusing the company of making false claims about the safety of user data and age-appropriate content. Judge Jennifer DeGroote of Allen County Superior Court in Fort Wayne, Indiana, said the court “lacks personal jurisdiction” over TikTok and that downloading an app at no cost does not constitute a “consumer transaction” under the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, according to court documents. Similar lawsuits now remain active in other states including Arkansas and Utah. The lawsuit alleged TikTok attracts young people to its platform under the pretense that it’s safe yet still exposes them to inappropriate content including drug and alcohol use, nudity and profanity. Indiana was also one of the first states that ordered TikTok to be banned on government-issued devices, citing the threat of “gaining access to critical U.S. information and infrastructure.”- CNN’s Clare Duffy contributed to this report

Persons: CNN —, TikTok, Jennifer DeGroote, Todd Rokita, ”, Rokita, ” TikTok, “, Frances Haugen, CNN’s Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN, Superior Court, Associated Press, Indiana, TikTok, Big Tech, Communist Party, Instagram Locations: Indiana, Allen, Fort Wayne , Indiana, Arkansas, Utah

☆ Mark Zuckerberg can kiss 'Hot Zuck Summer' goodbye. Instagram is now in full crisis mode.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementFor a few weeks in July, an uncanny phrase permeated the air that mildly pained some who typed it: "Hot Zuck Summer." And although "Hot Zuck Summer" might have been a lighthearted take on Zuckerberg, the latest scandal is anything but. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported the disturbing way that sexualized content of children was served to adults through Instagram's Reels. Those accounts were then recommended Reels for adult sexual content and sexualized child content, the Journal reported. "Hot Zuck Summer" has turned into "Instagram Nightmare Fall."

Persons: Instagram, —, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Zuckerberg, Frances Haugen, Meta, Sheryl Sandberg, Sandberg, Liza Crenshaw, Adam, Mosseri Organizations: Service, Elon, Street Journal, Canadian Centre for Child Protection, U.S, Walmart, Lean, Business, Meta, Facebook Locations: Massachusetts

☆ Meta collected children’s data from Instagram accounts, unsealed court document alleges
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The federal complaint calls for court orders prohibiting Meta from the practices the attorneys general allege violate the law. Civil penalties could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars, as Meta allegedly hosts millions of users who are teens and children. However, despite the company’s internal research confirming concerns with social comparison on its platforms, the lawsuit alleges Meta refused to change its algorithm. Eight additional attorneys general sued Meta last month in various state courts, making similar claims to the massive multistate federal lawsuit. Florida sued Meta in its own separate federal lawsuit, alleging the company misled users about potential health risks of its products.

Persons: Meta, “ Meta’s, ” Meta, Antigone Davis, “ We’ve, ”, Instagram, Adam Mosseri, “ Meta, Letitia James, ” James, Frances Haugen, Brian Fung Organizations: CNN, Meta, COPPA, Facebook, “, “ Social Locations: New York, Florida

☆ Mark Zuckerberg ignored teen and user safety warnings from Meta executives
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The disclosures highlight Zuckerberg’s sway over decisions at Meta that can affect billions of users. And they also shed light on tensions that have occasionally arisen between Zuckerberg and other Meta officials who have pushed to enhance user well-being. In response to the newly unsealed communications, Meta spokesman Andy Stone said such image filters are commonly used in the industry. “These unreacted documents prove that Mark Zuckerberg is not interested in protecting anyone’s privacy or safety. “Clegg’s comments follow a pattern and practice at Meta where employees repeatedly flagged under-investment in well-being tools, despite having the research,” Qureshi said.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, —, Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, Global Affairs Nick Clegg, Karina Newton, Fidji Simo, Margaret Gould Stewart, Simo, Mosseri, Stewart, Newton, Andrew Bosworth, Andy Stone, ” Stone, “, Stone, Meta, Clegg, Frances, Instagram, Haugen, ” Zuckerberg, Susan Li, Li, David Ginsberg, Ginsburg, Li “, Arturo Bejar, Bejar, Instagram’s, ” Bejar, I’ve, ”, Sacha Haworth, Zamaan Qureshi, ” Qureshi Organizations: CNN —, Facebook, Global Affairs, Massachusetts, Meta, CNN, ” Tech, Technology, Tech Locations: Massachusetts, United States, Mosseri

Béjar points to user perception surveys that show, for instance, that 13% of Instagram users — ages 13-15 — reported having received unwanted sexual advances on the platform within the previous seven days. Béjar said he doesn’t believe the reforms he’s suggesting would significantly affect revenue or profits for Meta and its peers. Meta, in a statement, said “Every day countless people inside and outside of Meta are working on how to help keep young people safe online. Today's testimony comes just two weeks after dozens of U.S. states sued Meta for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis. The lawsuits, filed in state and federal courts, claim that Meta knowingly and deliberately designs features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

Persons: Frances Haugen, Arturo Béjar, Mark Zuckerberg, ‘, ”, “, ” Béjar, Zuckerberg, Instagram, Béjar, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Missouri Sen, Josh Hawley, —, doesn’t, ’, Meta Organizations: Facebook, Wall Street, Meta, Associated Press, Connecticut Democrat, AP, “ Locations: Connecticut, Missouri

☆ Meta failed to act to protect teens, second whistleblower testifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A second Meta whistleblower testified before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, this time describing his fruitless efforts to flag the extent of harmful effects its platforms could have on teens to top leadership at the company. Meta leadership was aware of prevalent harms to its youngest users but declined to take adequate action to address it, Bejar told lawmakers on Tuesday. "When I returned in 2019, I thought they didn't know," Bejar testified. Part of the issue, according to Bejar, is that Meta directs resources toward tackling a "very narrow definition of harm." If one user restricts a second user, only the second user will be able to see their own comments on user one's posts.

Persons: Arturo Bejar, Instagram, Bejar, Frances Haugen, Blumenthal, Chris Cox, Cox, Haugen, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Mosseri, Zuckerberg, he'd, Sandberg, Mosseri, Andy Stone, Stone Organizations: Facebook, Privacy, Technology, Capitol, Lawmakers, Law, Meta, Senate Locations: Washington

☆ Meta ignored warnings on Instagram’s harm to teens, whistleblower says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —Meta’s top executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, ignored warnings for years about harms to teens on its platforms such as Instagram, a company whistleblower told a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday. Meanwhile, both parties have united behind blaming Meta for contributing to a nationwide mental health crisis. Bejar’s research “is basically a smoking gun,” Haugen told CNN in an interview Tuesday. “Every day countless people inside and outside of Meta are working on how to help keep young people safe online,” said Meta spokesman Andy Stone in a statement. He said everyday Americans understand “the harm being done” and compared it to harms from smoking.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Arturo Bejar, Bejar, Zuckerberg, Bejar’s, ” Bejar, Frances Haugen, Instagram, ” Haugen, “, Sheryl Sandberg, ”, Andy Stone, Stone, Connecticut Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal ., Josh Hawley, Tennessee Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Adam Mosseri, Sandberg, Chris Cox, Mosseri, ” Blackburn, Louisiana Republican Sen, John Kennedy, we’re, ” Meta, Blumenthal, Cox, Haugen, Hawley, ” Blumenthal, ” CNN’s Samantha Kelly Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington CNN — Meta’s, Facebook, Wall, Meta, CNN, Connecticut Democratic, Big Tech, Tennessee Republican, Louisiana Republican, Wall Street, “ Big Tech, Tobacco Locations: Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal . Missouri, Instagram

☆ Meta has managed to get 33 US states to agree on something
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

See here: More than three dozen states are suing the parent company of Instagram and Facebook over fears that its platforms’ “addictive” features are harming teens’ mental health. In a federal lawsuit filed in California, 33 attorneys general allege that Meta’s products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States. Eight additional attorneys general sued Meta in state courts, making similar claims. And the state of Florida sued the company in its own federal lawsuit alleging it misled users about potential health risks. The federal complaint filed in California calls for court orders prohibiting Meta from violating the law and, in the case of many states, unspecified financial penalties.

Persons: CNN Business ’, New York CNN —, Brian Fung, Frances Haugen, Meta, Jonathan Skrmetti, ”, “ We’re, Haugen, didn’t, can’t, Phil Weiser, Meta’s, you’ll Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Meta, Facebook, Big Tech, Wall Street, ” Colorado, Google Locations: New York, California, United States, Florida, Tennessee

A group of 33 states including California and New York are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people’s mental health and contributing the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. Political Cartoons View All 1215 ImagesThe use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center. Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented.

Persons: ”, Letitia James, “ Meta, Instagram, Frances Haugen, TikTok, Vivek Murthy Organizations: Meta Platforms Inc, Facebook, Meta, New, The Wall Street, Associated Press, Pew Research Center, U.S Locations: California, New York, California , Florida , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Nebraska , New Jersey , Tennessee, Vermont, British, U.S

Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. Almost all teens ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center. Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit. “They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”In May, U.S.

Persons: Meta, ”, Letitia James, “ Meta, ” “ We’re, Instagram, Frances Haugen, Rob Bonta, TikTok, Brian Schwalb, they’re, “, Vivek Murthy, Press Writers Michael Casey, Michael Goldberg, Susan Haigh, Maysoon Khan, Ashraf Khalil Organizations: Meta Platforms Inc, Facebook, Meta, D.C, “, New, The Wall Street, Associated Press, Pew Research Center, Washington D.C, U.S, Press Writers Locations: California, New York, Washington, California , Florida , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Nebraska , New Jersey , Tennessee, Vermont, British, U.S

☆ Meta sued by 42 attorneys general for addictive features targeting kids
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general is suing Meta over addictive features aimed at kids and teens, the AGs announced Tuesday. The support from so many state AGs of different political backgrounds indicates a significant legal challenge to Meta's business. Besides New York, the states that filed the federal suit include California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin. It's also not the first time a broad coalition of state AGs have teamed up to go after Meta. Meta was well aware of the negative effects its design could have on its young users, the AGs allege.

Persons: Letitia James, It's, Meta, James, –, Frances Haugen, Instagram, Haugen, Brian Schwalb, Schwalb, Andy Stone, We're, Joe Biden, Jim Cramer Organizations: AGs, Meta, Northern District of, New York, Federal Trade Commission, Facebook, Street, CNBC, State Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, New York, California , Colorado , Louisiana , Nebraska, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin, America

☆ Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen gives her take on 42 states suing Meta
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMeta whistleblower Frances Haugen gives her take on 42 states suing MetaHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Frances Haugen, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: Meta, CNBC

☆ Our crisis of loneliness, the new bet investors are going after
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Not long after founding the startup, Gaon shared his vision with famed venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. It was notable to Gaon at the time that Andreessen — "one of those investors who's known for seeing where the market is going" — appeared to have pinpointed loneliness as its own market. That moved her parents, Cindy and Anne Jordan, who had sold their first healthtech company years before, to found the Arizona company Pyx Health. "The loneliness crisis is bigger, and more urgent, than anything I've worked on before," Nyborg wrote in a blog post. Inspired debuted a thesis in 2020 that identified loneliness as a key focus for the firm to invest in.

Persons: Benjamin Gaon, Boaz Gaon, Benny, Gaon, Marc Andreessen, Andreessen, Wisdo, —, Anne Wojcicki, Marius Nacht, Andreessen Horowitz, Vivek Murthy, Betsy Hoover, Bumble, Rylie Sarabia, Cindy, Anne Jordan, policyholders, Dawn Owens, it's, Owens, Julie Rice, Elizabeth Cutler, Rice, Peoplehood, Phil Levin, Levin, Culdesac, Renate Nyborg, I've, Nyborg, Hugo Amsellem, He's, Ava, Catalyst, Nate Tepper, Tepper, Adam Besvinick, Frances Haugen, Hoover, Alexa von Tobel, von Tobel, David Spinks Organizations: Pyx, Labs, verve, Investors, Pyx Health, TT Capital Partners, New, Khosla Ventures, Sequoia Capita, AI Fund, NEA, AIs, Looking Glass, Anonymous, Glass, Facebook, Bloomberg Locations: Arizona, Minneapolis, New York, Ava, France, Peoplehood, Hopscotch

☆ Reactions: Bank of England bashes pound after halting rate rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks near the Bank of England in the City of London, Britain, July 30, 2023. Investors had already rushed on Wednesday to reel in their bets on further UK rate rises after data showed UK inflation cooled surprisingly quickly in August. Against the euro , the pound was down 0.5% at 86.74 pence, having traded around 86.70 pence before the decision. "The MPC still refers to its flexibility to react should things change, but the chances are this could be the peak in this UK interest rate cycle." "However, there is a risk that the ‘lag effect’ on interest rate hikes means that today’s decision may not be felt for another 9 to 12 months."

Persons: Hollie Adams, Sterling, THOMAS, Huw Pill's, HUGH GIMBER, PHILIP SHAW, DOUGLAS GRANT, JEREMY BATSTONE, CARR, RAYMOND JAMES, FRANCES HAQUE, JOE TUCKEY, RICHARD GARLAND, GILES COGHLAN, BoE, stagflation, Amanda Cooper, Dhara Organizations: Bank of England, City of, REUTERS, London, Investors, Bank of, Bank, MPC, SANTANDER, LONDON, Core CPI, PMI, CPI, EMEA, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, London, MANX, EUROPEAN, FRANCE, GROUP, OXFORDSHIRE

A day after Britain's fast pace of price growth unexpectedly slowed, the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee voted by the narrowest margin of 5-4 to keep Bank Rate at 5.25%. But rate futures suggested they still saw a 50% chance of Bank Rate rising to 5.5% by the end of this year. Britain's economy, hit hard by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in gas prices triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has been struggling with the highest inflation rate in the Group of Seven. But growth remains fragile, heightening the risk that the BoE's 14 back-to-back rate hikes will push the economy into a recession. Last week, the European Central Bank raised rates but suggested its move might be the last for now.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, Jon Cunliffe, Megan Greene, Jonathan Haskel, Catherine Mann, BoE, Reuters Graphics Sterling, Bailey, Rishi Sunak, Peter Nicholls, Frances Haque, Reuters Graphics Bailey, Yael Selfin, Hugh Gimber, William Schomberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Bank of England, Reuters Graphics, U.S ., MPC, REUTERS, Santander UK, IF, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, KPMG, Investors, Bank of, Morgan Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, Britain

☆ Will Hollywood Learn These 5 Lessons From ‘Barbie’?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | More About Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

But can the runaway success of “Barbie” reshape Hollywood? I’m too cynical to think studio executives will learn all the right lessons from it. Still, “Barbie” proved at least five things to be true, if decision makers are willing to think outside the pink box. A summer movie can be smartly writtenWe count on summer movies to deliver spectacle, but how many also come with a witty, thoughtful script? “Barbie,” by contrast, feels totally thought through instead of frantically rewritten.

Persons: Greta Gerwig’s, Barbie ”, Mario, it’s, Jim Carrey, “ Barbie, they’ll, “ Barbie ”, “ Frances Ha ”, America, Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Barbie Organizations: Mario Bros

☆ Top Meta executive said the company's name change was a success because it beat out coverage of the 'Facebook Papers' revelations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg called it "ridiculous" to connect a new name to ongoing "Facebook Papers" coverage. Cox said the name change was successful, explaining his measure of success was the amount of press coverage of the name change compared to the whistleblower disclosures. "It was more than double the volume of the Facebook Papers coverage," Cox said on the call. "And it was a really big deal because Facebook Papers was a big story, especially inside the US." Are you a Meta employee or someone else with insight to share?

Persons: Meta's, Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Cox, revel, Frances Haugen, Cox, Sheryl Sandberg, Eric Schiffer, Kali Hays Organizations: Facebook, Morning, Meta, Wall Street Journal, Twitter Locations: khays

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