Daily Tech Roundup: March 30, 2021

Significant developments occurred today within the tech industry, including Google's exploration of new advertising technologies, PayPal's expanded cryptocurrency capabilities, and additional funding secured by Substack. This summary details the key events.

Google's New Ad Targeting Approach

Google is currently evaluating a novel ad targeting system. This new technology, known as Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), is being tested in a developer trial.

FLoC is designed as a replacement for traditional, personally identifiable cookies, which are gradually being discontinued by Google and other major platforms. The system analyzes user browsing habits and categorizes individuals into groups based on shared interests, facilitating ad targeting.

Initial rollout of the trial is focused on several geographic regions, notably including the United States. However, deployment in Europe is delayed due to concerns regarding adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy standards.

Updates from Major Tech Companies

YouTube is experimenting with concealing dislike counts on videos. This is being implemented as a limited experiment, altering video designs to hide the total number of dislikes while retaining the dislike button functionality.

The vote count has commenced for the historic union election at Amazon’s facility in Bessemer, Alabama. This election represents a pivotal moment in contemporary American labor movements.

PayPal has introduced a new feature enabling US customers to utilize cryptocurrency for purchases. This enhancement builds upon the company’s existing investments within the cryptocurrency market.

Startup Funding and Venture Capital News

Cameo, the platform for celebrity video requests, has achieved unicorn status following a $100 million funding round. The company experienced substantial growth, particularly during the pandemic.

Substack has confirmed a $65 million funding raise and intends to significantly increase its financial support for independent writers. While specific growth metrics weren't disclosed, Substack reports having “over half a million” paid subscribers.

NFT art marketplace SuperRare has secured $9 million in Series A funding. Since its launch in 2018, SuperRare has distinguished itself through a curated, early access platform.

Extra Crunch Insights

An in-depth analysis of the Tonal EC-1 fitness startup is available. This follows similar deep dives into companies like Patreon, Niantic, Roblox, Kobalt, and Unity.

Further analysis questions the $650 million valuation of Substack, offering additional perspectives on the company’s financial standing.

(Extra Crunch is a membership program designed to assist founders and startup teams. Registration is available here.)

Other Notable News

A significant number of imported console games have been removed from Chinese online stores. Several grey market videogame console vendors on Taobao have ceased sales and shipping.

Applications are now being accepted for Startup Battlefield at TC Disrupt 2021. TechCrunch is seeking innovative startups globally to participate in the competition during this fall’s event.

The Daily Crunch provides a summary of TechCrunch’s most important stories. Subscribe here to receive this roundup daily at approximately 3pm Pacific time.