Missouri Governor Threatens Journalist Over Data Leak - The Daily Crunch

Daily Crunch: October 15, 2021

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Welcome to Daily Crunch

Greetings, and welcome to the Daily Crunch for October 15, 2021. Wishing you a happy Friday, and acknowledging our collective success in navigating a particularly busy week.

Time is running out to take advantage of discounted rates for our upcoming space-focused event. Don't miss the opportunity to participate!

Let's Dive Into the News

Without further delay, let's proceed to examine the latest developments and noteworthy stories from the tech world. – Alex

TechCrunch's Top 3 Updates

Here's a rundown of the most noteworthy tech news as reported by TechCrunch.

Missouri Governor's Misunderstanding of Cybersecurity

A recent incident highlights a concerning lack of understanding regarding cybersecurity practices. The governor of Missouri mistakenly categorized a journalist’s disclosure of website vulnerabilities as malicious hacking.

This situation underscores a broader issue of digital literacy, particularly as it relates to responsible disclosure and the role of journalism in identifying security weaknesses.

Instacart Shopper Strike Action

Instacart shoppers are preparing to engage in strike action this Saturday. The protest centers around concerns regarding inadequate compensation and insufficient communication from the company.

This labor dispute is part of a larger trend, often referred to as “Striketober,” involving increased worker activism across various sectors. The outcome of this strike could set a precedent for gig economy worker rights.

Apple Removes Quran App in China

Apple has removed the “Quran Majeed” application from its Chinese app store following a request from Chinese regulators.

The app, which provides access to the Islamic holy text and prayer resources, was taken down shortly after Microsoft announced its withdrawal of LinkedIn from mainland China. This action raises concerns about the influence of the Chinese government on app availability and freedom of religious expression, especially considering the documented human rights issues faced by Muslims within China.

This decision by Apple is significant given the Chinese state’s history of mistreatment towards its Muslim population.

Startups and Venture Capital Updates

Today, we'll be focusing on recent developments within the startup ecosystem. Given it's Friday, we'll take a more relaxed approach to the updates.

First, Rebecca Bellan has published an insightful article detailing startups focused on improving transportation access for growing middle classes globally. The article specifically mentions companies like “Swvl, Treepz, Jatri, SafeBoda, Urbvan, Chalo and Buser,” among others. This is a valuable resource for those following transportation technology.

Andy Stinnes, a General Partner at Cloud Apps Capital Partners, recently shared an essay examining the current venture capital bull market. While generally beneficial for founders, Stinnes argues that the trends are more complex and unevenly distributed across different funding stages – from seed to late stage. Founders seeking funding should find this analysis particularly useful.

Our own Taylor Hatmaker explored Core, a metaverse platform, and found it visually impressive and remarkably “seamless.” This exploration offers a glimpse into the potential future of both gaming and social networking.

Prior to our startup overview, I authored a fictional interview with a hypothetical CEO regarding a potential IPO. Further details can be found here.

• SoundCloud and Pandora Collaborate on New Radio Station: While Spotify ascended to dominance in the music streaming market, SoundCloud maintained its focus on independent artists. Its continued success has surprised many. Now, SoundCloud has announced a partnership with Pandora, potentially expanding its reach.
• Clubhouse Introduces “Music Mode” for Musicians: Continuing with the musical theme, Clubhouse has implemented a new feature designed to enhance live music streaming for artists. Perhaps Clubhouse can now be considered a digital coffeehouse?
• Spot AI Emerges from Stealth with Innovative Security Tool: Having secured $22 million in funding, Spot AI has officially launched its security camera search tool. The company’s technology analyzes video footage, making it searchable. This is a compelling, though somewhat unsettling, innovation.

The Advantages of Internal Legal Counsel: A Hiring Guide

A shift towards establishing in-house legal departments is becoming increasingly common, attracting experienced attorneys from larger firms to the startup environment, as noted by Tim Parilla, Chief Legal Officer at LinkSquares.

Several factors motivate this career transition for legal professionals. These include the pursuit of improved work-life integration and the desire to cultivate and lead a dedicated legal team.

Furthermore, the opportunity to contribute to a company with a strong, defined purpose is a significant draw for many.

From the perspective of startup founders, bringing legal expertise in-house provides access to a dedicated professional with the capacity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the company’s specific operations.

This represents a departure from the often-expensive and less-focused services of traditional external law firms.

Key Considerations When Recruiting a General Counsel

Parilla provides comprehensive guidance for startup leaders navigating the process of identifying and recruiting an in-house counsel.

His advice extends to outlining characteristics that suggest a candidate may not be the right fit for the organization’s needs.

(Access to exclusive insights and resources for founders and startup teams is available through TechCrunch+. Sign up for membership here.)

Big Tech Inc.

Recent investigations have demonstrated the capability of Facebook’s advertising platforms to target individual users. This targeting method relies on possessing sufficient data regarding Facebook’s internal user profile, raising privacy concerns.

Facebook’s Custom Audience feature, while powerful, appears to offer a level of personalization that some may find disconcerting.

Shifting Automotive Preferences

Consumer demand is increasingly favoring electric sports cars, even over established gasoline-powered icons. Despite the legendary status of the Porsche 911, it has been surpassed in sales by its electric counterpart.

According to reports from TechCrunch, the Porsche Taycan outsold the 911 throughout the first three quarters of 2021 – a development that was not widely anticipated.

“Animal Crossing” Update

Nintendo has announced a significant update for the popular game, “Animal Crossing.” This update, scheduled for release on November 5th, is titled Happy Home Paradise.

The name suggests the update will focus on expanding home design and customization options within the game.

Global Smartphone Sales Decline

Worldwide smartphone sales experienced a 6% decrease last year. This downturn is largely attributed to the ongoing global chip shortage, which is impacting numerous industries.

The chip shortage is affecting sectors ranging from automotive manufacturing to computer production, and is also contributing to geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning the status of Taiwan.

TechCrunch Experts

Startup founders are being contacted to share their preferred resources for current growth marketing strategies.

Participation in a survey to gather this information is available here.

A sample testimonial received is presented below.

Marketer: Ki from WITHIN

Recommended by: Anonymous

Testimonial: For more than three years, Ki has provided support to our company.

He consistently identifies innovative methods to surpass anticipated results.

This includes successfully launching products that achieve rapid sell-out times, measured in days instead of weeks.

Furthermore, Ki facilitates the swift integration of new team members, enabling quicker contributions.

His ability to operate both strategically with Vice Presidents and analytically with data specialists is remarkable.

This broad skillset places him among the top 1% of marketers, representing the highest echelon of expertise.

Engage with the Community

Walter Thompson will be hosting a Twitter Spaces discussion on Tuesday, October 19th, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time / 6:00 PM Eastern Time.

During this session, Thompson will detail the criteria TechCrunch uses when evaluating submissions for guest posts.

Discussion Focus

The conversation will center around understanding what TechCrunch editors seek in potential contributions from external writers.

Attendees will gain insights into the qualities of successful guest submissions.

• The event is scheduled for October 19th.
• It will begin at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET.
• The discussion will be held on Twitter Spaces.

This is a valuable opportunity to learn directly from someone involved in the editorial process at TechCrunch.