Myanmar Blocks Twitter and Instagram

Myanmar's Internet Restrictions and Tech Industry Updates - February 5, 2021

Recent developments include expanded internet restrictions within Myanmar, adjustments to Microsoft’s political lobbying strategies, and a new fund launch by Frontline Ventures. This summarizes the key events in today’s Daily Crunch.

Myanmar Blocks Social Media Platforms

Following a recent directive to block Facebook, the military government in Myanmar has now extended these restrictions to include Twitter and Instagram. This action impacts access to vital communication channels.

The move stems from a military coup that resulted in the transfer of power from the civilian government. Authorities allege that these platforms were utilized for the dissemination of propaganda and misinformation, thereby jeopardizing national stability.

Telenor Group, a major telecommunications provider operating within the country, expressed significant concern regarding this development. The company emphasized the importance of maintaining freedom of expression, particularly during periods of unrest and conflict.

Tech Industry News

Microsoft’s political action committee (PAC) has ceased contributions to legislators who opposed the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. This represents a shift in lobbying priorities towards more progressive organizations.

Peloton is investing $100 million to improve its delivery logistics network. This investment aims to address and alleviate concerns regarding extended delivery times for its fitness products.

PayPal is discontinuing its domestic payments services in India. This decision comes after less than four years of operating within the world’s second-largest internet market.

Startups, Funding, and Venture Capital

Dublin-based Frontline Ventures has secured a new seed fund totaling $83.8 million. The firm intends to allocate these funds to approximately 45 European B2B startups over the next four years.

BeGreatTV is launching a platform offering educational courses modeled after MasterClass, but focused on instruction from Black and brown innovators. These courses will concentrate on practical execution and success strategies within specific industries.

The founders of a sustainability-focused podcast are transitioning their platform into a venture capital-backed business, Brightly. This evolution is based on positive feedback and validation received from their listener base.

Extra Crunch Insights

Lightspeed’s Gaurav Gupta and Grafana’s Raj Dutt shared their perspectives on crafting effective pitch decks, establishing pricing strategies, and developing a compelling narrative. They detailed their collaboration during Grafana’s Series A and subsequent Series B funding rounds.

The recent activity surrounding GameStop shares contributed to Robinhood’s ability to raise $3.4 billion last week. This demonstrates the company’s capacity to secure substantial capital investment.

TechCrunch highlighted several promising companies from 500 Startups’ latest demo day, as selected by Alex Wilhelm and Jonathan Shieber.

(Extra Crunch is a membership program designed to support founders and startup teams. Subscription details can be found here.)

Additional News

The House of Representatives took action against a Republican lawmaker for promoting violent conspiracy theories. Marjorie Taylor Greene asserted that her previous involvement with QAnon is no longer current.

An “Orwellian” AI-powered lie detection project is facing legal challenges in the EU court. This case raises ethical and efficacy concerns regarding the European Union’s research and development initiatives.

TechCrunch Sessions: Justice will explore the critical importance of accessible product design. This event, scheduled for March 3, will emphasize integrating accessibility considerations from the outset of the design process.

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