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Every Tuesday and Friday, tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway offer sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. They make bold predictions, pick winners and losers, and bicker and banter like no one else. After all, with great power comes great scrutiny. From New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Uber offers to gobble up GrubHub, Elon Musk is “Re-open America guy”, and a prediction on mergers in digital media
Kara and Scott talk about Uber's offer to buy GrubHub, which would give the company a majority of food delivery market share. They talk about whether this merger would be good for Uber (yes) and whether it would be bad for the commonwealth (also, yes). Meanwhile, Elon Musk is reopening the Tesla factory in California, and his mother is texting Kara about how harsh she's being on her son. In Listener Mail we get a question about companies taking back their upfront ad deals with the major television networks and how that will shake things up in the industry. Scott's prediction is that we are about to see mergers in smaller digital media companies.
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59:4715/05/2020
Amazon might acquire AMC theaters and Friend of Pivot Stephanie Ruhle on business, CARES Act, wins and fails
Kara and Scott talk about Amazon in talks to acquire AMC theaters, Uber earnings and how education will change with white collar workers at home. Scott thinks this may be an opportunity for public schools to gain more resources. Then MSNBC Anchor Stephanie Ruhle joins the show to break down some of the major policy holes in the CARES Act.
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59:0112/05/2020
Facebook's oversight board is the "League of Nations", Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's master class on leadership, and a prediction about Uber's numbers
Kara and Scott talk about Facebook's new oversight board and whether it will be effective in controlling content on the platform. They discuss layoffs at Airbnb and Uber, as well as Uber's investment in the scooter company, Lime. We take a moment of "Comic Relief" with writer and comedian Sarah Cooper whose videos lip syncing Trump's press conferences have gone viral. Scott predicts that Uber is having fast numbers recovery after Covid-19 declines.
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50:4108/05/2020
Congress weighs liability for businesses, Amazon will put its $4billion profit into its supply chain, and Anand Giridharadas on "Rich Corona; Poor Corona"
Kara and Scott talk about whether or not Congress should give businesses legal protections against lawsuits from workers who contract COVID-19. They discuss Amazon's earnings and Jeff Bezos' strategy to put $4billion in profits towards vaccinating and socially distancing the company fulfillment supply chain. Also, they talk about whether Bezos should, and whether he will, testify in front of Congress after the House Judiciary Committee asked for his appearance. In Friend of Pivot we hear from Anand Giridharadas about how the American public system might change post-pandemic.
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01:01:0405/05/2020
Facebook pushes e-commerce business, Uber in trouble, eyes on Amazon Media Group… and a prediction: Sonos gets acquired
Kara and Scott talk about Facebook earnings during the pandemic and the company's push into e-commerce. They discuss Uber's reported lay-offs and other issues facing the ride-share company as their longtime CTO steps down. In Listener Mail and fan from New Zealand asks what the US can do to salvage our brand after our failure to deal with COVID-19 effectively. In predictions, Scott says Amazon is about to be the 2nd most valuable company in the world and that Sonos will get acquired. Meanwhile, Kara thinks movie theaters will get bought by and vertically integrated into studio systems.
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51:3501/05/2020
Amazon under scrutiny; Zoom security expert Alex Stamos explains it all (and talks Facebook), plus some special Wins and Fails
Kara and Scott talk about Senate Democrats being vocal about breaking up Amazon, after a report that the company lied to the House Judiciary Committee. They talk about the Wall Street Journal investigation into Amazon's use of data from third-party sellers. Meanwhile, France upholds a ruling that is keeping Amazon warehouses in the country shuttered until they address workers' health protection concerns. Privacy expert Alex Stamos joins the show to talk about the $5 billion FTC/Facebook settlement and Zoom's new approach to privacy. Clorox is Kara's win and fail.
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01:07:3728/04/2020
Netflix’s Reed Hastings has a huge quarter, Facebook makes big investment in India, Bezos takes the reins at Amazon
Kara and Scott talk about Netflix's biggest quarter yet. The company doubled its projections for how many new subscribers it would acquire. They discuss Facebook's single biggest company investment into Jio – an Indian service provider. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is back at the wheel at Amazon. Kara and Scott talk about Jeff Bezos' most recent letter to shareholders, as Amazon get an even bigger hold on US commerce. A listener asks if face-masks will become high fashion and if that can save more retailers from going bankrupt. Plus Scott gives us some Algebra of Happiness advice.
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56:2224/04/2020
Andreessen tells Silicon Valley it’s “time to build”, Facebook/Google’s ad market hit, Friend of Pivot Rebecca Traister on women’s leadership
Kara and Scott talk about Marc Andreessen's manifesto to Silicon Valley. They also discuss the PPP and the big companies that applied for those loans. They dig into Facebook and Google's digital ad market hit in the past weeks, but Scott doubts it slows the companies' growth. Kara asks Scott if he thinks media companies should be part of the next round of Federal bailouts? In Friend of Pivot, we hear from New York Magazine Senior Writer Rebecca Traister about women's leadership in COVID-19, Feminism and the Joe Biden campaign.
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53:4921/04/2020
World Health Organization in the crosshairs, the robot revolution, Softbank's struggling Vision Fund and a big prediction: Amazon is going to be a $2 trillion company by 2020
Kara and Scott evaluate President Trump's recent business decisions from defunding the W.H.O., to his "council to reopen America", and the public/private partnership. They also talk about the possible end of Vision Fund after SoftBank tells investors they may have lost $16.7 billion this year. A court in France is ordering Amazon to halt operations until they can address worker safety concerns. In Listener Mail, we get a question about whether robots will start replacing essential workers. In predictions, Scott says that Amazon will come out of the pandemic a $2 trillion company.
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01:01:4317/04/2020
Google and Apple team up to track COVID-19, Uber drivers face unemployment hurdles, and Robert Reich says 30% of people may be out of work by summer
Kara and Scott talk about tech giants Google and Apple teaming up to track COVID-19 cases on iPhones and Androids. They also discuss the hurdles ride share drivers are experiencing as they attempt to apply for unemployment insurance; outdated Labor Department guidelines and a lack of data is slowing that process. As Congress thinks about a fourth bail out package, the US Postal Service is asking for funds. Kara and Scott talk about whether USPS should be privatized. Friend of Pivot, economist, former US Labor Secretary Professor Robert Reich joins the show to discuss the stimulus package, unemployment rates and what Joe Biden needs to do to engage voters.
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01:08:1114/04/2020
Dorsey donates 28% of his wealth to COVID-19, Zoom as the poster child for tech privacy and the video-game industry as Amazon enters the production game
Kara and Scott talk about Jack Dorsey's $1 billion donation to fight COVID-19, as well as other tech billionaire's contributions to fight the virus. They think that those contributions can't fill the void of a well funded government through tax dollars. They give an update on Zoom's privacy issues as the company takes on Alex Stamos, Facebook's former security chief. In Listener Mail, Kara and Scott get a question about the massive video game industry as Amazon starts producing its own video games. In predictions, Scott thinks the World Health Organization will be in the Trump administration's cross hairs in the weeks to come.
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55:3910/04/2020
Zoom isn’t as “encrypted” as you think, tech regulation amidst COVID-19, and economist Gene Sperling on being in a “jobs depression”
Kara and Scott talk about privacy issues at Zoom as we move our doctor's appointments, work, therapy, social lives and school onto the platform. They discuss how tech regulations may slow under the cloud cover of COVID-19, the future of CCPA and Silicon Valley lobbyists. In Friend of Pivot, we hear from the former Director of the National Economic Council under President's Clinton and Obama, Gene Sperling. He talks about the 6.6 million people who filed for unemployment in March, the current recession and how it differs from the 2008 financial crisis. In wins, Scott attends a "drive by birthday party" and Kara celebrates a Brooklyn landlord cancelling rent. In fails... Scott's former student Jared Kushner talks about the federal stockpile.
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01:05:1807/04/2020
Sean Hannity has a meltdown. Twitter, Facebook and Google tackle misinformation. Softbank abandons WeWork. PLUS Quibi gets a break.
Kara and Scott talk about Sean Hannity defending his work at Fox News (after Kara called him out for spreading misinformation in the early days of COVID-19). They discuss how the big tech companies are dealing with fact-checking politicians for public health information accuracy. Meanwhile, Softbank is scrapping its buy out of Adam Neumann's shares at WeWork. Also, Kara and Scott talk about several labor strikes that took place this week -- will COVID-19 be a reckoning for corporate America? In Listener Mail, we get a question about whether Quibi's launch during quarantine will accelerate its growth.
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55:0903/04/2020
The Internet is buckling under COVID-19 pressure, Esther Perel on our relationships in quarantine, and the possible Fox News reckoning
Kara and Scott talk about Internet slow downs and how companies are coping as the country starts living their work and personal lives online. They discuss reports that the government is using mobile advertiser geo-location data on your phone to track social distancing and the spread of COVID-19. Friend of Pivot, renowned therapist and podcast host Esther Perel joins Kara and Scott to talk about dealing with grief in a moment of instability, how to be a better partner and colleague during the lockdowns. (Check out her new mini-series off her hit podcast Where Should We Begin?: Couples Under Lockdown, where she offers therapy to couples confined together in quarantine). Winners include Bill Gates, Yamiche Alcindor's showdowns with POTUS, and Italy starting to get ahead of COVID-19. PLUS: Will Fox News finally face a reckoning after the COVID-19 crisis?
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01:03:2131/03/2020
Zoom stock surpasses airlines; MLB, NBA, Olympics are on pause — what happens to the media that covers them? And a Listener Mail about relief package guardrails.
Kara and Scott talk about Zoom's immense stock value in this moment and what the company should do with new power. They discuss what is to come with streaming platforms and media outlets as the 2020 Olympics joins the slew of live sports postponements due to COVID-19. Also, will the WFH movement be the final nail in the weWork coffin? In Listener Mail, Kara and Scott talk about guardrails and bailouts in the recently passed stimulus package. In predictions, Scott expects to see new stock lows in the coming weeks. (PLUS Pivot experiences its own WFH social-distance snafu!)
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59:0627/03/2020
Stimulus package stalled, how Airbnb, Tesla and Uber fare during COVID-19, and Corey Johnson (NYC Speaker) on small businesses and New York on “PAUSE"
Kara and Scott talk about the stimulus package in limbo and the Defense Production Act. They break down how tech companies like Lyft, Airbnb and Tesla are pivoting in the COVID-19 crisis. They think Airbnb probably won’t go public this year. In Friend of Pivot, we talk to New York City Speaker Corey Johnson about how New York City is the US epicenter for COVID-19 cases. He discusses the possibility of rent freezes, the new “PAUSE” order and how small businesses are faring in the upheaval. In wins and fails, Kara thinks Rand Paul being the first Senator to test positive for COVID-19 — and exposing other congresspeople to the disease is a major fail.
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01:08:0124/03/2020
Addressing the US economy (a note from Andrew Yang), data privacy in a public health emergency, and a listener question on the "great WFH-experiment”
Kara and Scott talk about stimulus packages and possible emergency checks to deal with the US economic crisis. We hear a bite from Andrew Yang about why implementing universal basic income in this situation is the next phase of capitalism. As Israel joins Iran and China in using data location to stop the spread of COVID-19, Kara and Scott talk about whether this is a move the United States should attempt. In listener mail, we get a question about whether this "work-from-home-moment" will become permanent...and what will happen to office buildings if it does.
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55:2620/03/2020
The private/public partnership to stop Covid-19, Facebook’s board sees more shakeups, and Kara’s brother Dr. Jeff Swisher on hospitals prepping for coronavirus
Kara and Scott talk about the announced public/private partnerships between major companies and the federal government. They discuss the Trump administration’s misinformation about a Google website that will be developed to triage Covid-19 cases. They touch on changes at Facebook’s board, Kenneth Chenault is the latest to depart. In Friends of Pivot, we hear from a person living under quarantine in Milan, Italy. Then Kara’s brother Dr. Jeff Swisher comes on to talk about how he and hospitals are preparing for the deluge of coronavirus cases in the coming weeks. We ONLY discuss wins this week and for once, it seems like social media is winning.
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55:4517/03/2020
Tech in the time of COVID-19, Congressional antitrust hearing and Google Search, PLUS a listener asks: could Amazon Care roll out COVID-19 tests?
Kara and Scott talk about COVID-19, what tech could do to help, and what we need to see from leadership. We hear from Ron Klain, who was the "Ebola czar" under the Obama administration about why we need COVID-19 tests and what the hold up is in getting them. In other news, Kara and Scott discuss this week's Congressional hearing on antitrust and why Yelp thinks Google's search results are biased towards their own products. In Listener Mail we get a question about whether Amazon should roll out COVID-19 tests as part of their Amazon Care launch (spoiler alert: this idea gets a big WOOF yes from the Big Dawg). Plus Scott gives professors switching to online class forums tips on how to be a dynamic lecturer via web.
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37:5713/03/2020
Twitter’s new board, Silicon Valley vs. Washington’s approach to COVID-19, and Aminatou Sow joins to discuss women in leadership
Kara and Scott talk about the deal reached at Twitter, the fate of Jack Dorsey and his tenure as CEO. They discuss how big tech companies have been stepping up to take care of gig-workers as COVID-19 spreads; Silicon Valley's approach has been drastically different from the government's, thus far. Facebook takes some action on misleading Trump campaign ads connected to the 2020 Census ... but Kara and Scott think one ad is not enough. In Friend of Pivot we hear from podcast host and author Aminatou Sow on what we're missing about International Women's Day and how to create gender parity.
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52:3010/03/2020
Fed cuts interest rates (and banks lobby for deregulation), Facebook’s Libra fades… Dorsey’s next move and moments of happiness
Kara and Scott talk about the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts and big banks asking for deregulation. They talk through how COVID-19 may halt the economy. They discuss Facebook's redesign of Libra -- their cryptocurrency and how other coins are faring in the face of COVID-19. In Listener Mail we hear from G/O Media reporter Dhruv Mehrotra about his recent investigation into how Better Help proliferates user data (find the journalists on Twitter @dmehro and @molly_o). In predictions, Kara and Scott disagree about how Dorsey's future with Twitter will play out.
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59:0906/03/2020
S&P hits a low, Jack Dorsey faces activist investors at Twitter and election technology — Kevin Roose joins to discuss
.Kara and Scott talk about the stock market's recent lows -- and how that may be a good thing for millennials. They speculate about Jack Dorsey's tenure as CEO at Twitter as activist investors grab a chunk of the company. Then, we hear from Friend of Pivot, and New York Times tech reporter, Kevin Roose about election technology. Kara, Scott and Kevin discuss whether elections are best left analog ahead of Super Tuesday.
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54:3203/03/2020
Bob Iger exits — what’s going on at Disney? The stock market takes a coronavirus hit. PLUS Is “coffee” a disruptable industry?
Kara and Scott speculate about what is happening at Disney following Bob Iger's abrupt exit. They talk about the stock market's tumble in reaction to coronavirus. Scott breaks down which companies should be on the offense and which ones should be on the defense... and why he thinks Peleton may be one of the companies that see a spike during the coronavirus scare. In wins and fails, Kara thinks Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction is a win (but should have happened far sooner). "Rundles" are back in wins as Panera begins offering monthly coffee memberships. In predictions, Scott thinks Pence will fail at his job to control the coronavirus pandemic in the US and that Nikki Haley joins the Trump ticket.
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57:1128/02/2020
Coronavirus hits the global supply chain, the demise of at-home-trading and updates on the Saudi infiltration of Twitter
Kara and Scott talk about the spread of coronavirus and how it is affecting the global supply chain. They discuss Bernie Sanders' win in Nevada and what that means for the economy. Morgan Stanley bought E*Trade, so the hosts talk about the end of at home trading as we know it. Plus, they give updates on what we know about the Saudi moles who stole user information at Twitter. In Friend of Pivot, Kara and Scott get deeper insights into coronavirus from Professor Matt Frieman, who studies and teaches about coronaviruses.
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59:3725/02/2020
The debate after the debate (Kara and Scott assess Nevada), Bezos and Buffet: who is the “better” billionaire and a big prediction on Zoom
Kara and Scott have a lot of thoughts about the Nevada debate and how the candidates should be marketing themselves. In Listener Mail, we get a question about how Warren Buffet invests his billions versus what Jeff Bezos does with his fortune. They talk about Bezos' new pledge to donate $10 billion to fight climate change. In predictions, Scott thinks Zoom stock will benefit from coronavirus and the work from home trend.
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45:2321/02/2020
The EU takes on AI, the US vs. Huawei continues, Airbnb is in the red, and a Friend of Pivot on your children’s data privacy
Kara and Scott talk about the big players in Silicon Valley headed to the EU where they are debating new regulations on artificial intelligence. In more foreign affairs and tech, they talk about the US bringing charges against Huawei for federal racketeering. Airbnb was once a rare profitable "unicorn", but now, ahead of their expected IPO, they're in the red; Kara and Scott talk about how and where they are allocating their money. In Friends of Pivot, Kara and Scott have a conversation with Stanford professor and co-founder/CEO of Common Sense, Jim Steyer, about how to protect our children's data privacy and what the government's responsibility is in this issue (SPOILER: we should repeal Section 230).
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59:0418/02/2020
Amazon pays taxes (and fights for JEDI), SoftBank gains on Sprint and what ClassPass tells us about the fitness economy
Kara and Scott talk about what it means for Amazon to be paying (minimal) taxes, as Jeff Bezos is "going Hollywood", and the company battles with the government over JEDI. They also revisit Google's quiet dismissal of top executives -- the company's longtime head of HR left this week. This week, the FTC ordered the big tech companies -- Facebook, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple -- to hand over information about all the mergers and acquisitions that were too small to report over the past decade. In listener mail, we hear about Class Pass -- the decade's first "unicorn" -- and the fitness industry in general. Scott predicts that eventually India will ban Facebook.
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55:0714/02/2020
The Oscars' rebrand, Uber’s ‘yoga babble’ earnings call, and Friend of Pivot Andrew Ross Sorkin calls Instagram the 'Super App'
Kara and Scott talk about The Oscar's and how the award is being rebranded. They discuss Uber's most recent earnings call and whether or not they'll actually be profitable next year. Kara thinks that while the January jobs report showed employment is up, it is a poor marker of success because of wage stagnation. In Friends of Pivot, New York Times columnist and Squawk Box host Andrew Ross Sorkin calls in for a conversation about Instagram, e-commerce and news models of monetizing content.
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43:1411/02/2020
Tech meltdown in Iowa, Sheryl Sandberg’s engagement (Kara and Scott debate), One Medical and US healthcare disruption and a Tesla prediction
Kara and Scott talk about technical difficulties at the Iowa caucuses. They disagree about whether Sheryl Sandberg's engagement announcement was a PR stunt or a personal moment. In listener mail they answer a question about One Medical's IPO and other concierge care companies poised to disrupt healthcare. Kara's win is Spotify acquiring The Ringer. Scott's fail is Casper's IPO. In predictions, Scott thinks that in 2-5 years Tesla will come out with its own cryptocurrency.
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49:2507/02/2020
IBM leadership shuffle, Amazon earnings, plus "Friend of Pivot” Jon Lovett pops in from Iowa to talk Trump’s inevitable ad operation
Kara and Scott talk about IBM's new CEO as the company struggles to keep up with cloud computing. They also discuss Zuckerberg's "new approach to social media", and breakdown Amazon's major earnings. In "Friends of Pivot" Jon Lovett, host of the Crooked Media podcast "Lovett or Leave It" says we should be prepared for the Trump campaign's major ad push. In wins and fails, Kara remembers Leila Janah an entrepreneur who focused on creating jobs in the world's poorest communities; she passed away this week at the age of 37. Scott's win is the halftime show at the Superbowl (although his kids would say his dancing is a FAIL). We end the show by questioning Jeff Bezos' dating choices after his girlfriend's brother sues him for defamation.
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42:5604/02/2020
US budget deficit will hit $1-trillion; AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL, AMZN, FB earnings breakdown; and Britain sides with China on Huawei
Kara and Scott talk about the Congressional Budget Office projecting that the U.S. budget deficit will pass the $1 trillion threshold in 2020. They also get into tech earnings, who did well last quarter, and what we can expect going forward. In listener mail, Kara and Scott talk about Huawei Britain defying Trump's plea to ban their plans for 5G expansion. Kara's win is Michael Bloomberg's ad campaign. Her fail is Facebook's oversight board running late (and not asking her to be a member). Scott's win was media outlets who highlighted Holocaust Remembrance Day. His fail was Chipotle violating child labor laws. And Scott predicts that Uber will spinoff "Uber Eats".
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48:0131/01/2020
Kara’s back in action; a listener question on WeWork’s impact on co-working companies, and a pop culture quiz
Kara and Scott talk about the spread of coronavirus and how it is affecting China. They discuss how the story of Kobe Bryant's tragic death played out on Twitter. Also, YouTube is now having their moderators sign a release acknowledging they could get PTSD from doing the work... Kara has thoughts. In listener mail, we get a question about players in the co-working space and how they are strategizing after the fall of weWork. It's definitely a FAIL that Kara did not get invited to Jeff Bezos' mansion party. In wins, Scott remembers Clayton Christensen. PLUS: Brooke Hammerling -- writer of the newsletter " Pop Culture Mondays" joins Kara and Scott for a special segment on the biggest pop culture moments of the week.
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40:3828/01/2020
Bezos vs. the world, retail in India and Scott’s earnings predictions
Scott co-hosts with Erica Anderson (Pivot's indomitable Executive Producer!) and they talk about the Saudi's hacking Jeff Bezos' phone. They talk about how Amazon has the power of its own nation and the implications of that. They talk Apple encryption part II, after a Reuters story revealed that the company had ended its plan to encrypt the iCloud at the request of the FBI. In listener mail, a former NYU student wants to know how Jeff Bezos' promised $1 billion investment in India will affect the country. Britain's new policy to protect minor's data is a win. Netflix admitting that Disney+ is cut into their subscriber growth is a fail. Scott predicts Uber is going to show poor earnings next week.
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46:4624/01/2020
Trillion dollar companies and tax season; how the “Black List” shapes Hollywood’s big business… and is podcasting coming for radio dollars?
Kara talk about Google becoming the world's fourth trillion-dollar company ... and who is actually paying taxes on all of it? They discuss world leaders congregating at Davos. Donald Trump will be speaking as the Senate impeachment trial starts. In Friend of Pivot, Executive Producer and founder of "The Black List", Franklin Leonard says that with the influx of big tech companies producing films there is greater opportunity for a "full embrace of the country's diversity", even though the Oscars did not reflect those stories. In wins and fails, Kara disagrees with Scott on holding Sheryl Sandberg accountable for Mark Zuckerberg's failures at Facebook.
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42:0921/01/2020
Gloves off over privacy, from Apple to Microsoft to Grindr. PLUS Scott's big 2020 bets.
Kara and Scott argue about whether the government should have the right to hack into phones of suspected criminals. In a reversal of strategy the historically secretive National Security Agency alerted Microsoft to a vulnerability in its operating system -- Scott think it's a brilliant branding move. In listener mail, Kara and Scott answer a computer science student's question about how to teach ethics to young engineers. Kara's win this week is Speaker Pelosi. Her fail is some of the world's biggest dating apps, Grindr, Tinder, OKCupid selling personal data to marketing companies. Scott reviews a slate of predictions.
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45:1117/01/2020
Will Casper go public? How will Softbank’s latest fail affect Asia? And how will Sundar Pichai move Google forward?
Kara and Scott talk about Casper's S-1 and how it compares to other internet retail companies like Away and Warby Parker. We also get a rant out of Scott on Softbank's latest fail: their hotel chain OYO let-go a huge percent of their staff in Asia. In Friend of Pivot we hear from New York Magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi about whether Congress or Twitter has more power to reign in Trump. In wins and fails Kara and Scott talk about the exit of Alphabet's top lawyer amid sexual misconduct allegations across the company. Also a Scott gets a surprise pop-quiz on Norwegian cuisine.
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40:1214/01/2020
Social networks' minimum effort to be less toxic, Listener Mail from Australia, and fails at CES
Kara and Scott talk about Facebook's decision not to change their political ad policies. They also discuss Facebook banning "deep fakes" and Teen Vogue's confusion over a Facebook sponsored content article. Kara has a rant for Facebook VP, Andrew Bosworth, about his Lord of the Rings reference and op-ed. In Listener Mail we hear from an Australian asking about big tech's response to natural disasters such as the on-going fires in his country. Overall CES is a fail, but inviting Ivanka Trump to speak was next level fail. In predictions, Scott has some thoughts on the future of cyber attacks and hacks.
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45:2910/01/2020
Trump vs. Iran on Twitter, more on HQ2 incentives, and 'mandatory happiness'
Kara and Scott talk about how Trump has been escalating US conflict with Iran on Twitter. They also discuss how politics were downplayed at the Golden Globes, but big tech took a lot of snark -- especially from our favorite rebel Sascha Baron Cohen. Kara's win is Richard Plepler, the former CEO/Chairman of HBO moving his production company to Apple. In fails, it turns out that New York City offered Amazon even more incentives for HQ2 than previously reported. Plus Kara and Scott give us some "mandatory moments of happiness".
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30:4807/01/2020
California is regulating consumer data privacy, the gig economy revisited, and Tesla’s big stock spike.
Kara and Scott are back to talk about a suite of new regulations in California that will give consumers agency over their data and gig workers more protection. They also talk about Tesla's big stock spike. In fails, Sharon Stone was kicked off the Bumble dating app. And Kara brings some optimistic predictions to the show -- she thinks handheld phone devices will be a thing of the past by 2030.
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51:1803/01/2020
"Friends of Pivot" breakdown the big stories of the decade
Kara and Scott look back at the 2010s and the biggest stories of the decade with the help of some friends. With cameos from Colorado Senator Michael Bennett, Girls Who Code Founder/CEO Reshma Saujani, and Former HBO CEO/Chairman Richard Plepler, they break down the moments in tech, leadership, politics and media that defined the time. Plus Kara and Scott reflect on some of their own personal growth over the past ten years -- with their parents.
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52:1727/12/2019
Impeachment… it happened, Peter Thiel’s influence at Facebook, and prediction: “FedEx gets acquired"
Kara and Scott talk about what impeachment might mean for business. Also they talk about Peter Thiel's influence behind the scenes at Facebook and their political ad policies. Meanwhile, SoftBank is on an on-going disaster. A personal win for Kara is Amazon banning third-party sellers from using FedEx (after her recent tweet-storm). Which brings Scott to predict that FedEx will get acquired in the next couple of years.
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45:3320/12/2019
What’s up with the China/US trade deal, why haven’t “smart guns” popularized, and who is going to stream the NFL?
Kara and Scott talk about the "Phase One" trade agreement between the US and China and what it means for big tech. It's the anniversary of the tragic Sandy Hook shooting and Kara and Scott talk about how tech could mitigate gun violence and how people are buying "ghost guns" online. In listener mail, we get a question about whether Amazon will buy rights to stream NFL games when their contracts with major networks end in 2022. In predictions, Scott says we'll hear more about Apple's relationship with China in the next year.
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44:2717/12/2019
Netflix Golden Globe noms, bipartisan agreement on encryption, and Amazon's plan for fashion
Kara and Scott talk about Congress' hearing on regulating end-to-end encryption on messaging apps. They discussJack Dorsey's tweet storm about building a small internal open source team. We get updates on leadership at Away. In Friend of Pivot, we hear from legendary fashion and media icon Joanna Coles on what Amazon wants out of the fashion industry. Scott's win is the Silicon Valley finale. Kara's fail are people like AG Bill Barr who continue to protect Trump. In predictions, Scott thinks we'll be talking about the effect internet porn has on developing minds.
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51:0313/12/2019
A letter to Twitter, Uber's data transparency, and Away proves startup culture is rough
Kara and Scott talk about a letter Scott wrote to the board about concerns at Twitter. They discuss Uber's data report on sexual assault that occurred in their rides. In fails, Kara and Scott get into a new story about the brutal culture at Away. Aviation gin's "sequel" to the Peloton ad is everybody's win!
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47:2010/12/2019
CEO’s are out (literally), France's "digital service tax” is in, and 'innovator privilege’
Kara and Scott talk about leaderships shifts at Google -- Larry and Sergey are out and Sundar Pichai is in. In Friend of Pivot we hear from French lawyer, Dan Shefet about France's newly approved "digital service tax". Also, Pelosi announced that Section 230 won't carry over into trade deals with Mexico and Canada. Kamala Harris is the winner this week -- she may not be president in 2020, but Scott's predicting she'll be someone's VEEP. In fails Scott rants about Elon Musk and his defense of a defamation case in which he called someone a "pedo guy".
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41:4306/12/2019
Dorsey moves to Africa and streaming platforms trump movie theaters
Welcome to Pivot 2x! Our first twice weekly episode. Kara and Scott talk about the future of Twitter as Jack Dorsey announces he's off to live in Africa. They discuss the streaming wars and how movies fared on on platform versus in movie theaters. In listener mail they talk about the failures of logistics companies (specifically FedEx). Prediction: Twitter loses value next year and an activist investor steps in.
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37:0603/12/2019
London gives Uber the boot, the billionaire's 2020 strategy, and streaming wars continue
Kara and Scott talk about Uber getting kicked out of its biggest EU market, London. They parse out the ad, media and digital strategy of Michael Bloomberg in his quest for the White House. In Friend of Pivot, Kara and Scott have different takes on Google's recent firings of 4 employee labor organizers. In wins, Pivot welcomes Sacha Baron Cohen to the resistance for his speech about regulating social media platforms. Kara thinks Mark Zuckerberg failed this year in his "personal challenge" to have a series of public conversations about the future of tech -- of the 9 people he interviewed, 8 were men and they were all white.
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44:3129/11/2019
Trump lies about Apple, HBOMax fumbles its brand, Juul gets sued
Kara and Scott talk about how Apple CEO Tim Cook, let Trump get away with lying about being responsible for building a 2013 factory. They also talk about how a Facebook executive says the company wants the government to regulate political ads. Also, Scott thinks HBO Max is making a big mistake by diluting its brand and bundling non-prestige television. Friend of Pivot, Arielle Duhaime-Ross, the host of Reset comes on the show to ask Kara and Scott about "sharenting" and how they decide to share pictures of their kids. (You can hear the full episode on 11/26). Kara has strong feelings about Juul. The e-cigarette company is getting sued by California and New York for allegedly marketing their tobacco products to teens. Scott's win is Ambassador Marie Yavonavitch. While Kara's win is COTY buying Kylie Jenner's cosmetics company for $600-million. In predictions Scott says get used to hearing more about Roku in 2020.
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50:1722/11/2019
Big Tech wants to be your wallet and your healthcare provider. What could go wrong?
Kara and Scott talk about all the Silicon Valley companies rolling out credit cards and checking accounts. Google is also partnering with a Catholic non-profit that has clinics and hospitals around the country. In that new project called 'Nightingale', Google will collect patient data in its cloud computing and use AI to give treatment recommendations. We're skeptical. In Listener Mail, Kara and Scott ask a question about the rivalry between Ali Baba and Amazon, as Ali Baba makes a secondary offering on the Hong Kong exchange.Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, are both Kara and Scott's fail this week. He likened Saudi Arabia's murder of Jamaal Kashoggi to mistakes made with self-driving cars. Win is Disney+ (Scott's obsessed with the 'Mandalorian').
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44:5515/11/2019
Twitter and the Saudis, Facebook’s 'Switcharoo', and the 2020 digital ads race
Kara and Scott talk about former Twitter employees who were spying on user data for Saudi Arabia. They also talk about a big leak of internal Facebook emails that further shows Facebook's conniving use of data. A year out from the 2020 election, a new progressive PAC is trying to beat Donald Trump in the digital ad space. Kara and Scott agree it's a drop in the bucket. Scott bids a farewell to his presidential hopeful and "dreamy man crush" Beto. Kara's win is Airbnb's transparent handling of a few recent incidents. Meanwhile, in fails, SAT-takers names and data are being sold to elite universities ... so those schools can have a higher rejection rate.
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45:4808/11/2019