• India banned 59 Chinese-owned apps on June 29, including TikTok.
• The ban follows a border skirmish between India and China in the disputed territory of Ladakh on June 15, and escalates geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
• India says the ban is about preserving "data sovereignty", implying that it wants home-grown champions to replace Chinese apps.
• But Chinese tech dominates India, not just in software, with cheap Chinese Android phones from brands such as OnePlus, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo all still hugely popular.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On June 29, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese-owned apps from mobile stores, including the wildly popular short-form video app TikTok.

Still, thousands of Chinese apps continue to run on millions of domestic smartphones. Chinese phone brands Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo all dominate the smartphone market in India, with Apple nowhere to be seen.

TikTok isn't the only Chinese-owned app to go viral in India; every aspect of Indians' online life is serviced by Chinese software today whether it's finding a date or a payday loan. 

The trigger for the ban was border clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the disputed territory of Ladakh on June 15, the deadliest between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades.

India lost 20 soldiers while China has yet to reveal casualties.

In the aftermath of the skirmish, India's response has been as aggressively nationalist as its current regime.

Addressing soldiers on a surprise visit to Ladakh on July 3, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said "a message has gone to the world about India's strength."

He also reminded the nation of the "resolve of a self-reliant India."

But what is the point of Indian oaths of self-reliance posted on Chinese-owned social media apps running on Chinese-made phones? And, by extension, what is the point of the ban?

"India knows how to protect its borders and also knows how to carry out a digital strike," said India's Information Technology minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Chinese phones and apps dominate India

Over the past five years, Chinese-owned products have swept across India's online landscape.

It made business sense. India boasts the fastest-growing consumer market in the world and is the second-largest for app downloads, with 19 billion in 2019.

As per Google Play Store rankings, 18 of the top 100 apps of 2017 happened to be Chinese; in 2018, that number rose to 44.

The majority of the Chinese apps entering India catered to the vast yet overlooked pool of internet users in the hinterlands, turning the mythical "next 100 million users" into loyal subscribers.

They cast a wide net: social networking, gaming, video sharing, live streaming, instant messaging.

The apps had multiple ways to monetize their popularity, with dating apps relying on subscriptions, lending apps relying on financial penalties, and live streaming apps taking commissions.

For the users, too, Chinese apps meant more than trivial ways of passing the time. 

They offered monthly income to many and dizzying fame to the chosen few. It wasn't — and  isn't — a fairy tale world: some of these apps deceive and exploit their users and get away with it.

But Chinese apps remain popular in India even in the face of increasing local and global competition.

Together, the 59 banned apps had registered 330 million installs in India from Apple's App Store and Google Play Store in April-June quarter, according to figures reported by Livemint.

Akash Senapaty, who builds consumer apps at M56 Studios, believes multiple factors made the Chinese apps stand out. 

"In most cases, they had scaled these apps before in China," he told Business Insider. "So to us, it seemed like these apps were hits on 'day zero'. In reality, they had a massive advantage of knowing what works and what doesn't."

Chinese apps had bigger capital canons than Indian rivals, he continued.

A third factor, he said, was successful localization. "There are three parts to this," he added. "One, they didn't hesitate to pay local content creators. Two, they also established local teams with employees. And finally, on the technical side their apps were fully set up to deliver a localized experience."

Finally, the fourth factor was local telecoms giant Jio, credited for bringing millions of Indians online through free or cheap mobile data. "The Chinese apps were best enjoyed on a diet of cheap and plentiful data," Senapaty said.

Design also played a role, argued Senapaty. "The ones I analyzed in depth, TikTok and BIGO, were brilliantly designed apps. As consumers, we focus on what we see on the app. But the engineering and backend systems behind these apps are incredible." 

What they probably didn't factor in are the whims of the cyber-age geopolitics. 

India's tech ban hammer is a geopolitical weapon — and should be used wisely

"The response is targeted towards what China cares the most about — its business," said Amit Jangir, co-founder of Karbon Card, a Shanghai-based fintech startup.

According to Sensor Tower data, TikTok, which had more than 500 million downloads, generated $924,000 from June 2019 to June 2020 in India revenue through user spending, per Sensor Tower.

Demands within India to ban TikTok, or all Chinese apps, have a history.

Those asking for it include Hindu nationalist groups, hawkish politicians and WhatsApp warriors.

One of their recurring arguments is this: Why should we enrich our enemies with our attention and money?

What this ignores is the fact that most of these Chinese apps are run by Indians living in India who work as coders, customer service agents, supervisors and salespersons. Many of them have lost their jobs in the last week. 

"The decision to ban was taken way too quickly without considering the impact that it would have," added Jangir. "I'm afraid that a lot of overseas investors will now be reluctant or hesitant given that policy changes can be so drastic."

Jangir is wary of what lies ahead for India and its relationship with business and technology.

"Giving a month's time to be compliant and inviting these companies for a discussion would have shown that India isn't trigger happy," he said. "I honestly think the government and, as a society, we need to think about the impact such actions will have on our long-term future."

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• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that the US is considering banning TikTok over concerns of Chinese surveillance. 
• Speaking to Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Pompeo warned that Americans should be wary of downloading the popular app unless they wanted their private data "in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."
• TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, though it maintains that it is an international company that operates independently from the Chinese government. 
• A spokesperson for TikTok told Business Insider that it has "never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked." 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that the US is considering banning TikTok over concerns of Chinese surveillance.

Speaking to Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Pompeo said that the Trump administration was "certainly" looking at banning the viral video app. 

"We are taking this very seriously and we are certainly looking at it," Pompeo said. "We have worked on this very issue for a long time, whether its the problem of having Huawei technology in your infrastructure — we've gone all over the world and we are making real progress getting that out — we had declared ZTE a danger to American national security," said Pompeo.

"With respect to Chinese apps on people's cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too," he said. 

Pompeo warned that Americans should be wary of downloading the popular app unless they wanted their private data "in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."

A spokesperson for TikTok told Business Insider that it has "never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked." 

"TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy here in the US," the spokesperson said. "We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users."

India banned TikTok last week, along with dozens over other Chinese apps, citing concerns about national security and privacy of user data. In a statement, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the banned apps "are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order."

Reports indicated that calls were being heightened in Australia to ban was the app, though TikTok Australia called the reports "not credible."

TikTok, one of the most downloaded phone apps in the world, is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. ByteDance has come under scrutiny in recent months over reports alleging ties to the Chinese Communist Party and allegations of censorship on its platform. Earlier this year, several US government agencies banned TikTok over concerns about cybersecurity.

Last year, the app issued a public apology after being accused of censoring videos that called out Chinese human rights abuses. Former employees have alleged TikTok restricts content dealing with "social and political topics."

TikTok says that despite its Chinese parent company, it is an international company that operates independently from the Chinese government.

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NOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdown

• Rocket Lab, a private spaceflight firm in New Zealand, failed to deliver seven satellites to orbit following a launch on Saturday.
• The company's founder and CEO, Peter Beck, publicly apologized on Twitter to his customers for the loss of the space mission.
• Following his mea culpas, Beck and Rocket Lab saw a rush of support from SpaceX's Elon Musk and other spaceflight-industry figureheads.
• "Sorry to hear about this. Hope you get back to orbit soon. Rockets are hard," Musk tweeted in response to a video of Beck.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If Apple or Google ever launched a gadget product that failed, the last thing you might expect to see is either tech company publicly consoling the other.

When it comes to the orbital rocket industry, though, the atmosphere is far more collegial.

Over the weekend, the small-launch firm Rocket Lab experienced a ruinous setback: the total loss of an operational space mission worth months of time and millions of dollars. But instead of staying silent about the failure or gloating, leaders of space companies competing for business with the roughly $1.4 billion startup stepped up to offer their public support.

Rocket Lab's failed mission, called Pics Or It Didn't Happen— in line with the company's other cheekily named flights— was its 13th attempt to reach orbit with Electron, a six-story launch vehicle. On board were seven satellites for three customers.

A few minutes after a successful liftoff from one of the company's launch pads in New Zealand, however, the Electron's second- or upper-stage rocket failed. Rocket Lab lost the batch of satellites about 121 miles, or 195 kilometers, above Earth, according to a live broadcast on YouTube — well before the spacecraft reached its target altitude of 310 miles and the requisite speed to slip into orbit.

After the failure, Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's founder and CEO, publicly apologized in two separate Twitter posts.

"We lost the flight late into the mission. I am incredibly sorry that we failed to deliver our customers satellites today. Rest assured we will find the issue, correct it and be back on the pad soon," Beck tweeted on Saturday.

The CEO then recorded a 92-second video, which Rocket Lab shared via its Twitter account the same day.

"It's fair to say that today was a pretty tough day," Beck said in the clip, addressing the company's customers. "Believe me, we feel and we share your disappointment. However, we will leave no stone unturned to figure out exactly what happened today so that we can learn from it and get back to the pad safely." He added that "many Electron launch vehicles" were in production and that the company was "ready for a rapid return to flight."

'Hope you get back to orbit soon. Rockets are hard'

In response to the tweets, Rocket Lab saw a surge of supportive comments, including some from its competitors.

"Sorry to hear about this. Hope you get back to orbit soon. Rockets are hard," Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, tweeted in response to Beck's video.

Tory Bruno, the CEO of United Launch Alliance, tweeted a curt but supportive message to his colleague: "Hang in there, Peter."

Dan Hart, the CEO of Virgin Orbit — which recently failed to launch a test mission to space — spoke publicly on behalf of the company.

"Peter, Wishing you and the Rocketlab team all the best as you swiftly find and fix the issue and continue your terrific record of success. Dan, and all of us here at Virgin Orbit," Hart said.

Eric Stallmer, the president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, weighed in with his support, too.

"So sorry to hear this @Peter_J_Beck keep up the cadence and the great work," Stallmer tweeted.

The startup even received a supportive message from Planet Labs: a company whose five Earth-imaging satellites Rocket Lab accidentally lost.

"While it's never the outcome that we hope for, the risk of launch failure is one Planet is always prepared for," Planet Labs told Reuters, adding that it looked "forward to flying on the Electron again" in the future.

Before Saturday's failure — Rocket Lab's first loss of 12 missions thus far with a customer payload on board (its first mission, a test launch in 2017, did not reach orbit) — the company planned to launch its next Electron vehicle from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia in mid- to late August.

Though engineers are investigating the cause of the recent failure, a company representative told Business Insider in an email Monday that the loss "will likely have a minimal impact on schedule for our upcoming missions" but noted it was "too early to give new timings" for those launches.

The representative also said Rocket Lab's investigation was "progressing well and we're pushing hard to be back on the pad soon."

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Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Tuesday.

1. Uber confirmed it will buy smaller food delivery firm Postmates in a $2.65 billion all-stock deal. Food delivery has come front and center for Uber since March, when a near complete drop-off in global travel decimated its core taxi business. 
2. Facebook, Google, and Twitter have all suspended complying with Hong Kong police requests for user data thanks to a new Chinese national security law. Hong Kong citizens previously had free access to the internet, but China has imposed a new law in the city that grants the government more leeway to monitor and crack down on online dissent.
3. Viral video app TikTok says that it is ceasing operations in Hong Kong. A spokesperson for TikTok told Business Insider that it decided to stop operations in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory "in light of recent events."
4. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Fox News the US is 'certainly looking into' banning TikTok over privacy concerns. Pompeo told Fox News that Americans should be wary of using TikTok unless they want their private data "in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."
5. Palantir has confidentially filed for a public listing. The secretive data company announced in a press release Monday that had submitted its S-1 form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
6. Venture capital company Spark Capital is a major winner of Uber's $2.65 billion Postmates acquisition, extending a streak of hits in a gloomy 2020. Spark Capital, an investor in Postmates, Mirror, and other buzzy startups, has seen a number of big acquisitions and valuations in its portfolio.
7. Disney's streaming service Disney Plus got a huge boost in app downloads from the 'Hamilton' movie. Data suggest that the "Hamilton" movie, which was originally set to hit theaters next year, helped drive mobile app downloads up 74% higher in the US over the weekend, compared with the previous four June weekends.
8. Prominent direct-to-consumer brands including Casper, Glossier, Harry's, and Smile Direct Club are continuing to pump money into Facebook and Instagram despite the ad boycott. Direct-to-consumer brands depend on Facebook's advertising platform to not only market but sell their goods and services.
9. Internet comparison website HighSpeedInternet.com's contest could pay you $1,000 if you log 50 hours playing Nintendo's 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons.' The contest winner must play between Aug. 16 and Sept. 30, at which point they will be awarded the money.
10. Tesla CEO Elon Musk started triumphantly selling literal red satin Tesla short shorts to celebrate the firm's stock climbing. Tesla's stock rose last week after the company reported second-quarter delivery figures that beat Wall Street's expectations.

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• The world is set to plunge deeper into recession, but that has not stopped ambitious founders from setting up new companies and raising capital.
• One such founder is Dan Warne, formerly a senior executive at unicorn British food delivery startup Deliveroo. 
• Warne has launched a new food hall business, Sessions Market, to rejuvenate UK town centers. Sessions opened the doors to its first venue on July 4.
• We asked Warne for his advice to first-time founders setting up shop when there's a tough economic outlook.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Starting a company can be daunting at the best of times, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.

A slowing economy, weak job market, and poor funding prospects are likely to have knocked the confidence of many would-be founders. Fear of a recession drove almost one-third of investors to pull out of UK seed-stage investments in March.

But as some venture capital investors point out, many hugely successful tech founders have historically launched their startups in the wake of an economic downturn. Prominent tech companies like Spotify, Uber, and Airbnb all emerged in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis.

One founder looking to brave the pandemic economy is Dan Warne, a former executive at Deliveroo.

While at the British food delivery startup, Warne helped the firm grow to become a unicorn startup valued at more than $2 billion. Just before Warne quit, Amazon bought a 16% stake in Deliveroo for $575 million in 2019.

In August 2019, Warne launched a new food business, Sessions Market, which looks to tap into a boom in upmarket food halls in the UK. The company has raised an undisclosed amount in Series A funding.

Building a food hall business is a slight change in pace from helping to an app-based business through hypergrowth, though he tells Business Insider he sees some similarities.

Analysts at property consultant GCW estimate a further 200 food halls could open across the UK in the next decade. 

On July 4, Warne and his 50-person team opened the doors to its first venue, Shelter Hall in Brighton. He plans to launch in Bristol next, with a number of other UK cities in the pipeline. 

Here's his advice for other founders launching when times are tough:

1. Don't be the founder who obsesses over everything

For your startup to succeed, you have to trust your employees, says Warne.

"You have to give autonomy to people to scale things with you ... Allow them to be creative and to test things and to learn quickly and to develop off the back of what they learn," he says.

Giving people space to make their own mark often means you'll have more success than if you're the "classic founder who obsesses too much about everything," he adds. 

During his time working for Deliveroo and travel deals startup Travelzoo, Warne was able to experience this for himself. Now, he wants to give his employees at Sessions the same control, so that they are as invested in its success as he is.

"I'm trying to allow a degree of autonomy, a degree of people feeling as though this is theirs as much as it is mine, as much as it is our investors. That can be one of the most rewarding things for somebody working in a business," he says. 

2. Find partners who share your vision

An important part of making any business work is finding partners who share your vision.

In the middle of a pandemic or any other kind of crisis, it's even more crucial since your startup is likely to face even more challenges getting off the ground.

For Sessions, Warne says that his financial backers have been pivotal in weathering the last few months. This is because he took pains to choose investors who shared his vision for the company. 

"For us, sustainability is really important," says Warne. "Our business at Shelter Hall is 98% built with re-used materials, so we wanted to partner with an investor that shared the vision around that." This, he says, is why he chose Brighton-based VC firm Brighton Ventures, which focuses on sustainable investment.

Choosing a local venture firm was also important, as it is part of Sessions' ethos to prioritize locality. In turn, partnering with local restaurants, builders, and suppliers helped Warne to open despite the challenges posed by lockdown. 

"When things like COVID-19 happen and you have six weeks to try and turn around a build that originally you had slated for four months, you find an enormous amount of goodwill helps you to achieve those goals," he says. 

3. Bring in expertise when you need to

For founders pivoting to a different sector or area of an industry, as Warne has, filling the gaps in your expertise is particularly important given the additional challenges posed by COVID-19. 

This is something Warne realized early on. 

"I haven't operated a restaurant before and my goodness me there is an incredible amount to learn in a short period of time," says Warne. "We've had to bring in the right experience and the right staff in those areas."

This is why Warne chose hospitality VC firm Imbiba as his headline investor. "They have operational expertise in-house, which I felt I needed if I was to foray into a business that in parts at least is a hospitality business," he says.

4. Use your experience to give a fresh perspective

Having an alternative background can also have its advantages, says Warne, allowing "you [to] bring perhaps a different perspective to the industry."

For someone with Warne's background, that means you can "apply some of the learnings that you get from working in the technology business to a bricks and mortar style business."

For Warne, it also meant he could draw on his digital experience at Deliveroo to re-imagine the in-person dining experience. 

This has been particularly important with COVID-19 because of all the logistical challenges posed by social distancing measures.

Already having the digital infrastructure to support remote ordering has allowed Sessions to overcome these hurdles more easily.

5. Success comes down to luck as well as judgement

For your startup to succeed, "clearly you've got to be in the right place at the right time," says Warne

"Anyone's career is part luck, part judgement, to various different degrees," he adds, noting how serendipitous his timing was in joining a unicorn like Deliveroo at such an early stage of its growth.

But, however lucky you are, you will not succeed unless you make the most of the opportunity.

"On one level, [at Sessions] we've been really unlucky. Obviously COVID-19 was a massive challenge," says Warne. 

But, in many ways now is a good time to be launching, he says: "I think it is a model that's very well conditioned to this environment, that is highly supportive and conducive to helping some of these businesses get back on their feet."

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• Investments in cloud computing and other digital technologies helped ensure the financial services industry's resilience during coronavirus pandemic.
• Now, those investments are poised to accelerate for the majority of firms, according to a study released on Tuesday by Broadridge Financial Solutions. 
• Of the 500 respondents, 58% expect to bolster investments in interactive tools and 54% plan to boost funding for AI-based initiatives. 
• "We're past the survival mode piece and people are really thinking about how to positively leverage this," Broadridge Financial Solutions CEO Tim Gokey told Business Insider
• Sign up here to receive updates on all things Innovation Inc.

Financial services firms are expected to bolster their investments in many of the digital tools that helped ensure the industry's resilience during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study released on Tuesday. 

Powerhouses like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America were already well-along in their digital transformations prior to the outbreak — especially when compared to laggards in sectors like healthcare. Many have invested significantly in boosting their number of in-house data scientists and software engineers, for example, and they're already using advanced tech like artificial intelligence to personalize marketing messages and better inform investors on their portfolio companies, among other applications.  

But as the coronavirus pandemic brought on new consumer demands, even smaller banks, asset managers, and others in the industry started pivoting quickly, too. The transformations were evident, for example, in the speed at which many lenders were able to automate the process of distributing loans to businesses applying for federal assistance during the outbreak. 

Overall, 45% of financial services companies expect a moderate level of tech change, while 10% said they are planning more large-scale digital overhauls, according to survey results from Broadridge Financial Solutions  — a technology vendor that provides tools to the industry to improve customer service, regulatory reporting, and investor outreach. Broadridge surveyed senior executives from 500 commercial and investment banks, hedge funds, and asset managers. 

"We're past the survival mode piece and people are really thinking about how to positively leverage this," CEO Tim Gokey told Business Insider.  "It's going to cause a lot of rethinking, a lot of investment." 

Top suppliers are already preparing for the expected surge. Google Cloud, for example, recently hired a 32-year Citigroup veteran as vice president of financial services to help capture more business from the industry.  

AI, cybersecurity as a focus 

Financial firms are focusing on more high-tech products, too: 58% of Broadridge's respondents expect to increase their investments on interactive tools, while 54% plan to boost funding for AI-based initiatives. 

Goldman Sachs Chief Technology Officer Atte Lahtiranta, for example, previously said the coronavirus pandemic would spur greater funding for initiatives like a virtual reality-based trading desk. 

Those types of investments could also lead firms to hire more software engineers and data scientists, as well as individuals that can help market the new products to customers. CTBC Bank's US CEO Noor Menai, for example, recently told Business Insider the company was weighing a bigger budget to recruit individuals from Amazon and other tech giants. 

And with more employees working remote through the remainder of the year due to the outbreak, 63% plan to invest more heavily in cybersecurity and risk management tools. 

"People are seeing that the future of work is going to be much more using their offices as a meeting place or as a gathering hub. And there's going to be a lot of people currently working more flexibly," Gokey said. "When you do all that, it's extending your perimeter dramatically from where it was before." 

Other top priorities include improving client communication and bettering customer service operations. 

SEE ALSO: Siemens and Salesforce are teaming up to try to bring employees back to the office safely. Here's what top execs from each tech firm expect for the future of the workplace.

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• Last week, China unilaterally passed an overarching new national security law in Hong Kong that experts say further erodes the semi-autonomous city's waning freedoms.
• The legislation criminalizes what it deems secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with a foreign country. Those charged with the most severe offenses — like undermining the Chinese government — face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
• On Monday, several major tech companies including Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, Telegram, and Zoom, announced they were pausing data processing requests from authorities in Hong Kong while they assess the implications of the law.
• Apple said it is assessing the law but has not said it would pause data processing requests.
• TikTok said it is leaving Hong Kong "in light of recent events."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Big tech is hitting the pause button in Hong Kong.

Last week, China's top legislative body passed a sweeping new security law in Hong Kong, which criminalizes dissent against the Chinese Communist Party and allows China to set up a national security apparatus in Hong Kong. Those charged with the most severe offenses — like undermining the Chinese government — face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The new law has already been used to arrest at least ten pro-democracy protesters and has prompted widespread protest among Hong Kong residents who see their freedoms slipping.

The language in the new law is wide-ranging and broadly gives law enforcement the power to block content, intercept private messages, and seize electronic devices, security researcher Samuel Woodhams told Business Insider. 

"Above all else, the implementation rules have the potential to radically criminalize online speech in Hong Kong. Given the lack of concrete definitions provided in the national security law, the new legislation has the potential to dramatically erode freedom of expression in Hong Kong," said Woodhams.

On Monday, major tech companies reacted to the law, pausing operations in the region and denying access to any government requests for user data as they assess the implications of the legislation and Hong Kong's future.

Here's how the tech giants have reacted:

Facebook

Facebook announced on Monday it would temporarily stop giving Hong Kong user data to the city's authorities, including WhatsApp data.

Ordinarily, police forces can request user data through a dedicated channel. Facebook has suspended Hong Kong police's access to this.

"We believe freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and support the right of people to express themselves without fear for their safety or other repercussions," a Facebook spokesperson said.

"We are pausing the review of government requests for user data from Hong Kong pending further assessment of the National Security Law, including formal human rights due diligence and consultations with international human rights experts," they added.

According to Facebook's latest transparency report, between July and December 2019, it received 241 data requests from Hong Kong authorities and granted access to 46% of requests.

A WhatsApp spokesperson also told Business Insider that its app is "committed to providing private and secure messaging services to our users in Hong Kong."

Google

A Google spokesperson told The Verge on Monday the company had already paused processing data requests from Hong Kong when the law came into force on Wednesday last week.

"[W]hen the law took effect, we paused production on any new data requests from Hong Kong authorities [...] and we'll continue to review the details of the new law," the spokesperson said.

Twitter

Twitter told various publications on Monday that, similarly to Google and Facebook, it has paused processing Hong Kong requests for user data.

"Our teams are reviewing the law to assess its implications, particularly as some of the terms of the law are vague and without clear definition," a Twitter spokesperson said, according to Financial Times. 

"Google, Facebook, and Twitter's decision to stop processing user data requests is a clear sign that US tech companies are wary of the potential impact of the new legislation," security researcher Samuel Woodhams told Business Insider.

"It's worth noting, however, that most of these companies have only introduced a temporary suspension and it remains unclear what the lasting impact will be," he added.

Apple

Unlike the other major US tech companies, Apple has not announced it is pausing processing data requests in Hong Kong.

An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg the company is still "assessing" the implications of the security law.

"Apple has always required that all content requests from local law enforcement authorities be submitted through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in place between the United States and Hong Kong," Apple's spokesperson said, adding "the US Department of Justice reviews Hong Kong authorities' requests for legal conformance."

Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) treaties are a legal process for law enforcement outside the US to request data from US companies. They don't exclusively apply to Apple and can be a lengthy process, which has sometimes frustrated non-US police investigations.

Apple is also unique among US tech companies in that it not only operates in China — while Facebook, Google, and Twitter are placed behind the Great Firewall — a huge chunk of its supply chain is still in China, although there have been reports circling since last year that the company is trying to spread out its manufacturing.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance

Short-form video-sharing app TikTok is ceasing operations in Hong Kong altogether. A spokesperson told Business Insider on Sunday the company had decided to pull out of Hong Kong "in light of recent events."

The company said that Hong Kong has also been a small market in terms of the overall number of its users and it was not profitable to maintain operations there. 

The company asserts that it has never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.

Unlike the other major companies which have reacted to the law, TikTok not a US company. It is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing

TikTok has come under intensive scrutiny in the US for its Chinese roots, and on Monday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration is considering banning the app. "We are taking this very seriously and we are certainly looking at it," Pompeo told Fox News' Laura Ingraham.

Notably, TikTok doesn't actually operate in mainland China but has a sister app called Douyin which does. Reuters reports Douyin has more users than TikTok in Hong Kong.

"Douyin has lots of users in Hong Kong and will continue to serve the users there," ByteDance China CEO Zhang Nan told Reuters.

Telegram

Encrypted messaging service Telegram told Business Insider that the company has never shared any data with Hong Kong authorities in the past, and would not do so in the future. 

"We understand the importance of protecting the right to privacy of our Hong Kong users," Telegram marketing head Mike Ravdonikas told Business Insider. 

"Telegram has never shared any data with the Hong Kong authorities in the past and does not intend to process any data requests related to its Hong Kong users until an international consensus is reached in relation to the ongoing political changes in the city."

Microsoft-owned LinkedIn

LinkedIn told Quartz reporter Mary Hui that it was "reviewing the new law" and would "pause our responses to local law enforcement requests in Hong Kong as we conduct our review."

Zoom

A spokesperson for Zoom told Hong Kong Free Press that it is "actively monitoring the developments in Hong Kong" and has "paused processing any data requests from, and related to, Hong Kong." 

"Zoom supports the free and open exchange of thoughts and ideas," a spokesperson told the outlet. 

Zoom has faced scrutiny in the past over user privacy and admitted last month that it deactivated the accounts of several US-based human-rights activists at the request of the Chinese government.

• Tech startup Esusu is trying to help marginalized communities in the US build their credit score through rent payments. 
• The company was founded by two first-generation immigrants to the United States who struggled to get access to credit. 
• Esusu, founded in 2018, set up a Rent Relief Fund via crowdfunding to support renters during Covid-19. 
• "America needs to look in the mirror and see what it has done," Abbey Wemimo, Esusu cofounder told Business Insider in an interview. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Structural inequality in the US continues to set back people of color, exacerbating the wealth gap between white people and minority communities.

Black Americans are more likely to be renters than white Americans, are less likely to have a credit score, and hold $5.04 for every $100 held by a white household, according to a 2017 Yale study published in PNAS. 

According to 2015 data, an estimated 45 million Americans don't have a credit score. For marginalized communities, this can make it harder to go beyond living paycheck to paycheck.

Traditionally, rent payments have not been included in the gamut of available options for credit bureaus to assess creditworthiness. Esusu, a startup founded by two first-generation immigrants to the United States, is trying to change that. 

The company works with credit agencies and landlords to provide the former with aggregated rental data for tenants of large landlords. The goal is to provide fresh business to credit bureaus, help landlords avoid evictions, and most importantly, aid marginalized groups build better credit. 

The company, founded in 2018, has helped 30,000 people to date but there is more to be done, according to cofounders Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel. Both founders moved to the United States from abroad, Nigeria and India respectively, and initially struggled to get access to credit. That put them on a path to exploitative loan terms and predatory loan sharks, with 400% interest charged on college tuition, for example. 

"Your financial identity or where you're from shouldn't determine where you end up in life," Goel told Business Insider in an interview. During the coronavirus pandemic, the startup set up a Rent Relief Fund via crowdfunding to support renters during COVID-19 with $180,000 going towards providing interest-free loans to tenants struggling with rent. 

Esusu has previously received funding from VC investors including Acumen Fund with participation from Sinai Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Katapult Accelerator, Plug and Play Tech Center, Global Good Fund, and Temerity Capital Partners. The startup's name, Esusu, derives from a Nigerian Yoruba term for a loose community-based system of cooperation which is a common informal credit form in parts of West Africa.

A large proportion of Esusu's client base is formed of Black people whose plight from a credit perspective is "a symptom of a wider disease," according to Wemimo.

The company's tech has been made possible by credit bureaus accepting rental payments since 2015 but there is no comprehensive reporting process for the reams of data needed, which is where Esusu comes in by providing the infrastructure of record integration for landlords and credit agencies. 

"America needs to look in the mirror and see what it has done," Wemimo added. "African Americans have been left behind, while white families still have 10 times the wealth, this is about income inequality and we want to help provide economic justice." 

The startup has been growing through the pandemic, not least because US unemployment stands at 11.1%, per the Bureau of Labour Statistics.

People unable to pay rent could be evicted, making access to credit more crucial, with 20 million jobs being lost in the US in April.

Esusu is continuing to hire and is in the process of extending its seed fundraising, Business Insider can reveal. 

SEE ALSO: A founder who grew up in a poor area of France is calling for governments to aid underprivileged minorities through technology. 'Coding is the social equalizer.'

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• OnlyFans could be hit with a bill for three years' worth of unpaid taxes, according to reports. 
• The content subscription platform has exploded in popularity under lockdown, with a reported 75% surge in signups under lockdown. It's become popular as a place for porn creators to cater directly to fans.
• The firm has started charging VAT on top of fans' monthly subscriptions, according to Sky News, with the company claiming the change is down to a new "interpretation" of the law. 
• The UK's tax authority HMRC is now reportedly reviewing whether OnlyFans should have been charging this tax since launching in 2016. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

OnlyFans, the content subscription service based in London, is reportedly facing a bill related to three years' worth of unpaid taxes in the UK. 

The social media platform allows users to set up a paywall around their profiles, where they can post content to a feed, receive and send direct messages, and post pay-per-view content. The site reportedly saw a 75% surge in sign-ups amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has a reputation for being popular with adult performers. 

Last week, for the first time since launching in 2016, the firm started charging VAT on top of fans' monthly subscriptions, according to Sky News. 

Previously, the firm was taxed as if it was an "agent" comparable to Uber, connecting customers with independent contractors, rather than a sales outlet in its own right. 

Sky reports that HMRC, the UK's tax authority, is now reviewing whether or not OnlyFans should have been charging VAT since its launch, which could result in a penalty charge if it decides the company was "careless or deliberately inaccurate" with its tax returns. 

A spokesperson for OnlyFans told Sky the change in VAT charges was "due to a recent interpretation of an EU law by HMRC" but declined to outline the details of this new interpretation. 

"This represents a change of basis for VAT purpose, making OnlyFans the principal on the sale as opposed to the agent," the spokesperson added. "We have previously been paying over VAT on the basis of being an agent."

One content creator on OnlyFans, Miss Zelda, told Sky her subscribers now faced an additional 20% bill on top of her existing fees. 

"My subscription price has stayed the same but my subscribers are being charged more on their end," she said. "So as a result I'm either going to have to lower my subscription or face a loss in subscribers."

A spokesperson for HMRC said: "We are unable to comment on an identifiable business.

"We ensure the tax system is fair for all businesses and that companies are paying all the tax that is due, reflecting the value they get from UK users."

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• On Monday, Facebook, Google, and Twitter suspended data requests from Hong Kong police. It follows China unilaterally passing a sweeping new national security law in the semi-autonomous city.
• Apple said it is "assessing" the impact of the law on human rights, but stopped short of promising to pause data-processing requests from local authorities.
• An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg that it was up to the US Department of Justice to block requests that might infringe on human rights, under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties.
• The same treaties apply to Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tech giants Facebook, Google, and Twitter have announced they're temporarily suspending data requests from police in Hong Kong while they evaluate the human rights impact of sweeping new security law passed by China last week. Apple appears to be taking a softer stance.

An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg the company is "assessing" the impact of the law, which allows police to crack down on any form of government subversion. The company said nothing about suspending data requests from local law enforcement, but said it had not received requests for Hong Kong users' data since the new law took effect.

Apple's transparency report shows that from January to June 2019, it responded to 358 requests for device data from Hong Kong, 155 requests for financial data, and two requests for access to users' accounts. Apple approved 91% of the device data requests, 68% of the financial requests, and both the account requests.

The spokesperson implied it would be up to the US Department of Justice to block requests that might infringe on human rights.

"Apple has always required that all content requests from local law enforcement authorities be submitted through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in place between the United States and Hong Kong [...] the US Department of Justice reviews Hong Kong authorities' requests for legal conformance," they said.

Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) allow specific countries outside the US to request data from US tech companies for law enforcement. Requests take an average of ten months to process, and the treaties applies to Google, Facebook, and Twitter as well as Apple.

Apple did not immediately respond when contacted by Business Insider for further comment.

Apple has a much greater market presence in China than Facebook, Google, and Twitter. A large chunk of Apple's manufacturing takes place in China, a fact that put the company in the crossfire during the US-China trade war, during which it managed to dodge tariffs on its components.

Facebook and Twitter are behind the Great Firewall, meaning they can't operate in mainland China. Google withdrew many of its services from China in 2010 — although the company's Android operating system is still used on handheld devices.

Apple's policy decisions around Hong Kong have drawn criticism before. In October last year, Apple removed an app from the App Store that let Hong Kong protesters mark and track police activity. CEO Tim Cook said in a leaked memo that Apple had received "credible information" the app was being used to target individual police officers for attack, but critics said it showed the firm was ceding to pressure from the Chinese government.

SEE ALSO: Here's how big tech companies like Facebook, Google, and TikTok are reacting to Hong Kong's harsh new national security law

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• A cache is a special storage space for temporary files that makes a device, browser, or app run faster and more efficiently. 
• After opening an app or website for the first time, a cache stashes files, images, and other pertinent data on your device.
• Cached data is used to quickly load an app or website for every subsequent visit.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

If you've ever troubleshooted something on your computer or cleaned up your browsing history, you've most likely come across advice related to the cache (pronounced "cash"). 

Most likely, you've been prompted to clear it. 

But what is a cache, and why would you want to do that? Here's everything you should know about caches and why they're crucial to modern technology. 

What is a cache?

A cache is a reserved storage location that collects temporary data to help websites, browsers, and apps load faster. Whether it's a computer, laptop or phone, web browser or app, you'll find some variety of a cache. 

A cache makes it easy to quickly retrieve data, which in turn helps devices run faster. It acts like a memory bank, making it easy to access data locally instead of redownloading it every time you visit a website or open an app.

In terms how this affects your day-to-day, there are three main areas where caches play a major role:

Devices and software

Caches are found in both software and hardware. The CPU, or central processing unit — the core component responsible for processing information from the software in your desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet — has its own cache. 

A CPU cache is a small block of memory that's designed to help the CPU easily retrieve frequently used information. It stores data that your device's main memory uses to execute instructions far more quickly than if it had to load every bit of information only when it was requested. 

Web Browsers

Every web browser, whether it's Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, maintains its own cache. 

A browser cache stores files needed by your browser to display the web sites it visits. This includes elements like the HTML file that describe the site, along with CSS style sheets, Javascripts, cookies, and images. 

For example, when you visit Amazon, it downloads all the images associated with product pages you visit, the HTML and other script files needed to render the pages, and personalization information, such as your login information, and the contents of your shopping cart. 

That's why if you clear your browser cache, retail sites will require you to log back in and rejigger your settings.

Apps

Apps typically maintain their own cache as well. Like browsers, apps save files and data they deem important so they can quickly reload the information as needed. Every app is different, though, and so the kind of data it caches will vary, but might include images, video thumbnails, search history, and other user preferences.

Benefits of caches

From a user standpoint, there are three main benefits to caches, including:

• They make everything run faster. The key benefit of a cache is that it improves the performance of the system. By storing local copies of web site files, for example, your browser only needs to download that information the first time you visit, and can load the local files on subsequent visits. 

• They save data. To help improve performance, apps store recently and frequently used data to the cache. Not only does this allow everything to run faster as previously mentioned, but in some cases it can allow apps to work "offline." For example, if you don't have internet access, an app can rely on cached data to continue to work even without a connection. 

• They store data for later use. There's a lot of efficiency in only downloading files once. If a copy of a file is stored in the cache, then the app doesn't need to waste time, battery power, and other resources downloading it a second time. Instead, the app only needs to download changed or new files.

Downsides of caches

While modern software depends heavily on the use of caches, they have some disadvantages as well:

• They can take up a lot of storage space. In principle, a cache is a small repository of files used by an app. But some caches can grow exceedingly large and limit the free space on your device. Clearing the cache can erase the files and recover a large amount of memory.
• A corrupted cache can cause the app to behave badly. If there's something wrong with a file stored in the cache, it can cause the app to display data incorrectly, glitch, or even crash. That's why a common remedy for browser issues is clearing the cache. 
• Caches can prevent apps from loading the latest version of a web page or other data. In theory, apps are supposed to only use the cache to display files unchanged since the last visit. That doesn't always work, though, and sometimes the only way to see the latest version of a web site or other info is to clear the cache, so the app is forced to download everything anew. 

What does it mean to clear the cache?

Given the downsides of cache, it makes practical sense to clear your cache as part of regular maintenance. In addition to corrupted files, if a cache gets too large, or if your computer starts to run low on storage space, these issues can also affect your PC's performance. 

The solution is to "clear the cache," which deletes the files stored in the cache. 

If a cache can be cleared by you, the user, the program that owns the cache generally makes that option available somewhere in its settings menu.

In addition to being able to clear the cache on Windows or iOS, here's how to clear the cache on popular web browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Safari
• Mozilla Firefox

We've also written extensively on how to clear the cache on different devices. Here's how to clear the cache on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Samsung Galaxy
• iPhones and iPads
• Chromebooks
• PS4
• Xbox One

The advantages of clearing the cache include freeing up previous storage space on your computer and eliminating any files that might be causing it to misbehave. 

Unfortunately, clearing the cache also eliminates the files that are designed to make your computer run more efficiently. For example, clearing a browser cache typically means you'll have to log into all your favorite websites all over again, and you'll lose any special customizations or personalization you had there, including the contents of shopping carts or baskets. 

But if you're experiencing problems with your Mac, PC, or mobile device, clearing the cache is worth it. 

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to clear the Java cache on your Mac or PC to fix web browsing issues

• How to clear the Bluetooth cache on your phone or tablet to fix issues with your connection

• 'Can you clear the cache on a Roku?': No, but here's how to resolve playback issues

• How to clear your Facebook app's cache on an iPhone to help the app run more efficiently

• How to clear the cache on your Xbox One to make your system run faster

SEE ALSO: The best all-in-one PCs you can buy

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Hello, everyone! Welcome to the new edition of Insider Today. Please sign up here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"It was positive for me." — Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro announcing he has tested positive for coronavirus, after months of flouting public health recommendations, rejecting masks, and doubting the seriousness of the pandemic.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

• Donald Trump paid someone to take the SAT for him. That's one of the allegations in Mary Trump's book about her uncle. She also says Fred Trump emotionally brutalized his children, helping turn Donald into a monster.
• Florida orders schools to reopen in the fall. Even with virus cases surging, the state education commissioner ordered all public and charter schools to provide in-person classroom instruction.
• Top economists call for another round of stimulus checks. 156 of them signed a letter saying millions need direct-cash payments to stay afloat. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also supports another pre-election stimulus and so does President Trump. 
• Pompeo says US is considering banning TikTok. He warns that the Chinese company could be vacuuming up Americans' private data and giving it to the Chinese government. 
• ICE will ban international students if their colleges switch to online classes. The order causes enormous difficulties for international students, who must now scramble to find other schools that will take them, and universities, which depend heavily on their tuition.

VIEWS OF THE DAY

Enough moralizing about companies that accepted the government's emergency loans.

The US government finally released some details about the distribution of its emergency "Paycheck Protection Program" — specifically, which companies it gave money to and how much. 

This disclosure is good: The PPP is taxpayer money, and taxpayers have a right to know where it went.

But the disclosure has also triggered a wave of moralizing about which companies accepted the loans and whether they should have or not. Some companies weren't deserving of the money, the complainers say, either because they're owned by rich people or because they weren't as badly off as other companies. So they shouldn't have accepted it.

This moralizing is unfair and silly.

The PPP was designed to reduce the number of people laid off as a result of the pandemic and lockdowns. It did that. You can quibble with the design and execution of the program — it might have been better for the government to just pay a portion of employees' salaries for a while, for example, as some governments in Europe did. 

The rollout of the program could have been smoother and fairer, including with more stringent means-testing. Those complaining that companies owned by "billionaires" got funding should consider that the companies might still have chosen to fire people had they not been eligible.

But bashing companies for taking money and maintaining their payrolls misses the point of the program.

If the government had not doled out about $500 billion to 4.5 million US businesses, the already horrific layoffs in the US would have been far worse. The program was explicitly designed to give companies the incentive and means not to fire people, and it did that. Stop blaming companies for doing what the government wanted them to do. — HB

Amy Cooper shouldn't go to jail.

Amy Cooper has been charged with filing a false report, a misdemeanor that could cost her a year in jail. You know that Amy Cooper is the Central Park dogwalker who called the cops on a Black birdwatcher, and the fact that we don't need to explain that is why she shouldn't be criminally charged. 

What Amy Cooper did was despicable, and could easily have endangered the life and freedom of birdwatcher Christian Cooper. She absolutely should be punished. And she has been punished, as this thread from the brilliant Josie Duffy-Rice explains. Amy Cooper lost her job, her anonymity, and her reputation. Unless she invents a COVID vaccine, that 60 seconds in Central Park will be the first line of her obituary. 

The American carceral system is a catastrophe, and we should aspire to keep people out of it. If wrongdoers can be punished with public shame and economic consequences, that should satisfy us. Sending Amy Cooper to jail is punitive. It won't do society any good. Her public humiliation already taught us the lesson we needed to learn. — DP

President Trump is losing the culture war. 

Does the President of the United States disavow the flag honoring a rebellion against the government he runs, a flag now abandoned by even NASCAR and the state of Mississippi? His press secretary cannot say. 

The president, who seems uninterested in doing anything about the pandemic engulfing the nation, has become very interested in racial grievance. From his Mount Rushmore speech to his tweets about Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, the president is trying to agitate his base with racial grievance.

He's doing this for two reasons. He's convinced it will help him win re-election, since the strategy worked in 2016. As importantly, he clearly enjoys it. If there's any consistency to Trump over the past five years, it's that he takes such glee in fomenting division, especially racial division. 

But maybe it won't work this time. The broader American public increasingly values the Black Lives Matter movement. Also important is what columnist Jamelle Bouie notes today, which is that white Americans are comfortable voting for racial grievance when they feel economically secure, but demand competence and calm during a crisis. (As Bouie recalls, Sarah Palin's thrilling proto-Trumpism failed badly in 2008 in the face of a global economic collapse.) 

Almost no one wants a culture war when the economy is collapsing and a pandemic is raging. Most people long for a steady hand and a plan. Donald Trump has neither. — DP

Politically diverse writers and artists co-sign a letter in support of "The free exchange of information and ideas."

Harper's magazine today published "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate," co-signed by over 140 writers, artists, and luminaries of impressively-diverse politics.

Their message is an affirmation of the "need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences." Essentially, that provocative, even unpopular opinions and arguments shouldn't lead to career cancellations. 

The co-signers express their support for the "Powerful protests for racial and social justice" that "are leading to overdue demands for police reform, along with wider calls for greater equality and inclusion across our society." But, they caution, "this needed reckoning has also intensified a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favor of ideological conformity."

Citing recent examples: "Editors are fired for running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study; and the heads of organizations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes."

The letter calls out Trump and "the radical right" as genuine threats to free speech and democracy, but also warns of a growing culture of "an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty."

Among the broadly-defined "left" co-signers are socialist academic and author Noam Chomsky, Vox co-founder Matt Yglesias, The Nation's Jeet Heer, and New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg.

Of the center, right, and undefinable include New York Times columnists David Brooks and Bari Weiss, New York magazine political reporter Olivia Nuzzi, and chess champion and Russian dissident Garry Kasparov.

Artists such as legendary jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, "Handmaid's Tale" author Margaret Atwood, and Salman Rushdie — who spent a decade on the run because Iran's theocratic government ordered him killed over a novel he wrote— also co-signed. - Anthony Fisher

It's Groundhog Day. 

"Demand for Testing Soars in U.S., Creating a New Crisis" — July 7. 

"Coronavirus Testing Delays in the United States: What Happened?" — May 1

"Despite Promises, Testing Delays Leave Americans 'Flying Blind'"— April 6

"U.S. coronavirus testing threatened by shortage of critical lab materials." — March 10

The US tests too few people, delivers test results too slowly, doesn't sample-test throughout the population, and lacks essential testing supplies. That was true in March, and it's true today. Four months, and we've solved nothing. — DP

And just like that, Hong Kong is slipping behind the digital iron curtain.

There were some in the business community who did not fear China's new Hong Kong security law. They felt that the law would stop the protests that have ravaged Hong Kong's economy, at least that's what they said in public.

Now, though, it seems clear that even Hong Kong's internet is going to look more like the internet on the Chinese mainland. Authorities have informed companies like Google and Facebook that they need to take down posts, or turn in data about customers. So far Facebook and WhatsApp have paused sending any information to authorities. Google refused to take down posts. According to the law, their employees could be arrested if they don't comply. 

China's internet is famous for its surveillance and self-censorship, for being a place where netizens are forced to speak in code to criticize the government. Hong Kongers have already started picking up that double speak to protect themselves, and it's unclear how long US internet companies will stick around to be a party to repressive activity they don't support on the mainland. As Hong Kong slips behind the digital iron curtain, they may exit stage left. — Linette Lopez

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

The economic recovery is stalling as the coronavirus resurges.

The health crisis and economic crisis are largely one and the same. The "lockdowns" of the spring exacerbated the economic impact of the pandemic, but most of the decline has been the result of people sensibly taking precautions to avoid getting sick. Our economy won't fully recover until we get the coronavirus under control. 

Not surprisingly, therefore, as the coronavirus resurges, the economic recovery is stalling or rolling over. Two charts from Bill McBride at Calculated Risk:

Diners: 

Commercial air travelers:

Calculated Risk has similar charts showing other real-time economic indicators. Movie theater attendance, one of the worst, is still flat-lined near zero. Hotel occupancy is doing relatively well, at about half of normal. Gasoline consumption has recovered to about 90% of normal. Even when we can't really "travel," Americans still love to drive. — HB

Palantir has filed paperwork for an IPO. Here's how the secretive big-data company cofounded by Peter Thiel makes its money.

The top 25 industries bailed out by PPP loans. Insider crunched the numbers on nearly 5 million loans. 

LIFE

Search Jeffrey Epstein's black book. There are 1.510 names in it, and Insider made a searchable list. 

THE BIG 3*

Coronavirus antibodies disappear in some patients. A huge Spanish study found that some people who tested positive for the virus tested negative for antibodies just weeks later, suggesting immunity is incomplete and herd immunity may be impossible. 

Prince William and Prince Harry formally cut ties with Princess Diana's Memorial Fund. Harry will put his half into a charity of his choice, while William's half will go into a royal foundation. 

13 things in your bathroom you should get rid of. Insider asked interior designers, who said dump the extra bathmats, soap bars on the sink, small mirrors, among other items. 

*The most popular stories on Insider today.

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• Sarah Katz is a freelance writer who covers the intersection between disability and mental health, relationships, entertainment, and public services.
• At its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that iOS 14 will have a new accessibility feature that can alert deaf and hard-of-hearing users to 14 different sounds.
• This type of technology isn't new: Companies like Wavio have been creating comprehensive sound recognition technology for years.
• Still, many in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are excited for the new update — and it could lay the groundwork for further sounds to be incorporated.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

I was born deaf more than 30 years ago, so I consider myself skilled at navigating an inaccessible world. But despite my visual attentiveness and high-powered hearing aids, some events escape my notice. For instance, as I was sleeping a couple weeks ago, my bathroom and office flooded with an inch of water after I accidentally left the sink running overnight. It caused costly water damage in the ceiling of my neighbor's apartment below.

But Apple's new accessibility feature, which will debut in the iOS 14 update of the operating system when it releases this fall, could prevent such a thing from happening again. The feature, announced during Apple's virtual Worldwide Developers Conference, will alert deaf and hard-of-hearing users by text to doorbells and door knocks; fire, smoke, and siren alarms; and other specific environmental sounds (14 in total), including shouting, a baby crying, a dog barking, a cat meowing, and — lo and behold — running water.

Other deaf and hard-of-hearing people share my excitement about the new feature. Haben Girma, a disability rights lawyer, speaker, and the author of "Haben: The DeafBlind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law," told me that the feature "has the potential to increase independence and freedom for many people." 

"Imagine Deaf and Deafblind parents moving around their homes with the assurance that they'll immediately receive an alert when their baby is crying," Girma said in an email. (Some Deaf people who consider themselves a member of the signing community capitalize the word "deaf.") 

Given Apple's use of Haptic Touch technology, which provides tactile sensations in the form of vibrations for other features, Girma hopes the company will also incorporate custom haptic alerts for distinct sounds, including on the Apple Watch: "We should be able to know if the doorbell is ringing or the baby is crying through a distinct touch on our wrist. Hearing people moving around listening to music, vacuuming, and engaging in other noisy tasks could also benefit from Sound [Recognition]." 

Apple isn't the first electronics company to incorporate non-speech sound recognition technology into its products; Samsung added a similar feature to its devices years ago. The company's efforts also build on the work of previous innovations by sound recognition technology companies including OtoSense, Audio Analytic, and AbiliSense. 

Wavio, founded five years ago by three Deaf individuals, is another sound recognition company that has forefronted accessibility. Its CEO Greyson Watkins said that the team's experiences as Deaf people and their consumer research have influenced their development of their sound recognition technology.

Wavio's technology, which goes much further than Apple's feature, recognizes over 500 "critical and convenient household sounds that we are prioritizing based on consumer research and unmet needs." That includes beeping, coughing, crashing, crying, fire, gunfire, cries for help, ringing, and shattering, among others — a list that will continue to grow as its dataset develops.

Wavio's technology can also pinpoint a sound's location, while Apple's feature may not. Wavio's CEO said that's an important factor in capturing sounds in spaces where people are not present, including when they aren't at home. 

"We heard so many stories about people accidentally leaving the car idling, water running, or stove on and then leaving the room," Watkins said. "So Apple's use of their internal mic is absolutely helpful for sounds nearby a device, but may not be as efficacious when it comes to capturing sounds outside of the immediate room the user or device is in."

Girma added that the feature could also come in handy when she's in an unfamiliar environment. 

"One of my greatest fears is that I won't hear a fire alarm. Before the pandemic, I traveled all the time for book talks and other events," she said. "I have the ability to hear loud sounds in the same room as me, but I've stayed in hotels where the alarms were in the hall rather than in the rooms. Accessible alert systems exist for hotels, yet many still don't use them. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to rely on my Apple watch to notify me of fire alarms."

Apple's move shows the potential for broader adoption of assistive technologies at bigger firms.

Although Apple's update will only include 14 sounds, it lays the groundwork for additional sounds to be added in the years to come. If successful, the feature could potentially replace other existing assistive devices for deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers, like flashing fire alarms, reducing the costs that they bear to make their homes more accessible to them.

Howard Rosenblum, chief executive officer at the National Association of the Deaf, a civil-rights organization for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, said he appreciates the efforts of Apple and other companies that seek to improve the accessibility of everyday life. But he also noted that they would benefit from employing deaf people. 

"We encourage all companies to retain deaf and hard of hearing employees as well as consult with deaf and hard of hearing organizations to assist with all technological advancements and ensure it is designed with accessibility from the start," Rosenblum said. "It is of paramount importance that all companies establish accessibility-focused positions to coordinate and oversee all accessibility-related matters and ensure accessibility is not overlooked internally." 

The technology could also potentially transform the lives of people who have service animals that currently alert them to various sounds in their environment. Cara Miller, Ph.D., a faculty member in the Gallaudet University Clinical Psychology doctoral program who is deaf, has a hearing dog, and studies human-animal interaction, said she welcomes the new feature. 

"[A]ny assistive 'technology,' whether digitally-powered or with a cold nose and warm heart, that has the potential to bring about greater ease in daily living is a welcome addition to the ways we as humans seek to be more aware of the environments around us," Miller said.

But Miller added that, in some cases, hearing dogs will alert owners to sounds which a dog has not been trained in, like an oncoming car — which is not something the new Apple feature will be able to do in its current iteration. 

"[H]earing dog partnerships offer some supports, both anticipated and unexpected, that may meet really essential needs for safety, security, awareness, and companionship," she said.

Apple has also added other accessibility features to iOS 14 that will affect deaf and hard-of-hearing users — like Real Time Text conversations, which will enable callers to text chat during a voice call, and an update for FaceTime to allow for a larger screen when users are communicating in sign language. 

The company also added "Headphone Accommodations," which will essentially turn AirPods Pro into hearing aids as it "amplifies soft sounds and tunes audio to help music, movies, phone calls, and podcasts sound crisper and clearer," according to the press release.

The company is making major inroads in the area of accessibility: something deaf and hard-of-hearing people — and my neighbors — can celebrate.

SEE ALSO: The deaf community is facing new barriers as we navigate inaccessible face masks and struggle to follow news broadcasts and teleconferences — but the tools for accessibility are out there

Join the conversation about this story »

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• NBCUniversal's flagship streaming service, Peacock, lands nationally on July 15, with a free tier and two subscription plans.
• Peacock chairman Matt Strauss said its Spotify-like freemium model is even more relevant amid the global pandemic, as economic uncertainty looms and people spend more time streaming in lockdown. 
• Strauss said Peacock is working to strike deals to make the paid version of platform available to more people for free, as well.
• After three months of testing the service among Comcast customers, Strauss said Peacock is also doubling the number of linear channels in the platform, and rethinking how it programs its Trending section.
• Strauss said Peacock surpassed in 60 days its year-end targets for metrics including monthly active users, though did not share specific numbers. The company previously said it aimed to reach 30 to 35 million monthly active users by 2024.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic hit, the team behind NBCUniversal's upcoming flagship streaming service, Peacock, began holding virtual all-hands meetings twice a week.

A topic of discussion during the meetings was the mindset that consumers might be in when the platform rolled out nationally on July 15, amid growing economic uncertainty and a crowded streaming-video market.

The Comcast-owned platform had announced in January plans for a freemium model, similar to Spotify, that would include a free tier of content with ads, as well as a $5-per-month subscription with more programming including originals like the upcoming series "Brave New World," and a $10-per-month version without ads.

The company says it's even more confident in that strategy now with the current economic instability.

"This notion of launching a free service that's premium, we think is incredibly relevant," Matt Strauss, chairman of Peacock and NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises, told Business Insider. "It's more relevant now than even where we thought six or so months ago."

Peacock has been pushing its free offering heavily in its launch marketing. Its tagline is: "Watch for free. Upgrade for more."

Rival subscription services like HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Apple TV Plus are available for free or cheap through distribution deals or limited promotions to some customers, but they are paid platforms at their cores. Peacock is hoping to the avoid the subscription fatigue it suspects competitors are facing by offering a free way to watch with little-to-no strings attached.

"There's just a lot of friction that we were identifying in the market," Strauss said. "We saw through research that people were getting frustrated with how many services they had to subscribe to. They were kind of popping in and out of these services, based on whether they want to watch a buzzy original ... or they might've been getting it on a promotion and not realizing it was a promotion."

Peacock is also beefing up its library, which includes NBCUniversal-owned movies and TV shows and content licensed from third parties, to make sure free offering is robust.

The free version was expected to launch with 7,500 hours of programming, half the volume in the paid plan, but Strauss said the volume of free content in July will be "significantly higher" than what was announced. The company recently struck a licensing deal with ViacomCBS that will add to the programming on both Peacock's free and paid tiers, for example.

Peacock is also trying to make its "paid" platform available to more people for "free" through bundling deals.

Strauss, who was previously an exec at Comcast, said Peacock is working to bundle its premium version with other services. It has deals in place with with its cable-giant parent Comcast, and Cox, which Strauss says will reach 24 million people in the US combined.

"Fast forward 12 to 18 months, we really believe that you're going to see a very large portion of the country that's going to have access to the premium version of Peacock for free through bundling," Strauss said.

After its Comcast trial run, Peacock leaned into linear channels and rethought how to program its Trending section

Peacock has been testing its service for the past three months among certain Comcast customers who pay for its Xfinity X1 cable service or use its Flex streaming device with its broadband offering. Those roughly 15 million customers have been able to access the paid, ad-supported version of Peacock for free since April 15. The Peacock app is automatically loaded onto those devices and integrated into the programming guides, the way apps including Netflix and Hulu are.

Free seems to be working for those customers, too. Strauss said Peacock surpassed within 60 days its year-end targets for metrics, including monthly active accounts, time spent viewing, and frequency and repeat usage. He did not share the figures, however. 

Previously, the company said it was targeting 30 million to 35 million monthly active accounts on Peacock by 2024.

Strauss said Peacock's test run likely benefitted from the rise in streaming viewing during lockdown that has helped others in the industry, as well as the company's marketing, product, and content strategies.

As part of a cable company, Peacock been trying to toe the line between streaming video and the legacy-TV ecosystem that the broader business relies on. The platform strives to serve as both a complement to traditional-TV packages, and a destination for cord-cutters who get their entertainment primarily from streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

To better reach cord cutters, Strauss said Peacock is leaning more into programmed channels that are dedicated to properties, like "Saturday Night Live" and "The Office," or talent like Jimmy Fallon. The concept, which Strauss likens to Spotify playlists, is similar to the linear channels offered by free, ad-supported streaming-TV services like Pluto TV and Xumo. (Comcast also acquired Xumo this year.)

Strauss said usage of Peacock's channels was ten times higher among Comcast's Flex customers (who don't have a traditional TV package) as its X1 cable customers during the beta period.

"X1, if you're familiar with X1, is really geared towards the pay-TV subscriber," Strauss said. "What we didn't know was that if we created these linear channels, would they resonate or not with a cord cutting segment? And what we found is that they are over-indexing."

Peacock created 20 channels, but now plans to launch closer to 40 by July, and up to 60 by year's end, Strauss said.

However, Peacock could be in the same pickle AT&T's HBO Max was at launch if it isn't available on major streaming devices Roku and Amazon Fire TVs. The company has said it will be accessible on Apple and Android devices, among others, but has not yet announced distribution on Roku and Amazon devices. 

Peacock's leadership has demonstrated its ability to pivot in other areas. Peacock found from its initial roll out that it needed to rethink how it programs its Trending section, which is editorially driven but will become personalized to users over time. When the pandemic hit, for example, people were watching the news more often, but many viewers also wanted an escape. 

The company quickly struck a deal with Seth McFarland to produce a daily variety show that was featured in the Trending section, and worked with "Saturday Night Live" to incorporate some of its most popular sketches and monologues.

"We've learned a lot and we've had to make changes along the way," Strauss said, "but I think one of the strengths of a new organization is having that flexibility to be able to make those kinds of pivots, and do it in a way where you can quickly learn and make changes."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Tax Day is now July 15 — this is what it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time

• To be part of the in-crowd in Silicon Valley, you have to know about and use the latest hot new apps.
• Years ago, that was Gmail; this week it's Hey, a new email service.
• Below is a list of six of the hottest apps in Silicon Valley.
• Unfortunately, most of them are invitation-only, so there's good chance you won't be able to join the hip crowd.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Silicon Valley can be a cliquey place.

Every so often, a new app or service launches that only the in-crowd knows about or has access to.

Fifteen years ago, it was Gmail, Google's now superpopular email site that started as an invitation-only service. This week, it was Hey, a brand-new email service that promises to fulfill Gmail's promise of helping users better manage their inboxes, or Imboxes, in Hey parlance, as long as they have an invitation to use it.

But Hey's not the only hot new app to set the Valley abuzz. Here are some of the latest ones the technorati are talking about:

SEE ALSO: The coronavirus crisis is force-feeding 2 big changes into the stodgy enterprise software market. Here's why some startups are already benefiting.

Hey

What is it? An email app and service.
What's different about it? It promises to make email easier to manage by automatically grouping together receipts and transaction-related messages; newsletters and promotional email; and personal messages. So it's sort of like Gmail, but it's supposed to be better. It also promises to give users more control over the inflow of messages, allowing them to ignore messages sent to a group of people, merge separate conversations together in one thread, and block trackers that detect when and where a message was opened.
Who developed it? Basecamp, the maker of a project-management app of the same name.
When did it launch? Tuesday.
How much does it cost? $99 a year.
Can I use it? Not yet, unless you have an invitation. Basecamp plans to open it up to the public at large later this month.

Clubhouse

What is it? A group voice-chat app.
What's different about it? Clubhouse has gotten notable people talking — literally. The app allows users to join different virtual rooms and strike up conversations with the group of people who happen to be in there. So far, that's been a limited and exclusive crowd, including people such as the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, the actor Jared Leto, and the hip-hop artist MC Hammer, The New York Times reported.
Who developed it? Paul Davison, who previously founded Highlight, a location-based service that was acquired by Pinterest.
When did it launch? This spring as a private beta.
How much does it cost? $0.
Can I use it? Not yet, unless you have an invitation. You can request one through its website.

Roadtrip

What is it? A music-listening app.
What's different about it? Roadtrip is kind of like Clubhouse for music. Users can join others in virtual rooms where someone is serving as a DJ, queuing up songs in a live playlist. They can chat with each other via text, suggest songs, and, if invited by the DJ, talk out loud to the DJ and others in the room. 
Who developed it? Matt Mazzeo, a former managing director at Lowercase Capital, and Brian Wagner, formerly a lead developer at Embrace, which provides app-debugging services.
When did it launch? This month in private beta.
How much does it cost? $0.
Can I use it? Like Clubhouse, only if you have an invitation. You can request one through its "product hunt" page.

Superhuman

What is it? An email app.
What's different about it? Superhuman promises a streamlined, superfast email experience. Its app and site are distinctly minimalist and intentionally so; the company wants pages and messages to load within 100 milliseconds. Users can schedule messages and undo already sent ones. The service offers a collection of keyboard shortcuts that allow users to quickly scan through their inbox or send messages. And it automatically sorts messages into different areas, including one for newsletters and another for calendar invitations.
Who developed it? Rahul Vohra, who founded Rapportive, which pioneered extensions for Gmail; Conrad Irwin, who was Rapportive's first engineer; and Vivek Sodera, who cofounded RapLeaf, a database-marketing company.
When did it launch? 2017 in private beta testing.
How much does it cost? $30 per month.
Can I use it? Only if you have an invitation. You can request access through Superhuman's homepage.

Notion

What is it? An all-in-one productivity app.
What's different about it? Notion is designed to be ultraflexible. Users can take notes in it, create to-do lists, collaborate with colleagues, create shared information pages, and manage projects.
Who developed it? Ivan Zhao, who previously worked at the mobile-learning company Inkling, and Simon Last.
When did it launch? 2016.
How much does it cost? Free to $10 a month, depending on features.
Can I use it? Yes.

Collab

What is it? A video and music-collaboration app.
What's different about it? Collab allows people to make music together virtually. Users upload videos of themselves playing music and combine their videos with two others. Users can combine their own videos, work with friends, or make mash-ups with videos uploaded by other people. 
Who developed it? Facebook's NPE (new product experimentation) group.
When did it launch? May.
How much does it cost? Free.
Can I use it? If you get an invitation. You can sign up for the wait list on the app's homepage.

Got a tip about the next hot new app or another tech story? Contact Troy Wolverton via email at twolverton@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter @troywolv, or send him a secure message through Signal at 415.515.5594. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

• Read more:
• Apple is facing rage and insurrection from developers over the commission it charges apps on the App Store
• Clubhouse, the invite-only audio chat app being hailed as the next Snap or Twitter, just raised a big round of funding after a bidding war. Here's what 9 VCs with access say it's like.
• For the past month I've been using Superhuman, the email app VCs are obsessed with that costs $30 a month — and I'm never going back to Gmail
• 5 low-cost apps that entrepreneurs and freelancers can use to juggle projects and boost productivity

• Both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch Lite have been hard to find online as they continue to explode in popularity, but we've been keeping an eye on the best deals for Switch consoles, games, and accessories.
• We'll update this list regularly with the top Nintendo Switch deals as new discounts are announced.
• Right now, "Super Mario Maker 2" and "New Super Mario U Deluxe" are on sale for $39.99, which is 33% off their regular price.

The Nintendo Switch has been the best-selling video game console on the planet since its release in March 2017, and it's become one of the hottest products of 2020 as people look for ways to entertain themselves during the coronavirus pandemic.

Nintendo Switch sales doubled in March 2020 compared to March 2019, and even surpassed the number of consoles sold during the Switch's first month in March 2017, according to data from the NPD Group. 

Nintendo's $300 hybrid console offers many of the most popular games on the market in a portable package, with the option to connect the Switch to a larger television or home entertainment system. The $200 Switch Lite is smaller and can't connect to your TV, but it's still a popular pick for parents who want an affordable alternative to the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, and gamers who want a second console.

Switch exclusive titles include iconic Nintendo franchises like "Super Mario," "Pokémon" and "The Legend of Zelda." The latest Nintendo exclusive, "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," was the best-selling game of March 2020 and is already the top selling game in the series.

Below, we've collected the best deals on Nintendo Switch consoles, exclusive games, and accessories. These discounts should all come in handy whether you're looking to buy a Switch for the first time, building your library of games, or trying to find the cheapest price on a Switch peripheral.

Here are the best Nintendo Switch deals for July 2020:

• "Super Mario Maker 2" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• "New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• 256GB MicroSD Memory Card, $52.99 (originally $94.99) at Best Buy [You save $42]
• Insten Wireless Pro Controller Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, $32.99 (originally $50.99) at Target [You save $18]

Prices and links are current as of 7/7/2020. Added new deals for Nintendo Switch games. Removed deals that are no longer active. Updated by Kevin Webb.

Best deals on Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite consoles

The Nintendo Switch can be connected to a TV for high-definition gameplay, or taken on-the-go as a portable console. Furthermore, the Switch's controls can be separated from the console and used as two separate controllers called Joy-Cons. Unfortunately, stock for the standard Switch remains low at many retailers. With that in mind, some of the below products might not currently be available for shipment. We'll update this section with more Switch purchase options and deals as stores start adding more inventory.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a handheld-only version of the console that lacks the original Switch's removable controllers and ability to connect to a larger television. The Switch Lite appeals to gamers who may already own a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One and want to play games with a similar level of quality while they're traveling. Parents may also be more willing to invest in a handheld console at a lower price point when introducing their children to gaming.

The Nintendo Switch Lite comes in four colors (coral, turquoise, grey and yellow). There haven't been many deals that drop the Switch Lite's price below its standard retail price of $199.99, but a refurbished model is sold for a $5 discount when it's in stock at Best Buy.

• Nintendo Switch 32GB Grey/Neon Console, $299.99 at Best Buy
• Geek Squad Refurbished Nintendo Switch Lite (Turquoise), $194.99 ($199.99 new) at Best Buy [You save $5 buying refurbished]
• Nintendo Switch Lite (Turquoise), $199.99 at Best Buy
• Nintendo Switch Lite (Gray), $199.99 at Best Buy
• Nintendo Switch Lite (Turquoise), $199.99 at GameStop
• Nintendo Switch Lite (Gray), $199.99 at GameStop

Best deals on Nintendo Switch games

Though the Nintendo Switch has only been around for three years, there are already more than 2,300 games available for the console. Deals on Nintendo franchises, like "Super Mario," "Pokémon" and "The Legend of Zelda," are relatively rare, but "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is actually on sale for about $5 off its regular price right now through Target.

You can also find plenty of other fun Switch games on sale at popular retailers or from the Nintendo eShop, the console's home for digital releases.

• "Super Mario Maker 2" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• "New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• "Splatoon 2" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• "Yoshi's Crafted World" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]
• "Mario Tennis Aces" $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Gamestop [You save $20]

Best deals on Nintendo Switch controllers

Though the Switch's Joy-Cons give players access to two controllers at all times, some gamers prefer the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, which more closely resembles a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller.

Nintendo also sells spare Joy-Cons with multiple color options for Switch owners who want to add some additional flair and an extra set of motion controllers for multiplayer games. However, Joy-Cons have been out of stock at most major retailers amid the coronavirus pandemic, with online stores charging prices well above their normal price of $79.99.

Though there are no current discounts available on brand-new Nintendo first-party controllers, Best Buy is selling refurbished Pro Controllers for $62.99. Joy-Cons are also in stock right now for their regular price at GameStop. 

• Geek Squad Refurbished Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, $62.99 ($69.99 new) at Best Buy [You save $7 buying refurbished]
• PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller (Purple), $36.99 (originally $49.99) at Amazon [You save $13]
• Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons (Neon Red/Blue), $79.99 at GameStop
• Insten Wireless Pro Controller Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, $32.99 (originally $50.99) at Target [You save $18]

Best deals on on Nintendo Switch accessories

As a portable console with replaceable controllers, the Switch has no shortage of accessories. The most important addition you can make is a MicroSD card, which can expand the Switch's initial 32GB of storage to more than 250GB for about the same price as a new game.

If you plan on taking your Switch on the go, it's probably a good idea to pick up a basic case with space for extra game cartridges too. The Switch is fairly durable so you don't need to spend a ton protecting it.

• 256GB MicroSD Memory Card, $52.99 (originally $94.99) at Best Buy [You save $42]
• Nintendo Switch Game Traveler Deluxe System Travel Case, $26.97 (originally $39.99) at GameStop [You save $13.02]
• HORI Nintendo Switch Multiport USB Playstand, $32.10 (originally $39.99) at Amazon [You save $7.89]

• Amazon has the third-largest advertising business after Google and Facebook.
• As Amazon's ad business grows, a number of third-party tech companies and agencies have emerged to help marketers navigate the e-commerce giant.
• Business Insider identified 18 of the most important ones that help marketers run ads and help sellers manage their e-commerce strategies and logistics.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

A new crop of companies wants to cash in on Amazon.

The e-commerce giant's advertising business is expected to make $17 billion this year, according to financial services firm Cowen. Its advertising business is more nascent than Facebook or Google, but it's fared better than its rivals during the coronavirus as more people shop online and performance-heavy advertisers increase spending on the platform.

Amazon's growing advertising business has spawned a cottage industry of tech firms and agencies that specialize in Amazon. They help advertisers and sellers solve challenges including deciding what products to sell online, how to get products noticed, and running advertising campaigns that drive sales.

Business Insider identified 18 companies that are cornering the Amazon market, based on their reputations and clients and what problems they're trying to solve. Many of the companies we highlighted are founded by ex-Amazon employees and enterpreneurs who started their own firms to help others master the platform.

Here are the companies, listed in alphabetical order.

SEE ALSO: Inside Amazon: Everything we know about the e-commerce giant's growing advertising business

Blue Wheel Media: An agency that gives sellers first-hand experience

Trevor George founded Blue Wheel Media as a digital ad agency after selling products on Amazon himself. He also runs Trevco, which is his family's company and a third-party marketplace that sells sells licensed apparel and accessories.

He launched the agency as a way to help other sellers understand how to get their products discovered and reviewed as well as run ad campaigns for brands like Moroccanoil and Tushy.

Blue Wheel Media also runs campaigns on Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

Bobsled Marketing: An agency aimed at at e-commerce brands trying to grow sales

Bobsled Marketing is an Amazon-focused ad agency founded by Kiri Masters, a former banker at JPMorgan Chase.

The 26-person agency differentiates itself with regular news roundups and webinars about Amazon that Masters organizes for clients. The firm is a mix of a managed-service shop that handles accounts and ad campaigns for third-party sellers and a consultancy that helps clients like Project Sunscreen and Barcel develop e-commerce strategies.

ChannelAdvisor: A software company that focuses on e-commerce businesses

ChannelAdvisor is a platform used by brands like Party City and Asics to manage their sales, marketing, and fulfillment across Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.

The 19-year-old firm helps brands price items, manage their inventory, and access analytics. A forecasting tool predicts how much inventory to stock and another feature tracks profitability metrics.

Advertisers also use ChannelAdvisor's technology to bid, tweak, and schedule ad campaigns across three of Amazon's popular ad formats on its website and app: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Display, and Sponsored Brands.

Spitz was formerly president and chief operating officer at the firm before being named CEO in 2015. Before ChannelAdvisor, he founded a mobile marketing firm called Avesair and is on the board of directors at digital advertising company AdWerx.

Channel Bakers: An agency that focuses on advertising campaigns

Joshua Kreitzer founded Channel Bakers after working in e-commerce at brands like GoPro and Corsair.

The firm is a full-service Amazon agency that helps brands including Wandering Bear, Samsung, and Intel advertise on Amazon with search and programmatic ads as well as over-the-top ads in Amazon's TV properties. Channel Bakers also works on non-advertising products like merchandising and creating content for product pages and Stores, which are branded sections of Amazon that marketers can use to highlight products.

Channel Bakers also creates and manages e-commerce strategies for Walmart, Rakuten, and Sears.

Downstream: A software firm that uses AI to run ad campaigns

Downstream CEO Connor Folley is an ex-Amazon marketing manager who worked with consumer-electronics brands before founding his own startup three years ago to tackle the problem of automating the manual process of buying Amazon ads.

The company sells technology that brands like HP and Bic use to tweak campaigns and track metrics like cost and clicks of campaigns that measure brands' return on ad spend. Downstream's software also stores advertisers' data and has a recommendation engine that gives advertisers insight into their competitors.

Downstream has raised $4 million in funding from Haystack, Founders' Co-op, and MathCapital and was part of Techstars Seattle Accelerator, an organization that provides mentorship and resources to startups, in 2018.

Envisions Horizons: An agency aimed at beauty and wellness brands

Laura Meyer is a former Amazon Advertising sales executive who founded her own firm to specialize on beauty, wellness and parenting brands.

Beauty brands have historically been more resilient to e-commerce because most of their sales are done in physical retail stores, but Amazon is pushing into beauty because of the category's high profit margins. Meyer helps clients like Thinx and Milani Cosmetics design product pages and advertising campaigns to drive conversions.

The firm's services include strategies and insights about Amazon, content creation, and advertising campaigns.

ETailz: A software company that seeks to help third-party sellers

Amazon's marketplace is broken into first-party sellers that sell inventory directly to Amazon and third-party sellers that use Amazon to sell to consumers.

ETailz is squarely focused on third-party sellers that struggle to work directly with Amazon. The firm sells software that helps with sales and handles inventory management and marketing on Amazon, Walmart, and eBay for brands including Strider and Great Lakes.

ETailz also has an agency that provides consultancy and digital marketing work like photography and video production and managing promotions, and a retail arm that buys products from manufacturers and sells them at higher prices on Amazon.

CEO Kunal Chopra worked at Amazon and other tech companies before joining ETailz as CEO last year. He was previously a general manager at Microsoft and Amazon and has also worked at eSports company Unikrn and Groupon.

ETailz raised $25 million in debt financing in February and is owned by Trans World Entertainment.

FlyWheel Digital: An agency that built its own adtech

Patrick Miller and Chip DiPaula cofounded Flywheel Digital in 2014 to help big brands like Purina, Energizer, and Crayola run ad campaigns on Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot and Kroger's properties. It sold the firm to holding company Ascential for $60 million in 2018.

The agency has built its own adtech rather than work with third parties to run and optimize ad campaigns. The firm consults with brands on topics like the supply chain and builds out models to predict metrics like sell-through rate and purchase order for brands selling on Amazon.

Flywheel Digital is also one of the four firms plugged into Walmart's recently launched self-serve ad platform.

Before founding Flywheel Digital, Miller worked at Compass Marketing, a Maryland-based consultancy that focuses on packaged goods.

Kenshoo: A software company that manages advertising spend for holding companies

Kenshoo is a longtime adtech firm that pioneered social ad buying through Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest through software. CEO Yoav Izhar-Prato is an internet entrepreneur who has raised $60 million for the firm.

The firm now focuses on search and e-commerce advertising, particularly on Amazon and more recently Walmart. Its software helps marketers pace the speed of ad budgets and optimizes campaigns. 

Amazon's ad business has long focused on performance marketing, but its made a hard push for branding dollars from big marketers and agencies. Kenshoo has deep relationships with big holding companies like WPP and Publicis Media from handling their digital ad spend for clients for years, and it's trying to grow Amazon ad budgets from holding companies that handle companies' branding dollars.

Marketplace Strategy: An agency that creates e-commerce strategies

Marketplace Strategy is an Amazon-focused agency that manages $2 billion in sales for more than 60 brands including StarKist, Utz Quality Foods, and Staples.

The company creates and designs Amazon sales strategies, runs customized analytics for clients, and handles search and programmatic advertising spend.

Marketplace Strategy was founded in 2016 and acquired by SocialCode in 2018 to build out an Amazon practice alongside S0cialCode's Facebook and Google marketing.

CEO Drew Kraemer cofounded the firm after working at digital agencies and seeing a gap for Amazon-specific e-commerce expertise.

Orca Pacific: An agency that seeks to help big manufacturers crack Amazon

Orca Pacific is a more than 50-person agency founded by former Amazon, advertising, and retail execs.

The Seattle-based firm works with manufacturers including Reebok, Mars, and Godiva to help sellers get discovered on Amazon through search tactics, content, and rating programs. Its services include designing digital stores and creating keyword strategies.

Orca Pacific also has a managed-service arm that develops Amazon advertising, promotions, and deals. A dashboard helps advertisers track ad campaign performance.

CEO John Ghiorso cofounded Seattle-based Orca Pacific 12 years ago to help brands set up e-commerce revenue as Amazon's profile grew.

Pacvue: A software company that sells an advertising stack to brands

Pacvue sells an advertising stack software to brands like Tuft & Needle and Duracell. The software pulls together reports and tools for managing budgets and campaigns that plugs into Vendor Central, Amazon's program that sellers use to sell wholesale products to Amazon.

The Seattle-based firm also helps brands advertise with Walmart's recently launched self-service platform that mimics many of Amazon's features.

Cofounder and president Melissa Burdick previously spent 10 years working at Amazon on ad products like display advertising and worked with packaged-good vendors to help them sell products online.

Podean: An agency and consultancy that plugs Amazon into bigger branding

Small sellers and marketers tend to focus on performance marketing, but Podean wants marketers to use Amazon as part of big branding and media campaigns.

Podean is an agency and consultancy that helps brands and agencies including e.l.f. Cosmetics and Mitsubishi sell and advertise on Amazon. The firm offers media-planning tools, marketplace strategy and operation management of accounts, and data consulting with Amazon's "clean room" — a data tool that analyzes metrics like attribution, reach and frequency. The company is also working on a voice search product for advertisers.

Podeon was founded by CEO Mark Power, who built an Amazon practice at ad holding company Interpublic Group's Mediabrand and held executive roles at Ansible and Reprise. Global CEO Travis Johnson joined Podeon in November after serving as president of Dentsu's Amazon practice and working at IPG agencies Ansible Mobile, UM, and Initiative.

Profitero: A software company focused on e-commerce analytics

Profitero focuses on e-commerce analytics that manufacturers like Adidas and General Mills that sell wholesale to retailers and don't have insight into the retailers and prices that their products are selling. The firm's software measures metrics like stock rates, prices, product ratings, reviews and search placements across more than 8,000 retailers — including Amazon.

Profitero is one of a handful of companies that pitches brands on its ability to crack Amazon's "black box" of data like conversions for sellers. Brands use the data to forecast e-commerce trends and set promotion strategies.

Profitero recently raised $20 million in its Series B round that was led by Scaleworks and brought on advertising veterans Bryan Wiener and Sarah Hofstetter as CEO and president, respectively. Weiner and Hofstetter were previously CEO and president at measurement firm Comscore and led advertising agency 360i together.

Seller Labs: A software company that works with sellers on reviews and advertising

Seller Labs is a software company and has made inroads with sellers and a product called Feedback Genius that solicits consumers to leave product reviews, which helps sellers build credibility and awareness on the platform.

The firm also sells advertising and marketing tools that brands like Death Wish Coffee and 5 Strands Affordable Testing use to create conversion-geared ad campaigns and manage accounts with services like product photography and digital storefronts.

In October, Seller Labs acquired software firm X-Cart to expand its work to e-commerce sites beyond Amazon.

CEO Hank Harris previously was chief financial officer and partner at technology firm Gorilla Logic.

Sellics: A software company for agencies, brands, and vendors

Sellics bills itself as a one-stop shop for Amazon, with products for agencies, sellers, and vendors.

Its software manages their presences on Amazon, tracking profit margins, inventory, and managing advertising to grow sales and run efficient ad campaigns. It also has machine-learning features that manage the advertising bids and keywords that sellers use to run ad campaigns.

Sellics handles $500 million in ad spend for brands including Brita, Bosch and agencies Rise Interactive and Beekepper Marketing. The firm raised $10 million in September from lead venture-capital firm Frog Capital.

Franz Jordan cofounded Sellics, formerly Marketplace Analytics, in 2014 as an Amazon search tool after helping a friend who was a seller on Amazon boost their rankings.

Stackline: A software company that automates Amazon advertising

According to CEO Michael Lagoni, the average e-commerce ad campaign may require up to 10,000 tweaks per day in things like budget allocation and new keywords.

Stackline's goal is to automate all of those changes for brands like General Mills and Philips. The firm sells technology that pulls together and optimizes ad campaigns from Amazon, Walmart, Instacart, and Kroger. The goal is avoid wasting money on ineffective ad campaigns and to max out every advertising dollar that marketers invest.

The firm is founded by a group of ex-Amazon employees and also offers consulting services to brands. CEO Michael Lagoni founded the firm with the goal of consolidating the multiple companies that marketers use to understand Amazon into one company.

Teikametrics: A software company that aims at helping brands sell on marketplaces

Teikametrics is a tech firm that helps brands like Clarks and Razer sell their items through Amazon's marketplace and run advertising. The software includes stats like the cost of goods sold that Amazon does not directly provide sellers.

Teikametrics is one of four adtech firms that is plugged into Walmart's advertising platform that allows brands to buy search ads on Walmart's website and app. As retailers like Walmart make a bigger push into advertising to compete with Amazon, Teikametrics wants to help brands manage their logistics and buy ads across multiple retail ad networks.

In February, the Boston-based startup raised $15 million in a venture round led by Jump Capital, bringing its total funding to $25 million. Teikametrics is working on building products that help sellers determine how much inventory to stock and how to price items with the funding.

CEO Alasdair McLean-Foreman founded the firm after starting an e-commerce business selling sporting goods in his college dorm room in 2001. He also created the weight loss and fitness company Traineo.

• The Xbox One X is still the most powerful video game console on the market, and Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox One games will be playable on its upcoming Xbox Series X as well.
• Low cost subscription services, like Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass, also bring tons of value and affordable games to the Xbox One.
• Below, we've compiled the best deals on Xbox consoles, games, accessories, and subscriptions.
• Right now, "Red Dead Redemption 2" is on sale for $20 off its regular price, and "Control" is discounted by $30.

Microsoft debuted its first Xbox console less than 20 years ago, but the brand has blossomed into one of the titans of the video game industry. It's current flagship console, the Xbox One, has shipped more than 50 million units worldwide and dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of the next Xbox console, the Xbox Series X, later this fall.

For now, the Xbox One X is the most powerful video game console on the market, out performing the PlayStation 4 Pro and Nintendo Switch. The Xbox One S is a strong console as well, boasting 4K resolution playback, HDR support, and a host of media center features that make it an ideal centerpiece for your home entertainment setup.

Microsoft has worked to create a robust ecosystem for Xbox fans, which will include letting them play Xbox One games on the upcoming Series X. Services, like Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass, also bring extra value to the console, offering thousands of games to players for a low price.

We've collected the best deals on Xbox One consoles, games, subscriptions, and accessories below. These should come in handy whether you're an Xbox veteran looking forward to the Series X, or looking to pick up your very first video game console.

Here are the best Xbox One deals for July 2020:

• "Control," $29.99 (originally $59.99) at Best Buy [You save $30]
• "Red Dead Redemption 2," $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Best Buy [You save $20]
• Pre-owned Xbox One Wireless Controller, $44.99 ($59.99 new) at GameStop [You save $15 buying pre-owned]
• Three Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, $30.19 (originally $44.99) from CDKeys.com [You save $14.80]

Prices and links are current as of 7/7/2020. Added new Xbox One video game and subscription deals. Removed deals that are no longer active. Updated by Kevin Webb.

Best Xbox One console deals

Due to high demand, stock for all Xbox One consoles remains low at many retailers, especially for the Xbox One X. With that in mind, the below products might not currently be available for shipment. We'll update this section with more retailer options and discounts as stores add more inventory. 

• Refurbished Xbox One X, $359.99 ($399.99 new) at GameStop [You save $40 buying refurbished]
• Refurbished Xbox One S, $269.99 ($299.99 new) at GameStop [You save $40 buying refurbished]
• Refurbished Xbox One (500GB original model), $199.99 at GameStop
• Xbox One S Bundle with "Roblox," $299.99 at Best Buy
• Xbox One S, $299.00 from Microsoft
• Xbox One X Bundle with free copy of "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," $399.00 from Microsoft 

Best deals on Xbox One games

There are thousands of games available for Xbox One, so we've chosen to focus on just a few of the console's most popular titles. Digital games are available through the Microsoft Store, which offers sales on a regular basis.

• • "Control," $29.99 (originally $59.99) at Best Buy [You save $30]
  • "Red Dead Redemption 2," $39.99 (originally $59.99) at Best Buy [You save $20]
  • "Borderlands 3," $14.99 (originally $39.99) at Best Buy [You save $25]
  • "Darksiders III" $5.99 (originally $29.99) at Best Buy [You save $24]

Best Xbox One controller deals

The Xbox One controller has become the standard for PC gaming thanks to its compatibility with Windows and countless indie games. Newer versions of the Xbox One controller make it easy to connect to your computer or phone with Bluetooth too. While most controllers use rechargeable batteries, the Xbox One controller still relies on AA batteries.

Microsoft also makes a premium Xbox One gamepad, the $180 Xbox Elite controller. The Elite series offers some notable improvements, like a rechargeable battery with 40 hours of playtime, four rear paddle bu tons for extra control, customizable thumbsticks, and a rubber grip.

There are no discounts currently available on brand-new Xbox controllers, but you can save $15 if you buy a pre-owned controller from GameStop.

• Xbox One Wireless Controller, $59.99 at Target
• Pre-owned Xbox One Wireless Controller, $44.99 ($59.99 new) at GameStop [You save $15 buying pre-owned]

Best Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass deals

Xbox Live Gold is a subscription service that's required for online play with nearly all Xbox One games. The subscription also offers free games each month that remain available as long as the Xbox Live Gold subscription is active.

If you're already an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, buying a discounted membership will add time to the length of your current subscription.

Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass is a subscription gaming service that lets you download hundreds of games to your Xbox One or Windows PC. The service costs $5 a month on PC or $10 a month on Xbox One. New Game Pass subscribers will only pay $1 for their first month thanks to an ongoing promotion.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes an Xbox Live Gold subscription and will give you access to Game Pass on both PC and Xbox for a regular price of $15 per month. 

• Three Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, $30.19 (originally $44.99) from CDKeys.com [You save $14.80]

• Facebook is publishing the results of its two-year civil-rights audit on Wednesday.
• But the company won't make all of the changes that the audit calls for, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said.
• Facebook is facing an unprecedented advertiser boycott over its approach to hate speech and intense criticism from civil-rights leaders.
• It's not clear whether the changes Facebook makes will be enough to satisfy the company's critics.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In 2018, Facebook announced it would undergo a civil-rights audit led by Laura Murphy and the law firm Relman, Dane, and Colfax to examine the company's influence on communities of color. The audit's final report is due to be published on Wednesday amid an unprecedented advertiser boycott over Facebook's approach to hate speech.

But Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said Tuesday that not every change it recommended would be carried out.

"While the audit was planned and most of it carried out long before recent events, its release couldn't come at a more important time. It has helped us learn a lot about what we could do better, and we have put many recommendations from the auditors and the wider civil rights community into practice," Sandberg wrote in a Facebook post. "While we won't be making every change they call for, we will put more of their proposals into practice soon."

It's not yet clear what specific recommendations Facebook plans to reject.

A Facebook spokesperson pointed Business Insider to a number of changes that the company is making — such as an audit of monetization policies and brand-safety controls for advertisers and updates to its quarterly disclosures about rule-breaking content to include more information on hate speech. The company will also join the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, an ad industry body that works on brand-safety issues.

Sandberg's comments, however, suggest the changes Facebook makes will not be far-reaching enough to satisfy civil-rights leaders, who have been intensely critical of the social network and helped to organize the boycott, which runs throughout July.

The Stop Hate For Profit coalition behind the boycott has separately issued a list of demands— including the appointment a C-suite-level executive "with civil rights expertise to evaluate products and policies for discrimination, bias, and hate"; regular third-party audits of Facebook examining hate speech and misinformation; refunds to advertisers whose ads appear next to hate speech; the removal of white-supremacist groups; fact checks of political advertising; and the ability for users who have been harassed to speak to a live Facebook employee.

Hundreds of high-profile brands have paused their advertising on Facebook (and sometimes other social-media platforms) amid the boycott — including Coca-Cola, Unilever, and The North Face. It's the largest advertiser action against the company in its history, but it remains unclear what its lasting influence will be. In an internal meeting, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he expected advertisers to return to Facebook in due course and insisted that he wouldn't make changes in response to financial pressures, The Information reported.

Sandberg echoed this in her post, arguing that any changes Facebook makes are not because of the boycott. "We are making changes — not for financial reasons or advertiser pressure, but because it is the right thing to do," she wrote.
"We have worked for years to try to minimize the presence of hate on our platform. That's why we agreed to undertake the civil rights audit two years ago."

Sandberg, Zuckerberg, and other senior leaders at Facebook are also meeting with the organizers of the Facebook boycott on Tuesday, as well as other civil-rights leaders, Sandberg added.

Do you work at Facebook? Contact Business Insider reporter Rob Price via encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 650-636-6268), encrypted email (robaeprice@protonmail.com), standard email (rprice@businessinsider.com), Telegram/Wickr/WeChat (robaeprice), or Twitter DM (@robaeprice). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a nonwork device to reach out. PR pitches by standard email only, please.

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