<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>'s future in the US is unclear as it faces off against the Trump administration's executive orders attempting to ban the app nationwide.</li><li>Bloomberg reports that TikTok employees are scared about the status of their employment, and are regularly asking executives about layoffs and job security.</li><li>Employees are reportedly referring the deadline Trump has set for a <keyword id="7319188" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok-ban">TikTok ban</keyword> as "D-Day" in preparation of job losses.</li><li>Through the uncertainty, TikTok has grown its US operations to 1,500 employees, and has committed to creating 10,000 jobs by 2023.</li></ul>Despite assurances TikTok isn't leaving the United States, employees at the company reportedly fear they'll soon be without a job. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/tiktok-races-to-calm-workers-brands-with-25-days-until-ban?sref=BWbpWjRm">Bloomberg reports</a> that TikTok executives are regularly fielding questions in virtual town halls from employees wondering if they will still have a job in a couple of months. Employees' uncertainty in their future comes as the September 15 deadline Donald Trump has set to ban TikTok approaches — a date employees are internally referring to as "D-Day."TikTok is facing a full-scale attack from the Trump administration, who has issued two executive orders aimed at TikTok based on accusations its parent company, ByteDance, allows the Chinese government to use the platform to spy on Americans, posing national-security risks for the US.There are signs, however, that back up the company's assurance TikTok isn't going anywhere: Trump's orders are already <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/can-trump-ban-tiktok-no-legal-experts-cfius-alternative-options-2020-7">raising legal challenges</a> and a potential lawsuit, and talks are taking place to sell off the company's US operations to an American <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech">tech</keyword> company.Even as employees question their future at the company, TikTok is rapidly expanding its presence in the US. The company says it now has 1,500 US employees, two-thirds of which have been hired during the coronavirus pandemic. TikTok is actively hiring in several cities, and has pledged to create 10,000 jobs in the US by 2023.Unable to meet in person, TikTok employees told Bloomberg they instead bond "over the collective fight to keep the company alive."In a statement to Business Insider, a TikTok spokesperson echoed the company's pledge to create US jobs, and said Trump's actions have forced the company "to hold on widescale hiring" in the US."We're working hard to ensure that we can offer employment for years to come as we build an enduring platform for our users, creators, partners, and the broader community," the spokesperson told Business Insider. "We're committed to being here for the long run for our 1500 US employees and the 100 million Americans who love TikTok because it's their home for <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword>, self-expression, and connection."Trump first issued an executive order in early August <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-prohibits-us-companies-from-doing-business-with-tiktok-2020-8">banning Americans from making</a> "any transactions" with TikTok and ByteDance, set to go into effect on September 15. Last week, Trump issued another executive order regarding TikTok, citing national-security concerns to force ByteDance to sell off its US operations. The second order <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-issues-executive-order-to-force-bytedance-tiktok-sale-musically-2020-8">extended the deadline into November</a> for ByteDance to finalize a deal.Microsoft has remained the frontrunner in talks to acquire TikTok's US operations, which have <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-04/tiktok-s-price-is-a-giant-question-mark-in-already-complex-deal?sref=BWbpWjRm">been pegged anywhere between</a> $10 billion and $50 billion. However, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-prepares-lawsuit-us-ban-appease-trump-microsoft-twitter-acquisition-2020-8">reports indicate these discussions</a> could not end in a deal, and that ByteDance is only entertaining acquisition talks as it prepares to fight back against Trump. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/08/08/900394707/tiktok-to-sue-trump-administration-over-ban-as-soon-as-tuesday">NPR reported in early August</a> that TikTok is planning to sue the Trump administration over its proposed ban, claiming the company wasn't given "a chance to respond" to the executive orders. Nothing since has been reported about the status of the lawsuit that, if filed, could delay the implementation of Trump's order.

TikTok employees have started referring to Trump's deadline to ban the app as 'D-Day' over fears of catastrophic job losses

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> said Monday it was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps-security-concerns-2020-6">blocking TikTok and 59 other foreign apps</a>, citing concerns the Chinese app is "stealing" user data as India clashes with China over a disputed border between the two countries.</li><li>This is the first major challenge the viral video-sharing app faces under its new CEO, <keyword id="226142" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kevin-Mayer">Kevin Mayer</keyword>, who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-disney-streaming-executive-los-angeles-bytedance-2020-5">was appointed to the position</a> in May.</li><li>Mayer plans to address <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>'s around 2,000 "panic-stricken" employees on Tuesday, Indian outlet <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/exclusive-tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-to-address-panic-stricken-bytedance-india-employees/story/408501.html">Business Today reports</a>. The head of TikTok in India has reportedly said there will be no layoffs as a result of the ban.</li></ul>The viral video-sharing app TikTok is facing a ban in one of its biggest global markets just a month into its new CEO's tenure.The Indian government <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1635206">said</a> on Monday that it had banned access to TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps-security-concerns-2020-6">along with dozens of other Chinese apps</a> as tensions escalate between the two countries amid a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53062484">violent border dispute</a>. India's ban on TikTok is the first big challenge Kevin Mayer is facing as the company's CEO, a position <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-disney-streaming-executive-los-angeles-bytedance-2020-5">he stepped into June 1</a>. Mayer, who previously led Disney's streaming services, is now tasked with steering the business as it handles the potential loss of a userbase in India surpassing more than a half-million downloads.TikTok's India operations head <a href="https://twitter.com/TikTok_IN/status/1277811841364668416">said in a statement</a> that the company is "in the process" of complying with India's ban and organizing meetings with Indian government stakeholders. Mayer, who oversees TikTok's global operations, addressed the around 2,000 employees working out of TikTok's India offices on Tuesday, <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/exclusive-tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-to-address-panic-stricken-bytedance-india-employees/story/408501.html">local news outlet Business Today</a> reported. TikTok did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment about Mayer's meeting with TikTok India employees.TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-2-billion-downloads-record-setting-q1-sensor-tower-2020-4">surpassed two billion all-time global downloads</a> in May, leading the platform to set a record for the most downloads any app has ever had in a single quarter. Since TikTok was introduced to international markets in 2017, the app has seen nearly 660 million installs in India, according to data that app analytics firm Sensor Tower provided to Business Insider.The loss of India's massive market could be a blow to TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance. ByteDance reported <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-bytedance-revenue-billions-first-quarter-results-growth-2020-2020-6">$5.6 billion in revenue</a> in the first three months of 2020, representing a 130% grown in revenue year-over-year. <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/7c1f223e-f721-11e9-9ef3-eca8fc8f2d65">Outlets have previously reported</a> ByteDance is considering plans to go public on the Hong Kong stock exchange, an IPO <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-20/tiktok-owner-s-value-surpasses-100-billion-in-private-markets">analysts have valued</a> between $150 billion and $180 billion.Mayer faces the task of mitigating the drastic loss in growth TikTok could face if its ban in the Indian market continues. To date, India comprises nearly 30% of all downloads across the App Store and Google Play, according to Sensor Tower. Sensor Tower anticipates that if the ban in India were to remain in effect for the remainder of 2020, TikTok could lose more than 100 million new downloads.In its announcement of the ban, Indian authorities say they've received "many complaints" about apps accused of "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India." Concerns over the safety and security of user data have long plagued TikTok, particularly in the US. TikTok's ties to China — through its parent company, ByteDance — have earned the app intense scrutiny from US lawmakers and national security officials, who have major concerns over the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-alex-zhu-cancels-senators-meetings-china-censorship-privacy-investigations-2019-12">risks it poses to cybersecurity and user privacy</a>, as well as its influence over censoring content.The addition of Mayer, who is based in TikTok's Los Angeles offices, could be helpful in assuaging those concerns. This isn't the first time India has banned TikTok. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-india/indian-court-moves-to-lift-ban-on-chinese-video-app-tiktok-idUSKCN1S01RH">India temporarily banned</a> the app in April 2019 over concerns it encouraged pornography and exposed children to predators. Earlier this year, millions of Indians <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/not-just-tiktok-twitter-and-zoom-are-in-the-dock-too-in-india/articleshow/75882562.cms">called for a ban of TikTok</a> after videos went viral promoting violence against women.India's most recent ban of TikTok comes as tensions <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53062484">with China</a> have escalated over disputed territory on the two countries' border. At least 20 India soldiers <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/20-indian-soldiers-killed-in-galwan-valley-standoff/articleshow/76416547.cms?_ga=2.62716399.2138434004.1593441832-1805318561.1587076232&amp;_gac=1.242560694.1589923215.EAIaIQobChMI6LDTpfq96QIVLwiICR1SDwSUEAAYAyAAEgLHhvD_BwE_BwE">were killed in June</a> in the clash, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-photos-show-border-buildup-after-deadly-china-india-clash-2020-6">recent satellite images show</a> military buildup nearby from both countries.

TikTok's new CEO is facing his first big challenge after India banned the app and left TikTok's thousands of Indian employees stuck in limbo

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-union-what-happens-after-votes-counted-nlrb-rwdsu-2021-3"></a>Good morning and welcome to <keyword id="9070519" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="10-things-in-tech">10 Things in Tech</keyword>. If this was forwarded to you, <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>.Before we get into it, we have a request. We want to know how you've experienced (and dealt with) burnout during the pandemic, especially if you work for a startup. If you have a story you'd like to share, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burnout-startup-employees-pandemic-we-want-to-hear-from-you-2021-3">here's how you can contribute.</a>Now, let's get started.1. Votes are being tallied in Amazon's historic union election. Now what? We outlined what will happen if the vote passes, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-union-what-happens-after-votes-counted-nlrb-rwdsu-2021-3">what will happen if it doesn't</a>. We also spoke with workers who discussed why they voted against unionization. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-union-vote-why-some-workers-voted-against-unionizing-alabama-2021-3">Here's what they told us</a>.2. Facebook and Google are funding two new undersea cables. The cables, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-google-fund-new-internet-cables-us-asia-bifrost-echo-2021-3">called Bifrost and Echo</a>, are expected to link America's West Coast to Indonesia and Singapore, with a stopover in Guam, the US island territory in the western Pacific.3. Gen Z VCs are getting in on the NFT frenzy. Young venture capitalists have rallied behind non-fungible tokens in recent months. To understand what they're actually buying, we asked Gen Z investors to share their purchases. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-4-nfts-that-owned-by-gen-z-vcs-2021-3">These are the four NFTs they've collected so far</a>.4. ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, may be worth more than Twitter and Coca-Cola. The Chinese company was trading at a valuation of $200 billion on the secondary market last month. With shares rising as it eyes an IPO, it may soon outvalue both the two major brands - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-owner-bytedance-ipo-worth-more-than-twitter-coca-cola-2021-3">if it hasn't already</a>.5. Elon Musk wants top engineers to move to Texas. The Tesla CEO - who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-confirms-move-to-texas-2020-12">recently moved to Texas himself</a> - pleaded for engineers, technicians, and other experts to move to South Padre to work for his company, SpaceX. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-plea-engineers-move-spacex-south-padre-texas-2021-3">Read his tweets here</a>.6. More major moves in the <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech">tech</keyword> world - from Facebook CRO's departure to GameStop nabbing another Amazon exec. David Fischer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-chief-revenue-officer-david-fischer-to-resign-in-2021-2021-3">said he'll leave Facebook this fall</a>, but didn't announce any new employment plans. Meanwhile, GameStop poached Amazon's Elliott Wilke, who will serve as the company's new chief growth officer. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gamestop-announces-third-hire-from-amazon-for-executive-team-2021-3">More on the company's executive shakeup</a>.7. Foxconn, Apple's biggest microchip supplier, is the latest company to be impacted by the global shortage. The computer chip shortage was caused by the pandemic, but exacerbated by the Texas freeze. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foxconn-apple-iphone-supplier-chip-shortage-fewer-product-shipments-2021-3">Here's what that could mean for Foxconn's - and in turn, Apple's - exports.</a>8. H&amp;M was wiped from the internet in China, sending a chilling warning to other retailers. After the major Swedish retailer made comments disparaging the country's forced labor, its online presence has all but disappeared. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hm-boycott-wiped-from-internet-china-2021-3">A look at China's power over international companies.</a>9. Nike is transforming from a marketing-first company into a tech brand. With a former eBay CEO steering it into the tech world, the company is seeing mass layoffs, executive departures, and team restructuring. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-nike-restructure-layoffs-dtc-resale-digitalization-2021-3">We spoke with seven insiders who said the changes are creating turmoil.</a>10. Cameo nabbed a $1 billion unicorn valuation at its latest funding round. The video startup, which lets people buy personalized video messages from celebrities, saw <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cameo-new-funding-billion-valuation-2021-3">a boom during the pandemic.</a> In 2020, these 10 celebrities were Cameo's top earners - including a star of "The Office," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-talent-on-cameo-brian-baumgartner-brett-favre-snoop-dogg-2021-2">who made more than $1 million from the video snippets.</a>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Listen to this update by searching "Business Insider" in your flash briefing settings.Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb">@JordanParkerErb</a>.Sign up for <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/free">more Insider newsletters here.</a>

10 things in tech you need to know today

<a href="https://twitter.com/SaudiEmbassyUSA/status/980165550545494016">Embassy of Saudi Arabia</a>Jeff Bezos and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in 2018.Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.<ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-phone-hacked-saudi-crown-prince-mbs-whatsapp-report-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Jeff Bezos' phone was reportedly hacked by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2018</a>. Bezos reportedly had had a friendly text exchange with bin Salman, after which Salman sent a video file - believed to be malicious - that compromised Bezos' phone when opened.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-macron-agree-ceasefire-tariffs-french-digital-tax-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Trump and Macron declared a ceasefire on the escalating trade war over France's anti-tech tax</a>. The fight began in July when France approved a 3% tax on revenue generated by large digital companies operating within the country, primarily targeted at Silicon Valley giants like Amazon, Facebook, and Google.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sources-bytedance-courts-european-developers-instant-games-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">China's ByteDance is courting European game developers, and sources say it's mulling a casual-games platform for TikTok to rival Facebook and Snapchat</a>. At a gaming conference on Monday in London, a ByteDance exec dropped hints about the firm's thinking on a casual-gaming platform akin to the instantly playable games available on Facebook and Snapchat.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-apple-dropped-plan-for-encrypting-backups-after-fbi-complained-sources-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Apple reportedly killed a security project after the FBI pushed back</a>. The project involved an iCloud service that fully encrypted iPhone backups, locking even Apple out of the backups.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-q4-2019-earnings-results-subscriber-growth-revenue-analysis-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Netflix crushed growth targets internationally during Q4 2018 but missed in the US, where rivals like Disney Plus emerged</a>. Shares of the streaming company were flat in after-hours trading.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-cook-augmented-reality-does-not-isolate-people-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Apple CEO Tim Cook subtly dinged Mark Zuckerberg by saying augmented reality doesn't isolate people like other technologies</a>. Cook said he is "deeply worried" by technologies which do isolate people, and seemed to imply VR - which Zuckerberg is heavily invested in - was one of them.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus-uk-europe-launch-march-24-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Disney Plus is finally expanding to the UK and Europe in March</a>. Disney Plus will be coming to the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland on March 24.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-card-export-transactions-tthird-party-budgeting-apps-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Apple is launching a new feature for the Apple Card that addresses one of its biggest drawbacks</a>. Apple will now allow Apple Card owners to export transaction data from the Wallet app to third-party apps, making it easier to manage expenses alongside transactions from other accounts.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ebay-lays-off-at-least-200-employees-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">eBay has laid off at least 200 employees as a continuation of its restructuring under its interim CEO</a>. The company confirmed the layoffs, saying they affected only a "low single digit" percentage of eBay's overall workforce.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-officials-say-riot-games-could-owe-400-million-settlement-2020-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">California officials say a $10 million gender discrimination settlement by the creators of the game "League of Legends" isn't enough and calculated the game studio may owe $400 million</a>. Riot Games agreed in August to pay $10 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the company of gender discrimination.</li></ol>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear 10 Things in Tech each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.You can also <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/free">subscribe to this newsletter</a> here - just tick "10 Things in Tech You Need to Know. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ces-tech-product-launch-events-trade-show-2018-12">Apple forever changed the biggest tech event of the year by not showing up</a></h3>

Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Thursday. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/10-things-in-tech&amp;hash=8122c716833601fc1471f79af063b104b104">Sign up here</a> to get this email in your inbox every morning.<ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-resigned-trump-app-ban-2020-8">TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigned as the Trump administration is pushing to ban the Chinese-owned app</a>. Mayer joined TikTok in May as CEO and served as COO of its parent company ByteDance. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-net-worth-passes-200-billion-2020-8">Jeff Bezos is now worth more than $200 billion, making him the richest person in the world by nearly $90 billion</a>. Bezos has more wealth than anyone else has ever had, even when adjusted for inflation, Forbes reported.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-kenosha-call-to-arms-protesters-shot-2020-8">A "Kenosha Guard" Facebook event called on people to "take up arms" against protesters</a>. Facebook removed the "call to arms" event and the Kenosha Guard page on Wednesday, according to The Verge.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-layoffs-workers-severance-earnings-2020-8">Salesforce is laying off about 1,000 workers, less than 2% of its workforce, a day after reporting blockbuster results that surpassed Wall Street estimates</a>. In March, CEO Marc Benioff pledged that Salesforce would not do any significant layoffs over the next 90 days, calling on other CEOs to do the same.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-apple-ios-14-damage-audience-network-ad-business-2020-8">Apple's new iPhone operating system is making it harder for Facebook to track people, and Facebook says it will decimate part of its business</a>. Facebook said iOS 14 could severely hurt its Audience Network ad network, reducing revenue by up to 50%.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-employees-work-from-home-until-august-2021-2020-8">Airbnb extended its employee work-from-home policy until the end of August 2021, the latest of any major tech company</a>. Airbnb employees will also get a $300 stipend "for home office equipment," the company said, "with an additional $200 to cover ergonomic equipment."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foreign-born-tech-workers-us-starting-favor-uk-canada-homeis-2020-8">Visa support platform Homeis says its user base has doubled since March as high-skilled immigrants look to relocate due to Trump's immigration restrictions</a>. "I think there is a long-term impact, a question of whether America will be the number one destination for skilled employees," Homeis CEO Ran Harnevo told Business Insider.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-chairman-jeff-weiner-backs-fintech-startup-esusu-2020-8">Linkedin chairman Jeff Weiner backed fintech startup Esusu, which aims to help marginalized communities build better credit scores</a>. Cofounder Abbey Wemimo told Business Insider the firm wanted to help "right the wrongs of America's past" by countering the long-term effects of systemic racism.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/series-a-value-uk-savings-fintech-chip-over-130-million-2020-8">UK savings fintech Chip is raising a Series A round that will value it at more than $130 million</a>. Chip uses AI and open banking tech to automatically save money each month based on users' spending behaviour. </li><li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-26/tiktok-faces-government-restrictions-on-u-k-expansion-drive?srnd=premium&amp;sref=BWbpWjRmWjRm">TikTok could be facing restrictions in the UK following a review from Boris Johnson's head of staff, Bloomberg reports</a>. The UK announced in July it was banning Chinese telco Huawei from its 5G network following pressure from the Trump administration, having previously said in January it would be allowed to play a partial role.</li></ol>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear <keyword id="9070519" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="10-things-in-tech">10 Things in Tech</keyword> each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.

<div type="image" title="tiktok us" height="1920" width="2880" msid="76983059" hostid="261"></div>Hello and welcome to the post-Bastille day edition of <keyword id="1083886" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="trending">Trending</keyword>, Business Insider's weekly look at the world of tech. I'm Alexei Oreskovic, Business Insider's West Coast Bureau Chief and Global Tech Editor. If you want to get Trending in your email inbox every Wednesday, <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/trending">just click here.</a><h2>This week: <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>, the disruption Silicon Valley never saw coming</h2><div type="image" title="TikTok teens" height="1997" width="3000" msid="76983064" hostid="261"></div>After the coronavirus, TikTok has emerged as the great transnational obsession of 2020, captivating teens, business chiefs, pundits, political parties, and world leaders — all for different reasons.<ul><li>President Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-considering-banning-tiktok-2020-7">have now both floated the idea of banning the Chinese social media app in the US</a>, though the rationale ranges from national security concerns to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-explainer-privacy-facebook-google-2020-7">privacy</a> to some sort of a coronavirus retaliatory strike, depending on who's talking. But: Unlike in India, where new downloads of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-59-mostly-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-uc-browser-wechat-2020-6">TikTok were recently banned</a>, a US president can't actually make an internet app disappear by fiat. Still, there are various things a Trump administration could do to make it very difficult for most American to use TikTok (and those things, by the way, would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-us-tech-companies-benefit-tiktok-ban-2020-7">be welcome news for American internet companies suddenly sweating the upstart rival)</a>. In the corporate realm, some companies are already moving ahead to block TikTok on their own. Companies like Amazon and Wells Fargo recently banned (and in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-tells-employees-to-delete-tiktok-due-to-security-risks-2020-7">Amazon's case, subsequently unbanned</a>) the app among employees.</li></ul><ul><li>TikTok users meanwhile had a collective freak out last week when a technical glitch briefly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-video-views-like-counts-at-zero-disappeared-glitch-2020-7">caused their video views and like counts to reset to zero.</a> But after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tulsa-rally-campaign-officials-admit-tiktok-kpop-fans-2020-6">K-pop loving TikTokers took credit for</a> Trump's Tulsa rally fiasco, few would be foolhardy enough to dismiss the TikTok demographic right now.</li><li>Social <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> competitors like Instagram and <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> certainly take TikTok users seriously — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ban-competitors-capitalizing-instagram-reels-youtube-byte-dubsmash-2020-7">the two internet companies have recently rolled out products and features that mimic TikTok.</a></li><li>And then there's the Republican and Democratic party national committees, which both put themselves in the awkward position of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democrat-republican-parties-warn-staff-not-to-use-tiktok-2020-7">telling campaign staffers they're not allowed to use the very app</a> through which they need to reach a coveted slice of the electorate.</li></ul>It's all very bizarre. But then again, the US has never really been in a position before when an app from China, and not Palo Alto or Seattle, is setting the agenda and conquering the world (even though Musical.ly, the app TikTok is built on, was originally a Silicon Valley startup <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-video-app-musically-acquired-for-up-to-1-billion-2017-11">before it was acquired by China's ByteDance</a>).Expect to see a lot of Kevin Mayer in the coming months. Mayer is a former Disney exec, most recently overseeing the launch of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus">Disney+</a> streaming service, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-disney-streaming-executive-los-angeles-bytedance-2020-5">who took over as TikTok's CEO in June.</a> Mayer remains in LA in his new job, thousands of miles away from the headquarters of TikTok's owner, ByteDance, in Beijing. That's no accident of course. Mayer's job is to convince the world that TikTok is a company that happens to be from China, and not a company that is part of the Chinese state apparatus. How successful he is at that task is anyone's guess.According to Ben Thompson, of the <a href="https://stratechery.com/2020/the-tiktok-war/">influential Statechery blog</a>, the best option for TikTok to avoid the wrath of the US government would be for it to be sold to a non-Chinese owner. There's probably no shortage of interested buyers — in tech and in the media realm that Mayer hails from — but I'm not so sure there's a motivated seller.In the meantime, TikTok is likely to continue to grow the size of its audience and its staff. As the chart below shows, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-doubles-employee-headcount-2020-linkedin-data-teams-offices-staffing-up-7">TikTok more than doubled its number of global employees between December 2019 and June 2020.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-doubles-employee-headcount-2020-linkedin-data-teams-offices-staffing-up-7"><div type="image" title="TikTok employee growth" height="1348" width="1667" msid="76983068" hostid="261"></div></a><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-testing-robot-in-egypt-by-mahmoud-el-komy-2020-7">Snapshot: Doctor Roboto says 'Open Wide'</a></h2>Depending on where you live, getting a coronavirus test can be a bit of a process. If you're in Egypt though, you may be lucky enough to get your throat swabbed by the physician of the future. Created by 26-year-old mechanical engineer Mahmoud El Komy, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-testing-robot-in-egypt-by-mahmoud-el-komy-2020-7">this remote controlled robot can collect oral swabs,</a> take temperatures, and even recognize when people are wearing masks.The droid picture below is the second version. The third prototype, which El Komy is currently working on, will be able to take nasal swabs!<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-testing-robot-in-egypt-by-mahmoud-el-komy-2020-7"><div type="image" title="Egypt coronavirus test robot" height="3560" width="5472" msid="76983072" hostid="261"></div></a>Tech earnings season kicks off on Thursday, with <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, followed by the usual cast of characters, including Alphabet, Apple, and Microsoft, through the end of the month. If you're the type that likes to read up on companies before the numbers hit the tape, here's a nice overview of who's who at the streaming giant. READ: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-org-chart-top-execs-content-product-marketing-finance-2020-1">We mapped out Netflix's 56 most powerful executives and their roles in an exclusive interactive chart, including its new CMO</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-org-chart-top-execs-content-product-marketing-finance-2020-1"><div type="image" title="netflix org chart 4x3" height="1251" width="1667" msid="76983079" hostid="261"></div></a>Special event: Join Business Insider and Salesfore on Tuesday, July 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET for "Digital Optimization: How manufacturers can take small steps for big wins," a free digital event. The session will explore how manufacturers can pivot to digital to create a customer-first experience, enhance relationships, and build trust. <a href="https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/2465686/1F006602982679F306D893E9C83E6D70?partnerref=editorial_newsletter_inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to register</a>.<h2>Recommended Readings:</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-postmates-original-pitch-deck-used-to-raise-seed-round-2020-7">LEAKED: A decade before Postmates was acquired by Uber for $2.65 billion, its founder used this 13-slide pitch deck to sell his idea for the new delivery service</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/3-more-zuckerberg-family-office-workers-misconduct-racism-declarations-2020-6">When colleagues accused Mark Zuckerberg's personal security chief of racism and harassment, the family said there was no evidence. In sworn declarations, 3 workers said otherwise.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-palantir-databricks-samsara-zoox-most-valuable-ai-startups-pitchbook-2020-7">The top 20 most valuable venture-backed AI companies, including Palantir, UiPath, and Databricks — valued at over $120 billion total</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/caffeine-raises-113-million-andreessen-monetize-livestream-rap-battles-2020-7">A former Apple TV designer built a livestreaming startup to challenge Twitch, and he's betting the key to winning will be live rap battles</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/g2-applied-for-ppp-loan-after-building-1-million-staircase-2020-6">G2, a software review startup that raised $100 million, spent lavishly on things like a $1 million office staircase. Then it had layoffs and filed for a PPP loan. It shows the challenge of giving startups a coronavirus bailout.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-took-its-internship-program-online-for-2020-2020-7">Here's how Google re-made its famous summer internships so that they could go on while the coronavirus forced everyone to work from home</a><h2>Not necessarily in tech:</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-conspiracy-theory-facebook-youtube-misinformation-2020-7">What it's like when one of your oldest friends becomes a conspiracy theorist</a>OK then, thanks for reading. And remember, if you like this newsletter, <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/trending">tell your friends and colleagues they can sign up here to receive it</a>. — Alexei

Silicon Valley and Trump are united against TikTok — for different reasons

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Mark LennihanFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.</div></div></div>Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Tuesday.<ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-expands-seattle-largest-engineering-outpost-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Facebook is quietly laying the foundation for its own HQ2-style expansion by leasing enough office space in Seattle for 20,000 employees</a>. Facebook has 5,000 employees in the Seattle area at the moment, but this move lays the groundwork for a massive expansion in the region.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-third-quarter-earnings-losses-ridership-eats-delivery-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Uber reported its third-quarter earnings on Monday, which topped Wall Street's revenue estimates</a>. However, the ride-hailing giant lost more money on a per-share basis than analysts expected, and shares sank by as much as 6% in after-hours trading following the report.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-donates-over-2-billion-towards-california-housing-crisis-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the company is donating $2.5 billion towards alleviating the California housing crisis</a>. Facebook and Google both announced similar donations of $1 billion earlier this year.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-smartphone-smartisan-jiangu-pro-china-bytedance-price-specs-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">TikTok's parent company has released a $400 smartphone in China that opens the video-sharing platform with just a swipe</a>. ByteDance's Jianguo Pro 3 is only available for purchase in China, and starts at around $389 US.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/palmer-luckey-startup-anduril-wants-to-make-ar-headsets-for-soldiers-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T">Palmer Luckey's defense tech startup Anduril says it would like to someday outfit American soldiers with augmented-reality headsets that can weave together critical bits of information on the battlefield</a>. Business Insider spoke to Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-logo-change-instagram-whatsapp-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Facebook changed its corporate logo, saying it wants to make clear that it owns companies like Instagram and WhatsApp</a>. The new logo won't replace the existing logo for the social-media service named Facebook - it's for the corporate parent of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/edward-snowden-says-big-tech-has-business-model-like-abuse-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Edward Snowden says big tech firms like Amazon, Google and Facebook have business models that are tantamount to "abuse."</a> Snowden spoke via video-link at Mobile Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uipath-cfo-overspending-layoffs-job-cuts-robotic-process-automation-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Insiders say that hot startup UiPath forced its CFO out because she tried to rein in its exorbitant spending, amid layoffs that are sending ripples through the automation industry</a>. UiPath laid off about 400 people in October including its chief financial officer, just months after raising $568 million at a $7 billion valuation.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-entrepreneurs-leaders-in-tech-startups-due-to-national-character-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T">Israeli entrepreneurs said experience in the IDF, a culture of confidence, and a growing ecosystem are among the reasons Israel produces so many outsized tech hits</a>. The tiny country has produced major successes such as Waze, Gett, and Lemonade.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-4-day-work-week-boosts-productivity-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Microsoft experimented with a four-day work week in its Japan offices, and says productivity increased 40%</a>. The trial was part of Microsoft's "Work-Life Choice Challenge," a summer project that examined work-life balance and aimed to help boost creativity and productivity by giving employees more flexible working hours.</li></ol>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear 10 Things in Tech each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.You can also <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/free">subscribe to this newsletter</a> here - just tick "10 Things in Tech You Need to Know. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pink-grey-shoes-real-color-explained-vans-the-dress-2017-10">People are still debating the pink or grey sneaker, 2 years after it went viral. Here's the real color explained.</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Hello!Welcome to this weekly roundup of stories from Matt Turner, Insider's co-Editor in Chief of business. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-weekly">Subscribe here to get this newsletter in your inbox every Sunday.</a> Plus, download Insider's app for news on the go - <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id554260576?mt=8">click here for iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freerange360.mpp.businessinsider">here for Android</a>.What we're going over today:<ul><li><keyword id="2024563" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon-delivery">Amazon delivery</keyword> companies are forming <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-partners-join-forces-launch-the-front-door-collective-2021-8">a new coalition to challenge UPS and FedEx</a>.</li><li>The Delta variant is putting pressure on working moms. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-moms-face-mental-load-burnout-during-the-pandemic-2021-8">It's up to companies to make sure they don't burn out.</a></li><li><keyword id="361289" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dollar-General">Dollar General</keyword> is<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-the-3-ways-dollar-general-could-upend-healthcare-2021-8"> looking to upend the $3.8 trillion healthcare industry. </a></li><li>Internal memos reveal that tension is rising <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-cloud-partner-tension-snowflake-2nd-watch-internal-investigation-2021-8">between Amazon and its cloud partners</a>. </li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-partners-join-forces-launch-the-front-door-collective-2021-8"></a>What's trending this morning:<ul><li>Homes in Austin are getting more expensive. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/austin-real-estate-texas-home-prices-housing-market-forecast-2021-8">Don't expect the surge to slow down.</a></li><li>Startups are using the H-1B visa program to hire foreign workers. Insider compiled a list of companies that sponsor the most - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-companies-that-sponsor-h1b-visas-hire-immigrants-2021-8">tech giants Stripe and ByteDance lead the way. </a></li><li>Stylists at Stitch Fix say its losing its way. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stitch-fix-stylists-say-role-company-is-losing-flexibility-2021-8">Reasons include less flexible work hours, changing responsibilities, and not enough trendy clothes for clients. </a></li><li>IBM just had an executive shake-up. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-power-players-helping-mount-turnaround-strategy-after-executive-shakeup-2021-8">Meet the 20 power players that are leading its cloud turnaround. </a></li><li>You have only minutes to impress a hiring manager. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/avoid-common-mistakes-pet-peeves-hiring-managers-job-interview-2021-8">These are 4 major interview pitfalls - and how to avoid them.</a></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-partners-join-forces-launch-the-front-door-collective-2021-8">Amazon delivery companies are taking on UPS and FedEx</a></h3>A coalition of more than 100 small delivery companies have come together to form the Frontdoor Collective. They claim that, together, they can make upwards of 1 million deliveries per day - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-partners-join-forces-launch-the-front-door-collective-2021-8">and compete directly with delivery giants UPS and FedEx.</a>The giants of the delivery world have a new challenger to contend with, and it's like nothing they've seen before. It's not a gig-economy startup or a massive foreign corporation coming to America. It's the Frontdoor Collective, a coalition of more than 100 small businesses, the vast majority of them delivering packages for <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>. Some say they are frustrated by deteriorating returns and limited growth potential, and they have banded together to form their own last-mile delivery company. The collective has been onboarding small delivery companies via a franchise model, with the promise of unlocking new sources of revenue by contracting directly with retailers other than Amazon. As speed becomes more important to retailers, the collective's national footprint could become a serious concern for UPS and FedEx. Get the full scoop here:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-delivery-partners-join-forces-launch-the-front-door-collective-2021-8">Over 100 Amazon delivery companies are banding together to form a new kind of challenger to UPS and FedEx</a></li></ul>Also read:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-amazon-director-joins-new-delivery-company-owned-by-drivers-2021-8">Meet Penelope Register-Shaw, the secret weapon in a new challenger to UPS and FedEx</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/embark-ceo-alex-rodrigues-taking-self-driving-startup-public-spac-2021-8">Embark's 25-year-old college-dropout CEO shares how he built the $5 billion self-driving-truck startup that's taking on TuSimple and Waymo</a></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-moms-face-mental-load-burnout-during-the-pandemic-2021-8">Working moms bear the brunt of the Delta variant</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-moms-face-mental-load-burnout-during-the-pandemic-2021-8"><div type="image" title="cartoon of working motherhood" height="2666" width="3555" msid="85349022" hostid="261"></div></a>As offices reopen, managers need to recognize the challenges that working mothers face on a personal and professional level. Pandemic-related challenges at home can impact job performance, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-moms-face-mental-load-burnout-during-the-pandemic-2021-8">and it's up to employers to accommodate these challenges:</a>Expanding employee benefits and devising flexible ways of working that support mothers and families are imperative, particularly as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burned-out-caregivers-stories-from-pandemic-2021-6">mental-health issues</a> skyrocket. The toll of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0003122419859007">mental load</a>, which refers to the invisible chores and emotional labor involved in running a household, is one of the primary culprits, per an economist.Roughly 9.8 million working mothers in America suffered from workplace burnout in 2020, according to <a href="https://www.mavenclinic.com/lp/parents-at-the-best-workplaces-2020">a survey</a>. Mothers were 28% more likely to experience burnout than fathers, and cases were higher among Black, Asian, and Hispanic women. Read the full story here:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-moms-face-mental-load-burnout-during-the-pandemic-2021-8">The Delta variant is pushing working moms to their breaking point. It's up to companies to make sure they don't burn out.</a></li></ul>Also read:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/39-year-old-ceo-unpaid-internships-taught-about-leading-2021-8">A 39-year-old CEO undertook 4 unpaid internships to learn about life at the bottom. Here's what it taught her about leadership.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/im-chief-wellbeing-officer-deloitte-created-role-burned-out-2021-8">I'm the chief wellbeing officer at Deloitte - a role I created after burning out. Here's what my job is like.</a></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-the-3-ways-dollar-general-could-upend-healthcare-2021-8">Dollar General is looking to disrupt the healthcare industry </a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-the-3-ways-dollar-general-could-upend-healthcare-2021-8"><div type="image" title="An exterior shot of a Dollar General store" height="1000" width="1333" msid="85349023" hostid="261"></div></a>Dollar General has over 17,000 stores, but their new ambitions extend past shopping bargains. Along with their new medical chief, the company is making moves to break into healthcare delivery. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-the-3-ways-dollar-general-could-upend-healthcare-2021-8">Analysts laid out three strategies that could lead to their success: </a>But if Dollar General is serious about helping its communities, it could usher in a new era of healthcare access for many Americans across the country, experts said.The sheer volume of Dollar General locations could displace the center of gravity in the fight to win over rural Americans as the place to go for their health. Dollar General could also benefit patients who live in areas where primary care or specialists are hard to come by. By offering over-the-counter medications, online prescription ordering, or telemedicine consultations, Dollar General could improve America's healthcare system for people who historically have been left behind.Get the details on Dollar General's plan to disrupt healthcare:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-the-3-ways-dollar-general-could-upend-healthcare-2021-8">Dollar General hired a key health executive, but that's just the start. Here are 3 ways the discount chain could upend the $3.8 trillion healthcare industry. </a></li></ul>Also read:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/11-biotech-companies-primed-to-become-active-ma-acquirers-2021-8">11 biotechs primed to make billion-dollar buys and usurp Big Pharma</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/telehealth-startup-spora-health-pitch-deck-seed-2021-8">See the pitch deck that Spora Health used to convince investors to bet $3 million on a new approach to telehealth</a></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-cloud-partner-tension-snowflake-2nd-watch-internal-investigation-2021-8">Internal memos reveal tension is rising between Amazon and its cloud partners </a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-cloud-partner-tension-snowflake-2nd-watch-internal-investigation-2021-8"><div type="image" title="AWS Andy Jassy Adam Selipsky" height="900" width="1200" msid="85349024" hostid="261"></div></a>Increasingly, Amazon Web Services is walking a fine line with developing its cloud services network of 100,000 partners, including software maker Snowflake. <keyword id="291131" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="AWS">AWS</keyword> pushes constantly for cloud development and greater sales - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-cloud-partner-tension-snowflake-2nd-watch-internal-investigation-2021-8">which results in clashes between the company and its partners, per internal memos. </a>Last year, an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin&amp;platform=browser&amp;postSource=bi%7C610af9400d5b75497e602c26&amp;postTag=biauto-40691-20&amp;sc=false&amp;type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Faws.amazon.com%2Fpartners%2Fsuccess%2F2nd-watch%2F%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-40691-20&amp;sessionid=1628869451117&amp;tag=bisafetynet2-2069451117&amp;tag=bisafetynet2-20">AWS "Premier" consulting partner</a> complained about getting "completely shut out" from discussions between its customers and AWS representatives, according to an internal AWS report viewed by Insider. "2W feels that AWS sellers too often use the veil of 'customer obsession' to justify moving direct whereas the motivation is often the quota compensation or account control issue," an AWS employee wrote in the internal report. Some 2nd Watch salespeople "are afraid to submit opportunities in ACE for fear that AWS will take them direct in 6 months," the internal AWS report said. See behind Amazon's internal memos:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-cloud-partner-tension-snowflake-2nd-watch-internal-investigation-2021-8">'Veil of customer obsession': Internal memos reveal rising tensions between Amazon and cloud partners like Snowflake</a></li></ul>Also read:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-amazon-executive-jeff-wilke-civicscience-advertising-startup-google-facebook-2021-8">Amazon's former consumer CEO Jeff Wilke explains why he invested in a new digital ad startup by CivicScience that is taking on Google and Facebook</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/internal-amazon-email-reveals-executive-shuffle-2021-8">Leaked Amazon Web Services email reveals cloud executive shuffle as 23-year company veteran Charlie Bell departs</a></li></ul>Finally, here are some headlines you might have missed last week.- Matt <ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-employees-brace-for-layoffs-expected-in-coming-months-2021-8">Cisco employees are bracing for layoffs, which have become a dreaded summer tradition at the company</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-investing-7-best-cities-to-buy-rental-property-2021-8">Everyone wants to invest in the hot housing market. These are the 7 best cities to buy a rental property in 2021.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-appointees-supported-trumps-election-lies-2021-8">Dozens of people who supported radical right-wing efforts to overturn the 2020 election currently sit on government boards running places like the Holocaust Memorial and the Kennedy Center</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-hot-job-market-preventing-employers-from-mandating-covid-vaccines">The red-hot job market is making employers afraid to mandate vaccines</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oracle-svp-4-types-workplace-quitters-how-to-retain-them-2021-8">An Oracle SVP explains the 4 types of quitters in the 'Great Resignation' and how to retain each one</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pete-buttigieg-ran-his-presidential-campaign-like-a-business-2021-8">Pete Buttigieg ran his presidential campaign like a finely tuned business. 10 staffers share why they loved it.</a></li></ul>

An army of Amazon delivery services are joining forces, and UPS and FedEx should take notice

<ul class="summary-list"><li>With 315 million downloads in the first three months of 2020, TikTok set a new record for the most installs by any app in a single quarter, according to the app analytics firm Sensor Tower.</li><li>The short-form video app has entered mainstream culture in a big way in recent weeks, attracting new users outside of its core Gen-Z audience.</li><li>Business Insider spoke to industry experts to learn more about whether TikTok's recent success is a short-term fad or a sign the app will become the next money-making behemoth like Instagram or YouTube.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>TikTok is having a moment.The short-form video app is a relative newcomer to the social-media landscape. It arrived in the US just two years ago after merging with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-musically-2016-5">Musical.ly</a>, a lip-syncing app popular among Generation Z. But it's since broken into mainstream culture.TikTok trends are spilling over onto Instagram, YouTube, and TV shows like<a href="https://twitter.com/nbcsnl/status/1236523965759262720"> Saturday Night Live</a>. Its stars are appearing in Super Bowl ads and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poS7rZ7-_RU">late-night talk shows</a>. And songs that become popular on TikTok are <a href="https://www.insider.com/billboard-hot-100-tiktok-dance-challenge-drake-doja-cat-weeknd-2020-4">topping Billboard charts</a> - the music artist Drake recently <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/arts/music/drake-toosie-slide-tiktok.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used TikTok</a> to release his latest single, "Toosie Slide."TikTok's user base has spiked in recent weeks, drawing in older fans who are searching for a distraction from coronavirus news. The app recently set a record for the most downloads of any app in a single quarter, driving 315 million installs across Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play in the first three months of 2020, according to the analytics firm Sensor Tower."Obviously everyone's home and they have more time, so engagement is through the roof," said Paul Marobella, chairman and CEO of Havas Creative North America, the creative division of one of the world's largest agency holding companies. "TikTok has surged at the moment and gone up in age because people are tuning out news sources. Everybody's looking for an outlet of joy and optimism."While TikTok's user base is growing quickly and brands are finding <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-jansport-ran-tiktok-influencer-campaign-during-coronavirus-2020-3">creative ways</a> to get involved with the platform during the coronavirus pandemic, the company has yet to fully capitalize on its newfound popularity by releasing (out of beta) scalable advertising solutions for brands and creators who use the platform to generate an income. And industry experts are still trying to determine whether TikTok's recent success is a short-term fad or a sign it will become the next powerhouse media app."There are so many platforms that come and go within our lives, and we've seen countless different ones try to get our attention," said Jacob Chang, director of insights at the Gen-Z consulting firm JUV Consulting. "One of the biggest examples of this that comes to my mind is HQ Trivia, which was crazy popular maybe a year ago but now has faded into complete irrelevance."With more than a billion downloads globally and a cash-flush parent company in ByteDance, TikTok is unlikely to follow in the footsteps of HQ Trivia, which briefly shut down after losing funding in February (it has since returned after being <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/29/21199070/hq-trivia-game-app-shut-down-return-acquired-gaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired by an unnamed private investor</a>). But the more pressing question is whether TikTok will be able to transform its recent wave of popularity into a mature and profitable business.The company could end up developing an advertising program in line with Google's YouTube or Facebook's Instagram, which have proven to be consistent revenue drivers. It could also follow the shakier monetization path of social-media apps like the still-unprofitable Snapchat or Twitter, which only recently ended its streak of annual losses.<h2>Is TikTok here to stay? </h2>TikTok's long-term cultural relevance may hinge on the app's ability to keep creators posting on its platform versus moving over to competitors like YouTube or Instagram. TikTok has attempted to woo influencers in recent months by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jjyosh/video/6793375141532355845" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sending them gifts</a>, assigning designated employees to serve as matchmakers for sponsored content opportunities, and investing in splashy displays at creator events like <a href="https://www.insider.com/playlist-live-youtube-convention-tiktok-photos-takeover-lilhuddy-tiktokers-2020-3">Playlist Live</a>."In a creator sense, TikTok really succeeds in getting them to stick on and create and build more videos and content," Chang said. "At the same time, the people who don't really create TikToks but watch them - they have less of a reason to stay."TikTok recently launched a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-influencer-marketers-use-tiktoks-creator-marketplace-features-2020-1">creator marketplace</a> tool designed to help its stars score influencer marketing deals with brands. As with almost all TikTok advertising products released to-date, the product is only available to select users in a closed invite-only beta. TikTok's other recently released monetization product, its self-serve biddable ad platform, is also only currently available to a select group of beta users. <h2>TikTok's decision to release advertising products slowly is limiting its ability to win big budgets from global brands</h2>TikTok's decision to release its ad tools incrementally to beta testers is meant to ensure that its ad experience doesn't become overwhelming for users, according to a person familiar with the company's product strategy. But it's also preventing TikTok from winning larger budgets from global brands who spend heavily on competitors like YouTube and Instagram. "We don't have a lot of brands on the platform at the moment," Havas' Marobella said. "I think that's also indicative of the willingness of marketing folks at big global brands to want to be a part of a platform that they have questions about.""I put Snapchat and TikTok almost into the same bucket," he added. "To get real investment from a brand like Coca-Cola, you have to provide metrics and analytics. They're not going to invest deeply in the platform unless they understand what's happening with their content."TikTok's ad products, which include promoted hashtags; full-screen takeovers; in-feed ads with call-to-action buttons; and branded "shareable stickers, filters, and special effects," often require making reserved buys through what is essentially an insertion order with the company - an antiquated process when compared to automated solutions from competitors like YouTube and Facebook (though TikTok has recently been <a href="https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/tiktok-trade-desk-eye-global-expansion-apac-partnership/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testing a programmatic buying option</a> in certain markets). The company's ability to grow revenue off its recent surge in app downloads will also be hindered by an industry-wide slowdown in ad spend that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-impact-on-youtube-business-double-edged-sword-analysts-2020-3">competitors are also experiencing</a> due to economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Major holding companies like Publicis and Omnicom are planning <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omnicom-ceo-john-wren-confirms-furloughs-and-layoffs-across-agencies-2020-4">furloughs and layoffs</a> in preparation for big drops in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ad-giant-publicis-warns-of-unprecedented-spending-pullback-11586804429?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_2020-04-14%2007:02:00_aweprin&amp;utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ad spend</a>.Because TikTok is newer and has fewer ad products in market, its ability to win marketing budgets in the coming months could take a hit as brands pause experimental spending and lean into tried-and-true social-media marketing platforms."Brands can't possibly do it all," Marobella said. "They just can't possibly be on every platform because of time and money and resources. The platforms that continue to show return on investment, continue to be transparent on analytics, continue to be strong in their privacy policies, will be the ones that live long-term."<h2>As more users join TikTok, the platform is aging up (and becoming more crowded)</h2>While TikTok has yet to convince some global brands to invest in its platform beyond allocating "innovation" and research and development budgets, adoption among tech startups, influencer marketers, and digital creators has been strong in recent weeks. About one in four (23.6%) of influencers who previously weren't on TikTok before the coronavirus outbreak have created accounts on the app during the pandemic, according to a recent survey of 1,054 digital creators conducted by the influencer-marketing agency Obviously. Many of the app's newcomers are non-Gen-Z users."TikTok was labeled as a very young user base, young generation platform," said Pierre-Loïc Assayag, CEO of the influencer-marketing analytics firm Traackr. "What's happened lately is that it's really become a cross-generational platform. We've actually seen a lot of millennial influencers that will get on TikTok and do a mea culpa on Instagram saying, 'Yes, I know what I said, but I've changed my mind, and here I am.'"An influx of new users on TikTok is leading some creators to question whether it could become overcrowded and more difficult to get discovered on the app's content recommendation page, the all-important "For You Page.""I do believe that TikTok is now starting to become saturated," said Alex Stemplewski, a photographer and TikTok creator who's accumulated <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alex.stemp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7.4 million followers</a> on the app since joining in October 2019. "There's actually more people who are consuming content now, but there's also more people creating. It hasn't gotten to the point yet where there's too many creators and getting seen is impossible, but I think we're slowly getting there."For more stories on how advertisers and marketers are engaging with TikTok, check out these other Business Insider Prime posts:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-jansport-ran-tiktok-influencer-campaign-during-coronavirus-2020-3">JanSport hired a Gen-Z 'think tank' to help launch a TikTok influencer campaign during the coronavirus pandemic without appearing tone deaf</a>: The backpack brand JanSport hired 10 TikTok creators to generate buzz around its donations to the nonprofit World Central Kitchen.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hismile-influencer-tiktok-hypehouse-swayla-collabhouse-campaign-2020-3">A teeth-whitening brand studied TikTok's algorithm to decide which influencers to hire and ended up gaining 100,000 followers in a week</a>: HiSmile hired TikTok stars from the Hype House and Sway LA to create a wave of attention-grabbing videos on the social app.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-campaign-brief-shows-cash-app-hired-influencers-on-tiktok-2020-2">Leaked campaign brief shows the video ideas Cash App pitched to TikTok influencers, including 'when you win a bet by doing something dope'</a>: Cash App paid dozens of influencers to promote its app on TikTok. Here are the content ideas the company shared with creators for sponsored posts.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/milkshake-brand-freal-tiktok-influencer-marketing-success-analysis-2020-1">A milkshake brand blew up on TikTok, and its 460,000 followers have changed how it approaches marketing and its target audience</a>: With 460,000 TikTok followers, the milkshake maker F'real has built a larger following than national brands like Chipotle, Walmart, and Burger King.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ads-more-efficient-than-instagram-fintech-startup-tally-2020-2">CASE STUDY: TikTok ads have been 300% more efficient than Instagram ones in getting new users for fintech startup Tally</a>: As more adults sign up for TikTok, fintech brands are using influencer videos and its self-serve ad platform to advertise on the platform.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/stories-slide-deck?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=tiktok&amp;itm_campaign=stories-slide-deck"></a>

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