Dehumanizing. Gut-wrenching. Slap in the face. Betrayed. Tech workers are using all sorts of emotional phrases to describe the layoff wave that has gripped the industry and become the talk of the business world."I'm shocked and hurt and still processing," Katie Olaskiewicz, a former human-truths strategist at Google, wrote on LinkedIn last week shortly after 12,000 Google employees were let go. "It's difficult when you feel betrayed, but there isn't really an individual you can direct your anger towards."She added: "You can work for one of the most esteemed employers in the world and still be reduced to a dollar sign." Over the past two weeks, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-amazon-microsoft-layoffs-tech-jobs-cut-2023-1">a total of 40,000 employees</a> have been laid off from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-got-laid-off-from-amazon-felt-like-line-item-2023-1">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-layoffs-show-that-no-tech-company-is-safe-2023-1">Microsoft</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-jobs-alphabet-work-employees-staff-sundar-pichai-2023-1">Google</a>, a nightmare come true for tech workers. On <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-terminally-ill-mom-carer-job-heartbeat-paul-baker-2023-1">LinkedIn</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-husband-wife-laid-off-stared-disbelief-young-daughter-2023-1">other social platforms</a>, thousands of now former employees are lamenting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-recruiter-call-candidate-disconnected-locked-out-dublin-alphabet-2023-1">the cutthroat ways</a> in which they were let go. The feelings of hurt and betrayal are no surprise. For years, the tech industry cultivated an attitude among its workers that their employment was something more than transactional — that they were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/overachievers-leaning-back-hustle-culture-coasting-employees-work">part of a family working toward a common goal</a>.The tech layoffs have been starkly different from Wall Street, which has in recent months instituted its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-blackrock-start-layoffs-cut-thousands-jobs-2023-1">own rounds of job cuts</a>. More than 15,000 employees have been laid off from the likes of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-weekly-goldman-sachs-layoffs-google-moonshots-2023-1">Goldman Sachs</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-layoffs-headcount-market-downturn-2023-1">BlackRock</a>, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/09/wall-street-layoffs-pick-up-steam-as-citigroup-and-barclays-cut-hundreds-of-workers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citi</a>, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/06/business/morgan-stanley-layoffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Stanley</a>, with employees being swiftly and brutally shown the door. But unlike in tech, banking jobs are ruled by two factors: achievement and the cyclical nature of the markets. There are no illusions that these jobs are anything more than a business arrangement.And now, as the first sustained wave of layoffs in two decades hits the tech industry, workers — both those who have been let go and their coworkers who remain behind — are confronting that harsh truth: The workplace isn't the same thing as a family.<h2>Tech spent years playing up the 'family' image — before shattering it</h2>The idea of economic precarity isn't foreign to Silicon Valley; hundreds of tech startups crash and burn every year. But in the past decade, some tech giants started to promise their employees something in addition to a feeling of purpose — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-employees-psychological-safety-2023-1">a sense of security</a>.At Google, the company calls its workers Googlers, an identifier that marks them as not just employees but also ingrained pieces of the organization. In its early days, Google <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/open-offices-over-due-to-coronavirus-employee-effects-2020-8">ushered in the era of sprawling tech campuses</a> filled with every conceivable amenity, where employees could work all day and into the night without needing to leave (and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-employee-lives-in-truck-in-parking-lot-2015-10">some didn't</a>). And the company long encouraged employees to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-politics-at-work-james-damore-kanye-west-2018-5">bring their "whole self to work," </a>enmeshing their lives with their jobs.The early days of Facebook, now Meta, were defined by disruption. But by the 2010s, it had reached adolescence, becoming a tech giant in its own right. At its expansive Menlo Park, California, campus, employees could take group fitness classes at one of the company's on-site gyms and eat breakfast at one of several cafés. Facebook was voted the nation's <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/employees-say-facebook-no-1-place-work-tech-154228233.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best place to work in 2018</a>, in part because it encouraged people to bring their "authentic selves" to work. The outward perception was that Facebook's workforce felt happy, was successful, and had achieved the perfect work-life balance. But <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-apple-no-longer-best-places-tech-companies-work-glassdoor-2023-1">cracks in the veneer</a> began to show: first, in the business itself, which seemed to experience scandal after scandal, then with its internal culture. "The pressure for us to act as though everything is fine and that we love working here is so great that it hurts," one young female employee said <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/facebook-culture-cult-performance-review-process-blamed.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during a 2019 company town hall</a>. "There shouldn't be this pressure to pretend to love something when I don't feel this way."Now, over the course of a few months, the same companies who helped <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/11/10/23451038/silicon-valley-layoffs-meta-facebook-jobs-work-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foster the family mindset in Silicon Valley</a> have been the ones to crush the illusion. The software giant Salesforce was founded on co-CEO Marc Benioff's belief in the Hawaiian term "ohana," which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-layoffs-employees-describe-a-week-from-hell-2023-1">represents family bonds</a>. When it came time to let 10% of his workforce go earlier this month, he evoked the notion of the workplace family. "The employees being affected aren't just colleagues. They're friends. They're family," he wrote in a letter to employees — and he likened the job cuts to colleagues dying.At Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he mistimed some big investments in the company — chiefly, spending on the metaverse. In November, the company cut 11,000 employees, about 13% of its workforce, in what employees called <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-employees-hit-out-at-mark-zuckerberg-in-blind-reviews-2022-11">"Hunger Games"-style layoffs</a>. Even when announcing the layoffs, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-lay-off-meta-staff-hardest-call-facebook-video-2022-11">Zuckerberg fell back on the family language</a>, thanking employees who were let go for putting "your heart and soul into this place."When 12,000 Googlers' jobs were cut — one while on maternity leave <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-laid-off-mother-on-parental-leave-baby-father-too-2023-1">with a 4-month-old at home</a> and another who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/googler-8-months-pregnant-says-heart-sank-when-lost-job-2023-1">was eight months pregnant</a> — they described feeling shocked and betrayed. "It's hard for me to believe that after 20 years at Google I unexpectedly find out about my last day via an email," one <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-alphabet-jobs-pichai-email-slap-in-the-face-2023-1">software engineer tweeted</a>. "What a slap in the face. I wish I could have said goodbye to everyone face to face." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-engineer-says-google-considers-staff-disposable-2023-1">Another laid-off Google employee</a> said: "This also just drives home that work is not your life, and employers — especially big, faceless ones like Google — see you as 100% disposable. Live life, not work." <h2>The toxicity of the 'family' idea</h2>The idea of workplace-as-family sounds idyllic on paper. A workplace family is loyal. There's a baked-in sense of trust. There's community. But blurring the boundary between work and family can come at a cost.In their 2021 book, "Out of Office," the journalists Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen argue against the work-as-family archetype. "You already have a family, chosen or otherwise," they write. "And when a company uses that rhetoric, it is reframing a transactional relationship as an emotional one." They add: "It might feel enticing, but it is deeply manipulative and, more often than not, a means to narrativize paying people less to do more work. Family evokes not just a closeness but a devotion and a lasting bond, infused with sacrifice: family comes first." Treating an organization as a family can ultimately "compel workers to ignore their own exploitation," they say, and the result can subtly make workers feel like they shouldn't request time off, ask for more money, or raise complaints about bad behavior in the workplace. In other words, what on its face should be a straightforward relationship becomes mired in a morass of guilt. Eden King, a professor at Rice University who specializes in industrial and organizational psychology, said some companies preaching the family mentality were using it as a smoke screen to extract more from their employees."Sometimes leaders use this sort of language, like, 'We're all part of the same family,' in a way that's inauthentic and, in fact, makes people disengage," King told me. "The idea that, 'Oh, we're all part of a family, but I'm going to ask you to work crazy hours and for little pay, and I'm not going to treat you with respect' — it rings untrue."Now imagine what happens when those same organizations decide they overhired earlier in the pandemic, their bottom line has taken a hit, and it's time to reduce head count. "That layoff feels not only impersonal, but it can feel dehumanizing," said Sylvia Bonilla Zizumbo, a career and leadership coach who spent 17 years at Google before launching her own company three years ago. "It's a blow for those who are laid off but also for those that are still with the company."According to Bonilla Zizumbo, there are five factors at play in the workplace: time investment, contribution, personal ownership and dedication, work purpose, and performance. Those factors are what make us feel satisfied and successful in our work and nudge us to be more ambitious and productive. At the same time, you're working alongside other people, forming relationships, and building trust. The people part of working is foundational to the business, she said, and what keeps employees motivated. "With all that in mind, then to suddenly be let go really feels like a betrayal," she said. "It feels like everything you can do to control the outcome — time invested, contribution, dedication, high performance, and loyalty — do not matter."<h2>Wall Street realities</h2>In many ways, tech workers are waking up to a reality that their peers in other high-flying industries have always known. On Wall Street, layoffs are as much a part of life as the new crop of interns.Wall Street layoffs are cyclical: Banks <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-wall-street-performance-reviews-goldman-bankers-2022-9">regularly cut bottom performers</a> to make room for new stars. Bankers <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-goldman-sachs-annual-performance-reviews-work-wall-street-layoffs-2022-7">live and die by their performance reviews</a>, which dictate not only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/johnson-associates-wall-street-bonus-analysis-for-2022-2022-11">the size of their bonuses</a> but also whether they still have a job. Those cuts have long been considered a necessary component of doing business in the both highly competitive and highly lucrative world of finance, an unpleasant and impersonal situation for workers who know the deal — that it's all just business."Ultimately, it's about driving revenue, and that's how you grow the pie," Charlie Anderson, a partner at the recruiting firm Heidrick &amp; Struggles and the head of its investment-banking practice in the Americas, told me. "And so when that is the most important characteristic or point to which you're judged against at any year-end review, I think that drives the culture." The pandemic, and the booming profits that came with it, had helped delay this natural life cycle, but after the market's terrible 2022, the culling is back. During a recent earnings call, Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman described the bank's December layoffs as "overdue."Recent bank layoffs have been swift and impersonal. At Goldman Sachs, which recently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-bankers-lured-to-phony-meetings-before-layoffs-2023-1">cut 3,200 employees</a>, some workers were called in for 7:30 a.m. meetings to be told they were out of a job. Some junior bankers had just 30 minutes to clean out their desks before they were shown the door. One laid-off consumer-banking associate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-got-laid-off-at-goldman-employees-speak-out-2023-1">described it as "doomsday"</a> where "every 10 minutes, I just kept hearing that someone was being let go." Similarly, in industries like Big Law, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stealth-layoffs-law-firms-push-lawyers-out-instead-of-firing-2021-12">firms operate under an "up or out" system</a>, where attorneys are expected to either get promoted or leave the practice. Those who don't perform are "managed out," a way to quietly nudge them out the door. When times get tough, layoff-averse law firms will often conduct "stealth layoffs" following performance reviews, a way to cut head count by shifting the blame to the employee's performance, rather than the firm's financials. Still, as business slows in 2023, especially in practice areas like mergers and acquisitions, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/ny-law-firm-stroock-trims-lawyers-staff-citing-slowdown-2023-01-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even law firms have started announcing layoffs</a>, citing overhiring and cooling demand.<h2>A healthy reset</h2>This isn't to say that the grinding, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/junior-investment-bankers-burnout-survey-baml-citi-goldman-credit-suisse-2021-4">"chew 'em up and spit 'em out" mentality</a> of Wall Street is the perfect way to treat employees. For years, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-junior-bankers-inhumane-working-conditions-survey-2021-3">junior bankers have raised the alarm</a> about the toll the system takes on their mental health, and many large financial institutions have taken steps to shift this culture.Research has also found that creating a culture of trust can help create a healthier and more-productive work environment. King, the Rice University professor, told me that her research found there were substantial upsides to a workplace that encouraged a healthy level of engagement, belongingness, and feeling supported and included. "For a lot of people, the relationships they have at work at the individual level and the relationship they have with the organization as a whole are super important," she said. "To minimize the impact of the nature of those relationships would be a mistake." An ideal workplace dynamic has what King called "perceived organizational support," where employees feel like their organization cares about their needs, like they have a voice, and like they're treated fairly and respectfully.But for people who are trapped in an unhealthy work dynamic — or just got laid off from one — it's time to rethink the relationship with their jobs, Bonilla Zizumbo, the career coach and former longtime Googler, said. Separating your job from your identity is crucial, as is taking the time to figure out what matters most to you, the things that bring you the most joy, and the people who matter most. Don't put off that vacation, and don't put off your health, she said."That's often one of the biggest regrets I hear: You gave your job everything, you were loyal, you didn't tend to these important things in your life, only to be laid off," she said. "And you don't get that time back."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/avery-hartmans">Avery Hartmans</a> is a senior reporter at Insider.

The massive wave of layoffs is giving tech workers a brutal wake-up call about the reality of work

Hi again — Jordan Parker Erb here. Insider caught up with 26 fintech VCs who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-fintech-vc-still-excited-about-startups-2022-7">are still bullish on the sector</a>, despite the market downturn. Plus, Apple could <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-repair-replacement-settlement-money-2022-7">owe you up to $395</a> after it settled a lawsuit over its notorious "butterfly" keyboards.C'mon, let's dive in.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://link.insider.com/click/27645591.160803/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYXBwP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bf9c9aa56">here.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-fintech-vc-still-excited-about-startups-2022-7"></a>1. Meet rising star fintech VCs who are still bullish on the sector. Insider caught up with two dozen venture capitalists who are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-fintech-vc-still-excited-about-startups-2022-7">excited about what's next</a> for fintech, even amid a market and investing pullback.<ul><li>Fintech startups have been hit hard by the market downturn and growth in subsectors has slowed — but some VCs are still enthusiastic about the sector.</li><li>Some, like Mercedes Bent, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, said that even during a market downturn, fintech is still a "big need for the everyday person." </li><li>Mark Fiorentino of Index Ventures described the market downturn as a "fintech hangover" — but added that "some of the most interesting opportunities are found when the markets are in a downturn."</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-fintech-vc-still-excited-about-startups-2022-7">Here's what other top VCs are saying about fintech.</a>In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-repair-replacement-settlement-money-2022-7"></a><div type="image" title="Macbook Pro Apple Laptop" height="1113" width="1485" msid="93029517" hostid="261" sizebytes="61962"></div>2. Apple will pay some customers up to $395 after settling a class-action lawsuit. After the company agreed to a $50 million settlement over its "butterfly" keyboards, customers who have had to replace a keyboard since 2015 should be eligible for a payout. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-repair-replacement-settlement-money-2022-7">Here's what you need to know.</a>3. A TikToker and his pet ducks made about $178,000 from brand deals on Pearpop — and that is just a fraction of his overall income. "TooTurntTony" explains how he went from uploading a few posts a day in 2020, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktoker-with-pet-ducks-made-over-178k-on-pearpop-2022-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">to landing big brand deals</a>. Meanwhile, other creators say low payouts from TikTok's Creator Fund are affecting their mental health, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktokers-say-low-creator-fund-pay-affecting-their-mental-health-2022-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">and some are quitting entirely</a>.4. Not all of Netflix's content will be immediately available on its ad-supported plan. Netflix has hundreds of original shows and movies on its platform — but don't expect its ad-supported plan to have the full catalog when it launches. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-with-ads-plan-wont-include-all-content-pricier-subscriptions-2022-7">We explain why.</a>5. This résumé landed a 24-year-old a Google internship — without even applying. After participating in a two-day program run by Google, a recruiter found Canisha Chakadya's résumé and invited her for an interview, without even submitting an application. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/resume-got-me-google-internship-successful-example-tips">See the résumé and Chakadya's tips for standing out.</a>6. Meta is being sued by a VR company — that's also named Meta. The 12-year-old VR company is suing Facebook's parent company, accusing the <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> giant of stealing its name for its metaverse rebrand. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-sued-by-vr-company-called-meta-trademark-infringement-2022-7">Get the full rundown here.</a>7. A 25-year-old earns $30,000 a month from his Shopify apps. Mat De Sousa, an entrepreneur in France, runs two Shopify apps, WideBundle and WideReview, that he says together generate thousands of dollars each month. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopify-app-developer-shares-advice-building-app-business-2022-7">Read his tips for becoming successful in the space.</a>8. Tesla has cashed out most of its bad bitcoin bet. The company said it sold 75% of its massive bitcoin stake, converting $936 million worth of the cryptocurrency into fiat between April and June. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-bitcoin-converted-to-fiat-crypto-crash-elon-musk-2022-7">What to know about Tesla's ten-figure bitcoin bet.</a>Odds and ends:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-yacht-photos-greece-zeus-superyacht-2022-7"></a><div type="image" title="Composite photo of Elon Musk smiling at left and Zeus yacht floating in turquoise water at right" height="1280" width="2560" msid="93029520" hostid="261" sizebytes="150862"></div>9. See the superyacht Elon Musk vacationed on in Greece. After photos of a shirtless Musk <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-responds-after-shirtless-photos-greece-vacation-go-viral-2022-7">went viral</a>, we took a look at the yacht he was spending time on — and found it's a 24-meter luxury vessel, named Zeus, that can be chartered for over $7,000 a day. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-yacht-photos-greece-zeus-superyacht-2022-7">Here's a peek inside the superyacht.</a>10. A retro gaming console is coming this fall. The Sega Genesis Mini 2, a miniature replica of the classic gaming console, will come with more than 50 games already installed. It'll launch on October 27 — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/sega-genesis-mini-2-price-preorder-games">here's what you need to know.</a>What we're watching today:<ul><li>Snap, AT&amp;T, and others are reporting earnings. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">Keep up with earnings here.</a></li><li>Redefine Tomorrow, <a href="https://www.zipeventapp.com/e/REDEFINE-TOMORROW-2022">a DeFi &amp; Web 3.0 virtual summit</a>, takes place today and tomorrow. </li><li>TC Sessions: Robotics <a href="https://techcrunch.com/events/tc-sessions-robotics-2022/">kicks off today</a>.</li><li>Comic-Con International starts today <a href="https://www.comic-con.org/cci">in San Diego</a>.</li><li>Google's new Pixel 6a smartphone is now <a href="https://store.google.com/product/pixel_6a?hl=en-US&amp;pli=1">available for pre-order</a>.</li><li>London-based tech company Nothing's <a href="https://us.nothing.tech/">new smartphone</a> is officially available.</li></ul>Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh"> The Refresh from Insider,</a> a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh">Listen here.</a>Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb?lang=en">@jordanparkererb</a>.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

Meet 26 fintech venture capitalists who are still bullish on the sector

Howdy, readers. We're breaking down what <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-board-u-turn-could-buy-acquire-company-2022-4">might have changed Elon Musk's mind</a> about joining Twitter's board, and showing you <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impact-apple-privacy-changes-meta-youtube-snap-twitter-lotame-2022-4?nr_email_referer=1&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=10_things_tech&amp;utm_campaign=new:%2010%20Things%20in%20Tech%20-%20native%20ad">the impact of Apple's privacy changes</a>.Let's get to it.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app – click <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id554260576">here for iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freerange360.mpp.businessinsider">here for Android</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-board-u-turn-could-buy-acquire-company-2022-4"></a>1. Inside Elon Musk's Twitter U-turn. It all unfolded <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-timeline-stock-purchase-board-seat-drama-2022-4">in just a few days</a>: Musk was revealed to have spent billions to become Twitter's largest shareholder. He was offered a seat on the board. Then, after accepting — and posting about <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1511322655609303043">the improvements he'd make</a> — he ultimately declined the role. Now, experts and analysts share what could have changed his mind:<ul><li>One consideration <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-did-elon-musk-cancel-plans-to-join-twitter-board-2022-4">could be his flexibility</a>: "When you go on the board of directors of a company, your degrees of freedom as an investor are substantially restricted," former SEC Chair Jay Clayton told CNBC. </li><li>Alternatively, he could be angling to buy the company. Joining Twitter's board would have limited Musk to buying only 14.9% of the company. Without that limitation, Musk is free to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-board-u-turn-could-buy-acquire-company-2022-4">attempt to acquire the company</a> if he so wishes.</li><li>Or maybe, the prolific poster simply wanted to tweet in peace and scrutinize the company freely, without the burden of having to face that company's board. </li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-timeline-stock-purchase-board-seat-drama-2022-4">Catch up on a chaotic week for Musk and Twitter.</a>In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impact-apple-privacy-changes-meta-youtube-snap-twitter-lotame-2022-4"></a><div type="image" title="Estimated 2022 revenue impact on Big Tech from Apple's privacy changes." height="916" width="1833" msid="90798289" hostid="261"></div>2. Apple's privacy changes could wipe almost $16 billion from <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> platforms this year. One year later, Apple's App Tracking Transparency update is still wreaking havoc on tech companies, and a new analysis estimates it could severely dent Meta, YouTube, Snap, and Twitter's revenues. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impact-apple-privacy-changes-meta-youtube-snap-twitter-lotame-2022-4">See how much each firm could lose.</a>3. A 23-year-old explains how she went from intern to Andreessen Horowitz partner in a year. Carra Wu dropped out of Harvard (twice) and interned with Apple and Microsoft — all before becoming A16Z's youngest check writer and a rising star in the crypto investing world. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carra-wu-andreessen-horowitz-youngest-partner-crypto-investor-2022-3">Here's how she did it.</a>4. A man who returned his $116,000 Tesla Model X in 2020 is still paying for it two years later. CNBC reported the man tried to use a policy Tesla had of seven-day no-questions-asked returns, but that the company had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teslas-7-day-return-policy-appears-to-have-been-killed-2020-10">quietly gotten rid of</a> the policy. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-x-return-policy-dispute-still-paying-danny-roman-2022-4">What we know so far.</a>5. A mental-health crisis is brewing in Silicon Valley. Insider spoke with tech workers who said sexual issues, burnout, and distress are forcing them to reprioritize their well-being, with many leaving to find more "meaningful" careers — and some say <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mental-health-crisis-great-resignation-tech-industry-silicon-valley-2022-4">even the industry's glitzy perks aren't enough to make them stay.</a>6. Netflix is introducing a new way to tell its algorithm you love a movie or TV show. "Two Thumbs Up" allows users to "love" titles, and is meant to improve the content that Netflix recommends to viewers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-netflix-new-two-thumbs-up-feature-interview-2022-4">An exec explains how it'll improve recommendations.</a>7. GoFundMe's "do-gooder" brand is being called into question amid right-wing crowdfunding. Despite booming business and a potential IPO, GoFundMe's position as the go-to platform to raise money has pushed it to the heart of some of the past few years' most contentious political fights — and it has thrown it and its employees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gofundme-idendity-crisis-right-wing-crowdfunding-clashes-with-idealistic-mission-2022-4">into an identity crisis.</a>8. Google is withdrawing job offers to candidates with Russian addresses.The tech giant <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-withdraws-internship-offers-for-russia-students-2022-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">confirmed it had rescinded internship offers</a> to an Egyptian student and a Syrian student because they are currently studying at a Russian university.Odds and ends:<a href="https://www.axios.com/wii-sports-nintendo-switch-a98824c3-43f2-4eb0-9f4a-75da5cb87462.html?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiospm&amp;stream=top"></a><div type="image" title="A Wii Remote and a TV playing Wii Sports." height="2000" width="2666" msid="90798291" hostid="261"></div>9. Wii Sports is back — for the Nintendo Switch. Get ready, former Wii Sports champions: Nintendo Switch Sports, complete with tennis, bowling and volleyball, will be released on April 29. <a href="https://www.axios.com/wii-sports-nintendo-switch-a98824c3-43f2-4eb0-9f4a-75da5cb87462.html?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiospm&amp;stream=top">Here's what you need to know.</a>10. Fast food chains have entered the metaverse. Retail chains are opening up virtual locations accessible through VR headsets, and in some, customers can receive codes for real food. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-mcdonalds-wendys-metaverse-virtual-worlds-photos-2022-4">See inside the virtual worlds created by Wendy's, Chipotle, and McDonald's.</a>What we're watching today:<ul><li>Forbes is releasing the Midas List of the world's 100 top venture capitalists.</li><li>Startup Grind Global Conference 2022 starts today <a href="https://startupgrind.tech/conference/">in Silicon Valley.</a></li><li>CIO's Future of Cloud Summit takes place <a href="https://events.foundryco.com/event-series/cios-future-of-cloud-summit-april-2022/">today and tomorrow.</a></li><li>Devnexus, <a href="https://devnexus.com/">a developers conference</a>, starts today in Atlanta. </li></ul>Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out<a href="https://www.insider.com/therefresh"> The Refresh from Insider,</a> a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. <a href="https://www.insider.com/therefresh">Listen here.</a>Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb?lang=en">@jordanparkererb</a>.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.

10 Things in Tech: Musk's U-turn

Now laid-off employees are paying the priceIn an attempt to explain why the company had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-maps-cuts-investors-tech-2023-1">laid off 12,000 employees</a>, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google's parent company, Alphabet, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-jobs-alphabet-work-employees-staff-sundar-pichai-2023-1">said executives decided to slash jobs</a> after a "rigorous review" of Google's internal structures and organization. Pichai suggested that the company "hired for a different economic reality" than the one it faced and that the layoffs were necessary to <a href="https://blog.google/inside-google/message-ceo/january-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set Google up for the future</a>.But while Pichai, <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/at-280m-alphabet-s-sundar-pichai-is-2019-s-highest-paid-us-info-tech-ceo-59872469" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who made $280 million in compensation in 2019</a>, said he took "full responsibility for the decisions that led us here," he failed to elucidate those choices. He didn't mention that during his time at the helm Google has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-android-appeal-in-4-billion-eu-antitrust-case-2022-9#">hit with billions of dollars' worth of antitrust fines</a>, been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-management-issues-code-red-over-chatgpt-report-2022-12">left in the dust</a> by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-12-07/chatgpt-should-worry-google-and-alphabet-why-search-when-you-can-ask-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OpenAI's ChatGPT</a> despite "pivoting the company to be AI-first," and seen its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/search-web-email-google-streaming-online-shopping-broken-2022-4">core search product get steadily worse</a>. And though Pichai later said at a company town hall that "all roles above the senior-vice-president level will witness a very significant reduction in their annual bonus," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-executive-bonuses-very-significant-cut-sundar-pichai-ceo-2023-1">including his own</a>, the vast majority of the pain from his missteps seemed to fall squarely on the shoulders of the 12,000 people who were let go. The employees who were laid off — via email — included <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?postID=63d7e1715178b050851b8f2c&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theinformation.com%2Farticles%2Fgoogle-laid-off-high-performers-and-earners-while-brain-ai-lab-largely-spared" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several high-performing staff members</a> and longtime employees, such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-alphabet-jobs-pichai-email-slap-in-the-face-2023-1">an engineer who'd been at the company for 20 years</a> and who described the sudden layoff as a "slap in the face."This sort of responsibility dodging is running rampant around Silicon Valley. CEOs at companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Meta set their companies on an unsustainable course, investing in boneheaded new ventures and assuming the pandemic-driven tech boom would be a new normal. Now that those expectations have been shattered, rank-and-file tech workers are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions, while the executives most responsible for the messes face little to no meaningful consequences.Any executive who participates in decision-making that leads to hundreds or thousands of people losing their jobs should be the one leading them out the door. Pichai and other tech CEOs shouldn't be making $280 million a year or even $1 million a year — they should be fired for poorly managing some of the largest companies in the world.<h2>CEOs made mistakes, workers bear the brunt</h2>In their layoff announcements, pretty much every tech company placed the blame for the cuts on the economy. At Amazon, the cuts were <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/amazon-job-cuts-read-the-memos.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supposedly necessary because</a> of "supply chain difficulties, inflation, and productivity overhang" and economic uncertainty. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-layoffs-marc-benioff-overhiring-profits-costs-economic-downturn-staff-2023-1">Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff cited</a> the "economic downturn we're now facing" as the reason for the company's 10% headcount reduction, and Workday <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/bay-area-workday-layoffs-17754945.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">laid off 3% of its workforce based on</a> a "global economic environment that is challenging for companies of all sizes." PayPal CEO Dan Schulman pinned the blame for his company's <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/31/business/paypal-layoffs/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decision to lay off 2,000 employees</a> on the "challenging macro-economic environment."But in many instances, the real source of concern at these companies comes down to boneheaded decisions made by CEOs — whether it's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-should-quit-meta-facebook-new-metaverse-company-2022-10">Mark Zuckerberg at the company formerly known as Facebook</a>, who authorized a hiring binge over the pandemic and invested billions of dollars into his metaverse folly before having to cut 11,000 jobs, or Tobi Lütke at Shopify, who laid off 1,000 people <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopify-layoffs-10-percent-ceo-memo-2022-7">based on a bet on the future of e-commerce that "didn't pay off."</a>While many of these companies have made serious strategic blunders, layoffs won't solve those problems — cutting workers won't suddenly make the companies more productive or improve their products. And many of these tech behemoths are still eye-wateringly profitable, making the economic case for layoffs questionable. Microsoft's <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/24/tech/microsoft-earnings/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profits declined by 12%</a> in the last quarter of 2022 from the same quarter in 2021, but it still pulled in a whopping $16.4 billion. Amazon pulled down a profit of $2.8 billion in the most recent quarter, below the online-shopping highs of the pandemic but in line with its historical average. But the company still <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-got-laid-off-from-amazon-felt-like-line-item-2023-1">turned around and laid off 18,000 employees</a>. It seems that when profits or even projected future profits slipped a bit, something had to give — and it certainly wasn't going to fall on the CEOs. When one company chose to lay off thousands of people, it became optically justifiable for other companies to follow suit — a natural way for the CEO to seem "disciplined" or "responsible" despite the brutal cost to employees. While they may protect the CEO's reputation or placate investors, layoffs are immensely damaging for workers, even well-paid tech employees. People who are laid off face <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648004/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term career damage</a> and harm to their <a href="https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/relationship-between-workplace-stressors-mortality-health-costs-united" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mental and physical health</a>. Not to mention that layoffs are of dubious value to the company; studies have found that <a href="https://news.stanford.edu/2022/12/05/explains-recent-tech-layoffs-worried/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">layoffs are a net negative</a> for productivity, that they <a href="https://hbr.org/2022/12/what-companies-still-get-wrong-about-layoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suppress innovation</a>, and that they can lead to a <a href="https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/how-layoffs-cost-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term decline in profits</a>. Studies have also suggested that layoffs <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/211390591_Downsizing_Effects_on_Survivors_Layoffs_Offshoring_and_Outsourcing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make life harder</a> for the employees who weren't let go, especially since many of these companies <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-cuts-employee-benefits-to-reduce-costs-after-layoffs-2022-12">cut back on benefits</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-mental-health-and-wellbeing-director-jobs-workers-tech-2023-1">other services</a> that could help remaining workers. Given the human and business downsides of layoffs, a CEO's top priority should be to avoid them at all costs.Some companies have managed to do just that. Apple has managed to cut costs without layoffs in part by <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/picks/apple-ceo-tim-cook-asked-for-and-got-a-major-pay-cut-this-year-is-there-ever-a-time-when-some-of-us-should-accept-one-too-the-answer-is-yes-01674032911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reducing Tim Cook's salary by 40%, to $49 million</a>. While one can't necessarily applaud a company for paying a CEO "just" $50 million, there's something to be said for the chief executive willing to slash their own pay before resorting to letting employees go. Similarly, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-takes-pay-cut-reduce-costs-prevent-layoffs-2023-2">the chipmaker Intel's CEO took a 25% pay cut</a> and reduced the salaries of his executive team by 15% to avoid broad layoffs. For the companies that turned to job cuts, the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of their CEOs. As the sole person in charge, they're responsible for misjudging the macroeconomy, making terrible investments, and then following along with the industry in a shortsighted attempt to please Wall Street. And yet, despite a smattering of pay reductions, none of them have faced real consequences. By focusing on "broader economic uncertainty" rather than admitting the cutbacks are because of executive mismanagement, CEOs can save their reputation while sidestepping the blame.<h2>With great power comes no responsibility</h2>The blame-shifting of these tech companies and their CEOs is not unprecedented, or even that uncommon. Corporate America has pledged fealty to the almighty executive, applying a totally different evaluation matrix to CEOs than to other employees. Because of this noxious adulation for the most powerful person in the company, companies will contort themselves to try to save money in any way other than cutting the pay of or firing their most responsible and most expensive employee: the chief executive officer. <a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-pay-in-2021/#:~:text=From%201978%20to%202021%2C%20CEO,18.1%25%20from%201978%20to%202021." target="_blank" rel="noopener">CEO pay skyrocketed</a> by 1,460% from 1978 to 2021, and the ratio of average-worker pay to CEO pay ballooned from 20-to-1 in 1965 to 399-to-1 in 2021. And it's not as if this staggering rise in pay has made CEOs any better at their jobs. Top executives abandon companies <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/why-have-more-1-000-ceos-left-their-post-past-n1076201" target="_blank" rel="noopener">when they anticipate a recession</a> and always treat workers as disposable, <a href="https://time.com/6204001/jobs-report-ceos-layoffs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even during a hot economy</a>. Analyses <a href="https://cepr.net/are-corporate-ceos-worth-20-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have argued</a> that these staggering pay packages are far from justified. When high-ranking executives make a serious blunder, they almost always get the benefit of the doubt. The modern executive <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-tesla-ceo-job-broken-chief-hypocrisy-officer-2022-11">lacks any actual responsibility</a> or oversight, only occasionally reporting to typically pliant boards. They're largely insulated from the consequences of their actions, even if they're performing poorly. If any other kind of worker made a series of decisions that led to a double-digit drop in profitability, they'd be threatened with termination or terminated. Instead, tech CEOs have passed the pain off to people who in many cases were performing well in their roles. And while many employees in tech and elsewhere have received generous severance packages, they pale in comparison to the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/good-question-why-do-ceos-get-paid-so-much-to-leave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">payouts that failed executives have gotten</a> on their way out the door. Take, for example, the car-rental company Hertz, which let go of 10,000 people in 2020 as it stumbled into bankruptcy, all while <a href="https://observer.com/2020/05/hertz-is-the-latest-to-give-execs-millions-while-firing-workers-and-going-bankrupt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paying its executives $16 million in bonuses</a>.If CEOs are expected — and paid — to be some visionary demigod at the top of an organization, they should be expected to bear that weight and pay a commiserate price when they mess up. At some point, the chief executive has to be held as accountable as the people they employ. There is no reason that the best-treated and highest-paid member of an organization should experience less scrutiny, unless the company does not truly care about operating efficiently.If companies are wary of firing top executives, then fine, refashion the job of the modern CEO. Instead of trying to be swashbuckling saviors with gobsmacking salaries allowed to operate the company with relative impunity, these top executives should focus on actual management and execution to sustainably grow their companies. Instead of focusing on short-term investor relations and public accolades, CEOs should put in the time to manage their companies and help improve the products they create.The fundamental problem with corporate America is that it no longer makes any sense. The CEO, the most powerful and influential person at the company, is now a figurehead who receives all the benefits of a company's success without being endangered by any of its failures.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/ed-zitron" rel="">Ed Zitron</a> is the CEO of <a href="https://www.ezpr.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">EZPR</a>, a national tech and business public-relations agency. He is also the author of the tech and culture newsletter <a href="https://ez.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Where's Your Ed At</a>.

Silicon Valley needs to stop laying off workers and start firing CEOs

<ul><li>In our last episode of the limited edition series The <keyword id="11984359" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="influencer-adda" source="Orion">Influencer Adda</keyword>, we speak to <keyword id="8626530" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="raj-shamani" source="Orion">Raj Shamani</keyword>, a man who wears many hats.</li><li><keyword id="13487279" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="shamani" source="Orion">Shamani</keyword> is a Digital Content Creator, Entrepreneur, Investor and Podcaster.</li></ul>With our property The Influencer Adda, we offered an inside view into the creative process of stars of the future, their ideas and businesses that are transforming the digital marketing industry. The series spoke about their mental health, fighting against the odds, breaking gender norms through their powerful content, associating with like-minded brands, standing out in a sea full of content creators, and much more. We have featured a bunch of creative young people, who have made internet users laugh, groove and escape from the grim reality through their content pieces. While all of them had different stories, struggles and wins, they all shared one thing in common: consistency. These content creators have left no stone unturned in engaging regularly with their audiences. In our last episode, we speak to Digital Content Creator, Entrepreneur, Investor and Podcaster Raj Shamani who has 1 million followers on Instagram, 146k fans on Twitter and 272k subscribers on YouTube. He was 16 when he joined his father’s business, which traded in chemicals for soaps and detergents. As he saw his business grow, surviving various ups and downs, he decided to share his learnings with the audience. He would attend the local shows and try to inspire people with his speeches. Slowly, he started expanding his topics and experimenting with new digital mediums. Shamani speaks to Advertising and Media Insider about his entrepreneurial journey, changes in the content marketing landscape, trends he expects to see and a lot more. Excerpts: Q. Can you take us back to the day you thought of creating content? The first time when I started creating content was just to improve my business, expand my business range. It was not about uploading on Instagram, or going viral or becoming a full-fledged content creator. I used to sell detergent and dishwashers along with my dad. Just to improve that, I started telling people how they can improve their businesses and how they can learn from the western world and improve the retail practices in India. So I started giving speeches offline. Then I realised it will be too time-consuming to give speeches offline. So why not make a video and start sharing with people on different topics. That was the first time I started creating content, and then the ‘itch’ started coming in. I asked myself, how can I make more people watch it till the end? Once I did that for a couple of months on Instagram, there was no looking back. Q. The social media landscape has evolved a lot since then, it changes every week if not daily. So, how do you feel your content has changed with it? At the end of the day, the basics are very clear. It's a combination of three pillars. Number one, who are you, and what's your story? What are you there to talk about? Are you going to educate people, inspire people or entertain people? How are you bringing value to their life? These are the three things that you have to think about. Number two is how can you make sure that your audience is coming and watching your content? How do you make sure that they're going off, better and not worse? And the third thing is you have to respect the platform. That's the most important thing which most people don't realise, ‘Oh, if you create great content, people are gonna come.’ No, people are not gonna come because the platform keeps changing on an everyday basis and you have to follow it. Q. Now, with NFT, metaverse and AI, what are some of the trends that you are expecting to see in the content marketing industry? Brands have to realise that it [branded content] has to look real and immersive. It has to connect to people. If I wear oversized T-shirts on daily basis, one day some brand tells me Raj, wear a tight t-shirt. If I wear it, people are gonna know that this is your branded product. And especially when you go to Metaverse, where people can actually see you from 3D avatars. People can see you, let's say it is Raj on some different galaxy existing. So if your Raj -- on five days, he looks similar, and on the sixth day, he is looking different people are gonna sense the bullsh*t and people are not going to buy it from the brand. So it has to go with the personality, it has to go with immersion and experience. Q. At what point did you begin collaborating with brands on sponsored content, and can you share a bit more about your process? So I was fortunate that I was living with my parents till the time I reached 120-150k. So I didn't take any brand. So from zero to 150K, it took me four years. After that, in 2020, I got a deal with an AdTech company. So an AdTech company offered me Rs 70,000 and they were like, why don't you promote our stuff. Till that time, I didn't understand branded content. Once I posted it, I got a lot of backlash. People were like why are you promoting this? This is such a bad brand. And then I stopped promoting again. After 300k, there were a lot of brand deals that are coming my way. But I have this concept, I'm only going to promote the brand, which I will promote even if they are not paying me. Q. As you move forward in your journey, what would be some of your focus areas as a content creator? Number one, I'm going to focus on building a community. So now I've been only caring about my one lakh people rather than 10-20 lakh people. Now I want my 1 lakh people to actually bring out a change in their real life; these are going to be the one lakh people who will come, form of community, do everything which we asked them to do, and then it will be my responsibility to make them financially free. You should treat them like your younger brother. Second thing I'm focusing a lot on: I have a dream of becoming a creative unicorn. I'm starting my own b2b company, own clothing line, I've started investing in a lot of startups, I'm writing my own book. So these are the different avenues and I'm gonna add up to that one big vision: because once I become the example for it, then only I can really talk about this big vision that everybody's going to be creative 10 years from now. And everybody should be creative there because there are a lot of unicorns, we're going to be built in this space. <div type="Video" msid="90498987" hostid="261" title="I have a dream of becoming a creative unicorn: Raj Shamani" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=90498987"></div>

I have a dream of becoming a creative unicorn: Raj Shamani

Is it a handy tool — or a ticking time bomb?When Sam Altman was sunsetting his first startup in early 2012, there was little indication that his path ahead would parallel that of Silicon Valley's then-wunderkind Mark Zuckerberg.While Altman was weighing his next moves after shutting down Loopt, his location-sharing startup, the Facebook CEO was at the forefront of social media's global takeover and leading his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-heres-the-inside-story-of-what-happened-on-the-facebook-ipo-2012-5">company to a blockbuster initial public offering</a> that valued Zuckerberg's brainchild <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/still-confused-by-the-facebook-ipo-heres-a-complete-qa-2012-5">at $104 billion</a>. But just over a decade later, the tables have dramatically turned. Nowadays, the promise of social media as a unifying force for good has all but collapsed, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-layoffs-second-round-next-week-2023-3">Zuckerberg is slashing thousands of jobs</a> after his company's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-meta-stock-price-market-colllapse-mark-zuckerberg-metaverse-mistake-2022-2">rocky pivot to the metaverse</a>. And it's Altman, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-chatgpt-openai-ceo-career-net-worth-ycombinator-prepper-2023-1">a 37-year-old Stanford dropout</a>, who's now seeing his star rise to dizzying heights — and who faces the pitfalls of great power.Altman and his company Open AI have put Silicon Valley on notice <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chat-gpt-2023-1">since releasing ChatGPT</a> to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ai-chaos-openia-google-creatives-academics-2023-1#:~:text=via%20Getty%20Images-,An%20updated%20version%20of%20OpenAI's%20chatbot%2C%20ChatGPT%2C%20launched%20on%20November,creative%20ways%20to%20use%20it.">public in November</a>. The artificial-intelligence model, which can write prose, code, and much more, is perhaps the most powerful — and unpredictable — technology of his generation. It has also been a gold mine for Altman, leading to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-investing-billions-into-chatgpt-creator-openai-partnership-2023-1">multiyear, multibillion-dollar deal</a> from Microsoft and the onboarding of 100 million users in its first two months. The pace of growth far exceeds TikTok's and Instagram's march to that milestone, making it the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-may-be-fastest-growing-app-in-history-ubs-study-2023-2">fastest-growing consumer internet application</a> in history.Much like social media in 2012, the AI industry is standing on the precipice of immense change. And while social media went on to reshape our world over the next 10 years, experts told me that the consequences of AI's next steps would be an order of magnitude larger. According to researchers, the current AI models are barely scratching the surface of the tech's potential. And as Altman and his cohort charge ahead, AI could fundamentally reshape our economy and lives even more than social media. "AI has the potential to be a transformative technology in the same way that the internet was, the television, radio, the Gutenberg press," professor Michael Wooldridge, the director of foundational AI research at the Turing Institute, said. "But the way it's going to be used, I think, we can only really scarcely imagine."As Zuckerberg's track record at Facebook has proved, technology let loose <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-whats-good-for-world-not-necessarily-facebook-2018-12">can have profound consequences</a> — and if AI is left unchecked or if growth is prioritized over safety, the repercussions could be irreparable.<h2>Revolutionary tech, done dangerously</h2>Dan J. Wang, now an associate professor of business and sociology at Columbia Business School, used to drive past Altman's Loopt office in Palo Alto, California, as a Stanford undergrad. He told me that he saw a lot of parallels between Altman and Zuckerberg: The pair are "technology evangelists" and "really compelling leaders" who can gain the faith of those around them. Neither man was the first person to strike out in their respective fields. In Facebook's case, rivals like Myspace and Friendster had a head start, while AI has been in development for decades. But what they lack in originality, they make up for in risk tolerance. Both Zuckerberg and Altman have a willingness to expand the public use of new technology at a far faster pace than their more cautious predecessors, Wang said. "The other thing that is really interesting about both of these leaders is that they're really good at making technologies accessible," he told me.But the line between releasing cutting-edge tech to make people's lives better and letting an untested product loose on an unsuspecting public can be a thin one. And Zuckerberg's track record provides plenty of examples of how it can go wrong. In the years since Facebook's 2012 IPO, the company has rolled out dozens of products to the public, while profoundly influencing the offline world. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-facebook-data-2019-10">Cambridge Analytica scandal</a> exposed the privacy problems that come with collecting the personal data of billions of people; the use of Facebook to facilitate violence like <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/technology/myanmar-facebook-genocide.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the genocide in Myanmar</a> and the Capitol Hill insurrection showed just how toxic misinformation on social platforms could be; and the harms of services<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-internal-report-shows-instagram-bad-for-teens-2021-9"> like Instagram on mental health</a> have posed uncomfortable questions about the role of social media in our everyday lives.Facebook's damaged reputation is the result of the company racing ahead of consumers, regulators, and investors who failed to understand the consequences of billions of people interacting online at a scale and speed unlike anything before it. Facebook and Zuckerberg have apologized for their mistakes — but not for the guns-blazing approach of its evangelist leader who has come to embody tech's "move fast and break things" mantra. If social media helped expose the worst impulses of humanity on a mass scale, generative AI could be a turbocharger that accelerates the spread of our faults."The fact that generative-AI technology has been put out without a lot of due diligence or without a lot of mechanisms for consent — this kind of thing is really aligned with that 'move fast and break things' mindset," Margaret Mitchell, an AI research scientist who cofounded the AI-ethics division at Google, said.For Heidy Khlaaf, the director at the cybersecurity and -safety firm Trail of Bits and a former systems-safety engineer at OpenAI, the current hype cycle around generative AI that prioritizes commercial value over societal impact is, in part, being driven by companies making exaggerated claims about the technology for their own benefit."Everyone is trying to deploy this and implement it without understanding the risks that a lot of really amazing researchers have been looking into for at least the past five years," she said. "Your new technology should not be going out to the world if it can cause these downstream harms."This should offer a stark warning to Altman, OpenAI, and the rest of the artificial-intelligence industry, Mitchell told me. "Once implemented in systems that people are relying on for either facts or life-critical decisions, it's not just a novelty," she said.<h2>OpenAI opens Pandora's box </h2>While the underlying tech that powers AI has been around for a while, the power balance between ethics and profitability in the industry is starting to shift in a different direction. After securing a multibillion-dollar investment from Microsoft in January, OpenAI is now rumored to be valued at $30 billion and has wasted no time in commercializing its technology. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-microsoft-bing-openai-more-powerful-chatgpt-2023-2">Microsoft announced the integration of OpenAI's technology</a> into its search engine Bing on February 7 and said it planned to infuse AI into other Microsoft products.The move has sparked something of an AI <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-email-inbox-revolution-chatgpt-google-openai-shortwave-productivity-tools-2023-3">arms race</a>. Google, which for a long time was Silicon Valley's dominant force on AI, has picked up the pace with its own commercialization efforts. The tech giant released a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-chatbots-chatgpt-google-bard-microsoft-bing-break-internet-search-2023-2">ChatGPT competitor called Bard</a> just 68 days after the Bing announcement. But Bard's release also served as a cautionary tale for scaling too quickly: The launch announcement was riddled with errors, and Google's stock tumbled as a result. And it's not as if Bard is the only AI tool with problems. In its short life, ChatGPT has shown that it is prone to "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-chatbot-chatgpt-google-microsofty-lying-search-belief-2023-2">hallucinations</a>" — confident responses that appear true but are false. Biases and inaccuracies have been common occurrences, too.This approach of throwing caution to the wind is unsurprising to experts: Mitchell told me that while many companies would have been too scared to be the first mover, given the attention it would have brought upon them, OpenAI's highly public projects have made it much easier for everyone else to follow. "It's kind of like when you're on the freeway and everyone is speeding, and you're like, 'Well, look at those other guys. They're speeding. I can do that, too,'" she said.Experts say that Bing, Bard, and other AI models should generally work out the technological kinks as they evolve. The real danger, they told me, is the human oversight of it all. "There's a technological challenge where I'm more confident that AI will get better over time, but then there is the governance challenge of how humans will govern AI — there, I'm a bit more skeptical that we're on a good path," Johann Laux, a postdoctoral fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, said.The Turing Institute's Wooldridge reckons pernicious issues like fake news could see a real "industrialization" at the hands of AI, a big worry given that models are already "routinely producing very plausible falsehoods." "What this technology is going to do is it's just going to fill our world with imperceptible falsehoods," he said. "That makes it very hard to distinguish truth from fiction."Other problems could also ensue. Yacine Jernite, a research scientist at the AI company Hugging Face, sees plenty of reason to be concerned about AI chatbots being used for financial scams. "What you need to scam someone out of their money is to build a relationship with them. You need something that's going to chat to them and feel engaged," he said. "That is not just the misuse of chatbots — it is the primary use of the chatbots and what they're trying to be better at."Khlaaf, meanwhile, sees a much more widespread risk: a wholesale dismantling of scientific integrity, extreme exaggeration of "stereotypes that harm marginalized communities," and the untold physical dangers of AI's deployment into safety-critical domains such as medicine and transport.Experts are clear that AI is still far from its full potential, but the tech is developing fast. OpenAI itself is moving with speed to release new iterations of its model. GPT-4, an upgraded version of ChatGPT, is on the horizon. But the disruptive power of AI and the dangers it poses are already apparent. For leaders, it's the "ask for forgiveness later" approach, Mitchell said.Zuckerberg's biggest mistake was allowing ethics to play second fiddle to profitability. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-vip-facebook-instagram-cross-check-oversight-board-2022-12">Facebook's creation of an oversight board</a> is a sign that the company is ready to take some responsibility, though many would argue that it's too little, too late to slay the demons unleashed by the platform. And now Altman faces the same dilemma.Altman has shown some signs that he is aware of AI's prospective harms. "If you think that you understand the impact of AI, you do not understand and have yet to be instructed further. if you know that you do not understand, then you truly understand. (-alan watts, sort of)," he <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1621556257323888641?s=20&amp;t=YgO5E091mFuaVJRjm9r-Iw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> on February 3. That said, researchers have little insight into the data that has been fed into OpenAI's machine, despite several calls made for OpenAI to, in fact, be open. Lifting the lid on its black box would go a long way toward showing it's serious about its issues.Columbia's Wang does think Altman is grappling with the consequences of AI — whether it's to do with the fairness, accuracy, or transparency of it. But abiding by an ethics system that makes sure to do no harm, while trying to scale up the next big thing in tech, "is almost impossible," according to Wang."If you look at his tweets recently, he's sensitive to all of these issues, but the problem with being sensitive to all of these issues is that there are invariably going to be contradictions with what you can achieve," Wang said.The glacial pace with which regulators decided to act against Facebook is unlikely to change once they decide to get serious about policing the threats posed by AI. It means Altman will be left largely unchecked to open AI's Pandora's box. Social media amplified society's issues, as Wooldridge puts it. But AI could very well create new ones. Altman will need to get this right, for everyone's sake. Otherwise, it could be lights out for all.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/hasan-chowdhury">Hasan Chowdhury</a> is a technology reporter at Insider.

Facebook and Twitter scrambled our brains and poisoned our politics. AI poses an even bigger threat.

<ul><li><keyword id="366712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tarun-katial" source="Orion">Tarun Katial</keyword> is currently working on the first-of-its-kind women-only social media platform Eve World.</li><li>There is an additional layer of blockchain technology added to the platform, which will allow the users to get rewarded for each action.</li><li>The platform will be launched in India, Middle East and Indonesia first, and then in other countries.</li></ul>Indian media executive and business professional Tarun Katial — who has previously led <keyword id="6245082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee5" source="Orion">Zee5</keyword> and <keyword id="82551" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="big-fm" source="Orion">Big FM</keyword> as founder chief executive — is now on a journey to make social media safer for women with his latest offering Eve World. Katial has been working on the concept of Eve World, with Aparna Acharekar and Rajneel Kumar, since 2020 after he had an up-close experience of the harassment women face on the internet and traditional social media networks. “My wife [media veteran Monisha Singh Katial] is a really accomplished media person and she started getting trolled on WhatsApp, somebody got her number from somewhere. Me and another friend of mine recommended that we should go to the police station. Now the reason she gave me was that ‘even if I report, what real action would be taken even if they find the person?” he added. Forty six-year-old Tarun Katial has been in the media and entertainment industry for over two decades. He has retained top executive positions in brands like <keyword id="17943" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="star-india" source="Orion">Star India</keyword>, Sony Entertainment and Reliance Broadcast Network. Eve World became a reality in June 2021 as a first-of-its-kind women-only platform that aims to empower women to express their opinion, create content and form communities without worrying about the consequences. According to the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma, cases of online harassment grew nearly five fold in 2020. “While earlier, we would record 300 complaints of online harassment, this shot up to 1,500 post the COVID-19 pandmeic,” she<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/after-covid-cases-of-online-harassment-spiked-by-5-times-7137386/"> said</a> in January 2021. In the USA, four in ten women admitted to have faced online harassment, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/01/13/the-state-of-online-harassment/">report </a>published by Pew Research Center in January this year. However, it does raise questions whether creating a separate space for women would further isolate them from the general public. Commenting on the same, Katial highlighted that this is why they went with the tagline “We can’t change the world for you, but we can create a better one for you.” Pritam Baruah, Dean of School of Law at BML Munjal University, told Business Insider, “In the larger context, however, isolation will not be the lens through which they will be viewed. There is the freedom to form exclusive groups in the marketplace of platforms and each will serve its purpose and constituency." Eve World is trying to build more than just social media Eve World will use this capital to launch the platform in the January-March quarter of 2022. The company aims to launch worldwide, including countries like the US and UK, where female participation in the digital arena is higher. But it will start off with countries like India, Middle East and Indonesia, where the population is larger and the company believes that it can add some value by giving women their space. On the face of it, Eve World has been built on a creator partnership, something like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where the people on the platform are running the show. But there is an additional layer of blockchain technology added to the platform, which will allow Eve World’s users to get rewarded for each action on the platform. The reward can either be virtual tokens or points and can be used for a range of use cases — including consulting doctors and mental health professionals on the platform, shopping or even to buy non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at a discount on the platform. It will generate revenue by charging micro-entrepreneurs to promote their businesses. Eve World will set up a two-way authentication to ensure only women are using the platform. Katial claimed that 70% of its workforce at Eve World are going to be women as they understand these issues much better. The company has already raised capital from Singapore-based Jungle Ventures, one of the largest independent early and growth stage venture capital firms in Southeast Asia. The details of these transactions are undisclosed. “What used to happen on the street till a decade ago, in urban India, has now moved to the internet, under the garb of anonymity… Women were losing their freedom to express themselves because of the kinds of gender bias, the kind of trolling, the kind of abuse that they are facing...Women on the internet face much more [consequences] than any man would on the same comment that gets posted,” Katial said. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/zoho-freshworks-and-top-indian-saas-companies-have-given-500-entrepreneurs-to-the-indian-startup-ecosystem/articleshow/88145310.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Zoho, Freshworks and top Indian SaaS companies have given 500 entrepreneurs to the Indian startup ecosystem</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/investment/news/humanoid-robot-sophia-is-entering-the-metaverse-with-intelligent-nfts/articleshow/88156738.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Humanoid robot Sophia is entering the metaverse with ‘intelligent’ NFTs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/here-is-what-to-expect-from-the-rbi-monetary-policy-today/slidelist/88150941.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Six charts explain what the market expects from the RBI’s monetary policy review</a>

An Indian media veteran is building a social media platform just for women after his wife got trolled on Whatsapp

Welcome back to <keyword id="11921772" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider-weekly" source="Orion">Insider Weekly</keyword>! I'm Matt Turner, the editor-in-chief of business at Insider.We've all heard about the "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-ceos-executives-plan-address-the-great-resignation-in-2022-2022-1">Great Resignation</a>."The wave of quits across America has been driven by many things, from the search for more <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-from-home-best-employee-benefit-blind-survey-2021-5">flexibility</a> or money to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manager-tips-for-great-resignation-in-2022-2021-11">burnout</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-quitting-toxic-culture-low-pay-analysis-2022-1">toxic bosses</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meaning-at-work-quitting-jobs-to-climb-mount-everest-2021-9">a yearning for adventure</a>. Maybe we should add the end of free food to that list. <keyword id="12196098" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dropbox" source="Orion">Dropbox</keyword> insiders told Rosalie Chan and Paayal Zaveri that the end of free perks like bulgogi from Michelin-starred chefs contributed to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-michelin-cafeteria-high-turnover-remote-work-2022-2">their decision to leave the company</a>. Sure, they didn't quit just because of the food. But for many, the move to virtual first and an end to the kinds of perks that brought people together IRL shifted their loyalties and made leaving that bit easier. It illustrates a common challenge in corporate America. As Rosalie asks in a Q&amp;A below, in an age of remote work, how does a company set itself apart from the competition? Read on for more.<h3>Also in this week's <keyword id="11894123" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="newsletter" source="Orion">newsletter</keyword>:</h3><ul><li><keyword id="11893609" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cnn" source="Orion">CNN</keyword> stars including Jake Tapper raised concerns about <keyword id="13089855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jeff-zucker" source="Orion">Jeff Zucker</keyword>'s exit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-audio-cnn-employees-question-jason-kilar-jeff-zucker-exit-2022-2">in leaked audio.</a></li><li>Insiders say confusion, rivalries, and canceled projects have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-3-metaverse-mixed-reality-strategy-confusion-rivalries-2022-2">roiled Microsoft's metaverse strategy.</a></li><li>Three more women say the Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dave-portnoy-new-women-sexual-misconduct-allegations-filming-sex-without-permission">filmed them without asking during sex.</a></li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription">Subscribe to Insider</a> for access to all our investigations and features. New to the newsletter? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-weekly">Sign up here.</a> Download our 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><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-michelin-cafeteria-high-turnover-remote-work-2022-2">Behind the scenes of Dropbox's diminishing perks</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-michelin-cafeteria-high-turnover-remote-work-2022-2"></a>Our senior reporters Rosalie Chan and Paayal Zaveri take us inside their reporting:What got you thinking about Dropbox's perks?Rosalie: We began looking into this story because we heard there's been high employee turnover at Dropbox. As we started reaching out to employees, we noticed a common theme: how amazing the food was. The cafeteria employs chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants and serves food like artisan pizza and beef bulgogi — all for free. Though the employees who left had many reasons for leaving, Dropbox's perks and culture were a big draw, and the loss of the cafeteria was representative of something bigger. It asked the question of, in the age of remote work, where offices and free food are no longer a thing, how can a company set itself apart? What are employees saying about the loss of Dropbox's iconic benefits?Paayal: When Dropbox closed its offices, its iconic perks largely disappeared, and without them, it was hard to maintain the company's unique culture. That, combined with the loss of more traditional benefits like its health-insurance plan that covered 100% of employees' costs, a shifting product strategy, and layoffs in 2021, pushed many employees to look for new jobs. Whereas in the past employees might have stayed for the culture even amid those stumbles, it now had less pull on them, they told us.What's the zaniest perk you've heard of a company offering? Rosalie: In the age of remote work, many employees get a wellness stipend for things like gym memberships and workout equipment, and at Meta, I've heard employees can even reimburse Quidditch equipment.What do you think the future of Silicon Valley perks looks like?Paayal: The pandemic upended many of the traditional office perks that <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> companies used to attract employees. At the same time, the option to work remotely has become a bigger draw for employees, and companies that don't offer that flexibility are having a harder time recruiting. Looking to the future, I think companies that can offer flexibility and perks that don't revolve around the office will be the ones employees are most drawn to. Read the full story here: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dropbox-michelin-cafeteria-high-turnover-remote-work-2022-2">Dropbox insiders say the end of office perks like free food from Michelin-starred chefs and the shift to remote work has upended its culture and made it harder to keep employees around</a><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-audio-cnn-employees-question-jason-kilar-jeff-zucker-exit-2022-2">CNN stars question Jeff Zucker's exit in leaked audio</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-audio-cnn-employees-question-jason-kilar-jeff-zucker-exit-2022-2"></a><div type="image" title="Jake Tapper debate" height="1342" width="1789" msid="89387388" hostid="261"></div>WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar faced a barrage of questions from top CNN staffers over the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cnn-president-jeff-zucker-resigns-over-relationship-with-colleague-2022-2">ouster of network President Jeff Zucker</a> in a tense meeting on Wednesday, according to an audio recording obtained by Insider. On-air talent including Jake Tapper, Kaitlan Collins, Wolf Blitzer, and Jim Acosta pressed Kilar over his decision to ask for Zucker's resignation over the executive's failure to disclose a relationship with a colleague — a decision that left CNN employees <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-zucker-resigns-cnn-warnermedia-jason-kilar-staffers-total-shock-2022-2">in "total shock."</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-audio-cnn-employees-question-jason-kilar-jeff-zucker-exit-2022-2">Listen to the leaked audio and read excerpts here.</a><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-3-metaverse-mixed-reality-strategy-confusion-rivalries-2022-2">Inside Microsoft's mixed reality mess</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-3-metaverse-mixed-reality-strategy-confusion-rivalries-2022-2"></a><div type="image" title="Microsoft Alex Kipman HoloLens" height="3632" width="4843" msid="89387390" hostid="261"></div>With the introduction of its HoloLens device in 2015, Microsoft made an early bet on mixed-reality computing. But current and former employees say internal divides and a lack of a unified strategy have hobbled the team's plans.As Insider reported earlier this week, Microsoft has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-3-canceled-mixed-reality-product-roadmap-samsung-2022-2">scrapped</a> the HoloLens 3. Microsoft's decision is sending the company in new directions, including a partnership with Samsung and a potential cloud-based mixed reality device.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-3-metaverse-mixed-reality-strategy-confusion-rivalries-2022-2">Insiders describe the turmoil within Microsoft's HoloLens business.</a><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dave-portnoy-new-women-sexual-misconduct-allegations-filming-sex-without-permission">More women say Dave Portnoy filmed them during sex without asking</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dave-portnoy-new-women-sexual-misconduct-allegations-filming-sex-without-permission"></a><div type="image" title="Dave Portnoy" height="2779" width="3705" msid="89387392" hostid="261"></div>In November, three young women came forward about sexual encounters they had with Barstool Sports' founder, Dave Portnoy. These women told Insider the experiences with Portnoy turned frightening and humiliating and had taken a toll on their mental health. Two of the women also said Portnoy filmed their encounters without asking.Since then, three more young women have told Insider that Portnoy filmed them during sex without asking for permission. They ranged in age from 18 to mid-20s at the time. A total of four women have now told Insider that Portnoy has sent them at least 19 unsolicited videos of what appears to be him having sex with other women.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dave-portnoy-new-women-sexual-misconduct-allegations-filming-sex-without-permission">Read the full report here. </a><h3>More of this week's top reads:</h3><ul><li>Rachel Maddow is stepping back from her MSNBC show <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rachel-maddow-takes-break-msnbc-primetime-movie-podcast-2022-1">to work on movie and podcast projects.</a></li><li>We asked investors to share the 17 climate-tech startups <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hot-startups-helping-businesses-curb-carbon-emissions-vcs-2022-1">to keep an eye on right now.</a></li><li>The New York Times' gaming chief explained <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-new-york-times-acquired-wordle-amid-gaming-subscription-expansion-2022-2">why Wordle was a good buy.</a></li><li>See the pitch deck that fitness entrepreneur Grace Beverley used to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pitch-deck-activewear-startup-raise-millions-grace-beverley-2022-2">raise $5.7 million for her activewear startup.</a></li><li>We've got a comprehensive guide to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a-guide-to-ukraine-conflict-and-why-the-us-cant-stop-vladimir-putin-2022-1">tensions in Ukraine. </a></li><li>The great venture-capital <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/great-venture-capital-shuffle-rise-of-emerging-fund-managers-2022-2">resignation is underway.</a></li><li>Compared to millennials, Gen Z is graduating to a far better job market — and its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-is-the-luckiest-generation-vs-millennials">financial prospects look far brighter.</a></li></ul>

Dropbox's diminishing employee perks, including free food from Michelin-starred chefs, is leading to a loss of talent

<ul><li>Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">Gaming</keyword> and Comics (<keyword id="1920258" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="avgc" source="Orion">AVGC</keyword>) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector.</li><li>We speak to experts from the industry to understand the larger implications of the move and how it will help the industry.</li></ul>During her Union Budget speech yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector. Sitharaman said the AVGC sector will provide a huge opportunity for young professionals and also create new job opportunities for the youth. “The AVGC sector offers immense potential to employ youth. An AVGC Promotion taskforce with all stakeholders will be set up to recommend ways to realize this and build domestic capacity for serving our markets and the global demand,” Sitharaman said during her speech. The move is expected to attract new talent and give them the required support to take the AVGC sector global. The AVGC sectors, and especially the gaming industry has been witnessing a healthy growth. Most industry reports have predicted that the next few years will contribute to immense growth for the industry. A recent report by Sequoia India and BCG had said that while the gaming industry in India is currently smaller than that of the US and China and is 1% of the global gaming market, it is generating $1.5 billion revenue and is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the ‘mobile first’ phenomenon. So the government’s move comes at an opportune time. To understand the larger implications of the move, we spoke to experts from the gaming industry and here’s how they thought the government's move will give a boost to the segment: <keyword id="2388996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sai-srinivas" source="Orion">Sai Srinivas</keyword>, Co-Founder and CEO, Mobile Premier League It is very encouraging to see that the Union Budget has taken into consideration some of the long-pending suggestions for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector, while noting the strong potential this industry holds for employment-generation as well as taking ‘Made in India’ game titles global. We welcome the Hon’ble Finance Minister's announcement to set up an AVGC Promotion Task Force to provide a much-needed boost to the sector. This announcement highlights the need to build capacity to serve both domestic and global markets, and is a strong indicator of the impetus that the government is willing to provide for its growth. It is also heartening to see the government's commitment to work with the industry, allowing for a balanced approach that accommodates the needs of all stakeholders and strengthens the ecosystem holistically. A progressive tax regime, predictable regulatory framework and supportive funding policies will allow the industry to compete on the world stage and fulfil the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for the Indian digital gaming sector to be a global powerhouse. Moreover, it will also help develop a workforce of young and employable AVGC professionals to usher in the next tech revolution from within India. With a renewed focus on the AVGC sector, blended financing for deep tech and IT, hardware and electronics manufacturing combined with deployment of 5G and affordable internet in underserved areas, it is clear that the government is committed to take the Indian startup ecosystem to the next level. We are hopeful that with the positive support of the government, the coming years will see online gaming, VFX and esports startups leading the charge in the global economy. By developing deep tech intellectual property and exporting services, they can help cement India’s position as a world leader in the sector. Rajan Navani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, JetSynthesys I strongly welcome the formation of a AVGC task force for promotion, something that we as an industry have been pushing for a long time. It is high time that animation, visual effects and gaming are recognised as an industry because of the sheer potential that they carry. Skyrocketing further owing to the pandemic, these industries have the power to create large employment as well as give Indian gaming companies an opportunity to become globally competitive and play an increasingly larger role at a global level. Building a task force that will address the needs of this industry across various ministries would be a very proactive approach towards strengthening this industry, in my opinion. The aim to rollout 5G services in FY 2022-23 along with affordable broadband services and efficient connectivity to allow equal access to e-services in remote and urban areas has also been long due. The focus of Hon FM on new emerging technologies particularly like Blockchain and AI, a word which was repeated several times during the speech is again a very positive move to show that digitalisation is truly the future, and a strong focus area for government. Digitalisation was applied across agriculture, healthcare, skills, education and appeared in various shapes and forms throughout the budget speech. Additionally, the national tele-mental health programme is a great initiative by the government as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of people to an unfathomable extent. Various channels and platforms like ThinkRight.me by JetSynthesys and others in the space can together help tackle India's mental health issues. In all, we’re truly excited about the future of digital India and what this means to JetSynthesys which is here to play a key role in the daily digital lives of a billion Indians. As a country, we hope to move forward with jet speed and transform our country into an atmanirbhar, technologically and digitally forward nation. Vishwalok Nath, Director, World Esports Cup We welcome the steps by the Finance Minister of India as part of Budget 2022-2023 including the creation of the AVGC task force. We hope that this task force can help promote the creation of a robust infrastructure for game development with gradual benefits to the esports community. We are also looking forward to the 5G spectrum auction this year. 5G can further promote the latest innovations and mass adoption of technologies like cloud gaming in the country. There is a huge scope of employment for the youth in the gaming industry. Esports/Video Games is a versatile industry and there is a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs like casters, commentators, and other support staff appointed by the esports tournaments like producers, editors, analysts, product managers, game testers, referees, production crew members, event managers, social media managers, etc. Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India &amp; Vice President, Asian Esports Federation It is encouraging to finally see the seriousness from our Government towards this sector which has been long neglected. This will definitely help in setting up the policies which would encourage and build our capacities and capabilities to export to the rest of the world; leading to more domestic video game development studios and more investments in the AVGC sector. Spectrum auctions for 5G is a welcome move for the gaming industry as well, 5G can disrupt the industry by enhancing the live streaming of games and cloud gaming as well. The task force should consist largely of people who have been part of the ‘Video Game’ industry and are playing an active role in shaping up the Indian video game industry. <keyword id="263906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jehil-thakkar" source="Orion">Jehil Thakkar</keyword>, Partner and Media and Entertainment Sector Leader, Deloitte India The setting up of the AVGC promotion task force announced in the Union Budget will help India achieve its potential of achieving 20 lakh jobs according to Deloitte projections. These are critical skills for growth of the metaverse and India is poised to take advantage of this ecosystem. Sagar Nair, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Qlan It is this continued acceptance that will lead to the progress of the Indian gaming and esports industry. First was esports’ entry in the Asian Games as an official event followed by a government dedicated task force to work with the AVGC sector. I have no doubt that these initiatives as part of the national budget policy highlight the true potential of the Indian gaming &amp; esports segment not only in India but also on the global circuit. The statement clearly indicates the backing of homegrown game developers, tournament organizers, and esports companies and recommendations from the appointed task force will help build domestic capacity for serving out markets and the global demand as well. Sunil Yadav, CEO, PlayerzPot The AVGC sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in India, and attracts a huge interest from a large cross section of the population. The announcement of the new AVGC task force is a welcome one, as we expect it will help to build domestic capacity and also serve the global demand. The task force has come at the right time, for those pursuing a career in gaming as the sector is booming right now and needs more talented youngsters to grow. With the government introducing digital rupee and a visible trend in crypto adoption, NFT’s will grow significantly. 5G services auction within FY 22-23 across the country will play an important role in the growth by further penetrating in the markets and also enhancing the gaming experience. As the honorable minister mentioned in her budget presentation, the gaming sector has the potential to become the torchbearer of 'Create in India' &amp; 'Brand India', on the same lines we were hoping for transparent and progressive regulation that will help differentiate games of skill from those of chance, because this is a key area of concern for the industry as a whole. Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder &amp; CEO, Zupee The creation of the AVGC promotion task force is a welcome move. The initiative with industry participation will help in establishing uniform, progressive policies that will promote growth and investments in the sector, which in turn, will lead to job creation, revenue generation, and engagement opportunities. This will be a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and unlocking a fully connected and empowered digital India. We believe that this initiative will pave the way for the Indian gaming industry to establish itself on a global stage. Rahul Tewari, Chief Financial Officer, Games24x7 The gaming industry welcomes the decision to set up a task force for Animation, Visual Effect, Gaming and Comics. AVGC taskforce can provide the long-term policy impetus and bring together the various stakeholders to turbocharge the vibrant ecosystem in gaming and animation. India has a deep and very high-quality talent pool of developers and creative artists who will transform India into a global player in the interactive entertainment space in the coming years. We hope this paves way for regularity clarity for gaming, a sector that has contributed immensely to India’s start-up success in the last few years. Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies Ltd. The government’s announcement of an AVGC task force to seek recommendation to create the way forward is a welcome move. As we know, India presently commands around 10% of the global AVGC market and has the potential to reach 20-25% by 2027. This taskforce will facilitate employment for the youth, build domestic capacity to serve the Indian markets and also meet global demand. <keyword id="3471731" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="roland-landers" source="Orion">Roland Landers</keyword>, CEO, The All-India Gaming Federation I am pleased that the government has announced a progressive budget; stating the gaming industry as a sector that generates various job opportunities for the youth while boosting the economy of the country. The ideas proposed for the sector are very encouraging. We are thrilled and look forward to the AVGC task force that will give a major boost to the game development sector by building scale and adding to the overall online skill gaming industry’s momentum. AIGF and the skill games council of domain experts will be happy to assist, if need be, in playing a consultative role for the same Likewise, the tax extension to four years will benefit the entire start-up ecosystem in online gaming which is in the excess of 300 companies. Furthermore, the Hon’ble FM’s announcement of the digital rupee launch will increase purchases of virtual goods in games through microtransactions. Finally, 5G auctions when implemented will enhance the gamer experience dramatically as well as facilitate the adoption of new technologies in gaming. Overall, the budget has opened more avenues for the gaming industry.

The gaming industry lauds the government’s decision to set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics promotion task force

<ul><li>Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2022-23 in Parliament on Tuesday.</li><li>This year's budget is indexed towards startups, MSMEs, infrastructure projects, rural revival, digital payment apps, telecom growth and affordable housing.</li><li>We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability, blockchain and push to MSME can impact the ad and marketing industry.</li></ul>Be it the introduction of a Digital University to make education accessible across the country or the proposed launch of a Digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India to the government’s focus on promoting digital payments and fintech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made it is clear that digital is the way forward. The Union Budget 2022-23 aims to boost the country's digital infrastructure and enable a cashless economy. The government also announced that it will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force to give a push to the animation and gaming industry. To facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services in India, FM Sitharaman said that Spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022. This, in turn, will give impetus to Voice, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and pave the way for the Metaverse. The Digital Rupee using blockchain will help Indians accept virtual currency and accelerate cryptocurrency exchange in India. Overall, the budget also shows a promise for Electric Vehicle brands, digital payment apps, MSMEs, gaming industry and start-ups. We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability and blockchain can impact the advertising and marketing industry. Here’s what they said: Anupriya Acharya, South Asia CEO, Publicis Groupe: The Budget is positive, growth-oriented and with reforms in the right direction. The advent of 5G is sure to transform communications – for our industry it will help creation of better AV, voice and AR/VR experiences. It will also fuel digital payments, streaming entertainment, gaming, e-commerce, tele-medicine etc which in turn will aid more Unicorns! It is also heartening to note that a special Task Force is being set up for AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic) as this will help us build the much needed capacity both for domestic as well as global markets. And then there have been no changes in income-tax slabs for people, which many consumer segments were worried about. This in turn boosts consumer sentiment. From e-passports, to battery swapping for electric vehicles, setting up of optic fiber in the remotest of villages, setting up of a digital university and skilling through an e-portal, the big push is for technology, digital infrastructure and empowerment. Narayan Devanathan, Chief Client Officer, dentsu India: Having gone through the 38-page document of the Finance Minister’s budget speech, I decided to do a search for a couple of words that I thought kept repeating throughout her speech. The words “will be” occurred 110 times in the entire speech. When I narrowed my search to the single word “will,” the number rose to 362. To me, those two words sum up the essence of what this year’s budget is and is not. What it is, is a future-focused budget, aiming at the distant vision of India@100, with a 25-year Amrit Kaal lead-up. What it is not, and what I felt was sorely needed this year of all years, is a present-focused budget. A punishing 2021 for the aam aadmi with more-than-usual expenditure on health and sustenance meant the general populace was looking for immediate relief that would place more cash in their household budgets. That did not happen. Nor was there any extraordinary investment in relieving the healthcare expenditure burden. For all the importance of farmers in upcoming poll-bound states, there was neither major sop nor stimulus given to back the importance of agriculture as a spine if not engine of the economy. Even the MSME sectors were only handed a slightly longer lease of life with the extension of the ECLGS, but there was no real move to stimulate consumption by placing more cash at consumers’ disposal, for example, extending LTA claims to restaurants (and not just accommodation). There is perhaps plenty for the industry to cheer about since it can afford to think about the future and a slightly longer term than just the here and now of survival. The stock market did cheer up even before the FM’s speech, but that only served to underscore the dichotomy between the real health of the population and the Minority of Haves. When the general population probably can’t afford to wait for the benefits of trickle-down economics to reach them in yet another trying year, the dreams and wheels of a consumer-driven economy might move slower than the industry might like, despite the many future-facing and progressive policies announced. Virat Tandon, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group: The union budget can be termed as consistent with the government's vision to reach the 5 trillion GDP mark by 2025-26. Hence, the strong focus on capex to boost infrastructure that connects and streamlines middle India and provides the engines of entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. It also shows India's commitment to bring a digital first economy with the 5G rollout planned for next financial year, clarity on India's policy for cryptocurrency, data centres, EVs and our very own digital Rupee. Start-up culture will continue to flourish with the right policy framework. These investments and policies will generate jobs and go a long way in inclusive and sustainable growth for Bharat. Anurag Bansal, COO &amp; CFO, DDB Mudra Group: This Union Budget looks neutral, with no major changes in taxation. The launch of digital Rupee based on blockchain technology is a big move to bring in official cryptocurrency in India. New e-passports with embedded chips would definitely ease overseas travel. Managing the Fiscal deficit while pushing for growth and investments is a great balancing act taken on by the government. It will give a boost to capital investments and infrastructure development. Kartik Sharma - Group Chief Executive Officer – India, Omnicom Media Group: With an impetus on holistic growth, developing infrastructure and job creation across sectors, the 2022 union budget shows promise with a focus on the big picture. Reviving economic growth in the post-pandemic environment has been a focus for this government and this progressive, digital-first, and development-oriented budget reflects that. Not only does it provide a boost to the MSME, agriculture and healthcare verticals, but also signals that investing in infrastructure today will connect India better tomorrow. With an increased focus on digitization, some of the standouts for me were that the budget recognized the current gaps and opportunities within the education sector, and is advancing towards uplifting India with the creation of a digital ecosystem - one that is focused on upskilling and creating more employment; aligned with the dynamic needs of today. It also aims to further strengthen communications in the rural sector and build upon the overall financialization of India. Furthermore, while the rollout of a 5G ecosystem will improve the quality of services, the launch of digital money, supported by blockchain, signals an increasing focus on transparency. With consistency in strategic direction and focus on propelling the MSME and start-up ecosystem, this is a welcoming budget for new-age businesses and a hopeful one that will ultimately lead to a boost in the A&amp;M industry as well. We're at the cusp of the next stage of India's digital revolution and although certain factors like data privacy still remain an area to be delved deeper into, as infrastructure and banking penetrate further into rural India, we’re looking hopeful and strong to transform into a forward-leaning digital economy of tomorrow.” Deepak Mittal, CEO and Co-Founder, TO THE NEW: The government's unprecedented commitment to technology innovation and adoption in this union budget is highly encouraging. Breakthrough developments and futuristic technology such as the introduction of digital currency, the rollout of 5G within FY22-23, and e-passports using embedded chips are exciting for the country's future. Among the measures announced, the budget highlights special incentives to startups and the launch of a progressive, new portal encouraging a digital ecosystem for skilling and upskilling. These initiatives will serve as a successful catalyst for the country's economic growth. Atul Shrivastava, Group CEO &amp; Executive Director at Laqshya Media Group: The union Budget underlined the government’s focus on long-term growth. As India’s economic growth is estimated to be 9.2% in the upcoming financial year so it would be good for all the industry and with overall growth, we are sure advertising &amp; media will also show remarkable growth which was low due to the pandemic in the last couple of years. As announced the National Highways to be expanded by 25,000 km under PM Gati Shakti mission. Highways are adding a new dimension to the growth of the OOH Industry as advertising on the Highways is emerging as very strong choice for brand building for many categories. Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital: The FM has announced a very progressive budget with an intention to widen India's horizons and outlook in the next five years, leveraging emerging technologies. The Government has addressed some urgent priorities underpinning the digital sector, including the launch of digital currency, API-based skill credentials, digital learning channels, digitization of manual processes, etc. On the digital connectivity front, the 5G spectrum auctions will finally make the dream of a tech-savvy India a reality, further boosting the country's digital infrastructure. Additionally, the launch of a design-led manufacturing scheme for the 5G ecosystem as part of the PLI scheme will ensure affordable broadband and mobile communication even in far-flung areas. The availability of high-speed internet connectivity in urban as well as rural areas will encourage marketers to experiment with blockchain, AR, VR. On the skilling front, initiatives like establishing a digital university will provide an opportunity for youth to learn new skills from the comfort of their homes. The creation of a new task force to build domestic capacity in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector is commendable. The overall budget is future tech-enabled and balanced. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO &amp; Co-founder, GOZOOP Group: While there will always be hope for more and better, the continued push towards digital, fintech and the boost for start-up ecosystem with the extension of tax benefits till March 2023 along with capping the surcharge at 15% irrespective of the amount of long term capital gains, will fuel the fire of entrepreneurship in our nation. Varun Duggirala, Entrepreneur, Co-founder of The Glitch, Author, Content Creator and a Podcaster: The twin announcements of the digital rupee and the taxation on ‘virtual digital assets’ is clearly a focused drive from the government to regulate the crypto space. What needs to be seen is how this plays out because regulating a decentralized space is a paradox in itself. Another point that stood out for me was the national mental health program. More than anything else it signifies the normalizing of mental health as a legitimate area of focus for us as a nation. Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media: In my opinion, it is a fairly balanced budget. There is sufficient emphasis being laid on up-skilling, and making right investments in tech which is the need of the hour. The previous budget was more inclined towards setting up a strong foundation in the digital space, and this one is essentially focused on making further advancements. Besides, Digital Rupee being introduced is indeed, a great news across sectors and it will be exciting to finally watch it become a reality. It can prove to be a game-changer in India's future as transactions will become even more instantaneous. Speaking of the expected benefits, let’s not forget that this is India’s #Budget and not a Big Bazaar scheme announcement. So, the immediate benefit may not be seen right now but considering the long-term narrative, it is a fairly established budget. Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire: While the general trend of the <keyword id="12134566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2022" source="Orion">union budget 2022</keyword> has its emphasis on ease of doing business, I strongly believe, data and digital occupied the centerpiece of the budget. The plans to focus and promote the fintech and digital economy are a very strong positive move. New age technologies, keeping data and digital at heart of it will allow the tech enablers to transform multiple industries. For MSMEs, the government has plans to outlay Rs 2 trillion which is again a welcoming move that will help in enhancing startups as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for all. Besides, extension on tax exemption to startups and promotion of startups to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ through varied applications and drones as a service is also encouraging. The ambitious optical fibre to the villages under PPP in 2022-23 shall get the next 100M in the Digital Universe soon. To sum up, it’s a positive budget for the digital sector which has always vouched for a strong digital infrastructure in the country." Chetan Asher, Founder and CEO, Tonic Worldwide: The budget clearly will help the country march towards digital adoption and transformation in many sectors. With 5G rollout on the cards we will see an acceleration across the board. The digital rupee will put India right up on the map of advanced digital economies. Clarity on Digital assets and crypto will give it new impetus. All of these initiatives will help us emerge as leaders in adoption and growth of blockchain technology Ambika Sharma, Founder &amp; MD, Pulp Strategy: The Budget is interesting as the Government has focused on all sectors. The financial support for the digital payments ecosystem is a welcome move and further reaffirms the Government of India's digital banking push. This push on digitization will make way for more inclusion in the ecosystem. The focus on 'Ease of doing business is a great step, as it will further promote entrepreneurship in the economy” . The 2022-23 budget finely balanced fiscal retreat with supporting economic recovery. The budget focused on a familiar strategy of driving capital expenditure to drive growth, to crowd in private investment through higher public spending. Although markets could be disappointed with a higher fiscal deficit of 6.4% of GDP for FY23 than expected, it is perhaps prudent to not undertake aggressive fiscal consolidation at this nascent stage of recovery. While elevated market borrowings are likely to pressurize bond yields, the inclusion of green bonds in the borrowing plan is an interesting innovation. In terms of specific policy announcements, the move towards self-reliance through protection for domestic manufacturers (change in custom and import duties) aligns with the long-term goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government has extended the startup tax holiday and concessional tax for manufacturing startups by a year. While that was on the cards, it doesn’t address the core need of startups to be given a longer tax holiday of 5 years as required. One of the most encouraging aspects of the budget has been the announcement to set up an AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) promotion task force to plan and build domestic capacity for serving domestic as well as global markets. Loss from the transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income. The creation of a unified logistics platform and the developments of 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years are significant steps in improving the supply chain ecosystem in the country. Infrastructure status given to Data Centers will provide a huge boost to the fast-evolving digital environment of the country. The fiscal outcome is broadly in line with our expectations with the government having continued its focus on infrastructure and rural demand. Himanshu Arya, Founder and CEO, Grapes: The Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 has set the stage with an invigorated focus on ramping up the process of the digital revolution. The government’s focus on the digital ecosystem is a progressive move to render an inclusive landscape for job openings and entrepreneurial opportunities. The extension of tax incentives for startups for one more year will give a slight relief to the industry. I hope that the cash flow improves in the market. The Union Budget has various encouraging initiatives and is directed towards a more viable and flexible business ecosystem that completely aligns with the ideologies of Make in India. Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder &amp; Director, SoCheers: Digital and digitization stood out as a strong overall trend in the Union Budget 2022. The budget put a great focus on long-term growth and given how intricately ‘digital’ was integrated into several measures, it can be seen as an integral part of that growth. Implementation of the Central Bank digital currency will definitively aid the growth of digital economy and finance in the country, opening doors for digital acceleration across sectors. The announcement about the new digital university and the renewed focus on digital learning, further presents an opportunity, especially to the fast-evolving Educational Technology sector. However, a definite plan on how this will pan out for all corners of India remains to be seen. Moreover, digital will also be leveraged in the set-up and operation of tele-mental health centres, providing the necessary focus and access to mental health services to the Indian masses. This comes as one of the most welcome move as it’ll contribute infinitely to the nation’s long-term growth.

The advertising industry voices its enthusiasm about the government’s steps towards boosting digital ecosystem in Union Budget 2022-23

<ul><li>Ad &amp; Media Insider’s latest property Storyline, brought to you in association with <keyword id="1959531" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wattpad" source="Orion">Wattpad</keyword>, one of the world’s most loved <keyword id="282281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="storytelling" source="Orion">storytelling</keyword> platforms, endeavors to decode what storytelling stands for today.</li><li>Today, we bring you highlights from our fourth and fifth episodes where we discuss the changing role of <keyword id="35666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising" source="Orion">advertising</keyword> creatives, how brands are choosing to communicate with GenZs innovatively and what role a platform like Wattpad is playing in this innovation.</li><li>Watch <keyword id="3844857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harshad-rajadhyaksha" source="Orion">Harshad Rajadhyaksha</keyword> and <keyword id="3844858" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kainaz-karmakar" source="Orion">Kainaz Karmakar</keyword>, Chief Creative Officers, <keyword id="531122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ogilvy-India" source="Orion">Ogilvy India</keyword> and <keyword id="3747310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="devashish-sharma" source="Orion">Devashish Sharma</keyword>, Country Head, Wattpad India talk about the evolution of creativity and storytelling and how they are evolving as storytellers to tell successful stories in today's world.</li></ul>Episode 4: Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India Most of us have loved the work coming out of Ogilvy India in the last few years and the creative powerhouse between most of that work is Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar, the Chief Creative Officers at the agency. The duo, along with Sukesh Nayak, Ogilvy India’s third CCO, have been at the forefront of crafting inimitable stories that have won our hearts while creating an impact. Be it the recent recreation of Cadbury Dairy Milk’s famous Cricket stadium ad, or its work for Hindustan Unilever titled ‘The Shower’ which won a National Award, Ogilvy has time and again proven the impact good storytelling can have in brand building and in making a brand a part of a consumer’s lives. In the 4th episode of Ad &amp; Media Insider’s Storyline, brought to you in association with Wattpad, one of the world’s most loved storytelling platforms, we spoke to Karmakar and Rajadhyaksha to understand their creative process and their thoughts on the evolution of storytelling and what the future holds. The evolution of storytelling We have seen the <keyword id="6354839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing" source="Orion">marketing</keyword> landscape transform at a fairly rapid pace in the last 5 years. With more and more platforms cropping up, consumers are finding more places to express themselves, and brands are having to reach out to them at different touchpoints. What kind of impact has that had on the way Ogilvy has been telling stories? “Storytelling is as timeless as love or friendship, so I don't think it's going out of fashion anytime soon, or even later. But there has been a rapid transformation, especially in the last five years. I would not call it a change, rather, I feel there has been an expansion. Something fantastic has happened, media has become more open and liberalised and our first encounter with this happened back in 2015, when we did a campaign on zero budget to end open acid sale. We worked with like-minded people and with a real acid attack survivor. We shot the film. Had this been 20 years back, we would have had no place to show the film because media needed to be bought. It still needs to be bought but now there is also freedom to put out your own content. We put the film on YouTube and Facebook, promoted it ourselves, and the trajectory of the campaign has been astounding. It has won everything there is to be won, and we could achieve our goals with zero budgets and it was made possible largely by the changing nature of media,” said Karmakar. But does having a plethora of platforms pose the problem of plenty? Do creatives now have to think of communications suited for individual platforms? “Between Kainaz and I, we have spent around 20-25 years in advertising and we have ourselves evolved from the era of Print to Television. Then somewhere in the second decade, we started getting used to the concept of smartphones and multiple apps and hence multiple screens. But if your story is engaging with the relevant connect, the medium becomes secondary. Technology has put the spotlight on people who could all become storytellers, and brands saw people enjoying this content and slowly realized its power and thought of latching on to it. So, in terms of the number of mediums, I feel the more the merrier because today you just have a width and variety of storytelling,” explained Rajadhyaksha. From advertisers to product managers to solution finders With the evolution of media and advancement of technology, many brands are now also open to experimenting where, as a pat of a campaign, they have ended up creating a completely new product. In an attempt to encourage the habit of washing hands with soap among children in rural India, Ogilvy helped Savlon create special chalk sticks infused with soap. In another campaign to promote a similar habit, Ogilvy created a heat stamp to put on roti at the Maha Kumbh Mela for Lifebuoy. The brand’s message-on-a-roti ended up reaching over 5 million people. In both these campaigns, the idea led to the creation of a completely new product. Both these campaigns won awards and hearts. Is it challenging for agencies to then have clients come up to them and say they want to create a completely new product and take the business to a new trajectory? “It's not a stress at all. What I really love about the times that we work in is that our clients are super excited about doing work that is new and innovative. And that is something we should grab with both hands and make the most. I would be very worried if our clients weren't pushing us. The fact that they want different solutions, to use different media and support us, is a great sign. Recently, one of our teams has come up with a karaoke technique to help people with early Alzheimer's, in collaboration with MTV. So, the fact that clients are asking us to do such work and they are excited about it, is not a pressure but a thing of joy. The truth of the m after is we are actually becoming solution finders above and beyond just communicating a message. People are interacting, touching and feeling things beyond your client’s products, these are products made by you. They're actually getting to experience technologies that have been just ideas in your head and now we’re seeing them out there actually helping someone. It has also brought clients and agencies closer than before. It's a great time to be in the creative business,” said Karmakar. A message for marketers With the advent of Web 3.0 and us looking at a world where a metaverse might soon become a reality, things are changing at a rapid pace. What are a few things marketers should keep in mind to be able to navigate these highly dynamic times? “I feel no matter how much technology you have, or whatever new media comes in, the absence of a great idea means your money is not well spent. In fact, it's money wasted. So, first find yourself a partner who can give you a great idea, and then use your media, technology, etc, as partners to that. Do not work the other way around because everything starts with an idea and that is not going to change,” said Karmakar. Sharing his tip for marketers, hought, Rajadhyaksha added, “Completely well-meaning clients and brand custodians, at times, have brand guidelines about what the brand’s personality should be. But when it comes to exploring certain new-age things, treat your brand DNA and the personality of your brand like your family name, but treat the new media like the grandkids of the family. While they will bear your family name, allow them to be a little different, to take a few more risks. That's how I would encourage all clients to look at the newer mediums. You might be an 80-year-old legacy brand who advertises and talks in a certain way in your storytelling on TV. We aren’t saying become someone with a completely different personality on the newer mediums, but be a little adventurous and bolder and allow the younger kids in your organization and the agency to deviate a bit. Let them live their lives their way, as long as they still bear your family surname.” Watch the full episode here: <div type="twitter" handle="admediainsider" handlename="Advertising and Media Insider India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1281482517443305472/8RPcjmow_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1" retweetcount="1" status="LIVE | Join Kainaz Karmarkar (@spalifekainaz) and Harshad Rajadhyaksha (@Harsh_Words), CCOs, @Ogilvy_India as they… https://t.co/63l7yYar9K" createdat="1645702223000" id="1496809730655748100"></div> Episode 5: Devashish Sharma, Country Head, Wattpad India The art of storytelling has changed and new-age mediums like Wattpad are at the heart of this change. To understand the role Wattpad has been playing in this evolution of storytelling, we caught up with Devashish Sharma, Country Head, Wattpad India, who told us how consumers are using the platform, how that is helping brands connect with an engaged set of audience and what the future of storytelling could look like. From one-way communications to interactivity The biggest way in which storytelling has transformed in today’s digital era is by opening it up to consumers. In the TV and Radio era, a brand would come up with a one-way communication, which has undergone a complete transformation now. Explaining this evolution, Sharma said, “About 15-20 years back, a lot of brand building was one-way messaging. Brands would create something and then push it down to millions of Indians, predominantly TV or billboard. However, in the Internet era where the target audience has become younger, the focus of brands have shifted to digital platforms. And recently, it is also about interactive content. Today, brands don't just want to push their messaging, they want the audiences to create their viewpoint about the messaging and have a discussion with the brand about it. In lieu, it creates more awareness in a very interesting and exciting manner.” Communicating with GenZ With the younger generation which is difficult to please and said to have reduced attention spans, brands now have the task of finding innovative ways of engaging with them. Explaining how Wattpad has been building its communication to engage with this audience Sharma said, “If I were to look at it from a Wattpad lens, we are a very democratic platform where anybody can write on a topic they love, and at the same time, consume stories on a specific niche topic that might interest them. However, what differentiates us is the fact that the experience you get on our platform is not just of reading a book, it is also about connecting with other readers, leading to social engagement. Beyond this, the stories that become really popular and are highly engaging are taken on by production houses and top studios to turn into movies, TV shows, web series or other forms of digital entertainment. As a platform, being at the epicenter of ideas directly coming in from Gen Z storytellers allow us to really capture the right stories which we amplify.” Why long-form content works While there has been a debate for a long time around decreasing attention spans, Wattpad has been able to make long-form content, and has held its audiences captive with engaging stories on its platform. So what is it that Wattpad has gotten right? “Personally, I feel that the idea that people have less attention span is a bit of a misnomer. It might be true in certain contexts, but given the right content in the right format, people definitely make time to consume it. If a certain content captures your interest group and the experience of consuming it is something that you really enjoy, people will definitely prefer long- form content because it adds meaning and gives you much more than just snacking on punchlines,” explained Sharma. There has also been an ongoing debate about whether the younger population reads at all. However, the fact that Wattpad has a community of about 94 million readers and writers on its platform proves that given the right content and right amount of social engagement, people will stay on the platform and consume content, added Sharma. “The entire social element really elevates the user experience because we are able to give our audiences the liberty of connecting with the creator of the content and also other readers who love the same content as you. This bonding evokes a strong emotional response which is something that brands really like because when they work with us, they know that the content they're getting already has a built-in audience that did not just skim through it but actually interacted with it. So, the secret sauce is to have a platform that enriches the experience of consuming content and provides more democracy in terms of capturing diverse voices.” How brands are using Wattpad Today, more and more brands are open to experimenting with mediums and formats that is giving them highly innovative ways of engaging with their target audiences. So how has a platform like Wattpad helped brands create engaging stories and build enduring relationships with their audiences? “At Wattpad, our focus is on figuring out how our community can bring value to brands in the form of stories. And that's the real value that brands get. So, when brands have a brief, they come to us, we work with them to figure out how to engage the community from day one, where we invite all our users on the platform to write their version of stories on the messaging that the brand wants to create awareness on. So, instead one story, you get maybe thousands of stories from all over the world from your target audience that really connects with your brand messaging. Once the stories come, we pick the top stories and promote them for more readership because we realize that readers around the world who may not have written content still want to connect with the brand on the messaging that other users on Wattpad have written. And since we also have a studios division, we are able to adapt these stories into video and other formats that can traverse the messaging of the brand beyond Wattpad into more video-focused channels,” he explained. Earlier this year, Wattpad worked with Maybelline on a campaign for raising awareness on the impact the pandemic had on the mental health of Gen Zs around the world under the hashtag Brave Together. Wattpad invited everybody to write a short story or a personal experience around the topic and for every story that came in, the platform partnered with an NGO to donate a certain amount to raise awareness around mental health. “A campaign like this made the community feel that the brand cares about its voice and is not pushing its messaging on them. Secondly, the involvement of the nonprofit increased the connection with the brand, making the entire initiative more genuine. And this sort of brand positioning really benefits the brand in the long-term because they are able to create fans instead of just consumers,” he shared. So are there a few factors that can help brands success on Wattpad? Sharma said, “The key to being successful as a brand on Wattpad is to support a messaging for your brand that Gen Z users really care about. And secondly, be open to their interpretation of the message that you want to create awareness on. For example, we did a campaign with Puma in India where they launched a clothing and shoe line with Mary Kom and the hashtag was Born to Provoke. I really liked the way they used Wattpad. They invited our community members in India to write a story, a personal experience, a song or poetry to celebrate women breaking barriers. We got stories from different parts of the country that spoke about women from different age groups and backgrounds breaking societal norms. This was a very successful campaign and I think I use it as a benchmark because the brand here took a backseat, letting its target audience do all the work, whether its creation or consumption of the content. And a lot of users, on finding a story or song that they resonated with, shared it on their social network. So, the voice of the whole campaign went beyond just Wattpad.” With a community of more than 94 million people on its platform from across the world, Wattpad is witnessing an increasingly growing community of highly engaged audiences, opening up opportunities for brands to drive their brand messaging to a highly targeted audience. Watch the full episode here: <div type="twitter" handle="admediainsider" handlename="Advertising and Media Insider India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1281482517443305472/8RPcjmow_normal.jpg" favoritecount="4" retweetcount="2" status="LIVE | Join Devashish Sharma (@devunofficial), Country Head, Wattpad in conversation with Ashwin Raghunath as they… https://t.co/zqsgEg6zo0" createdat="1646047811000" id="1498259230859542530"></div>

Storyline: Decoding the art of storytelling in today's highly dynamic world

<ul><li>2021, a year full of controversies saw brands turning to <keyword id="255227" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-relations" source="Orion">Public Relations</keyword> and Communications experts to save their reputation and regain consumer trust.</li><li>We look back at how PR evolved in 2021 and catch up with a few experts to discuss the trends that lie ahead.</li></ul>This year, we witnessed many brands become a victim of the boycott culture on social media and each of them adopted a different Public Relations and Communications strategy; while some decided to give in to the pressure, pulled off campaigns and maintained a low profile to cushion the blow, a few others stood their ground and fought back. Gone are the days where a brand could hope for social media controversies to die a natural death and wait for consumers to move on. Now, a small tweet can snowball into a boycott trend and a little bad PR move can cause a company’s stocks to plummet drastically or lead to a huge amount of audience permanently boycotting a brand. At the same time, some experts also advise that brands should not feed the trolls. So, in a year that saw numerous controversies, Public Relations and Communications experts proved their prominence yet again. They acted as the brand's anchor when needed and also helped them reach the shore successfully through tumultuous seas. During the initial stage of the lockdown, <keyword id="562730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pr-agencies" source="Orion">PR agencies</keyword> had to think on their feet, engage with editorial media to help brands share their side of the story with interesting nuggets, offer positive stories, work on personalised pitches, ensure internal and external stakeholders were updated frequently with utmost honesty and transparency. PR experts also pushed brands to connect with their communities on a personal level through truthful, authentic human acts. The crisis also caused paradigm shifts in the industry and digital PR took the center stage. Experts were required to monitor trends in real-time, find various consumer touchpoints through social listening and offer predictive analysis. As we move forward, PR agencies are working towards expanding their offerings with allied competencies like creative, experiential and social media capabilities. They have also been helping brands to find the right balance between profit, people and the environment. So, the future of PR is in strong storytelling in the digital world. The future is also unpredictable and PR professionals can’t rely on annual calendars anymore. With the news cycle changing every day, PR experts are required to be more flexible and agile. We reached out to experts to look back at 2021, discuss a few trends that lie ahead in 2022 and understand what kind of role will PR play next year. Here’s what they had to say: Archana Jain, Managing Director, <keyword id="12776689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pr-pundit" source="Orion">PR Pundit</keyword> The sway of top celebrities has diminished as was the case back in the days. With the advent of digital and social media, people have begun to trust recommendations from peers far more. Audiences find authentic content or recommendations by actual consumers to be more honest and believable than other forms of promotions and advertising by brands. This is reason enough for brands to actively nurture a community of advocates. PR will be required to work with brands to shape and foster a community of brand advocates. A set of loyal and vocal customers who can help humanise the brand in addition to boosting brand appeal &amp; trust, promoting its products &amp; services to new cohorts, providing invaluable user-generated content (UGC), word-of-mouth recommendations, and social media chatter. Community-led storytelling is more acceptable and authentic rather than a direct brand-led communication. Community advocacy will need to be consciously harnessed and not left to chance. 2022 will see many more brands structure a meaningful brand advocacy strategy. Ameer Ismail, President, <keyword id="10059988" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lintas-live" source="Orion">Lintas Live</keyword> My biggest takeaway from 2021 is that agency brands and professionals have learned to be resilient and this is based on the multitude of challenges everyone has faced. Smart PR agencies have managed to reinvent themselves with offerings that are built for new realities and collectively have made sure that the relevance of PR is as strong as ever. While a move to everything digital will continue and a lot has been spoken and written about that, I feel that ‘collaboration and consolidation’ will be one the most important trends in that will emerge in 2022. This will be fueled by a few factors, first, resources will be deployed judiciously and talent will continue to be in short supply, the churn agencies have been experiencing at mid and junior levels will continue in 2022. This will lead to a need for agencies to find collaborative ways to deliver on client briefs and they will tap the vast pool of independent talent and specialized agencies and we will see newer collaborative models emerge. Second, clients will be in a hurry to get solutions from agency partners that can get their brands back in the mindspace of consumers and other target audiences. They will want to deal with fewer, better established partners which will lead to a need for consolidation. Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Chief Executive Officer, <keyword id="8878758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="genesis-bcw" source="Orion">Genesis BCW</keyword> If there is one word that will be at the centre of everything in 2022, it is ‘people’. With the world—India included—teetering between recovery and anxiety around ever-evolving COVID variants, people will need to be communicated with, engaged, assuaged, motivated, retained, developed, and more. These people include every stakeholder a company has—customers/consumers, employees, partners, the government, the community at large. And public relations is the only marketing discipline that touches all of them. Digital will continue to be the medium of choice, and within that, metaverse will be flavour of the year. While the Indian industry still has some distance to cover in that, there is curiosity about this next big thing. No matter what the medium though, the message will have to be aligned to the company’s purpose. And delivered creatively, with authenticity. Akshaara Lalwani, Founder &amp; CEO, <keyword id="3573568" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="communicate-india" source="Orion">Communicate India</keyword> Over the past decade, PR has been moving away from traditional business models towards a more holistic and integrated approach. Whether it is the shift from pure media relations to content or the migration from print to digital, there is a marked change in the way the PR landscape functions. In 2022, this trend will further solidify its presence. There will also be a blurring of demarcation lines between PR, marketing and advertising, digital and offline, eventually leading to PR &amp; Communication professionals to further value the importance of integrated communications. Agility and the ability to pivot will thus be key attributes that will enable the industry to thrive. Also, since the protracted fight against the pandemic still continues, companies and organisations need to prioritise responsible communication over all else. We live in a world where the spread of disinformation and misinformation is not uncommon, hence, agencies need to be able to work in tandem with their clients to help them steer a middle course between capitalistic desires and ethical communication. Mayank Sen, Co-founder, Moe's Art For the longest time, ‘content’ has been the flavour of the season. At first, it began as an accessory, gradually ruling as a king on a kingdom. In 2020, content and its marketing became an undeniable powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. The evergreen axiom of marketing – ‘delivering the right content, to the right people, at the right time’ – took a redefined meaning. And for the times to come, the fundamental aspect of the content ecosystem will be founded on a framework of a performance driven-model, driven by contextual marketing. Within the emerging framework, data and technology will take a strong precedence. The industry will focus on delivering optimal consumer experience while capitalising on the opportunities in hand. Attention will be paid to provide more personalised and relevant content. Measuring the performance will make sure that the experience is scalable. It will present a continuous assessment of how the content is performing, and from that perspective, make decisions on what to do with the content in the future. Measuring success, building a cohesive brand story, and fostering a transparent, interactive consumer loyalty will be the ‘WIN-WIN’ strategy for the year to come! Asif Upadhye, Director and The Dark Knight at <a href="http://www.sprd.co.in/">SPRD</a> If 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it’s that moving forward at a snail’s pace is undoubtedly the quickest way to get left behind. While pre-pandemic, the public relations and communications industry was already making significant strides in technology by analyzing data to craft a better customer experience, the pace of digital adoption and the advent of a digital-first PR approach have been accelerated. From my own experience, a key ingredient across PR strategies, content marketing, corporate communications, and media coverage that will rule the PR roost in 2022 is the crucial need to customize bespoke services and products, every step of the way. From unified communications (UC) that are employee-centric to personalizing media pitches, customization sits at the heart of nearly every PR and communications trend. Customers are growing tired of the ‘media universe’ and now look for frameworks based on behavioral and business insights that truly put their needs front and center. Eventually, this is what will separate the mediocre brands from the greats. Case in point, the State of PR 2021 report points to the fact that flexibility, agility and attention to detail when it comes to personalizing something as simple as a pitch email is 96% more likely to grab a journalist’s eyeballs, rather than sending out a generic email blast. While consumer habits and employee working patterns that have been developed over the past year and a half are likely to continue well into 2022, hyper-personalization will bear fruit and result in more contextualized communication and inevitably greater conversions.” <keyword id="10618036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tarunjeet-rattan" source="Orion">Tarunjeet Rattan</keyword>, Managing Partner, <keyword id="12776690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nucleus-pr" source="Orion">Nucleus PR</keyword> There are three very distinct trends that we will see in the coming year: <ul><li>While the models of working and mediums will undergo a change, what will remain strong is the need for strong storytelling. What will change however is the degree of authenticity in storytelling. It will take a hard turn towards stark reality …almost raw. Consumers want to know why the brand matters, why they should care about it and what is the brand impact? How are you adding value to the life of the consumer? Authentic storytelling will win over aesthetics.</li><li>The role of the founding or leadership team will become even more crucial. One cannot hide behind a faceless brand persona or logo anymore. You will have to put yourself out there to create a strong, credible and believable story about your brand that brings out its authenticity. This also brings in a lot more accountability that brands will have to guard their reputation on. Consumers want to pick up brands that walk the talk. You cannot be a CEO that promotes mental health and fire your agency on twitter. You cannot be talking about environmental sustainability and create a toxic work culture for humans. It just won’t fly anymore.</li><li>Community Building will take Center Stage. We saw a strong glimpse of this across 2020 and 2021. This will gain more ground in the coming year where communities around a brand vision will be created and drive conversation around a challenge.</li></ul>Sonam Shah, Founder and CEO, Treize Communications 2021 saw high demand in PR, especially in the area of influencer marketing. Brands, big and small, capitalised on this rising trend in the first half of the year. But, once the ASCI guidelines came into place from June 2021, there was a downward slip observed in the engagement. Instagram algorithms underwent a great uphaul as influencers had to win against AI algorithms. This phase again got brands and companies to focus on creating news and building brand recall. While demand has been high for PR, there have been some apprehensions also noticed when it comes to being out in the open/media. The second half of this year, saw print media come back, as newspaper circulation started, and people started reading it like before. This behavioural change instigated a need to be present in Print media, via editorial articles, and this will be the biggest trend in 2022. The need to present in Print media. Print media has always been a factor in bringing in trust and authenticity and clients do require to build that kind of strong trust within their stakeholders to continue businesses in a post-pandemic phase.

You Searched For "metaverse mental health" and got 12 results

The massive wave of layoffs is giving tech workers a brutal wake-up call about the reality of work

Avery Hartmans

Meet 26 fintech venture capitalists who are still bullish on the sector

Jordan Parker Erb

10 Things in Tech: Musk's U-turn

Jordan Parker Erb

Silicon Valley needs to stop laying off workers and start firing CEOs

Ed Zitron

I have a dream of becoming a creative unicorn: Raj Shamani

Karuna Sharma

Facebook and Twitter scrambled our brains and poisoned our politics. AI poses an even bigger threat.

Hasan Chowdhury

An Indian media veteran is building a social media platform just for women after his wife got trolled on Whatsapp

Kritti Bhalla

Dropbox's diminishing employee perks, including free food from Michelin-starred chefs, is leading to a loss of talent

Matt Turner,Jordan Parker Erb

The gaming industry lauds the government’s decision to set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics promotion task force

BI India Partner

The advertising industry voices its enthusiasm about the government’s steps towards boosting digital ecosystem in Union Budget 2022-23

BI India Partner

Storyline: Decoding the art of storytelling in today's highly dynamic world

BI India Partner

Trends that will dominate the PR industry in 2022

Karuna Sharma