🚢 Why do insiders hope Flexport sinks?

Plus: Spotify CEO confirms removal of Joe Rogan episodes after n-word video resurfaces, and more ...

Happy Monday! in today’s briefs:

• 🚢 Flexport Is Silicon Valley's Solution To The Supply Chain Mess-Why Do Insiders Hope It Sinks?

• 🎧 Spotify CEO Daniel Ek confirms removal of Joe Rogan episodes after n-word video resurfaces

• 🎯 Health Sites Let Ads Track Visitors Without Telling Them

• ✈️ Frontier Group, Spirit Airlines Merge in $6.6 Billion Deal 

• 📤 Meta Threatens Europe Exit for Facebook, Instagram on Data Rules

— Jose Montes de Oca

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Today’s pick

Flexport Is Silicon Valley's Solution To The Supply Chain Mess-Why Do Insiders Hope It Sinks?

(Alex Konrad via Forbes). Founder Ryan Petersen has positioned himself as shipping's savior, earning Flexport a new $8 billion valuation. But industry rivals say the 41-year-old near-billionaire and his startup are all show. Read more.

Abe Brown (Top .0001% of all Abes) @abebrown716

The Flexport CEO is a charletan or a genius—depending pretty much on who you ask. @alexrkonrad with the cover story:

forbes.comFlexport Is Silicon Valley’s Solution To The Supply Chain Mess—Why Do Insiders Hope It Sinks?Founder Ryan Petersen has positioned himself as shipping’s savior, earning Flexport a new $8 billion valuation. But industry rivals say the 41-year-old near-billionaire and his startup are all show.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek confirms the company removed dozens of Joe Rogan episodes after n-word video resurfaced

(Ashley Carman via The Verge). Spotify CEO Daniel Ek addressed staff in a late night memo addressing Joe Rogan's use of the n-word and the mysterious removal of 70 podcast episodes earlier this week. Read more.

nilay patel @reckless

So Spotify’s position is - It’s just a platform and no rules were broken when it comes to vaccine skepticism but - Saying the n-word, which also breaks no public rules, should result in deleting 70+ episodes and spending $100m on marginalized artists

theverge.comSpotify CEO Daniel Ek confirms removal of Joe Rogan episodes after n-word video resurfacesSpotify will spend $100 million on content from marginalized groups

Health Sites Let Ads Track Visitors Without Telling Them

(Lily Hay Newman via WIRED). Privacy policies didn't tell the whole story about third-party tools gathering personal information from the sites of medical and genetic-testing companies. Read more.

Julia Angwin @JuliaAngwin

Researchers used our Blacklight tool to show that genetic-testing and digital medicine websites were sharing customer information with Facebook. This is exactly the type of research we want people to do with our tools!

wired.comHealth Sites Let Ads Track Visitors Without Telling ThemPrivacy policies didn’t tell the whole story about third-party tools gathering personal information from the sites of medical and genetic-testing companies.

Frontier Group, Spirit Airlines Merge in $6.6 Billion Deal

(Will Feuer via Wall Street Journal). Move will unite two of country’s largest low-fare carriers as travel industry continues to claw its way back toward prepandemic levels. Read more.

(((Charles Fishman))) @cfishman

Morning news: Spirit Airlines & Frontier Airlines are merging with the goal to form an even more aggressive ‘ultra-low-cost’ air carrier. Expect to save costs by implementing all-plywood seats.

wsj.comFrontier Group to Buy Spirit Airlines in $6.6 Billion DealThe consolidation of two of the country’s largest low-fare carriers comes as the travel industry continues to claw its way back toward prepandemic levels despite higher costs, labor shortages and disruptions caused by Covid-19.

Meta Threatens Europe Exit for Facebook, Instagram on Data Rules

(Jillian Deutsch via Bloomberg). Meta Platforms Inc. has once again threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from Europe if it is unable to keep transferring user data back to the U.S., amid negotiations between regulators to replace a scrapped privacy pact. Read more.

Martin SFP Bryant @MartinSFP

I'm not sure why the 'Meta threatens to pull out of Europe' thing is getting pickup as news when they've threatened it for the same reason before.

bloomberg.comBloomberg - Are you a robot?

That’s all for today. I’d love to hear your thoughts! you can reach me by hitting reply.

Have a great day,
Jose