Disney+ launched ... with technical difficulties

[The Disney+ launch stumbled out of the gate.](On Tuesday, the internet lit up with reports of consumers who were unable to find, download, or get Disney’s new and much-anticipated streaming service to work. A Disney spokesperson said this of the launch-day issues: “The consumer demand for Disney+ has exceeded our highest expectations. While we are pleased by this incredible response, we are aware of the current user issues and are working to swiftly resolve them. We appreciate your patience.” - Why it’s surprising: Disney executives were well aware of the attention and scrutiny they would face with the service’s launch. The company had invested some $3 billion to make sure it would be ready to stream video to tens of millions of people. - On the other hand, it is entirely possible Disney’s launch-day problems are just that and won’t be around in a day or two. And tens of millions of people who didn’t get up on Tuesday morning to stream Disney+ may eventually download the app and find that it works just fine. [[Peter Kafka / Recode](] [Twitter is already making exceptions to its political ads ban.](In meetings with advertisers last week, Twitter suggested that it will still allow ads that spread awareness about issues of national significance after [Twitter’s recent ban on all political ads]( takes effect. Ads that advocate for a specific candidate or piece of legislation will be banned, according to one advertiser briefed on Twitter’s plans. Basically, “ads talking about climate change generally are likely going to be accepted; ads about the legislation that would enact the Green New Deal are not,” BuzzFeed reports. - The ban takes effect November 15: The policy details will come out later this week, but these “conversations indicate that Twitter is considering a ban less sweeping than initially indicated,” BuzzFeed reports. [[Alex Kantrowitz / BuzzFeed](] [Introducing Facebook Pay.](Just weeks after several key [payment companies decided to not participate]( in Facebook's cryptocurrency initiative, [Libra](, the company is launching a new payments system. This one is designed to facilitate payments across its different products, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The service will be separate from Facebook’s new Calibra wallet and the Libra network, and it will be “built on existing financial infrastructure and partnerships,” according to the Verge. Instead, Facebook Pay can be used to send money to friends, shop for goods, or donate to fundraisers. - Facebook is pushing through setbacks: “[Every major US payment processor has now exited the association](, and it’s left Facebook with the daunting task of convincing governments that Libra is an option, just when trust in Facebook is at an all-time low,” the Verge writes. But Facebook’s solution, for now, seems to be the launch of this more traditional payment system. [[Tom Warren / The Verge](] [Microsoft has started to hire more women and minorities.](But it’s slow-going. After female employees at Microsoft [complained about demeaning, derogatory and discriminatory behavior]( earlier this year, Microsoft released a report showing an increase in more diverse hiring. The number of female employees grew by 12 percent in 2019, “including an 18 percent increase in technical roles and 15 percent in Microsoft’s executive ranks,” Bloomberg reports. But women still only make up 28 percent of the total workforce at the tech giant. [[Dina Bass / Bloomberg]]( [Join Recode's Peter Kafka at Code Media in Los Angeles this November 18 and 19](#) The man who runs HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros, John Stankey, is about to take on Netflix, Disney, and the rest of the media world with a new streaming service. But he’s also facing restless shareholders. Come hear him discuss all of this [live at Code Media in Hollywood]( where he’ll join a great lineup of speakers at [our annual conference dedicated to the intersection of tech and media](. [Insert alt text here] [Why is SMS texting a mess?](The technology we take for granted is actually quite outdated but fixing it is harder than you might think. Host Arielle Duhaime-Ross explains how the simple act of texting might totally change in 2020 [on the newest episode of Reset](. [Insert alt text here] [How the “Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself” meme went mainstream.]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( to receive fewer emails, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.