“OH, COME ON”

-- Facebook’s PR team. [The Hustle]( Mon, Sep 18 Every time Facebook thinks they’re out of politics… they get pulled right back in It’s been a rough couple weeks for big tech companies… between Uber, Equifax, and SoFi, the scandalous headlines are getting pretty tired out here in Silicon Valley. And just when we were getting ready to do a nice little write-up about the latest AR headset, Facebook threw themselves back under the bus. It started 2 weeks ago when the social network admitted to selling over [150k ads to a Russian “troll farm”]( that spread “divisive social and political messages” to American voters during the 2016 election cycle. Facebook quickly put a lid on it Or at least, they’re trying. Shortly after the Russia news, Facebook tightened up the rules on who and what type of content can make money through its ads. Moving forward, publishers will have to adhere to new “[community standards]( Any content depicting natural disasters or tragedies, or that contains hate speech will be ineligible for advertising. And just when they thought they had that nightmare under control… *Cue anti-semitism* If FB’s PR team wasn’t already at Defcon 1, they are now: last Friday, [ProPublica discovered]( that Facebook was letting ad buyers target groups of people using user-created categories like “Jew hater.” And they’ve since temporarily suspended the ability to target users by education or employer until they can figure out how to keep people from exploiting them. Under pressure Facebook ad revenue is expected to grow to $205B this year, so any significant changes they make are liable to have a large economic impact on advertisers, and a social impact for the 2B users they reach. They also risk losing millions in fines in countries like Germany where new laws can result in a max $57m penalty for companies who fail to remove hate speech within 24 hours of posting -- which, at the rate their [current fact-checkers]( are working (2 stories a day), isn’t looking likely. Not a good look for the ‘book’ Good lord that’s a lot of Yuan Sorry American influencers, but your sponsored Instagram stories don’t hold a selfie stick to the highly lucrative world of Chinese live-streaming. In 2016 the industry was worth over $3B increasing [180%]( from the years prior, with the projection of reaching up to [$5B]( by the end of this year, and on track for that number to be tripled by the year [2020](. That’s great, but how are the streamers making that tickle cash? Short answer: Huajiao. Long answer: emoji-like “gifts” from the viewers that can later be cashed in for money. [And lots of it]( (cue hip-hop air horn). What’s interesting is, Chinese viewers are less enamored by mindlessly goofy check out my six pack vids (*cough* Logan Paul), and more interested in watching the mundanities of their favorite influencer’s everyday life -- i.e. singing in the shower, driving, and… [slurping soup]( NOT SO FAST: the government is not exactly into it Despite the rapid growth of the industry, there are signs that it’s starting to slow down. Many of the hundreds of apps used to stream these beloved “streamers” that were available even a year ago are no longer supported due to the cracking down of the Chinese government. In 2016 a formal set of censorship [regulations]( for live-streaming platforms were thrown down, giving the government the ability to reprimand streamers who were getting a little too loosey-goosey with their [content]( (if you catch our drift). Big trouble in big China In June, Weibo, one of China’s largest social networks, was forced to cease all live-streaming content due to the posting of certain “commentary programs” within violation of the [regulations](. This ban affected up to 30 other streaming platforms, ending a number of already-struggling companies in the live stream biz. Apparently, the Chinese government has some rather conservative views on what constitutes that hot NSFW content. That being said, even if China’s live streaming industry has hit a ceiling, $5B is nothing to shake a stick at. [Power to the streamers]( Puff, puff, pass that cash In yet another instance of investors looking to get high on weed-related technology, Eaze -- the company widely dubbed “Uber for pot” -- has just raised $27m from VC firms Baily Capital, Kaya Ventures, and FJ Labs. CEO Jim Patterson said they plan to use the new funding to expand [geographically]( and to help pay for higher-end engineering talent. With a growth of [300%]( since last year, Eaze is chilling harder than their own customer base. But what up with that high burn rate, bro? According to [Market Watch]( Eaze has been burning through about $1m a month in green (cash, not weed… well, maybe both). The company is rapidly expanding to new markets and trying to ship $1B worth of weed by 2020 -- though [constantly-changing legislation]( keeps impeding them as they navigate uncharted waters. Cool as a cucumber Big Dog Patterson claims not to be worried by this recent spending attack and is writing it all off as [growth]( (including the $10m round the company raised in 2015). He’s just got to hope that Amazon doesn’t decide to get into the weed game anytime soon. [Bowls and burn rates]( Who needs a therapist when you’ve got Siri? “Siri, what is the meaning of life?” implores the sage-seeking techie. Apple’s AI assistant is bombarded with these kinds of questions so frequently, that the company is now [hiring an engineer]( with a psychology background to make Siri’s answers more compassionate. Seeking: psychologist/engineer Apple’s [job listing]( titled “Siri Software Engineer, Health and Wellness,” was originally posted back in April, but apparently hasn’t yet been filled -- probably because it’s insanely specific. They’re looking for a master algorithm builder with strong machine learning and AI chops who also just happens to have a “peer counseling or psychology background.” And apparently, they need these people A 2016 Stanford [study]( found that personal voice assistants (including Siri) "responded inconsistently and incompletely to simple questions about mental health, rape, and domestic violence.” Worse, the statement “I am depressed” prompted a response of "Maybe it's time for you to take a break and get a change of scenery." This job listing shows that Apple is Siri-ous about creating an AI assistant that can do more than whip out of [sassy response]( to “talk dirty to me” -- and that we’re increasingly leaning on them for a lot more than the weather. [Still can’t cry on its shoulder]( monday morning review Brought to you by readers like you Seems like we’ve been doing a lot of talking lately, and we’d hate to be that one guest at the party monopolizing the dinner conversation -- so, instead of a Hustle co. update, here’s some feedback from you guys: Not that anyone cares, but...I really like getting these and I think your writing style is peachy keen. -- Colin K. No one cares, Colin?? We care. And we think your reading style is tip-top. I’m going out of the country for the rest of September, so i was wondering if you offer a “break” from your amazing emails? I’ll miss them, of course. but necessity dictates that i not get them for a few -- Christina H. Sorry, Christina, we both know “breaks” never work. Gonna have to unsubscribe and resubscribe. The last 365 days I did nothing else than following the Lyft news to check if your prediction was true: “Lyft sells within the next year. You heard it here first. Mark it down.” Unfortunately it was not. -- Karsten B. Can’t win ‘em all. Calling us out on our prediction a year later to the day? Makes us feel like that couple that got on Ellen for messaging each other on Tinder every year for 3 years (AKA, pretty special). -- Lindsey, VP of Troll Response This edition of The Hustle was brought to you by “I want to save my company money… but I’m also a human being” When you book business travel, there’s always pressure to get the cheapest flight -- often at the expense of your own personal comfort. We’re talking that 6am, cattle-car economy life, or an hour-long UberPool to avoid surge pricing. Hey, we’re team players… but sometimes we wish there was a little more in it for us. Upside rewards you for saving your company money on travel Upside is designed to make business travel super convenient for you and your company. They use their network to get you [better prices on flights]( rides, and hotels -- with even greater savings when you package them together. And the best part? Upside rewards you every time you book a trip for work with gift cards of your choice. That means you can be the company hero by saving 5-10% on your travel costs and [earn money towards 50 top retailers]( for doing it. Get [$100 in gift cards]( for yourself when you book your first trip with Upside using the code HUSTLEUP, and make you and your boss happy campers. 0 [SHARE THE HUSTLE]( REFERRALS Lindsey Quinn WRITER Kamran Rosen WRITER Zack Crockett WRITER John "Set all my alarms with Siri" Havel BACKSEAT EDITOR Colin Response GOSPEL CHOIR DIRECTOR [SUBSCRIBE]( [JOBS]( [ADVERTISE]( [EVENTS]( You opted in by signing up, attending an event, or through divine intervention. 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