Kara and Scott talk about the failure to form a union at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama; this was the biggest unionization effort in the company's history. They also discuss China's antitrust fine against the e-commerce giant Alibaba, and how the company is actually benefitting. In Friend of Pivot, we are joined by best-selling author Walter Isaacson to talk about his new book The Code Breaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Too Embarrassed to Ask

Amazon union defeat, Alibaba’s antitrust fine, and Walter Isaacson on CRISPR

Kara and Scott talk about Amazon's live-streaming service Twitch's new guidelines to keep hate speech and other forms of violence off their platform. They also discuss YouTube's new metric for showing how many videos are viewed before they are removed for violating the company's user guidelines. In listener mail, we get a question about the future of marijuana stocks. Scott has a prediction for who will acquire LG's handset company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitch's new guidelines, YouTube's video violations, and a prediction on LG's handset company

Kara and Scott discuss Janet Yellen's call for a global corporate tax and what that would mean for corporations. They also discuss a new report saying that Facebook leaked millions of users' personal information. Then we're joined by Columbia Professor, John McWhorter, to discuss the line between cancel culture and accountability, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global corporate tax, Facebook's data breach and a Friend of Pivot on "cancel culture"

In this episode of Pivot, Kara and Scott talk about Big Tech getting involved in military matters, and how their employees are responding. They also discuss whether Compass really counts as real estate tech, and fawn over President Biden's $2 trillion dollar infrastructure plan. Also, Kara plays a little April Fools joke on Scott, and spoiler alert—it works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Tech military contracts, Compass's IPO, and President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan

This week, Kara and Scott chat about the Wall Street Journal's deep dive on Tony Hsieh, Jeff Bezo's twitter fingers, and the future of unions. Then, Friend of Pivot Zephyr Teachout joins us to talk about Cuomo Corruption and how monopoly power is "white power." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Hsieh, Jeff Bezos's Twitter fingers, and Big Tech in Congress (again)

Kara and Scott talk about Microsoft's potential acquisition of the video gaming social platform Discord. They also preview the big tech hearings on disinformation. Meanwhile, Scott thinks Goldman Sachs junior employees should "buck up", even though Kara thinks "work-life-balance" priorities might be shifting in our culture. In listener mail, Kara and Scott talk about how they consume the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft and Discord, Goldman Sachs' junior bankers and a listener mail question on news consumption

Kara and Scott talk about troubles at Dispo – the photosharing app – after allegations of sexual assault came out around the founder's circle. They also discuss the possibility of former President Trump starting his own social media platform. Then, we are joined by Friend of Pivot Chairman of the Department of Finance at NYU Stern, David Yermack, on how to think about the NFT craze and the cryptocurrency landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Struggles at Dispo, Trump's own social media network, and the 411 on NFTs

Kara and Scott discuss scandals at Substack as Facebook builds a newsletter competitor. They also discuss a new tool that is measuring the carbon footprint of streaming on Netflix and what that means for the industry. In listener mail, we get a question about whether McKinsey is still the gold standard for early career success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook makes a Substack competitor, Netflix's carbon footprint and the future of McKinsey

Kara and Scott talk about the biggest weekend for airlines since the pandemic started and what that means for the industry. They are joined by Hims/Hers CEO Andrew Dudum to talk about how telehealth surged in the past year and his decision to take the company public as a SPAC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future of travel and a Friend of Pivot on telehealth

Kara and Scott talk about Roblox going public – and making a big splash – and what that means for the gaming industry. Then they discuss Facebook asking Federal judges to overturn the FTC's antitrust charges. In listener mail, a former Prof. G student asks if Sony has a Consumer Protection Act problem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roblox IPO, Facebook doesn't think it has an antitrust problem and a listener question on PlayStation5

Kara and Scott talk about how SPACs have tumbled in recent weeks and what that means for the IPO landscape. They also discuss Coursera going public and the future of education tech post-pandemic. Then, New York Times tech reporter and author of the new book, "Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation", Kevin Roose joins to discuss the future of automation in our day-to-day lives. Mackenzie Scott's marriage is our win! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPACs tumble, the education tech market and the future of automation

Kara and Scott talk about Google changing its ad model – they won't be selling ads based on how your browse the web anymore. They also discuss Square purchasing Jay-Z's music streaming service company – and we're not quite sure why... Meanwhile, Alamo Drafthouse files Chapter 11, and ratings for the Golden Globes hits an all-time low. In listener mail, a 21-year-old on a visa asks for advice on how to build an international career as an entrepreneur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google ad track changes, implosions for the entertainment industry and Square buys Tidal

Kara and Scott talk about the $.19 trillion stimulus package that passed the House and the fight for a $15/hour minimum wage. They also discuss the digital Golden Globes and Trump's appearance at CPAC. Then they are joined by White House Senior Advisor to the COVID-19 Response Team, Andy Slavitt, to discuss vaccine distribution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new COVID stimulus and Andy Slavitt on vaccine plans

Kara and Scott talk about deals reached between Facebook and Australia as Facebook, Google and Twitter prepare to testify in front of Congress. They also discuss the new surge of GameStop stock. In listener mail we get a question from a Texan about how tech companies are going to be looking at their moves to the state. In predictions, Scott does a victory lap on 3 big predictions come true in 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More hearings for big tech, GameStop stock surge (again), and predictions come true

Kara and Scott talk about a U.K. Supreme Court ruling that says Uber drivers must be treated as employees and what that means for the future of the company. Then Kara and Scott are joined by New York Times reporter and bestselling author of “This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends", Nicole Perlroth about the danger of cyber attacks in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.K. says Uber drivers are employees, and the future of cyber attacks

Do you have questions about tech products or the week's tech news that you’re too embarrassed to ask? Kara Swisher and the rest of the team at Recode have the answers. Tune in to their podcast every Friday for straight talk about confusing topics. Submit your questions in advance by tweeting them to @Recode with the hashtag #TooEmbarrassed, or by emailing TooEmbarrassed@recode.net.

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Too Embarrassed to Ask

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