Kara and Scott discuss how Apple unknowingly handed over phone data of two Democratic congressmen to the Trump Administration. Then, they discuss how the pay gap between workers and CEOs grew even wider during the pandemic. In Friend of Pivot, Caleb Scharf, the Director of Astrobiology at Columbia University and author of The Ascent of Information: Books, Bits, Genes, Machines, and Life's Unending Algorithm, tells us why we should care about UFO sightings, the future of space travel, and whether...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 211
Kara and Scott talk about the ProPublica report that America's wealthiest people paid basically nothing in taxes and what the country should do about it. They also discuss Facebook's upcoming smartwatch and the wearables industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 11, 2021•58 min•Ep. 210
Kara and Scott talk about the historic tax reform deal reached by the G-7 nations that would make the minimum global corporate tax rate 15%. Then they discuss this weeks' Bitcoin 2021 event in Miami and Jack Dorsey's future in cryptocurrency. In Friend of Pivot, we are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning Presidential historian, and host of the new podcast Fate of Fact, Jon Meacham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 08, 2021•59 min•Ep. 209
Kara and Scott talk about the SEC saying that several of Elon Musk's tweets were not vetted before they were posted and violate a previous settlement with regulators. Then they discuss the trove of Dr. Fauci emails released from a FOIA request. In listener mail, Kara and Scott answer a question about Roku's acquisition of Quibi content and what it means for the company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 04, 2021•57 min•Ep. 208
Kara and Scott talk about Uber and Lyft rideshare prices surging as the companies struggle to find contract drivers. They also discuss hold-ups from Republican Senators and the Biden infrastructure bill. Then All-Star Friend of Pivot and writer of the newsletter Platformer, Casey Newton comes on to talk about all things social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 207
Kara and Scott talk about Russia increasing penalties and crackdowns on Google, Twitter, and Facebook. They also discuss Amazon's $8.45billion purchase of MGM Studios. In listener mail they answer a question about whether 5G is actually worth the hype. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 28, 2021•54 min•Ep. 206
Kara and Scott talk about Apple CEO Tim Cook's testimony in the final days of the Apple vs. Epic antitrust case. Scott gives a mini-lesson on why "big is bad". Then we're joined by Friend of Pivot, author Nancy Jo Sales to talk about her new book Nothing Personal: My Secret Life in the Dating App Inferno. They discuss the pros, cons, and pitfalls of dating apps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 25, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 205
Kara and Scott are joined by MSNBC Host and NBC News Senior Business Correspondent Stephanie Ruhle for a lightning round about the week's news. They talk about the tough week for the crypto-market, more on the AT&T spin-off of Time Warner (and who could swoop in to challenge the deal). They also take a listener mail question on mental health and big tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 21, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 204
Kara and Scott talk about AT&T spinning off their streaming service Time Warner and combining it with Discovery+ to compete with streaming content giants. They also discuss Twitter's potential new subscription service "Twitter Blue" (ya heard it here first!) Then we're joined by GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis to discuss the organization's new report that looks at safety for the LGBTQ community across social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 18, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 203
Kara and Scott talk about the fallout from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack and the gas hoarding that followed. They also discuss Tesla's decision to suspend accepting Bitcoin for car purchases until it is more sustainable and environmentally-friendly (Scott is skeptical). In listener mail, we get a question about how the global tech industry is being affected by humanitarian crises in India and Tel Aviv. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 14, 2021•53 min•Ep. 202
Kara and Scott recap Elon Musk's host appearance on Saturday Night Live and how it affected the cryptocurrency market. They also discuss a major cyberattack on a US natural gas pipeline. Then we are joined by author of the new book Amazon Unbound, Brad Stone, to discuss how Amazon is changing in the post-Bezos era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 11, 2021•55 min•Ep. 202
Kara and Scott talk about the Facebook Oversight Board's decision to uphold Facebook's ban of Donald Trump's Facebook account... for the next six months. Then they talk about Peloton recalling, their treadmills, and how the company handled the crisis. In listener mail, we get a question about how Google has dealt with ethics as it relates to artificial intelligence. And in predictions, we have more thoughts on Dogecoin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 07, 2021•55 min•Ep. 201
Kara and Scott talk about Apple going to trial with Epic over its choice to kick Fortnite out of the app store. They also discuss the upcoming Facebook Oversight Board decision on whether to uphold the ban on Donald Trump. Then in Friend of Pivot, we're joined by US Senator Amy Klobuchar to talk about the future of antitrust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 04, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 200
Kara and Scott talk about controversies at Basecamp, as the company rolled out a new ban on internal political talk. They also discuss Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin petitioning to have NASA revisit the contract it awarded SpaceX to land on the Moon by 2024. In listener mail, we get a question on the Bumble IPO and the future of dating apps. Scott predicts that Elon Musk's SNL appearance may land him in legal troubles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 30, 2021•58 min•Ep. 199
Kara and Scott talk about how CEOs in the United States wealth has surged during the pandemic as compared to their workers. Meanwhile, tensions heat up between Tim Cook at Apple and Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, as iPhone users are given the option to opt-out of ad tracking. Then we are joined by Friend of Pivot, DoorDash COO Christopher Payne who talks about the company's new model for food delivery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 198
Kara and Scott talk about Apple's big announcements in the podcast space and what that means for other competitors in the podcast market. They also discuss Netflix's falling subscriptions and take a look back at their first quarter last year. In listener mail we get a question about cryptocurrency's carbon footprint. And Scott has predictions for Quibi content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 23, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 197
Kara and Scott talk about Facebook's new foray into the audio space and what it means for creators. They also discuss NASA partnering with SpaceX on its next moon landing mission. Scott's favorite disaster story is possibly making a comeback – Kara and Scott talk about the WeWork SPAC. Then, former US attorney, and host of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet, Preet Bharara joins to talk about joining Vox and brings insights on some of the biggest legal issues in the news. Learn more about your ad ...
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 196
Kara and Scott talk about the Coinbase IPO and the surge for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and other currencies. They also discuss the legacy financial Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff, who died in prison this week. We have a pop-in from Friend of Pivot Andrew Ross Sorkin on his interviews with the late Madoff. In listener mail, we get a question about Russia's decision to slow down Twitter. Scott has predictions on Alibaba stock and the future of cryptocurrencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...
Apr 16, 2021•50 min•Ep. 195
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 194
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 podcastchoices.com/adch...
Apr 09, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 193
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 06, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 192
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 02, 2021•54 min•Ep. 191
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 30, 2021•58 min•Ep. 190
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 26, 2021•50 min•Ep. 189
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 188
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 2021•57 min•Ep. 187
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 186
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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 12, 2021•45 min•Ep. 186
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 podcastchoices.com/adch...
Mar 09, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 185
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 podca...
Mar 05, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 184
