Monday☕️

Apr 24, 2023 • 3 min read

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Twitter Blue:

In the past week, Twitter has removed all blue verification badges for users that don’t subscribe to Twitter Blue. Twitter Blue, a paid subscription service, is facing backlash from celebrities who previously had the blue checkmark (verification) and refuse to pay.
Blue checks are a symbol of status in the world of social media. The service, priced at $8/month or $84/year, offers subscribers a blue checkmark and access to features like tweet edits, half ads, longer tweets, text formatting, higher reach, and more.
Supporting argument: Twitter Blue decreases bot abilities and increases user reach, features, and verification. Opposing argument: Users who previously had/worked for the blue verification badge should not have to pay for it.
Twitter Monthly Active Users (MAUs): 330 million

Palantir and Ukraine:

Ukraine will utilize software from the American data analytics company Palantir Technologies in its efforts to prosecute alleged war crimes committed by Russia. Previously, Palantir has supplied Ukraine with systems for targeting tanks and aiding refugees.
The software will merge intelligence and satellite imagery to generate an evidence map, such as determining the closeness of Russian equipment to crime scenes or assembling social media photos.
The data to be processed by Palantir's software involves over 78,000 reported crimes, including alleged killings, rapes, tortures, and destruction since Russia's invasion more than a year ago. Moscow refutes these claims.

Bed Bath & Beyond:

Bed Bath & Beyond, founded in 1971 in New Jersey, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday. The company went public in 1992, boasting 38 stores and $200 million in sales, and by 2000, it had 1,000 stores and around $8 billion in revenue.
However, it struggled to compete with online retailers like Amazon and discount stores like Walmart. In January, they warned of uncertainty about their future, and on Sunday, the bankruptcy was declared.
Some stores will remain open as the company determines its next steps, while others will begin closing on Wednesday.

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