CB Insights - the future of disinformation

Hi there, 

2020 has been a breakout year for misinformation, ranging from Covid-19 hoaxes to election-related disinformation. (Just FYI — misinformation refers to fake info in general; disinformation specifically refers to fake info spread with the intent to deceive and sway politics.)

Big tech cos — most recently, Facebook and Twitter — have caught the most flak for not taking action given their critical roles as conduits of online info. But exactly how companies and governments can combat digital deception remains a thorny issue: is it legislation? Teaching media literacy? Strict user vetting?

Ultimately, this problem is one far too extensive for a few social media cos to solve. For a deeper look at the evolving tactics and emerging solutions regarding disinformation, take a look at our report here.

Nobody puts crypto in the corner

PayPal announced today that it will allow customers to buy and sell crypto on its platform starting 2021. 
 

The dominance of crypto over blockchain is a key trend we look at in our Blockchain Report. Download it here.
 

For help determining the use cases, companies, and projects you should pursue in the blockchain/DLT world, check out Blockdata.

Keeping it casual

More than 90% of retail in India is conducted through informal brick-and-mortar channels. 
 

Clients can read more about 3 ways tech is digitizing India’s small retailers.

Under pressure

Even since before the pandemic, airlines have faced increasing pressure to streamline their businesses. 
 

The top investors in airline tech have largely placed their bets on predictive tech cos to boost efficiency. Read more about where they’re investing in this client-only brief.

We've got it all

Check out the full agenda for the Future of Fintech (November 16-18) featuring 40+ hours of content, 5 content streams, 60+ fireside chats, 25+ presentations, and exclusive CB Insights analyst presentations and research.

This 3-day fintech feast will also include a global innovation challenge, unlimited networking opportunities, industry roundtables, VR simulations, top-tier moderators, a magic show, happy hours, and more.

Get your ticket by EOD tomorrow and save $300 with code fofagenda.

Don’t yank my chain

In the wake of Covid-related disruptions, visibility platforms, robotic fulfillment, and B2B marketplaces have gained traction. 

Clients can check out where Smart Money VCs are investing in supply chain tech here.

MedTech Dive. Nick Paul Taylor (@NickPaulTaylor) covers medical device funding and cites the CB Insights State Of Healthcare Q3’20 report.

TechCrunch. Alex Wilhelm (@alex) reports on global VC funding trends using the PwC and CB Insights Q3 2020 MoneyTree report.  

Med City News. Elise Reuter (@EliseReuter) uses CB Insights’ State Of Healthcare Q3’20 report to look at healthcare funding trends.
 

P.S. Nominate your favorite fintech innovators and entrepreneurs for our inaugural Fintech Hall of Fame.

P.P.S. We're looking for a director of sales. Sound like you? We'd love to chat.

E-robinhood. Charities that received stolen bitcoin donations from hackers must return them, but it’s unclear to whom.

The Guardian

Call me maybe. NASA has partnered with Nokia to launch a 4G network on the moon. 

CNBC

Bringing sexy back. The Church of England is technically a co-owner of hit songs by artists like Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake through its investments in a music IP fund.

BBC

Baby steps. A new AI technique can teach a model to recognize more objects than the number of examples it's trained on.

MIT Technology Review 

Easy as 1, 2, GPT-3. Some entrepreneurs are building apps that use GPT-3 to draft emails and marketing copy.

WIRED