Hi there! Hope you're having a splendid week thus far.
If the pandemic wasnt already upsetting enough, it turns out brands took advantage of the pandemic to push their products in a way that was highly disingenuous, according to this new research.
With that out of the way, let's get into the reads from this week.
Note: For any articles behind the paywall, open them on an incognito/private window and you should be good to go. Also, if you haven't subscribed to the newsletter, you could subscribe here.
Our collective enamoration with this recap reveals the extent to which algorithms have become integrated into the way we conceive of ourselves in digital consumer culture: as brands to be refined.
Amazon is bypassing supply chain chaos with chartered ships and long-haul planes
For years, Amazon has been quietly chartering private cargo ships, making its own containers, and leasing planes to better control the complicated shipping journey of an online order.
Global chip shortage drives Mexican auto workers to the brink
Factory closures are pushing workers to a breaking point with manufacturers and their own unions.
The common deadly disease that you haven't heard about
Scrub typhus is nearly as widespread as malaria in parts of India. But little is known about it, and the government is only now launching measures to fight it.
Stupid “smart contract” bug let hackers steal $31 million in digital coin
Blockchain researcher Igor Igamberdiev took to Twitter to break down the makeup of the drained tokens. Tokens included $18.2 million in Wrapped Ethereum, $10.5 in MATIC tokens, and $2 million worth of WBTC.
Elizabeth Holmes smiles on the stand as her trial nears an end
A disjointed day of questions without a clear narrative throughline.
Cash App is a mobile payment service, which was created by Square Inc. back in 2013. Now it has more than 70 million active users, and boldly claims to be the easiest way to send money.
If you’re among the billion people (literally!) who spend time on TikTok every month, you’re familiar with the app as 2021’s central vehicle for youth culture and online culture generally.
RBI To Introduce UPI Payments For Feature Phone Users
In a bid to widen the reach of digital payments in the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to introduce UPI payments services for feature phone users.
Invest now, win later: Inside the ‘buy now, pay later’ gold rush
It's not just a new form of consumer credit. It's the future of shopping and payments. And everyone from Apple to Visa wants in.
Honorary mentions
The 100 greatest innovations of 2021
Indian-Origin Doctor Among 10 Chosen By NASA For Future Missions
NFT sales reached $27 billion this year
And that's the lot! Thanks for checking out what we had to share with you this week, we shall catch up with you next Wednesday. Incase you aren't subscribed to the newsletter, you could subscribe to it here
Also, please do let your friends know about D&T if they'd be interested! Canvs Club
