<keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> could make a comeback to India soon, according to a trademark filed by its parent company <keyword id="3749909" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bytedance">ByteDance</keyword>. The short video app was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-banned-tiktok-china-apps-tensions-2020-7?IR=T#:~:text=Become%20an%20Insider%20and%20start,on%20June%2029%2C%20including%20TikTok.&amp;text=India%20says%20the%20ban%20is,champions%20to%20replace%20Chinese%20apps.">banned in India</a> last year along with 58 other Chinese apps due to security concerns. TikTok was one of the most popular apps in India, and it also had the highest number of users in the country. ByteDance has filed a trademark with the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, according to a <a href="https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/tiktok-india-launch-comeback-bytedance-ticktock-files-trademark-2490553">report</a> by NDTV Gadgets. It was first spotted by tipster Mukul Sharma who shared a screenshot of the same on <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>. The trademark has been filed under the name “TickTock” and under Class 42 which is defined as, “Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software.” This doesn’t confirm that TikTok will indeed make a return to India but it does add to the ongoing speculation of the app’s possible comeback. ByteDance has also reportedly continued engaging in talks with the government on making TikTok available in India. The company has also approached the IT Ministry and <keyword id="6365387" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pmo">PMO</keyword> officials and assured them that it would comply with the new IT rules, according to a report by The <keyword id="75583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="print">Print</keyword>. It also appointed its chief nodal and grievance officer in India late last year. ByteDance is also hopeful of the government lifting the ban on TikTok so that it can resume its operations, the report added. Ever since the ban on TikTok last year, there have been reports around the app possibly returning to India. ByteDance was also in talks with the government to get the app back but there hasn’t been any progress yet. The company continued to employ its workforce of 2,000 employees in India but it started layoffs earlier this year after the ban was made permanent. SEE ALSO- <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-multi-device-beta-how-to-download/articleshow/84542073.cms">WhatsApp multi-device beta – here’s how it works and how you can get it</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapps-new-privacy-policy-in-effect-from-may-15-heres-what-happens-if-you-dont-accept-it/articleshow/82734500.cms">WhatsApp’s new privacy policy — here is why you don't have to lose sleep over it</a>

TikTok eyes a possible comeback in India, trademark filing shows

<ul><li>Indian government has banned over 250 <keyword id="6022999" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chinese-apps">Chinese apps</keyword> over the last year, due to the geopolitical crisis with the neighbouring country.</li><li>The ban on Chinese apps impacted the short video segment the most, as it found itself in a void with the absence of top two players in the segment.</li><li>While many alternatives have emerged to give a tough competition to <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>, any real competition to PUBG still does not exist.</li></ul>You can now find Vassundhara Pandita, a former TikTok creator, entertaining about 4.5 million users on <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>’s Sharechat-owned Moj app. Just like her, thousands of Indian creators have set their camps on different short video apps that came into existence in the past one year, after the government of India decided to ban <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/checkout-the-name-of-the-chinese-banned-apps-in-india/articleshow/76696132.cms">59 Chinese apps</a> on this day (June 29). The banned apps not only included TikTok, the biggest short video platform in the world with a user base of 200+ million in India alone, but its alternatives Likee and Vigo as well. Vigo was owned by TikTok’s Chinese parent ByteDance that was supposed to be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/ad-tech/news/bytedance-shuts-down-vigo-video-in-india-to-focus-on-other-businesses/articleshow/76382018.cms">shut by October 2020</a> to direct users towards TikTok, but all these efforts were futile. This is how TikTok creators’ hunt began to find the perfect Indian alternative that would help them continue entertaining millions of users and keep the flow of income running. But the first priority on the list was to redirect their followers to other social media platforms, most popularly <keyword id="819905" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword>. “I had to make short videos on my TikTok and YouTube [channels] to direct my followers to my Instagram handle,” says Vassundhara, who had more than five million followers on TikTok and goes by the username ‘@__vassundhara__’ on Instagram. As expected, Vassundhara and many other creators did lose their followers in this reshuffle, but thankfully finding the next stage turned out to be a little simpler. <h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:18pt;margin-bottom:6pt;">Indian digital businesses fill up TikTok void</h2> Well established digital businesses were already on to finding their way to dominate the Indian short video platform, which was suddenly left with a void with the exit of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/slideshows/top-ten-most-downloaded-apps-in-india/slidelist/72977234.cms">top two players </a>-- TikTok and Likee From Sharechat to Dailyhunt, MXPlayer, Gaana, Zee5, you name it and they were already set to launch their Made-In-India offering. A few months later, even YouTube and Instagram decided to grab on to this opportunity and launch their respective hypershots entertainment offering in India. So, the competition was on and it was a pretty hot one. But Indian platforms did fairly well for themselves in this highly competitive market. <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kB58DlJrMEKtYPqoPH1lf1AcfheIWYL8pbcDCQBN9g8ypzSJjbmrNNMLcZoHemPhP-zT5Zq-hDRk7gqkIg8M48Sno7ET8_1KJBohaRob__0DoSmn9uNNQ5ucVpNCxwdIACV3oHI4" /> Just like TikTok, many of these Indian alternatives have set a monetisation practice in place for these creators. Each creator on these platforms, with a specific number of followers and reach, is paid a certain undisclosed amount. Besides this, they are also allowed to take any paid promotional partnerships in their personal capacity without having to share their income with the platforms. There are only three shortcomings to the Indian alternatives at the moment. First, the limited market compared to TikTok that had its presence across the globe. Second, the limited market is further divided among the rival brands. Third, the not-so-great technological innovation and user-experience. While Instagram may have these problems figured out by integrating Reels into their image and video app. However, it is not a great offering in terms of the monetisation aspect. It was much easier for a content to blow up on TikTok, given its artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. It also offered more in-depth insights into the audience. On the other hand, it is much more difficult to blow up content on Instagram. “Instagram has its plus points, but it's not offering much payout to influencers at the moment… Also Instagram, I think, is focusing on a more lavish life and a glamorous one with money. Unlike TikTok, we see only one or two videos from the rural parts of India on Instagram. Moj and other Indian apps, and even TikTok for instance, push such contents as well,” Vassundhara added. However, the Indian alternatives have replaced TikTok in the eyes of content creators at least. “If TikTok comes back to India, creators will still take some time to move to the platform. As you know, a lot of controversies have happened around TikTok in India like the <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/carryminati-amir-siddiqui-youtube-vs-tiktok-6411239/">YouTube roast </a>or questions over its Chinese origin. People will take some time to understand this. By the time, creators will start going back to Moj or any other platform that may establish dominance,” Vassundhara said, adding the platform offers fair income to the creators from their end. Notably, TikTok may to make a comeback to the Indian market soon, as it has <a href="https://theprint.in/tech/tiktok-definitely-hopeful-india-ban-will-be-lifted-in-talks-with-govt-to-resume-operations/683916/">reportedly</a> started discussions with the government once again. <h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:18pt;margin-bottom:6pt;">India Yet To Find PUBG’s Alternative</h2>The Indian government’s attack on Chinese apps took down close to over 250 apps in the last one year. This also includes South Korean online multiplayer battle royale game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG). PUBG had more than 175 million installations from India alone which accounted for 24% of the total installations worldwide. The ban on the online multiplayer battle royale game came due to its partnership with China-based Tencent Games. Tencent was PUBG Mobile’s licensed publisher in India. The duo ended their partnership in September 2020, and PUBG is now set to make a<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/battlegrounds-mobile-india-is-now-official-check-out-launch-date-downloads-and-more/articleshow/82427206.cms"> comeback</a> in India in a new avatar ‘BattleGrounds Mobile India’. The launch of BattleGrounds Mobile India may be subject to scrutiny as well, after a <a href="https://in.ign.com/battlegrounds-mobile-india/161110/news/battlegrounds-mobile-india-china-server-data-sharing-meity-government-meenakashi-lekhi">IGN India</a> report highlighted that the app was sending user data to China. Despite the spike in India’s e-sports segment over the last one year due to PUBG ban and Covid-19, there haven't been any direct replacements to PUBG Mobile India. Many users simply switched to the web version of the app, which was not banned. For PUBG Mobile India, Bengaluru-based nCore Games did come up with the one alternative -- Fearless And United Guards (FAUG) in September 2020. The company launched the beta version of the app earlier this week (June 27), but is yet to <a href="https://in.ign.com/fau-g-android/161446/feature/faug-team-deathmatch-map-gameplay-story-weapons-future-ncore-games">impress the Indian audience</a>. <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vxelOP7sWLgDihKkrP9cS4Ck9gYf-8HuAgC06FY8rP_0ir6-KSAwHUWm_NmXk-vb9B-Ds7NZFRma_vfqtrefXaQP0NOFmcztdiPDGjPC4RjYIzD2WtlDySJ0crpZqg81fHW0r8B4" style="" /> <h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:18pt;margin-bottom:6pt;">What other segments were disrupted due to the ban of Chinese apps?</h2> The ban on Chinese apps also promoted the Made-In-India sentiment that pushed users towards many Indian alternatives. For instance <keyword id="3518161" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="koo">Koo</keyword> and Tooter were the first to arrive as the alternatives to US-based microblogging website Twitter. While Tooter was lost in the crowd, Koo has managed to set itself to a better start, at least. The one-year-old app already has about a third (<a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/will-double-headcount-lot-of-headroom-for-growing-user-base-koo-121050900174_1.html#:~:text=Koo%20has%20about%2060%20lakh,base%20and%20burgeoning%20Internet%20adoption.">6 million</a>) of Twitter's 17 million users in India. It has also raised about<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indias-micro-blogging-app-koo-raises-30-million-by-tiger-global/articleshow/82965589.cms"> $34 million</a> to date from marquee investors like Tiger Global Management, Accel, Kalaari Capital, and more. The platform is set to accelerate even further amidst Indian government’s ongoing tussle with Twitter. It has also made an<a href="https://qz.com/africa/2024107/nigerian-government-moves-to-indian-app-koo-after-twitter-ban/"> entry</a> into Nigeria after the Nigerian government banned Twitter last week. Even Indian ministers have<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/it-minister-ravi-shankar-prasad-praises-koo-indias-alternative-to-twitter-950088.html"> praised</a> the app on many occasions. China-based document scanning and file storage app CamScanner, which found its biggest market in India with 100 million users, was also banned on June 29, last year. Since then, the app has been shadowed by another new popular option, Gurugram-based alternative Kaagaz Scanner. Launched in March 2020, the platform has over 5 million downloads and 1.7 million plus monthly active users. The platform has raised $575,000 last year from former <keyword id="6354512" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> vice-chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan’s Axilor Ventures, Better Capital and Pravega Ventures. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/china-will-not-buy-iron-copper-aluminum-zinc-and-some-other-commodities-from-foreign-countries/articleshow/83565216.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">China has decided to take global commodity bulls by their horns ⁠— to protect the profit margins of its small businesses</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/soccers-most-expensive-young-player-missed-a-decisive-penalty-that-saw-reigning-world-champion-france-crash-out-of-euro-2020/articleshow/83940298.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Soccer's most expensive young player missed a decisive penalty that saw reigning world champion France crash out of Euro 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-says-the-goal-is-for-the-crypto-exchange-to-list-every-asset-that-is-legally-possible/articleshow/83937379.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says the goal is for the crypto exchange to list every asset that is legally possible</a>

One year of Chinese apps ban — Indian alternatives take over TikTok

<ul><li>YouTuber <keyword id="8714903" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="technical-guruji">Technical Guruji</keyword> told Business Insider that the ban on TikTok was “long overdue,” after the Indian government announced the full list of 59 Chinese apps that will no longer be allowed to operate in the country.</li><li>TikTok influencers <keyword id="3206714" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paras-Tomar">Paras Tomar</keyword> and <keyword id="1317515" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aadil-Khan">Aadil Khan</keyword> believe that even though TikTok is banned, brands will follow the influencer wherever they may go.</li><li>This isn’t the first time that TikTok has been banned in India and Tomar holds out hope that it will make a return after clearing things up with the government.</li></ul>The ByteDance-owned short video streaming app TikTok took India by storm when it launched in 2018 and it’s no stranger to being banned. Last year, the Madras High Court had the app banned for ‘encouraging pornography’ yet TikTok made its way back. “We saw it coming,” Paras Tomar, a TikTok influencer with over 3 million followers, told Business Insider. He says the anti-China sentiment was already visible with fans questioning why he was still creating videos on TikTok despite it being a Chinese app. This time around TikTok has gotten caught in political crossfire as tensions between India and China continue to escalate along the border. While 30% of users and 15% of its revenue may come from India, its the influencers on the platform that have a bigger burden to bear. To Tiktok or not to TikTok Love it or hate it, there’s no denying TikTok’s popularity. Bridging the digital divide was the prime driver of TikTok’s success in India. From January 2018 to August 2019, it was able to capture 30% of India’s smartphone users, according to data provided by Delhi-based market intelligence firm KalaGato. “Well, I think this was long overdue, I feel happy that finally, the Government took the right step in this direction,” said YouTuber Technical Guruji. However, not everyone is as amped about the change. “For actors, this just one thing we do. A lot of others actually left their jobs and stuff to do this. This is their income,” empathised Tomar. Being an influencer is a full-time job, from creating content to networking — investing time in a platform like TikTok does have an opportunity cost. But provided you have made a name for yourself on the platform and have the talent to back it up — India’s youth won’t find it difficult to move to another platform and generate employment, according to Aadil Khan, TikToker and choreographer with 2.8 million followers. ‘Made-in-India’ alternatives Following the ban of TikTok, Indian app alternatives saw a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/tiktok-ban-in-india-is-a-boon-for-rival-apps-chingari-bolo-indya-roposo-khabri-and-mitron/articleshow/76706001.cms">surge in the number of downloads</a>. <keyword id="40682" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chingari">Chingari</keyword>, for instance, told Business Insider that the app was getting 100,000 downloads per hour. Others like Bolo, Indya, Khabri, and Roposo have also welcomed the ban in favour of an atmanirbhar — self-reliant — India. “Made in India apps will definitely gain momentum now, people are now addicted to the short term format. Wherever they find it, they are going to go on it,” said Khan. The catch is that, in comparison to TikTok, these Indian alternatives are still in their nascent stages. “Chingari is this new app so I tried to get a hold of it but the UI was so bad that it didn’t even let me create a username,” quipped Tomar after trying out the new platform. Khan believes it might be better with the government joins the bandwagon to create its own short-video format app where it can control the fact that no cringe content and “anything that goes against the country's peace and unity” isn’t uploaded. At the end of the day, it may not even be about shifting from one platform to the next. “I think we’ll all coexist on multiple platforms like we always have,” Tomar said. Will the brands follow? Brands need influencers just as much as influencers need brands. So wherever influencers may go next, brands are sure to follow. “Brands will move with them to other social media platforms. As long as you have created yourself an audience a genuine one, you will have them follow and love your content irrespective of the platform,” said Khan. However, what may take a hit is how much moolah an influencer can earn. “With two platforms, my cumulative reach becomes so much — that’s why we were charging a certain amount of money. Now the moment when you take one out of the two — and the bigger one of the two — it is going to take a hit,” explained Tomar. While Instagram and other social media platforms still exist, TikTok was — by far — the most active. “TikTok was very userfriendly, and for creators especially. Making content was easy, brands also approached you — they also pushed you. So, it was a very well-oiled machine so that everyone was happy with their roles,” said Tomar. He holds out hope that TikTok will make a comeback after it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/chinese-app-tiktok-says-it-will-meet-with-government-to-submit-clarifycations/articleshow/76703707.cms">talks to the Indian government</a>. The Chinese app said that it will be meeting with all the stakeholders to clarify any misnomers about data sharing abroad. “Until this is resolved, I’m not going to be on TikTok. Whether or not TikTok allows videos to be uploaded is secondary,” asserted Tomar. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/hacks-to-avoid-tiktok-ban-and-pubg-may-be-banned-in-india-soon/articleshow/76705632.cms">There are ways around the TikTok ban⁠⁠— while PUBG may be banned via another list from the Indian government</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/tiktok-has-been-removed-from-the-google-play-store-and-the-apple-app-store/articleshow/76702533.cms">TikTok disappears from Play Store and App Store soon after India banned 59 Chinese apps</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/tiktok-ban-in-india-is-a-boon-for-rival-apps-chingari-bolo-indya-roposo-khabri-and-mitron/articleshow/76706001.cms">Tiktok has many rivals in India and the government ban is a blessing for them</a>

From Paras Tomar to Technical Guruji to Aadil Khan — here’s what social media influencers have to say about the TikTok ban

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>'s parent company, <keyword id="3749909" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bytedance">ByteDance</keyword>, told staff Wednesday it's cutting down its 2,000-person team in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>.</li><li>The job cuts follow India's decision to retain its <keyword id="6354651" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ban">ban</keyword> on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps.</li><li>ByteDance did not confirm how many jobs it plans to cut.</li></ul><keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>'s ByteDance is cutting down its 2,000-plus team in India and is unsure when TikTok, which it owns, will make a comeback in the country, it told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday.The move came after India on Tuesday decided to retain its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps-security-concerns-2020-6">ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps</a> following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy.The ban dates from last year, when political tension between the neighbours rose over their disputed border."We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived ... we find that has not been the case," ByteDance wrote in the memo, which was seen by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bytedance-india/bytedance-cuts-india-workforce-unsure-of-comeback-after-app-ban-internal-memo-idUSKBN29W0JR?il=0&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=Twitter=Twitter">Reuters</a>."We simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain un-operational ... we don't know when we will make a comeback in India."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-banned-tiktok-china-apps-tensions-2020-7?r=kd-sub">Why India banned 59 apps including the wildly popular TikTok over a geopolitical dispute with China</a>In a statement, the company said it was disappointing that despite its efforts, it had not received a clear direction on how and when its apps could be reinstated. It did not specify how many employees would lose their jobs.Before the ban, India had been one of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7">TikTok's largest markets</a> and ByteDance in 2019 had laid out plans to invest $1 billion in India.At the time of last year's ban, the Indian government described the apps as prejudicial to the "sovereignty and integrity of India." The move followed a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amid-border-dispute-tensions-how-china-and-india-militaries-compare-2020-6">skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site</a> that killed 20 Indian soldiers.In the US, the former Trump administration ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok citing national security concerns, and sought to impose restrictions that would have effectively barred its use.

ByteDance is cutting down its 2,000-person team in India, where TikTok is still banned

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Trump campaign is now running <keyword id="1432887" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="political-ads">political ads</keyword> on <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> and Instagram that accuse <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> of "spying" on users.</li><li>The ads, launched Friday, encourage users to sign a petition banning TikTok, the viral app that's raising national security concerns due to its ties to China through its parent company ByteDance.</li><li>In recent weeks, the president and government officials have said they're considering banning TikTok in the US, where the app has an estimated <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-banning-chinese-social-media-app-tiktok-security/story?id=71647269">userbase as high as 80 million</a>.</li></ul>As <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> considers banning TikTok, his political campaign has started running ads on Facebook and Instagram accusing the China-based platform of "spying" on its users.More than 100 iterations of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&amp;ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&amp;country=ALL&amp;impression_search_field=has_impressions_lifetime&amp;q=tiktok&amp;view_all_page_id=153080620724&amp;sort_data[direction]=desc&amp;sort_data[mode]=relevancy_monthly_groupede]=relevancy_monthly_grouped">ads were launched Friday</a> encouraging Facebook users to sign a petition banning TikTok in the US. The ads, <a href="https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1284232931469393920">first spotted by</a> New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz, come as the US government threatens to instate a country-wide ban on the viral video-sharing app over its ties to China.Facebook removed one version of the anti-TikTok ad on Friday evening. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&amp;ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&amp;country=ALL&amp;impression_search_field=has_impressions_lifetime&amp;q=tiktok&amp;view_all_page_id=153080620724&amp;sort_data[direction]=desc&amp;sort_data[mode]=relevancy_monthly_groupede]=relevancy_monthly_grouped">The ad in question</a> includes a graphic with "yes" and "no" checkboxes, which appears to be a violation of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/policies/ads/prohibited_content/non_existent_functionality">Facebook's policy against</a> ads with "nonexistent functionality." Facebook did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&amp;ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&amp;country=ALL&amp;impression_search_field=has_impressions_lifetime&amp;q=tiktok&amp;view_all_page_id=153080620724&amp;sort_data[direction]=desc&amp;sort_data[mode]=relevancy_monthly_groupede]=relevancy_monthly_grouped">Another anti-TikTok ad</a> tells users: "Protect our kids from China." TikTok's roots in China — where the app's parent company, ByteDance, is located — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7#to-trace-the-history-of-this-incredibly-popular-short-form-video-sharing-app-its-important-to-note-that-tiktok-didnt-start-as-tiktok-6">have long raised questions</a> from US lawmakers and security experts about how much access and influence the Chinese government is afforded over user data and content moderation. Concerns over the TikTok-China connection have skyrocketed in recent weeks after India decided to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-india-china-ceo-kevin-mayer-ban-employees-first-test-2020-6">instate its own ban on the app</a> earlier this month.The campaign's political ads also claim that "TikTok has been caught red-handed by monitoring what is on your phone's clipboard." The accusation is based <a href="https://www.mysk.blog/2020/03/10/popular-iphone-and-ipad-apps-snooping-on-the-pasteboard/">on research from March</a> showing how apps are able to access content stored on the clipboard — the copy-and-paste feature — of users' iPhones and iPads. TikTok was only one of the dozens of the apps caught spying on iPhone clipboards, including <a href="https://mashable.com/article/iphone-clipboard-spying-tiktok/">LinkedIn</a> and Fox <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword>. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/26/21304228/tiktok-security-ios-clipboard-access-ios14-beta-feature">ByteDance has since said</a> it will stop accessing clipboard content.<div type="image" title="trump tiktok facebook ad" height="1500" width="2000" msid="77043240" hostid="261"></div>In recent weeks, the Trump campaign <a href="https://mashable.com/article/trump-anti-social-media-twitter-facebook-ads/">has also taken out ads</a> against Twitter and Snapchat, claiming they're "attempting to silence" the president.In early July, both President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-considering-banning-tiktok-2020-7">publicly said they were considering a TikTok ban</a> in the US: Trump said the ban would be a way to punish China over its role in the coronavirus pandemic, while Pompeo cited national security concerns. On Thursday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-to-operate-as-a-us-company-white-house-adviser-says-2020-7">told reporters he expected TikTok</a> to "pull out of the holding company which is China-run and operate as an independent American company."Since TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-app-online-website-video-sharing-2019-7">launched in the US in 2018</a>, the app has successfully been able to brush off lawmakers' calls for investigations and national security experts' warnings. Most recently, TikTok <a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/meet-tiktoks-new-content-advisory-council/">launched a content advisory council</a> to guide policy changes and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-india-china-ceo-kevin-mayer-ban-employees-first-test-2020-6">appointed a US-based CEO</a> in June to show it was distancing itself from its Chinese roots.But TikTok has also run afoul of the Trump campaign for reasons beyond its ties to China. Swarms of TikTok teens and K-pop fans were credited last month with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-teens-and-k-pop-fans-tanked-trumps-tulsa-rally-2020-6">signing up en masse for tickets</a> to a major Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instead of the big comeback that the Trump campaign advertised, attendance at the rally was considerably lacking.TikTok's reported influence on the Tulsa rally demonstrates how the app has grown into a social media powerhouse, establishing itself as a staple of internet culture and social interaction for Generation Z. The app has more than 2 billion global downloads, and an estimated <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-banning-chinese-social-media-app-tiktok-security/story?id=71647269">US userbase at as high as 80 million</a>. It outperforms US-based apps with younger audiences such as Snapchat and Instagram in both <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-hits-15-billion-downloads-outperforming-instagram-2019-11">new downloads</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/users-spending-more-time-daily-on-tiktok-than-instagram-cowen-survey-2020-7">time spent</a>. The imminent threat of TikTok disappearing from the US has already <a href="https://www.insider.com/tiktok-ban-united-states-creators-worry-influencers-2020-7">signaled panic among users and creators</a>, and has led attempts by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ban-competitors-capitalizing-instagram-reels-youtube-byte-dubsmash-2020-7">tech companies to capitalize on the chaos</a> to lure the app's loyal following to their competing platforms.

The Trump campaign is running several anti-TikTok ads on Facebook and Instagram accusing the Chinese app of 'spying on you'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he was considering banning <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword>, echoing earlier comments from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.</li><li>Trump implied a <keyword id="6354651" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ban">ban</keyword> on TikTok would be a way of punishing China for the coronavirus, which originated in the city of Wuhan.</li><li>Trump's rationale was somewhat different from the reason given by Pompeo, who said the US was worried TikTok could be a national-security risk.</li></ul>President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> said Tuesday he was considering banning the popular video-sharing app TikTok.His remarks followed similar comments made by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who told Fox News on Monday that the administration was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pompeo-says-us-certainly-considering-banning-tiktok-fox-news-2020-7?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">considering banning TikTok</a> over privacy and national-security concerns, fearing Chinese surveillance."It's something we're looking at, yes," Trump said when asked about Pompeo's remarks by Gray Television's Greta Van Susteren, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-07/tiktok-touts-u-s-ties-after-pompeo-threatens-to-ban-social-app">according to Bloomberg</a>."It's a big business," he said. "Look, what happened with China with this virus, what they've done to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful," he said, adding that banning TikTok was "one of many" options he's considering to punish China over the coronavirus.Trump was not specific about what element of China's response to the coronavirus angered him.In March he has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-defends-calling-the-coronavirus-the-chinese-virus-2020-3?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">defended calling coronavirus "the Chinese virus"</a> in response to an accusation from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.Trump's justification differs from that of Pompeo, who told Fox News the issue was whether TikTok was handing private user data over to the Chinese government.TikTok is owned by Chinese tech company <keyword id="3749909" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bytedance">ByteDance</keyword>, headquartered in Beijing.US politicians have voiced concerns over TikTok's Chinese roots for months.But for the president, the app's popularity may rankle for a different reason. Teen activists on the app in June claimed to have tanked <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-teens-and-k-pop-fans-tanked-trumps-tulsa-rally-2020-6?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Trump's comeback rally in Oklahoma</a> by signing up for tickets and not attending.A TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider:"TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy in the US. We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-disney-streaming-executive-los-angeles-bytedance-2020-5?r=US&amp;IR=T#:~:text=TikTok%20names%20Kevin%20Mayer%2C%20Disney's,as%20its%20CEO%20%2D%20Business%20Insider&amp;text=The%20word%20%22Insider%22.ider%22.">TikTok poached Disney streaming executive Kevin Mayer</a> to be its CEO in May in an attempt to reassure American lawmakers and consumers.On June 30 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps-security-concerns-2020-6?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">TikTok was banned in India</a> along with 58 other Chinese apps following an escalation in political tensions between India and China after a border skirmish on June 15.

Trump said he's considering banning TikTok to punish China over the coronavirus

<ul><li>PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile India still does not have permission to operate in India, even as its homegrown rival FAU-G makes its debut with pre-registration now open on Google Play.</li><li><keyword id="6409600" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PUBG-MOBILE">PUBG Mobile</keyword> is registered in India under the Ministry of Commerce and without the reversal of the ban instituted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), it is unable to launch. </li><li>A report by InsideSport indicates that the company has been trying to set up a meeting with the departments but has not been successful so far. </li></ul>It has been nearly two weeks that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/pubg-mobile-india-was-supposed-to-launch-today/articleshow/79315462.cms">poised to make its return to India</a> — the game’s largest market — after the government banned the app amid border tensions with China. Despite the long wait and heightened anticipation, it seems the PUBG Corporation doesn’t have the requisite permissions to restart operations in India. “Any banned entity can’t operate just by floating a new company. This even TikTok or anyone else can do. They will have to get permissions from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to operate once again in India,” sources told <a href="https://www.insidesport.co/pubg-mobile-comeback-desperate-pubg-officials-requests-meeting-with-ministry/">InsideSport</a>. It reports that PUBG Mobile has requested a meeting with MeitY to resolve the regulatory issues, and not for the first time, but is yet to be granted an audience. “In the current circumstances it will not be easy for PUBG to relaunch themselves before Jan-Feb next year and that too will depend on the stance of the government,” <a href="https://www.insidesport.co/pubg-mobile-comeback-desperate-pubg-officials-requests-meeting-with-ministry/">sources</a> at the ministry disclosed. As PUBG Mobile struggles to make its comeback, the Akshay Kumar-backed indigenous battle royale game, Fearless and United Guards (FAU-G) is making its debut on Google Play. The co-founder of nCore games, Vishal Gondal, claims that the idea for FAU-G was always in the works but gained limelight when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/checkout-full-list-of-118-banned-chinese-mobile-apps-in-india/articleshow/77891192.cms">PUBG was banned back in September</a>. Once FAU-G goes live, its first episode will be called ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indian-army-on-india-china-war-in-galwan-valley-soldiers-killed/articleshow/76402297.cms">Galwan Valley</a>’ based on the clash between Indian soldiers and troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). <keyword id="7307958" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PUBG-Mobile-India">PUBG Mobile India</keyword> caught in the middle PUBG Mobile may not have permission from MeitY, but it has officially registered itself as a new entity within India, according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs database. However, it is pertinent to note that PUBG Mobile only registered on November 21 — a day after the date floated for its launch (November 20). <div type="image" title="PUBG registration" msid="79503588" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PUBG India registration as company in India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> As the company tries to navigate its way through red tape, fans of the battle royale game in India aren’t pleased by the company’s deafening silence. Many have taken to Twitter to express their frustration, including reaching out to Microsoft Azure, the cloud service enlisted to host PUBG Mobile India. Azure has since gone on the record to say that they don’t have any updates on when the game will launch and that the players should keep an eye on the official website. <div type="twitter" handle="Azure" handlename="Microsoft Azure" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1268207800313774080/KF9pXfXU_normal.jpg" favoritecount="723" retweetcount="75" status="@JugnuSharmaRd We don't have any news to share at this time regarding PUBG Mobile India. Keep an eye on the officia… https://t.co/3PIaoNy1yS" createdat="1606259787000" id="1331376163508400140"></div> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/kunal-shah-cred-raises-80-million-valuation-doubles-to-800-million-for-the-just-two-year-old-startup/articleshow/79502864.cms">Kunal Shah’s CRED raises $80 million — valuation doubles to $800 million for the just two-year old startup</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-which-states-have-reimposed-curfews-and-restrictions-again-as-second-covid-19-wave-hits-india/articleshow/79366320.cms">Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand issue fresh COVID-19 guidelines, TN extends lockdown — these are the states reimposing curfews and restrictions</a>

PUBG Mobile India is still fighting its ban as indigenous clone FAU-G makes its debut

<ul><li>Following a public outcry over IPL’s association with Vivo India, the Chinese smartphone and technology brand, was suspended from the title last year. </li><li>Now that the brand is back as title sponsor for IPL 2021, we speak to brand experts to find out if there’s a chance of this association with the tournament backfiring for BCCI. </li></ul>Before the beginning of Indian Premier League season 13 last year, there was a storm of anger on social media as a reaction to the Indo-China border dispute. People were calling a ban on all Chinese products and uninstalling Chinese or China-funded apps. This anger was also projected on IPL over the tournament’s association with Vivo India. The Chinese smartphone and technology brand also bore the brunt as it was suspended from the title in 2020, despite signing a five-year deal with BCCI in 2018 for Rs 2,199 crore. It was replaced by Dream11, which bagged the rights for Rs 222 crore (approximately $29.7 million at that time). Now that the public resentment towards Chinese products has faded and after maintaining a low profile last year to cushion the blow, Vivo is back as the title sponsor for IPL 2021. In the last few months, as people have had more time to kill in India, many brands, actors and celebrities have been boycotted online. As a result, it has become increasingly tough for a brand to navigate through these volatile climes and launch even a slightly ‘controversial’ campaign or enter into a collaboration that could invite the infamous online trolls. So, after dealing with a public outcry last year, can the renewed association between IPL and Vivo India backfire at the parties involved? And can the partnership help Vivo build back its image? Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru &amp; Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults inc, said, “Things come a full circle, as even this has! Vivo is back as title sponsor! This just means that it is business as usual as far as Chinese brands of every avatar is concerned. The common man never really bothered to check nationality of the brand in use. As the brouhaha settles, this means Vivo is back in the driver's seat as far as IPL eyeballs are concerned.” Last year, Dream11 IPL had set a viewership record with an overall consumption increase of 23% versus 2019 on Star Sports. Its television viewership reached an outstanding 31.57 million. Disney+Hotstar, on the other hand, had signed around 300 advertisers and had earned ad revenues in excess of Rs 300 crore despite the tournament being put behind the paywall. IPL 2020 had clearly showcased that it is pandemic-proof with the number of brands coming on board for sponsorship. So, with consumer sentiment picking up and advertisers opening their purse strings, IPL 2021 could be the biggest tournament we have seen so far, which can act as an image booster for title sponsor Vivo. Lloyd Mathias, Angel Investor and Business Strategist, said, “Vivo moved out as the <keyword id="1458693" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL-Title-Sponsor">IPL title sponsor</keyword> in 2020 given the pressure on Chinese brands due to the Indo-China border conflict. Now with the situation getting better and the pandemic flattening out, it makes sense for them to make a comeback and up their marketing to full throttle. The 2021 IPL back in India, will mean big awareness and impact – just what they need to get back their salience.” With the geopolitical issues around the conflict in Ladakh moving in a positive direction, Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting said that the sentiments towards the Chinese brands should also improve. Mitra said, "At a functional level, the Chinese brands including Vivo are valued for money brands making smartphones affordable for a large segment of the population. While patriotic sentiments had overtaken commercial and brand preferences and rightly so, consumers may be more open towards brands that are within their reach despite their Chinese origin. The visibility offered by IPL would certainly give Vivo a big boost in pulling up brand metrics as well as sales. Given that the country-level issues between India and China are settled to a significant extent, consumers will focus once again on the game and possibly not hold onto the negative sentiments against the Chinese brands including Vivo. Vivo coming back as the title sponsor may just be a win-win for both the brand and IPL. For IPL, the commercial gains will be huge as few brands can match the outlays that Vivo is bringing in." However, the social media world today can be rather unpredictable. Karthik Srinivasan, Social Media Expert and Communications Consultant advised the brand and tournament to act smartly and stay prepared. He said, “As long as the brand produces useful products (in this case, impressive phones, at good prices), I really doubt any other factor could affect its potential in the long run. The brand's primary function is to be useful to its target buyers. What's happening around the animosity between the two countries is beyond one brand's control. Unless the Indian Government completely bans Chinese-owned products (or services, like the way it did in the case of TikTok), I doubt there would be any material impact on the image of brands like Vivo. But, as we have seen that 'toolkits' are more widespread across the spectrum, there could be online campaigns mounted against the brand before or during the next IPL. But they would not matter to the larger world beyond social media.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Can the partnership backfire?" text="Can the partnership backfire?">Can the partnership backfire? </cmsannotation> Now that the border dispute between China-India has cooled off and the common people of India have moved on with their lives, experts think that the partnership can only backfire if the tension escalates. On whether BCCI can get into trouble again, Srinivasan answered, “I do not think so. Unless the Government finds that a well-known body like BCCI working with a Chinese-owned brand is negatively impacting their response to the border crisis and intervenes by asking BCCI not to go ahead with the sponsorship, I don't think it should matter much to Vivo. There could be some online backlash (which could be engineered, of course) against players who endorse the brand as part of the overall deal, but these should not affect the brand's actual standing.” Bijoor, on the other hand, predicts that ‘there’s a chance of this backfiring.’ He said, “It is all dependent on the strident voices on China and chinese brands. If tensions deepen, if at all, there is bound to be a reaction once again. And the sponsor shall pay, as shall IPL itself I guess.” Mathias said, “Geopolitics can have a serious impact on business. However, it is difficult to predict as for now the border tensions have cooled off. Should there be any escalation of tensions, this may become an issue but that’s the chance the BCCI is taking, knowing fully well that they will be able to pull in a last minute sponsor – as they did in 2020.” Despite the slowdown, IPL continued to attract strong consideration from advertisers in 2020. After observing silence for around a year, coming back as IPL’s title sponsor can add to Vivo’s growth and bring back consumer trust.

What does Vivo coming back as IPL's title sponsor mean for BCCI and the brand?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Halfway to the weekend! I hope you never face a layoff scare, but if you do we've got some help. A 20-year HR professional offered advice on what to do <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-do-immediately-when-layoff-rumors-start-2024-6">when the rumors of cutbacks start swirling</a>. (Save those personal docs!)In today's big story, we're looking at the latest controversy to embroil OpenAI <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-mess-concerns-over-nda-safety-sam-altman-2024-6">amid a difficult few months for the startup</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: Hedge funds' May report cards are in, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/may-hedge-fund-returns-citadel-trailed-rivals-while-schonfeld-surged-2024-6">an industry juggernaut faced a setback</a>.</li><li>Tech: This isn't your annoying aunt's Facebook; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-gen-z-young-adults-meta-plan-mark-zuckerberg-2024-6">it's now pitching Gen Z</a>.</li><li>Business: A certain group of Americans believe <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/golden-age-rich-renters-not-buying-home-price-new-apartment-2024-6">renting over buying is the way to go</a>.</li></ul>But first, oh how the tables have turned.<hr />If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><hr /><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">Up in arms over OpenAI</h2><div type="image" title="sam altman" height="950" width="1440" msid="110739192" hostid="261" sizebytes="167996"></div>The world's most high-profile startup has also become one of its most controversial.A small group of current and former OpenAI employees <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-employee-letter-google-deepmind-ai-risks-protections-2024-6">signed an open letter to tech companies</a> asking for more transparency and not to retaliate against workers who raise concerns about AI's power.While there was a sprinkling of Google DeepMind and Anthropic signees, the majority of the group were past and present OpenAI-ers. It marks another controversy for the startup that's been grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons.From public spats with Scarlett Johansson and Elon Musk to salty executive exits, Business Insider's Madeline Berg <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-mess-concerns-over-nda-safety-sam-altman-2024-6">has a full rundown on the chaos at OpenAI this year</a>.At the center is CEO Sam Altman, whose act is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-today-sam-altman-openai-silicon-valley-venture-capitalists-controversy-2024-3">wearing thin in certain tech circles</a>.Much of the outrage stems from a lack of guardrails around artificial general intelligence, or the idea that tech could ultimately outperform humans at various tasks and capabilities.OpenAI and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-scope-of-sam-altmans-future-ai-empire-open-ai-2024-3">Altman</a> have long sought to achieve AGI, but experts warn it could ultimately lead to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-think-ai-bring-next-industrial-revolution-trigger-nuclear-war-2023-2">humanity's extinction</a>.<div type="image" title="Sam Altman" height="3811" width="5593" msid="110739194" hostid="261" sizebytes="467328"></div>But how did things turn so quickly for OpenAI?I asked one venture investor who's spoken to multiple high-profile AI experts. Their takeaway was simple: OpenAI wants to have it both ways regarding how it's perceived about safety and commercialization.On the one hand, safety is built into the core of the startup. It's structured as a "capped-profit" company governed by a nonprofit, and Altman doesn't hold equity directly in OpenAI. The idea was for OpenAI to pursue building AGI that "<a target="_blank" href="https://openai.com/our-structure/">is safe and benefits all of humanity</a>."But the startup's commercial aspirations are clear. It's aggressively pushed out new models to compete with rivals and is reportedly considering <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-mulls-turning-openai-into-a-regular-company-2024-5">adjusting its structure to become a full-blown, for-profit company</a>. It also disbanded <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-ends-superalignment-team-manage-ai-risks-2024-5">the team responsible for mitigating AI risks</a>.The result, the VC told me, is people feel OpenAI is talking out of both sides of its mouth. In reality, they said, the split between OpenAI's focus on commercialization versus safety feels like it's more 95/5, respectively.It doesn't help that some OpenAI employees joined when that split was closer to 80/20 and favored safety over business, they added.The impetus for the increased focus on business isn't entirely clear. But the failed ouster of Altman, which included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-board-member-details-sam-altman-lied-allegation-ousted-2024-5">concerns over safety</a>, does seem like a turning point for the startup.Whatever the case, OpenAI can't keep trying to sit on both sides of the fence, according to the VC. The tensions are too high between commercial and safety aspirations to straddle the line and not expect more issues, they said.<hr /><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Izzy Englander, Millennium Management's founder and CEO." height="650" width="1300" msid="110739196" hostid="261" sizebytes="40054"></div><ol><li>All the top executives at Millennium Management. Izzy Englander's $64 billion hedge-fund behemoth has grown its leadership ranks considerably over the past decade. BI mapped out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennium-org-chart-top-executives-izzy-englander-2024-6">Millennium's 47 top executives across its 17 primary offices</a>.</li><li>Turns out Ken Griffin's Citadel is human after all. The $63 billion hedge fund's flagship fund was down 0.8% last month, several people told BI. Meanwhile, two of Schonfeld's funds enjoyed a strong month. Check out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/may-hedge-fund-returns-citadel-trailed-rivals-while-schonfeld-surged-2024-6">how the top multistrategy managers performed</a>.</li><li>Maybe we shouldn't celebrate GameStop's comeback. The resurgence in meme stocks is a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-meme-stocks-bad-sign-valuations-peak-gamestop-2024-6">bad sign for markets</a>, according to JPMorgan strategist Marko Kolanovic. He took issue with how valuations have remained so elevated and reiterated his gloomy stock view.</li></ol><hr /><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Mark Zuckerberg" height="1000" width="2000" msid="110739200" hostid="261" sizebytes="74656"></div><ol><li>Hello, youngs. Mark Zuckerberg would like a word. In an attempt to reach Gen Z, Facebook is leaning into TikTok-like discovery, and away from friends and family. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-gen-z-young-adults-meta-plan-mark-zuckerberg-2024-6">It's a strategy that might just work</a>.</li><li>Elon Musk diverted $500 million in AI processors from Tesla to X. The move, first reported by CNBC, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-sent-500-million-tesla-nvidia-chips-to-x-2024-6">could delay Tesla's development of autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots</a>. It highlights Musk's decision to "build products outside of Tesla" until he has 25% of voting control at the company.</li><li>Major Google exec makes a shock exit. Google's chief privacy officer, Keith Enright, is leaving the company after 13 years, and the company has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-privacy-chief-keith-enright-exit-2024-6">no plans to replace him</a>. His move comes as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-lawsuit">Google's privacy policies</a> have faced scrutiny.</li></ol><hr /><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="Gold apartment buildings with 'For Rent' signs and a sign reading '2 Months Free' with money falling" height="900" width="1200" msid="110739202" hostid="261" sizebytes="176086"></div><ol><li>Welcome to the golden age for rich renters. It's hard to buy a home right now, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/golden-age-rich-renters-not-buying-home-price-new-apartment-2024-6">some renters don't care</a>. They've found that instead of buying, they can rent a place with comped parking, boxing gyms, and rooftop pools. And compared to a down payment, the apartments feel like a bargain.</li><li>Meet the rising stars of sports betting and gaming. As the industry evolves and more states legalize gambling, new roles are being created to meet its growing demands. We profiled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-stars-sports-betting-and-gaming-at-draftkings-fanduel-more-2024-6">16 people who are driving growth in the field</a>, from responsible gaming to micro betting.</li><li>No more free internet for Shopify workers. Shopify said it will soon stop reimbursements for employees' internet costs and some other expenses, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopify-ends-internet-reimbursement-policy-other-employee-benefits-2024-6">according to internal docs seen by BI</a>. The expense was introduced during the pandemic, but unlike some of its peers, the company is still remote-first.</li></ol><hr /><h2 id="1ad7b482-3f4b-44b4-81b6-a864aa386478">In other news</h2><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-oliver-india-election-results-sliding-towards-authoritarianism-modi-2024-6">John Oliver warns India is 'sliding towards authoritarianism' as Modi declares victory in tighter-than-expected election</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jennifer-lopez-cancels-tour-slow-ticket-sales-concerts-prices-ticketmaster-2024-6">The Great Concert Ticket Bust</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-companies-us-business-students-want-to-work-for-2024-6">The 15 companies US business students most want to work for</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-video-generator-pika-funding-series-b-700-million-2024-6">Exclusive: AI video generator Pika is seeking a valuation as high as $700 million in new funding round</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/a/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=05f299ea5e1a4d8a9dd234b06730216c&amp;_e=HRxmESEJHGJRT8Nb77gyTCwJGhPNGwP27e7TrHt0Z9uqo-RJSIqJvI-uBRH-ritbitG11KgJw--Gl89psQZrr8q9RSew0YDfscgl9mwunvRo5Q6WYjLuHhg_KBe9fW8pHHHCbyw93EDOlziY7Fb-4PrzDZy9gJfucYff72XtfmqXMRwxQbahFbQ4d75GAuyCQKh7UDF9MJ0donb70j-xIi-d7mZ0n3WhfnGYWLAAxf20gRqyCYFUngbW5SorAPAKRIP8vdDUKUoAAv6shiCfCIiMjIveywIAl6OUpPeMfe8ERgd093sKcN0HCGG5bmZoUy0bNDInpl6UTy53Q3hQX95E8YASXo3ylyJM0m3nuDFekhg4cl4PuLZowpvvzcjpTCM_poDXX-02Ov2ff8rIGQ3CwJIsHcQuRryu16Yt0JjL2GyQc03_stYF_eHJcCdsk4tyTp1lgvQckngX0J2esw%3D%3D">Ad agency BENlabs has laid off staffers and named a new CEO as the company restructures</a>.</li></ul><hr /><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>SpaceX will attempt its fourth suborbital test launch of its prototype Starship vehicle.</li></ul><hr />The Insider Today team: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/jordan-parker-erb">Jordan Parker Erb</a>, editor, in New York. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/jack-sommers">Jack Sommers</a>, deputy editor, in London. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/george-glover">George Glover</a>, reporter, in London. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/annie-smith">Annie Smith</a>, associate producer, in London.

OpenAI is facing controversy. Again. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="13032544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indie-sleaze" source="Orion">Indie sleaze</keyword>" and "<keyword id="13765773" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="night-luxe" source="Orion">night luxe</keyword>" are <keyword id="11974765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gen-z" source="Orion">Gen Z</keyword>'s favorite aesthetics on TikTok right now.</li><li>One is a bit gritty, while the other is polished — but both romanticize urban party culture.</li></ul>You're in your early 20s on a Friday night: What are you wearing, and where are you going?Maybe you're posted up at a dark, swanky bar in a pair of strappy, sparkly Mach &amp; Mach heels, a Cult Gaia crystal-encrusted shoulder bag sitting next to a plate of oysters and an espresso martini in your hand.Or maybe you're tearing up the dance floor and shooting pool at a dive bar, wearing a graphic tee and a mohair cardigan, a cigarette dangling from your mouth.Gen Z is likely rocking one of these two distinct vibes, revived and rebranded as "night luxe" and "indie sleaze." One is the socialite, the other the hipster; both center on urban nightlife. Biz Sherbert, a culture specialist at the creative agency The Digital Fairy, described the former as "polished and luxurious" and the latter as "glittery and grimy."As is the case with most youth <keyword id="11893303" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion" source="Orion">fashion</keyword> trends of the 2020s, both aesthetics took off on TikTok, where #nightluxe has 22.9 million views and #indiesleaze has 18.5 million views.At a surface level, they seem to attract opposing crowds."One is stilettos and martinis and trying to look rich; the other is ripped tights and PBR and trying to look broke," Casey Lewis, a trend strategist who writes a Substack newsletter called After School, told Insider. "But they're both heavy on excess." Much like the revival of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-pink-gen-z-yellow-very-peri-orchid-flower-generational-colors-2022-1">colorful clothing</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-reviving-old-money-aesthetic-fashion-decor-sports-2021-10">maximalist interior design</a>, it's a quality that signals a hedonistic thirst — a desire to let loose after two years of economic distress and <keyword id="11896136" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic" source="Orion">pandemic</keyword> restrictions.In brightly hued tights or feather-trimmed skirts, Gen Zers are romanticizing pre-COVID party culture after the pandemic fast-tracked them into the pressures of adult life and deprived them of normal socialization and partying, Sherbert told Insider. As the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-laid-off-furloughed-coronavirus-job-market-2020-4">hardest-hit generation in the labor force</a> during the coronavirus recession, forced to attend college remotely and socialize through their phones, Gen Z is nostalgic for 4 a.m. last calls and liberation after last year's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/style/delta-variant-vaccine-covid-summer.html">failed Hot Vax Summer</a>.The reaction is an escape from an <keyword id="11893570" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy" source="Orion">economy</keyword> that stole <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-nostalgia-y2k-indie-sleaze-old-money-economic-response-2022-1">the first years of their adulthood</a> — and a stylish one at that.<h2>Hot Vax Summer 2.0 means partying like it's 1980 … or 1920</h2>Reminiscent of an American Apparel model headed to a dance club during the Tumblr era, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldloserinbrooklyn/video/7021634496009161989?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;q=%23indiesleaze&amp;t=1651074523917">indie sleaze hit TikTok last fall</a>. Mandy Lee, an analyst of Gen Z trends who goes by @oldloserinbrooklyn on TikTok, first pointed out the trend, identifying its hallmarks as provocative ads, amateur-style flash photography, and a rise in outdated technology like wired earphones.<a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/54603/1/wtf-is-indie-sleaze-comeback-tiktok-trend-y2k-chanel-saint-laurent-cobrasnake">Dazed's Daniel Rodgers described it</a> as "grubby, maximalist, and performatively vintage," while <a href="https://www.nylon.com/fashion/indie-sleaze-2000s-fashion-comeback">Nylon's India Roby likened it</a> to a mashup of a Brooklyn hipster, the '80s electronica club scene, and grunge."Indie sleaze feels very driven by nostalgia and the way we were living vicariously through vintage snapshots of parties past and wild nights out we didn't experience," Véronique Hyland, the fashion features director at Elle and author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dress-Code-Unlocking-Fashion-Millennial/dp/0063050838/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30JLG6Z97DTV1&amp;keywords=dress+code&amp;qid=1651008810&amp;sprefix=dre%2Caps%2C1065&amp;sr=8-1">Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink</a>," told Insider.The comeback of hipster grunge — which <a href="https://www.racked.com/2015/3/3/8134987/american-apparel-urban-outfitters-hipster-brands">millennials also revived</a> in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis — signals Gen Z's search for a simpler era, one uninhibited by social media and adult expenses."Indie sleaze serves as a somewhat painful reminder of the last gasp in time when it was possible to envision a future unscathed by the ravages of late capitalism," <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a38746992/the-return-of-indie-sleaze/">Isabel Slone wrote for Harper's Bazaar</a>, alluding to an economy that wasn't hindered by sky-high housing prices and inflation.A more recent emergence of nostalgia and hedonism, the put-together party vibe known as night luxe appeared this spring, identifiable on social media by chic nightlife photos cast under a darkened exposure. Slipping into a cab in a slinky black dress, sights set on cocktails and a night out with the girls — it's a modern-day take on the Roaring '20s, when people partied in an age of economic prosperity following a flu outbreak and a world war.In March, <a href="https://www.glossy.co/beauty/the-night-luxe-aesthetic-instagram-and-tiktoks-post-wellness-vibe-shift/">Glossy's Liz Flora declared</a> that night luxe had replaced the pastel, Instagram-driven wellness aesthetic that reigned supreme in the 2010s. Turning quarantine into a self-care obsession may have been the final nail in the coffin for the well-being mantras that influencers preached in recent years, while the shock of the pandemic made people question their dedication to work and what they want out of life. For the 20-something, that looks more like having a good time than self-optimization."There has definitely been a postpandemic shift away from burnout working culture," said <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucy.xjd/">Lucy Davies</a>, a 29-year-old microinfluencer whose TikTok and Instagram accounts are rife with moody lighting, wine glasses, fur coats, and Chanel accessories. "Whereas once images were perfectly curated, there is now a trend for blurry and more candid content of people having fun on a glamorous night out."<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccf5VH0s3RR" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Lucy Jane (@lucy.xjd)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>But Hyland isn't convinced that night luxe has taken hold outside of TikTok. "It may be one of those hyperspecific trends that feels like it's been concocted expressly for the platform," she said."But the opportunity to dress up and feel sophisticated is appealing after we burned out on sweatpants and tie-dye," she added, referring to the colorful '90s-inspired loungewear that became <a href="https://www.insider.com/gen-z-fashion-trends-that-baby-boomers-will-never-understand-2020-6">one of Gen Z's first fashion trends</a> to become popular on TikTok during lockdowns.Lewis, the trend strategist, says the unifying thread between night luxe and indie sleaze is an emphasis on after-hours and late-night opulence. Two years into the pandemic, "people are just so incredibly bored of sweats and athleisure and watching Netflix at home on the couch that they want whatever is the opposite of that," she said.She added: "After the Hot Girl Summer that wasn't, I think people just really want to party again. They want to have fun, and they want to do it in clothing that feels fun, a little messy, a little elegant."Hyland described dressing up for a night out after being cooped up as an embrace of fashion's social element. "Everyone wants to see and be seen," she said.

Party girls and grungy hipsters are taking over Gen Z fashion to reclaim Hot Vax Summer 2.0

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11974765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gen-z" source="Orion">Gen Z</keyword> brought back the maximalist <keyword id="13032544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indie-sleaze" source="Orion">indie sleaze</keyword> aesthetic of the mid-aughts.</li><li>Think American Apparel and flash photography: it's hipstery, a little grungy, and clubby.</li></ul>Another mid-aughts aesthetic has made a comeback thanks to Gen Z: indie sleaze.Millennials may know it as "hipster."Reminiscent of an American Apparel model headed to a dance club during the Tumblr era, the hedonistic style first appeared on TikTok last fall when Gen Z trend analyst Mandy Lee, known as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldloserinbrooklyn">old loser in Brooklyn</a> on the social app, declared it was resurging.Several outlets have since reported on the rise of the aesthetic. <a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/54603/1/wtf-is-indie-sleaze-comeback-tiktok-trend-y2k-chanel-saint-laurent-cobrasnake">Dazed Digital's Daniel Rodgers</a> described it as "grubby, maximalist, and performatively vintage," while <a href="https://www.nylon.com/fashion/indie-sleaze-2000s-fashion-comeback">Nylon's India Roby</a> likened it to a mashup between a Brooklyn hipster, the '80s electronica club scene, and grunge. Think Polaroid photos and party vibes, mohair cardigans and band t-shirts, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/12/style/smoking-cigarettes-comeback.html">cigarettes</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-fashion-trends-reviving-wired-headphones-airpods-finance-bro-2021-11">wired headphones</a>, Mary-Kate Olsen and Pete Doherty.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZISs2KLXCU" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Indie Sleaze (@indiesleaze)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>As is the case with most of the '90s and early 2000s trends Gen Z has recently revived, the aesthetic is a retaliation to the conspicuous wealth that emerged in the 2010s <keyword id="11893570" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy" source="Orion">economy</keyword>. Indie sleaze is an uncurated, hot mess — the opposite of the clean, minimal vibe of millennial productivity and influencing. This post-coronavirus recession rise of the hipster echoes the emergence of the Great Recession hipster in 2008, both fueled by a nostalgic search for an easier era.Indie sleaze also represents a thirst for fun after economic distress. <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/indie-sleaze-trend-comeback">Lee explained to Vogue</a> that people are craving community and creativity after lockdown. "I feel like with the indie sleaze subculture, 15 years ago, community, art, and music were so powerful," she said, "that's what brought people together."<h2>The post-recession hipster is back</h2>Gen Z's love for indie sleaze isn't just about reckless, post-lockdown euphoria. It's a search for a simpler era, one uninhibited by <keyword id="11895013" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media" source="Orion">social media</keyword> and adult expenses.As Isabel Slone wrote <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a38746992/the-return-of-indie-sleaze/">for Harper's Bazaar</a>, "Indie sleaze serves as a somewhat painful reminder of the last gasp in time when it was possible to envision a future unscathed by the ravages of late capitalism."The youth often becomes nostalgic during economic hardship, seeking comfort and connection. Such was the case for Gen Z, who is adjusting to the realities of adult life in the middle of a global health crisis. They were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-laid-off-furloughed-coronavirus-job-market-2020-4">the hardest-hit generation in the labor force</a> . Even a year into the pandemic, recent college grads were having the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-graduates-hardest-time-job-hunting-recession-2021-7">toughest time finding jobs</a>. Plus, many were forced to attend school remotely and socialize almost exclusively through their phones.<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldloserinbrooklyn/video/7021634496009161989" data-video-id="7021634496009161989" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@oldloserinbrooklyn" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldloserinbrooklyn">@oldloserinbrooklyn</a> Trend forecast: indie sleaze revival <a title="trendcycle" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/trendcycle">#trendcycle</a> <a title="nostalgia" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/nostalgia">#nostalgia</a> <a title="tumblrfashion" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tumblrfashion">#tumblrfashion</a> <a title="indiekid" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/indiekid">#indiekid</a> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Sex and the City (Main Theme) - TV Sounds Unlimited" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Sex-and-the-City-Main-Theme-6709415906423867393">♬ Sex and the City (Main Theme) - TV Sounds Unlimited</a> </section> </blockquote> As a coping mechanism, they reminisced about the '90s and early 2000s, when social media didn't yet exist, Michael Pankowski, the founder of the Gen Z marketing consulting firm <a href="https://www.crimsonconnection.net/">Crimson Connection</a>, previously <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-nostalgia-y2k-indie-sleaze-old-money-economic-response-2022-1">told Insider</a>. To them, that unplugged lifestyle is a novelty."While we love the internet, the pandemic's grave effect on in-person interaction has made the digital world basically all we have," he said. "So we feel nostalgic for a time before the internet had become so omnipresent."It's similar to the hipster take-off around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. While hipsterdom existed as far back as <a href="https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2014/julyaugust/feature/how-did-cool-become-such-big-deal-0">the late 1940s</a> in various iterations, the subculture was commodified during the Great Recession as college students began to lean toward "indie rock or '80s <keyword id="12019777" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nostalgia" source="Orion">nostalgia</keyword>," <a href="https://www.racked.com/2015/3/3/8134987/american-apparel-urban-outfitters-hipster-brands">as Racked put it</a> — elder millennials' way of seeking simpler times as the economy crumbled. Brands like American Apparel and Urban Outfitters <a href="https://www.racked.com/2015/3/3/8134987/american-apparel-urban-outfitters-hipster-brands">capitalized on the trend</a>, bringing it mainstream.It seems that when a recession hits, hipsters unite. This time, Gen Z is leading the way.

Gen Z brought post-recession hipster fashion back — rebranded as 'indie sleaze'

Polling began on Monday morning in 90 assembly constituencies of Haryana and during first over two hours poll percentage in the state was 7.44 per cent. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, officials said. As per the Election Commission data, brisk polling was going on in many districts. Among other districts, poll percentage in Jind was 7.91 per cent, <keyword id="57750" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhiwani">Bhiwani</keyword> 10.76 pc, Ambala 6.67 pc, Palwal 8.88 pc, Gurgaon 6.40 pc, Faridabad 6.10 pc, Mewat 10.24 pc, Rewari 6.79 pc, <keyword id="49507" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="rohtak">Rohtak</keyword> 9.80 pc, Hisar 11 pc and in <keyword id="53970" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnal">Karnal</keyword> district it was 5.92 pc. Panchkula district had the lowest polling percentage at 2.46 pc. As many as 1,169 candidates including 105 women of various political parties are contesting the election. The prominent figures include Chief Minister Manohar Lal <keyword id="900635" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Khattar">Khattar</keyword>, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, JJP's Dushyant Chautala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala. Haryana's lone woman minister Kavita Jain along with her husband and BJP leader Rajiv Jain and their two children, both first time voters, were among the early voters to cast vote in Sonipat. Chief Minister Khattar was travelling by a Jan Shatabdi train from Chandigarh to to cast his vote in Karnal from where he is seeking re-election. Dushyant Chautala rode a tractor to reach the polling booth in Sirsa along with his wife Meghna and MLA-mother Naina Chautala to cast their votes. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala along with his wife Gayatri exercised their right to franchise in Kaithal while Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja exercised her vote in Sirsa. Wrestler-turned-politician and BJP candidate from <keyword id="80511" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dadri">Dadri</keyword>, Babita Phogat also cast her vote from her native village in Bhiwani along with his father Mahavir Phogat and sister Geeta Phogat. Some contesting candidates also offered prayers at temples and other places of worship before casting their votes. The BJP led by Khattar has set a target of winning 75 seats, while the Congress is hoping to make a comeback following a change in guard in the state. Currently, the BJP has 48 members in the state assembly. As many as 19,578 polling stations have been set, including 13,837 in rural areas, Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, Anurag Agarwal said. Tight security arrangements have been made and over 75,000 security personnel have been mobilised for the polls, DGP Manoj Yadava said earlier. Over 1.83 crore voters are eligible to vote that includes 85 lakh women, over one lakh service voters and 252 transgenders. This time, out of total eligible voters, over 89 lakh young voters are under 40 years of age and there are also over 3.82 lakh voters, many of them first-timers, who fall in the age group of 18-19 years. As many as 27,611 voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines are being used for the polls. CEO Agarwal said that webcasting would be done at 3,100 critical and vulnerable polling stations in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Khattar and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has appealed to people to come out and vote in large numbers. In the polls, Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is hoping for an improvement in its prospects following the debacle in Lok Sabha election, in which Bharatiya Janata Party had won all the 10 seats in the state. The JJP had emerged on the scene following a feud in the Chautala clan in December last year. The BSP, AAP, INLD-SAD combine, Swaraj India and the Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) have thrown their hat into the ring, though none of them is fighting on all 90 seats. Prominent amongst those in the contest are Chief Minister Khattar (Karnal), former chief minister and Congress Legislative Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Garhi Sampla-Kiloi) and Randeep Singh Surjewala (Kaithal). The BJP has fielded three sportspersons -- Babita Phogat (Dadri), Yogeshwar Dutt (Baroda in Sonipat) and Sandeep Singh (Pehowa) -- besides TikTok star Sonali Phogat (Adampur). Prestige of families of Haryana's famous 'Lals' -- Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal, who were former chief ministers--is at stake. Late Bansi Lal's daughter-in-law Kiran Choudhary (Tosham) and son Ranbir Mahendra (Badhra) are contesting as Congress candidates. Devi Lal's great grandson and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan) and granddaughter-in-law Naina Chautala (Badhra) are fighting as JJP candidates. Devi Lal's grandson and former chief minister O P Chautala's son Abhay Singh Chautala is fighting as INLD candidate (from Ellenabad). Late Bhajan Lal's sons Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur) and Chander Mohan (Panchkula) are in the fray as Congress nominees. While BJP denied tickets to 12 of its 48 sitting legislators including two Ministers, the Congress retained its sitting legislators while the INLD saw its prominent faces switching over to the BJP, the Congress and the JJP. In the 2014 assembly polls, the BJP for the first time came to power in Haryana on its own winning 47 seats. It won the Jind bypolls earlier this year, taking its total strength in the state assembly to 48. The INLD had 19 MLAs while the Congress has 17 legislators. The BSP and the SAD had bagged one seat each in the last polls while five were Independents.

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