The wait is over for Taylor Swift fans. Tickets for T-Swift's "Reputation" stadium tour are officially on sale, and Ticketmaster is helping her fight the fraud bots. Together, the pair created an exclusive program called "Taylor Swift Tix". Amy Howe, COO at Ticketmaster joined us to discuss how it not only helps the company and the artist, but also the fans.
One problem plaguing the ticket industry is scalpers and fraudulent bots. The goal of the exclusive program is to ensure tickets get directly into the hands of fans. Ticketmaster issued a warning about unofficial sellers who offer to sell tickets before they even have them.
Howe also touched on Ticketmaster's collaboration with the NFL. With the NFL playoffs around the corner, Ticketmaster is working to make sure fans get access to tickets using its 100% Verified Tickets platform, which ensures the ticket is real. The deal also marks a transition to the first fully digital ticketing system in sports.
Verizon is teaming with Amazon's Project Kuiper low-orbit satellites to help improve communications and internet connectivity. Sampath Sowmyanarayan, chief revenue officer for Verizon Business, joined Cheddar to talk about the relationship with Amazon and what customers can expect from the strategic partnership. He noted that the 5G expansion via the satellite network will benefit rural communities where internet and wireless access remains difficult.
Social media platforms TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube are facing questions in DC about consumer protections, data security, and product safety for young users. Emily Birnbaum, tech lobbying and influence reporter at Politico, joined Cheddar to provide some background into what led to the congressional hearing and the potential outcome. Birnbaum noted that social media platforms have been attempting to distance themselves from Facebook and the ongoing bad press it garnered in recent months.
Cisco's Webex Hologram is looking to transform workspaces with augmented reality technology. Jeetu Patel, EVP and general manager of security and collaboration at Cisco, joined Cheddar to provide some details about the virtual workspace and discuss the industries that might benefit most from it. "We're in the era of flexibility and choice and inclusivity, where people want to make sure that they can work on their terms so that they've got complete flexibility in how they structure the day," Patel said.
Apple could soon face a Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit after intensifying its probe into the tech giant, according to a report. The added scrutiny comes after the tech giant had already faced questioning in Washington and concluded an antitrust case brought by Epic Games.
John Nosta, WHO Technology Expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss evolving technology in the healthcare industry and the role 5G is playing in advancing healthcare delivery.
A stacked week of earnings this week as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and several others gear up to release their quarterly results. Earnings have so far exceeded expectations despite supply chain concerns and the ongoing pandemic. Daniel Newman, Futurum Research principal analyst, tells Cheddar which companies he's paying attention to this week.
Last week, shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp skyrocketed after following Former Present Trump's announcement that he would be partnering with the company as part of a Special Purpose Acquisition Company, or SPAC. Christian Munafo, Chief Investment Officer of Liberty Street Advisors and portfolio Manager of the Private Shares Fund broke down the latest, including whether or not Wall Street is currently experiencing a SPAC boom.
