WEEK STARTING DECEMBER 10
It's that time of year again, where everyone says "it's that time of year again". Ho ho ho:
AUSTRALIAN FINTECH & STARTUPS
Neobank 'Up' launches 'Up Payments'. Huge milestone, considering other neobanks have highly limited (essentially pre-paid card) capabilities
Amazon, Facebook, Google, OAuth asked the Aus Government to review the Assistance & Access (AA) bill. The (insanely controversial) bill allows the Govt to access encrypted communications e.g. to track the communications of a terrorist organisation, but has serious implications regarding the right to privacy and freedom of expression
Banking software company, Temenos, acquired Avoka for $245m
BIG TECH
Google's CEO appeared in front of Congress, a la Zuckerberg earlier this year. He had to explain why a photo of Donald Trump appears when you search "idiot" in Google, amongst other things. You can't script this...
French protesters, gilets jaunes ('yellow jackets') robbed and vandalised the Bordeaux Apple Store
Uber Eats might start 'Uber Eats Pool'. Idea being if you join in the same venue as someone else's order, you get a discount, because the rider only has to do a single trip
Uber and Lyft are racing each other to IPO
POTPOURRI
Mobile phones were banned from Primary Schools
The highly-instagrammable 'Wedding Cake Rock', is getting a new fence
Pew Research: Social media has surpassed Newspaper as Americans' primary news source
TRIVIA
(a) What does BSB stand for?
(b) Which word, means "relating to the motion of projectiles" or "very angry"?
(c) Which body of water, bearing the name of a country, borders 5 US states?
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My report is still in progress, so it might be next week. I hope you're having an incredible Silly Season and, if you're not on leave already, looking forward to the final week before year end!
Feedback is warmly welcomed @ james.david.grafton@gmail.com
Have a cracking weekend.
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