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Tech Groups Push Back Against Texas’ Controversial New Social Media Law
Kristin Snyder
Kristin Snyder is dot.LA's 2022/23 Editorial Fellow. She previously interned with Tiger Oak Media and led the arts section for UCLA's Daily Bruin.
Two groups representing social media giants are trying to block a Texas law protecting users’ political social media content.
NetChoice—whose members include the Culver City-based video-sharing app TikTok—and the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court, the Washington Post reported Friday. HB 20, which went into effect Wednesday, allows residents who believe they were unfairly censored to sue social media companies with over 50 million U.S. users. Tech companies would also have to integrate a system for users to oppose potential content removal.
The law, which was initially signed by Governor Greg Abbott in September, was previously barred by a federal district judge but was lifted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. NetChoice and CCIA claim the law violates the First Amendment and seek to vacate it by filing the application with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.
“[The law] strips private online businesses of their speech rights, forbids them from making constitutionally protected editorial decisions, and forces them to publish and promote objectionable content,” NetChoice counsel Chris Marchese said in a statement.
The two lobbying groups also represent Facebook, Google and Twitter. The latter is undergoing its own censorship conundrum, as Elon Musk has made it a central talking point in his planned takeover.
Tech companies and policymakers have long clashed on social media censorship—a similar law was blocked in Florida last year, though Governor Ron DeSantis still hopes it will help in his fight against Disney. In the wake of the 2021 insurrection in the capital, Democratic lawmakers urged social media companies to change their platforms to prevent fringe political beliefs from gaining traction.
Conservative social media accounts like Libs of TikTok have still managed to gain large followings, and a number of right-wing platforms have grown from the belief that such sentiments lead to censorship.
Having citizens enforce new laws seems to be Texas’ latest political strategy. A 2021 state law allows anyone to sue clinics and doctors who help people get an abortion, allowing the state to restrict behavior while dodging responsibility.
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Kristin Snyder
Kristin Snyder is dot.LA's 2022/23 Editorial Fellow. She previously interned with Tiger Oak Media and led the arts section for UCLA's Daily Bruin.
https://twitter.com/ksnyder_db
ServiceTitan Reportedly Files for IPO at a Possible $18 Billion Valuation
05:57 PM | January 25, 2022
Photo by Konstantin Evdokimov on Unsplash
ServiceTitan—which has parlayed its field service software for contractors into one of Southern California’s most valuable tech startups—has reportedly confidentially filed for an initial public offering, Business Insider reported Tuesday.
The Glendale-based firm is said to be pursuing a valuation as high as $18 billion via an IPO sometime this year—though the report cautioned that both the timing and valuation could change. At that figure, ServiceTitan would rank among the five-most valuable venture capital-backed businesses in Southern California, according to Pitchbook data.
Reuters previously reported that ServiceTitan had begun preparing for an IPO last fall.
ServiceTitan’s software offers back-office tools for a wide range of service industries, from plumbing and landscaping to pest control and HVAC. It has grown in part by gobbling up other businesses, such as landscaping software provider Aspire and pest control-focused platforms ServicePro and, earlier this month, FieldRoutes.
The startup—founded in 2012 by Armenian immigrants Ara Mahdessian and Vahe Kuzoyan—has also secured venture funding at a prolific rate. ServiceTitan has raised a total of $1.1 billion in capital to date, according to PitchBook data—most recently a $200 million Series G round that closed last June. At the time, the firm pegged its valuation at $9.5 billion.
ServiceTitan’s investors include prominent venture capital firms Tiger Global and Sequoia, as well as private equity firms Thoma Bravo and Arena Holdings. Santa Monica-based VC firm Mucker Capital is also among ServiceTitan’s backers.
Representatives for ServiceTitan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Business Insider report.
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Harri Weber
Harri is dot.LA's senior finance reporter. She previously worked for Gizmodo, Fast Company, VentureBeat and Flipboard. Find her on Twitter and send tips on L.A. startups and venture capital to harrison@dot.la.
This Skin Serum Has 32 Million TikTok Views and Sold Out in Stores — Thanks to Influencers
05:05 AM | May 04, 2023
COSRX Snail Mucin on TikTok
Skincare company COSRX first launched The Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, a serum meant to hydrate skin, in 2014. But it wasn’t until influencers began posting tutorials on how to use it, sharing reviews and showing off how it has impacted their skin that the product went viral last year: #AdvancedSnail96 has over 2 million views on TikTok, and #COSRXSnailMucin has over 32 million.
As word spread, COSRX was inundated with sales. The product quickly became the 8th most-sold beauty and personal care product on Amazon in the first quarter of 2023.
Behind the scenes, COSRX had to work with its manufacturing company to ramp up production. The company also implemented just-in-time inventory management, which involved quickly producing products as soon as raw materials were delivered, in order to avoid the product being out-of-stock.
“Ultimately, when a product goes viral, it’s important to act quickly and strategically to meet demand and capitalize on its popularity,” says COSRX’s PR and communications manager Hyein Lee.
From there, Lee says the company looks at how it can expand the product to new markets, including developing relationships with distributors and meeting country-specific regulatory requirements.
But even before its snail mucin product went viral, COSRX benefited from influencers recommending its products. Lee says the company had very limited ad spend, so cultivating relationships with content creators by gifting products helped the company gain recognition through word of mouth.
“This was incredibly effective as the recommendations came from an organic source people could trust and this in turn translated into brand confidence,” Lee says.
Now, COSRX uses TikTok as an educational tool for fans of the brand. Marketing campaigns like #SlapSnail and #LayerYourSPF, two categories that have gained 181 million and 173 million views respectively, teach viewers how to strengthen their skin barrier and properly layer sunscreen. COSRX’s TikTok account has over 165,000 followers, and the brand’s hashtag has over one billion views.
Just last week, COSRX tapped Ivana Slobadanik, a beauty influencer, to host its livestream shopping event with cosmetics chain Ulta Beauty. Slobadanik informed viewers about COSRX's viral Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and Advanced Snail 92 All-in-one Cream on a stream hosted by Ulta’s website, and 10 viewers were gifted The Vitamin C 23 Serum. Lee says they selected Slobadanik for her extensive skincare knowledge and working with influencers for events like this one can help build brand trust.
“By staying engaged and responsive,” Lee says. “We strive to prioritize product innovation and quality, hand in hand with our users.”
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Kristin Snyder
Kristin Snyder is dot.LA's 2022/23 Editorial Fellow. She previously interned with Tiger Oak Media and led the arts section for UCLA's Daily Bruin.
https://twitter.com/ksnyder_db
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