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Happy Tuesday, TFP! In the latest TikTok-ban drama, the US Court of Appeals denied TikTok’s injunction request on the ban that goes into effect January 19th. So, TikTok is making one last legal Hail Mary by filing an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. Things are down to the wire… and rivals are circling the throne, which we detail more below.

Mark Shuttleworth, the CEO of software company Canonical (the developer of the Ubuntu operating system), is starting his next act as an ecotourism boss by doling out payments to the entire population of the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe for keeping it beautiful.

The Big Picture: Finding a pristine tropical paradise that’s also accessible to tourists is difficult in the modern era. Shuttleworth hopes that São Tomé and Príncipe not only fulfill that quest but also create a sustainable economic ecosystem that doesn’t ruin what made him fall in love with it — a controversial model that could roll back encroaching development at vacation hotspots all over the world.

Between the Palm Trees: Shuttleworth, who’s purchased and been renovating four hotels on the 55-square-mile island, wants to make sure his investment pays off for centuries to come.

Final Destination: Shuttleworth understands that his critics will smear this plan as an outsider creating a techno state that trades money for surveillance and data (fair), but he counters that it’s also underwriting the preservation of a healthy natural ecosystem that makes every citizen a paid stakeholder (also fair). Its success may hinge on how fully booked those hotels are over the coming years.

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Snapchat is getting ready for TikTok’s impending exit from the US with a unified creator-monetization program for its Stories and Spotlight features.

Why It Hits: TikTok’s ban will leave a hole in the social media and creator economy ecosystem. Prepare for Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to wage an all-out war for cultural dominance… and advertiser dollars.

Behind the Curtain: Does Snapchat have what it takes to fill TikTok’s shoes?

The Future: Snapchat reports that its platform has rapidly been transforming from a private chat-and-video platform to a more creator-forward public one. That really kicked off with the million-dollar lottery for Spotlight in 2021. Over the past year, Spotlight viewership has jumped 25% (there’s no more lottery, sadly), and public video posts have tripled. At this pace, Snap could grow to reach the same… well, reach… of YouTube and Instagram.

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69% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Would you consider leaving a job if your perks were removed?

“Perks (a ton of benefits) are a big reason I don’t leave my company. Many others are not competitive. If those benefits went away, what’s keeping me from the competition?”

“Absolutely. I know some folks who’ve intentionally gotten jobs at Netflix specifically because of the family planning/maternity leave benefits. That workplace is so toxic. Why stay then?”

“If the perks were part of the initial job offer and hiring packet, I would definitely consider leaving and actually consider that a breach of contract.”

“It certainly depends on what those perks were. Removing free fruit from the pantry isn’t worth leaving, but other more significant cuts can start to affect how you feel about a workplace and how it values its employees.”

“I’ve never had a job with ‘perks.’ Happy to earn a paycheck.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

💰 SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son joined President-elect Donald Trump to announce a $100 billion investment in US projects over the next four years.

🤖 OpenAI is launching its ChatGPT search feature for all users.

🚗 A new rideshare service called Empower is growing in Washington, D.C., to compete with Uber and Lyft… but it’s operating illegally.

🤳 YouTube is allowing creators to let third-party AI platforms scrape their videos for training data (to what end is impossible to understand).

📷 Instagram is Spotify-Wrapping itself with a year-end recap collage feature.

💨 Millions of people have left X for Bluesky. Millions more are estimated to leave next year.

👰‍♀️ WHP Global, the parent company of brands such as Bonobos and Toys “R” Us, is nearing a deal to buy wedding-dress maker Vera Wang.

🛍️ A new survey by Coefficient Capital and The New Consumer found that 45% of Americans have bought something from TikTok Shop — more than SHEIN and Sephora.

📦 What’s with all the boxes littering retail store aisles? Insider went on the case.