Facebook developed a virtual reality app called Horizon Workrooms that offers remote workers the ability to collaborate in the same virtual space. The app will work with the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset and allow users holding meetings as avatar versions of themselves. Global spending on AR and VR, a market that is largely unsaturated, is expected to jump more than sixfold in 2024 as more companies adopt the technology.

Facebook pushes VR for remote work but practicality, cost and nausea may stand in its way - The Washington Post

Virtual Reality Lets You Travel Anywhere—New or Old - Wired

@MikeIsaac: a weird thing happened over the past nine months: millions of people actually got into VR (including companies buying headsets for employees) after years of fizzled hype cycles, is mainstream virtual reality….*actually* around the corner?

U.S. stock futures retreated Friday and left the index on track for its biggest weekly loss since mid-June. The data followed jobless claims hitting a pandemic-era low last week, offering investors a sign that the jobs market is improving despite worries over the delta variant. Still, the pace of COVID-19 hospitalizations is surging, especially among children and adults under 50.

Alabama Hospitals Have Run Out Of ICU Beds As COVID-19 Cases Surge - NPR

65% of workers are looking for a new job, and the numbers could get higher - CNBC

The Federal Aviation Administration is calling for more than $500,000 in fines against 34 airline passengers accused of disrupting flights – pushing total civil penalties for the year upwards of $1 million. The FAA summaries portrayed passengers determined not to wear masks, vaping and behaving abusively toward other travelers and airline crews.

United Airlines reminds crew not to restrain unruly passengers with duct tape - The Guardian

@FAA_Steve: Airline passengers: $1M in fines = zero tolerance for bad behavior. #FlySmart

The owner of Saks Fifth Avenue is converting parts of department stores into coworking spaces, a strategy that marries the popularity of remote work with the struggles of brick-and-mortar retail. With more businesses looking toward a hybrid work model, franchise partnerships have risen by 350% in the first half of the year.

Commercial real estate firms, co-working companies join forces" - Marketplace

Co-Working Giants Turn to Franchising Model in Era of Remote Work - Skift

Boulder's co-working scene is booming - Boulder Weekly

OnlyFans, the online creator platform known for its adult content, will ban sexually explicit videos starting in October. OnlyFans exploded in popularity during the pandemic, attracting more than 130 million users, but struggles to find investors despite the company never once mentioning porn in its pitch-deck – something multiple investors called “disingenuous.”

OnlyFans promotes its SFW app as it seeks funding at a $1B+ valuation - TechCrunch

Sex Sells, but Startup Investors Are NSFW-Wary of OnlyFans - Insider

@Misyrlena: Spoke to OnlyFans content creators about the financial implications of the company’s latest decision to ban sexually explicit content. “The interpretation for most sex workers is you’re being basically pushed out”

"Cutting off jobless benefits early may have hurt state economies." - The New York Times, Aug. 20, 2021 / Source: Earnin via Coombs, et al.

CONTENT FACTS

Turbine Labs has tracked 19,399 media articles and blogs and 19,928 social media posts over the last 24 hours.

The next Turbine Labs Leadership briefing will be delivered on Monday, August 23, at 9:30AM ET.

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