13 Most TRAGIC Tech Fails that need to DIE

Summary

The video discusses major tech failures, highlighting Fitbit's delayed recall, Bumble's leadership changes and mishandled redesign, Meta's Threads app's inability to sustain its initial success, the collapse of the vertical farming startup Bowy, and Honey's controversial practices of stealing affiliate commissions. Each story showcases a critical misstep or missed opportunity in the tech world, with far-reaching consequences for the companies involved. The video also introduces Incog, a service designed to help users protect their personal data from being sold by data brokers, providing a timely solution to the growing privacy concerns.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fitbit faced a $12.25 million fine for failing to recall faulty devices after reports of injuries surfaced.
• 😀 Bumble's controversial redesign, allowing men to message first, led to backlash and a sharp decline in stock value.
• 😀 After a significant CEO change, Bumble's share price dropped by $700 million, prompting the return of founder Whitney Wolfe Herd as CEO in March 2025.
• 😀 Meta's Threads app had a huge initial success, gaining 70 million signups in the first 2 days, but struggled to retain users due to lack of essential features like search and hashtags.
• 😀 Threads couldn't overtake Twitter due to its failure to provide a clear alternative for users, leading to a drop in its user base despite 100 million daily active users.
• 😀 Bowy, a vertical farming startup, promised massive productivity and water savings but collapsed after a pathogen wiped out its crops in 2024.
• 😀 Bowy's innovative farming system couldn't withstand contamination due to its closed-loop irrigation, which allowed the disease to spread rapidly.
• 😀 Honey, a browser extension acquired by PayPal for $4 billion, was exposed for stealing affiliate revenue from content creators and providing inferior coupon codes intentionally.
• 😀 Honey's deceptive practices led to significant public backlash, including a class action lawsuit and a loss of trust from influencers and consumers.
• 😀 Data brokers selling personal information have been responsible for numerous scams, as seen in an example where a scammer tried to contact a person by purchasing their data.
• 😀 Incog, a data protection service, helps individuals remove their personal data from data brokers, preventing spam and potential scams.

Q & A

What was the major issue with Fitbit's recall of the Fitbit Ionic?

The major issue was that Fitbit waited for 115 victims to be injured before issuing the recall, even though they were initially aware of the device's risk. This delay led to a $12.25 million fine for Fitbit as a civil penalty.

What is the unique selling point of Bumble, and how did it lead to its success?

Bumble's unique selling point was that it allowed women to message first, offering a safer and more controlled experience for women in online dating. This feature led to its rapid growth, surpassing Tinder in U.S. downloads.

Why did the CEO of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Herd, step down, and how did it impact the company?

Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down as CEO in January 2024 and was succeeded by Lydian Jones. Under her leadership, Bumble introduced a feature allowing men to message first, which led to a marketing disaster and a nearly 50% drop in the company's stock value.

What was the controversial marketing campaign launched by Bumble in 2024?

Bumble launched a bizarre marketing campaign with a billboard telling women that if they gave up on dating, they would become nuns. This campaign was widely criticized and led to public apologies from the company.

What happened to the Threads app launched by Meta in 2023?

Threads quickly became the fastest-growing app in history with 70 million sign-ups in its first two days but failed to retain users. Its unfinished features, such as the lack of trending topics and search functionality, made the app feel aimless, leading users to return to Twitter/X.

Why did Threads fail to maintain its user base despite its initial success?

Threads failed to maintain its user base because it was released prematurely to capitalize on the Twitter drama, but it lacked essential features like trending topics, hashtags, and search. As a result, users returned to Twitter/X due to its more established functionality.

What led to the downfall of Bowery, the vertical farming startup?

Bowery's downfall was caused by a plant-eating pathogen that spread rapidly due to the company's closed-loop irrigation system. With all plants sharing the same water, the contamination quickly spread, leading to the company's collapse in November 2024 after struggling to recover financially.

What claims did Bowery make about its vertical farming system, and how did it fall short?

Bowery claimed its indoor vertical farms were 100 times more productive and used 95% less water than traditional farming methods. However, when faced with a pathogen, their system failed, causing the company to shut down due to the widespread contamination and financial strain.

How did Honey's browser extension become involved in a major controversy?

Honey was accused of stealing affiliate revenue from content creators by replacing their affiliate links with Honey's own, which deprived the creators of their earnings. Additionally, Honey was found to deliberately provide inferior coupon codes, harming consumer trust.

What is the data broker industry, and how does it affect consumers?

The data broker industry collects and sells personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, and interests. This can lead to unwanted spam or even scams, as companies purchase and use this data for targeted marketing or malicious activities.