Daily TEA – Amazon Kills Chime, Binance Back on Track & More

AI Censorship, Crypto, Creator Woes, Amazon’s Retreat, and AI Audiobooks

Feb 21, 2025

Hello, dear TEA-mates! ☕ Here’s what you missed today:

1. 🧹 Perplexity Scrubs CCP Censorship & Propaganda

AI search startup Perplexity says it has removed all traces of CCP censorship and propaganda from its results after being accused of filtering responses based on CCP-China’s censorship rules. The company now claims its AI models no longer use CCP-influenced sources to avoid spreading biased information. This move comes amid growing concerns about AI model integrity and government influence.

(Sherwood News)

2. 💰 Binance.US Restores USD Deposits & Withdrawals

After months of disruption, Binance.US has resumed fiat deposits and withdrawals for U.S. customers, partnering with a new payment processor. The exchange faced regulatory hurdles and banking cutoffs last year, making it difficult for users to access their funds. Does this mark a key step in Binance’s efforts to regain trust and stabilize its U.S. operations?

(The Block)

3. 📉 Patreon: “For You” Feeds Aren’t for Creators

Patreon is warning creators that algorithm-driven “For You” feeds aren’t designed to boost creator visibility. Unlike TikTok and Instagram, where algorithms help surface new content, Patreon’s version prioritizes user behavior and recommendations, often leaving independent creators struggling to reach new audiences. No wonder engagement on social platforms has been nosediving lately.

(TechCrunch)

4. 🚪 Amazon Pulls the Plug on Chime

Amazon is shutting down Chime, its video conferencing competitor to Zoom, after years of struggling to gain market share. Launched in 2017, Chime failed to stand out against established players like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. The company will phase out the service over the coming months. Another Amazon project bites the dust.

(TechCrunch)

5. 🎙️ Spotify Uses AI to Narrate Audiobooks

Spotify is rolling out AI-generated audiobook narration, partnering with ElevenLabs to produce lifelike voiceovers for its audiobook collection. The goal? Make audiobooks cheaper and faster to produce while still maintaining high-quality narration. This move is part of Spotify’s broader AI expansion strategy.

(The Verge)

Bonus Tip for Using ChatGPT-o1

ChatGPT Founder Shares The Anatomy Of The Perfect Prompt Template

Goal → Return Format → Warnings → Context Dump.

The game-changer? That context dump. “We won't see each other for weeks, so uniqueness really counts” hits different than just "unique places please."

Here's a fun tip:

When AI gives you bland responses, share your story like you're chatting with a buddy! For example, you can pop this handy screenshot into the chat and say something like "Hey, could you help me craft a prompt following this awesome template for what I'm working on?" It's that easy! 😊