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Clubhouse (app)

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Not to be confused with Clubhouse Software.
Clubhouse
Original author(s)Paul Davison, Rohan Seth[1]
Developer(s)Alpha Exploration Co.
Initial releaseApril 2020
Stable release
Android1.0.33 / April 7, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-04-07)
iOS1.0.46 / March 22, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-03-22)
Operating systemiOS
Websitejoinclubhouse.com

Clubhouse is an invitation-only audio-chat iPhone app launched in April 2020 by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth of Alpha Exploration Co.[2] that offers room for discussions between two or more speakers. In May 2020, the social networking app was valued at nearly $100 million.[3][4] On January 21, 2021, the valuation reached $1 billion.[5]

History

Clubhouse launched on iOS in April 2020.[6] The app gained popularity in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic—especially after a May 2020 $12 million Series A investment ($10 million in primary capital and a $2 million purchase of existing shares) from venture firm Andreessen Horowitz.[7][8] As of December 2020, the app had 600,000 registered users and remained accessible only by invitation.[4] In January 2021, the company announced that it would begin working on an Android application "soon".[9]

Clubhouse app technology runs on the platform of Agora.io, an audio tech startup in Shanghai, China, which went public via an IPO on June 21, 2020.[10]

Clubhouse grew significantly in popularity after Elon Musk was interviewed by the GOOD TIME club in January 2021.[11][12][13][14] On February 10, 2021, Musk tweeted that he agreed to do Clubhouse with Kanye West.[15] On February 13, 2021, Musk tweeted at the official account of Russian president Vladimir Putin asking for a conversation via Clubhouse.[16][17]

The app was not widely used in Germany until January 2021, when German podcast hosts Philipp Klöckner and Philipp Gloeckler started an invite-chain over a Telegram group, bringing German influencers, journalists and politicians to the platform.[18]

As it was not censored and blocked by China until early February 2021,[19] Clubhouse attracted quite a number of Chinese users to discuss various topics, including politically sensitive topics, such as protests in Hong Kong and the political status of Taiwan.[20][21][22][23] On February 8, 2021, the app was blocked in mainland China.[24][25]

In early 2021, Clubhouse ranked first among free apps on Apple's App Store in Japan.[26]

In March 2021, Oman has forbidden the application because "it was operating without a proper license".[27]

Android open-source version

The creator and former developer of VKontakte for Android, Grigory Klyushnikov, created an open-source version of the Clubhouse application for Android OS and published it on GitHub.[28][29]

Privacy policy issues

The application creates shadow profiles of people who have never used the application before but are in the contacts of people using it. In addition Clubhouse records conversations in private rooms.[30]

In February 2021 Germany’s largest consumer protection organisation, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, called on Clubhouse operator Alpha Exploration Co. to cease and desist from what it referred to as "illegal business practices and data protection violations".[31]

Features

Clubhouse features a wide variety of clubs and virtual rooms with conversations on diverse topics, for example talk shows, music, networking, dating, performances, and political discussions.[4] The app has celebrity users including Drake, Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish, who host virtual conversations on Clubhouse.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Clubhouse Is The New FOMO-Inducing Social App To Know, Eni. "Subair". Vogue UK. Archived from the original on 2021-01-07. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  2. ^ "Clubhouse app: what is it and how do you get an invite to the exclusive audio app?". theguardian.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Ari Levy,Salvador (2020-05-20). "Silicon Valley is going crazy for Clubhouse, a social media app with 1,500 users that's already worth $100 million". CNBC. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c Lorenz, Taylor (2020-12-23). "Clubhouse Makes Way for Influencers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  5. ^ Hogan, Bruce (2021-02-05). "Clubhouse Statistics". SoftwarePundit. Retrieved 2021-02-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Burch, Sean. "Behind Clubhouse, the Invite-Only App Connecting Hollywood and Silicon Valley During the Pandemic". The Wrap. Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  7. ^ Konrad, Alex. "Andreessen Horowitz Wins VC Sweepstakes To Back Clubhouse, Voice App Still In Beta, At $100 Million Valuation". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  8. ^ Griffith, Erin; Lorenz, Taylor (2020-05-19). "The Hot New Thing in Clubby Silicon Valley? An App Called Clubhouse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  9. ^ Hall, Stephen (2021-01-25). "When is Clubhouse coming to Android?". 9to5Google. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  10. ^ Lyons, Kim (2021-02-14). "Clubhouse says it will improve security after researchers raise China spying concerns". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  11. ^ "Elon Musk busts Clubhouse limit, fans stream to YouTube, he switches to interviewing Robinhood CEO". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  12. ^ Ryan, Jackson. "Elon Musk talks Mars, Neuralink and Dogecoin in surprise Clubhouse interview". CNET. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  13. ^ Newton, Casey (2021-02-01). "Elon Musk just showed how Clubhouse can succeed". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  14. ^ Dailey, Natasha (2021-02-01). "Clubhouse stock skyrocketed after Elon Musk tweeted about an unrelated social media app of the same name". Business Insider France (in French). Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  15. ^ "Elon Musk says he and Kanye West are going to go on Clubhouse together". February 11, 2021.
  16. ^ Betz, Bradford (February 13, 2021). "Elon Musk asks Putin if he wants to have a conversation on Clubhouse". FOXBusiness.
  17. ^ Shalvey, Kevin. "Elon Musk used Twitter to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to join him for a chat on Clubhouse". Business Insider.
  18. ^ "Wie zwei deutsche Digital-Nerds den aktuellen Clubhouse-Hype ins Rollen gebracht haben". Daily (in German). Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  19. ^ Buzzy new social media app Clubhouse appears to have been blocked in China Sam Shead, CNBC, FEB 8 2021
  20. ^ Michelle, Chan (5 February 2021). "Chinese flock to freewheeling US chat app Clubhouse". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Clubhouse is blowing up in China". protocol. February 2, 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  22. ^ Cadell, Cate; Li, Pei (2021-02-07). "Chinese users flock to U.S. chat app Clubhouse, evading censors". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-02-07.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ @DFRLab (2021-02-17). "Op-Ed: Why a weekend spent on Clubhouse was monumental for many Chinese users". Medium. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  24. ^ "Clubhouse no longer accessible in China". Technode. 8 February 2021.
  25. ^ Qin, Amy; Chang Chien, Amy (8 February 2021). "In China, an App Offered Space for Debate. Then the Censors Came". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  26. ^ Invite-only chat app Clubhouse booms in Japan Sam Nussey, Reuters, FEB 1, 2021
  27. ^ "Oman blocks Clubhouse, app used for free debates in Mideast". AP NEWS. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  28. ^ Clubhouse for Android OS
  29. ^ Grigory Klyushnikov
  30. ^ Jon, Jackson (2021-02-12). "Clubhouse is getting criticized for making profiles for people who aren't even on the app". Newsweek. Retrieved 2021-02-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ Hense, Peter. (2021-01-02) Clubhouse app faces court action

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clubhouse_(app)&oldid=1012332852"