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Phia

All articles tagged with #phia

Phoebe Gates Faces Scrutiny Over Stanford Secrets and Phia’s Cookie-Scandal
technology13 days ago

Phoebe Gates Faces Scrutiny Over Stanford Secrets and Phia’s Cookie-Scandal

Phoebe Gates, Bill Gates’ daughter and Phia co‑founder, is in the spotlight after reports of a secret Stanford course that discussed exploiting power structures, and a Bloomberg‑backed probe into Phia’s browser extension that allegedly took credit for sales it didn’t drive. No charges have been filed against Gates or Kianni, with experts predicting civil remedies rather than criminal charges, while the saga intensifies scrutiny of privilege, influencer-backed startups, and online‑marketing practices.

via New York Post|
#cookie-stuffing#phia#phoebe-gates
Phoebe Gates’ Stanford peers question coding chops amid Phia controversy
technology14 days ago

Phoebe Gates’ Stanford peers question coding chops amid Phia controversy

Stanford classmates say Phoebe Gates, Bill Gates’ daughter, wasn’t known as a strong coder during her biology-focused studies, though she took an applied AI/entrepreneurship class that helped launch Phia, a personal shopping startup she co-founded with Sophia Kianni. Phia has faced accusations of cookie stuffing to generate commissions; leaked Slack messages allegedly suggested keeping the cookies dropping. After Phia disabled the feature, reported revenue dropped, and while civil actions are possible, experts say prison time is unlikely. Kianni reportedly did not take formal CS classes, fueling the “nepo tech” critique surrounding Phia and Gates’ tech credentials.

via Page Six|
#bill-gates#cookie-stuffing#phia
Phia Scandal: Gates’s AI Shopping Start-up Faces Fresh Allegations of Affiliate Fraud
technology15 days ago

Phia Scandal: Gates’s AI Shopping Start-up Faces Fresh Allegations of Affiliate Fraud

Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni’s AI shopping platform Phia is under scrutiny after Bloomberg reports that the company knowingly pushed for features that earned commissions on sales it didn’t drive, via “cookie stuffing.” Internal Slack messages show awareness of the practice since at least December 2025, contradicting Phia’s earlier bug explanation. Cookie stuffing can be prosecuted as wire fraud, carrying potential penalties, casting a harsh light on Phia’s business practices and raising questions about founder accountability.

via The Cut|
#bloomberg#cookie-stuffing#phia
Phoebe Gates Linked to Cookie-Stuffing Allegations Behind Phia Startup
business16 days ago

Phoebe Gates Linked to Cookie-Stuffing Allegations Behind Phia Startup

Phoebe Gates, co-founder of the Phia shopping‑assist startup, is accused of “cookie stuffing” to inflate affiliate credits, a practice Bloomberg says was known for months and was disabled in July. If treated as federal wire fraud, the conduct could carry up to 20 years in prison. Phia says misattribution features were removed, is issuing reversals, and tightening compliance, while backers and Gates emphasize efforts to fix the issue and continue offering services.

via New York Post|
#bill-gates#business#cookie-stuffing
Bloomberg Probe: Phia Accused of Hidden Cookie Drops Behind Sales Claims
technology16 days ago

Bloomberg Probe: Phia Accused of Hidden Cookie Drops Behind Sales Claims

Bloomberg reports that Phia, the shopping extension co-founded by Phoebe Gates, allegedly used a feature called 'enable coupon auto drop' and other practices to drop cookies and claim affiliate sales it didn’t drive; internal Slack messages imply Gates was aware and sought to ensure cookies dropped across websites, raising questions of compliance; Phia has denied wrongdoing and said the issue was a bug that was fixed, while noting revenue declined after a feature was disabled; the allegations come amid the startup’s high-profile funding and media attention.

via Gizmodo|
#affiliate-marketing#bill-gates#cookie-stuffing
Phia in Repair Mode After Attribution Scandal
technology28 days ago

Phia in Repair Mode After Attribution Scandal

Phia, the shopping app cofounded by Phoebe Gates, is offering refunds and correcting attributions after Bloomberg revealed it earned commissions on sales it didn’t drive. Impact.com and other networks are reprocessing actions from June 20 to July 29, refunding advertisers where appropriate, and Phia has been suspended from Impact’s marketplace. The startup, which has raised about $43.5 million, has not publicly addressed the issue, risking trust in its business model.

via Business Insider|
#affiliate-marketing#attribution#phia