CLUBHOUSE

The audio-only social app went semi-viral earlier this year before it tumbled dramatically in Apple's App Store rankings.

Jin Yu was a tech investor and Clubhouse influencer who was cofounder of the "Talk Nerdy to Me" room, which has more than 246,000 members.

Live conversations on Clubhouse and Twitter took off during the pandemic, connecting people online when they couldn't in real life. Now social media companies are scrambling to launch audio features.

Women in Real Estate is hosting its first in-person networking event on June 13 in Houston.

Audio is the hottest trend in social media, and start-ups like Clubhouse and Discord have the attention of tech giants from Facebook to Twitter and Microsoft.

Social audio app Clubhouse recently added one million users after launching on Android devices and its CEO says millions more are waitlisted to install.

They are speaking openly on the audio social app about the latest conflict in the region. "You actually hear someone's voice quiver or the emotions of what they are going through," one listener says.

On Clubhouse, a black badge was meant to identify trolls. It’s become an emblem of the app’s dysfunctional moderation system.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday announced that the company is building audio features where users can engage in real-time conversations with others.

Drop in audio chat app Clubhouse was all the rage earlier this year but there are signs that the buzz is already dissipating.

In this photo illustration the stock market graphics of Clubhouse Media Group Inc seen displayed on a smartphone with a Clubhouse Media Group logo in the background. Google searches for "Clubhouse stock" reached a peak on Feb. 1, the day after Musk spoke. Around the same time, the company applied to change its name to Clubhouse Media Group. "It's a weird situation this year because we were so used to last year being the Clubhouse and no one knew about the Clubhouse app. Young said that Clubhouse Media still has enough media value and presence to continue with its Clubhouse name despite the confusion.

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2021 file photo, the icon for the social media app Clubhouse is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing. The Omani government has “forbidden the app because it was operating without the proper license,” Omar al-Abri, an official in the country’s telecommunications regulator told The Associated Press. Over the past few days, scores of users in Oman reported receiving error messages when they tried to use the platform. AdClubhouse, the invitation-only social media app, has exploded in popularity in recent months, particularly gaining traction in the Middle East where social media remains a highly contested and sometimes perilous space. Although the United Arab Emirates reassured users earlier this month that the government had not banned the app, users nationwide have reported audio glitches that frequently make listening into discussions impossible.

The icon for the social media app Clubhouse is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)BANGKOK – Thailand’s government warned users of the recently introduced Clubhouse voice chat app on Wednesday that they must be careful not to misuse it or face possible legal consequences. Digital Economy Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta said the ministry has monitored the Clubhouse app since it was launched and found that some political activists use it to spread what he described as fake news and distorted information. AdChina’s government last week blocked its citizens’ access to Clubhouse, as it has done with thousands of other websites and social media apps. Pavin, speaking Wednesday on Clubhouse, charged that the government is afraid of Clubhouse because it allows its opponents to talk directly with each other.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Extended Boards of Interior Ministry on February 26, 2020 in Moscow, Russia. Russia hasn't ruled out the idea of President Vladimir Putin talking to Tesla billionaire Elon Musk on social media app Clubhouse, according to multiple media reports. The news was also reported by Reuters and Russian media outlet RBC. Clubhouse has been downloaded around five million times, according to app tracker App Annie. Like other U.S. social media platforms, it was blocked in China last week.

The icon for the social media app Clubhouse is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. You can also download the app and get on a waiting list to be let into Clubhouse. Although Clubhouse hasn't divulged how many people are using its service, its app has been downloaded 5.3 million times, according to analytics firm App Annie. Thousands of Chinese users have flocked to the app in recent months, lured by the unfettered discussions it allowed with people abroad — particularly about democracy, Taiwan and other sensitive topics. Users still could download it if they had access to an Apple app store abroad.

The icon for the social media app Clubhouse is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021. Chinese authorities are blocking access to Clubhouse, a social media app that allowed users in China to discuss sensitive topics with people abroad including Taiwan and treatment of the countrys Muslim minority. That prompted warnings Chinese users might face official retaliation for their comments. Operators of social media are required to monitor, delete and report comments that violate official rules. The party also blocks access to Facebook, Twitter and other social media services and websites abroad run by news organizations and human rights, Tibet, pro-democracy and other activists.

The invitation-only audio-chat social networking app Clubhouse is pictured on a smartphone on January 26, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. LONDON — The audio-only social media app Clubhouse appears to have been blocked in China. Queeny Li, a communications professional based in Shenzhen, and Michael Norris, a tech analyst in Shanghai, told CNBC that the Clubhouse app no longer works for them. "Clubhouse has been blocked," said Norris, echoing what multiple media reports have said. Some Clubhouse users in China are now being shown an error message when they open the app.

The Robinhood investment app is see on a smartphone in this photo illustration on June 24, 2020 in Washington,DC. Stock trading app Robinhood removed temporary trading restrictions on all stocks including GameStop and AMC Entertainment Holdings after a tumultuous week for markets. Earlier in the day, Robinhood users were only able to trade 500 GameStop shares and 5,500 AMC shares, according to Reuters. In a bid to try to manage the situation, Robinhood restricted trading in certain volatile stocks Thursday last week including GameStop, Express, Koss, and legacy phone makers Nokia and Blackberry. Robinhood limited trading in 13 equities in total, allowing clients to sell positions but not open new ones in certain securities, provoking fury from users.

The invite-only audio social media app Clubhouse has blown up since its 2020 launch, and retail investors are taking note. Shares of Agora surged more than 44% on Monday to hit an all-time high of $81.48 per share. Clubhouse Media soared more than 116% to a high of $17.99 a piece. Clubhouse, the social media app, is similar to a live, unfiltered podcast. At the same time, Clubhouse Media is jumping.

Clubhouse, the buzzy audio-only social app, is looking at ways to monetize the platform for its creators, CEO Paul Davison told CNBC on Monday. After debuting last year, Clubhouse is now valued around $1 billion and hosts more than 2 million users. The app most recently saw a surge in users early Monday ET, when Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the platform to discuss a range of topics. If a creator can't make money on a given platform, they're likely to move onto another when it gains traction. Davison said Monday that Clubhouse plans on introducing some sort of model "sooner rather than later."

In particular, the app has carved out a niche among Black users, who have innovated new ways for using it. Aniyia Williams, founder of Black and Brown Founders, was among early Clubhouse users, joining the app in July. "It was putting the time and energy in to really create a moment and bring joy to the Clubhouse community," Bomani said. For Black users and allies, opening a Clubhouse room filled with other Black users may make them feel welcome. For Black users this can include their affiliation with organizations such as Black fraternities or sororities, Brown said.

Clubhouse is the buzzy new social app of 2020, freshly valued at $100 million after a reported $12 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz. Clubhouse screenshotBilal Zuberi, a partner at venture firm Lux Capital, said Clubhouse is the only social audio app that's captured his interest. While cooking dinner on Monday night, he was one of about 100 people listening to the discussion on race that featured MC Hammer and other well-known voices. It could be MC Hammer, comedian Kevin Hart, actor Jared Leto (talking about washing fruit with soap) or hip-hop artist Fab 5 Freddy. An Andreessen Horowitz spokesperson declined to comment for this story, and Davison said he's not doing interviews yet.