With Drone Deliveries on the Horizon, Europe Moves to Set Ground Rules
A former military airfield in Belgium will be used to test technology and help regulators set rules for delivery by unmanned flying devices....
Home / Archive for December 2018
In Screening for Suicide Risk, Facebook Takes On Tricky Public Health Role
Some doctors warn that Facebook is becoming an arbiter of users’ mental distress without proving that its efforts are accurate, effective or...
Firm Led by Google Veterans Uses A.I. to ‘Nudge’ Workers Toward Happiness
Humu, a Silicon Valley start-up, applies data-driven lessons in human resources to the goal of improving employee satisfaction.
5G Is Coming Next Year. Here’s What You Need to Know.
The transition to new fifth-generation cellular networks, known as 5G, will affect how you use smartphones and many other devices. Let’s tal...
Why Do You Love a L.O.L. Surprise?
The hottest toy of the year was a glittering, baby-pink plastic suitcase that we buy without knowing what’s inside.
Facebook Data Scandals Stoke Criticism That a Privacy Watchdog Too Rarely Bites
A federal regulator is under attack for what critics say is a systemic failure to police tech giants and their vast appetite for personal da...
Lawrence Roberts, Who Helped Design Internet’s Precursor, Dies at 81
Dr. Roberts worked with other engineers to create the underpinnings of the Arpanet, making many crucial decisions. But his work did not make...
Cyberattack Disrupts Printing of Major Newspapers
Malware was focused on networks used by Tribune Publishing, former owner of The Los Angeles Times. It was the first known attack on newspape...
Tesla Names Larry Ellison and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson to Its Board
The appointment of two independent directors was required by a settlement the company reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission in...
Bits: The Week in Tech: A Peek at the Year Ahead
The past year was a rough one for the tech industry. As we look to 2019, some big, eagerly anticipated I.P.O.s are on the horizon.
North Korean Defectors’ Personal Data Was Stolen by Hackers, South Says
The names, birth dates and addresses of 997 defectors were stolen through a computer infected with malicious software, the South Korean Unif...
‘Black Mirror’ Gives Power to the People
Interactive filmmaking, where the viewers take control, has always been a technology in search of an audience. Netflix thinks the time is ri...
5 Takeaways From Facebook’s Leaked Moderation Documents
The New York Times obtained more than a thousand pages of internal guidelines. They shed light on how Facebook decides what should be kept o...
Inside Facebook’s Secret Rulebook for Global Political Speech
Under fire for stirring up distrust and violence, the social network has vowed to police its users. But leaked documents raise serious quest...
At War: Pilots Kept Losing Oxygen and the Military Had No Idea Why. Now There’s a Possible Fix.
The Air Force and the Navy are rolling out new hardware and software for their trainer aircraft to stop the oxygen-deprivation problems that...
Instagram Tests Horizontal Scrolling, Then Scrolls Back
The feature was intended as a test but was released widely by mistake, the head of Instagram said. Closing and reopening the app turns it of...
Five Times the Internet Was Actually Fun in 2018
There were lots of bad things online this year. Let’s celebrate some of the exceptions.
Remember Bitcoin? Some Investors Might Want to Forget
It was fun while it lasted. Cryptocurrencies soared and then they crashed. But true aficionados believe the underlying blockchain still has ...
LinkedIn Co-Founder Apologizes for Deception in Alabama Senate Race
The tech billionaire Reid Hoffman said he had no idea his money had been spent on a Russian-style social media disinformation campaign.
India Curbs Power of Amazon and Walmart to Sell Products Online
The government announced a new policy barring the foreign companies from selling products from affiliated companies on their Indian shopping...
Tech We’re Using: Digital Privacy Is a Big Concern in Europe. For This Reporter, Too.
When the investigative journalist Matt Apuzzo moved from Washington to Brussels, he noticed that distrust had a different focus. And he adju...
Tech Fix: The Tech That Was Fixed in 2018 and the Tech That Still Needs Fixing
From Facebook to creepy online ads, the worst tech of the year made the internet feel like an unsafe place to hang out. Yet there were some ...
Essay: One Giant Step for a Chess-Playing Machine
The stunning success of AlphaZero, a deep-learning algorithm, heralds a new age of insight — one that, for humans, may not last long.
How the ‘Spider-Verse’ Animators Created That Trippy Look
The directors of the popular and critical hit broke with the conventions of computer animation, using hand-drawn techniques to create digita...
Patreon Bars Anti-Feminist for Racist Speech, Inciting Revolt
Patreon, a crowdfunding site for content creators, is facing a rebellion after its human moderators booted a creator who had violated its ha...
Advertising: Sharing Data for Deals? More Like Watching It Go With a Sigh
Tech companies say consumers prefer being shown ads that are relevant to them. But a professor’s research shows they trade data for those ad...
This Internet Person Thinks Your ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Memes Are Terrible
He would like you to stop doing them in 2019.
Mary Poppins: The Peculiar Challenge of Animating Her World
Rob Marshall was thrilled and anxious to be asked to direct the sequel to “Mary Poppins,” which was the first movie he ever saw.
Why the F.T.C. Is Taking a New Look at Facebook Privacy
In 2011, Facebook agreed to settle charges that it had deceived consumers on privacy. But new problems have resurfaced old concerns.
Beyoncé Albums Leaked Online, Causing Concerns About Streaming Platforms
The unauthorized appearance of the albums on Spotify and Apple Music raised questions about services that have long been seen as bulwarks ag...
JD.com Chief Richard Liu Will Not Be Charged With Sexual Assault
Prosecutors in Minnesota said they did not find enough evidence to pursue a case against the Chinese billionaire, who was accused of rape th...
Bits: The Week in Tech: Hostages in the U.S. and China Tech Cold War
A third Canadian citizen was detained in China following the arrest in Canada of a top executive at Huawei, the Chinese electronics giant.
Last-Minute Shoppers Increasingly Trust Only Amazon to Deliver
Amazon’s power is even more pronounced in the nail-biter sprint toward Christmas. A two-decade obsession with delivery speed has given it a ...
The Shift: The 2018 Good Tech Awards
Scandals and wrongdoing in tech rightly get a lot of attention, but there’s good — yes, really — happening elsewhere.
Ofo, Pioneer of China’s Bike-Sharing Boom, Is in a Crisis
The business model of many of the country’s tech start-ups — spend furiously to acquire new users, worry about profits later — wobbles as on...
PowerPoint Is the Most Efficient Way for Kids to Manage Their Parents
The most solid method for kids to achieve their goals? An awesome presentation.
Uber’s Driverless Cars Return to the Road After Fatal Crash
After grounding its fleet of autonomous vehicles for nine months and overhauling its systems, Uber’s driverless cars are back on the road.
Look Back at How Much Space News Got Packed Into 2018
Many of the stories this year that kept our eyes pointed toward the stars, no matter what was happening on the ground.
What We Learned in 2018: Science
Developments in science that we’re still thinking about at year’s end.
5 Ways Facebook Shared Your Data
For years, Facebook gave many large technology companies special access to users’ information. Here’s how it worked.
Facebook Rebuked for Failing to Disclose Data-Sharing Deals
Lawmakers and others criticized the social network after a New York Times report revealed Facebook gave its partners extensive access to use...
Living with tech: What We Can Learn About Online Privacy From Climate Change
Real action to protect privacy hinges on big institutions, to the point that small, individual measures pale in comparison. But there are st...
Facebook Sued by District of Columbia Over Cambridge Analytica
It was a first step by a state attorney general to punish Facebook for privacy violations.
How to Delete Facebook
Lost faith in Facebook after data leakages, breaches and too much noise? Here’s a guide to breaking up with the social network and its photo...
Tech We’re Using: ‘The Effects Cannot Be Overstated’: When Tech Invaded Media
Jim Rutenberg reflects on the convergence of technology with media, and how that has changed his consumption habits and coverage. (Warning: ...
Trilobites: Watch a Robotic Hand Play the Piano With a More Human Touch
It hasn’t mastered Chopin or Debussy, but it can eke out a decent “Jingle Bells.”
Google’s Marketing of Children’s Apps Misleads Parents, Consumer Groups Say
A coalition of 22 consumer groups says children’s apps in the Google Play store show inappropriate ads and violate kids’ privacy.
Tech Tip: How to Rescue, Repair and Revive Old Family Photos
If the march of time is eroding your personal picture archive, give your beloved images new life.
It’s Showtime for Elon Musk’s Tunnel, With a Long Way to Go
With revisions to the initial concept, a subterranean transport system provides a one-mile ride under a Los Angeles suburb. (In a Tesla.)
Facebook’s Data Sharing: 5 Takeaways From Our Investigation
Facebook collects more information on more people than almost any other private corporation in history. And it gave dozens of companies more...
As Facebook Raised a Privacy Wall, It Carved an Opening for Tech Giants
Internal documents show that the social network gave Microsoft, Amazon, Spotify and others far greater access to people’s data than it has d...
France, Not Waiting for European Union, to Tax U.S. Tech Firms as ’19 Starts
With the ‘Yellow Vest‘ movement widening the country’s budget shortfall, the French government is accelerating a plan to hit companies like ...
Huawei’s ‘Wolf Culture’ Helped It Grow, and Got It Into Trouble
The Chinese tech giant cultivated a hard-charging spirit in its quest for world dominance. Some employees may have been pushed too far.
North Korea, Fearing K-Pop and Porn, Warns Against Smartphones’ Influence
Mobile phones “instill students with unhealthy ideology,” said a state-run paper in the North, where many users have found ways around offic...
The Shift: Russian Trolls Came for Instagram, Too
A look at posts from the Internet Research Agency reveals that the group used Instagram for several distinct purposes.
Walt Mossberg, Veteran Technology Journalist, Quits Facebook
Mr. Mossberg has spent decades chronicling the privacy implications of Facebook’s policies. On Monday, he opted out.
A Toaster on Wheels to Deliver Groceries? Self-Driving Tech Tests Practical Uses
With driverless passenger services slow to become realities, the autonomous industry is casting about for ways to profitably use its technol...
Sprint, T-Mobile Deal Gets Green Light From U.S. Regulators
The two wireless operators are moving closer to a merger following approval from a federal government security committee and other top offic...
Some of the Popular Images and Themes the Russians Posted on Social Media
Using an array of accounts on multiple platforms and targeting a variety of demographics, the Russians have generated millions of interactio...
Tech Companies Dragged Feet on Russian Interference Data, Reports Say
In reports to the Senate on Russian interference, Google, Twitter and Facebook were criticized for their disinclination to reveal details.
The Shift: Social Media’s Forever War
New Senate reports show that the Russian influence campaign for the 2016 election ushered in a new era of perpetual conflict.
Voter Suppression and Racial Targeting: In Facebook’s and Twitter’s Words
A new report says that social media companies have evaded or been misleading about claims that Russian efforts on their platforms tried to d...
Russian Effort to Influence 2016 Election Targeted African-Americans
Two reports commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee take a deeper look at the fake social media accounts used by Russia in the Ame...
Google to Add $1 Billion New York Campus for 7,000 More Workers
The company said that expanding its existing operations in Manhattan would allow it to double its local work force over a decade.
Profiles in Science: The Yoda of Silicon Valley
Donald Knuth, master of algorithms, reflects on 50 years of his opus-in-progress, “The Art of Computer Programming.”
Past Tense: Apple Computers Used to Be Built in the U.S. It Was a Mess.
Steve Jobs tried to create a manufacturing culture in Silicon Valley. As one former Apple engineer put it, "It wasn't great for bus...
Tech Workers Got Paid in Company Stock. They Used It to Agitate for Change.
Workers at tech companies like Amazon are starting to use the stock grants that they were paid to turn the tables on their employers.
Facebook’s Version of YouTube Takes Shape With Pranksters, Magicians and Cartoons
The tech giant sees Facebook Watch, with its rising number of videos from internet stars, as a key to future growth.
Nashville’s Star Rises as Midsize Cities Break Into Winners and Losers
Nashville and others are thriving thanks to a mix of luck, astute political choices and well-timed investments, while cities like Birmingham...
Netflix’s Movie Blitz Takes Aim at Hollywood’s Heart
“Roma” is just the start of the company’s film plans. Traditional studios and multiplex chains are wondering if the strategy will cause peop...
Apple Will Update iPhones in China to Avoid a Ban on Sales
The company said it would update the software of iPhones in China to try to resolve a legal dispute that threatens to block certain iPhone s...
Facebook Says Bug Opened Access to Private Photos
The announcement is the latest in a string of problems the social network has had with consumer data.
gender letter: Sisterhood in the Halls of Congress, and You’re Invited
The Democratic newcomers have a message for you: We’re cool, we’re transparent and we’ve got each others’ backs.
Work Friend: I Am Begging You to Stop Sleeping With Your Co-Workers
Are literally all of you hooking up, or what?
Bits: The Week in Tech: Sundar Pichai Has a Chat With Congress
Silicon Valley and Washington operate in their own bubbles. Is there any hope of tech executives and lawmakers understanding one another?
New Zealand Rebukes Google for Airing Name of Backpacker’s Accused Killer
A court had suppressed the man’s name under a legal provision meant to guarantee fair trials for defendants in the country.
After Yellow Vests Come Off, Activists in France Use Facebook to Protest and Plan
Away from the street protests, demonstrators have built thriving communities in Facebook Groups, which are helping to fuel the Yellow Vests....
Chase for Talent Pushes Tech Giants Far Beyond West Coast
Amazon and Google are aggressively opening offices outside of their Silicon Valley and Seattle hometowns. On Thursday, Apple said it would i...
Taylor Swift Said to Use Facial Recognition to Identify Stalkers
A security consultant told Rolling Stone that at a concert, a device took fans’ photos for comparison with a database of potential stalkers....
Virgin Galactic Rocket Ship Reaches Space, a Milestone in Space Tourism
Richard Branson’s company, which sent the crewed craft, SpaceShipTwo, more than 50 miles above Earth, is one of several racing to make space...
The Shift: How YouTube’s Year-in-Review Video Set Off a Civil War
To many YouTubers, the video felt like evidence that YouTube the company was snubbing YouTube the community.
Dans les écoles françaises, la leçon du jour : à quel tweet se fier ?
Pour combattre la désinformation et la radicalisation, la France propose l’un des plus grands efforts au monde pour apprendre aux jeunes à i...
Apple to Add $1 Billion Campus and 5,000 Jobs in Texas
The technology giant said it would also establish new 1,000-worker operations in Culver City, Calif.; San Diego and Seattle and to add hundr...
In France, School Lessons Ask: Which Twitter Post Should You Trust?
To combat online misinformation and radicalization, one of the world’s largest national internet literacy efforts is teaching students how t...
High-Tech Degrees and the Price of an Avocado: The Data New York Gave to Amazon
The city and state sent loads of data to Amazon during its search for a new headquarters, offering a peek into the valuable information the ...
Tech Fix: Yes, You Can Be an Ethical Tech Consumer. Here’s How.
Products that we enjoy continue to create privacy, misinformation and workplace issues. We can do better at getting the industry to do bette...
Tech We’re Using: The Most Important Kitchen Tools This Holiday (or Any Season, Really)
Tech has brought innovation, convenience and smarts to the kitchen. Here’s what Melissa Clark uses and the tools she finds indispensable.
The Shift: Is Tech Too Easy to Use?
The tech industry’s obsession with “frictionless” design has been the source of innumerable problems.
Google’s Pichai Faces Privacy and Bias Questions in Congress
A House committee grilled Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, about a variety of issues, including worries about personal data and...
Huawei Executive Granted Bail by Canadian Court
Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei executive who American authorities want to extradite from Canada on fraud charges, was granted bail of 10 million dol...
How ‘Subtle Asian Traits’ Became a Global Hit
A group of Asian-Australian students started a Facebook group to share jokes and memes about their experiences. Now, it has nearly a million...
How Do You Recover After Millions Have Watched You Overdose?
Amid an opioid crisis, police and strangers with cameras are posting raw images of drug users passed out. For those whose bleakest moments n...
Live Briefing: Sundar Pichai of Google Heads to Capitol Hill
Google’s chief executive will get his turn under the Washington bright lights when he starts testifying about the company at 10 a.m.
It’s a Briefcase! It’s a Pizza Box! No, It’s a Mini Satellite
Orbiting instruments are now so small they can be launched by the dozens, and even high school students can build them.
Amazon’s Homegrown Chips Threaten Silicon Valley Giant Intel
The retailer is now making its own server chips. It’s the latest sign that big internet outfits are willing to cut out longtime suppliers.
Huawei Executive’s Lawyers Fight for Bail Ahead of Extradition Decision
On the second day of a bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, a top Huawei executive who is accused of fraud, her lawyers laid out the reasons she w...
Evelyn Berezin, 93, Dies; Built the First True Word Processor
Her device freed secretaries from the typewriter. But as word processing became ubiquitous, it helped eliminate their jobs.
The New New World: The Huawei Executive’s Arrest Is Igniting Fear. The U.S. Should Take Notice.
Chinese tech entrepreneurs are rethinking their business trips and their American ties. They could instead be valuable allies in the drive t...
Chinese Court Says Apple Infringed on Qualcomm Patents
The court’s decision, which bars Apple from selling seven iPhone models in China, is the latest turn in a broad legal battle between the com...
What Happens When 25,000 Amazon Workers Flush Toilets?
Amazon’s offices in Queens will be built over an aging sewage system. The city says the pipes can handle the wastewater, but residents are w...
Jack Dorsey, Posting About Myanmar on Twitter, Is Accused of Being Tone Deaf
Mr. Dorsey’s tweets about his silent-meditation retreat in the country were criticized for not mentioning the plight of the Rohingya, a pers...
How to Stop Apps From Tracking Your Location
Hundreds of apps can follow your movements and share the details with advertisers, retailers and even hedge funds. Here’s how to limit the s...
How The Times Analyzed Location Tracking Companies
Reporters tested apps made for both Android and iOS, evaluated app code and examined the companies receiving the data.
China Warns Canada of ‘Heavy Price’ Over Huawei Arrest
A strongly worded editorial in the Communist Party newspaper said that Canada had violated the human rights of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief ...
Live-Streaming Your Broke Self for Rent Money
Jovan Hill, 25, dropped out of college and is unemployed. So how does he pay for his Brooklyn apartment and marijuana habit? His social medi...
Orbiting, Another Thing for Online Daters to Worry About
Digitally observing a prospective love interest, or an ex, online is yet another way that people are confusing each other romantically.
Uber Is Said to File for an I.P.O. as It Races Lyft to a Public Debut
The offering, which is expected to be one of the biggest ever, puts the ride-hailing service neck and neck with its rival Lyft in a race to ...
Huawei Executive Was Company’s Professional Face, Until Her Arrest
Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s secretive founder, Ren Zhengfei, had stressed transparency at the company. She is now accused of hidi...
Huawei Executive Took Part in Sanctions Fraud, Prosecutors Say
In a Canadian courtroom, authorities revealed details of the charges facing Meng Wanzhou, the Huawei official whose arrest has shaken U.S.-C...
Google Hearing to Preview Democrats’ Strategy on Big Tech
Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, will testify before Congress on Tuesday. Democratic lawmakers are expected to target the indus...
Huawei Arrest Tests China’s Leaders as Fear and Anger Grip Elite
The detention of a Chinese tech executive poses a challenge for President Xi Jinping, who faces pressure to both retaliate and resolve the t...
Bits: The Week in Tech: Facebook Is in the News. Again.
Tech companies used to want to be in the news because it often meant fawning coverage for a new device. How times have changed, writes Brian...
Lean In’s Sheryl Sandberg Problem
The movement that Facebook’s chief operating officer started is trying to leave her, and her scandals, behind.
With the Economy Uncertain, Tech ‘Unicorns’ Rush Toward I.P.O.
Faced with a choppy stock market and fears of an economic downturn, Uber and Lyft are moving toward the public markets as other private tech...
A.I. as Talent Scout: Unorthodox Hires, and Maybe Lower Pay
A form of artificial intelligence is being used to surface job candidates with the attributes of a perfect fit, even without conventional cr...
Tumblr’s ‘NSFW’ Bloggers Prepare to Abandon Ship
Pornographic content, which had a large female viewer base on the site, will no longer be allowed.
Lyft, Racing Uber Toward I.P.O., Takes a Crucial Step
The ride-hailing company said it had confidentially filed a draft registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Australian Government Passes Contentious Encryption Law
The law, opposed by privacy advocates, requires tech companies to provide law enforcement and security agencies with access to encrypted com...
Arrest Shakes Huawei as Global Skepticism of Its Business Grows
Britain, New Zealand, Australia and other countries have grown increasingly worried about potential security risks related to the Chinese te...
At War: Rocket-Boosted but Going Nowhere Fast: The Navy’s Failed Munitions Programs
The Navy has spent more than $1 billion trying to develop projectiles to support land attacks by the Marine Corps, with little to show for i...
A Top Huawei Executive Is Arrested in Canada for Extradition to the U.S.
The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer, is likely to escalate tensions between the United States and China just as their tr...
The Shift: Facebook Emails Show Its Real Mission: Making Money and Crushing Competition
Messages released publicly on Wednesday suggest the idealistic image the company promoted for years was a carefully cultivated smoke screen....
Uber’s Self-Driving Cars Are Set to Return in a Downsized Test
Eight months after a fatal crash, the vehicles are expected to be back on Pittsburgh streets within a few weeks, but safety questions remain...
Corner Office: James Dyson: ‘The Public Wants to Buy Strange Things’
He made billions selling vacuums. Now he is backing Brexit, building an electric car — and making antiquated comments on ‘racial differences...
Tech We’re Using: How the Digital Era Has Changed the Daily Crossword
Puzzle design programs, word databases and web searches to help vet an answer: These are some of the tools that Sam Ezersky, assistant puzzl...
Tech Fix: I Tried to Make My Dog an Instagram Celebrity. I Failed.
Becoming an influencer is hard, as our columnist found out when he tried creative photography, consultations and even bots to propel his foo...
Facebook Gave Some Companies Special Access to Users’ Data, Documents Show
A trove of secret internal Facebook documents were released by a British parliamentary committee as part of an investigation into misinforma...
Rudy Giuliani Says Twitter Sabotaged His Tweet. Actually, He Did It Himself.
A tweet from Mr. Giuliani now links to an anti-Trump page. The president’s lawyer blamed Twitter, but the culprit was his own typo (plus a p...
Should You Buy Someone a Phone for the Holidays?
The answer is yes, if you can make sure you get them something they like, and you’re not saddling your loved one with a monthly bill. Here’s...
The Future Is Bright for the Video Games of Yesterday
After the success of Nintendo’s two retro consoles, other developers are mining their vaults and resurfacing old games and hardware.
Digital Divide Is Wider Than We Think, Study Says
New research from Microsoft says that far fewer people have broadband internet access than government statistics have shown.
Netflix Will Keep ‘Friends’ Through Next Year in a $100 Million Agreement
The streaming service and AT&T struck an agreement that raises the yearly licensing fee for the show by more than three times.
Bad Landlord? These Coders Are Here to Help
Coders are creating apps and databases to help tenants find information about buildings and landlords, and even navigate housing court.
Quora, the Q. and A. Site, Says Data Breach Affected 100 Million Users
Some users seemed less surprised by the security breach than by the fact that they had a Quora account in the first place.
Race Is On to Protect Data From Next Leap in Computers. And China Has the Lead.
China is investing in quantum encryption that could be far tougher to crack than today’s security methods. Now the United States is trying t...
Your Money: Marriott Hack Adds Passport Headache, but Its Intensity Is in Dispute
The hotel chain hasn’t said how many of the 500 million customers affected by a data breach had their passport numbers stolen. But the State...
Front Burner: Meet the Easy-Bake Oven for Grown-Ups
Brava uses light technology originally developed for the solar industry to cook multiple foods quickly on the countertop.
Want to See All the Vermeers in the World? Now’s Your Chance
The Mauritshuis in the Netherlands, working with Google, has created an app that provides a virtual museum filled with all of this artist’s ...
The Shift: TikTok, a Chinese Video App, Brings Fun Back to Social Media
The app is a throwback to a time before the commercialization of internet influence, when web culture consisted mainly of harmless weirdos t...
Marketing Through Smart Speakers? Brands Don’t Need to Be Asked Twice
Google Home and Amazon Echo don’t carry paid advertising, so companies are trying more creative ways of using them to reach consumers.
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