New York vs. Grubhub
Restaurant owners say that Grubhub’s business model has cut into their profit margins. A New York City Council committee is investigating.
Home / Archive for September 2019
China Plays ‘Fight the Landlord’ to Tame Hong Kong
State media puts pressure on Li Ka-shing, a powerful property tycoon, showing the Communist Party’s view of business as a means of control.
SpaceX Unveils Silvery Vision to Mars: ‘It’s Basically an I.C.B.M. That Lands’
Elon Musk delivered an update on his company’s Starship prototype, which faces business challenges and neighbors not happy to live so close ...
Ahead of 2020, Facebook Falls Short on Plan to Share Data on Disinformation
The social network says it has struggled to get the information to researchers because it also wants to protect its users’ privacy.
An Explosion in Online Child Sex Abuse: What You Need to Know
Emerging tech platforms and overwhelmed law enforcement agencies have contributed to a boom in digital abuse imagery, a Times investigation ...
Preying on Children: The Emerging Psychology of Pedophiles
Images of child sex abuse have reached a crisis point on the internet. Now, science is beginning to shed light on why people abuse children ...
Elon Musk to Deliver SpaceX Starship Presentation
The founder of the private launch company will offer a major update on its next major rocket.
The Week in Tech: Why Californians Have Better Privacy Protections
While Congress has stalled on new privacy bills, a real estate developer is pushing for broader data rights in the Golden State.
Wall Street Skeptics Poke at Start-Up Bubble
Companies like WeWork and Uber were expected to become a new generation of corporate giants. But investors have backed away.
Facebook Tests Hiding ‘Likes’ on Social Media Posts
The social network, which has been under fire for extreme content on its site, said it was testing making Likes to posts private in Australi...
Brace Yourself for the Internet Impeachment
Disinformation experts are preparing for fast-twitch media manipulation, droves of false and misleading claims and hyper-polarized audiences...
SoftBank Bet Big on Disruptive Companies. Many Have Not Paid Off.
The Japanese technology company’s investments in WeWork, Uber, Sprint and other businesses have produced disappointing results, raising ques...
YouTube Reverses Position, Decides Top Creators Can Remain Verified
YouTube said it would remove verified status from many large accounts. Creators were baffled and upset. And then YouTube changed its mind.
Twitch Wants You to Know It’s Not Just for Gamers
The live-streaming platform, owned by Amazon, has more viewers than many cable channels. But some of its content is slipping past the modera...
Smart Lights Enhance Home Security and Shine a Light on Crime
Smart lighting brightens up your home and makes life more convenient. But it’s also an easy and effective way to enhance home security.
A.I. Researchers See Danger of Haves and Have-Nots
A.I. research is becoming increasingly expensive, leaving few people with easy access to the computing firepower necessary to develop the te...
At Least 70 Countries Have Engaged in Disinformation Campaigns, Study Finds
Governments are using “cyber troops” to discredit political opponents, bury opposing views and interfere in foreign affairs, according to Ox...
Amazon Wants Alexa to Move (With You) Far Beyond the Living Room
New devices were introduced on Wednesday to get the digital assistant in your earbuds, in your eyeglasses and in your bathroom.
How to Make the Most of Apple’s New Privacy Tools in iOS 13
We tested the new suite of privacy tools in Apple’s latest mobile software, from minimizing location sharing to silencing robocalls.
Improvising a Laptop Recorder and Chewing Gum at the Same Time
Davey Alba, a Times newcomer who reports on disinformation, has a taste for Ice Breakers and a trick for saving audio from her computer.
EBay C.E.O. Steps Down
EBay said Chief Executive Officer Devin Wenig has stepped down and the e-commerce company named its finance head Scott Schenkel as interim C...
There’s a New iPod Touch. Yes, in 2019, and Yes, It’s Worth Looking at.
Sure, there’s a new iPhone, but Apple’s launch of a new iPod Touch earlier this year came with laughter from some. Others see an opportunity...
Plastic Surgery and the Secret World of Instagram Dolls
An Instagram community of “doll pages” lets women find valuable information about body-sculpting journeys.
Group Behind California Privacy Law Aims to Strengthen It
The leaders of Californians for Consumer Privacy say they want to amend the law, which goes into effect next year, through a ballot initiati...
Vox Media Acquires New York Magazine, Chronicler of the Highbrow and Lowbrow
After more than 50 years and 44 National Magazine Awards, New York finds a home with a digital-media powerhouse.
Facial Recognition Technology in Public Housing Prompts Backlash
The spread of facial recognition technology in housing, public and private, is raising concern in cities and Congress.
Got Insomnia? CVS Health Has an App for You
The company is encouraging employers to provide a sleep app that could help push digital therapeutics into the mainstream.
Europe’s Top Court Limits ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ Privacy Rule
The European Court of Justice said the landmark privacy law cannot be enforced beyond the European Union.
Apple Keeps Making Computer in Texas After Tariff Waivers
Apple’s announcement ended a monthslong public dance with the White House over tariffs and the company’s ability to build products in the Un...
As HBO Celebrates a Big Night, Questions About Its Future Loom
The cable network won more Emmys than anyone else on Sunday night, but competition is growing and its new leadership has little entertainmen...
One Brother Stabbed the Other. The Journalist Who Wrote About It Paid a Price.
The use of Europe’s ‘right to be forgotten’ privacy law has broadened, illustrated by two Italian brothers, a stabbing and the journalist wh...
China’s Big Brother Targets Business
Beijing hopes its social credit system will use vast troves of data to quickly punish companies accused of wrongdoing. U.S. firms could get ...
Some on WeWork’s Board Are Said to Be Discussing Replacing Its C.E.O.
Some major money managers have reportedly said they wouldn’t invest unless an experienced operator was brought in to replace Adam Neumann.
M.I.T. Media Lab, Already Rattled by the Epstein Scandal, Has a New Worry
Former researchers for a “food computer” initiative at the lab say the project’s leader misled outsiders about how it was going.
Twitter Suspends Account of Former Adviser to Saudi Crown Prince
The account was one of thousands with ties to governments in the Middle East that were taken down by the social media company.
Congress Asks More than 80 Companies for Big Tech Complaints
House lawmakers asked the companies for information on how their businesses had been affected by Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.
Inside Airbnb, Employees Eager for Big Payouts Pushed It to Go Public
Tension has grown among a 6,000-person work force as it waits to sell company shares, people with knowledge of the situation said.
‘Nerd,’ ‘Nonsmoker,’ ‘Wrongdoer’: How Might A.I. Label You?
ImageNet Roulette, a digital art project and viral selfie app, exposes how biases have crept into the artificial-intelligence technologies c...
Facebook Says It Has Suspended ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Apps
The scale of suspensions, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, was far larger than the social network had previously revealed.
Funny or Die Finds New Life in the Streaming Era
The company, which began as a comedy website, has branched out to podcasts and feature films, including “Between Two Ferns: The Movie,” whic...
The Week in Tech: An Emerging Twist on Antitrust
If regulators and lawmakers are serious, they’re going to have to rethink a traditional approach to monopolies.
How Telecommuting Has Changed Real Estate
As more people are able to work from home, housing priorities have changed, and different places and types of housing have become more popul...
Secret F.B.I. Subpoenas Scoop Up Personal Data From Scores of Companies
The practice, which the bureau says is vital to counterterrorism efforts, casts a much wider net than previously disclosed, newly released d...
Uber and Lyft Drivers Gain Labor Clout, With Help From an App
A nascent group in California offers a model for organizing a far-flung work force, and wielding political influence, through innovative tec...
Virtual Reality Video Games That Double as Exercise
Virtual reality is still niche, but a growing crop of VR games with a fitness element may inspire people to pick up a headset. Here’s what t...
Bezos and Zuckerberg Take Their Pitches to Washington
The Amazon and Facebook leaders were there for different reasons, but the appearances highlighted their companies’ need to reshape the publi...
Hard Times in Silicon Valley? Not for the Payments Start-Up Stripe
Known for its quiet and steady growth, Stripe said on Thursday that it received new funding that made it worth $35 billion.
Airbnb Says It Plans to Go Public in 2020
Making a public statement about a stock market debut in a particular year is unusual among technology start-ups, which typically keep their ...
Vaping Illnesses Increase to 530 Probable Cases
More than three-fourths of those sickened are male, health officials said, and half are under 25. Some of the illnesses are so severe that t...
Amazon Pledges to Be Carbon Neutral by 2040
To help meet its goal, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s chief executive, said the company was ordering 100,000 electric delivery trucks.
Teenage Vaping Rises Sharply Again This Year
Preliminary figures from a national survey show that the prevalence of e-cigarette use among minors has doubled from 2017 through this year,...
Luigi Colani, 91, Designer of Fanciful and Futuristic Objects, Dies
Better known for far-out prototypes than actual products, he was seen by his admirers as a visionary in an unimaginative world.
The Family Minivan as Reporting Tool
The finance editor, David Enrich, does a lot of work while on the move (but don’t worry, he’s not behind the wheel).
Lawmakers Urge Aggressive Action From Regulators on Big Tech
Senators at a hearing pushed for assurances that the F.T.C. and Justice Department would provide vigorous oversight of the companies.
IPhone 11 and 11 Pro Review: Thinking Differently in the Golden Age of Smartphones
This is not your typical gadget review. That’s because it is time to rethink when to upgrade your iPhone.
Facebook Expands Definition of Terrorist Organizations to Limit Extremism
The change was one of several Facebook announced ahead of a hearing with federal lawmakers on Wednesday.
NBCUniversal Introduces Peacock, Its New Streaming Service
The service joins a competitive streaming field, and it will offer new shows that incorporate elements of older NBCUniversal properties.
Men Arrested at Courthouse Say They Were Sent to Test Its Security
The two men were arrested late at night after alarms went off, according to documents. The state said it “did not intend, or anticipate, tho...
Bingeworthy: Netflix Snaps Up Streaming Rights to ‘Seinfeld’
The hit comedy will begin appearing on the service in 2021, the latest move in the battle between media companies for the rights to beloved ...
Bingeworthy: Netflix Snaps Up Streaming Rights to ‘Seinfeld’
The hit comedy will begin appearing on the service in 2021, the latest move in the battle between media companies for the rights to beloved ...
Senators Urge F.C.C. to Review Licenses of 2 Chinese Telecom Companies
In a letter, Senators Chuck Schumer and Tom Cotton say the companies could use their access to U.S. networks to “target” Americans’ communic...
Chicago School Professor Fights ‘Chicago School’ Beliefs That Abet Big Tech
The University of Chicago has long been associated with the idea that antitrust decisions should be based on prices for consumers, not marke...
Long Before ‘Netflix and Chill,’ He Was the Netflix C.E.O.
A new memoir by Marc Randolph, the company’s first boss, provides a blast from the entertainment giant’s red-envelope past.
Real-Time Surveillance Will Test the British Tolerance for Cameras
Facial recognition technology is drawing scrutiny in a country more accustomed to surveillance than any other Western democracy.
How One Photographer Captured Burning Issues Across the Israeli-Palestinian Divide
He had arrived as an American-Israeli in a Palestinian village, but identities quickly faded as mutual trust and respect transcended politic...
This Week in Business: E-Cigarettes Take a Hit, and Gig Workers Get Good News
Plus, plaintiffs reached a tentative settlement in a gigantic lawsuit over the opioid crisis
Vaping Bad: Were 2 Wisconsin Brothers the Walter Whites of THC Oils?
As authorities work to understand the spate of vaping-related lung illnesses, a small-town drug bust offers a closer look at the vast black ...
The Week in Tech: Silicon Valley’s Alternate Reality
Uber had a very bad day this week. But Juul may have had a day that was even worse.
House Antitrust Panel Seeks Documents From 4 Big Tech Firms
Lawmakers investigating Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google for possible antitrust violations on Friday sent the companies detailed requests ...
New Lawsuit Against Uber Is Set to Test Its Classification of Workers
A class-action suit on behalf of drivers in federal court in California, filed on Wednesday, accused Uber of wrongly classifying drivers und...
Google Settles With U.S. Labor Agency Over Employees’ Speech
As part of its settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, the search giant will remind workers of their rights to discuss workplace...
Google Says a Change in Its Algorithm Will Highlight ‘Original Reporting’
As tech companies try to make amends with publishers, Google changes its search engine to address an old complaint.
An Interview With Caroline Calloway’s Ghostwriter, Natalie Beach
“There’s many layers of fictionalization within this true story.”
Transformative? New Device Harvests Energy from Darkness
It doesn’t generate much power, but it works during the one time of day that solar cells can’t: night.
A Breeding Ground for a Fatal Scourge: Nursing Homes
Drug-resistant germs, including Candida auris, prey on severely ill patients in skilled nursing facilities, a problem sometimes amplified by...
Oracle C.E.O. Mark Hurd Is Taking a Medical Leave
The software giant said a week before its annual conference that Mr. Hurd, one of its two chief executives, would step away.
Apple TV Plus Is Just $5. Will People Pay for It?
Apple, offering much less programming than streaming rivals, will court subscribers by emphasizing its quality.
Uber Says It Will Not Change Driver Status Under California Gig-Worker Law
The company said it would not treat drivers as employees, defying a bill state lawmakers passed this week to extend minimum wage and other p...
Who Is Caroline Calloway? An Explainer
She’s a minor influencer. Her currency is attention. And, as we learned Tuesday, she had help.
Trump Administration Weighs Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes
As vaping-related illnesses spread, President Trump and top health officials met at the White House to discuss ways to keep the products awa...
Staying on Top of Tech’s Changing Story
From Washington to London. From the price of avocados to Amazon Prime. Here’s how Joseph Plambeck, deputy tech editor, rides herd on how tec...
Trump Administration Weighs Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes
As vaping-related illnesses spreads, President Trump and top health officials met at the White House to discuss ways to keep the products aw...
Wondering Who Did That Painting? There’s an App (or Two) for That
With companies racing to develop Shazam for art, we see what instant-identification apps really add to your experience in museums and galler...
California Passes Landmark Bill to Remake Gig Economy
With the bill’s passage, California’s ride-hailing drivers, food-delivery couriers, janitors and others are set to be reclassified as employ...
Host Violent Content? In Australia, You Could Go to Jail
Australia has held itself up as a model for cracking down on violent extremist material online since the Christchurch massacre in New Zealan...
California Passes Landmark Bill to Remake Gig Economy
With the bill’s passage, California’s ride-hailing drivers, food-delivery couriers, janitors and others are set to be reclassified as employ...
Uber Lays Off Hundreds More Workers as It Struggles to Make Money
The ride-hailing company laid off 435 workers on Tuesday, following a round of layoffs in July.
Apple iPhone Event: A Phone Price Cut, the Series 5 Watch, a New iPad
The iPhone 11, Apple’s entry-level phone, will start at $700, compared with $750 for the comparable model last year.
Apple iPhone Event: Its Gaming Service, Apple Arcade, Will Cost $5 a Month
And the new phone should be a bit bigger and a bit faster. But will it be a bit more expensive?
Margrethe Vestager Gains Expanded E.U. Role Regulating Digital Economy
Ursula von der Leyen, the new leader of the European Union’s executive arm, is calling for growing oversight of digital commerce and an expa...
Want to Do Business in Silicon Valley? Better Act Nice
What happened when a venture capitalist told the truth about a Mark Zuckerberg-backed start-up.
California Labor Bill, Near Passage, Is Blow to Uber and Lyft
The companies seem to have fallen short in efforts to dodge legislation classifying many workers in the gig economy as employees and not con...
Google Antitrust Investigation Outlined by State Attorneys General
The formal declaration by a bipartisan group of state officials adds investigative muscle to the intensifying scrutiny of the tech giant.
Juul Violated Federal Rules by Marketing Vaping Products as Safer Than Cigarettes, F.D.A. Says
The agency sent a warning letter to the company. In a separate letter, it also requested more information about the company’s outreach to st...
Amazon’s Effort to Recruit 30,000 Workers Collides With Saturated Job Market
With the U.S. unemployment rate near a 50-year low, openings at the company keep piling up as it tries to grow in different directions.
How Each Big Tech Company May Be Targeted by Regulators
While Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google have all drawn attention to how they dominate markets, the reasons are as different as the companie...
How Top-Valued Microsoft Has Avoided the Big Tech Backlash
Its “Evil Empire” moniker, once a label favored by the company’s critics, has fallen by the wayside.
When the A.I. Professor Leaves, Students Suffer, Study Says
After losing top professors, college students are less likely to create artificial intelligence start-ups and get less venture funding, the ...
When the A.I. Professor Leaves, Students Suffer, Study Says
After losing top professors, college students are less likely to create artificial intelligence start-ups and get less venture funding, the ...
New Google and Facebook Inquiries Show Big Tech Scrutiny Is Rare Bipartisan Act
Democrats and Republicans, at the federal and state levels, are uniting to investigate the power of Big Tech, and potentially to rein in the...
Chandrayaan-2: How to Follow India’s Moon Landing
What you need to know about the mission and how to follow it.
The Week in Tech: YouTube Fined $170 Million Over Child Privacy Violations
A settlement is about 1.7 percent of the parent company Alphabet’s profit in its most recent quarter.
Facebook Faces Antitrust Investigation by State Attorneys General
Regulators in eight states and the District of Columbia are moving forward with an antitrust investigation into Facebook, New York’s attorne...
Overlooked No More: Alice Guy Blaché, the World’s First Female Filmmaker
Even before women had the right to vote, Blaché, in her actions and in her films, expressed female drives, desires and self-determination.
How Tim Ferriss Tuned In to Psychedelic Medicine
The author of “The 4-Hour Workweek” is behind a surge in funding for clinical research into psychedelic drugs.
Jeffrey Epstein’s Donations Create a Schism at M.I.T.’s Revered Media Lab
The proudly contrarian lab has been divided since its director disclosed that he had taken money from the disgraced financier. Its efforts a...
New York State Suspects Vitamin E May Have Played a Role in Vaping Illnesses
Health officials around the country are still investigating numerous possible causes and have tested only some of the devices used by ill pa...
The Rise and Fall of the Jeremy Renner App, Which Was a Real Thing
Online trolls ruined the app, which allowed the “Avengers” actor to connect with, and monetize, his superfans.
Hackers Hit Twitter C.E.O. Jack Dorsey in a ‘SIM Swap.’ You’re at Risk, Too
Hackers have been targeting regular people and celebrities with the attack. Last week, it was used to hijack the Twitter account of Twitter’...
The Work Diary of Parisa Tabriz, Google’s ‘Security Princess’
When you oversee a web browser used by a billion people, you eat a lot of cereal for dinner.
WeWork Parent Considers Reducing Valuation Before I.P.O.
In a sign that investors are growing wary of fast-growing, money-losing start-ups, the We Company may offer shares at a significant discount...
Can You Draw This? Of Course You Can
Sketching is a form of visual thinking that exercises the mind and body, and it’s easy to turn your tablet into a portable art studio.
Tracing Disinformation With Custom Tools, Burner Phones and Encrypted Apps
As the 2020 race heats up, here’s how Matthew Rosenberg, a politics reporter, is preparing for an onslaught of intentional falsehoods.
A Million Refugees May Soon Lose Their Line to the Outside World
As Bangladesh vowed to cut off mobile phone access in Rohingya camps, refugees who fled terror in Myanmar despaired over their future.
In a Tight Labor Market, a Disability May Not Be a Barrier
To expand the pool of workers, companies are recruiting stay-at-home parents, retirees and people with disabilities. Will they keep it up if...
The Human Cost of Amazon’s Fast, Free Shipping
Amazon directs the destinations, deadlines and routes for its network of contract delivery drivers. But when they crash, the retail giant is...
Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Streaming Platform Loses a Top Executive
Janice Min, the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter and Us Weekly, has left Quibi months ahead of its planned launch.
Slack’s Shares Plunge After It Predicts a Larger Loss
The business software company, which went public amid a wave of hype in June, got a taste of the reality of being a public company.
Popular YouTube Toy Review Channel Accused of Blurring Lines for Ads
In a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, a watchdog group said Ryan ToysReview, which has 21 million subscribers, didn’t properly dis...
Another Patient Has Died From Lung Disease After Vaping
Health authorities in Oregon are investigating the case but would not identify the age of the patient or the brand of the device used.
Big Tech Companies Meeting With U.S. Officials on 2020 Election Security
Security teams from Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft met with members of the F.B.I., Department of Homeland Security and others on We...
Regulators Fine Google $170 Million for Violating Children’s Privacy on YouTube
As part of a settlement, YouTube said it would also institute new privacy measures on children’s videos. Critics said the changes did not go...
Police Use of Facial Recognition Is Accepted by British Court
In a closely watched case, a judge ruled that live facial recognition does not violate privacy rights. There has been little legal precedent...
An A.I. System Passed an Eighth-Grade Science Test. Can You?
Researchers at the Allen Institute have hit an artificial-intelligence milestone: a machine that is ready for high school science. Maybe eve...
Welcome to San Diego. Don’t Mind the Scooters.
A year ago, electric rental scooters were hailed as the next big thing in transportation. But their troubles in San Diego show how the servi...
Getting Your Medical Records Through an App? There’s a Catch. And a Fight.
Medical groups are warning that new federal data-sharing rules, enabling people to get their health records through a smartphone, could lead...
Huawei Says, Without Evidence, That U.S. Pressured Its Employees
The Chinese technology giant said the American government had used harassment, entrapment and cyberattacks to disrupt its operations in rece...
The World’s First Ambassador to the Tech Industry
Denmark appointed him to approach Silicon Valley as if it were a global superpower. His challenges show how smaller countries struggle to in...
Dr. Donald Lindberg, 85, Dies; Opened Medical Research to the World
As director of the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, he digitized its holdings to make them available to ex...
Governments Shut Down the Internet to Stifle Critics. Citizens Pay the Price.
Internet shutdowns have become one of the defining tools of government repression in the 21st century — but citizens bear the cost at work a...
As Grass-Roots Labor Activism Rises, Will Unions Take Advantage?
Worker organizing is often being done with little union involvement or help. “It’s an opportunity being squandered,” one former labor offici...
Cooking Eggs in the Morning and Shucking Oysters at Night, Thanks to an App
Facing a labor shortage, restaurants are turning to on-demand services for line cooks, dishwashers and other trained workers.
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