Learning to Live With Mark Zuckerberg
Journalists and tech executives seem to be fighting each other to a draw in a battle that has no end in sight.
Home / Archive for October 2021
Roblox Goes Down, Forcing Children Outside for Halloween
The popular gaming site said Sunday that it was working to resolve the outage. In the meantime, children were freaking out.
How Venture Capitalists Think Cryptocurrency Will Reshape Commerce
From banking to gaming, investors are sending billions of dollars to crypto inventors who seek to disrupt industries. Here’s a look at some ...
Is Carbon Capture Here?
A Swiss company is operating a device in Iceland that sucks CO2 from the air and shoots it into the ground, where it turns into rock.
Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Presentation Was Full of Meme References
For those watching closely, his 80-minute video announcing Facebook’s rebrand delivered some self-referential jokes.
Big Hires, Big Money and a D.C. Blitz: A Bold Plan to Dominate Crypto
The Silicon Valley firm Andreessen Horowitz, whose founders played big roles in the development of the internet, aims to own a huge part of ...
Big Hires, Big Money and a D.C. Blitz: A Bold Plan to Dominate Crypto
The Silicon Valley firm Andreessen Horowitz, whose founders played big roles in the development of the internet, aims to own a huge part of ...
How a Mistake by YouTube Shows Its Power Over Media
Novara, a London news group, fell victim to YouTube’s opaque and sometimes arbitrary enforcement of its rules.
The Metaverse Is Mark Zuckerberg’s Escape Hatch
If his new strategy works — a big if — it could help address several of Facebook’s biggest problems.
Facebook Changes Corporate Name to Meta
The social network, under fire for spreading misinformation and other issues, said the change was part of its bet on a next digital frontier...
Clearview AI Finally Takes Part in a Federal Accuracy Test
Thousands of local and state police departments are customers for Clearview’s facial recognition tool, the company says.
Amazon Sales Growth Slows and Costs Rise
The company’s profit was lower, largely because of higher labor costs and huge investments in its delivery network.
Facebook Changes Corporate Name to Meta
The social network, under fire for spreading misinformation and other issues, said the change was part of its bet on a next digital frontier...
How a Mistake by YouTube Shows Its Power Over Media
Novara, a London news group, fell victim to YouTube’s opaque and sometimes arbitrary enforcement of its rules.
Activision Blizzard to Improve Diversity and Workplace Culture
The video game publisher said it would spend $250 million on hiring more women and those from “underrepresented communities” and adopt a zer...
Google and Facebook’s Ad Empires
The tech giants talk a lot about the “metaverse” and cloud computing. What really powers them is selling us socks.
Senate Panel OKs Jonathan Kanter to Lead Justice Dept. Antitrust Unit
If confirmed by the full Senate, Jonathan Kanter will join other critics of Silicon Valley in top antitrust positions.
Old Power Gear Is Slowing Use of Clean Energy and Electric Cars
Some people and businesses seeking to use solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles find they can’t because utility equipment needs an u...
Facebook Tells Employees to Keep Communications for Legal Reasons
The move follows intense scrutiny after a whistle-blower provided documents about the social network’s inner workings.
Facebook, Show Us the Mess
Candid looks at the inner workings of influential tech companies shouldn’t be so rare.
Anonymity No More? Age Checks Come to the Web.
To protect children online, more companies and governments are forcing users to prove how old they are.
Netflix Eyes New Jersey Army Base for Major Production Hub
The streaming service said it would bid for a nearly 300-acre chunk of Fort Monmouth and it has the support of Gov. Phil Murphy.
Google's Profit and Revenue Soared in the Third Quarter
The results easily topped analysts’ forecasts.
Twitter’s revenue rises 37 percent in the third quarter.
The social media company said the effects of Apple’s privacy changes had not been as severe for its advertising business as for other compan...
Facebook Wants the Young People Back
The social media giant is making bonkers money. But it aims to turn itself inside out to get more young people.
YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington.
Lawmakers are expected to press the executives on the mounting concerns that their services harm children and teenagers.
How to Map a Fly Brain in 20 Million Easy Steps
An enormous new analysis of the wiring of the fruit fly brain is a milestone for the young field of modern connectomics, scientists say.
Will the SEC Add to Facebook's Woes?
One of the most pressing questions is whether the Securities and Exchange Commission will significantly add to the company’s woes.
Dave Chappelle Responds to Netflix Controversy in Instagram Post
Mr. Chappelle’s special has put Netflix at the center of a conversation involving transphobia, free speech and employee activism.
Blue Origin Wants to Build a Space Station
Blue Origin says it will team up with Sierra Space, Boeing and other companies to build an outpost that could help replace the International...
Facebook Profits Jump 17 Percent
The results in the latest quarter are a sign of the company’s financial strength as it faces a public relations crisis.
Amazon workers in Staten Island file to hold a union election.
The effort could bring a second unionization vote at an Amazon warehouse in less than a year.
Key Takeaways From the Facebook Papers and Their Fallout
A look at a month of scrutiny and struggles for the social-networking giant.
Tesla Stock Crosses $1 Trillion in Market Value
The electric-car maker’s latest surge came after a deal to supply vehicles to Hertz. Its stock has risen more than tenfold since March 2020....
Frances Haugen, Facebook Whistle-Blower, Testifies to Parliament
Beginning a European tour, the former Facebook manager was questioned by policymakers planning tougher tech regulations.
Google Pixel 6 Review: Playing Catch-Up With the iPhone
With long battery life and nice cameras, the new Google devices excel at what popular phones have done for years. Is that enough?
Behold, the Worm Blob and Its Computerized Twin
It wriggles. It pulls. It falls apart and comes back together. It is everything you wish for and everything you fear.
Hertz Places Order for 100,000 Tesla Vehicles
The order, which is expected to be delivered by the end of next year, is a sign of the growing momentum in the shift toward electric cars.
Facebook Debates What to Do With Its Like and Share Buttons
Likes and shares made the social media site what it is. Now, company documents show, it’s struggling to deal with their effects.
I’m Not a Pilot, but I Just Flew a Helicopter Over California
New technology, a few iPads and a quick tutorial can help anyone act like a pilot. Dealing with air traffic control is another matter.
Russia Challenges Biden Again With Broad Cybersurveillance Operation
The new campaign came only months after President Biden imposed sanctions on Moscow in response to a series of spy operations it had conduct...
Why Amazon Is in Business With Judge Judy
The company hopes a new court show starring the straight-talking judge will help turbocharge its free, ad-supported streaming platform, IMDb...
Inside Amazon’s Worst Human Resources Problem
A knot of problems with Amazon’s system for handling paid and unpaid leaves has led to devastating consequences for workers.
A Rare Win in the Cat-and-Mouse Game of Ransomware
A team of private security sleuths, in their first public detailing of their efforts, discuss how they used cybercriminals’ mistakes to quie...
In India, Facebook Struggles to Combat Misinformation and Hate Speech
Internal documents show a struggle with misinformation, hate speech and celebrations of violence in the country, the company’s biggest marke...
Facebook Employees Warned About Election Misinformation, to Little Effect
Company documents show that the social network’s employees repeatedly raised red flags about the spread of misinformation and conspiracies b...
Key takeaways from Week 7 of the Elizabeth Holmes trial.
Prosecutors focused on her alleged deceptions, trying to make the case that she intentionally misled Theranos’s investors and commercial par...
Eating Disorders and Social Media Prove Difficult to Untangle
Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram try to monitor for content related to the problem, but it is not always clear what to do ab...
Google said it had successfully ‘slowed down’ European privacy rules, according to lawsuit.
The new details came in an unredacted version of a lawsuit filed by Texas and 11 other states.
Russia Strengthens Its Internet Censorship Powers
Quietly built over two years, the Kremlin’s censorship infrastructure gives it sweeping power to block sites. Many fear a new age of digital...
Lyft Says 1,807 Sexual Assaults Occurred in Rides in 2019
The company’s first-ever safety report, which it committed two years ago to producing, also included four fatal assaults and 49 deaths in cr...
Hackers Lay Claim to Trump's Social App Before Its Launch
Hackers tied to the group Anonymous defaced a private version of the former president’s app, Truth Social, posting images of defecating pigs...
Google to Lower Its App Store Fees for Developers to 15%
The move is a concession to regulators and lawmakers, who are challenging whether the company has overcharged developers.
Why the Cable Company Is Selling TVs
It all comes down to having power over what Americans watch and how.
Amazon Workers on Staten Island Aim for Union Vote
The organizers say they will have enough signatures by Monday to file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. The company i...
OnlyFans May Be a Refuge for Nude Fine Art
The Vienna Tourist Board has joined the adults-only site to display artworks that other social platforms have censored.
Can We Have Healthy Conversations Online?
Not all online spaces are terrible. Join Shira Ovide, a Times technology writer, for a virtual event on Nov. 18 exploring the forces behind ...
The Webb Telescope’s Latest Stumbling Block: Its Name
The long-awaited successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is scheduled to launch in December. But the NASA official for whom it is named has ...
The True Cost of Upgrading Your Phone
Buying a $1,000 iPhone can be equivalent to giving up $17,000 in retirement savings or 2,500 cups of coffee.
Netflix Employees Walk Out to Protest Dave Chappelle's Special
The protest involved dozens of employees and was one of the most visible signs of worker unrest in the history of the streaming service.
The True Cost of Upgrading Your Phone
Buying a $1,000 iPhone can be equivalent to giving up $17,000 in retirement savings or 2,500 cups of coffee.
PayPal is said to be in talks to buy Pinterest in a $45 billion deal.
If completed, it would be one of the larger consumer internet deals this year.
A Hearing Aid for Everyone
Over-the-counter hearing aids have the potential to show government and tech companies at their best.
Blacktag, a New Streaming Service, Has Big Plans
A new streaming platform wants to be a destination for Black audiences around the world.
AMC to Add Onscreen Captions at Some Locations
The move was lauded by advocates for the deaf and the hard of hearing, but theater owners worry audiences don’t want captions.
How to Talk to the World Through Free Translation Apps
Open up Google Translate or Apple’s Translate and your mobile device turns into your personal language interpreter.
Museums Use Technology to Stir Interest in the Artistic Past
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is using modern technology to stir appreciation for ancient artistry — including an Athenian potter’s trans...
Zuckerberg to Be Added to Facebook Privacy Suit
The District of Columbia case, which grew out of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, could expose the chief executive to financial and other pe...
Boeing Deepens NASA Starliner Probe, Prompting More Delays
The Starliner capsule for NASA crews is now unlikely to have another orbital flight test until the middle of next year.
Bolsonaro's Pandemic Handling Draws Explosive Allegation: Homicide
A long-awaited report from a panel of Brazilian senators concludes that Jair Bolsonaro purposely let the coronavirus kill Brazilians in a fa...
Bolsonaro Should Face Homicide Charges Over Pandemic, Brazil Lawmakers Say
A long-awaited report from Brazil’s Senate concludes that Jair Bolsonaro purposely let the coronavirus kill Brazilians in a failed bid for h...
Facebook Settles Claims That It Discriminated Against American Workers
The Justice Department sued the company in December, arguing that Facebook had declined to “recruit, consider or hire” qualified Americans f...
We Won’t Forget WeWork’s Meltdown
Start-up implosions don’t matter to most people. But the feelings of unfairness affect us all.
YouTube Sued Over Animal Abuse Videos, Accused of Not Enforcing Ban
An animal rights group said the site had ignored efforts to get clear violations taken down. YouTube said it had removed hundreds of thousan...
Desperate for Workers, Restaurants Turn to Robots
They can make French fries, mix drinks and even clean toilets, and they never ask for a raise. But they also break down.
Treasury Warns That Digital Currencies Could Weaken U.S. Sanctions
A review found that the sanctions program must be modernized to maintain its effectiveness.
Apple Unveils New MacBook Computers and Updated AirPods
The tech giant rolled back some of the changes it had made to its laptops, getting rid of the unpopular Touch Bar and re-adding ports for an...
Nuclear Fusion Edges Toward the Mainstream
Long-shot money is flowing into start-ups that seek the energy of the stars. Driving the investments is a rising alarm about global warming....
Lawmakers question whether Amazon executives, including Jeff Bezos, misled Congress.
A bipartisan group told the company that they were considering referring their concerns to the Justice Department for a potential criminal i...
Roblox, the Gaming Site, Wants to Grow Up Without Sacrificing Child Safety
The company, which went public earlier this year, has lessons for other internet outfits aiming to attract younger users even as its own aud...
Instagram Struggles With Fears of Losing Its ‘Pipeline’: Young Users
The app, hailed as Facebook’s growth engine, has privately wrestled with retaining and engaging teenagers, according to internal documents.
Elizabeth Holmes Trial: Key Moments From Week 6
Testimony addressed the question of whether Theranos was misleading and deceiving big corporations to get money.
Leader of Apple activism movement says she was fired.
Janneke Parrish, who was a program manager for Apple Maps in Austin, Texas, was one of the two leaders of a group that called itself AppleTo...
Cybersecurity Experts Sound Alarm on Apple and E.U. Phone Scanning Plans
A group of researchers said the “dangerous technology” was invasive and not effective at detecting images of child sexual abuse.
YouTube’s stronger election misinformation policies had a spillover effect on Twitter and Facebook, researchers say.
The prevalence of videos claiming fraud dropped sharply, according to New York University’s Center for Social Media and Politics.
‘Disability Drives Innovation’
Audiobooks are an example of a technology developed by or for people with disabilities that has helped all of us.
LinkedIn to End Service in China, Citing ‘Challenging’ Environment
The Microsoft-owned service had censored posts in China, in compliance with the country’s laws, to operate there.
In a Blue Origin Rocket, William Shatner Finally Goes to Space
The actor who played Captain Kirk played the role of pitchman for Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company at a time that it is facing a number of wo...
Facebook clamps down on its internal message boards.
The social network, which has been under increased scrutiny after a former product manager turned into a whistle-blower, is trying to preven...
Father of Killed Reporter Asks Regulators to Investigate Facebook
Andy Parker, the father of a journalist killed in 2015, filed a complaint with the F.T.C. urging it to increase regulation on the tech giant...
William Shatner's Star Trek Moment With Jeff Bezos
After the Blue Origin crew set down, science fiction met reality.
New Digital Companies, Old Ad Habits
Why are DoorDash and Instacart letting businesses buy their way to the top of search results?
U.S. regulator questions Tesla on the lack of a recall after an update to Autopilot.
In a letter, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminded Tesla that federal law requires automakers to initiate recalls if t...
Dating Apps Were ‘Getting Old.’ Why Not Try Something Older?
Hot Singles, a weekly email newsletter, evokes nostalgia for a simpler approach to finding romance, before dating apps were ubiquitous.
How to Watch William Shatner Launch to Space on Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos’ rocket company will launch the man who played Captain Kirk along with three other passengers on a short up and down flight to th...
Spending Is Big Tech’s Superpower
When the tech giants splurge on big-ticket investments, it’s great for them but hard for others to keep up.
As Big Tech Grows in the Pandemic, Seattle Grows With It
Despite an overall decline in office leasing in the United States, technology companies gobbled up more space in the Seattle area than they ...
Inside the Courtroom With Theranos’s Elizabeth Holmes
Behind the closed doors are whispers, gestures and a daily rhythm, plus two court artists, numbered tickets and some true-crime fans.
Facebook Whistleblower Fallout Prompts a Push to Calm Employees
Employees are divided over Frances Haugen, a former product manager who testified that the company was putting profit before safety.
Lifestyles of the Rich and Gullible: Theranos and Ozy Edition
Average investors were not able to get in on the last decade’s start-up boom in private markets. Once that seemed unfair. Now it looks lucky...
Lawmakers See Path to Rein in Tech, but It Isn’t Smooth
If what faces Big Tech is anything like what happened to Big Tobacco, the road ahead is likely to be a yearslong battle over proposed rules ...
Apple Appeals App Store Ruling in Fight With Epic Games
At the heart of the legal battle is the power Apple wields over its lucrative App Store.
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Go Down Again for Some Users
All of Facebook’s main products — Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and the “big blue app” of Facebook — were inaccessible to at least some use...
China Fines Meituan $530 Million in Second Tech Antitrust Case
The $530 million fine is Beijing’s second major penalty this year against an internet company accused of monopolistic practices.
Google bans ads on content, including YouTube videos, with false claims about climate change.
“We’ve heard directly from a growing number of our advertising and publisher partners who have expressed concerns about ads that run alongsi...
We’re Smarter About Facebook Now
With each Facebook crisis, we become savvier about the influence of tech companies on our lives.
Elizabeth Holmes Trial: Key Takeaways From Week 5
Jurors’ eyes glazed over at detailed technical discussions as Theranos’s former lab director described repeated instances of irregular and i...
How to Fix Facebook
This is a pivotal moment in Facebook’s history. Here are suggestions for how to improve the company.
Twitch Data Breach Could Be ‘Potentially Disastrous’
Included in the breach was a list that purportedly showed how much money each of the platform’s streamers had earned in the past two years.
Robert Schiffmann, Inventive Guru of the Microwave, Dies at 86
As a scientist he saw the potential of microwave ovens when he observed one heating up a sandwich in the 1960s. Microwaveable oatmeal, among...
Facebook Whistle-Blower’s Testimony Bolsters Calls for E.U. Regulation
One proposal would require Facebook and other tech platforms to disclose details to regulators and researchers about their services, algorit...
It’s Time to Stop Paying for a VPN
Many virtual private network services that were meant to protect your web browsing can no longer be trusted. Here are other ways.
Biden's Pick for Top Antitrust Official Was a Star Corporate Lawyer
How Jonathan Kanter, the Biden administration’s choice to be the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, became a progressive foe of Big Tech....
Facebook Whistle-Blower Urges Lawmakers to Regulate the Company
Frances Haugen, who left the social network in May and leaked internal documents, gave senators rare insight into its inner workings.
Facebook Outage Caused by a Cascade of Errors, It Says
For more than five hours, the company’s family of apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp, were unavailable to the billions who use them.
The Key Takeaways from Frances Haugen's Facebook Testimony
Lawmakers in the hearing explored the role that Facebook’s algorithms play in amplifying problematic content.
Facebook Engagement Ranking Boost and MSI, Explained
Here is a guide to some jargon used in the Facebook whistle-blower hearing.
How Frances Haugen's Inside Knowledge of Facebook is Making This Hearing Different
Ultimately, Facebook’s ownership structure was also an issue, she said.
Hackers and Facebook: No Proof Data of 1.5 Billion Users is Being Sold
The problem is that the breach that Ms. Blackburn referenced is largely unverified.
Facebook Senate Hearing: Teenage Girls and Social Media's Effect
Among young people, the idea that Instagram can hurt someone’s self-image is widely discussed.
Where are Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg?
Mr. Zuckerberg and Ms. Sandberg are deliberately avoiding public comment on the leaked documents.
Frances Haugen Says Facebook's Products Harm Children and Stoke Division
Ms. Haugen is testifying before a Senate subcommittee.
How to Watch the Facebook Senate Whistle-Blower Hearing
Frances Haugen, a former product manager for Facebook, will argue to protect consumers from a profits-over-safety culture.
Who Is Frances Haugen? The Facebook Whistle-Blower
The former Facebook project manager handled democracy and misinformation issues and worked on counterespionage.
What Time is the Facebook Senate Hearing?
Frances Haugen, a former product manager for Facebook, will argue to protect consumers from a profits-over-safety culture.
Facebook’s Apps Went Down. The World Saw How Much It Runs on Them.
The outage disrupted the digital lives of small-business owners, politicians, aid workers and others. But for some, it was a welcome repriev...
Facebook Outage Shows World Reliance on WhatsApp, Instagram
The outage disrupted the digital lives of small-business owners, politicians, aid workers and others. But for some, it was a welcome repriev...
Users Turn to Twitter After Facebook Outage
Twitter appeared to embrace its moment in the spotlight.
Facebook and Instagram Start to Come Back Online After Outage
A spokesman cautioned that it would take some time for all of the apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp, to stabilize.
These Online Publications Are Not Free … and Readers Don’t Mind
Defector, The Daily Memphian, The Dispatch and other outlets of recent vintage are driving a shift in the digital media business.
Facebook urges court to dismiss latest F.T.C. antitrust suit.
“This court gave the agency a second chance to make a valid claim,” Facebook said in its filing. “But the same deficiency that was fatal to ...
Facebook, Instagram Go Down Simultaneously
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger all showed outage on Monday, according to the website downdetector.com.
A Nobel Prize That Might Have Been
A recent study of black holes has confirmed a fundamental prediction made by Stephen Hawking nearly five decades ago. But the ultimate award...
Facebook Is Weaker Than We Knew
A trove of leaked documents, published by The Wall Street Journal, hints at a company whose best days are behind it.
Whistle-Blower Says Facebook ‘Chooses Profits Over Safety’
Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, revealed that she had provided internal company documents to journalists and others.
Whistle-Blower to Accuse Facebook of Contributing to Jan. 6 Riot, Memo Says
In an internal memo, Facebook defended itself and said that social media was not a primary cause of polarization.
Tesla Reports Record Quarterly Deliveries Amid Chip Scarcity
The electric-car maker has weathered the global shortage of semiconductors better than more established rivals.
Facebook Struggles to Quell Uproar Over Instagram’s Effect on Teens
The social network has been all hands on deck as it grapples with revelations that it knew the harmful effects its Instagram photo-sharing a...
Rivian, Electric Vehicle Start-Up, Unveils Large Losses in I.P.O. Filing
The company, which is backed by Amazon and Ford, is seeking to sell shares in one of the biggest initial public offerings of the year.
Elizabeth Holmes Trial: Key Moments From Week 4
A Theranos lab director emerged as key prosecution witness during testimony focused on problems with the company’s blood tests.
Zoom’s $15 billion deal for Five9 is off.
The plan to merge had drawn scrutiny on national security grounds.
TikTok's Oddly Satisfying Pool-Cleaning Videos
Clips of swimming pools being cleaned have racked up millions of views on TikTok. Researchers have some ideas as to why.
The World Wants Greenland’s Minerals, but Greenlanders Are Wary
The island has rare elements needed for electric cars and wind turbines. But protesters are blocking one project, signaling that mining comp...
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