Image Credits: Costfoto / Barcroft Media / Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday banning transactions with ByteDance, the parent company of popular app TikTok. The White House also announced that he signed a similar order banning transactions with WeChat, the messaging app owned by Tencent that is ubiquitous in China, but has a much smaller presence than TikTok in the United States, where it is used mainly by members of the Chinese diaspora.Both orders will take effect in 45 days, but (and this is a key point) the executive orders are vague and confusing...…Image Credits: Costfoto / Barcroft Media / Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday banning transactions with ByteDance, the parent company of popular app TikTok. The White House also announced that he signed a similar order banning transactions with WeChat, the messaging app owned by Tencent that is ubiquitous in China, but has a much smaller presence than TikTok in the United States, where it is used mainly by members of the Chinese diaspora.Both orders will take effect in 45 days, but (and this is a key point) the executive orders are vague and confusing...WW…

is an attorney with more than six years of experience representing technology clients in cutting-edge industries, including autonomous transportation.is an intellectual property partner and leader of the autonomous transportation and shared mobility practice at Fenwick & West; he also chairs the California Technology Council’s Autonomous Transportation Initiative.At the end of every calendar year, the complaints from autonomous vehicle companies start piling up. This annual tradition is the result of a requirement by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that AV companies deliver...…is an attorney with more than six years of experience representing technology clients in cutting-edge industries, including autonomous transportation.is an intellectual property partner and leader of the autonomous transportation and shared mobility practice at Fenwick & West; he also chairs the California Technology Council’s Autonomous Transportation Initiative.At the end of every calendar year, the complaints from autonomous vehicle companies start piling up. This annual tradition is the result of a requirement by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that AV companies deliver...WW…

took action against the official Trump campaign Twitter account Wednesday, freezing ability to tweet until it removed a video in which the president made misleading claims about the coronavirus. In the video clip, taken from a , President Trump makes the unfounded assertion that children are “almost immune” from COVID-19.“If you look at children, children are almost — and I would almost say definitely — but almost immune from this disease,” Trump said. “They don’t have a problem. They just don’t have a problem.”While Trump’s main account @realDonaldTrump in violation, it did not directly...…took action against the official Trump campaign Twitter account Wednesday, freezing ability to tweet until it removed a video in which the president made misleading claims about the coronavirus. In the video clip, taken from a , President Trump makes the unfounded assertion that children are “almost immune” from COVID-19.“If you look at children, children are almost — and I would almost say definitely — but almost immune from this disease,” Trump said. “They don’t have a problem. They just don’t have a problem.”While Trump’s main account @realDonaldTrump in violation, it did not directly...WW…

has banned a large number of Chinese accounts it said were engaging in “coordinated influence operations” on political issues, the company announced today; 2,596 accounts from China alone were taken down from April to June, compared with 277 in the .“These channels mostly uploaded spammy, non-political content, but a small subset posted political content primarily in Chinese similar to the findings in a recent Graphika report, including content related to the U.S. response to COVID-19,” .The Graphika report, entitled “Return of the (Spamouflage) Dragon: Pro Chinese Spam Network Tries...…has banned a large number of Chinese accounts it said were engaging in “coordinated influence operations” on political issues, the company announced today; 2,596 accounts from China alone were taken down from April to June, compared with 277 in the .“These channels mostly uploaded spammy, non-political content, but a small subset posted political content primarily in Chinese similar to the findings in a recent Graphika report, including content related to the U.S. response to COVID-19,” .The Graphika report, entitled “Return of the (Spamouflage) Dragon: Pro Chinese Spam Network Tries...WW…

Twitter has disclosed it’s facing a potential fine of more than a hundred million dollars as a result of a probe by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which believes the company violated a by using data provided by users for a security purpose to target them with ads.In an , reported on earlier by The , Twitter revealed it received the draft complaint from the FTC late last month. The activity the regulator is complaining about is alleged to have taken place between 2013 and 2019.Last the social media firm publicly disclosed it had used phone numbers and email addresses provided by users...…Twitter has disclosed it’s facing a potential fine of more than a hundred million dollars as a result of a probe by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which believes the company violated a by using data provided by users for a security purpose to target them with ads.In an , reported on earlier by The , Twitter revealed it received the draft complaint from the FTC late last month. The activity the regulator is complaining about is alleged to have taken place between 2013 and 2019.Last the social media firm publicly disclosed it had used phone numbers and email addresses provided by users...WW…

is making strides toward its goal of creating high-speed commercial aircraft that operates a little closer to Earth than its existing passenger spacecraft. The company revealed the it’s creating that’s designed to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3 — faster than the average cruising speed of around Mach 2 that the original Concorde achieved.This concept design comes alongside a new partnership for Virgin Galactic, by way of a memorandum of understanding that the company signed with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s leading aircraft engine makers. Rolls-Royce is also responsible for the engine...…is making strides toward its goal of creating high-speed commercial aircraft that operates a little closer to Earth than its existing passenger spacecraft. The company revealed the it’s creating that’s designed to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3 — faster than the average cruising speed of around Mach 2 that the original Concorde achieved.This concept design comes alongside a new partnership for Virgin Galactic, by way of a memorandum of understanding that the company signed with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s leading aircraft engine makers. Rolls-Royce is also responsible for the engine...WW…

is a Head of Data Science at , where she focuses on computer vision and natural language processing. She leads education of scientists, engineers, product designers and business leaders across Getty Images on building ethical AI products.2020 has made every industry reimagine how to move forward in light of COVID-19: civil rights movements, an election year and countless other big news moments. On a human level, we’ve had to adjust to a new way of living. We’ve started to accept these changes and figure out how to live our lives under these new pandemic rules. While humans settle in, AI is...…is a Head of Data Science at , where she focuses on computer vision and natural language processing. She leads education of scientists, engineers, product designers and business leaders across Getty Images on building ethical AI products.2020 has made every industry reimagine how to move forward in light of COVID-19: civil rights movements, an election year and countless other big news moments. On a human level, we’ve had to adjust to a new way of living. We’ve started to accept these changes and figure out how to live our lives under these new pandemic rules. While humans settle in, AI is...WW…

and NASA have made history once again, successfully completing the crucial final phase of their Demo-2 mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX’s first spacecraft made for human flight. This marks the end of this last demonstration mission, which flew NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 30, where they remained for two months prior to making the return trip on Sunday.Crew Dragon appears to have performed exactly as intended throughout the mission, handling the launch, ISS docking, undocking, de-orbit and splashdown in a fully automated...…and NASA have made history once again, successfully completing the crucial final phase of their Demo-2 mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX’s first spacecraft made for human flight. This marks the end of this last demonstration mission, which flew NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 30, where they remained for two months prior to making the return trip on Sunday.Crew Dragon appears to have performed exactly as intended throughout the mission, handling the launch, ISS docking, undocking, de-orbit and splashdown in a fully automated...WW…

China’s has agreed to divest its TikTok operations in the US, . Under the deal, Microsoft would take over stewardship of the data of U.S.-based users. The deal allows another company besides Microsoft to operate TikTok in the United States. This would allow the service to continue to operate in the United States, sidestepping the alleged executive order threatened by President Trump.Allegedly, ByteDance had previously sought a deal that would allow the company to retain a minority stake in the company. That plan was apparently recently abandoned after the White House rejected the...…China’s has agreed to divest its TikTok operations in the US, . Under the deal, Microsoft would take over stewardship of the data of U.S.-based users. The deal allows another company besides Microsoft to operate TikTok in the United States. This would allow the service to continue to operate in the United States, sidestepping the alleged executive order threatened by President Trump.Allegedly, ByteDance had previously sought a deal that would allow the company to retain a minority stake in the company. That plan was apparently recently abandoned after the White House rejected the...WW…

Image Credits: Amazon has said the number of demands for user data made by U.S. federal and local law enforcement have increased more during the first half of 2020 than during the same period a year earlier.The disclosure came in the company’s , published Thursday.The figures show that Amazon received 23% more subpoenas and search warrants, and a 29% increase in court orders compared to the first half of 2019. That includes data collected from its Amazon.com retail storefront, Amazon Echo devices and its Kindle and Fire tablets.Breaking those figures down, Amazon said it received:The number...…Image Credits: Amazon has said the number of demands for user data made by U.S. federal and local law enforcement have increased more during the first half of 2020 than during the same period a year earlier.The disclosure came in the company’s , published Thursday.The figures show that Amazon received 23% more subpoenas and search warrants, and a 29% increase in court orders compared to the first half of 2019. That includes data collected from its Amazon.com retail storefront, Amazon Echo devices and its Kindle and Fire tablets.Breaking those figures down, Amazon said it received:The number...WW…

A makes an attempt to better understand U.S. adults who get their news largely from social media platforms, and compare their understanding of current events and political knowledge to those who use other sources, like TV, radio and news publications. The top-level finding, according to Pew, is that social media news consumers tend to follow the news less closely and end up less informed on several key subjects.That seems to reinforce a belief that many people already hold, of course — that people who get their news primarily from Facebook, for example, aren’t as informed.But it’s important...…A makes an attempt to better understand U.S. adults who get their news largely from social media platforms, and compare their understanding of current events and political knowledge to those who use other sources, like TV, radio and news publications. The top-level finding, according to Pew, is that social media news consumers tend to follow the news less closely and end up less informed on several key subjects.That seems to reinforce a belief that many people already hold, of course — that people who get their news primarily from Facebook, for example, aren’t as informed.But it’s important...WW…

Amazon has said the number of demands for user data made by U.S. federal and local law enforcement have increased more during the first half of 2020 than during the same period a year earlier.The disclosure came in the company’s , published Thursday.The figures show that Amazon received 23% more subpoenas and search warrants, and a 29% increase in court orders compared to the first half of 2019. That includes data collected from its Amazon.com retail storefront, Amazon Echo devices and its Kindle and Fire tablets.Breaking those figures down, Amazon said it received:The number of requests to...…Amazon has said the number of demands for user data made by U.S. federal and local law enforcement have increased more during the first half of 2020 than during the same period a year earlier.The disclosure came in the company’s , published Thursday.The figures show that Amazon received 23% more subpoenas and search warrants, and a 29% increase in court orders compared to the first half of 2019. That includes data collected from its Amazon.com retail storefront, Amazon Echo devices and its Kindle and Fire tablets.Breaking those figures down, Amazon said it received:The number of requests to...WW…

A group of Japanese lawmakers is seeking to restrict the use of and other apps developed by Chinese firms, following in the footstep of India, which has dozens of Chinese apps, and the U.S., which isThe decision was first by Japanese national broadcaster NHK. The lawyers shared the same concern as officials in the U.S. and India that their domestic user data could end up in the hands of Beijing, and planned to submit the proposal to the Japanese government as early as September.Japan was one of TikTok’s first overseas success cases despite being considered a tough nut for foreign internet...…A group of Japanese lawmakers is seeking to restrict the use of and other apps developed by Chinese firms, following in the footstep of India, which has dozens of Chinese apps, and the U.S., which isThe decision was first by Japanese national broadcaster NHK. The lawyers shared the same concern as officials in the U.S. and India that their domestic user data could end up in the hands of Beijing, and planned to submit the proposal to the Japanese government as early as September.Japan was one of TikTok’s first overseas success cases despite being considered a tough nut for foreign internet...WW…

Competition continues to heat up in the food delivery wars. In the latest development, today announced that it has in a $2.65 billion, all-stock deal. It plans to run the business alongside its own food delivery business, Uber Eats, keeping the app running while merging some of the tech and delivery operations at the back end — for example, by having drivers delivering orders for both businesses.The deal confirms reports that last week, and got re-reported last night , that Postmates and Uber were in negotiations. That deal itself sprung up in the wake of Uber failing to acquire another...…Competition continues to heat up in the food delivery wars. In the latest development, today announced that it has in a $2.65 billion, all-stock deal. It plans to run the business alongside its own food delivery business, Uber Eats, keeping the app running while merging some of the tech and delivery operations at the back end — for example, by having drivers delivering orders for both businesses.The deal confirms reports that last week, and got re-reported last night , that Postmates and Uber were in negotiations. That deal itself sprung up in the wake of Uber failing to acquire another...WW…

Online alcohol delivery startup has told customers that it was hit by a data breach.In an email to customers obtained by the company said that a hacker “obtained” some customer data. The hacker took customer email addresses, date-of-birth, passwords hashed using the stronger bcrypt algorithm, and in some cases delivery address, the email read.As many as 2.5 million Drizly accounts are believed to have been stolen. TechCrunch obtained a portion of the data, including several accounts of Drizly staff members. We verified the data against public records. The portion of data we obtained also...…Online alcohol delivery startup has told customers that it was hit by a data breach.In an email to customers obtained by the company said that a hacker “obtained” some customer data. The hacker took customer email addresses, date-of-birth, passwords hashed using the stronger bcrypt algorithm, and in some cases delivery address, the email read.As many as 2.5 million Drizly accounts are believed to have been stolen. TechCrunch obtained a portion of the data, including several accounts of Drizly staff members. We verified the data against public records. The portion of data we obtained also...WW…

Ford is going to employ two of “Spot” robots, which are four-legged, dog-like walking robots that weigh roughly 70 lbs each, to help them update the original engineering plans for one of the transmission manufacturing plants. The plants, Ford explains, have undergone any number of changes since their original construction, and it’s difficult to know if the plans they have match up with the reality of the plants as they exist today. The Spot robots, with their laser scanning and imaging capabilities, will be able to produce highly detailed and accurate maps that Ford engineers can then use...…Ford is going to employ two of “Spot” robots, which are four-legged, dog-like walking robots that weigh roughly 70 lbs each, to help them update the original engineering plans for one of the transmission manufacturing plants. The plants, Ford explains, have undergone any number of changes since their original construction, and it’s difficult to know if the plans they have match up with the reality of the plants as they exist today. The Spot robots, with their laser scanning and imaging capabilities, will be able to produce highly detailed and accurate maps that Ford engineers can then use...WW…

A rare public showdown between Congress and the CEOs of tech’s biggest companies is still on track after being postponed last week. The House Judiciary Committee hearing, originally set for Monday, will now take place Wednesday, July 29 at 12 PM Eastern Time. The date was changed in light of the death of the civil rights leader and Georgia Representative John Lewis, who will be in the Capitol building.The hearing, titled “,” will see an unusually comprehensive cast of tech’s most powerful leaders face off with lawmakers.Any hearing that manages to drag to Washington, D.C. — even virtually,...…A rare public showdown between Congress and the CEOs of tech’s biggest companies is still on track after being postponed last week. The House Judiciary Committee hearing, originally set for Monday, will now take place Wednesday, July 29 at 12 PM Eastern Time. The date was changed in light of the death of the civil rights leader and Georgia Representative John Lewis, who will be in the Capitol building.The hearing, titled “,” will see an unusually comprehensive cast of tech’s most powerful leaders face off with lawmakers.Any hearing that manages to drag to Washington, D.C. — even virtually,...WW…

Just like we enjoy a range of different possible modes of transportation on Earth, the potential of the space economy allows for many different types of of vehicles and launch systems. took the wrapper off one today, a suborbital spaceplane called the Dawn Mk-II Aurora that’s smaller than a compact car and that will be capable of making multiple return trips to suborbital space per day.The Mk-II is, as its name suggests, a second iteration of the concept created by Dawn. The Mk-I was actually built and flew in May 2018, demonstrating its ability to fire up its rockets during flight after...…Just like we enjoy a range of different possible modes of transportation on Earth, the potential of the space economy allows for many different types of of vehicles and launch systems. took the wrapper off one today, a suborbital spaceplane called the Dawn Mk-II Aurora that’s smaller than a compact car and that will be capable of making multiple return trips to suborbital space per day.The Mk-II is, as its name suggests, a second iteration of the concept created by Dawn. The Mk-I was actually built and flew in May 2018, demonstrating its ability to fire up its rockets during flight after...WW…

Stanford’s success in spinning out startup founders is a well-known adage in Silicon Valley, with alumni founding companies like Google, Cisco, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and, yes, even TechCrunch. And coming out of the Stanford business program than any other university in the country.One group of Stanford graduate students is well-aware of their favorable odds, and think that they should be able to cash in their classmates, too — not just accredited investors and the super-wealthy.They have put together Stanford 2020, a new fund created entirely by Stanford classmates to...…Stanford’s success in spinning out startup founders is a well-known adage in Silicon Valley, with alumni founding companies like Google, Cisco, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and, yes, even TechCrunch. And coming out of the Stanford business program than any other university in the country.One group of Stanford graduate students is well-aware of their favorable odds, and think that they should be able to cash in their classmates, too — not just accredited investors and the super-wealthy.They have put together Stanford 2020, a new fund created entirely by Stanford classmates to...WW…

Earlier this year, the oft-mocked but new branch of the military, the Space Force, revealed an image that was suspiciously reminiscent of Star Trek. Now the Space Force has revealed a new, sharper graphic that is the force’s actual logo — and a motto to go with it: “Semper Supra,” or “always above.”To be clear, the image revealed in January, which everyone thought looked quite a bit like Starfleet’s, is the seal for the Space Force branch of the military. The new, simpler one is the logo for the organization as a whole, which is the one we’ll see communications and recruiting branded with....…Earlier this year, the oft-mocked but new branch of the military, the Space Force, revealed an image that was suspiciously reminiscent of Star Trek. Now the Space Force has revealed a new, sharper graphic that is the force’s actual logo — and a motto to go with it: “Semper Supra,” or “always above.”To be clear, the image revealed in January, which everyone thought looked quite a bit like Starfleet’s, is the seal for the Space Force branch of the military. The new, simpler one is the logo for the organization as a whole, which is the one we’ll see communications and recruiting branded with....WW…

, Latin America’s leading contender in the plant-based meat and dairy substitute market, is about to close on an $85 million round of funding that would value it at $250 million, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans.The latest round of funding comes on the heels of a series of successes for the Santiago-based business. In the two years since NotCo, the company has into milk, ice cream and hamburgers. Other products, including a chicken meat substitute, are also on the product roadmap, according to people familiar with the company.NotCo is already selling several products...…, Latin America’s leading contender in the plant-based meat and dairy substitute market, is about to close on an $85 million round of funding that would value it at $250 million, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans.The latest round of funding comes on the heels of a series of successes for the Santiago-based business. In the two years since NotCo, the company has into milk, ice cream and hamburgers. Other products, including a chicken meat substitute, are also on the product roadmap, according to people familiar with the company.NotCo is already selling several products...WW…

NASA’s latest mission won’t actually reach space – but it will come very close, with a massive observation craft made up of a football stadium-sized high-altitude balloon, along with a special stratospheric telescope instrument that can observe wavelengths of light blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, cast from newly-formed stars.The mission is called the ‘Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths,’ but shortened to ASTHROS since that’s a mouthful. It is currently set to take off from Antartica in December 2023, and the main...…NASA’s latest mission won’t actually reach space – but it will come very close, with a massive observation craft made up of a football stadium-sized high-altitude balloon, along with a special stratospheric telescope instrument that can observe wavelengths of light blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, cast from newly-formed stars.The mission is called the ‘Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths,’ but shortened to ASTHROS since that’s a mouthful. It is currently set to take off from Antartica in December 2023, and the main...WW…

is the EVP, Chief Ethics and Legal Officer of (NYSE: RAMP), where he leads the legal and data ethics teams and assists in the strategy and execution of the company’s strategic initiatives.My college economics professor, Dr. Charles Britton, often said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” The common principle known as implies that even if something appears to be free, there is always a cost to someone, even if it is not the individual receiving the benefit.For decades, the ad-supported ecosystem enjoyed much more than a proverbial free lunch. Brands, technology providers, publishers and...…is the EVP, Chief Ethics and Legal Officer of (NYSE: RAMP), where he leads the legal and data ethics teams and assists in the strategy and execution of the company’s strategic initiatives.My college economics professor, Dr. Charles Britton, often said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” The common principle known as implies that even if something appears to be free, there is always a cost to someone, even if it is not the individual receiving the benefit.For decades, the ad-supported ecosystem enjoyed much more than a proverbial free lunch. Brands, technology providers, publishers and...WW…

Wednesday CEO Elon Musk described the future factory as an “ecological paradise,” with a boardwalk and bike lanes and where the public will be welcome. While tours have been offered at Tesla’s Fremont, California, factory, the campus is not open for the public to wander its grounds.Musk said the Fremont factory will continue to play a critical role for Tesla, a shift in tone from earlier this year when he threatened to leave California over COVID-19-related government shutdowns. He added that it will make sense to build the Roadster at the Fremont factory.Musk thanked Tulsa and Oklahoma and...…Wednesday CEO Elon Musk described the future factory as an “ecological paradise,” with a boardwalk and bike lanes and where the public will be welcome. While tours have been offered at Tesla’s Fremont, California, factory, the campus is not open for the public to wander its grounds.Musk said the Fremont factory will continue to play a critical role for Tesla, a shift in tone from earlier this year when he threatened to leave California over COVID-19-related government shutdowns. He added that it will make sense to build the Roadster at the Fremont factory.Musk thanked Tulsa and Oklahoma and...WW…

Tech firms around the world are in overdrive to help battle the coronavirus pandemic. Research showed that of COVID-19 patients can suddenly progress to serious illness, and among them the mortality rate can be as high as . Therefore one of the key tasks for health authorities is to identify and treat patients who may develop severe or fatal syndromes early on.That’s what has been underway at a research team jointly established by Tencent AI Lab and a group of Chinese public health scientists headed by Zhong Nanshan, the country’s senior medical advisor on COVID-19,This week, the team...…Tech firms around the world are in overdrive to help battle the coronavirus pandemic. Research showed that of COVID-19 patients can suddenly progress to serious illness, and among them the mortality rate can be as high as . Therefore one of the key tasks for health authorities is to identify and treat patients who may develop severe or fatal syndromes early on.That’s what has been underway at a research team jointly established by Tencent AI Lab and a group of Chinese public health scientists headed by Zhong Nanshan, the country’s senior medical advisor on COVID-19,This week, the team...WW…