July should have been a relief for Facebook. The company accepted a $5 billion fine from the Federal Trade Commission over privacy issues, after having essentially set the terms of the agreement itself. It settled a case with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which alleged that it had misled investors about the risks of user data being mishandled, for a relatively paltry $100 million. And Facebook reported stellar quarterly earnings on July 24th, beating investor expectations and sending its stock price up. But inside the company, the mood remained anxious. Several 2020 presidential...…July should have been a relief for Facebook. The company accepted a $5 billion fine from the Federal Trade Commission over privacy issues, after having essentially set the terms of the agreement itself. It settled a case with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which alleged that it had misled investors about the risks of user data being mishandled, for a relatively paltry $100 million. And Facebook reported stellar quarterly earnings on July 24th, beating investor expectations and sending its stock price up. But inside the company, the mood remained anxious. Several 2020 presidential...WW…

Keith Utley loved to help. First, he served in the Coast Guard, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander. He married, had a family, and devoted himself utterly to his two little girls. After he got out of the military, he worked as a moderator for Facebook, where he purged the social network of the worst stuff that its users post on a daily basis: the hate speech, the murders, the child pornography. Utley worked the overnight shift at a Facebook content moderation site in Tampa, FL, operated by a professional services vendor named Cognizant. The 800 or so workers there face...…Keith Utley loved to help. First, he served in the Coast Guard, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant commander. He married, had a family, and devoted himself utterly to his two little girls. After he got out of the military, he worked as a moderator for Facebook, where he purged the social network of the worst stuff that its users post on a daily basis: the hate speech, the murders, the child pornography. Utley worked the overnight shift at a Facebook content moderation site in Tampa, FL, operated by a professional services vendor named Cognizant. The 800 or so workers there face...WW…

Facing mounting criticism, Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook will overhaul its approach to political ads, bringing more transparency to the process. Facebook users will soon be able to see who paid for an ad, Zuckerberg said, and when users visit an advertiser’s page, they will be able to see all of the ads that those advertisers are running. The changes were announced as lawmakers were considering similar regulatory measures.Online political ads have long been given less scrutinyThose may seem like minor changes compared to the requirements long placed on political ads in other mediums, like...…Facing mounting criticism, Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook will overhaul its approach to political ads, bringing more transparency to the process. Facebook users will soon be able to see who paid for an ad, Zuckerberg said, and when users visit an advertiser’s page, they will be able to see all of the ads that those advertisers are running. The changes were announced as lawmakers were considering similar regulatory measures.Online political ads have long been given less scrutinyThose may seem like minor changes compared to the requirements long placed on political ads in other mediums, like...WW…

It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that an angry fan online must be in search of a website to launch a mostly useless petition. A recent protest from a Christian group asking Netflix to remove Good Omens from its library is a perfect example — except that Good Omens isn’t part of Netflix’s library, because it’s an Amazon show. The petition was first reported by The Guardian, which discovered that a Christian organization known as the Return to Order campaign launched the petition on its website asking Netflix to remove the series, which is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry...…It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that an angry fan online must be in search of a website to launch a mostly useless petition. A recent protest from a Christian group asking Netflix to remove Good Omens from its library is a perfect example — except that Good Omens isn’t part of Netflix’s library, because it’s an Amazon show. The petition was first reported by The Guardian, which discovered that a Christian organization known as the Return to Order campaign launched the petition on its website asking Netflix to remove the series, which is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry...WW…

The pressure mounts as Zoom risks becoming a victim of its own success. Zoom has exploded in popularity as people turn to video calling software amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The moment of huge growth has seen Zoom rocket to the top of iOS and Android app stores as people gather around it for yoga classes, school lessons, and virtual nights out. Even the UK government has been holding daily cabinet meetings over Zoom. With all this extra attention, Zoom is now facing a huge privacy and security backlash as security experts, privacy advocates, lawmakers, and even the FBI warn that...…The pressure mounts as Zoom risks becoming a victim of its own success. Zoom has exploded in popularity as people turn to video calling software amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The moment of huge growth has seen Zoom rocket to the top of iOS and Android app stores as people gather around it for yoga classes, school lessons, and virtual nights out. Even the UK government has been holding daily cabinet meetings over Zoom. With all this extra attention, Zoom is now facing a huge privacy and security backlash as security experts, privacy advocates, lawmakers, and even the FBI warn that...WW…

Electric scooter companies like to tout their green credentials, frequently reminding riders that every two-wheeled trip they take can help reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change — but the truth is much more complicated. A new study from North Carolina State University found that shared e-scooters may be more environmentally friendly than most cars, but they can be less green than several other options, including bicycles, walking, and certain modes of public transportation. Riders tend to think they’re making the right move by hopping on a scooter that’s electric and thus...…Electric scooter companies like to tout their green credentials, frequently reminding riders that every two-wheeled trip they take can help reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change — but the truth is much more complicated. A new study from North Carolina State University found that shared e-scooters may be more environmentally friendly than most cars, but they can be less green than several other options, including bicycles, walking, and certain modes of public transportation. Riders tend to think they’re making the right move by hopping on a scooter that’s electric and thus...WW…

The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has sent four request for information letters to Amazon, Facebook, Alphabet, and Apple, asking for closely held details on some of the most powerful companies in Silicon Valley. It released the letters publicly this morning, and the companies must respond by October 14th. “There is growing evidence that a handful of corporations have come to capture an outsized share of online commerce and communications,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in a statement. These letters should help the committee understand “the degree to which these intermediaries...…The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has sent four request for information letters to Amazon, Facebook, Alphabet, and Apple, asking for closely held details on some of the most powerful companies in Silicon Valley. It released the letters publicly this morning, and the companies must respond by October 14th. “There is growing evidence that a handful of corporations have come to capture an outsized share of online commerce and communications,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in a statement. These letters should help the committee understand “the degree to which these intermediaries...WW…

It might seem unusual to find a 77-year-old embracing Twitch — but it probably helps that he’s a presidential candidate. Bernie Sanders, senator from Vermont and Democratic presidential candidate, has a message for gamers: he’s on Twitch with them. (And, his campaign staff agrees, Bernie stands in solidarity with gamers.)The Sanders campaign for president started broadcasting on Twitch the night of the first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential election. It was the second political campaign to appear on the site — according to , the first candidate to join was Andrew Yang, in July...…It might seem unusual to find a 77-year-old embracing Twitch — but it probably helps that he’s a presidential candidate. Bernie Sanders, senator from Vermont and Democratic presidential candidate, has a message for gamers: he’s on Twitch with them. (And, his campaign staff agrees, Bernie stands in solidarity with gamers.)The Sanders campaign for president started broadcasting on Twitch the night of the first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential election. It was the second political campaign to appear on the site — according to , the first candidate to join was Andrew Yang, in July...WW…

Microsoft has created a proof of concept for storing data on glass. The software maker has teamed up with Warner Bros. to store an entire copy of the original 1978 Superman movie on glass that’s the size of a coaster (75 x 75 x 2 mm). Microsoft Research is at the heart of this new glass storage, and it’s part of a big investment from Microsoft to develop storage tech built for the future of its Azure platform. “We built this entire system that’s essentially a new cold storage system,” revealed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella onstage at the company’s Ignite conference today. Microsoft is using...…Microsoft has created a proof of concept for storing data on glass. The software maker has teamed up with Warner Bros. to store an entire copy of the original 1978 Superman movie on glass that’s the size of a coaster (75 x 75 x 2 mm). Microsoft Research is at the heart of this new glass storage, and it’s part of a big investment from Microsoft to develop storage tech built for the future of its Azure platform. “We built this entire system that’s essentially a new cold storage system,” revealed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella onstage at the company’s Ignite conference today. Microsoft is using...WW…

Musk will not be liable for damages. Elon Musk’s tweets calling caver Vernon Unsworth, who was involved in the rescue of 13 people from a cave in Thailand, a “pedo guy” do not meet the legal standard for defamation, a jury found. As a result, Musk will not be liable for damages. The standard in the case is recklessness, which means Musk didn’t check to see if what he was saying was true before he tweeted it. The jury had to be convinced by a preponderance of the evidence that this was true, a lower standard than “actual malice.” But ultimately, the jury found that Musk’s tweets did not...…Musk will not be liable for damages. Elon Musk’s tweets calling caver Vernon Unsworth, who was involved in the rescue of 13 people from a cave in Thailand, a “pedo guy” do not meet the legal standard for defamation, a jury found. As a result, Musk will not be liable for damages. The standard in the case is recklessness, which means Musk didn’t check to see if what he was saying was true before he tweeted it. The jury had to be convinced by a preponderance of the evidence that this was true, a lower standard than “actual malice.” But ultimately, the jury found that Musk’s tweets did not...WW…