Meta agrees to slow fitness app acquisition due to Biden administration complaints
The Biden administration's battle against big tech is expanding into the metaverse. Published August 5, 2022
Ryan Lovelace
Articles by Ryan Lovelace
Chinese info operation uses false news and social media to hammer U.S., cyber firm says
A forged letter from Sen. Marco Rubio, false news sites criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip, and fake social media accounts are all part of a complex pro-China information operation revealed by the cybersecurity firm Mandiant on Thursday. Published August 4, 2022
Senate’s antitrust crackdown on tech stalls
Tech critics' hopes for an overhaul of antitrust laws this summer are fading fast after Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the vote will not happen before Congress departs this month. Published August 2, 2022
Let’s get ready to Rumble: Judge stops Google from limiting antitrust lawsuit by video platform
A federal judge has scrapped Google's effort to limit the video platform Rumble's antitrust lawsuit, teeing up a major fight that focuses on the tech titan's search and video products. Published August 1, 2022
Big Tech antitrust bill slowly gains steam in Congress, still likely short of needed votes
Big Tech's most ardent critics have gained some momentum in pursuit of an antitrust overhaul to curb the power of companies such as Amazon and Google that have become integral to the everyday lives of millions of Americans. Published July 29, 2022
Twitter received record number of legal demands for people’s info last year
Twitter saw a record number of legal demands for information on people's accounts last year, including a spike in government demands that targeted verified news publishers and journalists, according to the company. Published July 29, 2022
Google warns lawmakers of growing spyware business to surveil people through devices
Google is warning Congress that the sale of spyware tools is fueling the growth of a commercial surveillance industry that enables governments to track people around the world in unprecedented ways. Published July 28, 2022
Senate committee advances bill to change tech companies’ interaction with kids
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced legislation on Wednesday to crack down on Big Tech companies' interaction with kids and provide parents with tools to make decisions about their children's digital use. Published July 27, 2022
Democrats hammer Hulu for censorship after it restricts political ads on guns, abortion
Democrats are furious with Disney's Hulu streaming service for allegedly censoring ads focusing on political topics that liberal congressional candidates want to broadcast ahead of the midterm elections in November. Published July 27, 2022
More than 40% of parents with kids under 5 don’t want to vaccinate their children: Poll
More than 40% of parents with kids under 5 years old do not want to vaccinate them against COVID-19, according to a survey published Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Published July 26, 2022
Uber admits to hiding 2016 data breach exposing riders and drivers, avoids prosecution
Uber has admitted to hiding a major 2016 data breach that exposed its drivers and riders in a new settlement the ride-sharing company made to avoid prosecution, according to the Justice Department. Published July 25, 2022
‘We are all under stress’: Microsoft president issues dire assessment of world affairs
Microsoft President Brad Smith offered a dire assessment of world affairs on Friday, pointing to the economy, war and climate as among the troubles putting extraordinary pressure on people across the globe. Published July 22, 2022
YouTube cracking down on content about abortion safety and methods
YouTube is cracking down on content about abortions that the video platform determines will mislead people about the procedure's safety, expanding the company's rules on medical misinformation. Published July 22, 2022
Warren and Jayapal criticize Biden admin for hiring Big Tech execs
Liberal lawmakers are mad that the Biden administration has relied heavily on employees with Big Tech credentials to inform its decision-making, revealing new tension between the Democratic administration and its left-wing allies who prefer a more confrontational policy approach. Published July 21, 2022
Facebook shifts focus away from newsletter service as competition with TikTok heats up
Facebook is deprioritizing its newsletter and information-focused products in favor of services for creators, signaling a major shift by the tech titan to attract the audience that has driven TikTok's rapid growth. Published July 20, 2022
San Francisco considers allowing police to live-monitor private surveillance cameras across city
The police chief in San Francisco wants to live-monitor private security cameras that cover the city to fight the crime wave, but he's hitting resistance from elected leaders and civil liberties advocates. Published July 18, 2022
Federal judge orders Google to pay nearly $1 million in legal fees for misconduct
A federal judge ordered Google to pay a nearly $1 million penalty for misconduct in a privacy lawsuit in California, rebuking the tech giant's actions in a yearslong case that has not yet gone to trial. Published July 18, 2022
Council on Foreign Relations says U.S. internet policy has failed, urges new approach
U.S. policies promoting a free and open internet have failed and the American government needs to rethink its approach to cyber, digital trade and online freedom, the Council on Foreign Relations said in a recent report. Published July 15, 2022
Biden administration warns of criminal drone threat to Americans
Biden administration officials warned Congress on Thursday that dangerous uses of drones are on the rise, and they want lawmakers to provide additional authority for the federal government to combat the drones. Published July 14, 2022
Biden administration warns Log4J cyber flaw will linger for possibly ‘decade or longer’
The Biden administration is warning that a widespread cyber vulnerability discovered last year will linger for several years -- perhaps more than a decade. Published July 14, 2022
