Axios

Job hunting in 2026 can mean chatting with a robot, getting rejected by AI, encountering ghost jobs and competing with a flood of applicants.

Why it matters: This isn't just candidates venting on LinkedIn or TikTok. The hiring process is increasingly taking longer and application apathy could be eroding trust in America's job market.

Students are returning to campus as the Trump administration continues to reshape American academia.

The big picture: The administration has leveraged federal education funding and threatened litigation against universities deemed misaligned with policy priorities — moves critics say subject academia to political whims.

The Justice Department and TikTok, along with parent company ByteDance, have reached a $400 million settlement to resolve allegations of violating children's online privacy laws, per an announcement first shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The Biden administration's DOJ first filed the suit in 2024. TikTok will clear the allegations it violated the Children's Online Privacy Act by paying a total of $400 million, without undergoing further litigation or admitting wrongdoing.