Facebook is gathering data to better assess what resonates with consumers through conversations on the platform. The "downvote" button is part of a short-term test that currently doesn’t affect ranking for the comment, the post or the page.
Why it matters: In an effort to create more meaningful engagement on its platform, Facebook wants to also emphasize meaningful interactions through comments.
Amazon plans to launch its own shipping service for businesses, sending their products directly to consumers, reports The Wall Street Journal. The "Shipping with Amazon" service will begin in Los Angeles soon — for now, targeted only at Amazon's own third-party merchants — but it's expected to roll out to other cities and customers eventually.
Why it matters: The move positions Amazon to take on shipping giants UPS and FedEx, especially as the tech giant plans to undercut both their prices. It's reflective of Amazon's broader ambitions beyond e-commerce, highlighted by its burgeoning Hollywood presence, acquisition of Whole Foods, and cloud-computing services. FedEx (FDX) shares are currently at $231.21 (-3.37%.) Amazon (AMZN) shares are currently at $1,315.06 (-2.62%.)
YouTube said Friday it would "temporarily suspend" ads on Logan Paul's channels.
"This is not a decision we made lightly; however, we believe he has exhibited a pattern of behavior in his videos that makes his channel not only unsuitable for advertisers, but also potentially damaging to the broader creator community," the company told Variety.
The bigger picture: Paul — for whom YouTube ad revenue is reportedly a lucrative source of income — has been under pressure since his January decision to post footage of the body of someone who had committed suicide he had filmed on a trip to Japan. This week, according to The Daily Beast, he was slammed by activists for using a Taser on dead rats as part of another video.
Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Google parent Alphabet, stunned a packed courtroom this morning by announcing that it and Uber have settled their legal dispute.
As part of the agreement, Waymo will receive around $244.8 million worth of stock in Uber (i.e., 0.34% stake at a $72 billion valuation) and a pledge not to incorporate Waymo's trade secrets into its own technology.
Source code used by Apple to securely boot iPhones leaked online and was widely distributed until Thursday morning, when Apple used copyright law to get the code taken down. Newer iPhone models have additional security measures that will likely mitigate any security problems.
Why it matters: The source code gives malicious actors an unprecedented look at the internals of one of iPhone's key security features. But even if attackers could use the code to discover vulnerabilities in iOS 9, that does not mean most iPhone users are currently at risk.
YouTube's global policy head, Juniper Downs, said Thursday the company hadn't found evidence of interference by Russian operators during the Brexit vote. "We have conducted a thorough investigation around the Brexit referendum and found no evidence of interference," she said.
Why it matters: The comments came as Downs was grilled by British lawmakers, who have come to Washington for a lengthy hearing with American tech companies as part of its probe into fake news.
Twitter reported fourth quarter earnings of 19 cents per share before the bell Thursday morning, surpassing the industry estimates of 14 cents per share, CNBC reports. The bump earned Twitter its first-ever net profitable quarter.
Why it matters, per Axios' Sara Fischer:The company has been making strategic investments in video ad revenue for the past two years, led by COO Anthony Noto, who announced he would be leaving the company to become CEO of SoFi earlier this year. Executives have pointed out that the company has focused on its core software and live video as a strategic path to profitability as opposed to making investments in other bets, like hardware.
Political operatives who once relied on one-sided media outlets and platforms during campaigns now acknowledge their role in the erosion of trust in media and facts in general.
Why it matters: Increased polarization of media on both sides of the political spectrum has created a crisis of faith in the objective truth, leading to an unprecedented erosion of trust in institutions in America. Experts argue this could have a serious impact on the future of Western democracy.
Tech industry critics spent a daylong event on Capitol Hill Wednesday airing concerns that Facebook, Google, Apple and other major companies are peddling addictive products that damage young minds.
Why it matters: The health-related campaign against Big Tech is becoming more organized. But both sides of this debate seem to be talking past each other.
Marten Mickos, the CEO of security firm HackerOne, said his company might begin advising clients to include proper legal representation when testing the limits of cybersecurity laws after its client Uber's botched response to a 2016 data breach.
"We need to start advising customers about who to have in the room," he told Axios.
