The details: Twitter removed these accounts in an effort to instill confidence and authenticity to its platform, per a blog post from Vijaya Gadde of Twitter. Accounts that were removed were locked as a result of sudden changes detected in account behavior. Most people saw a follower change of about four users, the post said, but some bigger names lost millions of followers.
Facebook is drawing fire for a post defending its decision not to ban InfoWars and other entities that repeatedly post debunked conspiracy theories.
Why it matters: Facebook has promised to boost the information quality on its social network. It has also been struggling to find more favor with conservative activists and groups who accuse it of bias against them.
Microsoft wants the U.S. government to start thinking about what limits should be set on the use of face recognition technology. In a blog post, Microsoft also said it is consulting with outside groups to help set its own policies for how it will use and sell such technology.
Why it matters: Face recognition can be used for a range of purposes, from reuniting missing kids to mass surveillance. Currently, there are few rules for those using or selling the technology.
Speaking at a joint press conference Friday, President Trump insisted that he did not criticize British Prime Minister Theresa May in his interview with The Sun and accused the British tabloid of being "fake news," despite the interview being on tape.
"“I didn’t criticize the prime minister. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister and unfortunately there was a story that was done which was generally fine, but it didn’t put in what I said about the prime minister... And I said tremendous things... they didn't put it in the headline, I wish they put that in the headline. And she's a total professional, because when I saw her this morning, I said, 'I want to apologize, because I said such good things about you.' She said, 'Don't worry, it's only the press.'"
Apple said yesterday that it's joining with 10 suppliers to launch a new $300 million "China Clean Energy Fund" to enable its large supplier network there to expand renewable power use.
Why it matters: Corporate sourcing is increasingly a driver of renewable power deployment, and Apple's move show how it can evolve to fold in supply chains too.
As part of a plan to improve safety for its riders, Uber is rolling out ongoing background checks for its drivers, the company tells Axios. Uber has partnered with its background check provider, Checkr, and Appriss, which provides safety data.
Why it matters: Over the years, Uber has been plagued with incidents of driver violence or unsafe behavior. Once a driver had a clean initial background check, the company couldn't always track later violations or problems.
Why it matters: It demonstrates a massive shift in the elite television business from traditional TV companies to digital streaming companies that can pour billions of dollars into content. HBO has lead Emmy nominations for the past 17 years.
The Internet Research Agency, the Russian troll farm that was one of three entities indicted by Robert Mueller for conspiring to interfere in the 2016 election, created 48 Twitter accounts dating back to 2014 that were designed to mimic local news outlets, according to an investigation by NPR.
Why it matters: The now-suspended accounts, which had names like @ElPasoTopNews and @Seattle_Post, gained the trust of thousands of followers over the course of two years by posting real local news headlines. The potential for these accounts to mobilize at any moment and influence a narrative suggests that the Russian misinformation campaign — which was evidently a years-long effort — had an acute understanding of the authority and respect that local news commands in American society.
If you can't understand why chipmaker Broadcom is buying software maker CA, you aren't alone. The stock dropped more than 15% in morning trading with analysts struggling to understand the $19 billion deal.
The bottom line: Having failed in its bid to buy Qualcomm, CA is now looking very far afield.
With consumer virtual reality headset sales not living up to the original hype, there is growing interest in what is known as destination VR — fixed locations where people can try out a specific experience. Such installations are coming soon to a mall, theater or restaurant near you, if they aren't there already.
Why it matters: By virtue of dedicated space and being able to justify the cost over many patrons, destination VR efforts can often provide an experience well ahead of what even a traditional high-end home system can offer. As such, it's a glimpse of where the industry is headed.
21st Century Fox has been granted regulatory approval to purchase Sky Broadcasting Thursday, after more than a year of making concessions to regulators. The news comes just hours after Comcast increased its bid for Sky to £14.75 per share, topping 21st Century Fox's upped bid yesterday for £14 per share.
Why it matters: Now that both Fox and Comcast are in solid regulatory standing with regulators in the UK, the winner of Sky will come down to who offers the highest bid. (Regulators signaled in May that it wouldn't block Comcast's bid for Sky. )
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia ruled on Wednesday that fliers have limited grounds to sue Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners because they are immune from being legally responsible for claims including assaults, false arrests, and abuse, reports the Washington Post.
The details: The 2-1 ruling came in response to a case brought by business consultant, Nadine Pellegrino. She and her husband sued for false arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution after a July 2006 altercation at Philadelphia International Airport. Even though screeners' badges and titles identify them as "officers," they aren’t qualified as "investigative or law enforcement officers" who could be held legally responsible for abuses under federal law, the ruling said. The court added that it's on Congress to decide whether to expand liability for abuses.
