Google said on Tuesday that it plans to phase out support for third-party cookies in its popular web browser, Chrome, within the next two years.
Why it matters: Chrome is the last major internet browser to discontinue cookies, which means that the end of the decades-old tracking technology is finally in sight.
Microsoft is releasing a security patch Tuesday to fix a major flaw in the Windows operating system. Although Microsoft says it hasn't seen evidence the issue has been exploited in the wild, it could allow an attacker to "decrypt confidential information."
Why it matters: The flaw represents a significant vulnerability and was turned over to Microsoft by the National Security Agency. In the past, the NSA has kept some Windows flaws to itself to use for its own purposes.
Rachel Holt, a longtime Uber executive who joined the ride-hailing company in 2011, is leaving Uber to launch a venture capital firm called Construct Capital, according to an internal memo Axios has obtained.
Why it matters: Holt, who started her time at Uber heading its Washington, D.C. operations, was promoted in 2018 to head what it calls "New Mobility," the division that includes bikes, scooters, and public transit partnerships.
Large olive oil producer CHO is using IBM's food blockchain to allow customers to track their oil — from the orchard where the olives are grown, through the mill where they are crushed, to the facilities where the oil is filtered and bottled.
Why it matters: Assuring food safety and quality seems to be one of the most compelling uses for the much-hyped technology.
Fresh off a campaign to ban facial recognition software from being used at concerts, Fight for the Future is trying to rally students to persuade their schools to take a similarly strong stand against broad use of the powerful technology.
Why it matters: In the absence of legislation limiting its use, activists want to prevent facial recognition from becoming commonplace in public spaces.
After it laid off 2,800 employees last week, citing "ongoing uncertainty" related to Boeing’s 737 MAX jet, Moody's downgraded the secured debt of airplane parts supplier Spirit AeroSystems and handed it a Ba2-PD Probability of Default rating.
What it means: Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit gets about half of its annual revenue from supplying parts for the MAX, which has been grounded for months following two fatal crashes and remains in a production halt indefinitely.
Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Twitter and Uber have for some time been subjects of books, movies and long exposés—and now it's YouTube's turn, with a new book deal for Bloomberg journalist Mark Bergen's "Like, Comment, Subscribe."
Why it matters: “It’s a technical and cultural story that hasn’t been told in its entirety yet,” says Bergen when asked why he chose that particular star in Alphabet-Google’s constellation.
A wide array of tech companies are siding with Google in its copyright battle against Oracle — a rival to some of the companies — in filings with the Supreme Court Monday.
The big picture: The case revolves around key questions of software copyright and fair use that could have major consequences for the industry.
With just weeks to the Iowa caucuses, social media platforms have finalized their rules governing political speech — and fired a starting pistol for political strategists to find ways to exploit them from now till Election Day.
Why it matters: "One opportunity that has arisen from all these changes is how people are trying to get around them," says Keegan Goudiss, director of digital advertising for Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and now a partner at the progressive digital firm Revolution Messaging.
