House Democrats on the Oversight Committee called Saturday for the Department of Homeland Security to explain how it has surveilled people protesting the killing of George Floyd.
Driving the news: The committee's probe follows a Drug Enforcement Administration memo, first obtained by BuzzFeed News, that granted the agency temporary heightened powers to "enforce federal criminal laws in the wake of protests arising from the death of George Floyd."
The robotics industry is looking to copy the successful software-as-a-service (SaaS) model as use of robots accelerates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why it matters: A major challenge to the spread of industrial robots has been their high initial cost. A model that charges companies regularly for robots based on use can offer better returns for robotics companies and widen their potential customer base.
New research suggests that synthetic bacterial spores programmed with DNA barcodes could be used to track objects through a supply chain.
Why it matters: Each year, there are an estimated 48 million cases of food-borne illness in the U.S., causing 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The technology could make it easier to trace a product's path from supplier to customer in the event of food-borne contamination.
The Twitter app saw 677,000 new downloads from around the world on Wednesday, the company's best single-day performance, Barron's reports in a cover story citing app tracker Apptopia.
The state of play: "Twitter also set a record for active daily users, Apptopia notes, with 40 million people using the app in the U.S."
Facebook removed roughly 190 accounts linked to white supremacy groups that reportedly planned to encourage members to attend ongoing protests prompted by the death of George Floyd, and in some cases with weapons, AP writes.
Why it matters: Facebook has long been the target of complaints from conservatives for allegedly trying to censor their content on the platform. Facebook is presently facing internal criticism for failing to act against controversial messages posted by President Trump.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Friday that the company will review a number of its policies and decision-making processes, including for content about state use of force.
Why it matters: Facebook has faced backlash for its decision to leave up a post from President Trump because it didn't violate the social media company's policy about inciting violence.
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, a venture capitalist who has championed civic causes such as stronger parental leave policies, is resigning from the board of the company he helped create, he announced Friday on Twitter.
Why it matters: His resignation comes amid increased scrutiny against Reddit for the way it moderates the content on its platform, including former executives.
A new study from the insurance industry that suggests automated vehicles will stop only about one-third of crashes is a reminder that much of what we hear and read about AVs should be taken with a grain of salt.
The big picture: Human error plays a role in 94% of crashes, according to U.S. government statistics, which is why automation is often held up as a potential life saver.
As cord-cutting becomes increasingly prevalent, live sports — one of the last bastions representing the age of cable TV — represent a major opportunity for streamers and tech giants to set themselves apart from the pack.
Driving the news: Apple has hired Amazon executive Jim DeLorenzo to head up sports for Apple TV, signaling its intent to lean more heavily into sports programming and potentially invest millions in live sports rights.
