Facebook on Wednesday confirmed that it was part of an effort to fly 175 Afghan citizens out of Afghanistan to Mexico, including some of its own employees, according to a statement provided to Axios.
Details: The tech giant said that in an effort to get some of its employees out of the country, it joined with a group that it declined to name that is working to help journalists in Afghanistan leave the country as the Taliban assumes control.
Many Twitch streamers went dark on Wednesday in protest of what they view as a failure on the platform's part to protect streamers from hate speech and attacks.
Why it matters: The daylong boycott is part of an ongoing effort by streamers to draw attention to targeted abuse known as hate raids.
Although next-gen versions of "Cyberpunk 2077" and "The Witcher 3" are still slated to release late this year, CD Projekt Red is acknowledging both might be further delayed.
Why it matters: Following a disastrous launch for "Cyberpunk 2077" after releasing the game too early, CD Projekt Red seems to have learned its lesson.
Lawmakers in South Korea have passed legislation to force Apple and Google to allow rival in-app payment mechanisms within their mobile operating systems.
Why it matters: While the legislation is limited to South Korea, lawmakers and regulators around the globe have also been weighing action on mobile app stores and could seek to force a similar move in other regions.
AT&T said Wednesday it wants the Federal Communications Commission to review and potentially limit the amount of 5G spectrum that rival T-Mobile can acquire.
The big picture: T-Mobile used to be the one calling on the FCC to ensure its bigger competitors didn't hog all the airwaves, but with its Sprint acquisition and success in auctions, its spectrum holdings have the attention of both AT&T and Verizon.
Once rare, partial or total internet shutdowns engineered by governments have become a near-daily occurrence somewhere in the world.
Why it matters: Such shutdowns pose a threat to human rights and are also costing the global economy billions of dollars per year, according to a new report from nonprofit Access Now and Jigsaw, a unit of Google parent Alphabet.
A new version of the classic Atari game “Centipede” will be released for consoles and PC in late September under the name “Centipede: Recharged” and sporting a more futuristic look. (Trailer here)
Driving the news: The game’s lead developer, Adam Nickerson, first partnered with Atari for last year’s “Missile Command: Recharged,” which revamped another classic in a similar style.
A newly revealed PC game called “Whatever” will give players a rough approximation of what it’s like to steer a container ship through a tight canal, a half year after its inspiration, the Ever Given, got unstuck from the Suez.
Why it matters: For all the thousands of video games that are made each year, it’s rare that one is based, however loosely, on the news.
The biggest frustration among new car owners is that they can't get their car and smartphone to talk to one another, a new J.D. Power study finds.
Why it matters: Consumers want their digital lives to follow them seamlessly in the car, which is why Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have become so popular. But if the wireless connection is glitchy, such features don't work, leaving car owners unhappy.
Former President Trump wanted equity in Gettr, the new social media app launched by former Trump aide Jason Miller, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: The former president has yet to join the app, although sources say that conversations about his participation are ongoing. Discussions about equity are likely part of those conversations, and everything is a negotiation point.
Facebook plans to announce that it will de-emphasize political posts and current events content in the News Feed based on negative user feedback, Axios has learned. It also plans to expand tests to limit the amount of political content that people see in their News Feeds to more countries outside of the U.S.
Why it matters: The changes could reduce traffic to some news publishers, particularly companies that post a lot of political content.
Amazon is investing heavily in a new live audio feature that's similar to other live audio offerings like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces and Spotify's new live audio platform, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: As with Amazon's efforts in podcasting and music subscriptions, the company sees live audio as a way to bolster the types of content it can offer through its voice assistant, Alexa, and its smart speaker products.
South Korean lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that will prevent Google and Apple from forcing software developers to use their payment systems for in-app purchases, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Why it matters: The bill, which will become the first law of its kind after it's signed by President Moon Jae-in, threatens to reduce Google and Apple's dominance over app developers and their access to commissions from in-app sales.
Long-quiet Apple employees are beginning to speak their minds. In recent weeks they've talked publicly about experiences with harassment and discrimination, concerns about business decisions, and objections to policies that some feel open their personal lives to corporate scrutiny.
Why it matters: Employee activism has been on the rise across Silicon Valley, but until recently, Apple workers have largely avoided public criticism of their employer.
