The $65 billion federal boost to expand broadband access in the U.S. will be a boon to the women-run companies on platforms like Etsy and Airbnb, especially as they see an increase in rural businesses.
Why it matters: Expanding high-speed internet access across the country will enable more women to participate in the online economy at a time when women have dropped out of the labor force due to the pandemic.
The upcoming battle royale game Rumbleverse had its first playable public demo session last Friday rather than over the weekend — for the sake of the developers’ work-life balance, Iron Galaxy CEO Adam Boyes tells Axios.
Why it matters: Boyes’ studio is one of many trying to find more ethical ways to operate in an industry that often works its developers to the bone.
Plots of virtual land for veteran developer Peter Molyneux’s upcoming NFT-based game Legacy have sold for more than $15 million, based on a check of items marked “sold out” in the online marketplace for the forthcoming game.
Why it matters: A lot of the money in NFT gaming now is based on speculation.
Katie Haun, one of the world's most influential crypto venture capitalists, is leaving Andreessen Horowitz to form her own firm.
Why it matters: Haun has helped turn Andreessen Horowitz into the VC world's largest crypto investor, including a $2.2 billion fund raised earlier this year that's already been deployed.
Clear, the ID security company that aims to speed passengers through airport security, will now book you an Uber to make sure you arrive at your gate on time.
Why it matters: Holiday travel is expected to approach pre-pandemic levels this year, which could lead to extra stress for passengers, many of whom haven't traveled in two years.
Driving the news: Clear is partnering with Uber to integrate its ride-hailing platform directly into the Clear app’s "Home to Gate" feature.
Home to Gate analyzes traffic data, security screening wait times, and walking distance in the terminal to advise when you should leave your home or hotel to arrive at your gate on time.
The integration with Uber means you can even reserve an Uber ride ahead of time on Clear's app for no extra charge.
How it works: You don't have to be a Clear Plus member to use the Home to Gate feature, but access to Clear's expedited security lines requires membership.
Open the Clear app and tap "Home to Gate."
Share your location and flight details, and the app will tell you the best time to leave for your flight.
Tap the "Get A Ride With Uber'' button, and the Uber app will reserve your ride, with all your trip details.
What they're saying: "Travel is surging back this holiday season, and together with Uber, we are helping travelers have a more predictable and stress-free travel experience," said Caryn Seidman-Becker, CEO of Clear.
The computing world is struggling this week to contain a significant vulnerability in Log4J, an extremely common piece of open-source code.
Why it matters: Experts say the flaw leaves hundreds of millions of systems vulnerable to attack, with the head of the U.S. government's cybersecurity agency calling it among the biggest threats she has seen in her career.
A new poll from Morning Consult finds 56% of U.S. adults support government regulation of social media companies, up 4 percentage points from an October survey. The poll also found that roughly three in five adults say social media platforms do not do enough to keep users safe.
Why it matters: Poll results like this could bolster legislative and regulatory efforts to make social media companies more accountable for the content on their services.
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