Sales of PlayStation products have migrated along with the U.S. population, out of large metro areas to smaller cities, according to a Sony executive who believes the migration is tied to pandemic-related population shifts.
Why it matters: One way to understand what has happened in the country over the past few years is to see where people are buying stuff.
HanesBrands suffered a $100 million blow from a ransomware attack that temporarily devastated its supply chain and orders, the company said Thursday.
Why it matters: These cyber attacks pose a serious financial threat to companies in which bad actors seize control of their target's systems and then threaten to delete data, release information or refuse to relinquish control until payment is received.
The Federal Election Commission voted 4-1 Thursday to approve a Google pilot program that would keep campaign emails out from automatically going to Gmail's spam folders, unless a user directs them there themselves.
The big picture: The program was roundly panned by FEC commenters begging the commission not to open up their email inboxes to even more spam. Now Google has to decide whether to go ahead with it.
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday began an effort to regulate data privacy practices, the first major regulatory undertaking by FTC chair and Big Tech antagonist Lina Khan.
Why it matters: The FTC rulemaking could lead to strict regulations on how firms collect and use people's personal information online — a threat to the Big Tech business model that relies on targeted advertising.
Digital asset exchange FTX has launched a web campaign to bring the public around on cryptocurrency, called "Get to Know Crypto."
Why it matters: Starting with the White House's executive order this spring, 2022 has become the year policymakers have moved beyond holding the odd hearing about the industry and actually started drafting laws. They are more likely to actually enact laws if they have informed voters.
Homeowners interested in adding rooftop solar panels, installing heat pumps and otherwise green-ifying their houses have plenty to like in the big climate, health and tax package likely to pass Congress in the coming days.
Why it matters: For consumers, the bill — called the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — has an array of rebates and tax breaks that will reduce green tech's upfront costs. That tech, in turn, generally leads to lower long-term energy bills, among other benefits.
The Federal Communications Commission rejected SpaceX's application for nearly $900 million in federal funding to build out its satellite internet service, determining it could not deliver the service the funding program requires.
Why it matters: Rejecting SpaceX's current bid means it will be even longer before a subsidized service could bring more broadband access to rural areas.
The National Labor Relations Board has received a new workplace complaint against gaming giant Nintendo and a firm it uses for contractors in its main U.S. office.
Why it matters: This is the second time this year that a worker has filed such a complaint against the maker of Mario and Zelda, as labor activism in the gaming industry intensifies.
Snapchat on Tuesday unveiled a new Family Center within its app that's designed to give parents deeper insights into who their teens communicate with.
Why it matters: The Family Center is meant to reflect real-world interactions between kids and parents. It makes it easier for parents to understand who their kids talk to without revealing their conversations.
Coinbase Globalstepped into the spotlight for its earnings show-and-tell and delivered the stinker of a performance everyone expected.
Why it matters: Coinbase is the crypto industry's main character at the moment. As the highest-profile publicly traded crypto company in the U.S., its results are watched by many as a proxy for the health of an entire industry. And lately, it has become the venue for a public battle between it and securities regulators over what is not allowed.
Artificial intelligence has seeped into many creative trades — from urban planning to translations to painting. The latest: visualizations in journalism.
Why it matters: Computers are getting better at doing what humans can do, including creating art from scratch. But design is much more than mashing together some known shapes on top of a color background.
Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Jen Easterly says one of its most robust public-private partnerships is building ways to help critical infrastructure operators get ahead of cyberattacks, rather than respond.
Why it matters: The congressionally mandated Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) inside CISA has spurred new excitement among private tech and cybersecurity companies who previously weren’t keen on working with the federal government on cybersecurity issues.
A former Twitter employee was convicted Tuesday of charges related to spying on behalf of Saudi Arabia by obtaining information on dissidents who used the platform.
Driving the news: A federal jury in San Francisco found Ahmad Abouammo, a 44-year-old dual U.S.-Lebanese citizen, guilty on six of 11 criminal counts, including acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying U.S. officials.
