California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation that in part requires online platforms and services, including social media companies, to implement digital safeguards to protect users under 18.
Why it matters: California is the first state to pass such legislation, which is sure to be used as a template for laws passed by other states, Axios' Ashley Gold reports.
In the first in a new series of video updates from our Login newsletter, Axios chief technology correspondent Ina Fried explains the new features in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro.
The crypto industry'scypherpunkian mettle will be tested as governments and regulators finger privacy tools for possibly enabling criminals doing bad things — in addition to normal people doing mundane things.
Driving the news: Seven tokens are set to be delisted on Sept. 19 from Top 10 exchange Huobi Global, which on Monday sent a shudder through the industry as it cited compliance with the "latest financial regulations" as just cause.
As the era of giant social networks begins to fade, media outlets that cover tech are looking to their past to navigate a complicated future, reviving formats and features that they'd long ceded to larger platforms.
Driving the news: This week Vox Media's The Verge redesigned its home page around a Twitter-like feed. Earlier this year, The Information began offering its subscribers a private social network.
A new era of electric air mobility is on display at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where flying vehicles nearly outnumber the terrestrial models making their public debut.
Some examples: A virtual reality simulator that lets visitors soar above the city in a two-seat "sports car in the sky," and also in a Star Wars-inspired hoverbike.
Amazon’s Thursday Night Football debut tonight is a landmark event for the sports world, and a seminal moment for the media industry.
Why it matters: The much-anticipated contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers will be the NFL’s first regular-season game exclusively available via streaming.
Two visitors to Zillow's website have filed a class action lawsuit alleging the Seattle-based company illegally, and without their consent, wiretapped them online.
Why it matters: The claim is among a handful of recent lawsuits alleging that companies are violating people's privacy rights as they record customer interactions on their websites.
Video game giant Electronic Arts, maker of Madden and Apex Legends, is planning for a future in which player-created virtual worlds are more central to its profits.
Why it matters: Video gamers, already the most active audience in entertainment, are increasingly expected to have a role creating what they play.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is accusing Amazon of boosting prices for consumers through its contracts with platform sellers in a new antitrust lawsuit Wednesday.
Why it matters: The lawsuit claims Amazon's contracts with its sellers lead to inflated prices for goods online and hamper the ability of other online retailers to compete with the e-commerce juggernaut.
The monumental change for the Ethereum blockchain, known as The Merge, ups the ante for ether stakers as execution risk gives way to concentration risk.
Why it matters: 64% of staked ether currently resides with five entities, according to a report from Nansen, a blockchain data firm. And centralized exchanges are poised to ramp up ether staking following the Merge as their customers look to collect yield on coins — a trend that raises the specter of censorship.
The biggest event in crypto this year was the market crashing in May. Tonight, when (and if) the Ethereum blockchain successfully pivots to proof-of-stake, that will be easily the second.
Why it matters: Above and beyond the supposed climate implications, The Merge showed that a giant, dispersed and leaderless community could come to consensus and pull off a complex re-engineering of an enormous, decentralized network.
The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment on Wednesday against three Iranian nationals charged with malicious computer activity between October 2020 and August 2022.
Why it matters: U.S. indictments of international cybercriminals send a clear message that law enforcement knows who is a part of a flourishing overseas hacking groups and make it difficult for defendants to leave their home countries without risking arrest.
Google suffered a significant loss Wednesday when a European court denied its appeal of an antitrust decision and issued a fine of 4.1 billion euro ($4.13 billion), a record penalty.
Driving the news: Google had challenged an earlier EU ruling that said it used its Android mobile operating system to stymie rivals, but Europe's second-highest court upheld it.
The GoPro Hero 11 — announced today — looks almost identical to its predecessor but packs a higher-quality sensor and software tweaks that make the action camera both more powerful and, ideally, easier to use.
Why it matters: GoPro is trying to thread the needle of giving people reasons to upgrade without alienating hard-core users who have invested in a range of mounts and accessories.
The world's second-biggest cryptocurrency network, Ethereum, is pivoting to a new system that will use vastly less electricity.
Why it matters: One of the biggest knocks on cryptocurrencies centers on the enormous amount of energy itsnetworks consume. But with this change, known as "The Merge," trading in one of the leading currencies will be no more energy-intensive than playing an online video game.
Top tech executives in charge of product design for Meta, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok will be grilled on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Driving the news: The ways that online extremism can lead to real-world violence and tech product design can promote dangerous content will be the focus of a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee hearing.
High-speed, automated checkpoints. Robotic bag storage. Biometric boarding. When Orlando International Airport's new $2.8 billion Terminal C opens to passengers next week, it'll offer one of the country's most tech-forward airport experiences.
Why it matters: Anyone who suffered through the summer of air travel hell knows that anything that can be done to make airports a better place to spend some time is very welcome.
