Axios

My biggest obsession about the future of America is the fast — and permanent — rise of population, experimentation, wealth and dynamism outside New York, San Francisco and D.C.

Why it matters: Influence and power are forever spreading to places like Phoenix, Austin and Boise, as people seek better weather, cheaper living, more space, and more normal people and experiences.

Critical infrastructure sectors should start preparing for the next phase in the Biden administration's cyber regulatory plan after a pair of announcements from a top White House adviser on Thursday.

Driving the news: Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity and emerging technology, shared updates during two public interviews Thursday — including one with Axios — on the White House's work to stand up new cyber regulatory structures for critical infrastructure sectors.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month’s educational impact could be getting drowned out by companies cranking up their marketing volume.

The big picture: Every October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance host Cybersecurity Awareness Month to educate individuals about basic cyber hygiene practices and encourage security professionals to re-evaluate their organizations' cyber strategies.

Meta is ending support for Instant Articles, a proprietary mobile format it debuted in 2015 to quickly load news articles on the Facebook app, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's part of a broader effort by Meta to move away from investments in news content on its apps.

If you're prone to losing your car keys, don't fret: You won't need them to drive the new Genesis GV60 electric SUV. All it takes is your face — and your finger.

Why it matters: The same biometric technology that unlocks your iPhone is now available in a car, meaning you can leave the key fob at home.

Walk into a store, take what you want, and leave without pulling out your wallet or standing in line — this is the vision for next-generation checkout.

Why it matters: Huge sums are being spent on competing schemes for so-called frictionless checkout, which eliminates both human cashiers and those pesky do-it-yourself scanners.

Democrats talked a big game about reining in Big Tech, but after nearly two years of controlling the agenda in Washington, they've got little to show for it.

Why it matters: Pledges to tackle data surveillance practices, harm to children's mental health and tech giants' power over wide swaths of the economy haven't yet translated into passing new laws, and the clock is running out.