Workers at an Amazon warehouse near Albany, New York, overwhelmingly rejected a union bid on Tuesday, according to a count from the National Labor Relations Board.
Why it matters: The 406 to 206 vote against unionizing deals a major blow to the Amazon Labor Union. It would've been the second Amazon site in the U.S. to unionize.
Robo-advisors are gaining in popularity, offering investors cheaper, customized portfolios — but when it comes to crypto, even they won't take their own advice.
Why it matters: Most of the big traditional shops' robos won't touch crypto just yet, and the ones that do aren't necessarily eating their own cooking. That is — the core portfolios on which their performance is graded don't carry a dose of the crypto wares they offer customers.
Two of the largest independent studios creating games for Roblox, RedManta Games and Sonar Studios, confirmed to Axios they recently merged to form a new company, Twin Atlas.
Why it matters: While lots of big companies talk about their plans to develop a virtual world, Roblox has built one with a devoted young audience and a growing number of brands and game studios taking part. Its economy generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue per month.
Big Tech platforms are blocking abortion-pill distribution information and permitting false narratives about abortion to spread, more than 100 days after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning a constitutional right to abortion.
Why it matters: Social media firms were caught flat-footed by that sudden change in the legal and informational landscape at a time when there's an overwhelming, sudden need for solid information and access to healthcare services online.
New investments in "free speech" social media platforms, podcasts and video channels are upending the media landscape and giving voices to conservatives who feel rejected by traditional networks and outlets.
Why it matters: Many of today's conservative media moguls are both rich and politically active.
Microsoft announced layoffs across multiple divisions on Monday, Axios has confirmed.
Why it matters: The move is yet another example of large tech companies cutting jobs after earlier moving to slow or freeze hiring as the broader economy cools.
Bayonetta’s voice actor for the series’ first two games called on fans to boycott the upcoming Bayonetta 3 this weekend, saying developers offered her an “immoral” rate to return to the role, then misled the public about why she didn’t.
Why it matters: With a series of viral tweets, actress Hellena Taylor changed the online discussion around a signature Nintendo Switch release and resurfaced debate about what video game voice actors should be paid.
Bitcoin as a safe haven against inflation, once accepted wisdom for crypto proponents, is proving questionable.
Why it matters: In the face of persistently high consumer price index prints, the world's largest and oldest digital asset has crumpled, eroding investor confidence that it can act as a safe haven during times of market turmoil.
The Justice Department has required lobbyists for Hikvision, a leading Chinese surveillance equipment company, to register as foreign agents, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The move comes amid a broader federal crackdown on Chinese industries deemed potential U.S. national security threats. The push is now reaching D.C. representatives for the world's largest manufacturer of video surveillance equipment.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, plans to acquire Parler, a Twitter-like social media app that has become a haven for conservatives.
Why it matters: In a statement, Ye said he's buying the platform to ensure people with conservative opinions "have the right to freely express ourselves" online.
Ro Khanna, the Democrat who represents a big chunk of Silicon Valley in Congress, is still optimistic that his party will hold onto the House and that Congress will pass meaningful regulations of Big Tech . But if Republicans win the House, he warns, they'll devote less time to those issues and more to investigating Hunter Biden.
What they're saying: "These debates are going to be about the Republicans interested in perpetuating a cultural war, where they are going to be targeting the most vulnerable in our societies, people who they think are don't fit the mold of how they define a true American, and it is going to be an ugly, ugly two years," Khanna told Axios' Ina Fried in an interview at last week's Lesbians Who Tech Summit.
Facebook, Twitter and other online services set rules for users' posts not just to flag individual statements, but more broadly, to ensure they're complying with the law, to help define their businesses and to protect their users.
Driving the news: Public debate over online speech peaked again with Kanye West's ban from Twitter and Elon Musk's willingness to bring Donald Trump back to that service if he becomes its owner. But public understanding of why social networks moderate content remains murky.
Online content aggregator Flipboard last week laid off 24 staffers, or 21% of its workforce, Axios has confirmed.
Why it matters: The cuts are one more sign that a slowdown in the online advertising market, fed by broader economic headwinds, is hurting a range of tech firms large and small.
Uber Eats customers in Toronto will be able to order cannabis starting Monday, thanks to a new partnership with Leafly.
Why it matters: It's the first time that marijuana delivery will be available through a major third party delivery platform, such as Uber, according to Leafly.
