California Approves Pilot Program For Driverless Rides
California is allowing the company Cruise to offer free rides to passengers in its driverless cars — without safety drivers on board.
Technology
Trump Suspended From Facebook For 2 Years
Facebook says former President Donald Trump is locked out of its platform and Instagram until at least Jan. 7, 2023. It will reinstate him only "if the risk to public safety has receded."
State Legislatures Advance Bills Protecting Data Privacy
Congress is dithering on legislation to rein in the power of the tech industry, leaving states to come up with their own laws about data collection and privacy.
The Colonial Pipeline CEO Explains The Decision To Pay Hackers A $4.4 Million Ransom
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Colonial Pipeline CEO Joe Blount on the ransomware attack on the pipeline's network and the decision to pay the hackers the $4.4 million ransom.
Cities Are Weighing The Dangers And Benefits Of Facial Recognition
King County, Wash., banned the use of facial recognition by county agencies like law enforcement, following cities such as San Francisco. In most of the U.S., activists are finding bans a tough sell.
Rise Of Recommendation Systems: How Machines Figure Out The Things We Want
Recommendations we get from websites about what to buy are often powered by an algorithm known as collaborative filtering. We trace this technology back to one person trying to declutter his inbox.
Cyberattack On JBS May Hurt Texas, U.S.'s Leading Exporter Of Beef
NPR's Noel King talks to Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller about what his state is doing following the cyberattack on JBS, a meat processor with several facilities in his state.
'Biomutant' Is A Beautiful Game, But It Might Be Best For Beginners
In this post-apocalyptic vision, you play as a furry little mutant battling and questing through a gorgeous open world. But boring combat and too much hand-holding keep the game from greatness.
The Secret To Better Soft-Bodied Robots Might Be Found In Elephant Trunks
The Army is paying for investigations on the physics of elephant trunks — and researchers say these versatile appendages may hold clues for designing better soft-bodied robots.
JBS Cyberattack Just The Latest Major Company To Be Shut Down By Hackers
The meat processing company JBS expects most operations to be restored Wednesday after a ransomware attack. It's the latest major company being shut down by apparent Russian criminal hackers.