Technology

News Brief: Moderna Vaccine, Pandemic Economy, Google Monopoly Suit

5:50am December 17, 2020

An advisory panel will give the FDA its opinion on Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. The Federal Reserve projects stronger economic growth next year. Plus, Google is again facing antitrust charges.

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Twitter says it will work with global health experts to enforce new rules prohibiting conspiracy-based misinformation about the coronavirus.

Twitter To Remove Or Place Warning Labels On COVID Vaccine Conspiracy Tweets

8:34pm December 16, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

The social media giant says it will not allow tweets containing "unsubstantiated rumors, disputed claims" or promotion of "out of context information" about the vaccine.

Latest Deepfake Controversy Raises Legal And Ethical Questions In Music Industry

5:45pm December 15, 2020

by Nimah Gobir

Deepfake technology gained notoriety after some celebrities were made to appear to say things they never said. The latest deepfake controversy hit the music business, with far-reaching implications.

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Amazon, and eight other social media and tech companies, received orders from the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. They must hand over information on how they harness user data.

National

Amazon, TikTok, Facebook, Others Ordered To Explain What They Do With User Data

2:38pm December 15, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

The Federal Trade Commission gave nine social media and tech companies 45 days to hand over details on how they collect user data. It is the latest move by government actors to regulate Big Tech.

Takahiro Shiraishi said he targeted those with suicidal thoughts: "It was easier for me to convince people with worries and other issues and manipulate them to my way of thinking."

Japan's 'Twitter Killer' Sentenced To Death In Killing Of 9

9:41am December 15, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

Takahiro Shiraishi murdered and dismembered eight women and one man in his apartment near Tokyo. He used Twitter to lure most of his victims, promising he could help them kill themselves.

The Backcountry Boom

6:30am December 15, 2020

by Greg Rosalsky

In mountains across America, skiers and snowboarders are ditching ski lifts and heading into the backcountry. We talked with a pioneer of backcountry snowboarding about how we got here.

Austin-based Airbnb host Tom Krones pushed off the decision to buy stock in Airbnb until it was too late. He joins scores of other hosts who are now regretting a decision that could have made them thousands of dollars richer.

National

They Ignored Or Deleted The Email From Airbnb. It Was A $15,000 Mistake

9:42pm December 12, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

Thousands of Airbnb hosts received an email invitation to buy company stock ahead of its initial public offer. Many, though, didn't take the email seriously.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in 2019. His company has been hit with twin lawsuits alleging it abused its power in order to crush rivals.

National

'The Wrath Of Mark': 4 Takeaways From The Government's Case Against Facebook

11:19am December 11, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Twin complaints from the Federal Trade Commission and 48 attorneys general paint a portrait of a company protecting its power at all costs.

A nurse prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at Croydon University Hospital in London.

Health & Safety

'The Perfect Storm': How Vaccine Misinformation Spread To The Mainstream

4:44pm December 10, 2020

by Shannon Bond

False claims about COVID-19 vaccines are spreading widely on social media, researchers warn. They could undermine public health efforts to curb the pandemic.

AGs' Lawsuit Accuses Facebook Of Gobbling Up Competitive Threats

7:29am December 10, 2020

A group of 48 attorneys general accuse Facebook of having "monopoly power" and harming users and companies alike. Now they have filed a lawsuit. NPR's Noel King talks to Connecticut AG William Tong.

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