Are Conspiracy Theories Good For Facebook?
Viral conspiracy theories are dangerous, and maybe profitable.
Technology
Trump Administration Imposes Deadline For TikTok To Be Sold
The U.S. operation of video-sharing app TikTok is on the market. President Trump says the company that owns the app has to sell it by next month or he will ban it over national security concerns.
News Brief: Isaias Moves Up The Coast, COVID-19 Poll, TikTok Negotiations
Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in North Carolina. NPR and IPSOS release poll findings on the national response to the pandemic. Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok's U.S. operations.
Microsoft Consults With Trump About Ongoing Talks To Buy TikTok From Chinese Firm
In its first public acknowledgement of a deal that could be worth in the billions of dollars, Microsoft said it is continuing talks with TikTok about a potential takeover of the hugely popular app.
Trump Says He'll Ban TikTok From U.S. As Soon As Saturday
The president's announcement comes as Microsoft is in talks to acquire the app, which is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company.
Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence To Study Elephant Calls
The Elephant Listening Project has been listening to elephant calls for 20 years to learn more about animals. But identifying the calls used to be laborious — until scientists used AI.
House Antitrust Subcommittee Chair On The Testimony Of Big Tech CEOs
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., who chairs the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee, about the testimony of four Big Tech CEOs.
Facebook Has Moved To Ban Sales Of Looted Antiquities. Will It Make A Difference?
Archaeologists have ID'ed 100-plus Facebook groups offering looted and illicit antiquities for sale. New rules ban the sale of "historical artifacts" on Facebook but critics want more enforcement.
Amazon Doubles Profit To $5.2 Billion As Online Shopping Spikes
The company's sales went through the roof between April and June, hitting close to $89 billion — a 40% increase from a year earlier. Amazon added 175,000 new hires to help keep up with the demand.
Google Plans To Lay A New Trans-Atlantic Cable To Improve Internet Infrastructure
Google announced Tuesday that it is planning to lay a new trans-Atlantic underwater cable that it claims will ensure a significant upgrade to the U.S.-Europe Internet infrastructure.