Techmeme: SEC filing: Postmates posted a loss of $32.2M in Q2, compared to a loss of $73M in Q1; Postmates lost $105.2M in H1 2020 vs. $239M in the same period of 2019 (Danny Crichton/TechCrunch)

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September 26, 2020, 9:40 PM

Top News

David Streitfeld / New York Times:

Inside eBay's alleged plot that targeted a blogging duo and a Twitter gadfly using cockroaches, porn, death threats, physical surveillance, and pizza deliveries — “People are basically good” was eBay's founding principle. But in the deranged summer of 2019, prosecutors say …

Financial Times:

US sets export restrictions on China's biggest chipmaker SMIC, saying exports to SMIC posed an “unacceptable risk” of being diverted to “military end use” — Move against SMIC further hurts chip sector after penalties on Huawei — The US government …

Alex Thompson / Politico:

Facebook exec says right-wing drives more engagement because its “populism is always more engaging” as it speaks to “an incredibly strong, primitive emotion” — Throughout 2020, Democrats have denounced Facebook with growing ferocity as a “right-wing echo chamber” …

Ben Schoon / 9to5Google:

Fitbit says its OS 5.0 has been developed exclusively for the new Versa 3 and Sense smartwatches, and older devices, including last year's Versa 2, won't get it — Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 start shipping today to customers, and as promised, they're arriving with a new software experience on board.

More: Fitbit SDK, Zatz Not Funny!, Android Headlines, Android Authority, and Android Central. Tweets: @sushubh

Tom Warren / The Verge:

Source code of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 has leaked online on various file sharing sites this week; Microsoft says it is “investigating the matter” — Windows Server 2003 source also included — Microsoft's source code for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 has leaked online.

Kim Lyons / The Verge:

DOJ files its opposition to TikTok's request to halt Trump ban, says blocking the ban will infringe on Trump's authority, calls ByteDance CEO mouthpiece for CCP — TikTok is seeking to stave off a ban set to take effect Sunday — The Justice Department filed its opposition Friday …

More: NPR, South China Morning Post, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Techdirt, AppleInsider, and CNET

Tweets: @npr and @stokel

Sara Castellanos / Wall Street Journal:

CB Insights: cloud computing startups raised almost $3B across 97 deals in Q2 2020, up from 76 deals in Q2 2019, with deal volume reaching a three-year high — 'It's like digital transformation on steroids': Cloud-computing funding deals reached a three-year high in the second quarter

Tweets: @scastellwsj. Thanks:@keithswiader

New York Times:

Putin calls for a “reboot” between the US and Russia in cyberspace, offering “nonintervention into internal affairs of each other” including in elections — With an eye to a possible Biden presidency, the Russian leader called for a “reboot” on information security but offered no concessions.

Tweets: @antontroian, @edbott, @rstephens, @ewong, and @kenroth

Forbes:

Interview with Visa's Terry Angelos and Cuy Sheffield on the future of blockchain networks, partnering with crypto payment firms, and the Libra Association — Bitcoin was invented to disrupt existing monetary systems that many felt were too expensive and exclusionary.

More: CoinDesk, InsideBitcoins.com, BitcoinExchangeGuide, The Daily Hodl, CryptoGlobe, and Cryptonews

Tweets: @forbescrypto, @mdudas, @mdudas, @forbescrypto, and @forbescrypto

Danny Crichton / TechCrunch:

SEC filing: Postmates posted a loss of $32.2M in Q2, compared to a loss of $73M in Q1; Postmates lost $105.2M in H1 2020 vs. $239M in the same period of 2019 — Popular food delivery service Postmates is in the process of merging with Uber in a blockbuster $2.65 billion deal …

More: MarketWatch

Alexander George / Popular Mechanics:

Apple's Craig Federighi details how ML behind handwriting recognition on iPad works, which was trained using data sourced directly from people as they wrote — The more intuitive a task is for humans, generally, the harder it is for — can't hear your commands, or when your spam filter traps an important email.

Tweets: @popmech and @bruceqburke

Jennifer Elias / CNBC:

Alphabet settles shareholder lawsuit over its handling of sexual harassment claims, agrees to eliminate mandatory arbitration and limit Google's use of NDAs — - Alphabet has reached a settlement with shareholders in a lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct mishandling and cover-up by executives …

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This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 9:40 PM ET, September 26, 2020.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

From Mediagazer

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:

As the BBC fights Trump's $10B lawsuit and ITV plans to combine its broadcasting business with Sky in 2026, a look at the slow death of the UK's TV channels

The Guardian:

The UK has spent more than £500K since 2024, including £350K by the Department for Education, on 215 influencers to promote government campaigns

Alex Ritman / Variety:

In Channel 4's 2025 Alternative Christmas Message, Jimmy Kimmel said “tyranny is booming” in the US and, on his ABC suspension, “We won, the president lost”

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More News

Mehr Nadeem / Rest of World:

A look at how Iranians are using satellite file-casting app Toosheh to bypass state internet blackouts as the country pushes its national intranet

Tweets: @cengizyar, @mehrnadeem3, @anupkaphle, @restofworld, and @_meher

Ashley Gold / Axios:

Poll: 52% of US voters support shutting down social media platforms for the week of the election, with 62% not confident platforms can stop election misinfo

Tweets: @niemanlab, @accountabletech, @tayhatmaker, and @joshsternberg

Emily Birnbaum / Protocol:

Tech groups consider legal action against Trump's EO barring federal contractors from offering Diversity and Inclusion training, raising First Amendment issues

Tweets: @carnage4life, @bizcarson, and @uche_blackstock

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Epic acquires SuperAwesome, a UK-based platform offering devs a toolkit for implementing kids' safety features in their products; will remain standalone company

More: VentureBeat, Adweek, Pocket Gamer.biz, GamesIndustry.biz, WRAL TechWire, Gamasutra, Engadget, and The Irish Times. Tweets: @hkanji

Karissa Bell / Engadget:

Future AR wearables from Facebook, Apple, and Amazon will track how we move and react in real time, setting up a privacy minefield

Tweets: @txitua

Ethan Gach / Kotaku:

Report: longtime Ubisoft veteran and Rayman creator Michel Ancel retired from the game publisher earlier this month while being investigated for toxic behavior

Source: Libération. More: Game Rant, CCN.com, GameSpot, Libération, PC Gamer, Digital Trends, Fanbyte, Wccftech, USgamer.net, and Blue's News

Tweets: @icotom, @henereyg, @brendan_lh, and @ethangach

Earlier Picks

Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:

Google has announced the general availability of AI Platform Prediction, a service for developers to prepare, build, run, and share ML models in the cloud

More: SiliconANGLE

Natasha Mascarenhas / TechCrunch:

SEC filing: Alexis Ohanian is raising a fund called 776, with a target of $150M, three months after leaving Initialized Capital

More: New.blicio.us. Tweets: @shobz, @nmasc_, and @kateclarktweets

Alex Heath / The Information:

Stan Chudnovsky, head of Messenger at Facebook, says Facebook has asked Apple for years to give users an option to make Messenger the default iOS messaging app

Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:

Apple has agreed to allow Facebook to process payments for its paid online events feature via Facebook Pay, without taking a 30% cut, until December 31

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

The European Commission says it will appeal the July 2020 ruling that reversed the original $15B fine against Apple and Ireland over State Aid and taxes

Kate Cox / Ars Technica:

Former director at Facebook, Tim Kendall, told Congress Facebook “took a page from Big Tobacco's playbook, working to make our offering addictive at the outset”