Techmeme
October 4, 2020, 12:00 PM

Top News

Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Ten US states, including NY and NJ, that account for ~21% of the US population have released a COVID-19 contact tracing app based on Apple and Google's API  —  - New York and New Jersey both released Covid-19 apps this week, bringing the total to 10 states which have published alert apps using technology …
Pearl Liu / South China Morning Post:
A look at Alibaba's Tmall Haofang, a new sales channel on Tmall for buying homes online; Tmall Haofang says it'll use 3D tech and live streaming to help buyers  —  Developers are listing their home projects on Tmall Haofang, a new sales channel by world's largest e-commerce platform Selected projects sold …
Aarian Marshall / Wired:
Library checkouts of ebooks are up 52% YoY since March as libraries pay an average of $40 per copy due to publisher restrictions limiting library lending  —  Checkouts of digital books from a popular service are up 52 percent since March.  Publishers say their easy availability hurts sales.
Raymond Zhong / New York Times:
How Taiwan's biggest chip maker TSMC is caught in a tough spot, forced to heed the dictates of Trump's tech policy, while trying to keep many customers in China  —  The island's biggest chip maker has been a coveted partner to both battling giants.  But rising nationalism is making it harder to keep the middle ground.
Neil Cybart / Above Avalon:
As the installed base of Apple Watch approaches 100M, with an estimated 35% of US iPhone users wearing one, rivals are yet to make a credible competing device  —  In a few months, the number of people wearing an Apple Watch will surpass 100 million.  While the tech press spent years infatuated …
Rebecca Jennings / Vox:
An inside look at the world of TikTok “collab houses” in Los Angeles, amid allegations of exploitative talent managers withholding money from influencers  —  The Girls in the Valley was supposed to be a collective of Instagram baddie best friends.  Then it self-destructed.
Jason Koebler / VICE:
Twitter says it will take action against tweets that openly wish or hope for Trump's death, citing an existing “abusive behavior” rule  —  “Content that wishes, hopes or expresses a desire for death, serious bodily harm, or fatal disease against an individual is against our rules.”
CNBC:
Facebook rebuts The Social Dilemma, saying the popular Netflix documentary “buries the substance in sensationalism”  —  - Facebook rebutted Netflix's “The Social Dilemma” on Friday.  — The company argued that the documentary-drama that quickly gained popularity for its critical look …
ProPublica:
A look at Arise, which offers work-from-home call center contractors to companies like Disney, Airbnb, and Apple, and how it strips workers of legal protections  —  Arise Virtual Solutions, part of the secretive world of work-at-home customer service, helps large corporations shed costs at the expense of workers.

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Earlier Picks

John Hendel / Politico:
Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch: