Techmeme
August 11, 2021, 12:15 AM

Top News

Tim Copeland / The Block:
Group behind Poly Network, a cross-chain protocol used for DeFi applications, says a hacker has stolen $611M; one researcher blames the attack on a crypto flaw  —  Quick Take  — Cross-chain protocol Poly Network has been hacked for $611 million.  — The team behind the protocol …
Elizabeth Culliford / Reuters:
Facebook says it has removed a network of accounts from Russia linked to a UK marketing firm that pushed anti-vaccine content using Planet of the Apes memes  —  Facebook (FB.O) said on Tuesday it had removed a network of accounts from Russia that it linked to a marketing firm which aimed …
New York Times:
Jon Porter / The Verge:
Google will let under-18s delist photos by request, restrict ad targeting of children based on age, gender, or interests, and more  —  As part of a new series of protections for kids under 18  —  Google will no longer allow ad targeting of children based on their age, gender …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
YouTube launches protections for kids: default private uploads, turning off autoplay, and adding “take a break” and “bedtime” reminders by default  —  Google, responding to critics urging the internet giant to improve child safety in its services …
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple plans a modest iPhone update, with a smaller notch, faster refresh rate, and camera upgrades, including ProRes recording and video Portrait mode  —  - Company plans video Portrait mode and higher-quality recording  — New models to include smaller display cutout and faster chip
MacKenzie Sigalos / CNBC:
Coinbase reports $2.23B in Q2 revenue, vs $1.78B est., and net profit of $1.6B, up nearly 4,900% YoY, following volatile stretch of cryptocurrency trading  —  - In Q2, Coinbase brought in $2.23 billion of revenue vs. $1.78 billion expected by Refinitiv.  — It also reported a profit per share of $6.42.
Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:
OpenAI debuts a private beta for Codex, an API for turning natural language into code of one of over a dozen coding languages; Codex powers GitHub's Copilot  —  Watch now.  —  OpenAI today released OpenAI Codex, its AI system that translates natural language into code, through an API in private beta.
Frank Konkel / Nextgov:
Source: the NSA awarded a secret cloud computing contract worth up to $10B to AWS; Microsoft has filed a bid protest with the GAO in response  —  Much of the NSA's most prized intelligence data may be moving to the cloud.  —  The National Security Agency has awarded a secret cloud computing contract worth …
Catalin Cimpanu / The Record:
Microsoft will now require admin rights before Windows users can access the Point and Print feature, to mitigate a security flaw it has already tried to patch  —  Microsoft has released today a security update that will change the default behavior of the “Point and Print” …
Nikhilesh De / CoinDesk:
Senate sends $1T infrastructure bill to the House after a 69-30 vote; the bill contains a controversial cryptocurrency tax provision critics see as too broad  —  The bill contains a broad definition of “broker” for crypto tax reporting requirements that lawmakers and industry advocates sought to change over the past week.
Joanna Ossinger / Bloomberg:
Helium, a P2P 5G wireless network startup, raises $111M in an a16z-led token sale, says it has 116K+ wireless hotspots in 11K cities with 500K more back-ordered  —  - Napster's Shawn Fanning co-founded Helium with Amir Haleem  — Ribbit, Alameda, Multicoin among participants in the round
Ben Lovejoy / 9to5Mac:
Apple publishes a CSAM FAQ to address misconceptions and concerns about photo scanning  —  Apple has responded to misconceptions and concerns about its photo scanning announcements by publishing a CSAM FAQ - answering frequently asked questions about the features.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Venmo will let credit cardholders automatically buy cryptocurrency with the cash back they earn and says there will be no associated transaction fees  —  PayPal-owned Venmo is expanding its support for cryptocurrency with today's launch of a new feature that will allow users …
Sam Byford / The Verge:
Xiaomi announces the Mix 4 smartphone with a bezel-less design and an under-display selfie camera, launching in China for ~$770  —  The first new Mi Mix in years  —  Xiaomi has announced the Mix 4, the first phone in the Mi Mix series to be announced in nearly three years.
Tiernan Ray / ZDNet:
NortonLifeLock says that it will merge with Avast in a cash and stock deal worth between $8.1B and $8.6B  —  The two companies said they will create a “new, industry-leading consumer Cyber Safety business.”  —  Antivirus vendor NortonLifeLock this afternoon said it will merge …
TJ Denzer / Shacknews:
Unity reports Q2 revenue of $273.6M, up 48% YoY, and says it will acquire remote desktop and streaming company Parsec for ~$320M  —  Unity boasted a massive increase in revenue year-over-year and has raised its guidance as a result.  —  As fiscal quarters close and companies report earnings results …
Nikhilesh De / CoinDesk:
BitMEX announces a $100M settlement with the CFTC and FinCEN over shortcomings in its anti-money laundering and know-your-customer oversight systems  —  Crypto derivatives trading platform BitMEX announced Tuesday it had reached a settlement on civil charges with U.S. authorities.
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Zomato reports revenue of $113.4M, up ~3x YoY, and a net loss of $48M for the quarter that ended in June, in its first quarterly earnings report since its IPO  —  Zomato's losses more than tripled in its first quarterly earnings report since its listing last month as the company's expenses grew …

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