Techmeme: NHTSA opens a formal investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system, covering 765K vehicles, saying it has trouble spotting parked emergency vehicles (Tom Krisher/Associated Press)

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August 16, 2021, 4:55 PM

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Tom Krisher / Associated Press:

NHTSA opens a formal investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system, covering 765K vehicles, saying it has trouble spotting parked emergency vehicles — DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government has opened a formal investigation into Tesla's Autopilot partially automated driving system, saying it has trouble spotting parked emergency vehicles.

More: Reuters, The Verge, CNBC, TNW, Ars Technica, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, Toronto Star, Bloomberg, TIME, Financial Times, ExtremeTech, Coinspeaker, Silicon Republic, Wall Street Journal, MSPoweruser, CNBC, and Gizmodo

Tweets: @ap, @tkrisher, @hypervisible, and @carnage4life

Brad Stone / Bloomberg:

A look at US lawmakers' efforts to rein in Google and Apple's app stores, after a bipartisan companion bill to Senate's Open App Markets Act debuts in the House — Legislating your apps — The U.S. Congress wants to change the way your smartphone works. And the effort may actually succeed.

More: Axios and Reuters

Tweets: @repkenbuck, @markets, @margarethmcgill, @bradstone, and @senblumenthal

Kate Conger / New York Times:

Inside Twitter's two-year effort to change its internal culture, led by controversial VP of design Dantley Davis, which led to HR investigations and staff exits — Two years ago, the company brought in a blunt executive to make things move faster and to promote diversity. Then the problems began.

More: Insider. Tweets: @copyconstruct, @daiwaka, @carnage4life, @dbedingfield, @dbedingfield, @gavinpurcell, @nytimesbusiness, @tonyromm, and @kateconger

David Shepardson / Reuters:

Facebook and Amazon ask the FCC for approval for a new undersea data cable between the Philippines and California, intending to start operations in 2022 — Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) have asked the U.S. government for approval to operate a new undersea data cable between …

More: Facebook Engineering and Silicon Republic

Vlad Savov / Bloomberg:

Google and Facebook say they will participate in a subsea cable system linking Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, launching 2024 — Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Facebook Inc. announced their participation in a new subsea cable system for 2024 set …

More: Cloud Blog, CNET, FierceTelecom, Reclaim The Net, PCMag, Adweek, City A.M., and Total Telecom. Tweets: @googlecloud

Loni Prinsloo / Bloomberg:

Facebook, China Mobile, and MTN Group plan to expand an undersea cable network in Africa, adding the Seychelles, Comoros, Angola, and Nigeria, for 35 landings

More: TechCrunch, Techpoint Africa, Financial Times, New York Post, and Reuters

Tim Marcin / Mashable:

Yik Yak, the anonymous app that creates a forum and message board for users within a five mile radius, returns to the US iOS app store, after its 2017 shutdown — Yes, it's really back. — Buckle up, millennials. Remember Yik Yak, the anonymous app that, in effect …

More: App Store, VICE, USA Today, The Hill, Engadget, and KnowTechie

Tweets: @yikyakapp, @imani_barbarin, @brotigupta, @iwriteallday_, @brookemiccio, @stepheniscowboy, @mashable, @emmajerome, @bigblackjacobin, @bigdonkey47, @mmasnick, and @taylorlorenz

Joseph Cox / VICE:

T-Mobile confirms hackers gained access to its systems, following reports that sensitive data on over 100M people was for sale on the dark web — “We have determined that unauthorized access to some T-Mobile data occurred.” — Joseph Cox — T-Mobile confirmed hackers gained access …

More: T-Mobile and iClarified

Tweets: @josephfcox, @lorenzofb, @josephfcox, @vice, and @lorenzofb

Joseph Cox / VICE:

T-Mobile investigates claims that hackers stole data from its servers, including phone numbers, names, SSNs, and driver's license info, related to 100M+ people

More: ZDNet, Reuters, Computerworld, BleepingComputer, Engadget, The Register, FrontPageTech.com, MacRumors, CNN, BleepingComputer, Gizmodo, The Verge, Android Police, Reuters, USA Today, Softpedia News, HotHardware.com News, New York Post, Input, Techdirt, SecurityWeek, infosecurity-magazine.com, Droid Life, Engadget, Bitcoin Magazine, Tech.co, The Verge, Light Reading, Threatpost, PYMNTS.com, 9to5Mac, Tom's Guide, FierceWireless, AppleInsider, Android Central, KnowTechie, Coinspeaker, TmoNews, MUO, Protocol, TechSpot, BGR, Security Boulevard, HackRead, SlashGear, Graham Cluley, Pocketnow, TechCrunch, Cryptonews, Phandroid, CyberScoop, Silicon Republic, iMore, TheStreet, Digital Trends, TechRadar, GeekWire, IT Management, Cointelegraph, Security Affairs, Slashdot, Mashable, SiliconANGLE, phonearena.com, BitcoinExchangeGuide, Bloomberg, Neowin, International Business Times, CNET, Techaeris, Insider, and PCMag

Tweets: @vice, @knieriemen, @odell, @mshelton, @deviantollam, @bdsams, @jason_koebler, and @seahawkerholm

Alex Konrad / Forbes:

A look at Coinbase Ventures, which has backed 150+ companies over three years, writes mostly seed checks of $50K to $250K, and does not have any full-time staff — Look at the busiest U.S. investors in cryptocurrency startups this year, and in between investment firms like Digital Currency Group …

Tweets: @iampaulgrewal, @joonian, @alexrkonrad, @alexrkonrad, @rsg, @sarthakgh, @efeng, @jeffjohnroberts, and @katie_haun. Thanks:@alexrkonrad

Michael McSweeney / The Block:

Bluesky, the decentralized social media initiative unveiled by Twitter in 2019, will be led by Jay Graber, a former startup founder and cryptocurrency dev — Bluesky, the decentralized social media initiative unveiled by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey at the end of 2019, has a project lead, according to a Monday announcement.

More: Bloomberg, TechCrunch, The Verge, Decrypt, Reuters, and CoinDesk

Tweets: @arcalinea, @jack, @glenweyl, @chrisblec, @avsa, @jeffjarvis, @bluesky, @timbray, @lsanger, @nischalshetty, @rabble, @arcalinea, @arcalinea, @arcalinea, and @mmasnick

Mishaal Rahman / XDA Developers:

A look at Camera Switches in the Android 12 beta, an accessibility feature that lets users control their devices using only facial movements — Android has long had an Accessibility API that's intended for developers to build apps and experiences aimed at helping persons with disabilities, though it isn't always used for that purpose.

The Information:

Sources: seeking greater control, the Chinese government took a stake and a board seat in ByteDance's Beijing entity in April — For months, China has sought to bring its bustling internet sector to heel with an intensifying series of antitrust crackdowns and data security probes.

More: Reuters. Tweets: @ruima, @juroosawa, @juroosawa, @baldingsworld, @nickwingfield, @juroosawa, @ericnewcomer, @amir, @juroosawa, and @juroosawa

Wall Street Journal:

A look at chipmakers' race to capitalize on a wave of subsidies, as the US and other western countries reassess their industrial policies to slow China's rise — U.S. semiconductor maker's appeal for subsidies plays on national security fears during chip shortage; ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste’

Tweets: @live_news_nick, @jordannovet, @bobdavis187, @pgelsinger, and @aspi_icpc

Che Pan / South China Morning Post:

Chinese government says integrated circuit output rose 47.3% YoY to 203.6B units in the year to July, as new capacity is added to meet semiconductor demand

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From Mediagazer

Max Tani / @maxwelltani:

WSJ opinion editor Paul Gigot defends Stanley Druckenmiller's use of AI to write an op-ed, saying “nobody can doubt that his op-ed is his genuine opinion”

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

Forbes and Shook Research suspend their joint rankings and events as they review a $6M payment from founder RJ Shook to former top editor Randall Lane

Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:

A US federal appeals court sets aside an FCC notice that would have let political parties and joint fundraising committees qualify for lowest broadcast ad rates

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More News

Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:

Roblox reports Q2 bookings of $665.5M, up 35%, vs. $689.2M est., revenue of $454.1M, up 127% YoY, a net loss of $140.1M, and average DAUs of 43.2M, up 29% YoY

More: Roblox

Matt Mullenweg:

Automattic closed a new funding round of $288M in February and recently completed a $250M share buyback aimed at current and ex-employees at a $7.5B valuation

Tweets: @danprimack, @jasonlk, @photomatt, and @peterpham

Christine Hall / TechCrunch:

Tropic, which helps streamline software procurement, raises $25M Series A, says it passed $250M in managed spend, and processed transactions for 1,200+ vendors

More: FinSMEs

Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:

DistroKid, which has helped 2M+ musicians upload music to streaming services, says it is valued at $1.3B after a recent raise from Insight Venture Partners

Tweets: @rstephens and @jaycuthrell

Earlier Picks

Ivan Levingston / Bloomberg:

Vienna-based marketing analytics startup Adverity raises $120M led by SoftBank's Vision Fund 2, bringing its total raised to $165M+

More: FinSMEs, Tech.eu, and Business Wire

Joanna Ossinger / Bloomberg:

Crypto staking service Figment raises $50M Series B, led by Senator Investment Group and Liberty City Ventures, source says at a ~$500M valuation

More: Figment, SiliconANGLE, Blockworks, FinLedger, CoinDesk, The Block, and Cointelegraph

Tweets: @spvenino33, @figment_io, and @jimandelman

Steven Kurutz / New York Times:

For some teenagers, making NFTs and other forms of digital art is seen as a gateway to a career as a full-time artist and has become their new summer job

Tweets: @ron_miller, @revolvegamesio, and @pakman

Manish Singh / TechCrunch:

Rapido, an Indian bike taxi operator available in about 100 cities, raises $52M Series C, bringing its total raised to $130M+

More: The Economic Times, The Economic Times, YourStory.com, The Hindu BusinessLine, and Tech in Asia

Kyle Chayka / New Yorker:

Profile of @images_ai, a Twitter account launched by a music student in June, which uses neural networks, including OpenAI's CLIP, to generate surreal art

Tweets: @newyorker, @renois, @newyorker, @chaykak, @chaykak, and @chaykak

Globes Online:

Cisco confirms it has acquired Epsagon, an Israel-based cloud application monitoring startup; sources say Cisco will be paying $500M

More: Silicon Valley Business …, TechCrunch, cloudpro.co.uk, WRAL TechWire, Cisco Blogs, The Stack, and CTech

Tweets: @editortargett, @lizcentoni, @chuckrobbins, and @cisco

Julia Angwin / Hello World:

Q&A with Alex Stamos on Apple's proposed child safety features, his reservations about the company's announcement and approach to child safety online, and more

Wall Street Journal:

In a new lawsuit, a US-based contractor claims Huawei stole its tech and pressured it to build a “back door” into a sensitive surveillance project in Pakistan

More: Engadget, Telecoms.com, Phandroid, Pocketnow, Slashdot, and The Register

Tweets: @baldingsworld, @johnkoetsier, @gandapurpat, @martijnrasser, @gibranashraf, @rajivmessage, @newley, and @ericgarland