Techmeme
July 6, 2023, 12:55 AM

Top News

Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Meta launches Instagram's Threads, now available on the App Store and Google Play in over 100 countries  —  - Threads is a text-based messaging app that looks very similar to Twitter.  — People will be able to use their Instagram usernames on Threads and follow the same accounts on Threads as they do on Meta's photo-sharing app.
More: @mosseri@threads.net, The Guardian, The Verge, Instagram, @zuck@threads.net, Slate, Livemint, New York Times, Bloomberg, MacRumors, PYMNTS.com, Associated Press, Meta, TechCrunch, Rolling Stone, Washington Post, Macworld, Decrypt, 9to5Mac, Mercury News, NBC News, The Information, Agence France-Presse, Gizmodo, Social Media Today, The National, NBC 7 San Diego, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Social Media Today, @lenperalta@threads.net, iPhone in Canada Blog, Variety, @alexia@threads.net, Matthew Cassinelli, Bloomberg, CNET, @crumbler@threads.net, Tech Xplore, PetaPixel, Mashable, TechRadar, The Verge, BBC, Fortune, Vox, @sam_faid@threads.net, UPROXX, BGR, @crumbler@threads.net, Adweek, Engadget, Pocket-lint, SlashGear, @nickbilton@threads.net, Digital Trends, SiliconANGLE, GoNintendo, Forbes, Dexerto, Bloomberg, MobileSyrup, KnowTechie, @netflix@threads.net, WinBuzzer, Supercharged, ZDNet, Silicon Valley Business …, and Digiday
Casey Newton / Platformer:
Hands-on with Threads: fairly basic text-based messaging app, log in via Instagram handle, no hashtags, can't search for anything other than user handles, more  —  Programming note: I really was trying to take a vacation, but this felt like it was worth the one-day interruption.
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Q&A with Adam Mosseri on how Threads started, why it is a “risky endeavor”, creating a standalone app off of Instagram, ActivityPub integration, and more  —  The ‘volatility’ of Twitter under Elon Musk has given Instagram an opening to compete.  It's a ‘risky’ bet worth trying, says Instagram boss Adam Mosseri.
Mark Zuckerberg / @zuck@threads.net:
Mark Zuckerberg says Threads passed 2M sign ups in the first two hours of availability  —  Threads just passed 2 million sign ups in the first two hours.
Eugen Rochko / Mastodon Blog:
Mastodon CEO says the launch of Instagram's Threads, which intends to adopt ActivityPub, “is a clear victory for our cause, hopefully one of many to come”  —  Today, Meta is launching its new microblogging platform called Threads.  What is noteworthy about this launch …
Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
OpenAI forms Superalignment, a team for developing ways to steer and control “superintelligent” AI systems, with access to 20% of its compute secured to date  —  OpenAI is forming a new team led by Ilya Sutskever, its chief scientist and one of the company's co-founders …
Washington Post:
Source: the US State Dept. cancels regular meetings with Meta about 2024 election prep, one day after a judge limited Biden officials' contact with tech firms  —  A Louisiana federal court's order limiting the Biden administration's communications with tech firms already is disrupting efforts to fight misinformation.
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Bluesky raised an $8M seed led by Neo and partners with Namecheap to offer easy custom domain purchasing and management, Bluesky's first paid service  —  Hours before Meta launches its anticipated Instagram competitor, Threads, another Twitter rival — Bluesky — is announcing additional funding and its first paid service.
Allison Johnson / The Verge:
Samsung announces its next Galaxy Unpacked event for July 26 at 7am ET in Seoul, where the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, Watch 6, and new tablets are expected  —  Samsung has announced it's hosting its next Unpacked on July 26th at 7AM ET — bright and early for the east coast …
Bloomberg:
Sources: CFTC investigators concluded that bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network misled investors and that its former CEO Alex Mashinsky also broke US rules  —  Investigators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have concluded that bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network …
Bloomberg:
Sources: Australia searched several local Binance offices as part of its derivatives investigation; CZ acknowledged that “external pressure” has hurt Binance  —  Binance's offices in Australia were searched by the country's financial markets regulator as governments around …

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More News

Nitasha Tiku / Washington Post:
LinkedIn: Timnit GebruBluesky: @mmitchell.bsky.socialMastodon: @baldur@toot.cafeTwitter: @timnitgebru, @counternotions, and @cfiesler

Earlier Picks

Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Bill Toulas / BleepingComputer: