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February 4, 2025, 12:35 PM
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| Elizabeth Lopatto / The Verge: |
Elon Musk's goal seems to amount to a coup over the US administrative state; Musk said the 18F Direct File tax program was “deleted”, but that may not be true — Elon Musk has an uncanny ability to sort out which of America's rules are real.
More: The Atlantic, Techdirt, Cautious Optimism, Raw Story, and Associated Press
Mastodon: @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social. X: @elonmusk, @mattlesser, @rwpusa, @rajgoyle, @socdoneleft, @andrewkrok, @chrismegerian, @meidastouch, @ashleyschapitl, @jdcmedlock, @besttrousers, @sturgeons_law, @ericgeller, @tszzl, @joshtpm, @kylascan, @buddingmonkey, @alx, @angry_staffer, @flyosity, @mattyglesias, @ctjlewis, @dylanmatt, @nateberkopec, @dancow, @joshtpm, @tim_walz, @growing_daniel, and @coryfromphilly
Forums: Hacker News, r/france, r/esist, r/NewPatriotism, and r/politics
| Evan Weinberger / Bloomberg Law: |
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent orders the CFPB to stop activities, like rulemaking, communications, and litigation; in November, Musk said to “delete CFPB” — Search by Topic — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has shut down a wide variety of operations inside …
More: Forbes, FinTech Futures, American Prospect, House Financial Services Committee, Washington Post, National Law Review, New Republic, Reuters, Law360, New York Times, NBC New York, UPI, Salon, American Banker, Forbes, Consumer Bankers Association, Politico, NBC News, U.S. House Committee …, NPR, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, The Block, and The Hill
Bluesky: @hamiltonnolan, @andycraig, @adambonin, @reporterev, @reporterev, and @tonyromm
X: @elonmusk, @nathantankus, @paulg, @jstein_wapo, @alex_danco, @jonahallon, @dwallacewells, @iamdcinvestor, @alexandergrieve, @consumerbankers, @drewchudson, @repmeuser, @ellieckaufman, @maxfieldonbanks, @brendanpedersen, @sfof_states, @econliberties, @rickclaypool, @gardnerakayla, @silvermanjacob, @repcleaver, @repgwenmoore, @helaineolen, @repjayapal, @nhegde, @cmseeberger, @reichlinmelnick, @reploudermilk, @krystalball, @neerajka, @financialcmte, @mattgertz, @groundwork, @senatordurbin, @brendanpedersen, @moreperfectus, @jchervinsky, @emptywheel, and @josheidelson. LinkedIn: Evan Weinberger
Forums: r/politics and r/politics
| Wired: |
Sources: Marko Elez, a 25-year-old Elon Musk-linked engineer, has admin privileges over Treasury Department code that controls Social Security payments and more — The Bureau of the Fiscal Service is a sleepy part of the Treasury Department. It's also where, sources say …
More: Talking Points Memo, 404 Media, Notes on the Crises, The Record, Metacurity, Paul Krugman, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Independent, Raw Story, and Politico
Bluesky: @joshtpm, @joshtpm, @brandonfriedman, @pkrugman, @martinsfp, @dell, @molly.wiki, @jilldlawrence, and @leahfeiger. Mastodon: @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social
X: @daithaigilbert, @public_citizen, @mattgoldstein26, @stephaniekelton, @marymcnamara, @wired, @samfbiddle, @wired, @ingridlunden, and @wsbgnl
Forums: Hacker News, r/inthenews, r/TrueReddit, r/rutgers, r/politics, and Beehaw
| Makena Kelly / Wired: |
Sources: Thomas Shedd, GSA's new Technology Transformation Services director and Elon Musk ally, told GSA workers the agency will pursue an “AI-first strategy” — Sources say the former Tesla engineer now in charge of the Technology Transformation Services wants an agency that operates like a “startup software company.”
More: New York Times and TechCrunch
Bluesky: @dell, @lizthegrey.com, @tyleraking.com, @brbarrett, @timmarchman, and @kateconger.com
| Caleb Ecarma / Musk Watch: |
More: Techdirt, HuffPost, New Republic, PCMag, Slate, and New York Magazine
Bluesky: @jljacobson, @murshedz, @lolgop, @timmarchman, @wired.com, @mmasnick, @jayapal.house.gov, @rincewind.run, @molly.wiki, @joshuajfriedman.com, @repbarragan, @kinosminion, @martinsfp, @carbajal.house.gov, @repkevinmullin, @neal.house.gov, @calebecarma, @nathantankus, @juddlegum, @tonytellez, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, and @juddlegum. Threads: @senadamschiff
X: @jarvis_best, @canderaid, @kylebrussell, @hackingbutlegal, @calebecarma, @juddlegum, @bakari_sellers, @juddlegum, @josephpatrice, @stealthygeek, @tnoquoproquid, @mattgertz, @sarah_micheleg, @slisker, @victorshi2020, and @chadpergram
Forums: r/AnythingGoesNews, r/antiwork, r/Fuckthealtright, r/economicCollapse, r/Futurism, r/the_everything_bubble, r/Foodforthought, r/KeepOurNetFree, r/politics, r/politics, r/AnythingGoesNews, r/uspolitics, r/feddiscussion, r/usajobs, r/politics, r/politics, r/solarpunk, r/Political_Revolution, r/IronFrontUSA, r/antiwork, r/TheSecondTerm, r/behindthebastards, r/inthenews, and r/washingtondc
| Juli Clover / MacRumors: |
Apple debuts Invites, an app to help plan events like birthdays, graduations, and more, with Image Playground and Writing Tools tie-ins, for iCloud+ subscribers — Apple today announced the launch of a new app called “Invites,” which is designed to allow users to plan events like birthday parties …
More: Apple, 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, Thurrott, CNET, Engadget, AppleInsider, TechCrunch, The Verge, 9to5Mac, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Bloomberg, Digital Trends, Cult of Mac, Apple Must, Pocket-lint, MacStories, BGR, and iClarified
Bluesky: @mikal-el.com. X: @raywongy, @gregjoz, @jordanmorgan10, @dylanmcd8, @basicappleguy, @apollozac, @dylanmcd8, @devongovett, @snazzylabs, @maxwinebach, @justinryanio, @brandonbutch, and @markgurman. Forums: MacRumors Forums
| Ryan Christoffel / 9to5Mac: |
The Iconfactory launches Tapestry on the App Store, bringing Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, and more into a single timeline, with a $1.99/month tier to remove ads — The Iconfactory, makers of the now-discontinued Twitterrific app, have today launched the spiritual successor to their Twitter client.
More: The Verge, AppAdvice, TechCrunch, and App Store
| Josh Xiao / Bloomberg: |
China's State Administration for Market Regulation says it will probe Google for alleged antitrust violations, moments after Trump put tariffs on Chinese goods — China announced an investigation into Google and imposed new tariffs on a range of US products moments after President Donald Trump slapped …
More: TechCrunch, Wired, Wall Street Journal, TheTruthAboutCars, Reuters, New Republic, Financial Times, Android Headlines, Livemint, Silicon Republic, WAtoday, The Information, Times of India, Financial Express, Fortune, WinBuzzer, The Wire China, Sharecafe, Digital Journal, Decrypt, Xinhua, The Guardian, Türkiye Today, South China Morning Post, TheCable, BERNAMA, and CoinDesk
Forums: r/politics and r/worldnews
| Dominic Preston / The Verge: |
Opera launches Opera Air, a free browser focused on mindfulness and mental well-being, including break reminders and ambient soundscapes, for Windows and macOS — Opera Air offers break reminders, ambient soundscapes, and breathing exercises, all in your browser.| Mary Ann Azevedo / TechCrunch: |
HR software startup Deel completes a sale of $300M secondary shares, bringing General Catalyst on as an investor, and says its ARR grew 70% YoY to $800M in 2024 — Fintech-turned-HR outfit Deel is trying to lay the groundwork for an IPO. On Tuesday, it said its annual revenue run rate climbed …
More: Axios, Deel, CNBC, and Tech Startups
| Mark Keierleber / Wired: |
An investigation into 300+ cyberattacks against US K-12 schools since 2020 shows how they can withhold details from students and parents whose data was stolen — An investigation into more than 300 cyberattacks against US K-12 schools over the past five years shows how schools … | Zachary Small / New York Times: |
An interview with The Sims designer Will Wright on the virtual dollhouse game turning 25, its mechanics, infusing it with chaos, ants, The Sims Online, and more — Will Wright kindly requests that admirers stop describing him as a god. — “I don't think God would concern himself with taking …
More: TheGamer, YouTube Official Blog, BBC, Comic Book, GamesRadar, and The Sims on YouTube. X: @popbase
| Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch: |
Toronto-based programmatic ad startup StackAdapt raised $235M led by Teachers' Venture Growth, after raising $300M from Summit Partners in June 2022 — While the U.S. and Canada duke it out over tariffs between the two countries, a tech company based out of Toronto is announcing a major round of funding led by a homegrown VC.| Rebecca Bellan / TechCrunch: |
Memo: Cruise is laying off 50% of its staff, after GM cut funding to robotaxi operations and shifts its focus to tech like hands-free driver assistance — Autonomous vehicle company Cruise is laying off 50% of its workforce — cuts that extend to the CEO and several other top executives — as it prepares to shut down operations.
More: The Verge
| Daniel Thomas / Financial Times: |
Ofcom drops an investigation into whether OnlyFans-owner Fenix International is letting under-18s access adult content, but keeps another part of the probe open — Adult streaming site had been accused of setting age verification settings too low — Unlock the Editor's Digest for free| Bloomberg: |
Nintendo reports Q3 revenue down ~33% YoY to ~$2.8B, net profit down ~33% YoY to ~$831M, both below est, 4.8M Switch sales, and cuts Switch and profit forecasts — The Kyoto-based company now expects ¥280 billion ($1.8 billion) in operating income in the fiscal year to March, slashing more than a fifth from its prior forecast.
More: The Verge, Decrypt, GoNintendo, GamesRadar, Tom's Guide, Kotaku, Reuters, CNBC, Wccftech, Nikkei Asia, and MarketBeat
| Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch: |
ByteDance researchers demo OmniHuman-1, an AI system that is “easily heads and shoulders above previous deepfake techniques”, if ByteDance's clips are accurate — Researchers from TikTok owner ByteDance have demoed a new AI system, OmniHuman-1, that can generate perhaps the most realistic deepfake videos to date.| Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch: |
Meta defines the types of AI systems that it deems too risky to release, including ones capable of aiding in cybersecurity, chemical, and biological attacks — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to make artificial general intelligence (AGI) — which is roughly defined as AI that can accomplish … Sponsor Posts
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Zoho:
Connecting, collaborating, and growing: Zoho Mail 2025 wrap-up — Your inbox has been home to a lot this year—quick updates, long threads, approvals, reminders, and the occasional late-night draft you weren't sure about.
Connecting, collaborating, and growing: Zoho Mail 2025 wrap-up — Your inbox has been home to a lot this year—quick updates, long threads, approvals, reminders, and the occasional late-night draft you weren't sure about.
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Protecting your Cloud Applications Data — Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Box data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.
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