Techmeme
May 15, 2018, 7:25 AM

Top News

Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:
Google revamps consumer storage plans, now called Google One, adds $3/mo. tier for 200 GB, drops 2 TB plan price to $10/mo., and adds free product tech support  —  Google is revamping its consumer storage plans today by adding a new $2.99/month tier for 200 GB of storage and dropping the price …
New Scientist:
Investigation: data collected by Facebook quiz myPersonality was shared with researchers over insecure site, leaving 3M+ users' details vulnerable for 4 years  —  Data from millions of Facebook users who used a popular personality app, including their answers to intimate questionnaires …
Monica Nickelsburg / GeekWire:
Amazon says it is disappointed after Seattle passes smaller “head tax” on large companies to build affordable housing, resumes work on Block 18 office building  —  Updated below with Amazon statement.  —  The Seattle City Council unanimously passed a smaller version of the controversial …
Kate Conger / Gizmodo:
Sources: about a dozen Google employees resign in protest over the firm's continued involvement in providing image classification AI to Pentagon's Project Maven  —  It's been nearly three months since many Google employees—and the public—learned about the company's decision …
Jonathan Shieber / TechCrunch:
As SCOTUS kills law that banned gambling on sports in most states, media firms with exposure to sports streaming events, including online betting firms, win big  —  Whoever had the over on DraftKings' boss Jason Robins and FanDuel chief executive Matt King being given a potential billion dollar windfall …
Lily Katz / Bloomberg:
At CoinDesk's Consensus crypto conference in NYC, with 100+ sponsors, Lamborghinis cruise the streets and gimmicks include staged protests by mock bankers  —  John Nouri makes a living renting out exotic cars for weddings, birthdays, bachelorette parties, and now ... Bitcoin conferences?
Jon Russell / TechCrunch:
Ripple announces the Xpring initiative, which aims to incentivize startups, through investments, grants, and incubation, into building an ecosystem around XRP  —  It's finally happening.  Ripple is making a push to expand the use of the XRP cryptocurrency it created into new verticals …
Hannah Kuchler / Financial Times:
How Eventbrite, a major ticketing and event management platform, grew its business through many acquisitions, including last year's $200M Ticketfly acquisition  —  Julia Hartz knows that when you buy companies, you buy people.  Founders must be kept, employees embraced and customers comforted.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos says ~85% of new spending to go toward original content, plans to have about 1,000 originals total by the end of 2018  —  Netflix is sharply steering its new content spending toward original projects, with around 85% of new spending going toward original TV shows …
Tim Higgins / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Tesla engineers discussed adding eye tracking and better sensors to Autopilot to help alert drivers, were rejected over tech's ineffectiveness and cost  —  Executives rejected adding more tech warnings to inattentive drivers, due to concerns over effectiveness and costs
Kia Kokalitcheva / Axios:
Uber will no longer require mandatory arbitration for individual claims of sexual assault or harassment by riders, drivers, or employees  —  In a surprise move, Uber said on Tuesday it is changing its long-standing policy of mandatory arbitration to exempt employees, drivers, and riders in cases of sexual harassment and assault.
More: Bloomberg, Recode, and Reuters
Vindu Goel / New York Times:
How WhatsApp is being used to spread misinformation, share fake polls, and exacerbate religious divides ahead of national elections in India  —  MANGALORE, India — Waving a giant saffron flag, Pranav Bhat last week joined a political rally for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's ruling party …

Sponsor Posts

Soxton:
Fast, affordable law for startups  —  Soxton automates startup legal so founders can move faster and sleep better.  We handle incorporation, advisor, employment and commercial contracts.  Join the waitlist for early access!
F5:
Accelerate AI Adoption at F5's AI Virtual Summit  —  Learn how to architect, secure, and scale AI for production with real-world insights from industry leaders on June 23.  Register now to save your spot.
Zoho:
Agentic AI: The need for a data foundation  —  This is the first post of the 4-part series on Agentic Data Infrastructure.Every business app now ships with an AI agent.  Each one is good at its own job.
IDrive:
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data  —  Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Salesforce data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.

Featured Podcasts

The Nick, Dick and Paul Show:
All about Interest Rates
Nick Bilton, Dick Costolo, and Paul Kedrosky pull back the curtain on AI, startups, and the future rushing toward us, all with healthy dose of irreverence.
Subscribe to The Nick, Dick and Paul Show.
Training Data:
Google DeepMind's Logan Kilpatrick: Why the Model Eats the Harness
Sequoia Capital partners host conversations with leading AI builders and researchers to develop a deeper understanding of the evolving technologies and their implications.
Subscribe to Training Data.
Big Technology Podcast:
What Should An AI Device Look Like? — With Alex Himel
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast.
Great Chat:
Founders dish on VC bad behavior (and bring receipts)
A podcast mostly about tech. Brought to you weekly by Angela Du, Sally Shin, Mac Bohannon, Helen Min, and Ashley Mayer.
Subscribe to Great Chat.
Uncapped with Jack Altman:
Mike Volpi from Hanabi Capital
Conversations with people I admire about things I'm genuinely interested in.
Subscribe to Uncapped with Jack Altman.
Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
AI's Mythos Moment: Rishi Sunak on preparing governments for AI
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith.
 

About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 7:25 AM ET, May 15, 2018.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

More News

Earlier Picks

Dan Goodin / Ars Technica: