Techmeme
July 17, 2019, 7:20 PM

Top News

Netflix Investor Relations:
Netflix reports Q2 revenue of $4.9B, up 26% YoY, and total paid membership of 152M, up 22% YoY, but it added 2.7M new subs, down from 5.5M YoY; stock down 12%+  —  Fellow shareholders, As expected, revenue growth accelerated 400 basis points to 26%, and operating income increased 53% year over year in Q2.
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Netflix says it plans to launch a cheaper mobile-only streaming plan starting in India in Q3  —  It'll be cheaper than Netflix's current plans that allow streaming on a TV  —  After giving it a test run in a few countries earlier this year, Netflix has confirmed it will officially introduce …
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
As FaceApp goes viral again, many are wary of the image-altering app's weak privacy policy, the fact it's based in Russia, and that photos are sent to the cloud  —  App was launched by Russian developer in 2017 and uses AI to change people's features  —  The developer of a popular app …
Donie O'Sullivan / CNN:
DNC warns 2020 presidential campaigns not to use FaceApp; alert from DNC's chief security officer notes that the app was “developed by Russians”  —  Washington (CNN) — The Democratic National Committee sent a security alert to 2020 presidential campaigns Wednesday afternoon warning …
European Commission:
The European Commission launches a formal antitrust investigation into possible anti-competitive conduct by Amazon in its dual role as marketplace and retailer  —  The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether Amazon's use of sensitive data …
CNBC:
Microsoft says AT&T will use its Azure and Office 365 suite for its 250,000 staff in a non-exclusive deal; source says multi-year deal is worth $2B+  —  KEY POINTS  — All AT&T Communications employees will use Microsoft 365, which includes Windows 10 and Office 365.
Greg Kumparak / TechCrunch:
As part of World Emoji Day, Apple and Google share designs for around 60 new emoji, many focused on representation around disability  —  Tomorrow is World Emoji Day.  Why is there a World Emoji Day?  No idea!  But it's tomorrow!  —  To recognize the day, Apple and Google have both shed …
Davey Alba / BuzzFeed News:
Google's vice president of public policy, Karan Bhatia, tells US Senate that the company has “terminated” Project Dragonfly, its Chinese search engine project  —  At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Google's vice president of public policy, Karan Bhatia …
Brian Merchant / Columbia Journalism Review:
To duck accountability, “on background” has become the default method by which Silicon Valley disseminates information, often abetted by tech journalists  —  One of the most pernicious tools that Silicon Valley uses to control the flow of information to the public is decidedly low-tech: briefing reporters “on background.”
Michael McWhertor / Polygon:
Nintendo announces an updated Switch console which, it says, will last up to nine hours on a single charge; FCC filing suggests it has a new SoC and storage  —  It's the same old Switch, just longer lasting  —  Nintendo is updating the original version of the Switch to offer better battery life …
Alfred Ng / CNET:
Google removes seven stalkerware apps from the Play Store that were found by Avast researchers; the apps had been installed more than 130,000 times  —  You'd think it would be difficult to find an app that can secretly track a person's every move.  But researchers have found them right in the open on Google's Play Store.
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed News:
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
Reflecting on VidCon, it's clear that influencers' command of social media foreshadows future power in politics and elsewhere  —  As social media expands its cultural dominance, the people who can steer the online conversation will have an upper hand.  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. …
John Markoff / New York Times:
Neuralink, which has received $158M in funding including $100M from Elon Musk, hopes to begin testing its brain-computer interface on humans by Q2 of 2020  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Elon Musk aspires to make inserting a computer connection into your brain as safe and painless as Lasik eye surgery.
Natalie Gagliordi / ZDNet:
eBay beats with Q2 revenue of $2.7B, up 2% YoY, net income of $403M, and says it is considering selling both StubHub and its Classifieds services; stock up 5%+  —  eBay said that it's considering the sale of both StubHub and its Classifies business as a means to “maximize shareholder value”.
More: eBay
Reuters:
Review of 33 high-profile blockchain projects within the financial sector and interviews with execs shows the limitations of blockchain and its weak adoption  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two years ago Nasdaq Inc (NDAQ.O) and Citigroup Inc (C.N) announced a new blockchain system they said would make payments …

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Tony Romm / Washington Post: