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February 4, 2025, 11:00 AM
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| 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: Notes on the Crises, 404 Media, Talking Points Memo, The Record, Metacurity, Forbes, Bloomberg, Paul Krugman, The Independent, Raw Story, Politico, and Gizmodo
Bluesky: @molly.wiki, @dell, @brandonfriedman, @leahfeiger, @pkrugman, @martinsfp, @dell, and @jilldlawrence. 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, and r/politics
| 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, Time, 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, 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: FinTech Futures, InsuranceNewsNet, American Prospect, Consumer Financial …, Americans for Financial Reform, 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, @jstein_wapo, @alexandergrieve, @consumerbankers, @jonahallon, @paulg, @drewchudson, @dwallacewells, @alex_danco, @iamdcinvestor, @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
| 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 Nextgov/FCW
Bluesky: @lizthegrey.com, @tyleraking.com, @brbarrett, @timmarchman, and @kateconger.com
| Caleb Ecarma / Musk Watch: |
More: HuffPost, Techdirt, Techdirt, New Republic, PCMag, DCMediaGroup, Slate, New York Magazine, SiliconANGLE, and InsuranceNewsNet
Bluesky: @jljacobson, @timmarchman, @murshedz, @wired.com, @lolgop, @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
| 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, Wall Street Journal, TheTruthAboutCars, Android Headlines, The Wire China, Reuters, BERNAMA, Financial Times, Livemint, Xinhua, Silicon Republic, The Guardian, WAtoday, The Information, Times of India, Türkiye Today, Financial Express, Fortune, WinBuzzer, Decrypt, Sharecafe, Digital Journal, South China Morning Post, TheCable, CoinDesk, and New York Times
Forums: r/worldnews, r/politics, and Slashdot
| Financial Times: |
Sources: China is looking at launching a formal probe into Intel; a source says whether such a probe is officially launched could depend on US-China relations — Beijing seeks leverage against US president by reviving investigations into tech giants — China has revived antitrust investigations …
More: Associated Press, The Verge, Quartz, Neowin, Wccftech, NBC Connecticut, Android Headlines, and TechSpot
| 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
| 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.
More: Opera Newsroom, TechRadar, MakeUseOf, PhoneArena, iClarified, Ghacks, MacRumors, Neowin, XDA Developers, Fast Company, Digital Trends, Engadget, PCWorld, BGR, and GSMArena.com
| 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.
More: SiliconANGLE, Tech Startups, and Globe and Mail
| 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 … | 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: Insider Gaming, Forbes, GoNintendo, Reuters, Kotaku, GameSpot, Sherwood News, Associated Press, GamesRadar, Reuters, CNBC, Wccftech, Nikkei Asia, and MarketBeat
| 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 … | Bloomberg: |
Donald Trump signs an executive action to direct officials to create a US sovereign wealth fund and says that it could be used to facilitate a sale of TikTok US — - Fund could be used as US facilitates TikTok sale, Lutnick says — Bessent says fund will be created in the next 12 months
More: Reuters, Mashable, Forbes, The White House, The White House, Blockchain News, Inside Bitcoins, Music Ally, PetaPixel, Android Headlines, The Guardian, The Mirror, New York Times, Irish Examiner, CNBC, Agence France-Presse, Blockonomi, Business Insider, en.ain.ua, Silicon UK, The Independent, MEDIANAMA, Bitcoinist.com, TipRanks Financial, PhoneArena, Daily Sabah, Blockhead, CryptoSlate, Music Business Worldwide, Sydney Morning Herald, @realDonaldTrump …, Washington Post, Axios, Washington Post, The Times, //www.investmentweek.co.uk/, BBC, and @realDonaldTrump …
Bluesky: @brunojnavarro. X: @senlummis, @chamath, @elonmusk, @modeledbehavior, @realalexjones, @martinshkreli, @mviser, @jacksonhinklle, @jgarzik, @dampedspring, @cliffordasness, @cliffordasness, @margomartin47, @mcuban, @vkiriak, @byheatherlong, @johnhcochrane, @salansar1, @gordongchang, @pudgypenguins, @aravsrinivas, @cynthiamlummis, @polymarket, @jessetinsley, @monetsupply, @theallinpod, @chamath, @presssec, and @danprimack. LinkedIn: Sarah Beth Felix
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