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February 4, 2025, 1:40 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, and Associated Press
Bluesky: @kylierobison.com. 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/politics, and r/NewPatriotism
| 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, CyberScoop, FedScoop, Paul Krugman, Metacurity, Forbes, The Independent, Michigan Advance, Bloomberg, Politico, New Republic, and Raw Story
Bluesky: @dell, @pkrugman, @martinsfp, @dell, @joshtpm, @joshtpm, @molly.wiki, @jilldlawrence, @brandonfriedman, and @leahfeiger. Mastodon: @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social
X: @daithaigilbert, @public_citizen, @mattgoldstein26, @stephaniekelton, @marymcnamara, @wired, @samfbiddle, @wired, @ingridlunden, and @wsbgnl
Forums: Hacker News, r/rutgers, r/inthenews, r/TrueReddit, 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
| Evan Weinberger / Bloomberg Law: |
More: The Verge, Payments Dive, Forbes, American Prospect, FinTech Futures, Washington Post, House Financial Services Committee, 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
| Caleb Ecarma / Musk Watch: |
More: Techdirt, HuffPost, Techdirt, New Republic, PCMag, and Slate
Bluesky: @lolgop, @jljacobson, @murshedz, @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/antiwork, r/AnythingGoesNews, 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, Six Colors, Forbes, Livemint, The Sun, 9to5Google, Thurrott, Engadget, AppleInsider, TechCrunch, The Verge, 9to5Mac, Fast Company, Neowin, CNBC, TechRadar, MobileSyrup, Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, Bloomberg, Redmond Pie, MakeUseOf, Cult of Mac, Apple Must, Pocket-lint, MacStories, and BGR
Bluesky: @mikal-el.com. Threads: @benedictevans. 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: App Store, How-To Geek, CNET, AppAdvice, TechCrunch, iPhone in Canada Blog, and Digital Trends
| 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, Reuters, Android Headlines, Financial Times, TheTruthAboutCars, New Republic, Semafor, Silicon Republic, The Information, Times of India, Fortune, WinBuzzer, The Wire China, WAtoday, Livemint, Digital Journal, Financial Express, TheCable, Sharecafe, Decrypt, Xinhua, The Guardian, and Türkiye Today
Forums: r/politics and r/worldnews
| 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: Android Police, TechCrunch, The Verge, Watcher Guru, Quartz, Neowin, Mediaite, Wccftech, TechSpot, and NBC Connecticut
| 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.| 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 … | 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
| Jess Weatherbed / The Verge: |
Adobe adds “contract intelligence capabilities” to Acrobat's $4.99 per month AI Assistant, letting the PDF manager summarize complicated contract language — The new contract surfaces key terms and dates within complex agreements. — The new contract surfaces key terms and dates within complex agreements.| 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.| 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 — British media watchdog Ofcom has dropped …
More: Reuters
| 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: GamesRadar, TheGamer, BBC, YouTube Official Blog, Comic Book, 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.| 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, VentureBeat, GoNintendo, Wccftech, GamesRadar, MarketBeat, Reuters, Nikkei Asia, Reuters, and CNBC
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