10 tech facts you should know today – March 20 2020

1.) Elon Musk said via Twitter TESLA factories are “working on ventilators” for a Potential shortage caused by coronavirus. 

On Thursday, Musk mentioned that plans for production were now underway and tweeted: “We’re working on ventilators, even though I think there will not be a shortage by the time we can make enough to matter.”

2.) Facebook widened its ad ban to include hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and COVID-19 test kits to put an end to pandemic price-gouging. 

This comes weeks after Facebook stopped ads for face masks as well as ads for coronavirus cures.

3.) Twitter is to crack down on tweets about fake coronavirus treatments and misinformation. 

In a blog post, the company stated that all it will require users to do is remove tweets that deny expert guidance, encourage the use of fake treatments, or contain misleading content which claims to be from experts.

4.) After days of uncertainty with authorities, Tesla have announced that it will shut down its Buffalo and Fremont plants — both of which, are in states hard hit by the coronavirus. 

Operations are to cease at the end of the day on Monday, March 23rd.

5.) Netflix will reduce the quality of its streaming services in Europe to avoid straining the internet during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Netflix said on Thursday that it would reduce bit rates for 30 days across Europe after their CEO Reed Hastings spoke with the EU Commissioner, Thierry Breton about reducing traffic to European network.

6.) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with healthtech startups Babylon and Thriva to discuss ramping up Covid-19 testing. 

Those present at the meeting, offered the government suggestions on how they could help scale up the number of coronavirus tests that are available to the public.

7.) Amazon’s Prime Pantry service is now temporarily closed after orders spiked. 

Prime Pantry is one of many grocery-delivery services that are experiencing a spike in demand as more people stay at home due to the virus.

8.) The US’s top doctor called out to Kylie Jenner and other celebrity influencers to help young people comprehend the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic. 

As the number of coronavirus cases reported in the US gets closer to 10,000, some young adults have ignored warnings to avoid large crowds and isolate themselves to prevent the spread of the disease.

9.) SoftBank is reportedly looking to raise $10 billion in a bid to support startups struggling from the coronavirus outbreak. 

The Japanese conglomerate is reportedly seeking $5 billion from outside investors, which it will match with its own $5 billion.

10.) Grubhub announced last week that it will suspend up to $100 million in commission fees for independent restaurants impacted by the coronavirus, but the deal comes with some major caveats. 

To get their fees deferred, restaurants have to commit to partnering with the online delivery company for an additional year.