Search results for "Alphabet"

Facebook reaches trillion-dollar company status

Facebook has officially joined the trillion-dollar company club after yesterday’s stock market close, according to Yahoo Finance. The landmark came following the tech giant’s victory in a court against Federal Trade Commission (FTC) where a federal court rejected two lawsuits from the FTC and a coalition of state, spiking Facebook shares up 4.2 percent. The […]

Reporter's driverless van ride: Cool tech, freaky turns

The annoyed shopper paced around and knocked on the windows of a minivan blocking him from leaving his Costco parking spot. He didn’t seem to notice, or care, that there was no one inside. A colleague and I had called for the Waymo ride — our first in a fully driverless vehicle — and quickly […]

Girl Scout cookies take flight in Virginia drone deliveries

Missing out on Thin Mints in the pandemic? A Google affiliate is using drones to deliver Girl Scout cookies to people’s doorsteps in a Virginia community. The town of Christiansburg has been a testing ground for commercial delivery drones operated by Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s corporate parent Alphabet. Now the company is adding the […]

Lawmakers call YouTube Kids a 'wasteland of vapid' content

A House subcommittee is investigating YouTube Kids, saying the Google-owned video service feeds children inappropriate material in “a wasteland of vapid, consumerist content” so it can serve them ads. The inquiry comes despite Google agreeing to pay $170 million in 2019 to settle allegations that YouTube collected personal data on children without their parents’ consent. […]

Former Google CEO gives $150M for research in biology, AI

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy, have given $150 million to a research institute to establish a “new era of biology” aimed at battling diseases with a mix of data and life science studies. The Massachusetts-based Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard will use the funds to build a new center that […]

Report: Extremist groups thrive on Facebook despite bans

A new outside report found that Facebook has allowed groups — many tied to QAnon, boogaloo and militia movements — to glorify violence during the 2020 election and in the weeks leading up to the deadly riots on the U.S. Capitol in January. Avaaz, a nonprofit advocacy group that says it seeks to protect democracies […]

AI panel urges US to boost tech skills amid China's rise

An artificial intelligence commission led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is urging the U.S. to boost its AI skills to counter China, including by pursuing “AI-enabled” weapons – something that Google itself has shied away from on ethical grounds. Schmidt and current executives from Google, Microsoft, Oracle and Amazon are among the 15 members […]

In shock move, Facebook blocks news access in Australia

In a shocking act of retaliation Thursday, Facebook blocked Australians from sharing news, a milestone in the increasingly frantic jockeying between governments, media and powerful tech companies that one Australian minister called “an assault on a sovereign nation” and abuse of power. Australia’s government condemned the decision, which also prevented some government communications, including messages […]

In Australia, Google makes publisher deals, Facebook walks

Google is striking deals in Australia to pay for journalism but Facebook is vowing to restrict news sharing as Australian lawmakers consider forcing digital giants into payment agreements. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. announced a wide-ranging deal with Google Wednesday. Major Australian media organization Seven West Media reached a deal earlier, its rival Nine Entertainment is […]

Australia news media 'large and small' discuss Google deals

Google was quickly negotiating generous deals with big and small Australian media companies to pay for news as the Parliament considers forcing digital giants into such agreements, a minister said on Wednesday. Seven West Media on Monday became the largest Australian news media business to strike a deal with Google to pay for journalism and […]