Recode Daily

How Covid-19 hurt department stores

29 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the Recode Daily archives (Nov. 30, 2020): Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains how the pandemic battered an already-struggling retail industry and ...

Offices will never be the same

26 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For office workers, working from home generally went better than expected. Recode’s Rani Molla explains how a year of remote work will change office...

How Instacart’s harsh ratings system hurts grocery deliverers

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Instacart is a gig economy app, similar to Uber or Airbnb, but for grocery deliveries. It has two sets of users: the people who order groceries, and t...

This 28-year-old billionaire wants to give away all his money

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over the weekend, Recode’s Teddy Schleifer talked with Sam Bankman-Fried, a young cryptocurrency zealot who, seemingly out of nowhere, has a net wor...

How influencers monetize every aspect of their lives

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

By now, you’ve probably heard of the influencer economy — high-profile figures on social media platforms who get paid to, you know, influence thei...

We don't have enough computer chips

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains how the pandemic caused a shortage of the semiconductors needed to manufacture everything from computers to cars...

Project Maven

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Land of the Giants host Shirin Ghaffary and co-host Alex Kantrowitz explain how a secret contract with the US Department of Defense prompted a sh...

Peter Thiel backs Hillbilly Elegy author for Senate race

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel just made his biggest political donation to date: $10 million to a super PAC backing potential US Senate candidate J.D. V...

Facebook says it’s tackling the antivax movement. Again.

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook has a long history as a home of the antivax movement. For years, users have built communities with other antivaxxers on Facebook, creating a ...

Want a vaccine? Walgreens wants your data first.

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues, finding an appointment is competitive. Very competitive. So the federal government is working with national...

Why a JPEG sold for $69 million

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From Jack Dorsey's tweets and NBA highlight reels to Beeple and Nyan Cat, digital art powered by cryptocurrency has exploded in value. Is it an artist...

Biden’s antitrust brain trust

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains why President Biden’s early hires signal an administration serious about taking on Big Tech.  REFERENCES: Read J...

Dr. B: the website to go to for extra vaccines

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid vaccines have a short shelf life -- just six hours after getting thawed -- and some vaccine sites are reporting extras they have to throw away a...

What is a SPAC?

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

S-P-A-C. It’s an acronym we’ve been seeing everywhere. But what is it? Don’t worry, we had the same question. The quick answer is SPACs are a ne...

When the free streaming trials end

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Paramount+ launched last week, becoming the latest platform to join the crowded pool of streaming services. But even with more options to choose from,...

Google quits cookies

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Google is wading into the fight over privacy. It will no longer use third-party cookies to track users around the internet, but as Recode’s Sara Mor...

How the pandemic changed social media habits

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re posting more. We’re posting less. And some of us aren’t posting at all anymore. Recode’s Rani Molla explains the past year in social med...

Why Biden’s backing an Amazon warehouse union drive

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Joe Biden announced he’s supporting a union drive at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama -- which could be the first Amazon warehouse...

Facebook bans Myanmar’s military

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly a month after a military coup in Myanmar, Facebook announced a ban on Facebook and Instagram accounts run by the Myanmarese military. The socia...

The Phone Wars

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The latest season of Land of the Giants explains the rise of Google from a company with idealistic goals of creative experimentation and making useful...

Amazon’s race problem

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Current and former employees describe a culture of bias, disrespect, and demotions at the e-commerce giant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

The Project for Good Information

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A Democratic political strategist is raising $65 million to compete with conservative media. Recode’s Teddy Schleifer explains how the Good Informat...

The biotech vaccine ingredient in high demand

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There’s an urgent gap in the vaccine supply chain. Scientists are racing to make sure a certain ingredient doesn’t dry up. Learn more about your a...

Can billionaires save newspapers?

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that billionaire investor Patrick Soon-Shiong was exploring a sale of the LA Times. Soon-Shiong denied thi...

Chicago turns to ZocDoc

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. is well underway with its Covid-19 vaccine rollout, but so far, things have not been running smoothly. Across many states, there’s no one-p...

What did we learn from GameStop?

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The GameStop saga prompted a congressional hearing and regulatory investigations. But the takeaways aren’t straightforward. Learn more about your a...

Nextdoor’s Covid-19 problem

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The platform, which calls itself the social network for neighborhoods, was once used for things like selling used bikes, asking neighbors for an extra...

How private is Clubhouse?

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While the trendy success of Clubhouse continues, users have some questions about their privacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Big philanthropy’s transparency problem

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Billionaires say they gave a lot of money in 2020. Recode’s Teddy Schleifer argues that they should be more transparent about how. Learn more about ...

Imagine a life without Google

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine waking up one day to find Google and all of its services gone. Gmail, search, Google Drive, YouTube, Google Home, Google Maps — all gone. In...

Electric cars are having a moment

12 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From General Motors to Apple, Tesla may soon have some serious competition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Andrew Yang’s campaign cut ties with Shervin Pishevar

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang is running for mayor of New York City. His campaign just cut ties with Shervin Pishevar, a one of their fund...

What is Clubhouse?

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re on social media, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Clubhouse. The invite-only social networking platform is buzzy in Silicon Va...

Jeff Bezos’s second act

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Now that Jeff Bezos is leaving his role as Amazon’s CEO, everyone’s wondering what the future holds for one of the wealthiest people in the world....

Vaccine scams

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the Recode Daily archives (Feb. 8, 2021): The latest innovation in pandemic scamming is fake vaccine doses and vaccine cards. Recode’s Rebecca ...

Why Apple’s feuding with Facebook over your privacy

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite being fierce competitors, the two tech giants need each other. Most recently they’ve been fighting over mobile operating system user privacy...

Amazon’s new CEO

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Jason Del Rey talks about Bezos’s complicated legacy as Amazon’s founder and CEO and how his successor, Andy Jassy might run things. ...

Digital divide among seniors hampers vaccine distribution

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains the digital barriers hampering vaccine distribution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

Congress gets involved with GameStop and Robinhood

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the GameStop story continues, a lot of people are asking what is or isn’t legal. Wall Street appears to be entering new territory and the rules a...

Getting the vaccine and giving up your data

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As private organizations step up to help distribute the vaccine, privacy advocates worry that medical data may be shared or sold. Recode’s Sara Morr...

Most Americans want to break up Big Tech

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a new poll from Vox and Data for Progress, a majority of Democrats and Republicans agreed that Big Tech companies like Google and Facebook should b...

Will the GameStop games stop?

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

 A closer look at how Reddit users are gaming GameStop stock and how this story could end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

The case for deplatforming extremists

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How social media bans are actually very effective at fighting extremism and why blocking Trump and other extremists from posting on social media is no...

When stock tips go viral

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Investment advice on tiktok and other apps are making the stock market more accessible to the average person, but at what costs? Learn more about your...

Biden picks an acting FCC chair

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden has named Jessica Rosenworcel as acting chair of the FCC, following Trump-appointee Ajit Pai’s departure. Recode’s Sara Morrison e...

Online extremists break up with Trump

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Online extremists had been using the Internet to organize for decades. Trump was their ticket to the mainstream. What will they do now that he’s gon...

Will Biden break up Big Tech?

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Jason Del Rey breaks down where things stand with antitrust lawsuits against tech giants and how a democratic congress and White House coul...

How tech giants decided to deplatform Trump

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Executive decisions or employee pressure? Recode’s Peter Kafka explains how tech platforms decided to police the president—and who polices them. ...

Why everyone suddenly switched to Signal

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The most downloaded app in the Apple or Google app stores right now is the encrypted messaging app, Signal. Recode’s Rani Molla explains the three ...

Airbnb cancels all D.C. bookings for inauguration

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Rani Molla explains how the company is making it harder for insurrectionists and militias to attend Biden’s inauguration Learn more about...

Amazon’s removal of right-wing militia merch

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon employees first flagged right-wing militia groups products weeks ago, and on Tuesday the company finally took unprecedented action. Learn more ...

The new richest person in the world

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, Elon Musk became the world’s richest person. Now people are wondering if and how he plans to make his mark in the philanthropic world. Le...

From Twitter to Parler: platforms’ response to the insurrection

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The platforms have finally stopped the President from posting on social media. Plus, why the largely unmoderated, conservative friendly platform is ba...

The Internet is identifying Capitol rioters using their own social media

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When they stormed the US Capitol last Wednesday, many pro-Trump rioters posted photos and videos to brag about their actions on social media. Internet...

Facebook bans Trump

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook and Twitter imposed their harshest moderation yet on President Trump’s accounts in the wake of Wednesday’s storming of the US Capitol. Is...

Will the rich get to cut the line for the vaccine?

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The covid vaccines are rolling out across the world slowly, and you might be asking yourself when you’ll be able to get vaccinated. So are the tech ...

Why a Google union matters

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, over 400 Google employees announced plans to unionize after years of organizing efforts. Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary explains why th...

Hey Google, check my privacy settings

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you happened to get a smart speaker this holiday season -- like Amazon’s Echo or Google’s Nest -- there are a few questions you might want to a...

WeWork’s Surprising Comeback

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What the resilience of the co-working company tells us about the future of the office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to save the post office

18 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The postal service is in trouble. It may be hard to imagine such an essential part of society not existing anymore, but agency could run out of money ...

Disney makes a risky call

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Disney thinks that audiences will actually be returning to the movies in theaters next spring. The company announced plans to release Black Widow, the...

What we know so far about the Russian hack

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Russian hackers are believed to be responsible for a new cyber attack into the U.S. government agencies. Recode’s Sara Morrison explains what we kno...

Why Big Tech is leaving Silicon Valley for Texas

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week Elon Musk announced he’ll be moving to Texas. Why should we care? Vox’s Emily Stewart breaks down this growing trend in Big Tech money l...

Airbnb’s IPO

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Despite a tough year for the travel business, Airbnb went public last week. Recode’s Rani Molla explains how the company recovered from the pandemic...

The FTC and 48 AGs want to break up Facebook

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two lawsuits filed Wednesday allege that Facebook has become a monopoly. Their remedy? Requiring Facebook to divest from Instagram and WhatsApp. Learn...

Why WarnerMedia is moving its movies online

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

WarnerMedia recently announced that all 17 of their big blockbuster movies slated to debut in 2021 will now be available to stream from home on HBO Ma...

Why star AI researcher Timnit Gebru left Google

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week Google allegedly pushed out one of their high-profile employees, an AI ethics researcher named Timnit Gebru. Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary expl...

The vaccine influencers

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re used to celebrities and influencers on social media getting us to buy things, but soon the people we follow might be trying to get us in line ...

E-commerce returns go in-person

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Between the pandemic and holiday shopping, shipping companies are overwhelmed with e-commerce returns. So some companies are partnering with brick-and...

The future of Zoom

04 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Will Zoom continue to be the dominant video conference service after the pandemic ends? Recode’s Rani Molla discusses just how successful the compan...

Why Roku doesn’t carry HBO Max, for now

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The proliferation of streaming services has given consumers lots of ways to watch TV. But it’s introduced new problems too. Learn more about your ad...

What it will take to distribute the vaccine

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As the country awaits FDA approval for a coronavirus vaccine, what questions should we be asking about how it will be distributed? Recode’s Rebecca ...

Why remote learning worsens education inequality

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The shift to online learning is worsening education inequality. Vox senior reporter Anna North explains why the education gap widens when classrooms g...

The death of department stores

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains how the pandemic battered an already-struggling retail industry and the path forward for malls and department stores...

Parler

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains the free speech anti-Twitter application where conservatives are going. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Are Substack newsletters the future of journalism?

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Email may seem old fashioned these days, but Substack -- an email newsletter service -- is growing in popularity. Recode’s Peter Kafka explains why ...

Amazon Rx

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You can now fill your prescription at Amazon's pharmacy. Recode’s Jason Del Rey explains why the e-commerce giant is getting into healthcare. Learn ...

How Biden’s staff picks could shape Tech policy

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As president-elect Joe Biden selects his staff, Big Tech allies and reformers are starting to battle over who will be shaping the tech industry. Teddy...

The two new ways to tweet

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Twitter just announced two new features on their platform that appear to mimic other apps like Snapchat and Clubhouse -- but instead of amplifying Twi...

Should you sharent?

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Parents often can't help but post cute pictures of their kids on social media, but should they be more careful about when and how they "sharent"? Lea...

The future of the FCC

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Sara Morrison explains how the FCC could restore regulations cut by the Trump administration that made the Internet less fair. Learn more a...

Political polarization is getting worse

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Rani Molla explains how social media isn’t bringing the country together but pushing it further apart. Learn more about your ad choices. ...

What happens to anti-Trump media now?

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What’s to become of media companies and personalities who built their careers on hating Trump? Recode’s Peter Kafka explains how comedian Sarah Co...

Is social media ready for a vaccine?

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With a Covid-19 vaccine now closer than ever, Big Pharma is gearing up for vaccine approval. But what about big tech? Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil expl...

Biden and Silicon Valley

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Silicon Valley spent millions of dollars to beat Donald Trump. What will it do now that he’s lost? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

California sets a higher bar for our online privacy

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

California already has some of the toughest data privacy laws in the country and last week proposition 24 made them even stronger. Recode’s Sara Mor...

Why California’s Prop 22 matters for gig workers

06 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The controversial and expensive ballot measure --that ensures app-based drivers for Uber, Lyft, and Doordash are classified as independent contractors...

Why conspiracy theories are a threat to democracy

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Conspiracy theories aren’t new, so why does it feel like we’re seeing more of them these days? Senior Recode reporter, Shirin Ghaffary talks with ...

How Nextdoor became a political battleground

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The social network tried to keep conversations focused on local issues. But as Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil explains, national politics took over. Lear...

Contraband cell phones in prison

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While cell phones aren’t allowed in prisons, they are one of the only communication tools that allows for restorative connection between people who ...

The mail-in election

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Adam Clark Estes explains how the US Postal Service has been handling mail-in voting so far.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

How Twitter has shaped the Trump campaign

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Trump spends a lot of time talking about issues that do well on Twitter. Vox’s Jane Coaston explains what that reveals about his campaign. Learn mor...

The eerie familiarity of the dot-com bubble of the 90s

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What can the dot-com bubble of the 90s teach us about Silicon Valley in 2020? Go for Broke is a new podcast that’s taking a closer look at “histor...

What we can learn from Quibi calling it quits

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Peter Kafka talks with Teddy about why the video startup is shutting down just six months after it launched. He also makes the case for why...

Iran and the threatening “Proud Boys” emails

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode's Sara Morrison explains what we know about the emails and the latest indication of foreign interference in the election. Learn more about your...

AOC is among us on Twitch

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez met with 400,000 potential voters online. She murdered a few of them on a spaceship.  Learn more about your ...

Silicon Valley’s secret super PAC

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A little-known Democratic super PAC, Future Forward, is backed by some of Silicon Valley’s biggest donors. And they’re sponsoring TV ads in the fi...

Why Google’s getting sued

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recode’s Peter Kafka explains the details and larger meaning behind the landmark antitrust lawsuit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

A get-rich-quick scheme on Amazon

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of third-party sellers invested in a hit toy brand operated by a reputable business coach. Now they say they've been left holding the bag. Le...

The complicated reality of returning to offices

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have people started going back to the office? Recode’s Rani Molla explains what’s changed about our work culture since working from home became th...