WSJ Tech News Briefing
Episodes
Why China is Joining the Global Push to Regulate Big Tech
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Europe has been leading the push to regulate large technology companies, focusing on privacy and competition rules, and the U.S. also has been working...
How the Virtual Office Could Replace the Physical One
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As remote communication continues to be our primary way of working, some companies are turning to services that create virtual office spaces to beat Z...
Intel's Earnings Report Highlights Challenges Facing New CEO
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Intel reported its full-year results on Thursday, capping off a lucrative but difficult year for the legacy chipmaker. Tech reporter Asa Fitch joins h...
Why Volkswagen's Plan to Beat Tesla Short-Circuited
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Volkswagen is the world's largest automaker, so when it decided to push into electric vehicles, many thought it would easily overtake the competition....
How Algorithms Shape Our Worldviews and What You Can Do About It
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When social media first came on the scene, our feeds were all about reverse chronology: Posts were organized based on the order in which they were sen...
Social-Media Watchdogs Monitor Extremist Chatter Ahead of Inauguration
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Social-media researchers work to keep track of extremist content on the internet, and they try to understand which ideas spread, how, and why. Ahead o...
What Happened at This Year's All-Virtual CES
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, is the world's largest tech show and a global crossroads for the tech industry. Personal tech co...
Social Media Is the New Wall Street Trading Desk
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Interest in day trading has surged during the pandemic. Some of those new users are turning to communities on Twitter, Facebook, Discord and other pla...
What Airbnb Has to Do With Section 230
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides legal protections for internet companies as they moderate content. Some lawmakers are calling f...
Capitol Riot Puts More Scrutiny on Big Tech
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon, Apple, Google, Twitter, Facebook and other tech companies took unprecedented action to crack down on President Trump and the social platform P...
What to Expect at This Year's All-Virtual CES
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The world's largest consumer-electronics show, CES, kicks off today. What's normally an experiential event, where conference attendees can test out al...
Facebook and Twitter Blocked Trump's Accounts. Why Now?
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the aftermath of Wednesday's riots at the Capitol, social-media companies took their strongest action to date against President Trump. But the tech...
What Biden's Approach to China Could Mean for Tech
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration has taken a hard line against China, with both sides ramping up restrictions on each other-and tech has been central in their...
Why Google Employees Are Pushing to Unionize
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a rare move for the tech industry, a group of about 200 Google employees are forming a union. Reporter Sarah Needleman explains what want, and how ...
Why Roku Wants Quibi's Content Catalog
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Quibi said last year that it was shutting down its short-form video service after just six months. Now the company is in talks to sell its content cat...
WeChat Becomes a Powerful Surveillance Tool in China
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Messaging apps have become even more critical during the pandemic. We report that China is tightening its grip on the country's do-everything app, WeC...
WSJ's Personal Tech Team Makes Their 2021 Predictions
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our personal tech team puts together a list every December of the technology they think will shape the year ahead. Columnists Joanna Stern, Christophe...
The Year in Outer Space
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While it was a busy year on Earth, some of 2020's biggest stories took place out of this world, in space. Senior special writer Andy Pasztor joins hos...
How a Year of Antitrust Action Against Big Tech Could Carry Into 2021
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a landmark year for antitrust enforcement against Big Tech, with the government bringing a total of four cases targeting Google and Facebook. L...
Five Pricing Moves Tech Companies Made in 2020
28 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Figuring out how to price goods and services is always an experiment, but that can be especially true amid an economic downturn in an atypical year li...
Inside Roku's Quest to Dominate Streaming
24 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Roku acts as a distributor for streaming services. Media reporter Patience Haggin explains how the company has used its gatekeeper status to gain an e...
Ripple Spars With Regulators Over How to Oversee Cryptocurrency
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing the cryptocurrency pioneer Ripple, claiming the startup violated investor protection laws when it sold...
Pandemic Loosens Silicon Valley's Grip on Tech Industry
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some high-profile executives and companies have departed Silicon Valley in recent months. Reporter Eliot Brown tells host Amanda Lewellyn about why th...
Why Tesla Joining the S&P 500 Is Significant
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla is set to join the S&P 500 index, which is seen as a gauge of the broader stock market. Reporter Tim Higgins will explain what Tesla's inclusion...
States File (Another) Antitrust Suit Against Google
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A coalition of 38 states files antitrust charges against Google-the second major case of the week, and the third this year. Tech policy reporter Ryan ...
States Allege Google Cut Deal With Facebook to Rig Online Ad Market
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A coalition of state attorneys general is suing Google in the third recent major antitrust action against big tech this year. Reporter Ryan Tracy join...
Tech Giants Face New Regulations in Europe
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The European Commission aims to give regulators more authority to oversee tech companies. Together with other regulations being considered in Europe, ...
Suspected Russian Hack Said to Have Gone Undetected for Months
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Russia's foreign intelligence service is suspected of being behind a major espionage operation that targeted U.S. federal government agencies, as well...
How Mobile Chips Overtook Intel
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Intel used to be the dominant designer and manufacturer of the microchips that powered nearly all personal and cloud computing. But it's been losing g...
Elon Musk on the State of Innovation in America
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this special episode, we bring you a conversation between WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, from the WSJ'...
Facebook Hit With Antitrust Suits by FTC, State Attorneys General
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Federal Trade Commission, along with 46 states, sued Facebook on Wednesday, alleging that the social network engaged in a yearslong campaign to ac...
What to Watch For as DoorDash and Airbnb Go Public
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Both DoorDash and Airbnb are going public this week, after boosting their price ranges in recent days. Markets reporter Maureen Farrell explains how t...
Cell-Grown Chicken Gets a Nod in Singapore
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For years, some have raised concerns about the environmental and ethical implications of traditional meat production. Developers have been working on ...
Why Salesforce Agreed to Buy Slack-And What Comes Next
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Salesforce has agreed to buy Slack for $27.7 billion. Reporter Aaron Tilley discusses how the deal would help both companies compete with rival Micros...
India Works Toward Smartphone Dominance
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
China is the world's largest smartphone producer, but increasing tensions between China and the U.S. have put that reputation in danger. WSJ video jou...
Pandemic Accelerates Use of Mobile Payments, Loans in Africa
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Consumers in sub-Saharan Africa have been relying on their phones to pay for goods and services for more than a decade. Our reporter Alexandra Wexler ...
Nasdaq Seeks to Require Board Diversity for Listed Companies
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Nasdaq has historically been the stock exchange of choice for tech companies. Tuesday, the exchange operator submitted a proposed rule to the SEC ...
Why Bitcoin Prices Are Soaring Again
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The price of Bitcoin set a new record Monday, capping off a year of strong gains. Reporter Anna Hirtenstein explains what is driving the surge. Amanda...
Google Plans a New Corridor for Internet Traffic
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Around 500 major undersea cables carry the world's digital data between data centers around the globe. Now Google is laying the groundwork for a new c...
Virgin Hyperloop's Jay Walder on the Future of Transportation
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this special episode of Tech News Briefing, we bring you a conversation between Personal Tech Editor Wilson Rothman and Virgin Hyperloop One CEO Ja...
Best Tech Gifts 2020: WSJ's Favorite Gadgets of the Year
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, our Personal Tech team compiles a list of the best gadgets of the year, separating out the truly useful from the overhyped. This year, the...
Some Tech Workers Who Left Silicon Valley Are Also Changing Jobs
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tech workers have been leaving the San Francisco Bay Area in droves, setting up camp in lower-cost locales to wait out the pandemic. Now some workers ...
GM to Use Data on Your Driving to Sell Car Insurance
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Connected cars are on the rise, and automakers are looking for ways to use the data they collect on how you use the vehicles. Now General Motors says ...
The Tech Behind the Leading Covid-19 Vaccine Candidates
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As coronavirus case counts continue to surge in the U.S., all eyes are on two promising vaccine candidates from drug companies Pfizer and Moderna. Bot...
Apple Cuts Developer Fees for Smaller App Makers
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest tech battles this year has been the fight over developer fees, the 30% cuts that Apple and Google take from transactions in their A...
Why Aren't Covid Tracking Apps More Effective?
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Contact-tracing could help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Tech companies have been working to automate parts of the contact tracing process, but ...
Fed Up With Facebook and Twitter, Some Conservatives Turn to Parler
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As mainstream social-media companies ramp up restrictions on hate speech and misinformation on their platforms, some complain that the measures unfair...
Tech Startups Look to Go Public Sooner
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The stock market has become more bullish on tech stocks during the pandemic. Coupled with the reemergence of special-purpose acquisition companies, mo...
Why Temperature Scanners Are Raising Concerns
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic sparked demand for thermal imaging devices. We've seen them used in schools, offices, and other types of spaces to scan individuals' temp...
TikTok Asks Court for Extension on Divestiture Deadline
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the U.S. government's deadline for TikTok to find an American buyer for its U.S. operations. But there's a lot still up in the air. Now, the ...
Private 5G Networks Bring Bandwidth Where Carriers Aren't
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A confluence of regulation changes and technological advancements have made it so you don't have to be a big carrier to build a 5G network. Our tech c...
Zoom Tackles Tricky Role of Policing Its Service
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this year, the videoconferencing service Zoom experienced an astronomical rise to popularity. But with greater usership comes greater pressure...
How Artificial Intelligence Could Help Predict Election Outcomes
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pollsters have had trouble getting an accurate understanding of the electorate in recent years. Now some experts say artificial intelligence could hel...
Why Quibi Shut Down
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Quibi, the erstwhile short-form video service, was supposed to revolutionize Hollywood, but just six months after it launched, executives shut it down...
Why Chinese Regulators Pulled the Plug on the Biggest IPO in History
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Chinese fintech giant Ant Group was expected to go public today, but regulators pulled the plug at the 11th hour. Finance Editor Charles Forrelle ...
How to Navigate Social Media Post-Election
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Election Day in the U.S. has passed, and false and misleading posts are still circulating on social media despite measures to cut back on misinformati...
Where Trump and Biden Stand on Cybersecurity Policy
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While cybersecurity issues haven't been major talking points in the U.S. presidential candidates' stump speeches, how the next administration proceeds...
What California's Proposition 22 Could Mean for the Gig Economy
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As California voters go to the polls and mail in their ballots, they're being asked to vote on Proposition 22, a ballot initiative so heavily supporte...
Why So Many Chipmakers Want to Merge
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The semiconductor industry has been in a merger frenzy lately. Reporter Asa Fitch explains why all the deal activity is happening now. Amanda Lewellyn...
How Airbnb Came Back From the Brink
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Travel ground to a halt at the outset of the pandemic. That could have spelled the end for Airbnb. But we report that under the leadership of CEO Bria...
Social Media CEOs in the Senate Hot Seat over Content Policies
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Google are set to appear before the Senate Commerce Committee, where they will face questions about how their platfo...
Facebook Prepares for Possible Election Unrest in U.S.
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook has used internal tools to quell civil unrest around elections in countries it considers to be "at risk," such as Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Now ...
Reid Hoffman and Fei-Fei Li on Human-Centered AI (Special Episode)
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, a conversation between LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, Co-Director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intell...
Tech Live: Bridging the Digital Divide and the Road to Tech Equity
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic has exacerbated the digital divide: who has access to the internet, and who doesn't. On today's episode, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenwo...
Tech Live: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Big Tech's Power
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this week, the Justice Department dropped its long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that Google illegally uses anticompetiti...
Justice Department Files Antitrust Suit Against Google
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The DOJ has filed a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company engaged in anticompetitive conduct to preserve monopolies...
Tech Live: Tech Platforms and the Power of Persuasion
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our annual Tech Live conference has begun. On today's show: a town-hall style debate between Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mic...
Kicking Off WSJ's Annual Tech Live Conference
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's Day 1 of The Wall Street Journal's annual Tech Live conference, where we talk to movers and shakers in the tech sector. Normally, we hold the eve...
Twitter, Facebook Questioned Over Restricting New York Post Articles
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Twitter and Facebook took steps this week to limit the spread of New York Post articles that made allegations about Democratic presidential candidate ...
Silicon Valley Companies Cut Pay for Remote Workers, Igniting Tensions
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As tech workers pack their bags and decamp to cheaper cities to work remotely during the pandemic, some companies are adjusting compensation to reflec...
What You Need to Know About the iPhone 12
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Apple is rolling out four models of its new iPhone 12. The phones promise an updated design, improved cameras-and 5G capability. Senior Personal Tech ...
Amazon's Prime Day Could Help It Break Records
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Prime Day is typically held in the summer to help Amazon drum up business during the slower months. This year, the company pushed it back to keep up w...
How the Fight Against Misinformation Extends Beyond Social Media
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Social-media companies are taking steps to cut back on misinformation ahead of the U.S. election, including limiting state-run media sites like RT, fo...
The Future of Computing Might Not Be So Battery-Powered
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Demand for batteries is through the roof, but that might not be the case forever. Tech columnist Christopher Mims says the future of computing might b...
Amazon Accused of Abusing Power in Rise to E-commerce 'Gatekeeper'
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We've been digging into the House Antitrust Subcommittee's 449-page report, concluding its investigation into big tech. Yesterday, we looked at the br...
House Panel Says Big Tech Wields Monopoly Power
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The House Antitrust Subcommittee has completed its investigation into Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google, concluding that some of America's largest te...
How the White House is Taking On Remote Work
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After President Trump and several other White House figures were diagnosed with the coronavirus, many aides have been sent to work from home. But gett...
QAnon Lands on LinkedIn
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As we spend more time online during the pandemic, the conspiracy theory QAnon has been gaining followers. Now, we report that supporters have made the...
California Firefighters Use AI to Battle Wildfires
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a record year for wildfires on the West Coast. That's why some firefighters are using artificial intelligence to help them battle the flames...
Twitter Partner's Alerts Highlight Divide Over Surveillance
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A Twitter data partner, Dataminr, sells a service to law enforcement and other agencies that monitors Twitter's full feed and sends alerts that includ...
Why We're Seeing So Many Ransomware Attacks Right Now
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In recent days, ransomware attacks have affected schools and one of the country's largest hospital systems. Our reporter Robert McMillan says the atta...
Hackers Target Schools in the Pandemic
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a hacker released a trove of confidential information about students and employees in a Las Vegas-area school district, after officials the...
Apple Exempts Some Apps From Paying Developer Fees
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Developer fees: They're the cut that Apple takes when you buy an app from its App Store, or if you make a purchase within an app. Apple says the fees ...
Why Huang's Law Is the New Moore's Law
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, Moore's Law held that the number of transistors on a microchip would double every 18 months or so. But physics has gotten in the way. Now...
Amazon Restricts How Rivals Buy Ads On Its Site
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon has been coming under scrutiny for its treatment of third-party sellers on its platform. The latest: a Wall Street Journal investigation has un...
Nikola, Tesla and Drama in the Electric Vehicle Space
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nikola is a rising star in the electric vehicle space. But in recent weeks, allegations have surfaced that Nikola's founder and executive chairman Tre...
TikTok and the Global Fracturing of the Internet
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Countries have been making moves to treat citizens' data as a national security issue. But the effect has been a more Balkanized internet. Reporter Aa...
Another Rollercoaster Weekend for TikTok
21 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, President Trump signed off on a deal between TikTok, Oracle, and Walmart. Reporter Alex Leary helps us break down what's in the deal...
Remote Classrooms Make Social and Emotional Learning Harder
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The switch to remote learning hasn't been smooth. One part of the curriculum that has gotten muddled along the way is social and emotional learning, o...
How Trump and Biden Compare on Tech Policy
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As part of an ongoing election series, The Wall Street Journal is breaking down how President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden comp...
Apple Event Highlights: New Watch and Fitness Service But No iPhone
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Apple unveiled a host of new products and services at its annual special event yesterday. Senior Personal Tech Columnist Joanna Stern breaks down what...
What Does Oracle See in TikTok?
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, we found out that Oracle has struck up a partnership with TikTok for the video-sharing company's U.S. operations. At first glance, i...
Who Is Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai?
14 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As CEO of Google parent Alphabet, Sundar Pichai leads one of the most powerful companies in the world. But he also is more low-key than many other Sil...
Mystery Seeds Prompt Amazon to Ban Foreign Plant Sales to the U.S.
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For months, thousands of people have been receiving packages containing unmarked or mislabeled plant seeds that they didn't order. Reporter Jesse Newm...
Ireland to Order Facebook to Stop Sending User Data to the U.S.
10 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland's data protection authority has issued a preliminary order to Facebook, seeking to enforce a European Union ruling on data-sharing restriction...
Why Tech Keeps Getting Caught Up in U.S.-China Tensions
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
China has rolled out an initiative to set global data-security standards, in response to U.S. efforts to shut Chinese tech out of its internet infrast...
John Foley on Peloton's Growth in the Pandemic (Special Episode)
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On today's special episode, our columnist John D. Stoll interviews Peloton C.E.O. and cofounder John Foley. They talk about Peloton's just-announced n...
Facebook Rolls Out Policies Meant to Protect November Election
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Less than two months from the November election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new measures meant to combat misinformation and the potential ...
What's TikTok Without Its Core Algorithm?
03 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New rules from China restrict exports of artificial intelligence, which could include TikTok's core recommender algorithm. The news has thrown ongoing...
FAA Approval Brings Amazon Closer to Drone Deliveries
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon has been pushing to use drones in package deliveries for years. Reporter Sebastian Herrera explains how a key approval from the Federal Aviatio...