Twitter Partner's Alerts Highlight Divide Over Surveillance
A Twitter data partner, Dataminr, sells a service to law enforcement and other agencies that monitors Twitter's full feed and sends alerts that include tweets about protests. That has the companies at odds with privacy advocates over what level of social-media monitoring qualifies as surveillance. Reporter Parmy Olson explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
12m Oct 01, 2020
12m
Why We're Seeing So Many Ransomware Attacks Right Now
In recent days, ransomware attacks have affected schools and one of the country's largest hospital systems. Our reporter Robert McMillan says the attacks are part of a larger trend of hackers targeting critical institutions-not just big businesses. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Sep 30, 2020
13m
Hackers Target Schools in the Pandemic
Last week, a hacker released a trove of confidential information about students and employees in a Las Vegas-area school district, after officials there had refused to pay a ransom. And they aren't the only school to be targeted during the pandemic. Reporter Tawnell Hobbs explains why hackers have been going after schools, and why it's challenging for educators to fight back. Amanda Lewellyn ho...
12m Sep 29, 2020
12m
Apple Exempts Some Apps From Paying Developer Fees
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 help it do things like provide security, but developers have long argued that the fees are too high. On Friday, the company made some exceptions to who has to pay them. Reporter Sarah E. Needleman explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about...
12m Sep 28, 2020
12m
Why Huang's Law Is the New Moore's Law
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: our tech columnist Christopher Mims argues that we should be observing a new law, which he's calling Huang's Law - named for Jensen Huang, C.E.O. and cofounder of Nvidia. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ podc...
12m Sep 25, 2020
12m
Amazon Restricts How Rivals Buy Ads On Its Site
Amazon has been coming under scrutiny for its treatment of third-party sellers on its platform. The latest: a Wall Street Journal investigation has uncovered that Amazon limits some competitors' ability to promote their products on its platform. Our reporter Dana Mattioli explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Sep 24, 2020
13m
Nikola, Tesla and Drama in the Electric Vehicle Space
Nikola is a rising star in the electric vehicle space. But in recent weeks, allegations have surfaced that Nikola's founder and executive chairman Trevor Milton made misleading claims about the company's technology. Things reached a fever pitch earlier this week, when Milton stepped down from his position at the company. Reporter Ben Foldy fills us in. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about yo...
14m Sep 23, 2020
14m
TikTok and the Global Fracturing of the Internet
Countries have been making moves to treat citizens' data as a national security issue. But the effect has been a more Balkanized internet. Reporter Aaron Tilley explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9m Sep 22, 2020
9m
Another Rollercoaster Weekend for TikTok
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, and how it compares to the administration's original demands. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Sep 21, 2020
12m
Remote Classrooms Make Social and Emotional Learning Harder
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, or SEL. It comes at a time when there have never been more stressors on children. Family and tech columnist Julie Jargon explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ...
9m Sep 18, 2020
9m
How Trump and Biden Compare on Tech Policy
As part of an ongoing election series, The Wall Street Journal is breaking down how President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden compare on major policy issues. Today we look at the candidates' tech policies. Reporter Ryan Tracy guides us through where the candidates agreeā€•and where they diverge. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Sep 17, 2020
13m
Apple Event Highlights: New Watch and Fitness Service But No iPhone
Apple unveiled a host of new products and services at its annual special event yesterday. Senior Personal Tech Columnist Joanna Stern breaks down what we did (and didn't) see, and what it means for consumers. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Sep 16, 2020
11m
What Does Oracle See in TikTok?
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, it might seem like TikTok and Oracle are an unlikely pairing. But the two companies have more in common than you might think. Reporter Aaron Tilley explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Sep 15, 2020
10m
Who Is Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai?
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 Silicon Valley tech leaders. Reporter Rob Copeland takes us on a deep dive into Pichai's past, and what it could tell us about Alphabet's future. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Sep 14, 2020
13m
Mystery Seeds Prompt Amazon to Ban Foreign Plant Sales to the U.S.
For months, thousands of people have been receiving packages containing unmarked or mislabeled plant seeds that they didn't order. Reporter Jesse Newman breaks down the regulatory whodunit. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Sep 11, 2020
12m
Ireland to Order Facebook to Stop Sending User Data to the U.S.
Ireland's data protection authority has issued a preliminary order to Facebook, seeking to enforce a European Union ruling on data-sharing restrictions. Reporter Sam Schechner explains how the outcome could change the way tech companies operate across borders. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Sep 10, 2020
12m
Why Tech Keeps Getting Caught Up in U.S.-China Tensions
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 infrastructure. It's the latest incident in rising tensions between China and the U.S. Senior editor Bob Davis explains why the back and forth between the two countries so often centers on tech. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. V...
12m Sep 09, 2020
12m
John Foley on Peloton's Growth in the Pandemic (Special Episode)
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 new line of products, how the company has fared during the pandemic, and why it's important for Peloton that Wall Street sees it as a tech company. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24m Sep 08, 2020
24m
Facebook Rolls Out Policies Meant to Protect November Election
Less than two months from the November election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new measures meant to combat misinformation and the potential for civil unrest. Reporter Jeff Horwitz explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Sep 04, 2020
10m
What's TikTok Without Its Core Algorithm?
New rules from China restrict exports of artificial intelligence, which could include TikTok's core recommender algorithm. The news has thrown ongoing deal talks between the video-sharing app and several U.S. companies into question. But what's so special about TikTok's algorithm, anyway? Reporter Aaron Tilley explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
9m Sep 03, 2020
9m
FAA Approval Brings Amazon Closer to Drone Deliveries
Amazon has been pushing to use drones in package deliveries for years. Reporter Sebastian Herrera explains how a key approval from the Federal Aviation Administration has brought the company one step closer to making that a reality for consumers. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9m Sep 02, 2020
9m
New Tech Being Developed to Respond to Oil Spills
Spurred by BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, researchers have been working on new, tech-powered ways to clean up oil spills. Reporter Eric Sylvers explains what they've come up with, and why it's so hard to implement. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Sep 01, 2020
11m
How Agriculture Is Using Tech to Make Farming More Efficient
Farms have made use of various tech advancements in recent years: everything from self-driving tractors to genetic engineering for hardier plants. Reporter Jacob Bunge talks about one part of the industry that is working to combine data analytics and e-commerce to make farming more efficient. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
14m Aug 31, 2020
14m
Why Apple and Tesla Are Splitting Their Stocks
Tech companies' share prices are skyrocketing, and some companies are enacting stock splits to make it easier for investors to buy shares at a lower cost. Reporter Michael Wursthorn explains what you need to know. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ podcasts. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
11m Aug 28, 2020
11m
Colleges Weigh Transparency vs. Privacy on Covid-19 Data
As thousands of students across the country return to campuses, colleges and universities are trying to figure out how to share important health data without violating students' privacy. Reporter David Uberti explains why their solutions are so varied. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Aug 27, 2020
12m
Tech Companies Seek to Combat Bias in Algorithms
Algorithms are everywhere, helping to do things like determine who gets loans and what content shows up in your search results. But what happens when those algorithms contain biases? WSJ Pro reporter Jared Council explains "algorithmic bias," and how some companies are trying to root it out. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Aug 26, 2020
12m
Why TikTok Is Suing the Trump Administration
President Trump signed an executive order earlier this month that would effectively ban TikTok if it doesn't find a buyer for its U.S. operations. Now TikTok has filed suit in response. Reporter Katy Stech Ferek explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9m Aug 25, 2020
9m
How Covid-19 Is Exacerbating Workforce Inequality
The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of new technologies, especially automation. While that's made it easier for white-collar workers to adjust in the pandemic-it could eliminate a lot of low- and middle-income jobs even after we've recovered. Tech columnist Christopher Mims explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Aug 24, 2020
13m
Sheryl Sandberg On Facebook and Elections (Special Episode)
On today's episode, our business columnist John D. Stoll interviews Facebook C.O.O. Sheryl Sandberg. Since we're coming up on an election, they talk about Facebook's role in policing content and providing voting information. Stoll also probes Sandberg's political ambitions. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Chris Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of audio at WSJ. ...
27m Aug 21, 2020
27m
Slack and Teams Make Work-From-Home Easier-But Sometimes, Less Civil
Many groups are conducting most of their day-to-day workplace communications over services like Slack and Teams. But it can be hard to eke out your colleague's intended meaning over text. Reporter Chip Cutter discusses how, in some cases, things have gotten out of hand. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Aug 20, 2020
10m
Disagreement Inside the D.O.J. Over Possible Google Antitrust Suit
The Justice Department has been investigating Google's competitive practices, and we've reported it aims to file a suit by this summer. Now we report that some department staffers are concerned about that timeline and want to pump the brakes. Reporter Brent Kendall explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Aug 19, 2020
12m
How Our Internet Habits Have Changed in the Pandemic
Shutdown orders have forced much of our daily lives online. A new Wall Street Journal analysis provides insight into how we're spending our time online, and what that means for internet providers. Our reporter Lillian Rizzo explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Aug 18, 2020
10m
An Epic Fight: How the 'Fortnite' Creator is Taking on Apple, Google
The videogame maker Epic Games mounted a fight against developer fees, the fees that Apple and Google charge developers to distribute their software and process in-app purchases. The back-and-forth last week ended with Epic suing the tech giants. Reporter Sarah Needleman explains. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Aug 17, 2020
10m
Why Businesses Are Pushing Back on WeChat Restrictions
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order restricting dealings with the social-media app WeChat. Now major U.S. companies are pushing back. Reporter John McKinnon explains why they're going to bat for a Chinese app, and how the tensions fit into the fight for internet dominance. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive prod...
11m Aug 14, 2020
11m
What Kamala Harris's V.P. Candidacy Could Mean for Tech
Before she was the Democratic Party's presumptive vice presidential candidate, Senator Kamala Harris built her career in the Bay Area. She has a long history with Silicon Valley. So what does her candidacy mean for tech companies, and how are they reacting? Our reporter Sarah Needleman joins us to explain. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7m Aug 13, 2020
7m
SoftBank is Back in the Black
In the first quarter, tech investor SoftBank reported its worst financial results ever. Now it's swung back into the black, recording a profit of nearly $12 billion. Reporter Rolfe Winkler explains how the company did it. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Aug 12, 2020
11m
Why Some Officials Are Calling for a National Cyber Director
Several high-profile attacks have renewed some lawmakers' push for a director of cybersecurity at the White House level. Our reporter Dave Uberti explains what they're calling for, and why now. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9m Aug 11, 2020
9m
A Look at Tim Cook's Apple
It's been nearly a decade since Tim Cook succeeded founder Steve Jobs as the C.E.O. of Apple. While Jobs was known as a visionary and a gregarious leader, Cook is more reserved and business-focused. Our reporter Tripp Mickle joins us with a look at Tim Cook's Apple: where it's been, and where it's headed. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Aug 10, 2020
13m
Tech Stocks Rally as Small Investors Buy Fractions of Shares
Services from Robinhood, Fidelity, and others are making it easier to buy slivers of shares on the stock market. Our reporter Alexander Osipovich joins us to explain how that's democratizing trading - and how it could be helping to drive up shares of major tech companies. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...
8m Aug 07, 2020
8m
Hackers Get the Green Light to Test Elections Systems
After years of keeping security researchers at bay, election equipment makers are opening their devices to hackers to try and uncover vulnerabilities ahead of the election. Our reporter Robert McMillan joins again to explain what's going on. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Aug 06, 2020
11m
How a Teenager Allegedly Masterminded Twitter's Worst Hack
Last month, hackers broke into dozens of major Twitter accounts, pushed a bitcoin scam, and - in some cases - downloaded users' data and DMs. According to prosecutors, a Florida teenager was behind it. Our reporter Robert McMillan explains how he allegedly did it. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Aug 05, 2020
11m
How Would TikTok Fit Into Microsoft's Business Strategy?
Talks between Microsoft and the Chinese-owned video app TikTok are in limbo after a regulatory rollercoaster last weekend. In the meantime, the question is: why is Microsoft so interested in TikTok anyway? And how would any deal fit into Microsoft's recent string of acquisitions? Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12m Aug 04, 2020
12m
TikTok's Rollercoaster Weekend
As of Friday, it looked like the video-sharing app TikTok had come up with a plan to save itself from regulatory scrutiny. Then, everything changed, and it looked like we were headed for an all-out ban. Our reporter Georgia Wells breaks down what happened, and where we are now. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8m Aug 03, 2020
8m
Big Tech's Big Week
Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google reported their quarterly earnings on Thursday. Just a day after CEOs from those companies faced questions from Congress over their companies' business practices. Our Global Tech Editor Jason Dean joins to break down the week. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Kateri Jochum is our executive producer, and Chris Zinsli is our supervising producer. Learn more about your ad...
12m Jul 31, 2020
12m
NASA's Most Ambitious Mars Mission Launches Today
Today, NASA is expected to head to the red planet. If everything goes as planned, it'll be the third launch from Earth to Mars this summer alone. Our science writer Robert Lee Hotz explains the mission, and why Mars is such a popular destination lately. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13m Jul 30, 2020
13m
What You Need to Know About Today's Tech Hearing
Four of the most powerful CEOs in tech are scheduled to testify before the House Antitrust Subcommittee today, and it's expected to be a blockbuster hearing. Our reporter Ryan Tracy breaks down what you need to know ahead of time. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Jul 29, 2020
10m
Why Google's Keeping Workers Remote Until Summer 2021
As companies all over the country are grappling with when to return to the office, Google executives have decided to wait until next year. Our reporter Rob Copeland breaks down what that means for Google - and the rest of Silicon Valley. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Jul 28, 2020
11m
How Election Officials Are Building Up Their Cyber Defenses
We're less than 100 days from the presidential election. As we get closer, local officials have been working on their cyber defenses. Cybersecurity reporter David Uberti explains how states are gearing up, and why coordinating their response is so challenging. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8m Jul 27, 2020
8m
For Some Startups, Amazon Funding Is a Double-Edged Sword
We report that Amazon met with startups about investing, and then launched their own, competing products. The news comes just days before CEO Jeff Bezos is set to testify before Congress in a hearing about antitrust concerns. Reporter Dana Mattioli joins us to explain. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11m Jul 24, 2020
11m
Why Slack Filed an Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft
For the companies that make remote-work software, the competition is fierce. Now, Slack has formally accused Microsoft of throwing some elbows in its fight to the top. It filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft in the EU. Reporter Sam Schechner joins us to explain. Amanda Lewellyn hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10m Jul 23, 2020
10m