Meta plans to test new subscriptions that give people access to exclusive features on it apps, the company told TechCrunch on Monday. The tech giant said the new subscriptions will unlock more productivity and creativity, along with expanded AI capabilities. In the coming months, Meta said it will offer a premium experience on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that gives users …
Read More »Some international attendees are skipping 2026 GDC due to safety fears and growing ICE presence | TechCrunch
The 2026 Game Developers Conference is shaping up to be a little less international this year if commentary on social media platforms like LinkedIn is an indicator. Many members of the international games industry have announced they will skip the event, mainly over concerns about safety, tougher U.S. immigration rules, and a stronger immigration and Customs Enforcement presence. Developers, past GDC …
Read More »Google agrees to $68 million settlement in voice assistant privacy lawsuit
Google has agreed to a $68 million settlement regarding claims that its voice assistant inappropriately spied on smartphone users. Plaintiffs claimed that the company’s Google Assistant platform began listening to them after it misheard conversations that sounded like its wake words. The suit argued that private information that Google Assistant shouldn’t have heard was then used to deliver those individuals …
Read More »Vinod Khosla publicly disavows Keith Rabois’ comments on ICE shooting | TechCrunch
To understand the stance of an unwavering Trump loyalist after United States Custom and Enforcement shocked the nation this weekend by shooting another American citizen in Minneapolis, look no further than Khosla Ventures partner Keith Rabois. Rabois’ public support for ICE’s actions in the killing of Alex Pretti, made via posts on X, was so vehement that Khosla Ventures partner …
Read More »YouTubers sue Snap for alleged copyright infringement in training its AI models | TechCrunch
A group of YouTubers who are suing tech giants for scraping their videos without permission to train AI models has now added Snap to their list of defendants. The plaintiffs — internet content creators behind a trio of YouTube channels with roughly 6.2 million collective subscribers — allege that Snap has trained its AI systems on their video content for …
Read More »Here’s the tech powering ICE’s deportation crackdown | TechCrunch
President Donald Trump said he would make countering immigration one of his flagship policies during his second term in The White House, promising an unprecedented number of deportations. A year in, data shows that deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection have surpassed at least 350,000 people. ICE has taken center stage in Trump’s mass …
Read More »https://www.rt.com/news/631556-hostage-saga-israel-palestine/The hostage saga: How Israel and Palestine brought their people back home
While Israel says it has recovered the remains of the last hostage, talks over the ceasefire’s next phase remain uncertain amid mutual violation claims On Monday, Israel’s military said it had identified and recovered the remains of Ran Gvili, a police officer and the final Israeli whose body was still being held in Gaza, bringing the most symbolically charged hostage …
Read More »Google aims to take the sting out of scheduling meetings with a new Gemini feature
Google is rolling out a Gemini feature that could turn out to be pretty useful for many folks. It’s a Google Calendar tool that can help figure out the best time to schedule a meeting, taking into account attendees’ schedules. When creating a meeting, you can click the “Suggested times” option and Gemini will look at the availability that people …
Read More »Minnesota, ICE and the makings of a US civil war
A 2024 simulation found US civil war could be triggered by clashes between state and federal law enforcement. US federal immigration raids continue in Minnesota, and the operation has set the stage for a standoff between state officials and the federal government. Governor Tim Walz has readied Minnesota’s national guard, while the Pentagon has ordered troops to be on standby. …
Read More »White House attacks ‘sensationalist’ media over Alex Pretti coverage
NewsFeed A writer for a right-wing website asked the White House spokesperson a leading question about the killing of Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minnesota, prompting an attack on the “liberal biased media.” Published On 26 Jan 202626 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Source link
Read More »Social network UpScrolled sees surge in downloads following TikTok’s US takeover | TechCrunch
In the wake of TikTok’s U.S. ownership change last week, some users are seeking out alternative platforms. One app gaining traction is UpScrolled, a social network that pledges to remain impartial to political agendas. The app currently ranks 12th overall in Apple’s App Store and second in the social networking category. UpScrolled blends familiar features from Instagram and X, letting …
Read More »Rad Power Bikes reaches deal to sell itself for $13.2M | TechCrunch
Electric bike company Rad Power Bikes has reached a deal to sell itself to a company called Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (or Life EV) for around $13.2 million, a little more than a month after entering the bankruptcy process. Florida-based Life EV bills itself as a “developer, manufacturer, and distributor in the light electric vehicle industry.” It offers a number …
Read More »Ubisoft proposes even more layoffs after last week’s studio closures and game cancellations
It looks like Ubisoft is planning even more layoffs to accompany last week’s studio closures and game cancellations, . The company is planning a massive reduction of the workforce in its Paris headquarters. It has proposed the loss of up to 200 jobs, which is nearly 20 percent of the current staff. This will be organized under France’s , in …
Read More »The Debate – Above the law? Outrage over ICE killings in Minneapolis
17 days after the shooting death of Renée Good, masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis again shooting dead a US citizen, this time 37-year old Alex Pretti. Again, there’s video evidence to contradict official narrative that the the victims were acting as domestic terrorists, the race to gather evidence before it can be tainted or destroyed, media echo …
Read More »AI startup CVector raises $5M for its industrial ‘nervous system’ | TechCrunch
Industrial AI startup CVector built a brain and nervous system for big industry. Now, founders Richard Zhang and Tyler Ruggles are tasked with a bigger challenge: showing customers and investors how this AI-powered software layer translates to real savings on an industrial scale. The New York-based startup has had some success following its pre-seed funding round last July. Its system …
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