Policy
Bipartisan Senate bill would ban social media algorithms for minors
In a bipartisan effort to “protect kids from harm,” an unlikely cohort of senators introduced a bill that would restrict minors’ access to social media, as well as ban companies…
Is the future of the microchip industry going to be Made in America?
With all eyes on Taiwan and worries mounting around semiconductor supply, the U.S. CHIPS Act is timely. But it is not unique: Other countries also aspire to reduce their reliance…
How digital health startups are navigating the post-Roe legal landscape
As state laws shift and abortion bans go into effect across the United States, companies are still trying to find ways to provide care while reimagining what healthcare should include.
Facebook avoids a service shutdown in Europe for now
Facebook has avoided the risk of being forced to shut down its service in Europe this summer as a result of the latest twist in a long-running data protection complaint…
If blockchain, cryptocurrency, decentralized finance (DeFi) and web3 get your entrepreneurial motor running, do not miss our TC Sessions: Crypto daylong deep dive on November 17 in Miami. We have…
Dear Sophie: Which immigration options are best for a decentralized team in the US?
We just raised a $20 million Series A, and we need to hire more engineers to fully develop our product. We’re excited about being decentralized — which immigration options are…
The DOJ is reportedly prepping an antitrust suit against Google over its ad business
The Department of Justice is preparing a second major antitrust suit against Google, according to new reporting by Bloomberg. The DOJ could sue Google “as soon as next month,” according…
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Biden signs CHIPS bill in bid to supercharge US semiconductor production
After initial setbacks with its earlier iteration, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 sailed through both chambers of Congress early this week. The bill, which held uncharacteristically broad bipartisan support, hit some unexpected roadblocks in its last 24 hours in Congress, but still managed a wide margin of victory at 64-33 in the Senate…
Snapchat officially introduces parental controls through a new ‘Family Center’ feature
Snapchat today is rolling out its first set of parental controls, after announcing last October it was developing tools that would allow parents to gain better visibility into how their…
It’s not perfect, but it’s a major step, one that could restore confidence in global climate agreements.
DuckDuckGo removes carve-out for Microsoft tracking scripts after securing policy change
A few months on from a tracking controversy hitting privacy-centric search veteran, DuckDuckGo, the company has announced it’s been able to amend terms with Microsoft, its search syndication partner, that…
Tutanota cries antitrust foul over Microsoft Teams blocking sign-ups for its email users
Microsoft is being called out for blocking users of the end-to-end encrypted email service Tutanota from registering an account with its cloud-based collaboration platform, Teams, if they try to do…
India’s anti-smuggling agency said that phone-vendor Vivo’s local unit had evaded customs duty of over $280 million, roughly a month after the country’s anti-money laundering agency raided the domestic offices…
Sensitive data ruling by Europe’s top court could force broad privacy reboot
A ruling put out yesterday by the European Union’s top court could have major implications for online platforms that use background tracking and profiling to target users with behavioral ads…
French iOS developers file antitrust suit over Apple’s App Store fees
Apple is facing yet another antitrust lawsuit over its App Store fees, this time filed by a group of French iOS app developers who are suing the tech giant in…
The passage of the CHIPS Act could launch another US startup renaissance
Intel’s choice to build a $20 billion chip fabrication facility in Columbus, Ohio, along with the passage of the CHIPS Act, could set the stage for a startup ecosystem boost.
Following a strong showing of bipartisan support in the Senate, the CHIPS Act staved off last minute attempts by the GOP House leadership to derail its passage. Congress’ lower chamber…
Venture investors shrug at proposed changes to US carried interest taxation
Will a change to the U.S. carried interest loophole have a material impact on how capital is invested into startups?
Big Tech’s push to self-regulate harmful content in New Zealand is ‘weak attempt to preempt regulation’, critics say
Big technology companies including Facebook’s parent Meta and Google have signed a pact to self-regulate themselves over harmful content shared across digital platforms in New Zealand. The move comes as…
TechCrunch+ roundup: Early-stage fundraising revisited, fractional hiring, HR tech boom
Right now, it will take longer to raise less money that will value your company lower than you hoped. But if you’re launching a startup aiming to get rich, you’re…
Whether you love it, hate it or barely understand it, you can’t escape the wild world of blockchain. It’s one of the buzziest technologies going due to both its potential…
As regulation heats up, will gaming studios’ gamble on loot boxes pay off?
Loot boxes, a way for players to receive random in-game rewards in exchange for real money, have been disparaged for a while now, and they’re now increasingly subject to government…
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After Roe’s reversal, founders of women’s health startups prepare for battle
TechCrunch conducted a vibe check with the women founders taking themselves and their companies to the front lines of the fight for abortion.
Europe’s health data reuse plan needs some surgery, say privacy supervisors
A proposal put forward by European Union lawmakers in May, to establish a legal framework to make it easier to share electronic health records and other medical data — across…
Meta’s first human rights report is largely self-congratulatory
Meta today released its first annual human rights report, which — in the company’s words — includes “insights and actions from [Meta’s] human rights due diligence on products, countries, and…
Google faces fresh antitrust probe in Italy after data portability complaint
Italy’s competition watchdog has opened an investigation into Google over concerns it has abused a dominant position by hindering data portability rights which are afforded to individuals under the European…
Kakao confirms it is removing its external payment option after standoff with Google
South Korean messaging giant Kakao confirmed today it will remove an external payment option after Google blocked the South Korean company behind KakaoTalk from issuing updates. Kakao continued using an…
A major populist but controversial piece of U.K. legislation to regulate internet content through a child safety-focused frame is on pause until the fall when the government expects to elect…
Selfie scraping Clearview AI hit with another €20M ban order in Europe
Clearview AI has been hit with another sanction for breaching European privacy rules. The Athens-based Hellenic data protection authority has fined the controversial facial recognition firm €20 million and banned…
Children’s rights groups call out TikTok’s ‘design discrimination’
Research examining default settings and terms & conditions offered to minors by social media giants TikTok, WhatsApp and Instagram across 14 different countries — including the U.S., Brazil, Indonesia and…
