Tech news you need to know this February 2019.
Ex-Facebook security boss Alex Stamos says the company is like “Game of Thrones” at the highest levels of leadership. In an interview with CNN, the outspoken security pro said it could be difficult for Facebook execs to admit when they were wrong.
Saudi Arabia denies role in leaking Jeff Bezos’ messages to National Enquirer, The Guardian reports. “This is something between the two parties, we have nothing to do with it,” said Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
- Facebook’s $19 billion WhatsApp acquisition might not have happened if it wasn’t for Mark Zuckerberg’s Hungarian sheepdog. According to Zuckerberg, negotiations were tense but when Beast hopped onto WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum’s lap “a second later Jan goes like, ‘Okay, I think we’re good.'”
- British techies in Silicon Valley are watching Brexit unfold with barely concealed horror. There are widespread concerns it will make it harder for British firms to attract talent and make the country a less attractive place to work.
A Chinese company has a crazy answer to the ugly iPhone notch. Oppo has built a motorised pop-out camera into its Find X phone, but it’s tough to tell how hardy the motorised gimmick is.
- Amazon and Hulu’s algorithms are recommending conspiracy theory films. Experts warn that hosting this type of conspiratorial content could spread misinformation, and even encourage people to commit violence.
- Medium, the blog site Jeff Bezos used to attack the Enquirer, won’t say whether the post violated its rules — but it says Bezos won’t get paid a dime. To qualify for payment, a writer has to join the partner program and has to put the post behind the paywall, where people pay to see it.
- Netflix bought the buzzy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez documentary “Knock Down the House.” The streaming giant bought the movie for $10 million, according to Deadline.
- Google is letting some users test its AR navigation feature for Google Maps. The AR functionality uses the camera on your smartphone to tell you which direction to walk.
- Elon Musk says Teslas are about to get a “dog mode” to stop pooches overheating. The mode could allow owners to keep the music and airconditioning on when they leave the car.
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