Tech Brew Ride Home Thu. 03/14 - Facebook Under Criminal Investigation
Mar 14, 2019
Facebook is under criminal scrutiny for its data-sharing practices, raising concerns about user trust. Meanwhile, the tech giant faced global service outages. Dropbox is tightening its grip on free accounts, while Tumblr's adult content ban significantly dropped its traffic. In a more lighthearted note, Google achieved a new world record by calculating Pi to an astounding 31.4 trillion digits. Lastly, Silicon Valley is contemplating a monument to celebrate its legacy, posing questions about meaning in a rapidly changing tech landscape.
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Facebook Criminal Investigation
- Facebook's data-sharing practices are under criminal investigation by a New York grand jury.
- This follows subpoenas issued to two mobile device makers, among other companies involved in data-sharing partnerships with Facebook.
Facebook Outage and Telegram's Gain
- A server configuration change caused a global outage of Facebook services, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus.
- Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, reported a 3 million user increase during the outage, highlighting platform vulnerability.
Tumblr's NSFW Ban Backfires
- Tumblr's ban on adult content resulted in a significant loss of viewership, demonstrating audience fickleness.
- The platform saw a 13% decline, losing over 100 million views after the ban.