• Apple Inc. is expected to roll out its privacy-focused iOS update today, bringing to head a yearslong feud between Chief Executive Tim Cook and Facebook Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg over users’ privacy controls. The update will require app developers, including Facebook, to receive opt-in consent from users before tracking them across other apps. (The New York Times)
• Tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel has put $10 million into a super PAC, known as Saving Arizona PAC, to support Blake Masters, the chief operating officer of Thiel Capital and president of the Thiel Foundation, in his expected Senate race, according to a person familiar with the investment. The donation is Thiel’s latest ahead of the 2022 cycle after recently giving $10 million to a super PAC supporting author J.D. Vance’s anticipated Senate run in Ohio. (Politico)
• Brett Goldstein, the director of the Pentagon’s Defense Digital Service, said his unit authorized a pilot program to give management of nearly 175 million military-owned IP addresses to Global Resource Systems LLC, a Florida-based company that was founded in September. The company had announced on Jan. 20 that it was now managing the addresses, but the Pentagon declined to say why it went with Global Resource Systems or answer any other questions about the pilot project. (The Washington Post)

About Half the Public Thinks Local Governments Should Be Able to Pursue Their Own Broadband Network Build-Outs
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Alphabet’s Wing Seeks Expanded U.S. Drone Flight Permissions

Alan Levin, Bloomberg

Alphabet Inc.’s Wing Aviation LLC is asking U.S. regulators to allow it to expand drone operations as a way to make more efficient deliveries controlled from a central command post. Wing wants to control its drone flights at a “central hub” from which the remote pilots can oversee operations without being in the aircraft’s operating area, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday in a filing in the Federal Register.

Rep. Khanna on Congress’s $100 billion bet to take on China

Issie Lapowsky, Protocol

Hopes were high for the Endless Frontier Act when it was first introduced in 2020. The bipartisan, bicameral bill promised to boost U.S. efforts to compete against China by sending $100 billion to the National Science Foundation, refocusing its efforts on emerging technology like semiconductors and AI and even changing its name to the National Science and Technology Foundation.

Senators urge ‘flexibility’ administering Technology Modernization Fund

Dave Nyczepir, FedScoop

A group of Democratic senators is the latest to urge the administrators of the Technology Modernization Fund to increase staffing levels, adjust project selection criteria and reconsider repayment terms for agencies. In a letter sent to the Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, and TMF Board, the lawmakers encourage the organizations to use the “flexibility” of the Modernizing Government Technology Act to quickly replace outdated systems and improve cybersecurity.

Europe attempts to take leading role in regulating uses of AI

Javier Espinoza and Madhumita Murgia, Financial Times

New rules would curb excesses while encouraging innovation with goal of a middle way between China and US policy. 

MacKenzie Scott Gave Away Billions. The Scam Artists Followed.

Nicholas Kulish, The New York Times

She has no large foundation, headquarters or public website. That makes it easier to dispense money on her own terms — and for others to prey on the vulnerable in her name.

The Slander Industry

Aaron Krolik and Kashmir Hill, The New York Times

I wanted to slander someone. My colleague Kashmir Hill and I were trying to learn who is responsible for — and profiting from — the growing ecosystem of websites whose primary purpose is destroying reputations. So I wrote a nasty post. About myself. Then we watched as a constellation of sites duplicated my creation.

Trump to Hannity: Big Tech should face antitrust scrutiny, slams CNN over leaked video

Charles Creitz, Fox News

In an exclusive interview with “Hannity,” former President Donald J. Trump said that social media and Big Tech firms like Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and Google should face the scrutiny of antitrust investigatory bodies, given their monopolistic actions toward American political discourse. The Palm Beach, Fla., resident added that a video released by investigative journalist James O’Keefe proves that CNN committed “campaign violations.”

Republicans and Democrats increasingly agree: Big Tech is too powerful

Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica

When President Joe Biden chose Lina Khan for one of the Federal Trade Commission’s five seats, it was an ominous sign for the nation’s largest technology companies. While still a law student, Khan made her academic career penning “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox,” a scholarly 2017 treatise arguing for a tougher approach to regulating the Seattle behemoth.

Amazon is loosening its grip on customers and letting some sellers reach out to them

Annie Palmer, CNBC

Amazon is quietly rolling out a way for some sellers on its site to engage with shoppers, in a move that represents a departure from its historically tight controls over customer data. Last week, Amazon began piloting a tool that enables U.S. companies that are part of its Brand Registry program to email marketing materials to shoppers who have opted to “follow” their brands.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Moves Closer to Approval for Lower Orbits

Todd Shields, Bloomberg

Elon Musk’s SpaceX moved closer to winning permission to fly its satellites at a lower orbit than initially planned, after the leader of the Federal Communications Commission endorsed the proposal. Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel asked colleagues to vote for the plan.

Biden’s Broadband Plan Is Bold but Economic Payoff Unclear

Christoher Condon and Todd Shields, Bloomberg

Joe Biden is betting $100 billion he can deliver a lifeline to rural America, and a boost to the economy overall, by making high-speed internet available to all Americans. It seems obvious the plan would help millions, especially in agrarian states where the Democratic party’s support is weakest.

Huawei pivots to software with Google-like ambitions as U.S. sanctions hit hardware business

Arjun Kharpal, CNBC

Huawei is boosting its efforts in software areas like cloud computing and smart cars as U.S. sanctions hurt its hardware business. Last week, Arcfox, a brand under automaker BAIC Group, launched a car with Huawei’s vehicle technology.

T-Mobile, once an upstart, joins the giants

Ina Fried, Axios

T-Mobile has long positioned itself as a disruptive underdog, but a year after the close of its purchase of Sprint, the “un-carrier” has fully joined Verizon and AT&T in the U.S. wireless-provider big league. Why it matters: Nearly everyone in America has a cell phone, and most people send a significant chunk of change each month to one of the major carriers, making healthy competition in this market a must.

A Tiny Part’s Big Ripple: Global Chip Shortage Hobbles the Auto Industry

Jack Ewing and Neal E. Boudette, The New York Times

Around the world, auto assembly lines are going quiet, workers are idle and dealership parking lots are looking bare. A shortage of semiconductors, the tiny but critical chips used to calibrate cars’ fuel injection, run infotainment systems or provide the brains for cruise control, has upended automaking.

SolarWinds, Microsoft Hacks Prompt Focus on Zero-Trust Security

James Rundles, The Wall Street Journal

In the wake of the massive breach of computer systems of multiple government agencies discovered in December, current and former officials say the U.S. must adopt a cybersecurity approach that assumes hackers are already inside a network’s defenses.

Facial recognition should be banned, EU privacy watchdog says

Foo Yun Chee, Reuters

Facial recognition should be banned in Europe because of its “deep and non-democratic intrusion” into people’s private lives, EU privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) said on Friday. The comments come two days after the European Commission proposed draft rules that would allow facial recognition to be used to search for missing children or criminals and in cases of terrorist attacks.

Senators introduce legislation to protect critical infrastructure against attack

Maggie Miller, The Hill

Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Friday introduced legislation intended to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and other national security threats. The National Risk Management Act would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to conduct a five-year national risk management cycle.

The Ease of Tracking Mobile Phones of U.S. Soldiers in Hot Spots

Byron Tau, The Wall Street Journal

In 2016, a U.S. defense contractor named PlanetRisk Inc. was working on a software prototype when its employees discovered they could track U.S. military operations through the data generated by the apps on the mobile phones of American soldiers. At the time, the company was using location data drawn from apps such as weather, games and dating services to build a surveillance tool that could monitor the travel of refugees from Syria to Europe and the U.S., according to interviews with former employees.

Reddit faces lawsuit for failing to remove child sexual abuse material

Adi Robertson, The Verge

A woman has sued Reddit for allowing an ex-boyfriend to repeatedly post pornographic images of her as a 16-year-old. The lawsuit applies controversial measures instituted in 2018 under FOSTA-SESTA to a site that’s drawn particular criticism for child sexualization. The resulting case will test the limits of platforms’ legal shields amid ongoing efforts to pare back the law behind them.

India asks Twitter to take down some tweets critical of its COVID-19 handling

Kanishka Singh, Reuters

The Indian government asked social media platform Twitter to take down dozens of tweets, including some by local lawmakers, that were critical of India’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, as cases of COVID-19 again hit a world record. Twitter has withheld some of the tweets after the legal request by the Indian government, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Saturday.

Uber and Lyft asked Congress to bail out their drivers. Now they can’t get enough drivers to come back to work.

Tom Dotan, Insider Premium

Uber and Lyft have some good news ahead: Riders in the United States are expected to flock back to the ride-hailing apps soon as COVID-19 cases wane due to increased vaccinations. The bad news is there doesn’t seem to be enough drivers yet to pick them up.

Apple to Launch Program for Employees to Get Covid-19 Shots

Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Apple Inc. is launching a program to help employees get vaccinated against Covid-19, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The company is working with Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. to give workers the shots at Apple offices. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant is rolling out a website for staff to sign up for appointments.

Black Engineers Disproportionately Face Barriers In States With License Restrictions

Zeina Mohammed, Center for Public Integrity

Ida Habtemichael understands she’s a statistical rarity. Black, female mechanical engineers make up less than 2 percent of the engineering workforce. A role model for those seeking STEM careers, she couldn’t be prouder of her 14 successful years rising through the senior ranks of Micron Technology.

The part of the broadband debate we’re missing

Editorial Board, The Washington Post

The internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity, and President Biden’s infrastructure plan reflects that reality. Lawmakers generally understand that to get the whole country connected, they’ll have to make service more available as well as more affordable. But other areas that receive less notice deserve the same attention.

Is an Activist’s Pricey House News? Facebook Alone Decides.

Ben Smith, The New York Times

On Wednesday, I learned a new way to get a news article erased from much of the internet. If the article shows your home or apartment, says what city you’re in and you don’t like it, you can complain to Facebook.

AI 50: America’s Most Promising Artificial Intelligence Companies

Alan Ohnsman and Kenrick Cai, Forbes

The Covid-19 pandemic was devastating for many industries, but it only accelerated the use of artificial intelligence across the U.S. economy. Amid the crisis, companies scrambled to create new services for remote workers and students, beef up online shopping and dining options, make customer call centers more efficient and speed development of important new drugs.