Technology

A little drama similar to TikTok will make billions this year, even though it kind of sucks

A little drama similar to TikTok will make billions this year, even though it kind of sucks

✨ Discover this must-read post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Apps,Media & Entertainment,dramabox,Exclusive,microdrama,reelshort,TikTok πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: Emily is a college student by day, but she works the night shift at a strip club to pay her tuition β€” she doesn't think anyone will find out her secret, until a mysterious English teacher shows up one day! Do you know her? Will her secret be revealed? Pay 60 β€œtokens” to see what happens next, or you can watch an ad, or… Simply purchase a VIP pass for $20 a week and skip the ads altogether. These stories are cliche, over-the-top,…
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Researchers say Russian government hackers were behind an attempted power outage in Poland

Researchers say Russian government hackers were behind an attempted power outage in Poland

✨ Discover this insightful post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Security,cyberattack,cybersecurity,energy,russia,Wiper πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: A failed attempt in December to take down parts of Poland's power grid was the work of Russian government hackers known for causing power outages in the past, according to a security research firm that investigated the incident. Last week, Polish Energy Minister Milos Motycka told reporters that an attempted cyber attack on December 29 and 30 saw hackers target two heat and power plants, in addition to attempting to disrupt communication links between renewable energy facilities, such as wind turbines, and power distribution operators.…
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Who’s behind AMI Labs, Yann LeCun’s “global model” startup.

Who’s behind AMI Labs, Yann LeCun’s “global model” startup.

πŸ’₯ Read this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,AMI Labs,world models,Yann LeCun πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: Yann LeCun's new venture, AMI Labs, has attracted a lot of attention since the AI ​​scientist left Meta to found it. This week, the startup finally confirmed what it's building, and several key details were hidden in plain sight. On its newly launched website, the startup revealed its plans to develop β€œuniversal models” to β€œbuild intelligent systems that understand the real world.” The focus on global models has already been hinted at by the name AMI, which stands for Advanced Machine Intelligence,…
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The Rippling/Deel spying scandal may have taken another wild turn

The Rippling/Deel spying scandal may have taken another wild turn

πŸ”₯ Explore this awesome post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Startups,TC,Deel,Rippling βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: The Justice Department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into human resources and payroll startup Deel over allegations that it hired a corporate spy to leak information about its largest competitor, Ripling, according to the Wall Street Journal. In an emailed statement to TechCrunch, Deel said it was "not aware of any investigation. We will always cooperate with the relevant authorities and provide any necessary information in response to valid inquiries." Bayan Dale then makes his own allegations against Riebling. She points to her lawsuit…
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Waymo has been investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board for illegal school bus conduct

Waymo has been investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board for illegal school bus conduct

πŸ’₯ Discover this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Transportation,robotaxis,Waymo βœ… **What You’ll Learn**: The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxi was spotted illegally driving through parked school buses multiple times in at least two states. The NTSB is particularly focused on more than 20 incidents that occurred in Austin, Texas, it said in a post on Friday. β€œInvestigators will travel to Austin to gather information about a series of incidents in which motor vehicles failed to stop to load or unload students,” the NTSB said in a statement to TechCrunch. A…
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What to know about Netflix’s historic acquisition of Warner Bros.

What to know about Netflix’s historic acquisition of Warner Bros.

πŸ’₯ Read this must-read post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Media & Entertainment,evergreens,HBO Max,Mergers and Acquisitions,Netflix,streaming services,Warner Bros πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: If you thought 2025 couldn't get any crazier, the world of streaming has one more surprise up its sleeve before the end of the year. Netflix, the largest streaming platform with over 325 million subscribers, has made a bold move by acquiring Warner Bros. Entertainment. Film and TV studios, plus HBO, HBO Max and other assets. The deal, announced in early December, will bring together some of the most legendary franchises, such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter,…
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Here’s what you should know about TikTok’s US deal

Here’s what you should know about TikTok’s US deal

✨ Discover this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: Apps,Government & Policy,social media,TikTok,TikTok Ban,evergreens πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been at the center of controversy in the United States for years now over concerns about the Chinese government's access to user data. On Thursday, January 22, 2026, TikTok announced the formal formation of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC in compliance with President Trump's executive order approving the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to a group of U.S. investors. Now, ByteDance will own less than 20% of the new entity, with the…
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The Meta is pausing teen access to AI characters ahead of the new release

The Meta is pausing teen access to AI characters ahead of the new release

πŸ’₯ Discover this insightful post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,Apps,Exclusive,Meta,meta ai,teen safety πŸ“Œ **What You’ll Learn**: Meta said today that it is temporarily pausing teen access to its AI characters globally across all of its apps. The company is not abandoning its efforts but wants to develop an updated version of its AI characters for teens, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. The move comes days before a case against Meta goes to trial in New Mexico, accusing the company of not making an effort to protect children from sexual exploitation on its apps. Wired reported Thursday that Meta sought…
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Google Photos’ newest feature lets you share yourself

Google Photos’ newest feature lets you share yourself

πŸ”₯ Explore this trending post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,Apps,Google,Google Photos πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: Google Photos will now let you create memes using your own photos. Google on Thursday introduced a new AI-powered feature called β€œMeme,” which will allow you to combine a photo template and a photo of yourself to create a meme. The new addition, which will be available for the first time to US-based users, was originally spotted in development last October by the Android Authority blog. This was officially announced by Google via the Photos Community website on Thursday. According to Google, the feature…
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The Meta is temporarily pausing teen access to AI characters while a specially designed version is developed

The Meta is temporarily pausing teen access to AI characters while a specially designed version is developed

πŸ”₯ Check out this awesome post from TechCrunch πŸ“– πŸ“‚ **Category**: AI,Apps,Meta,Exclusive,teen safety,meta ai πŸ’‘ **What You’ll Learn**: Meta said today that it is temporarily pausing teen access to its AI characters globally across all of its apps. The company stated that it is not abandoning its efforts, but wants to develop a special version of the artificial intelligence character for teenagers, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. This move comes days before the start of the trial in a case against Meta in New Mexico, where the company is accused of not making an effort to protect children from sexual…
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