Why it matters: From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.
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The online stores for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita gaming platforms will not close down this summer after all, Sony announced today.
Why it matters: The shutdown would have made it impossible for people to legally obtain scores of video games that were only sold in the online shops of those early-2000s gaming machines. Instead, this about-face is mostly a win for video game preservationists.
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday said Facebook was launching a suite of new tools and features designed to help users better connect with each other and their favorite creators through audio.
Why it matters: The digital audio craze has exploded during the pandemic, prompting several of the biggest tech and social media giants to double down on new audio features.
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Apple will let Parler, a social media app popular with conservatives, back onto the App Store after Parler made attempts to improve its speech detection and moderation.
What's happening: Parler is getting access to Apple's massive App Store again after being suspended for inadequate hate speech policies following the January 6 Capitol riot, according to a letter Apple sent to Congress Monday.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Amazon Monday morning announced investments in several new utility-scale wind and solar projects and said it's now Europe's largest corporate renewable power buyer.
The big picture: Look for a burst of corporate clean energy and climate pledges this week as companies hope to show their bona fides alongside this week's White House global climate summit and Earth Day.
Illustration: Rebecca Zisser / Axios
The social audio craze that exploded during pandemic-driven lockdowns looks like it is here to stay, thanks to big investments from Silicon Valley.
Driving the news: Clubhouse said Sunday it closed a new Series C funding, valuing the buzzy live audio app at $4 billion, sources tell Axios. That's an astonishing number for an app that's still in beta and has no revenue.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Some of the country's fastest-growing states are publicly attacking the tech industry's business practices on one hand while courting its investment on the other.
Why it matters: Attracting technology companies is a holy grail for economic development because they bring high-paying jobs and prestige to aspiring tech hubs. But that project is now colliding with some state leaders' efforts to rein in tech companies' growing power.