1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production from my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to tex Stuff. I'm your host, 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio, 4 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: and I love all things tech, which is more of 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: a you know, catchphrase than necessarily a reality. This is 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: the Tech News for Thursday, September one. And y'all, I'm 7 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: furious today and I'm going to do my best to 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: keep it together. But you should know I am an 9 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: emotional person and this first story has really done a 10 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: number on me. So I will do my best, all right. 11 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: So the BBC and the Wall Street Journal continue to 12 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: pull back the curtain with regard to Facebook and Instagram 13 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: and some of the not so awesome things that have 14 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: been going on with these companies or early I should 15 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: just say companies, since Facebook owns Instagram. You know, I've 16 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: talked about how Facebook conducted internal studies that showed the 17 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,559 Speaker 1: company how their platform was facilitating and amplifying the spread 18 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,559 Speaker 1: of misinformation, and also how they did another internal study 19 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: and showed that Instagram has contributed to mental health problems, 20 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: particularly among teenage girls. Well, this story is also horrifying. 21 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: This is not recent news. It is something I hadn't 22 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: heard about before, But that's on me. It's not because 23 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: you know, people had been reporting on it. I just 24 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: missed it. But there has been an update to it, 25 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: and I'll get to all of this. So the original 26 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: news was that back in two thousand nineteen, the BBC 27 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: investigated Facebook and Instagram, saying that the sites were hosting 28 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: ads that were for essentially slaves. The ads were for 29 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: domestic workers in Arabic markets in which people were literally 30 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: bought and sold. Now that is sickening in of itself. 31 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: One update here is that the Wall Street Journal, as 32 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: part of its series of expose s about Facebook that 33 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: had been coming out over the last week or so, 34 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: found that a two thousand nineteen internal report. It always 35 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: comes back to those internal reports, doesn't it. Anyway, That 36 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: indicated that the company was already aware of this and 37 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: had done some investigation into it before the BBC report 38 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: blew the lid off the problem and alerted the general public. 39 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: Now I should add that they were doing some investigations, 40 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: but they had not taken any action. A Facebook employees 41 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: stated in the report quote throughout two thousand eighteen and 42 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen, we conducted the global understanding exercise in 43 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 1: order to fully understand how domestic servitude manifests on our 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: platform across its entire life cycle, recruitment, facilitation, and exploitation 45 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: end quote. But it looks like it was actually the 46 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: BBC expose that prompted Facebook to take action, first banning 47 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: a hashtag that was used in many of those ads, 48 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: and then taking subsequent steps. In June two thousand twenty, 49 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: the Facebook reps stated, quote, following an investigation prompted by 50 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: an inquiry from the BBC, we conducted a proactive review 51 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: of our platform. We removed seven Instagram accounts within twenty 52 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: four hours and simultaneously blocked several violating hashtags. End quote. 53 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: All Right, first, I'm glad that Facebook took those steps. However, 54 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: I want to get real here, folks. Okay, the phrase 55 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: quote following an investigation prompted by an inquiry from the BBC. 56 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: End quote. That means that the phrase they used, which 57 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: was quote, we conducted a proactive review end quote is 58 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: horse bucky. I'm gonna try and control myself here. It 59 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: is not proactive if you are doing something after being 60 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: prompted by an investigation from journalists. That's not what proactive 61 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: means okay, that is reactive. The company reacted to being investigated. 62 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: It was not proactively taking these steps to protect people, 63 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: despite having its own internal investigation that predated the BBC's report. Now, 64 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: they might argue that they were proactively scanning for more 65 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: examples of this, but that's not how it was worded 66 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: in the statement. Right. I can accept that they have 67 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: subsequently put in systems that proactively look for this, and 68 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: that I, you know, I don't have objection to that 69 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: kind of language, but the way this was worded just 70 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: infuriates me. This is also another example of how Facebook 71 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,799 Speaker 1: angers me in general, because it allows stuff to happen, terrible, 72 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: terrible things. It allows horrible things to happen, and then 73 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: we find out that Facebook was fully aware of the problem, 74 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: like it wasn't like Facebook was somehow ignorant that this 75 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: was happening and was just as surprise at the rest 76 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: of us to see it, And and then finding how 77 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: that they didn't take any steps to solve it until 78 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: it becomes a public issue, until pressure is put on 79 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: the company. This is like just a double dose of evil, 80 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: or at least of apathy, which you know, in my 81 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: book amounts to being the same thing anyway. The Wall 82 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: Street Journal also revealed, and this is new information, that 83 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: Facebook received pressure from Apple back in two thousand and eight. 84 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: Two nineteen, the company reportedly threatened to remove Facebook's apps 85 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: from the Apple App Store, an enormous threat, and you 86 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: can bet that is the sort of stuff that Facebook 87 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: actually pays attention to. Again, it's upsetting to me that 88 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: companies allow such terrible thing to proliferate on their platforms 89 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: as long as the company is safely protected against consequences, 90 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: and then they only act to help people if there 91 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: happen to be negative consequences. If the company fails to 92 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: help people, it's just plane gross and other Facebook news. 93 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: A lawsuit from shareholders alleges that the company paid the 94 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: FTC nearly five billion dollars over a settlement agreement in 95 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: order to make certain that some certain kind of problems 96 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: just got away in the wake of the Cambridge Analytical 97 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: Now scandal several years ago. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that 98 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: quote Zuckerberg, Sandberg and other Facebook directors agreed to authorize 99 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: a multibillion settlement with the FTC as an express quid 100 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: pro quo that means this for that to protect Zuckerberg 101 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: from being named the f TCS complaint made subject to 102 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: personal liability or even required to sit for a deposition 103 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: end quote. So in other words, that they paid you know, 104 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: hush money to the FTC so that the FTC wouldn't 105 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: go after Zuckerberg at all. So if that lawsuit actually 106 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: holds merit and Facebook did do this, we have ourselves 107 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: a fun story not just of unethical corporate behavior, but 108 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: also government corruption as well. It's nothing like more confirmation 109 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: that the rules just don't apply if you have enough money. Right, 110 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: we all know that, but this is yet more proof 111 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: of that. So this lawsuit was actually filed last year 112 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: in it only became public information this week due to 113 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: an update that got filed to the lawsuit that then 114 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: made it a public and so it's just being reported 115 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: on now. Okay, let's get away from Facebook for a second, 116 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: or at least directly from Facebook. That still kind of 117 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: involves Facebook. So it was only a matter of time 118 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: before someone challenged the Texas law HB twenty, which makes 119 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: it illegal for social media companies from removing content or 120 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: banning users based on that person's quote unquote viewpoint. Uh 121 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: that time is now because the Computer and Communications Industry Association, 122 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: as well as the organization net Choice have brought a 123 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: lawsuit against Texas challenging that law. A similar law had 124 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: been passed and subsequently blocked in the state of Florida. 125 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: Those two organizations I just mentioned they were also responsible 126 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 1: for the lawsuit that brought that before a judge in 127 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: Florida who ultimately barred the law from being put into effect. 128 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: This comes in the wake of the various moves by 129 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: social platforms to ban users and delete content that violated 130 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: the platform's policies, and that included some high profile users, 131 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: such as the former President of the United States. The 132 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: laws are kind of ironic because proponents say that the 133 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: laws are there to promote freedom of speech to make 134 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 1: sure that these entities like Facebook and Twitter aren't able 135 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: to infringe upon the speech of others. But the US 136 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: Guarantee of freedom of speech protects citizens and companies from 137 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: the government intervening and telling you what you can and 138 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: cannot say. It protects you against government censorship. Companies like 139 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: Facebook and Twitter are not the government, and as such, 140 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: they can have content policies, and they can enforce those 141 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: policies and that doesn't mean that they're violating a constitutional guarantee, 142 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: because you know, they're not the government, and the communications 143 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: take place on the virtual property of these companies. However, 144 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: you could argue that telling a company that it cannot 145 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: police the content on its own platform is an example 146 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: of the government violating an entities right to freedom of expression. 147 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: So while under the banner of freedom, this law, you 148 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: could argue is actually violating the very thing it allegedly 149 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: protect X. Of course, that's just one interpretation, and I 150 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: am not a legal expert. It may come down to 151 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: a court fighting in favor of the Texas law. We'll 152 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: have to wait and see. Okay, I think I need 153 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: to take a quick break, and when we come back, 154 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: more stuff what makes me angry? Okay, we're getting back 155 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: to tech and politics. This one doesn't actually make me angry, 156 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: which is good. I think you all need a break 157 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: from Jonathan getting on his high horse. So this time 158 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about currency. The Federal Reserve is preparing 159 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: to release a paper regarding the agency's study into whether 160 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: or not it's a good idea to create a US 161 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: based digital currency. This would be a type of c 162 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: B d C. Now that stands for central bank digital currency, 163 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: and really you could say this is just a virtual 164 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: form of a government issued currency or fiat currency. So 165 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: in other words, this would just be like a digital 166 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: version of a US dollar. Now it's something that can 167 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: have a lot of benefits, including benefits to the unbanked 168 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: people who don't have bank accounts, because this allows for 169 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: a digital payment, but it doesn't require the person to 170 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: have a bank account. They would have to have some 171 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: sort of digital wallet in order to accept and then 172 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: spend digital dollars, but they wouldn't have to have a 173 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: bank account associated with them. So this is not the 174 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: same thing as cryptocurrency, so it's not like saying that 175 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: the FED is looking to make its own version of bitcoin. 176 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: Bitcoin is also digital, but there are big distinctions between 177 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: c B d c s and your typical cryptocurrencies. Both 178 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: typically depend upon a secure ledger that cannot be changed. 179 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: This is necessary so that you can keep track of 180 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: transactions and you prevent people from being able to spend 181 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: the same digital dollar twice, right, you know, this is 182 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: the protection to make sure that someone can't get a 183 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: digital dollar and then quote unquote counterfeit it by copying 184 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,199 Speaker 1: it a billion times and making themselves a billionaire. You've 185 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: got to have protections in place against that, just as 186 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: you would against you know, counterfeiting, uh, you know, physical currencies. 187 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 1: And there are a ton of differences between cryptocurrencies and 188 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: c B d cs. So with cryptocurrencies, you typically have 189 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: a shared ledger, so everyone participating in the system is 190 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 1: is technically able to see this ledger. Thus you can't 191 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: have anyone cheat the ledger because everyone can see it. 192 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: You can't go back and change things in the past 193 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: because it would affect everything that followed, and that would 194 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: be impossible for the all the different parties to ignore. 195 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: You would be caught immediately. With c B dcs, you 196 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 1: technically you know or you typically don't have a shared ledger. 197 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: You have a centralized ledger, but it's under the authorization 198 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: of that centralized authority. And cryptocurrencies don't depend upon a 199 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: centralized institution. The currency does. There are good and bad 200 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 1: things connected with that, and I think your opinion about 201 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: which is best largely depends on whether you buy into 202 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: the cryptocurrency. Ethos are not um. I definitely see benefits 203 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 1: and I see drawbacks to each either way. The study 204 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: that the FED is doing and is soon going to 205 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 1: report on. It's just an indication that the FED is 206 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: considering the possibility of creating a U S C B 207 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: d C. It's not, you know, a done deal or anything. 208 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: We will have to wait and find out what happens next. 209 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: Today the U s Secretary of Commerce is meeting with 210 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 1: representatives from big automakers as well as some major tech 211 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: companies like Microsoft and Apple. And the heart of the 212 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: matter is the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, which is affecting 213 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: multiple industries out there, but it's really having a profound 214 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: negative impact on the automotive industry at that you know, 215 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: right now. Presumably this group of experts will discuss what 216 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: the current problem is and you know, define the parameters 217 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,679 Speaker 1: and maybe talk about some potential ways to perhaps alleviate 218 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: some of the pain points in the supply chain. I'm 219 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: not sure that there's going to be a ton of 220 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: solutions to that, because the problem is a truly enormous one. 221 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: It's a global issue, and it includes a lot of 222 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: parties that are not in the United States, and you 223 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: can only churn out stuff so quickly. In a way, 224 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: you could say this shows that the world's supply chain is, 225 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: you know, very much a chain. It is dependent upon 226 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: the weakest links, right. It's only as strong as those 227 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: weakest links because it is interlinked. It's not if you 228 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: break a link in a chain, then you've got to 229 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: you know, segments of chain, you no longer have a 230 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: real full chain. Same thing with supply chains. And this 231 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: is not to say that I'm passing judgment on countries 232 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: like Vietnam or Malaysia that are having massive issues and 233 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: thus are quote unquote the weakest link in the supply chain. 234 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: These are regions that are experiencing rising COVID nineteen infection rates. 235 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: These countries frequently are struggling to get doses of vaccines 236 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: that can then be administered to citizens. There's an amazing 237 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: vaccine shortage in most of the world. Here in the 238 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: United States, it's easy different get that because it is 239 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: readily available, But in other parts of the world that's 240 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: not the case. This is a really big ecosystem and 241 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: humanitarian crisis. We here in the United States, we're fortunate 242 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: and that we mostly see it through the stuff like 243 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: skyrocketing automobile price tags or graphics card shortages, which, don't 244 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: get me wrong, those are problems. But when you look 245 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: at it in the in the context of people in 246 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: other parts of the world who are responsible for delivering 247 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: components that go into those things literally can't get vaccinated 248 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: because there aren't enough doses, it really kind of brings 249 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: everything into perspective. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sent out 250 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: a memo that complained about how some Apple employee had 251 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: leaked a previous memo, and then, of course this memo 252 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: got leaked, so Apple's got a leaking problem. The earlier memo, 253 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: the one that necessitated Tim Cook's second memo, was about 254 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: how Apple would not require employees to be vaccinated, but 255 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: the company would instead require unvaccinated employees to take COVID 256 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: tests on a frequent basis. Someone leaked that, and then 257 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: Cook sent out a memo essentially saying, hey, don't leak 258 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: stuff to the press or you'll be in trouble. And 259 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: of course here we are with this memo now leaked 260 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: to everyone. This also comes at a time when a 261 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: subset of Apple employees have been calling out the company 262 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: to be held accountable for issues ranging from pay disparity 263 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: to a hostile work environment um the Apple Me Too movement. 264 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: Then there are the employees who had been pushing back 265 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: against Cook's earlier insistence that Apple employees returned to work 266 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: in person for at least three days a week starting 267 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 1: this fall. That's a requirement that has now been pushed 268 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: off to two. I wouldn't be surprised to see more leaks. 269 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: I think there are enough folks in Apple who are 270 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: upset or concerned, and they're just not willing to stay 271 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: quiet about it. Meanwhile, over at Epic Games, the company 272 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: behind the massively successful Fortnite, Apple has denied that company's 273 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: request to bring Fortnite back into the App Store now. 274 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: According to the CEO of Epic Tim Sweeney, Apple had 275 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: previously indicated it would allow Fortnite back in the App Store, 276 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: but now is determined to keep it banned until the 277 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: company has exhausted every legal appeal it can make to 278 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 1: the courts, which so far have ruled more in epics 279 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: favor than in Apples. So at the heart of all this, 280 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: in case you're not familiar, year, is that Apple and 281 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: Google both have policies that state if you have an 282 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: app that has in app purchases built into it, then 283 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: the company takes like in this case, Apple takes a 284 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: percentage up tot of that transaction for themselves, and that 285 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: you are not allowed to use any other method to 286 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: sell to people in app for an Apple app so 287 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: or an app that's in the Apple Store. So Fortnite 288 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: has in game items you can purchase, but to do 289 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: so on the Apple version, you were supposed to go 290 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: through Apple's payment system, and instead Fortnite offered players an 291 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: alternative work around where more of the money would go 292 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: to Epic Games and none of it would go to Apple. 293 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: Apple then took the move of banning Fortnite from the 294 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: App Store, and we got into this big legal battle. 295 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: Well recently, the courts have said that Apple's policy is 296 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: anti competitive, not monopolistic, but anti competitive, and that Apple 297 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: needs to allow companies to have apps on the App 298 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:17,959 Speaker 1: Store to offer up alternative payment processes that are outside 299 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 1: the Apple one. Apple has not yet done this, and 300 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 1: in fact Apple is appealing that decision. And Sweeney said, hey, 301 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: we'd be happy to come back and obey your rules 302 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: if you let us back in the App Store, we 303 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: will play by your policies as long as you have 304 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 1: conformed with the court decision, which Apple refuses to do. So. 305 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: The battle continues. This has been a pretty public one 306 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: and Tim Sweeney has not been shy about taking this 307 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: battle to the public, probably because Fortnite has such an 308 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: enormous following that he knows he can get a lot 309 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: of support in a short amount of time. So we 310 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: will see how this battle plays out, but it's going 311 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: to take a while longer. The e USE European Commission 312 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: has announced that it will soon propose that all smartphones 313 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: sold in the EU will have to comply with the 314 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: u s b C charging Port standard, so that means 315 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: all smart phones sold in the EU will have to 316 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: have a us b C charging port. These are kind 317 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: of shots you know, fired at Apple, which uses a 318 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: proprietary charging connector. It uses the Lightning connector for iPhones. Now, 319 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: this despite the fact that the Apple also moved to 320 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: us b C for its Mac computers, which drives a 321 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: lot of Apple users nuts that you know, the company 322 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: has moved from Lightning to USBC for some of its products, 323 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: but not all of it. This requirement only applies to 324 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: devices that use wired charging, so if you have something 325 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: that charges wirelessly, that's exempt from this rule. And this 326 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: is not a rule that's set in stone yet. It's 327 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: more like a recommendation. So the e C sends this 328 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: recommendation to the European part Elament and then that has 329 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: to vote on the matter before it can become law. 330 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: That being said, the feeling is that most of the 331 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: EU Parliament is in favor on settling on a common charger. Uh. 332 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: The argument is that this benefits consumers because it simplifies 333 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: the equipment you need when you get a new phone. 334 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: Let's say you switch from Android to iPhone. Well, it's 335 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: already standard practice in Europe to ship phones without a charger, 336 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: So the idea is that everyone out there already has chargers, 337 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: and they already have cables, so you don't need to 338 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: include that with your phone. This cuts down on cost, 339 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 1: it cuts down on waste, cuts down on packaging. Like 340 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: it has a lot of benefits. But if you have 341 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: a phone that has a proprietary connector, then you know 342 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: none of your cables are going to work. You would 343 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 1: have to go out and buy new ones, and that 344 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: generates more waste. I should also point out that not 345 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: all USBC cables are actually equal. There's a variety of them. 346 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: Some of them can carry a higher voltage than others. 347 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: For example, or provide more data throughput. So while it 348 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: might seem like you're talking about simplifying things, you are, 349 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 1: but not not fully. So it's still a little complicated. 350 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 1: Apple representatives responded by expressing disappointment in this recommendation not 351 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: a big surprise. They have argued that, you know, settling 352 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: on a single charging cable discourages innovation. I would say 353 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 1: that there's a balance to be made here. There is 354 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: a need for standardization which removes confusion in the market 355 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: and benefits a consumer. And of course there's an argument 356 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: to be made that Apple really doesn't, you know, isn't 357 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: calling out about restrictions on innovation. Apple wants proprietary connectors 358 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: because then Apple can make more money selling all those 359 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: different components, the phones, the chargers, the cables, everything. But 360 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: if it's forced to conform to a universal standard, then 361 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: it could lose out on a lot of sales because 362 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,239 Speaker 1: you could just buy those cables from anyone anyway. We'll 363 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: see if the European Parliament takes the recommendation and makes 364 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: it into law on the EU, and then we'll see 365 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: what Apple does about it. Finally, people who spend a 366 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: lot of time looking at patents found one from Valve 367 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: that suggests the company could be working on a way 368 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: that would let you play a game while you are 369 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: downloading it, with a product called Steam Instant Play. This 370 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: is similar to features that you find on some video 371 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: game consoles where you purchase a digital copy of a game, 372 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: and once a sufficient amount of the game has downloaded 373 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 1: onto your device, you can start playing. Now, you might 374 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: only be able to play in a specific mode, like 375 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: the single player campaign or something, but you can get 376 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: started and meanwhile, the rest of the game continues to 377 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,439 Speaker 1: download in the background. This is a pretty darn handy 378 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,159 Speaker 1: feature to have, particularly as games get increasingly gargantuan with 379 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: regard to how much hard drive space they can take 380 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: up and the limitations of broadband speeds. For folks who 381 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: are fortunate enough to have a gigabit connection or even better, 382 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: it's maybe not that big of a deal. But for 383 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: mere mortals like myself, having a way to play a 384 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: game without having to wait, you know, the hour or 385 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: so to get the full thing installed as a pretty 386 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: big benefit. Anyway. The patent describes the system that would 387 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: potentially allow for that kind of experience on Steam, which 388 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: is of course Valves Online Computer games store. It's like 389 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 1: it's like a physical game store, except of course they're 390 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: all digital downloads, but they carry games from all different publishers. 391 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 1: So for those who aren't into PC games, Steam is 392 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 1: like the leading store for selling online you know, games 393 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: over the Internet, or rather games online over the internet, 394 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 1: because they're not just they're not all online games. Some 395 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: of them are you know, single player, no internet connectivity 396 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: type games. Steam is so successful the Valve doesn't even 397 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: have to make video games of its own anymore, really, 398 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: much to the despair of those who are waiting for 399 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: another Half Life game. I should also add we don't 400 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: need to hold our breath on this particular instant feature. 401 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: We're talking about a patent. We're not talking about an 402 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: actual product yet. One day Valve could implement instant play, 403 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: or it might never roll it out at all. And 404 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: that's it for the news for Thursday, September one. I'm 405 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,479 Speaker 1: gonna go and light like some scented candles and stuff 406 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,919 Speaker 1: and listen to some relaxing music so that I don't 407 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 1: have as many anger outbursts as I did today, So 408 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 1: my apologies for that, but these are things I care about. 409 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: If you have suggestions for things I should cover on 410 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: tech stuff. Reach out to me. The handle on Twitter 411 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: is text stuff H s W and I'll talk to 412 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 1: you again really soon. Text Stuff is an I Heart 413 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: Radio production. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 414 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 415 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.