π» Facebook Turmoil, Silicon Valley's Surge, Meta Fact-Check Shakeup
Good morning. Itβs Wednesday, January 08. Today we are covering:
Inside Facebook's Two Years of Hell
Silicon Valley is so dominant again, its startups devoured over half of all global VC funding in 2024
Meta's fact-checking overhaul widens global rift on disinformation
Nvidia's Jensen Huang hints at 'plans' for its own desktop CPU
US govt launches cybersecurity safety label for smart devices
Letβs dive in
Inside Facebook's Two Years of Hell
By Nicholas Thompson via WIRED
Facebook faced internal turmoil during 2016-2018, including controversies over racial issues, leaked memos, and accusations of political bias in its Trending Topics feature, leading to widespread distrust and firings.
The platform was exploited for misinformation and foreign interference, particularly by Russian operatives during the 2016 U.S. elections, revealing vulnerabilities in Facebook's algorithms and content moderation.
Mark Zuckerberg's leadership evolved, with Facebook committing to reforms, including combating fake news, reevaluating its role as both a platform and a publisher, and introducing changes to its News Feed to prioritize "meaningful interactions."
π: Just a reminder that the last time that Meta deliberately decided to stick its head in the sand and ignore false content for fear of angering conservatives---back in spring 2016---it triggered a multi-year crisis at the company. - nxthompson (@nxthompson)
By Julie Bort via TechCrunch
Silicon Valley dominated global VC funding in 2024, securing $90 billionβ57% of the worldwide $178 billionβfueled by its leadership in AI and robust startup ecosystem.
Major funding highlights include OpenAI's significant influence, Databricks' $10 billion, xAI's $12 billion, and Anthropic's $8 billion, alongside contributions from Waymo, Scale AI, and Perplexity.
The Bay Areaβs unparalleled concentration of tech talent (49% of Big Tech engineers) and established infrastructure like Y Combinator and Sand Hill Road continues to attract startups and drive innovation.
π: The latest by @Julie188 - For all the chatter about the decline of San Francisco, data repeatedly shows that the Bay Area, including the city itself, is still the best place for venture-backed startups. - Mary Ann Azevedo (@bayareawriter)
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Meta's fact-checking overhaul widens global rift on disinformation
By Cristiano Lima-Strong via Washington Post
Meta announced a major rollback of fact-checking partnerships in the United States, opting for a user-driven flagging system similar to Elon Musk's X, amid accusations of political bias and erosion of trust.
The shift highlights a growing divide in global content moderation, with the U.S. easing restrictions while regions like the EU enforce stricter rules under frameworks like the Digital Services Act, which imposes hefty fines for failures in disinformation control.
Critics warn the changes signal Meta's increasing responsiveness to political pressures, as the company aligns with U.S. conservative priorities while risking intensified scrutiny abroad.
π: The focus on content moderation and disinformation was always an absurd approach by liberals, it was about supporting tech monopolies as long as they were nice. It never delivered anything. And those who supported it should be scorned. - Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller)
Nvidia's Jensen Huang hints at 'plans' for its own desktop CPU
By Dominic Preston via The Verge
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang hinted at plans to enter the consumer CPU market with the 20-core Arm-based GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, co-developed with MediaTek, following its debut in the $3,000 Project Digits AI supercomputer at CES 2025.
These developments position Nvidia to challenge Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD, as competition heats up in the Arm-based CPU space, which has seen significant advances, particularly with Qualcommβs Snapdragon X Elite processors in 2024.
The announcement underscores a broader shift in computing as Arm-based CPUs gain traction over traditional x86 systems, signaling a potential turning point in the industry in 2025.
π: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has started dropping hints about the companyβs plans for its own desktop CPU. Rumors point to Nvidia entering the Windows on ARM market this year - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)
US govt launches cybersecurity safety label for smart devices
By Sergiu Gatlan via BleepingComputer
The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, launched by the White House, is a cybersecurity safety label for smart devices like home cameras, TVs, and fitness trackers, ensuring they meet NIST-approved security standards such as strong default passwords and software updates.
Consumers can scan a QR code on labeled products for detailed security information, including setup instructions, support periods, and software update availability, enhancing transparency and informed purchasing.
Major companies like Amazon, Google, LG, and Samsung have joined the initiative, with FCC-approved administrators overseeing certifications, aiming to replicate the success of the EnergyStar label in incentivizing secure product design.
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