The Download: uncertainty over NASA’s moon rocket, and what’s next for nuclear
2 The FTC is probing Microsoft
It’s a wide-ranging antitrust investigation into its cloud computing, AI and security arms. (NYT $)+ The FTC has been preparing for this for a full year. (WP $)
+ It’s notable it’s been signed off in the Biden administration’s dying days. (The Information $)
+ Meanwhile, Google is hoping to have its recent antitrust ruling thrown out. (Bloomberg $)
3 RFK’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement is in trouble
Just days into the project, cracks are already beginning to show. (FT $)
+ The MAGA policy agenda is extremely skeptical of actual scientific evidence. (NYT $)+ America’s opioid crisis probably played a role in Trump’s reelection. (New Yorker $)
4 TikTok is blocking beauty filters for teenagers
But the restrictions aren’t exactly difficult to circumvent. (The Guardian)
+ Filters will be required to specify the nature of the tweaks they make, too. (The Verge)
+ The fight for “Instagram face.” (MIT Technology Review)
5 Who is applying to join Elon Musk’s DOGE?
Everyone from students to tech CEOs, apparently. (Forbes $)
+ The division is highly likely to clash with the US government’s budget office. (WSJ $)
6 Interpol has arrested 1,000 potential cyber criminals across Africa
They’re suspected of extorting victims using ransomware, phishing schemes and scams. (WP $)
7 Here’s all the tariffs China’s tech industry is facing
It’s not just the US that’s increasing its restrictions. (Rest of World)+ Buckle up: China is likely to face even greater chip restrictions from next week. (Wired $)
+ How Trump’s tariffs could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more. (MIT Technology Review)
8 Mark Zuckerberg has been hobnobbing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Which is interesting considering that Trump has threatened him with life imprisonment. (The Information $)
+ Zuckerberg has been on a charm offensive to repair their relationship for almost two years. (NYT $)
+ But the President-elect has a history of holding grudges. (NY Mag $)
9 Distributed computing is the next big thing
We can achieve more when we work together, after all. (Quanta Magazine)
