The Trump administration’s big Intel investment comes from already awarded grants
While Intel says the government is making an “$8.9 billion investment in Intel common stock,” the administration does not appear to be committing new funds.
Government & Policy
Bluesky blocks service in Mississippi over age assurance law
In a blog post published on Friday, the company explains that, as a small team, it doesn’t have the resources to make the substantial technical changes this type of law would require, and it raised concerns about the law’s broad scope and privacy implications.
Space is open for business with Even Rogers and Max Haot at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
The next era of the space economy isn’t just about rockets and satellites — it’s about infrastructure, autonomy, and entirely new models for building and defending off-Earth assets. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 this October 27–29 in San Francisco’s Moscone West, the Space Stage is where this shift gets real.
The White House is on TikTok now, which is technically banned in the U.S.
The White House joined TikTok, despite ongoing legal battles surrounding the use of the Chinese-owned app.
US spy chief says UK has dropped its Apple backdoor demand
Tulsi Gabbard said that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance also participated in the negotiations with the U.K. government over its once-secret demand to Apple.
Texas attorney general accuses Meta, Character.AI of misleading kids with mental health claims
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is investigating Meta and Character.AI over claims they deceptively market chatbots as mental health tools, raising concerns about child safety, data privacy, and targeted advertising.
Linktree goes dark in India — and the company isn’t sure why
Linktree is “investigating” an issue that has made its link-in-bio platform inaccessible in India for several days.
Judge says FTC investigation into Media Matters ‘should alarm all Americans’
A federal judge has blocked the FTC’s investigation into Media Matters research around advertising and antisemitic content on X.
How your solar rooftop became a national security issue
Texas solar company EG4 became the poster child for home energy cybersecurity risks this week after federal officials published an advisory detailing how hackers could hijack its inverters.
Sen. Hawley to probe Meta after report finds its AI chatbots flirt with kids
“Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck?” Hawley wrote in a post on X announcing the investigation.