Rappler's latest stories on tech
Inside the Industry: Tech and live streaming with Kumu
Migrating from Silicon Valley to "social media capital of the world," Kumu CEO Roland Ros champions Philippine tech as the next big thing

Volkswagen invests 2 billion euros in Chinese electric vehicle sector
Volkswagen will take a 50% stake in JAG – the parent company of state-owned JAC Motors – and a 26% share of Chinese battery supplier Gotion High-Tech

What's happened so far in the world of tech during the coronavirus crisis
From Zoom’s big missed opportunity to internet networks being put to its limits, we’re listing down the top tech trends we’ve observed during the novel coronavirus crisis
How an 18-year-old STEM activist is helping close the gender and tech gap in PH
Starting out as a blog, Audrey Pe's Women in Tech has evolved to become an organization putting up workshops, conferences and talks promoting STEM, and gender equality to young women all over the country
Business pitches wanted: Dennis Uy in search of Philippine unicorn
In business jargon, a unicorn is a startup with a valuation of $1 billion or more

Americans wary of Facebook 'power,' survey shows
Nearly half of the 1,123 respondents expressed concerns over how Facebook handles private user data, a December survey by The Verge shows
What makes tech 'evil?'
There are now more avenues for technology to be used justifiably in 'evil' ways because technological innovation appears to have charged forward towards the growth of social injustice

'Sex tech' aims to rise above negative image
Entrepreneurs in this industry, many of whom started out in conventional consumer electronics, medicine or cosmetics, say pleasure and health go hand-in-hand
7 Filipino-made tech and products hoping to hit the market in 2020
Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña says DOST has started to promote their technologies in specific forums catering to different sectors, technologies, and products

Google agrees to 945M-euro tax settlement with France
The company will pay a 500-million-euro fine for tax evasion, as well as a further 465 million euros to settle claims with French tax authorities.
Big Tech backlash kicks into gear with antitrust moves
The antitrust actions come against a backdrop of declining public trust in big online firms, and fines levied against Facebook and Google over privacy violations
Antitrust probe of Facebook may be first step against Big Tech
New York state attorney general says the probe is to see 'whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk'

U.S. states announce antitrust probe of Facebook
The move marks the first official US antitrust action against one of the so-called Big Tech companies – although a landmark case had targeted Microsoft back in the 1990s
Tech making 'our brains explode' says star Penelope Cruz
The actress says tech is coming to utterly dominate children's lives, hogging their time and imaginations
U.S. tech industry cool on Trump deal on France digital tax
France's levy has been criticized in Washington for departing from precedent on taxing revenue instead of profits and for targeting a narrow group of companies
China tech firm eyes IPO for gay dating app Grindr
The move comes as China and the US restarted talks to resolve a bruising war which includes a side skirmish in technology.

Americans' views on tech firms turn sharply negative – poll
A Pew Research Center study shows the percentage of people seeing tech firms as having 'a positive impact' tumbled to 50% in a recent survey, down from 71% in 2015.
Australian watchdog calls for controls on Facebook, Google
'There is no option other than to put in place the right regulatory and legislative regime to protect the public's privacy,' Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says
The struggle to regulate online giants like Facebook, Google, Amazon
Governments are having trouble regulating the giants as they often have to work with rules that haven't adapted quickly enough to the rise of these digital companies
Is a $5 billion fine the least painful part of Facebook's settlement?
The deal, which follows a lengthy investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, allows Facebook to avoid prosecution for its data protection lapses
Attacks on Big Tech likely at White House social media 'summit'
President Donald Trump has invited conservative critics of Big Tech but excluded the platforms themselves
U.S. antitrust hammer for Big Tech: What happens next?
Each firm has different issues, but any probes could center on whether they abused their dominant position and stifled competition
Tech giants vow to step up fight against online extremism
Executives from Google, Twitter, Facebook and Microsoft meet with leaders of France, New Zealand and other countries in Paris to unveil the 'Christchurch Call' of voluntary commitments for online platforms
Tech giants vow to double number of women managers by 2022
Alibaba, BNP Paribas, Booking.com, IBM, L'Oreal and Uber were some of the high-profile companies to sign a pledge at the second 'Tech For Good' summit taking place in Paris
China tech firm to sell gay app Grindr after U.S. pressure
Kunlun Tech Co Ltd says in a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in southern China that it would sell Grindr by June 2020

Fil-Am Clark, Virginia topple Texas Tech to claim US-NCAA title
Virginia claims the NCAA crown one year after becoming the first No. 1 seeded team to be knocked out of the competition

U.S. officials order Chinese company to sell Grindr – report
US officials fear people with security clearances who use the app could be blackmailed by Beijing, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed sources

European Parliament adopts copyright reform in blow to big tech
Under the reform, European law for the first time holds platforms legally responsible for enforcing copyright, requiring them to check everything that their users post to prevent infringement
Australia threatens social media execs with jail over terror images
Australia considers new laws in the wake of the New Zealand massacre
Here's what to expect at the 2019 Mobile World Congress
5G and foldable devices will take center stage at the show

Tech today: A new PH esport league, Tesla 'dog mode,' Theranos documentary
The Nationals featuring 'Tekken 7,' 'Dota 2' and 'Mobile Legends' start on March 17
At CES 2019, U.S. gadget love forecast to grow despite trust issues
Trends gaining momentum – and expected to be on display on the CES show – include super high resolution 8K televisions, blazingly-fast 5G wireless internet, and virtual aides like Amazon's Alexa and the Google Assistant

Apple warning pummels markets worried about growth outlook
Apple cites steeper-than-expected 'economic deceleration' in China and emerging markets for cutting its revenue outlook for the latest quarter
Greet the new year with new gear through these tech deals
Start 2019 with a bang...for your buck

Journalists urge EU to resist lobbying by tech giants
'Let's not allow 'bots' and 'troll farms' to take over from reporters, or leave online fiction to replace verified fact,' AFP Middle East correspondent Sammy Ketz says in an open letter to the EU supported by leading reporters worldwide

North Korea tests new 'ultramodern tactical weapon' – KCNA
(UPDATED) The Korean Central News Agency says the test is successful but does not specify the type of device involved

Singapore deploys 'robocop' for ASEAN summit 2018
The white, four-wheeled buggy, measuring about 5-feet high, patrolled around the perimeter of a convention center, providing additional security

Efficient data management needed as digital universe nears 20 trillion GB
Tech leaders present potential business solutions at MSI's CXO Innovation Summit as the information age's data explosion continues
Grab to train drivers as emergency first responders
Grab drivers will no longer just get you to your destination. The company's plan is for them to become emergency first responders and aid in busting crime, too.

Will EU copyright overhaul 'break' the internet?
The most contested aspect of the bill, Article 13, will require content sharing sites to deploy tools that harshly filter out copyrighted material from user posts
Many conservatives fret over Trump's war on tech giants
Some view the looming anti-trust investigations on the big tech companies as punishment based on political reasons
International alliace asks backdoor access to encrypted communications – report
The Five Eyes group of nations collects and shares intelligence among the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, using each one’s strategic locations to monitor the rest of the world’s communication
Tech shares fall after congress grilling
'When major companies testify in front of the Congress it's never a good thing' for their stock price, says a financial analyst
U.S. to probe tech firms on competition, 'stifling' free speech
(UPDATED) 'Social media platforms have the right to determine what types of legal speech they will permit on their platforms,' says IT expert Daniel Castro
Top U.S. regulator calls for 'transparency' from tech giants
'We need to seriously think about whether the time has come for these companies to abide by new transparency obligations,' says US Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai
Facebook chief says internet firms in 'arms race' for democracy
A day before the tech hearings, Mark Zuckerberg chimes in
Facebook, Twitter executives to testify to U.S. Congress next week
The US Senate Intelligence Committee's hearing will focus on 'social media companies' responses to foreign influence operations'
House Minority leader, Starbucks and Alibaba, Apple hits $1 trillion | Midday wRap
Watch Rappler’s midday newscast with Ralf Rivas

Apple shines in history-making style, despite some bruises
Apple's strict stance on protecting user privacy solidifies their reputation – especially during in an era when data privacy issues have become humongous concerns