Netflix
Tech Hangover: Netflix is being told to slow its platform down to prevent the internet from breaking
Everyone eventually reaches their own data cap.
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We get it, you have a life. There’s no way you can read all of the day’s news in one single shot, let alone visit every web page, which is why we’re here to help. Well, sort of.
There’s a ton of tech news we weren’t able to cover throughout the day (hey, give us a break, we’re a small independent outfit), so to help you stay up to speed with everything we didn’t get to, we rounded up some of the biggest stories, which should help you keep up to date. Hence the tech hangover.
Here’s some tech news you probably missed out on today (and when we say you, we mean us, but also…you).
Amid coronavirus pandemic, Netflix reduces video stream to EU users for 30 days
Image: KnowTechie
It’s 2020 and apparently everyone has a data cap.
Can the internet withstand the coronavirus pandemic? With more people staying and working at home in an attempt to slow the virus’ spread, concern is growing about whether the net has the bandwidth to withstand increased usage. Those concerns have led Netflix to reduce the data in its video streams in Europe for 30 days, the streaming video provider said Thursday. – USA Today
Uber says rides down by as much as 70% in cities hardest hit by coronavirus, looks at delivering meds
Image: Unsplash
It’s not just small business that’s suffering due to the effects of coronavirus. Big businesses like Uber are feeling it too.
Uber the on-demand transportation and food delivery behemoth — has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus pandemic. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said today in a call with investors that ride volume has gone down by as much as 60%-70% in recent days. – TechCrunch
Twitter broadly bans any COVID-19 tweets that could help the virus spread
Image: KnowTechie
This is good. Maybe a bigger platform like Facebook should be doing this too? I dunno. I guess that would make too much sense.
Twitter updated its safety policy to prohibit tweets that “could place people at a higher risk of transmitting COVID-19.” The new policy bans tweets denying expert guidance on the virus, encouraging “fake or ineffective treatments, preventions and diagnostic techniques” as well as tweets that mislead users by pretending to be from health authorities or experts. – TechCrunch
GameStop: We Can Stay Open During Lockdowns Because We’re ‘Essential Retail’
Image: Medium
GameStop is in a financial position where they can’t close its doors or else its business goes belly up. So, I hear what they’re doing here, but at the same time, they’re putting all their employees at risk.
The video game retail chain GameStop told all of its stores this afternoon to stay open even in the event of state or city lockdowns to protect against the covid-19 pandemic, emphasizing that it is “essential retail” alongside groceries and pharmacies and should therefore be exempt from enforced closures. – Kotaku
Amazon Sellers ‘Hijack’ Listings to Sell Face Masks Despite New Rules
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie
This is absolutely disgusting.
The 148th most popular book on Amazon Wednesday wasn’t actually a book at all: It was a package of 50 disposable face masks—the kind that shoppers have scrambled to buy amid the coronavirus pandemic. – Wired
YouTube Is Letting Millions Of People Watch Videos Promoting Misinformation About Coronavirus
Image: Unsplash
Honestly, this is such a classic YouTube move, nothing surprises me anymore.
YouTube has allowed videos promoting misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic to be viewed by millions of people, it can be revealed, leading campaigners to demand emergency legislation to remove “morally unacceptable” conspiracy theories from the platform. – BuzzFeed News
And in just case you missed some of our stuff earlier, here’s what you may have missed:
- The best bidets you can buy on Amazon now that toilet paper is all sold out
- How to turn on dark mode for Facebook on desktop
- Here’s everything coming to Netflix in April 2020
- The easiest way to upload photos to Instagram from a Mac
- Here’s everything we know about the PlayStation 5
- Review: Crave PowerPack 2 – this portable battery charger is an absolute unit
- There’s now a toilet paper calculator to estimate how much you’ll need during your lockdown
- Score these TaoTronics noise-canceling headphones for just
- Throw this portable jump starter in your car’s trunk for just $65 [Exclusive]
- Everything we know about iOS 14 – release date, features, and rumors
- These JBL Bluetooth headphones are down to just right now (usually )
- Tech that can help you work smarter, not harder, as you telecommute [Infographic]
Notable Mentions
The Lockout: Why Uber Drivers in NYC Are Sleeping in Their Cars
There Are Two Types of People Now: Online Shoppers and the People Who Serve Them
An interview with a YouTuber whose entire channel is videos of doors
How to boost your home’s Wi-Fi
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