The social media platform is siding with scientists to stop the spread of harmful misinformation about the pandemic. If it can do it now, why wasn't it doing it all along?The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .In January 2020, Facebook executives began paying attention to a new spreading across the globe. The virus was deadly and highly contagious, and when the World Health Organization about it, the company’s leadership dropped their typically hands-off...…The social media platform is siding with scientists to stop the spread of harmful misinformation about the pandemic. If it can do it now, why wasn't it doing it all along?The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .In January 2020, Facebook executives began paying attention to a new spreading across the globe. The virus was deadly and highly contagious, and when the World Health Organization about it, the company’s leadership dropped their typically hands-off...WW…

Work-at-home desks, face shields, and home shopping — here is how these businesses are trying to survive.The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .The is devastating many small businesses, keeping people off the streets, customers out of shops, and cash out of registers. But some are completely transforming themselves to thrive amid the chaos.Scrappy firms are now producing entirely new products, pivoting to support the medical industry, and even running...…Work-at-home desks, face shields, and home shopping — here is how these businesses are trying to survive.The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .The is devastating many small businesses, keeping people off the streets, customers out of shops, and cash out of registers. But some are completely transforming themselves to thrive amid the chaos.Scrappy firms are now producing entirely new products, pivoting to support the medical industry, and even running...WW…

Two months into working from home, Twitter makes it permanent for some.BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .Some Twitter employees will never return to their office.Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees on Tuesday telling them that they’d be allowed to work from home permanently, even after the pandemic lockdown passes. Some jobs that require physical presence, such as maintaining servers, will still require employees to come in.“We've been...…Two months into working from home, Twitter makes it permanent for some.BuzzFeed News has reporters across five continents bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, and sign up for our newsletter, .Some Twitter employees will never return to their office.Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees on Tuesday telling them that they’d be allowed to work from home permanently, even after the pandemic lockdown passes. Some jobs that require physical presence, such as maintaining servers, will still require employees to come in.“We've been...WW…

“Somebody give me reasons to be in the SF meatspace vs. somewhere in the forest.”When Twitter, a $22 billion company with a headquarters in the center of San Francisco, told employees they could on Tuesday, techies in the Bay Area began to wonder why they were there at all.After all, why put up with one of the , where the streets are and , when you could keep your job and not do that?“Moved to the Bay Area just weeks before quarantine; can't meet new people, team was already remote, tech mindspace lives on Twitter, SF streets be sketchy, rent is ridiculous, I still use straws,” Eva Beylin,...…“Somebody give me reasons to be in the SF meatspace vs. somewhere in the forest.”When Twitter, a $22 billion company with a headquarters in the center of San Francisco, told employees they could on Tuesday, techies in the Bay Area began to wonder why they were there at all.After all, why put up with one of the , where the streets are and , when you could keep your job and not do that?“Moved to the Bay Area just weeks before quarantine; can't meet new people, team was already remote, tech mindspace lives on Twitter, SF streets be sketchy, rent is ridiculous, I still use straws,” Eva Beylin,...WW…

Companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Twitter are encouraging workers to stay home.As the coronavirus spreads in the United States and tech companies ask their workforces to do their jobs from home, some in the industry are looking at the outbreak as a test case for the long-gestating but never-arriving moment when working remotely will broadly replace working in person.“We’ll never probably be the same,” Jennifer Christie, Twitter’s head of human resources, told BuzzFeed News of the company’s workplace practices. “People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive...…Companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Twitter are encouraging workers to stay home.As the coronavirus spreads in the United States and tech companies ask their workforces to do their jobs from home, some in the industry are looking at the outbreak as a test case for the long-gestating but never-arriving moment when working remotely will broadly replace working in person.“We’ll never probably be the same,” Jennifer Christie, Twitter’s head of human resources, told BuzzFeed News of the company’s workplace practices. “People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive...WW…

As Twitter's home city nears a vote limiting new office space construction, the company may be forced to locate its workforce elsewhere.Nine years ago, San Francisco gave Twitter a major, controversial tax break to stay in the city, locating the social media company’s headquarters in the bleak mid-Market neighborhood. But today, after taking the money, Twitter is putting San Francisco on mute as it plans to expand outside of the city.“Our concentration in San Francisco is not serving us any longer and we will strive to be a far more distributed workforce,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on an...…As Twitter's home city nears a vote limiting new office space construction, the company may be forced to locate its workforce elsewhere.Nine years ago, San Francisco gave Twitter a major, controversial tax break to stay in the city, locating the social media company’s headquarters in the bleak mid-Market neighborhood. But today, after taking the money, Twitter is putting San Francisco on mute as it plans to expand outside of the city.“Our concentration in San Francisco is not serving us any longer and we will strive to be a far more distributed workforce,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on an...WW…

SubscribeSign inShare this postWhere Tech Workers Are Moving: New LinkedIn Data vs. the Narrative bigtechnology.substack.comCopy linkTwitterFacebookEmailDec 17, 2020Share this postWhere Tech Workers Are Moving: New LinkedIn Data vs. the Narrative bigtechnology.substack.comCopy linkTwitterFacebookEmail is a free, weekly newsletter dedicated to covering the tech world with honest, nuanced reporting. Join the 7,900+ subscribers who tune into Big Technology for tech news without the spin. Sign up here: There’s a narrative that the tech industry’s future lies in Texas and Florida. That tech...…SubscribeSign inShare this postWhere Tech Workers Are Moving: New LinkedIn Data vs. the Narrative bigtechnology.substack.comCopy linkTwitterFacebookEmailDec 17, 2020Share this postWhere Tech Workers Are Moving: New LinkedIn Data vs. the Narrative bigtechnology.substack.comCopy linkTwitterFacebookEmail is a free, weekly newsletter dedicated to covering the tech world with honest, nuanced reporting. Join the 7,900+ subscribers who tune into Big Technology for tech news without the spin. Sign up here: There’s a narrative that the tech industry’s future lies in Texas and Florida. That tech...WW…

SubscribeAs he prepared to go hunting for Bigfoot, Andrew Callaghan picked up the phone. It was just another day for the 23-year-old creator of the hit YouTube show All Gas No Brakes. For the past year, Callaghan's been driving across the U.S. in an RV, periodically hopping out in an ill-fitting suit, putting a microphone in front of people's faces, and letting them speak. What comes out is an illuminating look into the soul of the country. It's not pretty. But if we want to fix our society's problems, it's worth our attention.Callaghan, a Seattle native, mostly interviews people on...…SubscribeAs he prepared to go hunting for Bigfoot, Andrew Callaghan picked up the phone. It was just another day for the 23-year-old creator of the hit YouTube show All Gas No Brakes. For the past year, Callaghan's been driving across the U.S. in an RV, periodically hopping out in an ill-fitting suit, putting a microphone in front of people's faces, and letting them speak. What comes out is an illuminating look into the soul of the country. It's not pretty. But if we want to fix our society's problems, it's worth our attention.Callaghan, a Seattle native, mostly interviews people on...WW…

Two straightforward questions with big implications for news publishers.Last week, Facebook its News Feed would prioritize links from publications its users deemed "trustworthy" in an upcoming survey. Turns out that survey isn't a particularly lengthy or nuanced one. In fact, it's just two questions.Here is Facebook's survey — in its entirety:A Facebook spokesperson confirmed this as the only version of the survey in use. They also confirmed that the questions were prepared by the company itself and not by an outside party.Facebook is overhauling its News Feed amid ongoing criticism of its...…Two straightforward questions with big implications for news publishers.Last week, Facebook its News Feed would prioritize links from publications its users deemed "trustworthy" in an upcoming survey. Turns out that survey isn't a particularly lengthy or nuanced one. In fact, it's just two questions.Here is Facebook's survey — in its entirety:A Facebook spokesperson confirmed this as the only version of the survey in use. They also confirmed that the questions were prepared by the company itself and not by an outside party.Facebook is overhauling its News Feed amid ongoing criticism of its...WW…

The new “by Facebook” label won’t make it harder to break up Facebook. But it will let people know what products they’re using.Facebook’s new brand isn’t setting font nerds ablaze, but that’s not what it was intended to do. According to a source with knowledge of the company’s thinking, the purpose of the redesign — which saw Facebook slap a new logo on all its products — was to ward off further complications with the Federal Trade Commission, after the tech giant agreed to a settlement earlier this year.The new branding, , also has little to do with Facebook trying to make itself harder...…The new “by Facebook” label won’t make it harder to break up Facebook. But it will let people know what products they’re using.Facebook’s new brand isn’t setting font nerds ablaze, but that’s not what it was intended to do. According to a source with knowledge of the company’s thinking, the purpose of the redesign — which saw Facebook slap a new logo on all its products — was to ward off further complications with the Federal Trade Commission, after the tech giant agreed to a settlement earlier this year.The new branding, , also has little to do with Facebook trying to make itself harder...WW…