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Sergiu Gatlan / BleepingComputer : A new Golang-based worm has been actively dropping XMRig cryptocurrency malware on Windows and Linux servers since early December, mining Monero   —  A newly discovered and self-spreading Golang-based malware has been actively dropping XMRig cryptocurrency miners on Windows and Linux servers since early December. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3rMDvR6

Rita Liao / TechCrunch : Flexiv, a Chinese startup that makes general-purpose adaptive robots powered by computer vision and AI, raises $100M+ Series B from investors including Meituan   —  As businesses around the world look to automate production lines and supply chains, companies making the robots are attracting great investor interest. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/384Xump

Max Zimmerman / Bloomberg : NYSE says it will delist three Chinese companies, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, on January 7 to comply with a US EO imposing restrictions   —  The New York Stock Exchange said it will delist three Chinese companies to comply with a U.S. executive order that imposed restrictions … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/385gbGo

Ari Levy / CNBC : 7 most valuable US tech companies added a combined $3.4T in market cap in 2020: Apple gained ~$1T, Amazon $710B, Microsoft $480B, Alphabet $268B, Facebook $193B   —  - Apple's market cap jumped by almost $1 trillion this year, followed by Amazon, which increased by over $700 billion. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/38POqkn

David Shepardson / Reuters : Alphabet's Wing says new FAA drone rules mandating radio-frequency broadcasts for remote identification will erode privacy, suggests internet-based tracking   —  Alphabet Inc's drone delivery unit Wing criticized Trump administration rules issued this week mandating broadcast-based remote identification … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/395OKMj

Wired : Gebru's firing reveals tech's ability to co-opt and minimize criticism of its AI systems, highlighting the need for tech unions, research protection, regulation   —  The situation has made clear that the field needs to change.  Here's where to start, according to a current and a former Googler. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2JA1Et9

Cevheri Güven / Turkish Minute : A YouTube channel run from Germany by exiled Turkish journalists was shut down due to copyright claims from Turkey; one expert blames YouTube's Turkey office   —  Bold Medya, a YouTube channel run by the German-based International Journalists Association eV (IJA), was shut down due … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3o5aSMZ

Lauren Hirsch / New York Times : Source: Amazon's acquisition of Wondery values the podcasting company, which began in 2016, at roughly $300M   —  The deal, valued at $300 million, is the latest in a string of acquisitions as streaming platforms expand beyond music and video.  —  Amazon is acquiring Wondery … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3rMsuQ6

Daniel Victor / New York Times : Obituary of FarmVille, which is closing on Thursday but lives on in its growth-hacking techniques that are being imitated by everything from Instagram to QAnon   —  The game, a phenomenon a decade ago, is shutting down on Thursday.  But its legacy — for better and for worse — carries beyond gaming. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3n5mz4M

T.C. Sottek / The Verge : Adobe ends support for Flash today and will start blocking Flash content from January 12; major browsers will block Flash content from Jan. 1   —  It's the end of the line  —  Adobe scheduled its famous Flash software to end on December 31st, 2020, and today is the day. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3baoTWb

Nicole Perlroth / New York Times : Microsoft says SolarWinds hackers were able to view some of its source code by hacking into an employee account but were unable to modify code or access emails   —  The hackers gained more access than the company previously revealed, though the attackers were unable to modify code or access emails. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/38TrK2T

Ben Lovejoy / 9to5Mac : Report: 10 ex-members of Apple's supplier responsibility team say it avoids or delays removing suppliers guilty of labor violations when doing so hurts business   —  A new report today claims that Apple is reluctant to ban suppliers found guilty of labor violations, and can take years to do so, even in the most serious of cases. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2LdyCja

Adi Robertson / The Verge : Ticketmaster agrees to pay a $10M fine after admitting to hiring an ex-CrowdSurge staffer and using his credentials to access the rival ticket seller's systems   —  It used stolen login credentials at a company summit  —  Ticketmaster has agreed to pay $10 million for breaking into a competitors' network. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3mXokkA

Pei Li / Reuters : Report: Apple removed 46K+ apps, including 39K games from its China store on Thursday, as it set a year-end deadline for game publishers to obtain a license   —  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Apple removed 39,000 game apps on its China store Thursday, the biggest removal ever in a single day … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3rGMGmc

Gamesage : Study finds no correlation between growing up playing violent video games and increased levels of aggression 10 years later   —  A ten-year longitudinal study published in the Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking on a group in early adolescence from as young as ten years old … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3htqFTk

Shakeel Hashim / Protocol : Over 66 SPACs were raised in 2020, according to PitchBook, up from 30 in 2019, amid a year of uncertainty that opened tech companies' eyes to an IPO alternative   —  For many in the tech industry, 2020 was a year of two acronyms.  There was COVID, obviously.  And then there were SPACs. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2WXNa9t

Bloomberg : The Bay Area won't be displaced as the nation's top tech hub anytime soon but lawmakers need to recognize the dangers of bad governance that is fueling backlash   —  Silicon Valley remains the world's preeminent tech hub.  But that won't last if lawmakers there keep antagonizing businesses. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3pBW8W5

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch : Researchers: NSO Group used location data from thousands of unsuspecting people during its pitch of COVID-19 contact-tracing tech to governments and journalists   —  Researchers say NSO's use of real data “violated the privacy” of thousands of people.  —  Spyware maker NSO Group used real … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/34ZdHrr

CoinDesk : Binance says US users will not be able to deposit or trade XRP beginning January 13, joining Coinbase and several other exchanges in delisting or suspending XRP   —  Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is suspending XRP trading for its customers effective next month. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3o3kyHR

Nick Statt / The Verge : Gadget trade-in site Gazelle, one of the longest running used smartphone buyers in the US, says it will end its core trade-in program on February 1, 2021   —  The company's long-running trade-in program will end on February 1st, 2021  —  Gazelle, one of the longest-running used smartphone buyers in the US … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3pyTksQ

Todd Spangler / Variety : ESPN+ is raising its annual fee for new subscribers from $49.99 to $59.99; renewals for existing subscribers will remain $49.99 through March 2, 2021   —  UFC fans are going to pay more to catch the promoter's premiere fights on Disney's ESPN Plus streaming sports package next year. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3o2f5ku

Lily Hay Newman / Wired : Ransomware attacks have transitioned from a model of many small payments from various individuals to a smaller group of large targets with massive ransoms   —  2020 was a great year for ransomware gangs.  For hospitals, schools, municipal governments, and everyone else, it's going to get worse before it gets better. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2JwIc0l

Mark Sweney / The Guardian : Ampere: UK streaming subscribers grew 34% YoY in 2020, with a combined 32.4M for Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, the top three services   —  Britons spent 40% of their waking hours watching TV during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, fuelling the biggest year for new subscribers to streaming services. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3aUjQst

Amazon : Amazon plans to acquire podcast network Wondery, which will join Amazon Music   —  We've signed an agreement to acquire Wondery, a top-rated podcast creator and producer that entertains and educates listeners.  —  We're pleased to announce that Wondery—an innovative podcast publisher … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2WWxnrs

Golan Hazani / CTech : Sources: SimilarWeb is planning a Nasdaq IPO in Q2 2021, aiming for a $2B+ valuation; the company has raised $240M in total, including $120M in October   —  The market intelligence company joins list of Israeli firms set to embark on a U.S. IPO in the coming months which already includes eToro … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3pArpbV

Elizabeth A. Harris / New York Times : Association of American Publishers: audiobooks revenue is up 17%+ YoY, e-book sales are up 16%+; NPD BookScan says US print book sales are up ~8% in 2020   —  With people stuck at home and so many other activities shut down, a lot of reading — or at least a lot of book buying — happened this year. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/37X9Rku