WSJ Tech News Briefing

Google said it would end its requirement for employee sexual-harassment claims to be handled in private arbitration, one week after thousands of workers walked out of offices in a global protest. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has more.

Amazon Echo and Google Home devices can play music, share the weather and dial up friends -- yet most still can't call 911. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah Krouse has more on the regulatory and technical reasons why smart devices can't make emergency calls.

Amazon's decision to split its new headquarters exposes a secret known to many companies: It is tough to find top tech talent. The Wall Street Journal's Lauren Weber has more.

To prevent Russian meddling on Election Day, officials have hired technology experts, established training for poll workers, and in some cases purchased new voting equipment. The Wall Street Journal's Dustin Volz has more.

Campaign spending on Facebook isn't just up since the last midterm election-it's exploding. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims has more on how politicians are sinking money into Facebook advertising.

Apple reported another quarter of record revenue and profit, but its shares fell in after-hours trading following the company's lackluster sales guidance for the key holiday quarter. Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group has more.

All over the world, citizens, bureaucrats and politicians are pushing back against the power of big tech companies. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims has the latest.

Apple unveiled two more-expensive versions of its Mac personal computers and a redesigned iPad, as it aims to reinvigorate lackluster sales of PCs and tablets with higher-priced devices. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce has more.

The latest versions of Apple's iPad and Mac are expected to be revealed on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks whether they will be enough to reinvigorate its tablet and PC businesses.

Despite leading what may be the first pure-play AI company to IPO, Zia Chishti, chairman and CEO of AI company Afiniti, is an AI cynic. He explains why the tech needs more human interaction.

In its continuing drive to purge fake accounts, Twitter said it lost more users than forecast. Twitter also expects more user declines ahead. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman said Twitter boosted quarterly revenue and swung to a profit.

Tesla surprised Wall Street with its latest earnings report, posting a profit for the second time in its history, mostly thanks to the Model 3. The Enderle Group's Rob Enderle breaks it down.

Investors say focus on the finalists for Amazon's second headquarters is a way to bet on places with a growing pool of tech talent. The Wall Street Journal's Keiko Morris has more.

Google, Amazon and Microsoft are making lots of new devices, but only Apple is making much money from gadgets lately. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher talks how big tech keeps trying its hand at new hardware.

Facebook has hired Britain's former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, as its top policy and communications executive -- giving a Silicon Valley outsider the task of mending the social network's image. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

Allegations that Facebook misled advertisers about video viewership have reignited debate among publishing execs about who is to blame for an ill-fated bet on video produced for social-media. The Wall Street Journal's Benjamin Mullin has more.

Countertop payment tablets like Square are turning gratuities into a public ordeal. The Wall Street Journal's Jennifer Levitz talks how new payment technology is shaming consumers into excess tipping.

Amazon, Walmart and others are using AI and robotics to transform everything from appliance shopping to grocery delivery. Welcome to the physical cloud. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims has more.

On Tuesday, when Netflix reports third-quarter earnings, the streaming giant will get to prove to investors that its earnings miss last quarter was just a passing blip and not a sign of a more serious slowdown. The Enderle Group's Rob Enderle has more.

We face constant reminders that our personal data is scattered all over the internet. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley talks how to reduce your exposure.

Top lawmakers sent a stinging letter to Google over its handling of a data vulnerability that affected hundreds of thousands of users of its Google+ social media service. The Wall Street Journal's John D. McKinnon has the details.

Google unveiled two new Pixel smartphones, a Chromebook that acts as both tablet and laptop, and a smart display designed for kitchens and bedrooms. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce has the details.

Facebook is launching a pair of video-chat devices that will give it a deeper connection to what users do in their homes -- even as it faces intense scrutiny over its handling of user data. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

Google exposed the private data of hundreds of thousands of users of the Google+ social network and then opted not to disclose the issue this past spring. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has the details.

In our "Always On" world, colleagues text and email us at all hours, expecting a quick response. But certain strategies can happily keep you out of reach -- and not out of a job. The Wall Street Journal's Matthew Kitchen has more.

With Honda investing $750 million in GM's self-driving car unit, the Wall Street Journal's Adrienne Roberts talks about how car makers and tech giants scramble to plant stakes in a landscape swiftly being reshaped by technology.

With new layouts, curbside pickup zones, and round-the-clock restocking, e-commerce has the supermarket business radically changing. The Wall Street Journal's Heather Haddon has more.

The world's cybersleuths are investigating a new mystery: Who is behind an anonymous effort to expose China's hacker army? A group called Intrusion Truth has published online messages and blog posts about hacking campaigns. The Wall Street Journal's Robert McMillan has the details.

The next era of tech won't work with a physical keyboard -- you'll interact with it the same way you do other people. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains.

Slack Technologies is actively preparing for an initial public offering in the first half of 2019, with an eye toward going public as soon as the first quarter. The Wall Street Journal's Maureen Farrell has more.

Amazon opens a new bricks-and-mortar store that will feature a selection of goods curated partly by local consumers' online shopping habits, part of its efforts to reshape the way people shop. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai plans to appear at a meeting of top GOP lawmakers Friday, responding to new scrutiny of the its work with China and alleged bias against conservatives in its search results. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has a preview.

The two co-founders of Facebook's popular Instagram app are stepping down -- a move marking continued tumult at the social-networking giant. Wall Street Journal reporter Deepa Seetharaman has the details.

Apple wants to make scripted shows for streaming -- but it doesn't want to risk its pristine brand image by including violence and risqué story lines common to cable, Netflix and Amazon. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more.

With a large number of customers coming out for the store debut of Apple's new iPhones on Friday, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle explains how customer turnout will go a long way toward determining Apple's results over the next year.

In a bid to control the smart home of the future, Amazon is offering makers of electronics a small chip that would let people use their voice to command everything from microwaves to room fans. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more.

For the second straight year, Apple is selling its new iPhones at different times-but this time, it's putting out the priciest model first. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks its new strategy.

After years toiling in obscurity, startups have suddenly hit the jackpot in a corner of the enterprise-software market sprinkled with artificial intelligence. The Wall Street Journal's Rolfe Winkler has the details.

The latest iOS 12 software from Apple is coming to your iPhones and iPads. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains why you should upgrade -- especially if you have an older device.

Elon Musk's SpaceX announced that it had signed up the first private passenger to fly around the moon. The Wall Street Journal's Andy Pasztor has more on the future of space tourism.

Apple's smartwatch added heart-monitoring and fall-detection applications that could help detect medical conditions but also trigger false alarms. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more.

Apple is making a bet that larger screens can persuade millions of iPhone owners to not only upgrade to a new device but also fork over more money. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has the details.

The European Union's executive arm joined Google and a group of free-speech advocates to oppose expanding the bloc's "right to be forgotten" beyond European borders. The Wall Street Journal's Sam Schechner has more from Luxembourg.

As the next era of 5G approaches, a battle is on to determine whether the U.S. or China will dominate. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah Krouse has more.

Companies have upgraded strollers and carriages with high-tech designs, enabling parents to take their kids along for the ride on a rugged trail ... or down a ski slope! More from Wall Street Journal contributor and freelance writer Jonathan Welsh.

After PCs and the iPhone, Apple's third act could be as a wearable technology company. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims says devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods, combined with Apple's services, could make wearables the next big growth driver for Apple.

Twitter has typically relied on users to report abusive content. But sources have told the Wall Street Journal that CEO Jack Dorsey has weighed in some high-profile decisions. The Journal's Georgia Wells has more.

With hackers looking to target major U.S. cities, municipal governments are taking out cybersecurity insurance. The Wall Street Journal's Scott Calvert talks about what cyber insurance covers and how much it costs.

Finding a new job or freelancing gig is hard enough. But the Wall Street Journal's Chris Kornelis says a poorly conceived email address can seriously harm your career prospects. He runs down some rules you should consider when changing your online handle.

New devices can measure the velocity and distance of your stroke and help determine which club to pull out next. But is all this new data actually helpful, or just another expensive golf trend? The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce aims to find out.

Corporations have increased their use of artificial intelligence to improve customer interaction. The Wall Street Journal's Steven Norton talks about how AI has helped TGI Fridays target its customers more efficiently.

Want simple, DIY home security without a camera spying on your family? The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce breaks down which ones work best.

Toyota is investing about $500 million in Uber as part of an deal to work jointly on autonomous vehicles aimed at improving safety and transportation. The Wall Street Journal's Greg Bensinger has more.

As his team hustled to put form to his idea, lining up investors willing to put up tens of billions of dollars, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was having second thoughts. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more.

America's biggest tech companies are zeroing in on Iran, scrubbing their online networks of fake accounts, videos and social-media posts by the rising cyber adversary aimed at spreading misinformation. The Wall Street Journal's Robert McMillan has more.

Apple's white wireless earphones transmit music and conversations, but some users wear them all day as a shield, a secretary and a hiding place. The Wall Street Journal's Rebecca Dolan has more.

Facebook dismantled a new set of influence campaigns originating in Iran and Russia designed to sow division in global politics, part of the social-media company's broader purge of bad actors on its site. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

Farfetch, the latest tech company to seek a U.S. listing, specializes in selling expensive items online. The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Wilmot explains why the online luxury market isn't as unique as it would have investors believe.

Videogames have gotten harder to turn off -- a concern that has mental-health experts and parents questioning the impact of gaming on players' lives. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman has the details.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai responds to criticism over reports that Google would tailor a search product to meet China's strict censorship laws. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has the details.

Best Buy looks to invest more in tech that meets the needs of older Americans, agreeing to buy GreatCall Inc., the maker of senior-focused Jitterbug mobile phones, for $800 million. The Wall Street Journal's Robert Barba has the details.

Federal regulators have subpoenaed Tesla, ramping up an investigation into whether Chief Executive Elon Musk was truthful when he tweeted last week that he had secured funding to take the electric-car maker private. The Wall Street Journal's Emily Glazer has the details.

This week, major tech companies committed to removing tech barriers that have hindered patient and provider access to health-care data online. The Wall Street Journal's John D. McKinnon has more.

Password manager Dashlane has new tools that keep you safe online --- and free you from the relentless hassle of typing your passwords. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains why it makes browsing easier.

Is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos really the richest man of modern times? The answer depends on exactly how you decide to calculate wealth. The Wall Street Journal's Jo Craven McGinty explains.

The biggest breakthrough in AI, deep learning, has hit a wall, and a debate is raging about how to get to the next level. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims explains.

New York plans to cap ride-hailing services including Uber and Lyft, becoming the first U.S. city to take such a step. The Wall Street Journal's Paul Berger has the details.

Venmo, the popular PayPal app that lets users send money along with a message, has prompted criticism about the extent of information shared. The Wall Street Journal's Peter Rudegeair has the details.

Microsoft's cheapest Surface yet tries to be both laptop and tablet. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce talks whether it nails either one.

As "Fortnite" becomes a social proving ground for children, the Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman explains how parents are more than willing to pay for their offspring to gain an edge.

As part of a larger trend of tech companies helping to wean users off their more-addictive products, Facebook has announced new tools that tally time spent and nudge you when it's time for a break. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley has the details.

As Apple spends more to keep its devices competitive, the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains how the ride to a $1 trillion market-value hasn't been cheap -- and those costs are rising.

Apple delivered its best-ever revenue for the June quarter, as demand for high-price iPhones remained resilient and services soared to new records. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more.

Walmart is exploring a subscription video-streaming service that would challenge Netflix and Amazon by offering programming that targets Middle America. The Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint has more.

Amazon's profit topped $2 billion for the first time, powered by the company's newer services businesses that are ushering the online retail giant into an era of swelling profitability. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more.

The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman explains how concerns about revenue growth, monetizing Instagram Stories and the impact of new privacy laws have hit Facebook's shares this week.

Ford is carving out its autonomous-vehicle program into a separate wholly owned company, a bid to accelerate its driverless-car efforts by attracting outside investors. The Wall Street Journal's Mike Colias has more.

Google parent Alphabet's strong earnings results have helped offset growing worries about big costs and political risks. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has more.

Tesla, in a memo, asks suppliers to return a meaningful portion of money spent since 2016. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more on its urgency to sustain operations during a critical production period.

The Tesla brand has its share of haters, but no one has yet driven the new Model 3 Performance-until now. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Neil takes a first turn behind the wheel.

Small brands easily sell their products to large numbers of customers on Amazon, but some counterfeiters are cutting into their business. Wall Street Journal reporter Laura Stevens has more.

The European Union hit Alphabet Inc.'s Google with a record antitrust fine of $5.06 billion and ordered changes to its business that could loosen the company's grip on mobile phones. The Wall Street Journal's Sam Schechner has the details.

Netflix's stock fell sharply after its quarterly subscriber growth, though still strong, fell short of expectations. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher says Netflix's soaring stock was overdue for a pause and talks about the pressures the company faces.

Mobile carriers said they would stop selling access to customers' locations to two companies-but other services rely on access to users' whereabouts to make money. Wall Street Journal reporter Sarah Krouse has more.

Amid trade tensions, Apple is set to invest in and develop clean energy projects totaling more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the details.

Despite privacy concerns, Facebook is giving researchers "full access" to user data so it can learn about the effects of social media on democracy. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has more.

Digital alternatives to keys have their advantages, but they're proving divisive. Joshua Fruhlinger, contributor to the Wall Street Journal's Off Duty, summarizes both sides of the debate.

Microsoft is cutting prices on its Surface devices and introducing a $399 tablet to compete with Apple's least-expensive iPads. The Wall Street Journal's Jay Greene has the details.

Tired of texting? The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce says voice chat might be the future of communication, as companies build walkie-talkie-type tools to address things people don't like about phone calls.

Sonos reveals its plans for an initial public offering, opening its books to show a company on pace to turn a profit this fiscal year. The Wall Street Journal's Maureen Farrell has the details.

Inundated with spam calls? Sara Clemence, former travel editor for the Wall Street Journal's Off Duty, breaks down how to stop annoying robo-callers with anti-spam apps.

The SEC and FBI join the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission in probing how the political analytics firm Cambridge Analytica purchased data on 87 million users of Facebook without their consent. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has the details.

Facebook disclosed it gave dozens of companies special access to user information, detailing for the first time a contrast with previous statements that it restricted data to outsiders in 2015. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has the latest.

Software developers are scanning hundreds of millions of Gmail users who sign up for email-based services. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has the details.

California lawmakers have given consumers unprecedented protection for their data and imposed tough restrictions on the tech industry. The Wall Street Journal's Marc Vartabedian talks whether this will serve as a template for the rest of the nation.

Amazon says it has to build out its own services to handle the surging number of online orders that UPS, FedEx and the Postal Service can't. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.

Self-driving cars could mean better public transit, more green space and less congestion -- but also urban sprawl and greater inequality. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins talks the challenges ahead of big cities.