10 things in tech you need to know today
Howdy! Today we're talking about reactions to Jack Dorsey's tweetstorm about Web3 and the Facebook whistleblower's words for Mark Zuckerberg.
Let's get to it.
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1. Jack Dorsey took to Twitter to bash Web3. Other experts have chimed in. Notable figures like Elon Musk responded, with the Tesla chief asking if "anyone's seen Web3." The next generation of the internet has been touted as a decentralized alternative to Big Tech — but many experts are unconvinced.
- The former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan responded to Dorsey, arguing Web3 presents the possibility of building a better internet, but Box CEO Aaron Levie said it would merely create "underlying toll booths" for users.
- Gaby Goldberg, a crypto investor, thinks the internet evolution will bring about greater competition for tech firms while giving power back to consumers.
- IBM Research software architect Grady Booch doesn't think Web3 will be able to scale efficiently to billions of users due to the "computationally expensive" structure of blockchain technology.
Here's what else top web and digital asset experts are saying.
In other news:
2. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen knows what she'd say to Mark Zuckerberg if she ever met him. Haugen said she would tell the Meta CEO that he didn't have to live the life he's been living, and that he doesn't "have to be afraid." Here's what else she would tell the controversial exec.
3. Verily CEO Andy Conrad is stepping back to focus on "long-term strategy." Conrad will be taking on a more strategic role at the Alphabet life sciences company. The move comes as Stephen Gillett, Verily's chief operating officer, is promoted to president. More on that here.
4. Getting legally married in the metaverse isn't a thing — at least not yet. Life in the virtual world is changing at breakneck speed as tech firms continue to bet big on digital spaces. While a wedding conducted virtually would still need some grounding in physical life, the distinction may get more blurry — just ask this couple who recently wed in the metaverse.
5. How much does Reddit pay its employees? We scoured public data released this year to learn how much the IPO-bound company pays for certain roles, including engineers, data scientists, and product managers — many of which pull in six figures a year. Plus, check out our comprehensive salary database here.
6. Lawmakers demand answers from Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy over the deaths of Amazon staffers in warehouse collapse. A total of 23 US lawmakers sent them a letter after six workers were killed in the warehouse that was hit by a tornado last week. Now, Bezos and Jassy are facing questions regarding warehouse safety protocols and procedures.
7. Meta's Facebook is expanding its Bulletin platform as the newsletter wars heat up. Campbell Brown, Facebook's VP of global news partnerships said it plans to bring on more writers for the newsletter platform in the new year. Find out what else she has in store.
8. Boeing and Airbus want the US to delay its 5G rollout. The companies' CEOs, worried that 5G interference could affect planes' ability to fly safely, wrote to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to ask him to delay the rollout. Here's what the CEOs are requesting.
9. The founder of Black Girls Code has been ousted as head of the nonprofit. Kimberly Bryant has been removed from her leadership role at the organization as the board stated that it was investigating claims of workplace impropriety. Bryant remains on staff. Read more on the investigation here.
10. The electric Ford F-150 can now charge other cars. Both the F-150 Lightning and the hybrid F-150 will both be able to act as mobile electric-vehicle chargers, the company announced yesterday. Here's how it works.
What we're watching today:
- "The Matrix Resurrections" will be released in theaters and on HBO Max.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb and Phil Rosen in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.