REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Facebook will take down ads promising to cure coronavirus.
Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.
- Facebook is banning ads that promise to cure the coronavirus. A spokesperson told Business Insider that Facebook will also take down ads which try to create a "sense of urgency" around the outbreak.
- Salesforce co-CEO Keith Block has stepped down from his role as co-CEO. Marc Benioff will again be the company's sole CEO, while Block will stay on as an adviser to him through February 25, 2021.
- Amazon is reportedly deleting some third-party listings that jack up surgical mask prices as the coronavirus creates a shortage. Most states in the US have "price gouging" laws which prevent businesses from taking of advantage of consumers by charging exorbitant amounts of money during emergencies.
- People are selling medical face-masks on Facebook in bulk amid coronavirus fears. Public health experts have warned that stockpiling masks could make it harder for medical professionals to get the supplies they need.
- Google apologized after its Nest security cameras stopped working during a 17-hour outage. The issue unfolded during a planned update of the server's storage software.
- Airbnb is encouraging hosts to install sensors that detect high humidity and noise in an attempt to crack down on parties. The short-term rental company is offering discounts on three "party prevention" devices ranging from $100 to $150.
- Expedia announced it will cut around 12% of its workforce as it aims to "simplify" its business. In an internal email sent Monday, unnamed executives said the company had been "pursuing growth in an unhealthy and undisciplined way."
- The world's biggest iPhone factory is reportedly offering $1,000 bonuses to lure workers after being shut down over coronavirus. Foxconn's massive Zengzhou facility is offering bonuses worth more than double its average monthly wages.
- Uber is going to start putting video ads on top of its cars, and starting with 1,000 vehicles across three US cities. This marks a major new stream of revenue for the ridehailing giant, which is yet to become consistently profitable.
- The National Transportation Safety Board said both Tesla's Autopilot and an inattentive driver were likely factors in a fatal 2018 crash. The 2018 incident raised questions about how Tesla has marketed Autopilot, and whether drivers are capable of using it responsibly.
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