Mark Zuckerberg is turning Facebook into Instagram as part of his self-declared “year of efficiency.”
Happy March, reader. I'm Diamond Naga Siu, and I need to up my phone security. I lazily use the pattern unlock feature on my Android phone, but my colleague Sam Tabahriti's story scared me.
He chatted with a woman who was locked out of her Apple account minutes after her iPhone was stolen. $10,000 was then taken out of her bank account. And Apple was "not helpful at all" when she tried regaining access to her Apple account. Yikes.
This could really happen to anyone. Her phone was stolen while she stood outside of a bar. And she thinks the thief saw her enter the passcode, then waited for an opportunity to steal the device.
Before I go change all my passwords and update my security settings, let's dive into today's tech.
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1. Meta wants Facebook to be more like its younger sibling Instagram. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is structurally changing Facebook to mimic Instagram. The restructuring — which will likely include layoffs, as Insider reported — is part of Zuck's planned "year of efficiency."
- Facebook encompasses the most Meta employees. Multiple people told Insider they expect around 5-10% more of Meta's headcount to get cut in this move
- And managers are concerned about their roles, after Zuck recently blasted "managers managing managers, managing managers, managing managers, managing." Some teams have already been stripped from managers, a current employee told Insider.
- My colleagues Kali Hays and Sydney Bradley break down how Facebook is being molded to look more like Instagram.
Here are the recent changes employees are seeing.
In other news:
2. Inside MediaMath's unraveling. It once seemed the hottest adtech startup around, destined for a fairy-tale exit. But last April, MediaMath's cofounders and early investors saw their equity wiped out. Here's how ambition, missed opportunities, a late-stage investment, and a boardroom breakdown led to a "Shakespearean tragedy."
3. Google's sister company changed scientific history. DeepMind, an Alphabet-owned company, made a breakthrough that sped up the hunt for new drugs. More than 1 million researchers use the technology, and it could help develop even more cures. Here's its origin story.
4. Amazon employees are dueling over office work. Following uproar against CEO Andy Jassy's return-to-office mandate, hundreds of Amazon employees banded together to support the directive. Screenshots of the new #RTO Slack channel were leaked to Insider. Check out the internal tug-of-war here.
5. Anotha one, anotha one: Walmart says no ChatGPT. A leaked Walmart memo revealed that employees were warned against sharing confidential information with ChatGPT. It echoes similar warnings from Microsoft and Amazon. More from Walmart Global Tech's memo here.
6. Salesforce is reportedly paying Matthew McConaughey $10 million per year. It struck a deal with the actor to serve as a "creative advisor," per a Wall Street Journal report. Meanwhile, there are also growing expectations that Salesforce is readying a succession plan to appease activist investors.
7. Lowest-earning college majors. The New York Federal Reserve released a new report on college majors and pay. It revealed that recent grads of six majors, including psychology and hospitality, make less than $40,000 per year on average. Check out the full list here.
8. iPhone users could soon send iMessages through PCs. A few Windows users are currently testing this feature. The updated Phone Link app would allow users to send and receive messages (though not group messages or sending media). Here are all the details of the new feature.
Odds and ends:
9. Our sun is getting more active. The sun is entering a period of hyperactivity that will last several years. It'll emit more solar flares, which can disrupt Earth's radio communications and power grids. More on the near, solar future here.
10. These are the best MagSafe battery packs for iPhone users. They make wireless charging secure, convenient, and portable. We found options for different styles and budgets, while looking at charging speed, size, weight, and battery strength. Check them all out here.
What we're watching today:
- Tesla's annual Investor Day is at 4 PM EST/1 PM PST. Here's the livestream.
- Quarterly earnings for Salesforce, Lowe's, Snowflake, and other companies. Keep up with earnings here.
- Billboard's annual Women in Music Awards.
- Michael B. Jordan is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Happy birthday, Lupita Nyong'o. Wakanda Forever.
Curated by Diamond Naga Siu in San Diego. (Feedback or tips? Email dsiu@insider.com or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Matt Weinberger (tweet @gamoid) in San Francisco and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.