Skip to Content
Silicon Valley

Even huge scandals can’t dent Big Tech’s big bucks

Did someone mention a techlash? What damn techlash? Silicon Valley is doing A-OK, according to its financials.

The supposed techlash: Facebook is mired in a data scandal. YouTube is plagued by offensive content. Uber’s robo-cars may be dangerous. Google’s in EU courts over anti-competition. Amazon is blamed for job erosion. All is not well!

The news: Facebook posted record profits last quarter. YouTube grew. Google is selling more ads. Amazon doubled profits year-on-year. Microsoft is doing great.

Plus: Even Intel, which suffered a huge security scare, saw profits rise. All is well!

Why it matters: Lawmakers are pushing to rein in tech giants with regulation, while the media deluges us with stories about how the firms betray trust. But users seem undeterred by the issues of privacy and security on which the techlash is based.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.

And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.

The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.

Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.

How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets

When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.

Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch

Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.