Author: TechBrunch

TikTok went dark in the United States on Saturday night due to a federal law banning the short-form video app popular with millions of Americans. However, the company began restoring service by noon Sunday. TikTok users began receiving messages regarding the ban starting around 10:30 pm ET on Saturday evening, and the app also disappeared from the Apple and Google Play app stores. As of Sunday morning, some users in the United States could still access TikTok via the web. “We're sorry, but TikTok is currently unavailable,” the company's message reads. “A law has been enacted to ban TikTok in…

TikTok went dark for US users on Saturday night, but it may not stay that way for long. President-elect Donald Trump told Truth Social on Sunday morning that he was issuing an executive order on Monday that would “extend the period of time that the law's ban goes into effect so that we can reach agreements that protect our national security.” I posted that I plan to do so. Even before TikTok was shut down, President Trump said he would likely give the company a 90-day extension. In his Sunday post, President Trump also gave an “initial idea” of what…

As if losing your job when the startup you work for goes bankrupt isn't bad enough, security researchers have found that employees of failed startups are especially at risk of having their data stolen. This can range from personal Slack messages to social security numbers and even bank accounts. The researcher who discovered the issue is Dylan Ailey, co-founder and CEO of Truffle Security, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz. Ayrey is best known as the creator of the popular open source project TruffleHog. TruffleHog helps you monitor data leaks if bad actors obtain your identity login tools (API keys,…

In an unusual move amid the TikTok shutdown, Apple released a statement and supporting document listing all affected apps that are inaccessible in the U.S. iPhone makers don't typically release information about when they block apps. . Other ByteDance apps are also among the blocked apps, including CapCut, Lemon8 (which has proliferated in recent months), and Marvel Snap, among others. Here is the complete list of apps removed by Apple: TikTok TikTok Studio TikTok Shop Seller Center CapCut Lemon8 Hypic Lark – Team Collaboration Lark – Room Display Lark Rooms Controller Gauth: AI Study Companion MARVEL SNAP Apple said in…

TikTok has been kept in the dark in the US. That's the effect of a federal law that bans the short-form video app, popular with millions of Americans, at least for now. TikTok users began receiving messages about the ban around 10:30 p.m. ET. As of Saturday evening, the app is also no longer available in the Apple or Google Play app stores. “We're sorry, but TikTok is currently unavailable,” the company's message reads. “A law has been enacted to ban TikTok in the United States. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use TikTok at this time.” The message…

With a TikTok ban looming in the US, Perplexity AI is the latest bidder hoping to give the video app a new home. CNBC first reported on Perplexity's interest. A source familiar with the proposal confirmed to TechCrunch that Perplexity (CEO Aravind Srinivas, pictured above) has made a bid to merge with TikTok US. The official also confirmed other details about the bid. The idea was to create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US, and a new equity partner. Most investors in TikTok's parent company ByteDance will be able to keep their shares. And with the merger, Perplexity hopes…

Many proptech startups born and funded during the heyday of low interest rates are struggling. Investments in U.S.-based real estate startups fell from $11.1 billion in 2021 to $3.7 billion last year, with some companies selling themselves and others closing shop, according to PitchBook data. be. Two recent examples are the recent casualties of a challenging interest rate environment and the long-standing slump in real estate fintech funding. Fast Company reported last week that rental proptech startup Davie Homes will be acquired by Charleston, South Carolina-based Maymont Homes. Maymont is a division of Brookfield Properties. EasyKnock suddenly shut down, NPR…

U.S. prosecutors have officially linked the arrest of an active-duty U.S. Army soldier in December to the mass theft of U.S. phone records from AT&T and Verizon last year. Authorities on Dec. 20 arrested U.S. Army communications specialist Cameron John Wagenius following a brief two-page grand jury indictment charging the U.S. service member with two counts of illegally transferring confidential phone records. He was arrested in Texas. Wagenius was later extradited to Washington state. In a new court filing Friday, U.S. prosecutors said the charges against Wagenius are accusing the U.S. government of multiple intrusions into cloud computing company Snowflake,…

At 11:10pm on January 7th in Dubai, Romy Backus received an email from education technology giant Power Schools informing her that her school was the victim of a data breach that the company discovered on December 28th. Notified that it is one. According to Power School, the hackers said: They had access to a cloud system that stores large amounts of personal information on students and teachers, including social security numbers, medical information, grades, and other personal data from schools around the world. The affected companies, given that PowerSchool bills itself as North America's largest provider of cloud-based educational software…

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents and a major reason why car insurance premiums are expected to rise in 2025. For commercial vehicles, this is a nightmare. But it's a tailwind for California-based startup Netradyne. Netradyne provides vehicle owners, including major companies like Amazon, with AI-enabled dashcams that collect vehicle data and video to improve driver safety, reducing accidents by approximately 50%, according to the company. I will. These devices have inward- and outward-facing cameras and use edge computing to send real-time notifications and alert drivers when they are distracted or driving unsafely. reward good…