Google's Arts and Culture app is the most-downloaded free app for both iOS and Android, meaning it's surpassed heavy hitters like Messenger and YouTube in just the past few days. . Arts and Culture has been around since 2016. Until last week, though, not many people used it. The recent surge in popularity comes from the addition of a facial recognition feature. The feature allows users to upload a selfie to find museum paintings that look like them.
Net neutrality may live to see another day. Attorneys General from 22 states--including California, Illinois and Mississippi-- are filing a lawsuit to block the FCC's recent vote to repeal Obama-era regulations.
New York State AG Schneiderman calls the rollback a "disaster for New York consumers and businesses, and for everyone who cares about a free and open internet."
YouTube is setting new rules for its content in an effort to regain advertisers' trust. For starters, employees will watch the platform's most popular videos to ensure paid ads are running alongside content that is not offensive or controversial.
Also, in addition to 10,000 views, channels will need one thousand subscribers and 4,000 hours of view time. YouTube hopes to have the review finished by the end of march
Sony is leveling up its subscription service, PlayStation Plus this week, a combination of its earlier options into a tiered plan offering options to play streaming and mostly older titles instead of day-and-date new games like those offered by rival Microsoft on its Gamepass service. Colette Bennett, a senior reporter at TheStreet and the host of the podcast "Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat," joined Cheddar News to talk about the backlash from gamers. I would say maybe like it's like a six. I'm happy to see older, stony games and have access to them, but I really would have preferred to be able to stream brand-new games. "Gamers are pretty upset that Sony is kind of repackaging the stuff that's been around more or less for years and trying to make it look new," she said. "You know, the Netflix subscription-like model is so appealing."
The most popular and most valuable cryptocurrency is also the least eco-friendly - data shows that Bitcoin mining generates the same amount of carbon emissions as the entire country of Thailand. According to nonprofit Fair Planet, 96 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions come from Bitcoin mining every year. Now, a consortium of climate activist groups is calling on the Bitcoin industry to cut its energy use by making changes to its software code. Michael Brune, former executive director of the Sierra Club, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
A cannabis software startup is offering a first-of-its-kind perk for its employees - reimbursements for legal cannabis purchases. Jointly Better bills itself as an experience-based cannabis wellness tracker and product platform. In an attempt to attract top talent, the company will reimburse up to $150 a month for its workers' lawful cannabis purchases. David Kooi, co-founder and CEO of Jointly, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Mar 31, 2022, with updates on Biden's push for more COVID funding, a wave of storms hammering the South, Etsy sellers going on strike, and more.
