Tootfinder

Netflix announces a partnership with iHeartMedia to exclusively publish at least 15 video podcasts beginning in early 2026, including The Breakfast Club (Jessica Testa/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/business/media/netflix-iheartme…

Netflix Adds Podcasts in Deal With iHeartMedia
The streaming service now has about 30 video podcasts lined up for 2026, including the influential radio show “The Breakfast Club.”

The US threatens economic penalties against European companies like Spotify, if the EU does not roll back regulations and lawsuits targeting US tech giants (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/business/economy/us-eu-tech-penalties.html<…

U.S. Threatens Penalties Against European Tech Firms Amid Regulatory Fight
The Trump administration singled out European tech firms by name and promised economic consequences Tuesday unless the E.U. rolls back tech regulation and lawsuits.

Elizabeth Warren and two Democratic senators write to Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and more to investigate AI data centers' role in rising electricity costs (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/busines

Senators Investigate Role of A.I. Data Centers in Rising Electricity Costs
Three Democrats are seeking information from tech firms about the growing energy use of data centers and the utility bills of individuals and other businesses.

Investigation: $28B in crypto tied to illicit activity flowed into crypto exchanges like Binance over the last two years, as President Trump embraces crypto (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/technology/crypto-exchanges-dirty-money.html

The Crypto Industry’s $28 Billion in ‘Dirty Money’
As President Trump has championed crypto and the industry has gone mainstream, funds from scammers and other criminal groups have flowed onto major crypto exchanges.

Sources: the US has paused a tech trade deal with the UK, signed in September, over disagreements about the UK's digital regulations and food safety rules (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/13/business/economy/trump-uk-trade-deal-tariffs…

U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal Hits Stumbling Block
The U.S. government has paused a tech-focused trade pledge with Britain over broader disagreements about Britain’s digital regulations and food safety rules.

The UK has ramped up the use of facial recognition, AI, and internet regulation to address crime and other issues, stoking concerns of surveillance overreach (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/t…

Has Britain Gone Too Far With Its Digital Controls?
British authorities have ramped up the use of facial recognition, artificial intelligence and internet regulation to address crime and other issues, stoking concerns of surveillance overreach.

Internal documents: Salesforce pitched ICE on using its AI tech to nearly triple the agency's staff by hiring 10K new officers, improve investigations, and more (Heather Knight/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/us/sale

Salesforce Offers Its Services to Boost ICE Immigration Force
The San Francisco-based firm has told ICE that it could use A.I. to help the agency nearly triple its staff. The company’s C.E.O., once a progressive tech titan, has embraced President Trump.

VW plans to end vehicle production at its Dresden plant, which opened in 2001, and convert it into a research hub focused on AI, robotics, and chip design (Gregory Schmidt/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/business/volkswagen-dresden-factor…

Volkswagen to End Production at German Plant, a First in Company History
The auto giant stopped making cars at the plant in Dresden, which opened in 2001, as it faces weaker demand and steep U.S. tariffs.

Sources: AI startup Project Prometheus raised $6.2B, including from Jeff Bezos, who will become co-CEO, his first operational role since leaving Amazon in 2021 (Cade Metz/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/technology/bezos-project-prometheus.html

Jeff Bezos Creates A.I. Start-Up Where He Will Be Co-Chief Executive
Called Project Prometheus, the company is focusing on artificial intelligence for the engineering and manufacturing of computers, automobiles and spacecraft.