Business
Bill Gates Conspiracy Theories Have Circulated For Years. It Took The Coronavirus Pandemic To Turn Him Into A Fake Villain.
After months of conspiracy-mongering, people around the world are demanding Gates be arrested for crimes against humanity. Here’s how things got so bad.
Ryan Broderick
Instagram Has Been Taken Over By Influencers Giving Away Free Pelotons. What's The Catch?
"The amount of random people I’ve followed on Instagram solely in hopes of winning a Peloton is ridiculous."
Stephanie McNeal
Harris Teeter Won't Tell Employees What Their Temperature Is During New Health Screenings
The Kroger-owned supermarket chain also says the temperature checks aren't medical examinations.
Brianna Sacks
Even If You're Trying To Avoid Grubhub By Calling Your Favorite Restaurant Directly, Grubhub Could Still Be Charging It A Fee
“If a customer calls to place a coffee order, we’re paying a $6.42 fee — for a coffee.”
Venessa Wong
In San Francisco, Working From Home Is Here To Stay. The Techies Might Not Be.
“Somebody give me reasons to be in the SF meatspace vs. somewhere in the forest.”
Alex Kantrowitz
Facebook Banned Mask Ads. They're Still Running.
Using misleading Facebook pages and deceptive ads, ZestAds sold coronavirus masks at wildly inflated prices.
Craig Silverman
As Salons Reopen During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Hairstylists Want A Beauty Industry Bailout
"I want to see them considering the beauty industry as a real industry worth saving," said Mercedes Ortiz-Olivieri, who owns a salon in Washington DC.
Stephanie K. Baer
Americans Are Really Scared About Their Economic Future
A third of Americans expect their households' finances to be worse a year from now.
Venessa Wong
"How Am I Going To Survive?": A Costco Meatpacking Worker Speaks Of Her Fears As She And Others Labor To Keep Chicken In Stores
As concerns about a meat shortage mount, a meatpacking worker discusses her fear of getting the coronavirus while still needing to work.
Melissa Segura
Unemployment Is Higher For Low-Wage Workers, Women, People Of Color
The overall jobless rate was 14.7% in April.
Venessa Wong
Clearview AI Has Promised To Cancel All Relationships With Private Companies
Facing numerous lawsuits, the New York startup said it "is cancelling the accounts of every customer who was not either associated with law enforcement or some other federal, state, or local government department, office, or agency.”
Ryan Mac
Grubhub Collected Record Fees From Restaurants Struggling To Stay Alive During The Pandemic
Restaurants expect to lose $240 billion by the end of the year, but for Grubhub, “COVID-19 is a net tailwind” for now.
Venessa Wong
Hospitals Expect To Lose More Than $200 Billion Because Of The Coronavirus
In the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, more than a million health care workers have lost their jobs. Hospitals expect to lose $202.6 billion by June.
Venessa Wong
Wildlife Traffickers Are Setting Up Fake Zoos On Facebook To Sell The Scales Of Endangered Pangolins
The pages are as easy to find as searching the word “pangolin" in Vietnamese.
Ryan Broderick
A Salon Owner Was Ordered Jailed For 7 Days After Refusing To Close Her Business During Quarantine
"Your actions were selfish, putting your own interests ahead of those of the community in which you live," the judge told salon owner Shelley Luther, who refused to apologize in court.
Salvador Hernandez
Amazon Didn’t Pay This Worker Who Tested Positive For The Coronavirus Until A Reporter Asked Questions
Amazon has publicly promised to pay workers who test positive for or are quarantined because of the coronavirus, but some say they haven’t received that money.
Caroline O'Donovan
Apple And Google Have Released Their Paint-By-Numbers Recommendations For Contact Tracing Apps
The companies say that public health authorities have asked for help in designing what contact tracing apps might look like.
Caroline Haskins
J.Crew Has Filed For Bankruptcy During The Coronavirus Lockdowns
It can’t help that no one has gotten into real pants for months.
Venessa Wong
The Angry Protest Images From Michigan Don't Tell The Whole Story As The State Decides How To Reopen
The nation is seeing groups of angry protesters, some with face masks and others carrying rifles — on TV and on social media. But many people in the state don't agree on when business should reopen.
John Wisely
Costco Is Loosening Coronavirus Crowd Restrictions. Employees Say It's Still Not Safe.
"They are allowing up to 600 people in the store at a time. Employees have to dodge people like it's a minefield. It’s just a complete breakdown at every level.”
Brianna Sacks
Renters Were Already Screwed. Now They’re In A Panic.
As renters and landlords seek more government relief in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the larger crisis of housing affordability looms.
Venessa Wong
Starbucks Will Keep Seating Closed, But Start To Reopen For To-Go Service In May
By early June, 90% of US stores will be open for to-go and delivery orders. Seating will remain closed.
Venessa Wong
Small Businesses Are Reinventing Themselves To Survive The Coronavirus Pandemic
Work-at-home desks, face shields, and home shopping — here is how these businesses are trying to survive.
Alex Kantrowitz
Georgia, Tennessee, And Alaska Want Restaurants To Reopen — McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, And Dunkin’ Are Saying Not So Fast.
The socially distanced future of eating out is coming, but it isn't here quite yet.
Venessa Wong
How The Coronavirus Is Changing Television Production
“The first week it was a little bit more ragtag. It was definitely more like, Wait, what are we doing here?” a Tonight Show producer told BuzzFeed News.
Krystie Lee Yandoli
Australia Wants Facebook And Google To Pay News Outlets For Their Content. Could Governments Around The World Follow?
As the coronavirus pandemic decimates the economics of the news industry, the Australian government is stepping in. It may not be the only one.
Alex Kantrowitz
Facebook Just Invested $5.7 Billion In India's Largest Telecom Carrier
The deal makes Facebook the largest minority shareholder in Jio.
Pranav Dixit
The Emails Promising Coronavirus-Protecting Masks Seemed Too Good To Be True. They Were.
Roughly a billion emails promoted overpriced face masks with misleading claims. The man selling them says it isn't his fault.
Craig Silverman
UPDATE: The Company Running An Oregon Online Coronavirus Symptom Tracker Now Says It Won't Sell Your Data To Advertisers
The privacy policy for Vital's coronavirus symptom tracker for Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties had previously reserved the right to sell residents' personal data.
Caroline Haskins
They Own More Than 1,000 Burger Kings. They May Apply For A Coronavirus Small Business Loan.
With 1,036 stores, Carrols Restaurant Group is the largest Burger King franchisee in the country. It told investors on Friday it may take out a loan designed to support small businesses.
David Mack
