The CEOs of top tech firms met with Biden to discuss US cybersecurity. Though cooperation may help, meaningful change will require legislation or the enforcement of mandatory security standards.

If the NSA-AWS deal succeeds, it could make AWS the US government’s preferred cloud provider. But if Microsoft succeeds, the government cloud space might go right back to where it started.

Amazon fined under GDPR: The tech giant was fined €746 million for using consumer shopping data for ad targeting without consent—which doesn’t bode well for other Big Tech companies that are facing privacy-related scrutiny.

Tech companies are ditching legacy industry lobbying firms like the Internet Association in favor of their own individual approach. The shift allows Big Tech firms to target particular legislation that most specifically affects their products or business practices.

China is often seen as the wild west of privacy protection, where unscrupulous companies collect and trade personal data as regulators and consumers stand idly by. The Chinese government has been trying to change that, most recently by drafting a privacy law akin to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). While the implications for businesses are still murky, it’s clear that China is determined to tackle this issue its own way, at its own pace.

Why Google is still feeling lucky

I'm feeling lucky: Google's raking in search ad revenue

On today's episode, we discuss why paid newsletter subscriptions are having a moment, the competitive advantages of the biggest players, and why marketers should (or shouldn't) get involved. We then talk about HBO Max's upcoming ad-supported offering, whether Microsoft buying Discord makes sense, and the real problem with password sharing. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer analyst at Insider Intelligence Nina Goetzen.

Microsoft is in talks to acquire the popular chat platform, part of a greater focus by Microsoft on social media.