About Michael Kan
Michael has been a PCMag reporter since October 2017. He previously covered tech news in China from 2010 to 2015, before moving to San Francisco to write about cybersecurity.
More From Michael Kan
News and Trends
Facebook to Slap Labels on Newsworthy, But Rule-Breaking Posts From Politicians
In some cases, Facebook will leave up a rule-breaking post from an elected official because it's been declared 'newsworthy and in the public interest.' Now the company is going to label such posts to make this distinction clear.
News and Trends
Yep, Amazon Renamed a Sports Venue in Seattle 'Climate Pledge Arena'
Amazon says the 18,000-seat venue formerly known as KeyArena is being renovated to become the first net zero carbon sports arena in the world.
News and Trends
Reddit CEO Vows to Fight Racism on the Site, But Users Remain Doubtful
A 'gap between our content policy and our values has eroded our effectiveness in combating hate and racism,' says Reddit CEO Steve Huffman.
News and Trends
Elon Musk Calls for Breakup of Amazon Over COVID-19 Book's Takedown
Musk was set off by Amazon's decision to pull an ebook about COVID-19 from a controversial author who's been questioning the pandemic's severity. Amazon has since republished the book.
News and Trends
Facebook Moves to Let More Employees Work From Home Permanently
The only catch? Facebook is indicating it'll lower the pay for employees who move out of a Silicon Valley, which has a high cost of living.
Facebook
'Facebook Shops' Lets You Shop Your Favorite Stores From the Social Network's App
The company is hoping Facebook Shops will help fill an economic void created by COVID-19, which is preventing many small businesses from serving customers at physical storefronts.
News and Trends
Uber to Riders and Drivers: Wear a Mask or Lose Access to App
Uber will ask drivers to take a selfie through the Uber app before picking up rides. Riders will indicate in the app that they have a mask or face covering.
Twitter
Twitter Makes Working From Home a Permanent Option for Some Employees
'The past few months have proven we can make that work,' a Twitter spokesperson said on the company's decision to make working from home a permanent option for some employees.
Crisis Management
Twitter Moves to Curb COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories With Warnings, Labels
'These warnings will inform people that the information in the Tweet conflicts with public health experts' guidance before they view it,' the company says.
Airbnb
COVID-19 Forces Airbnb to Cut 25 Percent of Workforce, Scale Back Business
'Airbnb's business has been hit hard, with revenue this year forecasted to be less than half of what we earned in 2019,' CEO Brian Chesky says of the pandemic.
Crisis Management
Amazon VP Quits in Protest After Workers Who Raised COVID-19 Concerns Are Fired
'Remaining an Amazon VP would have meant, in effect, signing off on actions I despised. So I resigned,' wrote former Amazon vice president Tim Bray on Monday.
Recovery
Unlocking Your iPhone While Wearing a Mask Will Get Easier With Upcoming iOS Update
The change, spotted in the 13.5 beta release, will help users avoid unnecessary hassle.
News and Trends
Facebook Goes After Zoom With 'Messenger Rooms' Video Chat
The real standout feature is how your Messenger Room can live on your Facebook profile, enabling friends or family members to spontaneously drop in and hang out with you over the video chat.
News and Trends
FBI: Think Twice Before Posting Your High School Photos on Social Media
#Classof2020 has been trending on social media, prompting people of all ages to post their high school photos. The problem: That info could help scammers solve password reset security questions.
Netflix
Netflix Sees Huge Subscriber Boost After Coronavirus Lockdowns
The video-streaming service added a record 15.77 million paid subscribers during the first quarter. However, Netflix is also warning that some upcoming titles will be delayed due to the pandemic.