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YouTube lifts restrictions, imposed after the January 6 insurrection, on Trump's channel after evaluating the “continued risk of real-world violence” — YouTube will lift its restrictions on former President Trump's channel Friday, a spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
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@youtubeinsider, The Wrap, Mediaite, The Verge, The Guardian, CNN, TechCrunch, The Hill, Variety, New York Daily News, NPR, Bloomberg, Engadget, Al Jazeera, New Republic, New York Post, @mattnavarra, @melissaryan, @mollyjongfast, Fox News, The Hollywood Reporter, Semafor, @rubinreport, @lolgop, The Daily Beast, @mikerugnetta, Deadline and Rolling Stone, more at Techmeme »


Sources: the FBI and DOJ are investigating what led TikTok's parent company ByteDance to use the app to surveil US journalists; source: ByteDance was subpoenaed — Months before the U.S. government demanded ByteDance divest from TikTok, the Department Of Justice's Criminal Division subpoenaed …


In a first for a music streaming service, Bandcamp employees form a union called Bandcamp United, which will include 62 people, and ask for an NLRB election — U.S. employees at Bandcamp, an online audio distributor, have announced their formation of a union.
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Engadget, @modernistwitch, @mountain_goats, @rollingstone, Pitchfork, Bloomberg and Billboard


Founder Sherrell Dorsey announces that The Plug, a news outlet focused on Black tech news and research, is closing — Dear readers, subscribers, and long-time supporters— Today is the last day our team will serve you all through The Plug. — We're closing our doors, but never abandoning our convictions.
Discussion:
@sheistyler, @ingridriley, @lolitataub, @kristyt, @deongordon, @jewelmelanie, @culturebanx, @melissa_kimble and @rafat


Meta rolls out Verified in the US for $12/month on web or $15 on iOS/Android, with a blue badge, proactive impersonation protection, and direct customer support — Meta's paid verification program is available in the US starting today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Instagram channel.
Discussion:
TechCrunch and The Verge, more at Techmeme »


Amazon stops selling newspaper and magazine subscriptions for Kindle and in print; some titles, including USA Today, are still available via Kindle Unlimited — It doesn't matter whether they're for your Kindle or in print — starting this week, Amazon will no longer sell print or digital newspaper and magazine subscriptions.


An interview with Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein on reader donations, paywalls, and quality over quantity; readers donated 74% of its $16.8M FY 2021 revenue — “Smart, fearless journalism” is the tagline of American investigative news outlet Mother Jones - but would this mission …
Discussion:
@pressgazette, @charliebeckett, @pressgazette and Mother Jones


Sources: Twitter explored licensing music rights from three major labels, but negotiations stalled after Musk's takeover and were abandoned due to costs — Twitter didn't move forward with the music licensing deals because of costs, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Discussion:
Insider, Wall Street Journal and @kateconger, more at Techmeme »


McClatchy promotes Robyn Tomlin to Chief News Officer, effective immediately; Tomlin previously served as VP for local news — Today McClatchy, one of the largest media companies in the United States, announced the promotion of Robyn Tomlin to chief news officer, effective immediately.
Discussion:
Raleigh News & Observer


Book adaptation: a reporter chronicles his perilous road trip through the Central African Republic to document the war between the government and rebels — A reporter's perilous trip to document war in the Central African Republic One evening in the fall of 2013, I was at home …


Q&A with Dina Srinivasan, author of The Antitrust Case Against Facebook, on Meta and Google's ad duopoly, the US antitrust cases, concerns about Apple, and more — In February 2019, Dina Srinivasan, then an independent scholar, published an academic paper entitled ‘The Antitrust Case Against Facebook’ …
Discussion:
@rasmus_kleis, @paultang, @markscott82, @anshublog, @patrickmcgee_, @dinasrinivasan and @spignal


Twitch CEO Emmett Shear steps down after 16 years at the company, replaced by president Dan Clancy, effective immediately; Shear is a Justin.tv co-founder — After serving as its chief executive for more than a decade, Twitch CEO Emmett Shear will take a step back at the company.
Discussion:
Insider, Twitch Blog, Variety, @pocketyoutube, @chasejustchase, @dieselttv, @chilledchaos, @rhymestyle, Tubefilter, Deadline, IGN, New York Times and The Information, more at Techmeme »