WSJ Tech News Briefing

Many parents have leaned on online games to keep young children entertained and connected during the pandemic. But in one popular platform, Roblox, there are dark corners: In some games, players' avatars simulate sex and "date" one another. Family and Tech Columnist Julie Jargon joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain the impact on children, and how Roblox is working to more strictly moderate content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk's internet satellite venture, Starlink, is authorized to send 12,000 satellites into orbit to expand internet access, and it is seeking permission for another 30,000. But rivals are raising concerns about the company's approach. Correspondent Bojan Pancevski joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic threatened to clobber Stripe. Instead, the payments processor became one of the most lucrative businesses in Silicon Valley. Fintech reporter Peter Rudegeair joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple is set to roll out a feature that would require apps to ask users' permission before tracking them. Facebook has been among the most vocal opponents to the change, saying it could hurt its advertising business. But small businesses could bear the brunt of it. Tech columnist Christopher Mims joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are making their way into the mainstream. Some recent developments, including the public listing of the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and a new SEC chairman seen as friendlier to crypto, have some believing that the time is ripe for a bitcoin ETF. Heard on the Street columnist Telis Demos joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain what that could look like, and how it could change investors' relationship to bitcoin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Microsoft's $16 billion acquisition of the speech-recognition company Nuance Communications is yet another sign that big tech is furthering its push into healthcare. Tech reporter Rolfe Winkler joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss the opportunity tech companies see, and the challenges that lie ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House officials met with tech executives yesterday to discuss how to address a chip shortage that has hobbled the auto industry and squeezed others in the tech sector. White House reporter Alex Leary joins host Amanda Lewellyn to recap the meeting and discuss what could happen next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About 71% of Amazon workers at a warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., voted against forming what would have been the company's first U.S. union. Tech editor Bradley Olson joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss the outcome, as well as the possible ramifications for other unionization efforts elsewhere in the tech industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The chatbots on your bank's website could someday help you manage your money in real time. WSJ Personal Finance Reporter Julia Carpenter joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain what that could look like - and the hurdles between now and then. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When NASA's Perseverance rover landed on the red planet in late February, it was carrying a stowaway: a small helicopter called Ingenuity. In the coming days, Ingenuity is set to begin a series of test flights that scientists are hoping could lead to breakthroughs in space exploration. Science writer Robert Lee Hotz joins host Amanda Lewellyn with the details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cryptocurrencies have gained traction in the mainstream in recent months, with some companies and even governments making serious investments in bitcoin and other digital assets. Now, several financial firms have formed a trade group to lobby for the technology and champion its economic benefits. Global financial editor Geoffrey Rogow joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain what they're pushing for, and why now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook is rolling out new controls that would make it easier for users to determine what is in their feeds. Senior Personal Tech Columnist Joanna Stern joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss what the change means for the company and users. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An influx of new gadgets aim to help you sleep better by collecting data about your heart rate, time in bed, and sleep cycles. But are they worth it? Personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration this week unveiled a $2.3 trillion plan to update the nation's infrastructure, including $100 billion to expand internet access. Tech policy reporter Ryan Tracy joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss the hurdles the plan faces. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When FireEye raised the alarm about the massive SolarWinds breach in December, it did so of its own volition: There were no laws that required the company to disclose the attack. Now lawmakers are taking a fresh look at revamping laws around the disclosure of breaches. Cybersecurity reporter David Uberti joins host Amanda Lewellyn to explain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple is set to roll out a new privacy feature that will make it harder for third parties to track users. Advertisers pushed back when the change was first announced. But now that the update is set to be rolled out in the coming weeks, some are developing new digital-ad strategies. Reporter Patience Haggin joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss what they have come up with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between the pandemic and the rise of food-delivery apps, restaurants are relying more heavily on take-away to survive. Now they are developing virtual brands to attract more customers through the apps. Reporter Heather Haddon joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss the trend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., are voting on whether to unionize. It would be the first union for Amazon workers in the U.S., and could have a massive impact at Amazon and beyond. Tech reporter Sebastian Herrera joins host Amanda Lewellyn with the details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traditionally, children's book publishers have relied heavily on creative give and take between authors and editors, sometimes using focus groups and other data sources for market intelligence. But one digital library, Epic, is using data to inform the process of creating children's books. Arts and entertainment reporter Ellen Gamerman joins host Amanda Lewellyn to discuss. Christopher Zinsli is our supervising producer. Kateri Jochum is the executive producer of WSJ Podcasts. Learn more...

The heads of Facebook, Twitter and Google's parent Alphabet are expected to make their first appearance before the new Congress today, where they are likely to face questions about how they moderate content on their platforms. Tech policy reporter Ryan Tracy joins host Amanda Lewellyn with a look ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices