The Week in Business: The Post-Lockdown Office
For a four-day workweek, this past one sure felt long. Catch up on what you missed in the business and tech worlds, and get some rest this weekend.
What’s Up? (May 24-30)
Trump Takes On Twitter
Speaking of Social Media …
… and partisanship, and discord: For the past two years, Facebook has been studying whether its algorithms make people more polarized. The researchers concluded that it does, and recommended changes to the company’s systems to steer people away from echo chambers that promote an “us versus them” mentality. But the company’s top executives decided not to adopt most of the proposed changes. After all, when people get riled up, they tend to rant and comment on their feeds — which ultimately boosts Facebook’s business, even if it narrows people’s worldviews.
Not So Special Anymore
For the past few months, tensions between China and the United States have revolved around the coronavirus. Now that bad blood is drifting back to trade, by way of Hong Kong. China has been tightening its grip on Hong Kong for years, and on Thursday, it passed a new law to allow its strict security agencies to operate more widely and openly in the city, quashing the liberties of its residents. In response, Mr. Trump announced on Friday that the United States would no longer consider Hong Kong to be significantly autonomous from China. That’s a big deal for Hong Kong’s economy, which has previously been exempt from the Trump administration’s tariffs on Chinese goods. It may not get those special privileges anymore.
The New Office
Just as you’ve finally gotten used to working from home (don’t forget to add that new printer to your tax write-offs), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its recommended protocols for the safest way for employers to reopen their offices. If companies follow them, then workers would be checked for coronavirus symptoms whenever they come in, sit six feet away from colleagues and possibly have plastic shields between desks.
What Else?
In this weird new reality, it’s almost comforting to know that some things haven’t changed — like the standoff over Brexit. Negotiations resume this week, but the process remains deadlocked. Meanwhile, Instagram announced updates that will help creators profit from their audiences. And HBO released its new streaming service, HBO Max, to better compete with its rival Netflix.