Trump's Tech Titans: The Billionaires Club Takes Over

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Welcome to the Era of Gangster Tech Regulation

Big Tech has a new favorite playground: Washington, D.C. The Trump administration’s cozy relationship with Silicon Valley billionaires has created a free-for-all where influence is the hottest commodity, and regulatory escape routes are up for grabs. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, and Mark Zuckerberg didn’t just RSVP to Trump’s inauguration - they bought front-row seats to policymaking with donations and promises of loyalty.

So, what are these tech titans getting in return? A chance to bend policy in their favor, dodge antitrust scrutiny, and scoop up government contracts. Think of it as a high-stakes Monopoly game, where everyone is buying “Get Out of Jail Free” cards.

Key moves in the power game:

• Crypto clout: Venture capitalists are shelling out $10M–$20M per player to secure lax regulations and cozy up to a new “crypto czar.”

• Defense dollars: Companies like Anduril and Palantir are pushing to take over Pentagon contracts, with help from Big Tech’s MAGA faithful.

• AI ambitions: Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are all racing to win government AI contracts, with Musk’s xAI angling for a piece of the pie.

While this may sound like a tech-policy bonanza, the stakes are much bigger. Mass privatization and selective legal enforcement are reshaping the economy, tilting it toward corporate interests while everyday consumers lose out. From crypto scams to privacy violations, unchecked greed is eroding trust and innovation in favor of fast profits.

Zoom out: Silicon Valley’s elite aren’t just influencing the rules - they’re rewriting them. But when this clown car of competing interests inevitably veers off a cliff, it’s the rest of us who’ll be picking up the pieces.

TikTok’s U.S. Ban: Trump’s Last-Minute Power Play

TikTok’s legal limbo is turning into a high-stakes drama. The app officially went dark today due to a U.S. ban requiring it to sever ties with Chinese parent ByteDance - but it didn’t stay offline for long. President-elect Donald Trump has called for service providers like Apple and Google to restore TikTok, promising to extend the ban’s deadline and shield companies from penalties. The problem? Legal experts say Trump doesn’t have that power.

The stakes are massive:

• Fines galore: TikTok’s service providers face up to $850 billion in fines if they flout the ban.

• Legal hurdles: Congress demanded a ByteDance divestiture. Trump’s proposed extension lacks a deal to back it up.

• Risk vs. reward: Companies like Oracle and Apple could be banking on Trump’s promises but may face shareholder lawsuits if the assurances don’t hold.

TikTok went dark after President Joe Biden opted not to extend the ban on his final day in office. Trump’s proposed extension - announced via Truth Social - claims it will protect national security while saving TikTok for his inauguration livestream. TikTok responded by coming back online, thanking Trump for his leadership, despite Congress and legal experts questioning the move’s validity.

What now? Legal scholars say Trump could technically certify a deal exists to trigger a 90-day extension - but only by misleading Congress. Without such certification, companies enabling TikTok’s operation are treading on legally shaky ground. Bloomberg analysts suggest firms like Oracle may see currying favor with the Trump administration as worth the risk, despite potentially massive liability.

Zoom out: TikTok’s fate remains precarious. Congress could pass an extension, but that seems unlikely in time for Trump’s inauguration. For now, Trump’s promises may leave tech companies caught between political influence and legal exposure.

Severance Season 2 is Here: Back to the Sci-Fi Office Where Work is Life - Literally

Mark Scout is back, and so is the unsettling world of Lumon Industries in Apple TV+’s dystopian thriller, Severance. After nearly three years, the breakout series returns with a second season that deepens its exploration of corporate overreach, rebellion, and the meaning of identity - all through the lens of Lumon’s creepy severance program.

ICYMI: At Lumon, employees undergo a procedure that splits their memories and consciousness into two personas: a work-self (“innie”) and a home-self (“outie”). The result? Total work-life “balance.” But as season one revealed, the price is steep: memory suppression, manipulation, and exploitation. When Mark’s innie discovered his supposedly dead wife might still be alive - and his team briefly broke free from Lumon’s control - the stakes skyrocketed.

Catch up with the rebellion:

• Mark’s fight continues: Season two opens with Mark’s innie, now aware of his outie, returning to work to find his team replaced and floor manager Milchick promoted.

• Corporate “damage control”: Lumon promises reform - better perks and sunnier messaging - while covering up its darker truths.

• Power dynamics shift: Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) grapples with her demotion, while Milchick feels the weight of placating both workers and the shadowy board.

The new season dives into timely themes: post-pandemic workplace struggles, corporate attempts to regain control, and the rising cynicism of workers navigating “late-stage capitalism.” Sound familiar? Series creator Dan Erickson’s dark satire seems tailor-made for a world of return-to-office mandates and quiet quitting.

Zoom out: With an estimated $20 million price tag per episode, Severance isn’t just a critical darling - it’s a massive bet for Apple TV+. But with its sharp commentary, surreal aesthetics, and strong fanbase, the series might just be worth every severed penny.

Quick Bits

• Female-led Tech Startups Raise £190 Million: Eight female CEOs and founders in the UK tech industry have collectively secured £190 million in funding, highlighting significant strides in diversity and leadership within the sector. 

• TSMC Technology Found in Huawei AI Chips: Despite U.S. sanctions, Huawei’s new AI chips reportedly incorporate core circuitry from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), raising questions about the effectiveness of current export controls. 

• Meta’s Vision of an AI-Powered Future: Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s CTO, envisions a future where AI-powered technologies, such as Meta’s Orion holographic smart glasses, could render smartphones and traditional TVs obsolete, offering immersive and cost-effective alternatives.