How the MAGA goon squad became tech lobbyists

Hello there, world! Welcome to the second issue of Regulator, a newsletter about the collision between Big Tech and Washington. If you enjoy this, consider subscribing to get this newsletter weekly and everything The Verge has to offer. Lobbying might be a dubious industry, but lobbyists themselves are often some of the best sources in … Read more

Ticket reseller sued for illegally buying over 2,000 Taylor Swift tickets

Photo by Erika Goldring/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management The Federal Trade Commission is suing a ticket broker for allegedly using “illegal means” to buy up hundreds of thousands of live event tickets, including for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. Key Investment Group, which also does business as Epic Seats, TotalTickets.com, and Totally Tix, is accused … Read more

Palestine was the problem with TikTok

In the last month, the war in Gaza has become an inescapable facet of the public consciousness as a new surge of images of Palestinian children – their faces impossibly sunken, their limbs reduced to skin and bone – flooded the internet. As the pictures became ubiquitous, the outcry became louder than ever. These conditions … Read more

Spotify’s new track mixing tool adds DJ features to your playlists

The Mix feature is currently in beta. Spotify is testing a new audio mixing feature that allows you to customize track transitions for your playlists. Now rolling out in beta for “eligible Premium users,” the Mix feature provides an option to automatically blend transitions between tracks, or manually adjust aspects like volume, EQ, and effect … Read more

We could make Rosie the Robot, but should we?

Robots are coming, but are we ready for them? All the big consumer tech companies are working on robotic companions for our homes. There’s Amazon’s Astro, Samsung’s Ballie, LG’s AI Agent, and whatever it is that Apple is dreaming up in Cupertino. Clearly, home robotics is approaching a major moment. But what will these robots … Read more

Intel will receive a $2 billion lifeline from SoftBank

SoftBank will invest $2 billion into Intel as the struggling chipmaker pulls back on spending and lays off thousands of workers. In an announcement, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said the investment aligns with the firm’s belief that “advanced semiconductor manufacturing and supply will further expand in the United States.” SoftBank’s investment in Intel makes it … Read more

How to watch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025

It’s almost time for Geoff Keighley’s next major gaming show. The 2025 edition of Gamescom’s Opening Night Live event kicks off at 2PM ET today, and you can watch everything on the official livestream on The Game Awards’ YouTube channel. Ahead of the main event, there will also be a preshow at 1:30PM ET featuring … Read more

‘Play Instantly on Discord’: Fortnite will be Nvidia and Discord’s first instant game demo

Nvidia’s GeForce Now is getting a big upgrade next month — and it’s also part of an intriguing new experiment. Nvidia, Discord, and Epic Games have teamed up for an early test of instant game demos for Discord servers, which could theoretically let you immediately try a game without buying it, downloading it, or signing … Read more

YouTuber Mark Rober is getting a Netflix series

Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer now known for his science-focused stunts he publishes to more than 70 million subscribers on YouTube, will launch a competition show on Netflix in 2026. Rober will also bring “some of his most beloved, ambitious, and informative experiments to Netflix later this year,” Netflix says. The Wall Street Journal … Read more

Roblox is locking down sexual content and access to ‘adult’ locations after lawsuits

Roblox is updating its policies prohibiting romantic or sexual content to also forbid “content, settings, or behavior that implies sexual activity,” according to a Friday post from chief safety officer Matt Kaufman (emphasis Kaufman’s). The changes follow recent lawsuits against the company, including one from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill that alleges the platform creates … Read more