Foundering

In July, we brought you an investigation of the Moscow-based antivirus software maker Kaspersky Lab and its connections with the Russian government. A lot has happened since then. This week on Decrypted, you'll hear a shortened version of that original episode, as well as an update to catch you up on the latest developments. 

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Before they can take away our jobs, robots need to learn how to do them. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Joshua Brustein meets the people training these machines, and gives "robot piloting" a try himself. He also hears from the researchers developing ways for robots to learn more quickly. He discovers that, in some ways, machines capable of completing everything humans can are further away than you might think.

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Fasting is taking off in Silicon Valley, with everyone from entrepreneurs to established executives touting the health and productivity benefits. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Tom Giles and Selina Wang try it themselves to see what the hype is all about. They also speak to others in the tech community to understand why fasting has become so popular in the industry, and they examine a couple businesses that are hoping to capitalize on the trend.

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Kelly Ellis was excited when Google hired her as a software engineer in 2010. But soon, she started noticing things that made her wonder whether her male colleagues were making more money than her. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Ellen Huet and Aki Ito hear from Kelly as she recounts the red flags she saw, and why, after many years, she decided to sue Google for discrimination. Kelly and three other plaintiffs are now locked in a high-profile battle against a Silicon Valley giant, which has denied their allegations. This episode was produced in partnership with the Reveal podcast from The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX.

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Over the last few months, governments around the world have cracked down on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. But one country is sticking to its crypto-friendly policies: Japan. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Yuji Nakamura and Aki Ito take you to Tokyo to meet the unlikely characters who helped turn Japan into the world's premier bitcoin hub, including investor Roger Ver, a.k.a. Bitcoin Jesus.

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Over the last few decades, Melinda Gates' philanthropy has taken her to all corners of the globe. But recently she's come to focus on an issue much closer to home: a dearth of women in tech. This week on Decrypted, Melinda sits down with Bloomberg Technology's Emily Chang to talk about her decision to back a venture capital firm run by two women, and what she hopes to achieve from that investment.

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As Facebook reels from a public backlash over its handling of user data, former employees are starting to air their hesitations and criticisms of the company they helped build. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Sarah Frier and Aki Ito hear from these former insiders to examine the mistakes that led to the company’s crisis today.

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We're hard at work on a new episode about Facebook's data scandal. We'll be publishing that later this week. Stay tuned.

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Since the advent of the internet, local newspapers like the U.K.'s Bournemouth Daily Echo have been relentlessly cutting costs to survive. Now, another wave of change is approaching: automation. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Jeremy Kahn visits the Echo's newsroom, which has been experimenting with computer-generated stories produced by a project funded by Google. The technology's helping the paper's editors serve its readers with fewer journalists. But will automation ultimately end up taking even more jobs?

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When Abigail Stone decided to start an online candle company, she had neither investors nor a product. But she found an early ally in the branding agency Red Antler, which agreed to help her get her business off the ground in exchange for a cut of her company. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Jing Cao and Brad Stone follow Abigail in the frenzied months leading up to and following the launch of her startup Otherland. Along the way, we'll see how much Red Antler can help an unknown entrepreneur stand out in the highly-competitive e-commerce industry—and we'll judge whether its services are worth the considerable price.

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