10 things in tech you need to know today

REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Facebook will take down ads promising to cure coronavirus.

Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.

1. Facebook is banning ads that promise to cure the coronavirus. A spokesperson told Business Insider that Facebook will also take down ads which try to create a "sense of urgency" around the outbreak.
2. Salesforce co-CEO Keith Block has stepped down from his role as co-CEO. Marc Benioff will again be the company's sole CEO, while Block will stay on as an adviser to him through February 25, 2021.
3. Amazon is reportedly deleting some third-party listings that jack up surgical mask prices as the coronavirus creates a shortage. Most states in the US have "price gouging" laws which prevent businesses from taking of advantage of consumers by charging exorbitant amounts of money during emergencies.
4. People are selling medical face-masks on Facebook in bulk amid coronavirus fears. Public health experts have warned that stockpiling masks could make it harder for medical professionals to get the supplies they need.
5. Google apologized after its Nest security cameras stopped working during a 17-hour outage. The issue unfolded during a planned update of the server's storage software.
6. Airbnb is encouraging hosts to install sensors that detect high humidity and noise in an attempt to crack down on parties. The short-term rental company is offering discounts on three "party prevention" devices ranging from $100 to $150.
7. Expedia announced it will cut around 12% of its workforce as it aims to "simplify" its business. In an internal email sent Monday, unnamed executives said the company had been "pursuing growth in an unhealthy and undisciplined way."
8. The world's biggest iPhone factory is reportedly offering $1,000 bonuses to lure workers after being shut down over coronavirus. Foxconn's massive Zengzhou facility is offering bonuses worth more than double its average monthly wages.
9. Uber is going to start putting video ads on top of its cars, and starting with 1,000 vehicles across three US cities. This marks a major new stream of revenue for the ridehailing giant, which is yet to become consistently profitable.
10. The National Transportation Safety Board said both Tesla's Autopilot and an inattentive driver were likely factors in a fatal 2018 crash. The 2018 incident raised questions about how Tesla has marketed Autopilot, and whether drivers are capable of using it responsibly.

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