Targeting Zoom: Tech and telecommunications giants, including Facebook and Google, are mobilizing against Zoom as the Silicon Valley company has become one of the biggest tech beneficiaries of the coronavirus outbreak, The New York Times reports. Over the past month, downloads of Zoom have increased 740%, according to App Annie, an analytics firm. In response, Facebook today unveiled one of its biggest expansions into videoconferencing; Google this month made its video chat app, Meet, more accessible through Gmail; and Cisco recently promoted its Webex teleconferencing service as highly secure compared with Zoom. Read the full story.
Leadership change: AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is stepping down after leading the telecommunications giant for 13 years. The Dallas company named John Stankey as chief executive effective July 1. Stankey, 57, has been president and chief operating officer since October 2019. He joined AT&T in 1985. Stephenson, 60, will stay on as executive chairman until January 2021. During his tenure, Stephenson transformed the former Ma Bell into a conglomerate with the acquisition of DirecTV and the $81 billion acquisition of Time Warner. Read the full story.
Neighborly: Retail giant Walmart and neighborhood-based social network Nextdoor announced a new program this week dubbed “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” that aims to make it easier for community members to help each other, USA Today reports. With the program available in cities nationwide, Nextdoor members can request assistance or offer to help someone locally picking up groceries, medications and other essentials and then delivering them without contact. Read the full story.
