It Was Just a Rumor on Facebook. Then a Militia Showed Up.

Residents of Oakdale, Calif., have abandoned traditional media outlets for a mishmash of online sources. These days, they’re often not sure what information to trust.

Could Eye-Scanning Crypto Orbs Save Us From a Bot Apocalypse?

World, a start-up backed by Sam Altman, has launched in the United States with the goal of verifying your humanity.

Google Plans to Roll Out Its A.I. Chatbot to Children Under 13

The tech giant said it would make its Gemini chatbot available to children next week, and warned families in an email about the changes.

U.S. Wants to Break Up Google’s Advertising Technology

In a hearing on Friday, lawyers for the Justice Department indicated the government would double down on its requests to break up the tech giant’s business.

Voters Approve Incorporation of SpaceX Hub as Starbase, Texas

A South Texas community, mostly made up of SpaceX employees, voted 212 to 6 in favor of establishing a new city called Starbase.

TikTok Fined $600 Million for Sending European User Data to China

Irish investigators said TikTok did not protect the data of users in the European Union, improperly transferring some of it to China. TikTok said it would appeal.

The Dangers of A.I. Flattery + Kevin Meets the Orb + Group Chat Chat

“A.I.s are getting more persuasive and they are learning how to manipulate human behavior.”

Apple Tops Wall Street’s Profit Expectations but Tariff Fears Still Loom

Tim Cook, the company’s C.E.O., said he expected $900 million in extra costs this quarter because of President Trump’s tariffs.

At a Dubai Conference, Trump’s Conflicts Take Center Stage

A deal for a state-backed Emirati firm to use a Trump-affiliated digital coin was announced in a panel that included the president’s son and his business partner, who promised, “This is only the beginning.”

Why the A.I. Race Could Be Upended by a Judge’s Decision on Google

A landmark antitrust lawsuit about the past has turned into a fight about the future.

Tesla Chair Denies That Board Sought to Replace Elon Musk

Robyn Denholm, who leads Tesla’s board, said on social media that board members were “highly confident” in Mr. Musk, the company’s chief executive.

Could Apple Exist Without Its Ties to China? Probably Not.

The world’s most valuable company has become so reliant on Chinese suppliers and sales that it would be worth half as much or less without them.

Judge Rebukes Apple and Orders It to Loosen Grip on App Store

The ruling was a stinging defeat for Apple in a long-running antitrust case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, on behalf of app developers.

Meta Says It Anticipates Continued Growth Despite Tariffs

The Silicon Valley company made the revenue projection as it reported a 35 percent rise in profit in the first quarter.

Microsoft Moderates A.I. Spending as Profit Increases 18%

The tech giant’s revenue also grew 13%, topping Wall Street’s expectations.

Google’s Chief Says Breakup Proposal Would Hobble Business

Sundar Pichai told a federal judge that the government’s solution to fix its monopoly in search would harm innovation.

How to Secure Your Phone’s Data Before Traveling Abroad

Here are some best practices for safeguarding sensitive personal data.

Ex-School Athletic Director Gets 4 Months in Jail for Racist Deepfake Recording

Dazhon Darien, 32, who worked at Pikesville High School in Baltimore County, pleaded guilty to disturbing school operations.

White House-Amazon Spat Culminates in Trump Calling Bezos ‘Very Nice’

The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, attacked the retail giant over a report that suggested Amazon would highlight tariff-related price increases. Amazon said it was “not going to happen.”

G.M. Withdraws Profit Forecast as Trump Tariffs Take a Toll

General Motors also said its profit in the first three months of the year fell 7 percent from a year earlier.

Tether Was Accused of Fraud. Now It’s a Crypto Darling in Washington.

The prime example is Tether, a firm that regulators once targeted. Its chief executive recently hobnobbed in Washington with lawmakers and lobbyists.

Secret Deals, Foreign Investments, Presidential Policy Changes: The Rise of Trump’s Crypto Firm

World Liberty Financial has eviscerated the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in ways without precedent in modern American history.

House Passes Bill to Ban Sharing of Revenge Porn, Sending It to Trump

The Take It Down Act, which united a coalition of conservative and liberal lawmakers, criminalizes the nonconsensual sharing of sexually explicit images of others and requires companies to remove them.

Amazon Launches First 27 Project Kuiper Internet Satellites

The spacecraft are the online giant’s entry into beaming wireless service from space, but the company has much to do before it can compete with SpaceX’s Starlink.

Spotify Has Paid More Than $100 Million to Podcasters to Take On Competitors

The audio platform has branched out to video and has given its podcasters a raise as the war for creator talent heats up.

Is Google Breaking Up? + Seasteading Is Back + Tool Time

“They are being dragged into change, kicking and screaming.”

Israel’s A.I. Experiments in Gaza War Raise Ethical Concerns

Israel developed new artificial intelligence tools to gain an advantage in the war. The technologies have sometimes led to fatal consequences.

Alphabet Reports 12% Increase in Revenue

Google’s parent company, which is battling the government to stay intact after losing two antitrust cases, also said quarterly profit rose 46 percent.

Saying ‘Thank You’ to ChatGPT Is Costly. But Maybe It’s Worth the Price.

Adding words to our chatbot can apparently cost tens of millions of dollars. But some fear the cost of not saying please or thank you could be higher.