Daily Tech Headlines - Weekend Edition: Bluesky Tests New “Dislikes” Feature
Date: November 1, 2025
Hosts: Sarah Lane
Episode Focus: A concise roundup of the week’s biggest tech headlines, with an emphasis on Bluesky’s new “Dislikes” feature and other headline developments.
Episode Overview
This weekend edition of Daily Tech Headlines, hosted by Sarah Lane, provides a rapid-fire summary of the essential tech news from the week ending October 31, 2025. Core stories include the expansion of AI investments by tech giants, Amazon’s internal shakeup, a reversal on EU online scanning policies, major platform and service updates from Bluesky and Samsung, massive market moves by Nvidia, YouTube TV’s Disney content withdrawal, regulatory shifts in US broadband transparency, streaming industry acquisition rumors, and Uber’s latest robotaxi project.
The headline segment’s centerpiece is Bluesky’s launch of a “Dislikes” feature, designed to enhance the quality and personalization of user feeds.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Massive AI Investments by Tech Giants
Timestamps: 02:20 – 03:08
- Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon are set to collectively spend about $400 billion on AI in 2025.
- Despite the astronomical spend, each company says it's still not enough to meet surging demand.
- Microsoft expects lingering cloud capacity shortages till mid-2026.
- Amazon focuses on quickly expanding data centers and claims recent layoffs are not AI-related, but a “cultural reset.”
- Quote: “Andy Jassy described the cuts as a cultural reset to make Amazon lean, flat and fast moving after years of rapid expansion.” (Sarah Lane, 02:46)
- Google notes that $91-93 billion capital investment is already “generating billions in AI revenue.”
2. Amazon’s Corporate Restructuring
Timestamps: 02:28 – 03:08
- Amazon’s stock rose on earnings, even including a $1.8 billion severance charge.
- Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stressed: layoffs are “about restoring agility and reducing bureaucracy, not by AI or cost cutting.”
- Quote: “Jassy described the cuts as a cultural reset to make Amazon lean, flat and fast moving…” (Sarah Lane, 02:46)
3. EU Shifts on Online Child Protection Scanning
Timestamps: 03:09 – 03:40
- Denmark’s EU Council presidency moves away from mandatory online scanning for CSAM (child sexual abuse material), now favoring a voluntary system.
- This came after strong privacy pushback, especially over end-to-end encryption.
- May resume progress on “chat control” laws before temporary voluntary rules expire in April 2026.
4. Bluesky’s New “Dislikes” Feature
Timestamps: 03:41 – 04:12
- Bluesky crosses 40 million users and starts testing a dislike button for its Discovery feed.
- Aims to “show users less of what they don’t want to see,” improve reply ranking, and curb toxic or spammy posts.
- Part of a broader set of updates: enhanced reply behavior, moderation tools, feed design, and a new system to prioritize content from closer “social neighborhoods.”
- Quote: “The signal is supposed to help the platform show users less of what they don’t want to see, while improving reply ranking and reducing toxic or spammy interactions.” (Sarah Lane, 03:48)
5. Samsung & Nvidia’s AI Megafactory
Timestamps: 04:13 – 04:38
- A new AI megafactory, jointly developed by Samsung and Nvidia, will harness more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs for semiconductor manufacturing.
- Goal: embed AI in entire chip design and production, and advance next-gen AI-powered chips, mobile devices, and robotics.
6. YouTube TV Loses Disney Content
Timestamps: 04:39 – 05:11
- Failure to renew licensing deal sees all Disney channels (e.g., ABC, ESPN) removed from YouTube TV as of October 30.
- Affects live channels and all Disney content recordings for users.
- Quote: “After which the content became unavailable and is still unavailable as of this recording.” (Sarah Lane, 05:07)
7. US Broadband Transparency Rollback
Timestamps: 05:12 – 05:29
- FCC proposes rolling back “broadband nutrition labels,” letting ISPs conceal fees and removing some transparency/accessibility requirements.
8. Netflix Eyes Warner Bros Discovery
Timestamps: 05:30 – 05:52
- Netflix consults financial advisors to potentially acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming division.
- Gained access to key financial data room.
- Moelis & Co. led similar deals, including Skydance’s Paramount Global acquisition.
9. Nvidia’s Historic $5 Trillion Market Cap
Timestamps: 05:53 – 06:19
- Nvidia becomes the first to hit a $5 trillion valuation, buoyed by the AI boom and high GPU demand.
- Expanding with US supercomputers and committing $100 billion to OpenAI.
- Invests in AI-native 5G/6G with Nokia.
10. Uber Previews Bay Area Robotaxi
Timestamps: 06:20 – 06:41
- Uber announces the Bay Area launch of a new robotaxi based on the Lucid Gravity SUV, with self-driving technology by Nuro, targeting late 2026 delivery.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Amazon’s Layoffs:
“Cuts as a cultural reset to make Amazon lean, flat and fast moving after years of rapid expansion.”
— Sarah Lane (02:46) -
On Bluesky’s Dislikes:
“The signal is supposed to help the platform show users less of what they don’t want to see, while improving reply ranking and reducing toxic or spammy interactions.”
— Sarah Lane (03:48) -
On the Disney-YouTube TV Contract Breakdown:
“...the content became unavailable and is still unavailable as of this recording.”
— Sarah Lane (05:07)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- AI Investment Race: 02:20 – 03:08
- Amazon Layoffs & Cultural Reset: 02:29 – 03:08
- EU Online Scanning Policy Change: 03:09 – 03:40
- Bluesky “Dislikes” Feature Overview: 03:41 – 04:12
- Samsung/Nvidia AI Megafactory: 04:13 – 04:38
- YouTube TV Loses Disney: 04:39 – 05:11
- FCC Rolls Back Transparency Provisions: 05:12 – 05:29
- Netflix/Warner Bros Discovery Deal: 05:30 – 05:52
- Nvidia $5T Milestone: 05:53 – 06:19
- Uber’s Lucid Gravity Robotaxi: 06:20 – 06:41
Tone & Style
Sarah Lane delivers headlines in a fast-paced, straightforward, and informative manner, with brief explanatory context but minimal editorializing. The language is factual, concise, and focused on clarity for tech-interested listeners.
Final Takeaway
This episode delivers a brisk, informative roundup of the latest in tech, marked by Bluesky’s new user-personalization efforts, epochal investments in AI, and major shifts by global tech, regulatory bodies, and media companies. Perfect for staying informed in under ten minutes.