Well, there goes the metaverse!

January 19, 2026
The metaverse is on its last legs as VR is eclipsed by AI. But that’s not the only thing that went wrong for Meta’s VR ambitions.

The Download: the US digital rights crackdown, and AI companionship

January 19, 2026
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. What it’s like to be banned from the US for fighting online hate   Just before Christmas the Trump administration dramatically escalated its war on digital rights by banning five people from entering the…