The dog days of summer are upon us. Though our Chief Barketing Officer, Rudy, is relishing the extra time snoozing in his favorite sun spot, the rest of the BIGteam is still hard at work tracking industry trends and following tech stories as they unfold. Since we last checked in, a lot has happened in the world of tech; we’ve compiled the top stories making news that you should know about.

I’m Sorry I Unfriended You on Your Birthday – A Memoir

If you ever took the advice to “cut negative people out of your life,” you probably shouldn’t run for office. A federal court in Virginia recently ruled that public officials can’t block users on social media because it violates the First Amendment right of free speech. While the case being ruled on involved a local town supervisor who blocked a user on facebook after posting criticism of her time in office, it’s not the first case to be filed questioning the constitutionality of public officials blocking political opponents on social media. In fact, the Knight Foundation is currently suing the U.S. government on behalf of Twitter users blocked by President Donald Trump.
As social media continues to permeate society and drive culture, laws and standard best practices struggle to keep pace with its expansion. These cases highlight how influential social media can be as a tool to engage the masses and create a direct line to public officials that was previously unheard of. As politicians continue to use social media as a platform, we can expect to see more cases aimed at ensuring freedom of speech is upheld for both politicians and their constituents. The BIGfish recommendations? Hire a killer PR team to run your social media; we might have a few suggestions ????.  

Updates on the Snap IPwoe

Sadly, a Snapchat filter can’t make everything look better, especially the app’s parent company, Snap Inc.’s, earning report. When Snap went public this March, it was all dog filters and flower crowns; now, five month later, investors are left with that strange spider eye filter and geotags that won’t load (the absolute WORST). After releasing weak second quarter earnings that missed targets on revenue, earnings and user growth, Snap stock dropped nearly 17% in after-hours trading this past Thursday. So how much does a 17% stock drop really cost you? Well, for co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, it means a cool $1 billion was shaved off of their combined fortune. Chump change really. To add salt to the wound, news also broke that Google was interested in buying Snap for at least $30 billion last year, insiders say. Insert crying bitmoji here.

Ever had one of those day when you just WannaCry?

The cybersecurity community was thrown for a loop last week when their proclaimed hero, Marcus Hutchins, was arrested during the annual Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas. The British security researcher who stopped the WannaCry cyberattack three months ago was arrested for allegedly creating a different malware call Kronos that targets bank accounts. The cybersecurity community is rallying behind Hutchins, sharing their disbelief that he could be involved in the criminal conspiracy.
Other news out of Def Con? Hackers found and exploited vulnerabilities in five different voting machines in under two hours. Comforting.

Spotted: The iPhone 8 without her home button. XOXO – Apple Girl

Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Silicon Valley’s elite, Apple Girl. As the rumor mill continues to turn in Cupertino, the latest hot piece of gossip involves (once again) the design of iPhone 8. Leaked code suggests that the new iPhone will include a virtual home button that can be resized. Queen T (Tim Cook) has yet to confirm.
Not to be out done, rumors also swirl around the new Apple Watch, which will reportedly have a built in internet connection.
You know you love me. XOXO – Apple Girl.
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