Month: February 2023

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An existential fight over the US government’s ability to spy on its own citizens is brewing in Congress. And as this fight unfolds, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s biggest foes on Capitol Hill are no longer reformers merely interested in reining in its authority. Many lawmakers, elevated to new heights of power by the recent election, are working to dramatically curtail the methods by which the FBI investigates crime.

New details about the FBI’s failures to comply with restrictions on the use of foreign intelligence for domestic crimes have emerged at a perilous time for the US intelligence community. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the so-called crown jewel of US intelligence, grants the government the ability to intercept the electronic communications of overseas targets who are unprotected by the Fourth Amendment.

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A few years ago, Peloton's stationary exercise bikes experienced a meteoric ascension into the public conversation, with demand rising well beyond the company’s ability to deliver. But this success was directly followed by nosediving sales, stymied interest, and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue loss as the world began recovering from the global pandemic and people headed back to gyms.

Despite pausing production on its stationary bikes and treadmills due to unsold inventory, the company is still working on new devices. Peloton released its camera-based Guide device for strength training and the long-rumored Peloton Row rowing machine in 2022, but the Peloton Bike+, which starts at a pricey $1,995, still delivers the most versatile experience available on the platform.

Its large, swiveling touchscreen display was designed to provide easier access to Peloton’s diversifying library of workouts. And the Bike+ epitomizes Peloton’s mission—and its dilemma. Can the company continue to expand its hardware offerings while proving itself a worthwhile fitness platform without its expensive equipment? And can it maintain top-tier quality and selection for its equipment and content?