Former Expedia employee charged with voyeurism after spy cameras found in company bathrooms

Here’s a tech story that might make you look twice the next time you’re in a public restroom. A Lynnwood, Wash., man and former Expedia Group employee has been charged with voyeurism based on allegations that he placed cameras under sinks (circled above) in two bathrooms at the company’s Seattle headquarters in December and January. Read more.

Tech Moves: Meta and Amazon vet Jennifer Prenner will lead marketing efforts at Rivian; the Washington state Broadband Office hired Aaron Wheeler as its new director; and more key personnel changes across PNW tech. 

ProfoundBio, a biotech company with offices in the Seattle region and China, raised $112 million to support its clinical-stage oncology pipeline. Read more, and see all the latest PNW fundings here. 

Seattle game studio Threshold Games is shutting down due to “extenuating circumstances.” Read more.  

A new report from the City of Seattle shows increased access to tech among residents, but some households are still suffering the effects of a digital divide. The Technology Access and Adoption Study is the first since 2018 and measures internet access, number and types of devices, internet speeds, and more. Read more.

Tech accelerator seeks Washington and Oregon startups: The program from RAIN Catalysts encourages underrepresented women, BIPOC founders and rural-based companies to apply for the free and virtual entrepreneurial program. Read more. 

Five days a week in the office? We visited a Seattle-area tech startup this week where workers are in the office five days a week, and it made us wonder how many other tech companies in the Pacific Northwest are doing the same. (Of course, we’re talking office work here, not retail or manufacturing, etc.) Do you know any? Email tips@geekwire.com.

Join the inaugural season of the Sounders FC-GeekWire Tech Alliance: New for 2024, GeekWire and Seattle Sounders FC are combining forces to deliver a unique blend of in-person events, VIP experiences, team-building activities and impactful advertising that will help your company shine. Give your full 90, and join as an inaugural tech alliance partner today. For more information, contact GeekWire co-founder John Cook at john@geekwire.com.

 Hot Links:

• This just in from OpenAI: The company is testing a feature that will let ChatGPT remember what you’ve discussed across all your chats. (OpenAI Blog)

• A new post from Microsoft President Brad Smith gives a six-point approach to addressing AI threats including fake audio, text, and images. (Microsoft on the Issues)

• Microsoft’s Super Bowl ad “deftly reframed AI for the general population” and taps into the thought centered on “the power of personal computing to enrich lives.” (Axios)

• What is the private sector’s role in addressing homelessness? That’s a pertinent question after the collapse of "We Are In," an effort backed by Seattle tech giants and billionaires. (Seattle Times)

• Beer and biometrics: Washington state could pass a new law allowing businesses to verify ID with high-tech palm readers or eyeball scans. (Washington State Standard)

• Digitally fabricated explicit content: Another state bill aims to address deepfakes and child pornography. (Crosscut)

• Floating controller: Microsoft is celebrating its recent Dune expansion for Flight Simulator with a unique hardware giveaway. (Xbox Wire)

Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; and reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com.