TikTok has been spying on reporters –exactly no one is surprised

Inside the social video app's new scandal. Plus, Musk continues to Trump tech and Apple might finally make the metaverse interesting

• Don't get TechScape delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the full article here

Hello and welcome to TechScape. Alex is now off on paternity leave, and in his place a rotating cast of writers will give their takes on the world of tech.

Apologies to any readers who have begged Alex for fewer stories about Elon Musk and crypto, but in a post-Twitter takeover world there are no quiet weeks for tech reporters. In the last few weeks, Musk has handed over documents for the latest edition of the Twitter Files" to controversial author Alex Berenson (with the not-so revelatory news that Twitter was asked not to spread vaccine misinformation); hinted that we're getting 4,000-character long tweets; and tweeted messages about the arrest of disgraced influencer and the king of toxic masculinity" Andrew Tate.