In today’s letter: Why We didn’t work; security-cam tips to safeguard your home; miracle material gallium explained; Elon in court; how teens can become safer drivers; and more. But first...

In these polarized times, there is one thing that appears to bridge most differences: Big Tech is the bad guy.

Republicans and Democrats, Hatfields and McCoys, dogs and cats—everyone seems on board with the overall idea that Silicon Valley's giants are too powerful and must be reined in.

And no company is catching more heat than Google, which has been first in the line of fire for a host of regulatory agencies around the world. Our own Tripp Mickle put the spotlight on the unlikely pairing of a conservative Republican politician from Texas and a left-leaning Bay Area academic, who teamed to produce an antitrust lawsuit that is shaping up to be one of the greatest legal threats for the search giant. Their odd-couple partnership shows that it is still possible for pragmatism to outweigh partisanship.

At the same time, these alliances are fragile—and it is much harder to find agreement about what exactly should be done to curtail Big Tech's power. As cases like this one move forward, it will be fascinating to see if fractures emerge along party lines, or around what legal outcomes are acceptable.

For now, though, it's like that old proverb. How does it go? Oh, right: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." (OK, I admit it—I Googled that.)

—Brad is the WSJ’s deputy tech editor, based in San Francisco.

Adam Neumann and Masayoshi Son pushed WeWork to new heights as they challenged each other to think big and bet billions. When their relationship unraveled, WeWork did too.

👉 Read Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell’s full report here.

Smart surveillance devices from brands such as Ring, Nest and Arlo make DIY at-home security easy and affordable, which is why they’ve caught on with tech-savvy households. Besides providing security, cameras can help you keep track of pet sitters, couriers, yard workers and other people who might have good reason to be at your house while you’re traveling.

Here’s how to give your video surveillance system an audit.

👉 Read Nicole’s full column here.

Foundry Fasttrack: Less than six months into the job, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger’s approach to reviving the chipmaker’s fortunes is emerging: move quickly and carry a big checkbook. The latest example, a potential $30 billion deal for chip-making specialist GlobalFoundries. 

Clouded Windows: Microsoft is betting hybrid work will provide an opening to make its Windows operating system more widespread, launching a new service aimed at getting users of Apple and Android products to use the software.

Paying Up (Part 1): France’s Competition Authority fined Google $593 million for allegedly violating orders to negotiate paid deals with publishers, raising pressure on the company in a global fight over how and whether tech giants should pay for news. 

Shortage Scammers: The global chip shortage has created a gold mine for bad actors. Businesses in need of chips are taking supply-chain risks they wouldn’t have considered before, only to find that what they buy doesn’t work. E-commerce scammers are also on a rampage. 

The metal gallium is taking over in many of the places that silicon once reigned supreme—from antennas to charging bricks and other energy-converting systems known as “power electronics.” In the process, it’s enabling a surprising array of new technologies, from faster-charging cell phones, to lighter electric vehicles, to more power-efficient data centers that run the services and apps we use.

👉 Read Christopher’s full column here.

Elon Musk said Tesla bought SolarCity for one fundamental reason: to become more than a car company.

Mr. Musk made the argument during sometimes feisty testimony in court, defending the roughly $2.1 billion tie-up completed in 2016 at a time both Tesla and SolarCity were financially struggling.

The presiding judge in a shareholder lawsuit, drilled into that deal logic. “Tesla was facing headwinds, had its own issues,” the judge said. “And so why is it at this moment that Tesla is pursuing this acquisition of a solar company?”

👉 Read Dave Michaels and Rebecca Elliott’s full report here.

• The Ugly, Geeky War For Web Privacy Is Playing Out in the W3C (Protocol) 

• Twitch Streamers Rake in Millions With a Shady Crypto Gambling Boom (Wired)

• Inside Facebook’s Data Wars (NYT)

NASA is planning two missions to Venus to assess if the now-toxic planet once had an ocean, continents and life. Scientists are beginning the effort on Earth by training sensors and machine learning systems to analyze the building blocks of our own planet.

This week, Personal Tech columnist Nicole Nguyen answers questions about password managers. Thanks to all who sent in a version of these.

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has often said he sees videogames as the streaming company’s biggest competitor for customers.

Now, he wants Netflix to make its own videogames, and the company has tapped an industry veteran to oversee its strategy.

👉 Read Sarah E. Needleman and Joe Flint’s full report here.

With summer in full swing and pandemic restrictions lifting, more teens are getting behind the wheel. And they’re taking their smartphones.

Phone-related distractions are a leading cause of teen crashes, but that phone has also begun to provide insights for parents who want to ensure their young drivers are safe.

👉 Read Julie’s full column here.

...when junk food now chases us down the supermarket aisle.

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Brought to you by tech editor Robert Wall, tech news editor Bowdeya Tweh and Personal Tech bureau chief Wilson Rothman. You can reach them by replying to this newsletter, and follow them on Twitter: @R_Wall, @bowknowsbiz and @wjrothman.