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The Next Draft: Brewers still barred from farmers markets — push to change law continues
Every spring, Framingham’s Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Co. gets a call from at least one farmers market organizer asking if it would like to come on as a vendor. Vintners have found success selling their wine at the beloved outdoor markets, so why not join? Exhibit ‘A’ has always declined, though, citing a simple, but surprising reason: Technically, it’s illegal.
Count the state barring brewers from farmers markets as one of those head-scratching legal conundrums that has vexed the craft beer industry. And they’ve been pushing for a change in the law for the last six years. “All we want to do is help the community and be a part of these fun events,” said Kelsey Roth, general manager of Exhibit ‘A’ and a member of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s government affairs committee. “It feels like we’re being closed out.”
Just once, I want to see the state’s craft breweries record a victory in the Legislature without a struggle. Franchise law reform took a decade, which — given the big contracts and big egos at play — made sense in the end. But an innocuous issue like making it legal for breweries to offer samples and sell beer at farmers markets should pass through the Senate and House easily, right? Wrong.
Alcohol sales were unheard of at farmers markets until 2010, when the Legislature passed The Economic Development Act; the bill included a provision allowing towns and cities to grant licensed farmer wineries a special license to sell their products at approved agricultural events. The law went effect in 2011 and proved an instant boon for wineries, which that year showed an average increase in sales of 66% over 2010, according to data from the state Department of Agriculture.
Farmer brewers were left out of the legislation. Wineries had banded together to lobby for the change, while craft brewers, still feeling their way around their growing industry, didn’t even think to join in the campaign. (There were 36 farmer wineries in 2010, compared to 23 farmer breweries.) Somehow in the last 12 years, breweries have not been added to that law, even as they now outnumber wineries in the state 3 to 1. Unable to obtain the special license, brewers have been effectively barred from farmers markets. They could apply for one-day liquor licenses to pour beer at farmers markets, but with the state now capping the number of such licenses a brewery can obtain, it doesn’t make sense; anyway, they need those licenses for their beer gardens.
In 2016, breweries got close to getting legislation passed, with the Senate approving a bill allowing cities and towns to grant special licenses for the sale of malt beverages in sealed containers at farmers markets for off-premise consumption and offer up to five free samples to the crowds. The Senate approved a similar version of the bill again in 2018, removing the sample cap but adding a stipulation for “2-ounce pours.” Both bills would stall in the House.
The latest version of the bill now includes pub brewers and has faced the same roadblock in the last three legislative sessions. It seems it’s not enough for the House that most farmers and the organizers of farmers markets want breweries at their annual events. State representatives appear to have sided with the industry group with the deepest pockets: the Massachusetts Package Store Association (MPSA), which stands as the most vocal opposition. “The package store association has a fairly strong lobby, and they have been able to keep it out from a full floor vote,” Roth said. “I don’t understand why wine is OK and beer is not. They’re both agricultural products. Why are we being singled out?”
According to Roth, the state’s $29 billion package store industry fears the competition. I reached out to the MPSA on why it opposes the bill, but never heard back. Roth doesn’t understand the MPSA’s worries; as he and others in the brewing industry see it, only the smallest breweries would truly benefit from being able to sell beer at farmers markets. “The breweries that would be participating in farmers markets won’t be the Harpoons necessarily, or Jack’s Abby or Wachusett, they would be the small regional breweries that are looking for options outside of liquor stores to sell their products,” he said. “They can’t find space on the shelves, so this is an opportunity to get their product in front of people in a way that’s different from customers coming to the taproom. It’s a marketing opportunity and hopefully they make some sales out of it, as well. In the end you’re hurting the smallest breweries.”
This year, the MBG has made getting the farmers markets bill passed more of a priority, circulating an online petition to draw attention to and support for its fight. Meanwhile, brewers have found a way around the law to still take part in farmers markets. Some, like Timberyard Brewing Co. in East Brookfield, have started hosting them.
“We have great relationships with farmers,” Roth said. “We send them our spent grain, which they use for compost or animal feed. We work with a lot of local farms as well for ingredients. At Exhibit ‘A,’ we’re on track to source 150,000 pounds of local grain from local farms. Yet when it comes to selling at these local markets where farmers are, we’re not allowed.”
That needs to change. So, next time you stop by your local farmers market, reach out to the organizers and let them know that you’d like to see breweries on the list of vendors.
You can sign the Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s petition to allow breweries to sell beer at farmers markets here: http://tinyurl.com/3ahyfvbb. Track the bill’s progress here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H940.


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It’s going to be one grand weekend in downtown New York; that is, if you’re planning on a va- or staycation at the brand new Trump SoHo New York.
The grand opening will be in just two days, on Friday, April 9. In celebration of the big event, the powers that be have just announced a special rate to welcome the very first visitors. How does $389 a night for a guestroom, or $489 for a suite sound?
And the introductory rate is just the start of all the treats that the luxury hotel has in store. There’s an exclusive Trump SoHo Shopping Card, but we’ll get to that later because we’re actually bursting at the seams to tell you about one of the best package deals we’ve heard about…ever.
It’s called The Celebrity Apprentice Finale Package and here’s why:
- Two-night stay in a deluxe one-bedroom suite at the new Trump SoHo
- Two tickets to the live finale of The Celebrity Apprentice, where you’ll get to witness the Trump trifecta of Donald, Donald Jr., and Ivanka in action
- Luxury transportation to and from the show
- Three-course dinner for two with sommelier’s choice bottle of wine at Quattro Gastronomia Italiana
- 18K rose gold emerald-cut rock crystal drop earrings with diamond accents by Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, worn by Ivanka on the second episode of the current season of The Celebrity Apprentice
All of this can be yours on the nights of May 22 and 23, and the price is definitely right at $5,750.
Already booked up for that particular weekend? Do not fret because the Trump SoHo still wants to lavish guests with luxuries. The Trump SoHo Shopping Card is available for those staying at the hotel through Sept. 6 and includes special offers to some of the surrounding boutiques like Betsey Johnson, Bloomingdale’s, La Perla, and Longchamp.

domain: news


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Sesa Sterlite May Resume Iron Ore Exports From Goa as Ban EasedAbhishek Shanker
Sesa Sterlite Ltd. may resume overseas sales of iron ore from India’s Goa state, 17 months after losing its standing as the nation’s biggest exporter of the steelmaking raw material following a court ban on shipments.
A portion of the 90,000 metric tons bought in an auction in the western state on Feb. 17 will probably be exported, Executive Director Prasun Kumar Mukherjee said today in a phone interview. The quantity is part of the 233,983 tons the company also sold in the auction.
India’s top court, which banned mining and movement of iron ore in Goa in October 2012 to probe environmental breaches, allowed sales of about 15 million tons that were already excavated and lying at the mineheads. While the mining ban remains in force, a court-appointed panel auctioned more than 535,000 tons as the first lot.
Sesa, owned by billionaire Anil Agarwal, has an inventory of as much as 6.5 million tons of iron ore in Goa, Mukherjee said. Poor quality and logistical difficulties make ore from Goa unsuitable for local steelmakers, he said.
“Most of the auctioned ore will be exported to China,” Swaminathan Sridhar, executive director at trade body Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association, said yesterday in a phone interview. “Shipments can start any time.”
The resumption of exports from Goa would help revive India’s iron ore shipments that are poised to tumble for the fourth financial year. Overseas sales will be less than 10 million tons in the year ending March 31, compared with 18 million tons a year earlier, according to the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries.


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You’ve got a product, you’ve got a campaign objective. You explain these to a traditional media planner, and he chooses a number — seemingly out of the air:
Media Planner: Well, you should go with 80 GRPs a week. You: Why did you pick 80?
Media Planner: I know that’s about what you’re going to need.
How does he know? Experience. That’s what we need in the interactive advertising industry. It isn’t coming easily. I have to admit I “borrowed” that little anecdote from George Wishart, president and chief executive officer of Interactive Market Systems (IMS), whom I spoke with earlier this week. As you may know, IMS is a division of VNU, along with ACNielsen, Nielsen//NetRatings, and Nielsen Media Research. IMS’s specialty is reach and frequency tools.
The occasion of our talk was a deal between online ad technology giant DoubleClick and IMS, which called for linking software products made by the firms. The upshot is DoubleClick has essentially given its seal of approval to the Internet reach and frequency tool developed by IMS and Nielsen//NetRatings, WebRF, by making it easy to exchange information between that product and DoubleClick’s MediaVisor campaign management software.
It’s an agreement that’s part of an industry trend toward speaking the language of traditional media, but talk isn’t enough. We need numbers, we need case studies, and we need experience. There’s been a lot of complaining about how interactive doesn’t get its fair share of ad dollars. A Nielsen Monitor-Plus survey released earlier this week found that though media revenues overall rose 2.3 percent in the first half of 2002 (compared to the same period last year), online ad revenues were down 8 percent.
The explanation? “When it comes time to make cuts, you go with what you know,” said Marc Ryan, Nielsen//NetRatings director of analysis. “The continuing downward trend doesn’t mean the medium is less effective or more expensive.” It’s not about effectiveness; it’s about familiarity. How do you become familiar? With time. There’s no quick fix.
Tools and integration deals such as the DoubleClick-IMS pact are good first steps. So are other reach and frequency measurement products, such as those from Avenue A and comScore (which ended up with Jupiter Media Metrix’s tool when the company sold its assets). Kudos to the NYTimes.com and Forbes.com for selling media based on reach and frequency. These tools need to be utilized and advertisers need to test publishers’ packages so we can build an industry knowledge base.
Jeffrey Graham, vice president of client development at Dynamic Logic and fellow ClickZ columnist, believes the industry’s future rests on a three-legged stool, composed of branding (Dynamic Logic’s specialty), direct response, and reach and frequency. “The DoubleClick-IMS alliance is putting down that third leg of the stool, and I think that’s good for the industry,” he said. Work is being done in the branding arena, too. Dynamic Logic’s vast database of campaigns (read: experience) is helping.
Of course, it would help if the industry could agree how to measure reach and frequency. “There’s a good deal of controversy. It’s not an open and shut case,” Gabe Samuels, senior vice president of the Advertising Research Foundation, told me. His group is working on the problems. “It’s extremely loaded with extremely technical stuff. It’s not a simple issue at all.”
Even industry giant DoubleClick doesn’t presume to dictate its viewpoint to the industry, despite its apparent advocacy of WebRF, the IMS-Nielsen//NetRatings product.
“We felt like the partnership met all of our criteria,” said Doug Knopper, vice president and general manager of advertiser solutions at DoubleClick. “It has to be an industry solution involving more than one party. We couldn’t dictate a solution. It has to be ultimately compatible with the traditional media metrics, and it has to use some combination of server- and panel-based data.”
DoubleClick’s plunging in. It’s not waiting for us to figure out what an impression is. That’s what’s needed where reach and frequency are concerned: a willingness to dive in and try new things. But keep track. Learn what works and what doesn’t. Use findings to drive the next generation of reach and frequency models and tools.
“On the Internet you don’t have that 20 years of experience to know that for this brand, and for this situation, 80 [GRPs] will do it,” said IMS’s Wishart. “You need to allow people to build a knowledge bank of the Internet: how it works, what its strengths are, how to use it in an efficient and effective manner.”
That takes time. Hopefully not 20 years, but a while. Meanwhile, dive right in and start building that knowledge base.
Nurcin Erdogan Loeffler, head of strategy and innovation, Vizeum China, outlines the seven ways businesses can future proof their digital strategies.
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Electronic Arts has confirmed that it is in the process of removing the Online Pass features in its existing games after announcing two weeks ago it would no longer use Online Pass for future games.
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad Review
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad
Office 2016 launching this year, touch apps coming soon
Microsoft reveals the next version of Windows 10
Introducing Windows 10 for phones
Hands on with HoloLens
Download: Windows 10 build 9926
As part of a lawsuit settlement, GameStop stores in California will be required to put up warning signs warning buyers of used console games they may have to purchase additional DLC content.
The used game industry has taken some heavy hits recently. After EA announced that it would start charging second-hand users a $10 fee to play online, in the form of an online pass, gamers were...


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Wednesday 22 November 2006
Pre-orders for Nintendo's Wii sold out in less than seven minutes after the console was listed yesterday morning, online retailer Amazon.co.uk has revealed.
"We expected a high number of people to visit the site but the response was phenomenal," says James Schall, Amazon UK's videogame manager. "It's the fastest-selling pre-order item we have ever encountered," Schall told gamesindustry.biz, adding that "it is very rare that we sell out of any item, let alone in seven minutes".
However, punters who failed to click quick and bag themselves a Wii shouldn't worry, as Amazon expects to see new stock of the console for Wii's launch on 8 December.


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Supreme and Levi’s continue their fruitful partnership for 2017 spring with an all-new collection. For the latest capsule, the two iconic labels are offering some classic essentials updated for the die-hard ‘Preme and Levi’s fans — there are three trucker jackets in black, classic blue denim, and white constructed with fleece hoods in white red and camo. The sleeves are also printed with the Supreme logo. As for the 505 jeans, the colors match the aforementioned outerwear options and also display the Supreme logo as well on the legs.
The collection will be available in-store at NY, LA, London, and Paris locations as well as online on May 11. To read up on the rumored Brooklyn Supreme store opening, you can get more info on that here.


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For businesses that rely on metal for production and manufacturing, as well as those who sell scrap metal or process scrap metal, metal prices can have a big impact on the business’s bottom line. While it’s impossible to say for sure what 2021 will hold in terms of scrap metal prices, here’s a quick overview of some of the predictions. To stay in the know about metal prices, or to ask any questions about metal prices or scrap metal processing, reach out to our team at Scrap Metal Services, LLC today.
Supply Chain Holes Expected to Push Prices Higher
According to an article published in Recycling Today, metal prices may very well climb in 2021, at least during the first half of the year. This is likely to be fueled by holes in the supply chain caused by the pandemic and the pending widespread vaccination, both of which are expected to weigh heavily on the supply side of the metal market. On the demand side, global economic recovery is likely to influence and drive demand, creating a gap between supply and demand that drives metal prices upward.
Additionally, towards the start of the new year in the midst of winter weather, prices are also supposed to be a little bit higher as a direct result of the challenges of moving metal in cold, snowy, and icy conditions. Transportation is often hampered during the coldest months of the year, which impacts ports worldwide.
Metal Prices Predicted to Stay Strong Over Next Few Years
Recycling Today isn’t the only one that believes that metal prices will remain high over the next year, and perhaps even longer; iScrap App also predicts that “copper prices and other metals are going to be strong over the next few years.” This prediction is based on an increase in the demand for commodities in the past few weeks – a prediction that is expected to last into the future. The coming vaccine also indicates that markets are likely to remain strong. Oil prices have also increased recently, which suggests that there will be a rebound in most markets moving into the new year. Both ferrous and non-ferrous metal prices are anticipated to increase in 2021 and demand is likely to continue to rise.
Scrap Metal Services, LLC: Meeting Your Metal Processing Needs
The fact that metal prices are on the rise means that it’s a good time to sell your scrap metal. At Scrap Metal Services, LLC, we pay cash for your metal and handle all weighing, separation, and processing on-site. To learn more about selling to us or to ask a question about metal pricing or scrap metal recycling, reach out to us today.


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American Pecan Promotion Board 2022 Updates
Upcoming Marketing Campaign
The American Pecan Promotion Board is deploying a marketing strategy starting this holiday season that is sure to cut through the usual holiday clutter. Competition for media attention is fierce during the holidays. The APPB intentionally shifted from health and snacking—which gets limited media coverage during the holiday season—to grab headlines with an out-of-the-box idea. Everyone knows pecans make a killer Thanksgiving pie. Candied, delicious, irresistible pecans are irreplaceable. But we don’t stop at dessert or just one day.
This year the marketing campaign played off of another big Thanksgiving consumer trend. The night before Thanksgiving is in the Top 5 for most pizza sales during the entire year. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, the APPB intersected an existing cultural conversation with a surprisingly delicious pecan pizza pie consumers wouldn’t expect. Of course, the entire campaign of creating a Pecan Pizza Pie was designed to garner national attention from the media. Furthermore, television commercials touting the various holiday recipes found on
EatPecans.com and an army of influencers posting to Instagram, Reels, Facebook, and Pinterest will solidify pecan’s number one ranking as the top holiday nut.
Once the holidays are behind us, the APC will continue to coordinate with APPB and post messages on various social media channels and advertise using television commercials across the United States. Television commercials will appear on various video streaming platforms in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Dallas, El Paso, Las Cruces, Phoenix, and San Diego. Furthermore, the APPB is investing marketing dollars in Mexico to try and build consumption in Mexico. To support these efforts, the APPB recently approved a research project to learn more about Mexican consumers and how best to influence nut consumption south of the border.
Nutrition and health research is crucial to amplify the health message for pecans. On the APPB, the research committee will meet in the upcoming months to ramp up more pecan research. Keep an eye out on EatPecans.com for upcoming committee and Board meeting dates.
APPB Nominations for the Western region
The American Pecan Promotion Board has nominations for four seats in the Western region. The current seats are filled by Deborah Ralls, Kortney Chase, David Salopek, and Phillip Arnold. Please reach out to the Board office if you have questions regarding nominations and how to submit them.
Upcoming Event Dates—March Board meeting
Mark your calendars! The next American Pecan Promotion Board meeting is March 21, 2023. There will also be a Pecan Congress, which brings together all the pecan associations, researchers, and industry members to provide updates and room for industry discussions.
2022 Crop Year Reporting for the APPB
The 2022 crop year reporting is underway. The electronic reporting portal for the American Pecan Promotion Board has been launched. The 2022 crop year runs from September 2022 to August 2023. All first handlers and importers will report the monthly forms through the portal at APPBportal.com. Producers will also log in to the portal to submit all exemption and reimbursement forms. To register, visit the APPB portal website. If you have any questions regarding reporting for APPB, please get in touch with the office at firstname.lastname@example.org or call (817) 985-3034.


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The all-new, next-generation 2023 Ford Everest was just revealed early this morning, which has many wondering – will a Ford Everest Raptor variant follow, the same way it did with the Everest’s recently updated Ford T6 platform counterparts, the Ford Bronco (the Ford Bronco Raptor) and Ford Ranger (Ford Ranger Raptor)? It would certainly make sense given the popularity of those models, along with the Ford F-150 Raptor, coupled with the fact that the Everest is an off-road-focused SUV, to begin with. However, a Ford Everest Raptor doesn’t appear to be in the cards.
“Yeah, you know, we certainly spoke to…and especially when you talk about, you know, Everest owners, clubs for example, and people who use Everest in probably a more extreme way than perhaps a normal customer,” Ian Foston, Ford’s T6 chief platform engineer, explained to CarExpert. “A few of them have said, oh, wouldn’t it be awesome to do an Everest Raptor. But in reality, I would say that we haven’t had a massive calling for it [outside of those few people]. There have been few people asking about it [that weren’t Ford’s extreme Everest customers].”
It’s an interesting development, especially considering the fact that it would seemingly be rather easy to make an Everest Raptor since it shares so much in common with the Ranger, not to mention a platform with the Bronco. However, it seems that not enough customers are interested in a more hardcore version of the new SUV, and thus, Ford didn’t deem such a move as fiscally responsible.
For now, Ford hasn’t even announced a more rugged or off-road capable version of the next-generation Everest, only Sport, Titanium+, and Platinum levels, though more are set to be revealed in the coming weeks. The new SUV does come equipped with a few features that should appeal to off-roaders, however, including specially-tuned dampers, a 50mm wider track, a choice of two four-wheel drive systems – part-time or full-time, underbody protection, selectable off-road driving modes, a locking rear differential, two front tow hooks, and upfitter switches.


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The Technology That Just Won’t Die
B visa in the United States? That’s great news for these companies, but you won’t like the reason why. Apple, Google, Tesla,
5 Fast Facts You Need To Know Bitcoinwisdom Price BitcoinWisdom is totally free cryptocurrency charting website, that. Bitcoin Price Falls By $400 After Nearly Surpassing $5000 The Merkle Experts predict ‘exciting’ comeback like 2017 bubble after May 12. Bitcoin price boom: Cryptocurrency surges by nearly 20 percent ahead of halving. Bitcoin price tumbles – Cryptocurrency falls by $400. Amazing Deal On Kids
I’ve read a lot about the violence in. Even before the game was released, it was the subject of much discussion thanks to a frequently disturbing marketing.
Over 120 rural hospitals have closed across America since 2010, out of which a record-setting 19 shut their doors just last.
I’m not here to trash the original Pokémon Snap. I adored it myself, and I loathe people who grow up and immediately tear down everything they loved when they were small, as if to make themselves feel.


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The National Basketball Association (NBA)’s Phoenix Suns has partnered with Verb Technology Company to drive ticket and merchandise sales.
Verb provides interactive video-based sales enablement applications, such as shoppable live streams.
The collaboration means the Suns will be able to utilise Verb’s suite of solutions to drive ticket and merchandise sales while also engaging with fans through interactive content.
Tramon Thomas, Phoenix Suns vice-president of brand digital and social, said: “The implementation of Verb’s video-based software solutions should help us continue to grow and future proof our marketing technology stack, supporting elevation of our content strategies for ticket sales, merchandise sales, and overall brand awareness.
“This technology will also be a significant addition to the Suns’ new digital strategy, which will capitalise on interactive digital content and strengthen our digital assets to reach fans and supporters. We look forward to advancing our digital redesign initiatives with Verb’s leading-edge interactive video technology.”
Rory J. Cutaia, chief executive of Verb, added: “We are thrilled to sign a partnership with the Suns, a team that not only shines on the basketball court but also with their vision to deploy powerful digital technology tools to increase sales and engage their fans.
“Seeing solid growth in our sports entertainment vertical reflects the strong and broad use case applications for our video-based solutions across various businesses and industries to accelerate sales growth and further engage with customers, clients, and fans who are rapidly adopting video as a form of communication and effective interaction.
“We see great things ahead from our partnership with the Suns and look forward to further expanding our presence in the NBA and other professional sports leagues.”


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While many people associate slavery with the trans-Atlantic slave trade of the 18th and 19th centuries, sadly it still exists today. Modern slavery takes many forms including human trafficking, forced labor, indentured servitude, debt bondage and child labor.
This article examines the current state of modern slavery and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on those in servitude within the world’s supply chains.
More than 40 million people worldwide are currently estimated to be enslaved, with women making up 70% of that number. Additionally, there are now more than 160 million children in child labor, with that number on the rise due to pandemic-induced poverty.
The top global contributors to modern day slavery are India, China, Pakistan, North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, and the Philippines. In some of these nations, as much as 9% of the population may be involved in some form of modern slavery at any given time.
While the sex trade does make up a percentage of modern slavery exploitation, in fact, more than 81% of victims are involved in other industries such as construction, manufacturing, electronics, fashion, agriculture and fishing. As global supply chains have expanded to far-reaching parts of the world in search of low-price inputs and labor, vulnerable people have been put at risk, where brands have little visibility and governments have failed to enforce labor laws and uphold human rights.
Thankfully consumer awareness of the issue is growing, because shoppers have real power to demand transparency and good practice from the brands they buy. NGOs such as Fairtrade, UTZ and Rainforest Alliance, and anti-slavery initiatives such as Walk Free, Free the Slaves and Made In A Free World are focusing on growing this awareness further still and educating consumers.
At a government level, legislation is gradually being implemented to directly address modern slavery and poor working conditions in supply chains. In 2015, the United Kingdom passed its Modern Slavery Act, and Australia followed suit in 2018. In 2019, the United Nations ratified a proposal from the International Labor Organization that outlines the steps to be taken to eliminate child labor by 2025, and most recently, the United States has implemented an import ban of products made with forced labor, focusing on certain high-risk sectors and provenance.
Brands are also taking up the fight against modern slavery and pre-empting inevitable government pressure. A good example of this is Unilever who, in 2018, focused attention on eliminating slavery at every level of its organization with an annual Human Rights Report and risk-based audit system.
Sadly, many of the gains made over the last decade to reduce and eliminate the many forms of modern slavery have stalled or been reversed due the wide-felt impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the manufacturing sector, this is in part because in-person factory audits stopped entirely during the initial stages of the pandemic, and because suppliers were under huge financial pressure as brand’s cancelled and postponed orders, resulting in shortcuts being taken.
Children in particular have felt the brunt of this impact. In June 2021, UNICEF released a report stating that the number of children in child labor worldwide had risen to 160 million, with millions more at risk due to the impacts of the pandemic. Due to financial hardship during the last two years of the pandemic, children around the world have been forced to take up work to support their families since schools have been closed.
However, the stark impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has also rapidly accelerated brands’ efforts to achieve supply chain visibility. As companies faced interruptions and shortages in their supply chains, they adopted new technologies that allowed them to decrease the risk of using an unethical supplier. Despite these gains, ensuring transparency and traceability beyond Tier 1 and 2 suppliers is a huge challenge.
QIMA can partner with you to thoroughly audit your supply network. Our services include ethical, environmental and structural audits which verify conditions in your supplier factories and ensure they’re implementing good practice. All QIMA audit reports contain a corrective action plan so suppliers can remedy any non-compliance and focus on continuous improvement. Contact us to find out more.
The “E” in Human Rights


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Blizzard has opened up the normal and heroic versions of World of Warcraft's Highmaul raid.
A couple of weeks ago Microsoft gave away copies of the Xbox One version of Limbo to early adopters of the console, but soon everyone will be able ...
Sony has announced that it will be releasing a special Anniversary Edition of the PlayStation 4, themed around the original PlayStation, to ...
System update 2.03 for PlayStation 4 should be available to download within the next few hours, according to Sony.
Blizzard has announced that Hearthstone's first full expansion, Goblins vs. Gnomes, will be available from next week.
Microsoft has no plans to announce any new games during The Game Awards show this Friday, according to Xbox marketing head Aaron Greenberg.
Survival racer Distance is speeding its way onto PlayStation 4 in 2015, Seattle-based indie developer Refract has announced.


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Syracuse, NY- Destiny USA is holding a Stuff the Truck donation event to help give back to the Syracuse community. Stuff the Truck, presented by Coca-Cola, will begin when Santa arrives on November 7 and continues through December 21.
Businesses and community members are encouraged to donate unwrapped new clothes, toys and pet supplies to help “stuff” a Coca-Cola truck for delivery. All of the gifts collected will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ronald McDonald House and Humane Association on December 22.
Destiny USA will have a donation station set up in the Canyon Area, near Santa, for the public to drop off their donation items. We are accepting donations on Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first 500 people to donate will receive a free Coca-Cola ornament.
“We’re excited to be partnering with Coca-Cola for this great community event,” Sara Wallace, Director of Marketing of Destiny USA, said. “Giving back to Syracuse and the surrounding neighborhoods is something that’s important to us at Destiny USA and we can’t wait to present these charities with all the gifts at the end of the year.”
“We are committed to helping make a positive difference in the communities in which we operate and serve,” said Lou Ciarla, manager, Coca-Cola Syracuse distribution center. “Our company has a long relationship with Santa, and so we are eager to join him and Destiny USA in helping to collect gifts for some very special people. We hope Central New Yorker’s come together to stuff our truck to the brim!”
Santa will be arriving to Destiny USA’s Canyon Area on Friday, November 7. Families are invited to join us for activities, snacks and more for this event. More details about Santa’s arrival, including a full schedule, will be released next week.
Syracuse, NY- With the holiday season approaching quickly, Destiny USA has some updates on a new store, relocations and a renovation to pass along to the public.
Toys R Us Express is now open for the season in a 3,000 square foot space on the second level of the expansion, between Wilson Leather and Quiksilver. It’s great timing for Toys R Us to join our lineup as the holiday season gets underway.
As Seen on TV moves to a new space on the first level, under the Food Court.
Yogibo has also relocated to the former As Seen on TV space on the second level of the expansion, next to Off Broadway Shoes. Yogibo didn’t need to move far, as they are located across the hall from their former space.
Hollister’s storefront renovation is nearly complete. The store unveiled the new entrance last week, complete with a large LED video screen in the doorway. The other half of the entrance is still under construction, but is expected to open in a few weeks. Hollister stayed open during the renovation.
Syracuse, NY- Thompson Square, an award-winning country duo, is playing live at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill on Saturday, October 25. The husband-wife pair goes on stage at 10 p.m. with an opening act starting around 9 p.m.
Thompson Square has released five singles that have peaked within the top 20 positions on the US Country chart, including “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” which reached No. 1. The duo has won three American Country Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, one CMT Music Awards and one Country Music Association Awards since 2011.
WHAT: Thompson Square live concert with TJ Sacco and the Urban Cowboys opening
WHEN: Saturday, October 25 at 9 p.m.
WHERE: Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, third level of Destiny USA’s Canyon Area
COST: $25 advance, $30 door
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill or visit their website, www.countrybarsyracuse.com.
Syracuse, NY- Destiny USA is holding a trick or treat and Halloween movie event on October 31 so kids and their parents will have a safe, warm place to spend the holiday.
Trick or treating will start at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 31. More than 85 stores, venues and restaurants will be ready with bowls of candy for the kids. All of the participating businesses will have a special Halloween sticker on their window or door.
“Our trick or treating event on Halloween is great for children of all ages to get out of the cold weather and enjoy the holiday indoors,” Sara Wallace, Director of Marketing of Destiny USA, said. “Halloween is always a lot of fun here at Destiny USA, with so many of our retailers engaged, dressing up and handing out candy. It’s important to the facility as a whole that we give kids the opportunity to have a great time trick or treating in a safe environment.”
An adult must accompany anyone younger than 18 who attends the movie or trick or treats at Destiny USA. Candy is available at the participating businesses, while supplies last.
Destiny USA will also be playing Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie in the Canyon Area at 4 p.m. and replaying it each hour through 7 p.m. for families to enjoy. Free popcorn will be provided during the movie. We’ll also have a coloring station with Halloween-themed coloring sheets for kids.
Syracuse, NY- Happy 24th birthday to Carousel Center! The facility, now renamed Destiny USA, opened 24 years ago on October 15, 1990 with approximately 1.1 million square feet of retail space. It has more than doubled in size since then, and has had quite an impact on the region.
With the addition of the expansion in 2011, Destiny USA is now 2.4 million square feet. It is home to more than 160 retail stores, over 40 outlets, 33 restaurants and 17 entertainment venues, making it a destination for couples, friends and families across the region and the world.
Carousel Center has a fascinating history. It was named after the iconic Carousel that sits inside the Food Court on the second level. Carousel No. 18 was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1909 and had quite a journey as it moved around the country for 81 years – including several homes in the Syracuse area. The Pyramid Companies purchased the Carousel for $397,500 in 1985 when its then-current home at Roseland Park closed. The company restored it and placed it in Carousel Center in 1990.
“The Carousel continues to run each day and puts smiles on the faces of everyone, kids and adults alike,” Sara Wallace, Director of Marketing, said. “Destiny USA will be offering free carousel rides to everyone on October 15 as part of the anniversary celebration.”
The facility has always been much more than just a shopping center. Even from its early years, it has been a driver of economic development, including jobs, sales tax revenues, and tourism to the area. Carousel Center, and now Destiny USA, also has an active history focused on environmental protection since Robert Congel, founder of The Pyramid Companies, purchased the land the facility stands on in 1983.
Now, in its industry-leading role, Destiny USA implements a model of advanced and innovative sustainability initiatives as a LEED Gold® certified building, including rainwater harvesting, a solar reflective “cool” roof, purchasing Green Power for the facility, using recycled products used in construction throughout the expansion, and many more.
“We’re proud of our LEED Gold® status and strive to expand all of our sustainability measures throughout the facility,” Rob Schoeneck, General Manager, said. “Destiny USA has grown its recycling program in recent years and created a composting program. Since July 2012, we’ve composted more than 1.1 million pounds from 25 restaurants.”
5 Wits Anticipates One-Millionth Adventurer
During Columbus Day Weekend
Foxboro, MA (September 29, 2014): Who will be 5 Wits’ One-Millionth Adventurer? The immersive-entertainment adventure venue with locations in Foxboro andSyracuse,NY anticipates reaching its One-Millionth Adventurer milestone sometime over the Columbus Day weekend, according to Foxboro General Manager Frank Cerio.
The public is encouraged to visit5 Wits Patriot Placeand the 5 Wits at DestinyUSAinSyracuseleading up to and during Columbus Day weekend, October 10-13. Anyone from either location could be The One-Millionth Adventurer.
“We are excited to be reaching such a significant milestone for our Foxboro andSyracuselocations and will be awarding a 5 Wits Prize Pack worth $500 to the One-Millionth Adventurer,” said Cerio.
5 Wits is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Tomb adventure. Participants have to battle an angry Pharaoh in order to escape his ancient tomb. Visitors who don’t prove their worthiness against the Pharaoh’s many challenges may be trapped in his burial chamber for all eternity!
“Tomb was created 10 years ago inMassachusetts, and a newer, updated version opened inSyracusethis past spring,” said Cerio. “We don’t have this adventure in our Foxboro location but it’s very popular inSyracuse. Customers love the Indiana Jones feel when they are exploring the ancient Egyptian tomb.”
5 Wits is a cutting-edge concept in live-action entertainment that “immerses” participants in one of four realistic, hands-on adventures. The original 5 Wits was founded in Massachusetts10 years ago. For more information visit www.5-wits.com/Foxboro or call 855.955.WITS.
Syracuse, NY- Flormar, the irrevocable women’s makeup brand, is coming to Destiny USA’s first level, next to The Limited. Flormar offers a wide product range, from high quality nail polish, blush, foundation, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick and more to its consumers. The professional makeup brand is one of the most well-known and trusted cosmetic brands in Europe.
As one of the leading beauty brands, Flormar offers complete range of cosmetics products from makeup products to hand creams to personal care products that have unique formulas and strong claims developed as a result of strong research & development and beauty expertise.
Flormar, born in 1970’s in the city of Milan, Italy, carried all its production to Turkey in the 1972’s. The high customer satisfaction and market leadership that Flormar achieved in the internaional market has led the company to expand to the American market. Flormar markets under its own name and exports its products to more than 80 countries on 4 continents.
“Flormar is a great addition to the selection Retail Group of America is introducing to Destiny USA,” Rob Schoeneck, General Manager of Destiny USA, stated. “We are thrilled to have the exclusive makeup brand join our offering.”
Today, Flormar is considered one of the strongest players in the cosmetics sector with its production areas and the capacity to produce 7 million pieces monthly.
Flormar will be located on the first level between The Limited and Aeropostale and is anticipated to open later this year. For more information on Flormar, please visit www.flormar.com and www.facebook.com/Flormar.USA.
Syracuse, NY- The American Red Cross is holding its monthly blood drive on Destiny USA’s first level, across from Forever 21 on Saturday, October 18 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Visitors can stop by anytime during those hours and donate blood to provide critical support to those in need.
WHAT: American Red Cross Blood Drive
WHEN: Saturday, October 18 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: First level of Destiny USA, across from Forever 21
Syracuse, NY- VF Outlet is set to open a new home on Destiny USA’s second level, across from Jos A. Bank later this year.
VF Outlet boasts the ‘original’ outlet sales as early as 1970. President of VF Corporation at the time, M.O. Lee, suggested public sales to clear out excess inventory. The merchandise quickly sold out and thus was born the outlet sale. From there, VF Corporation hosted these events on a regular basis and VF Outlet was created.
“VF Outlet is known in the industry for its value and wide selection; it’s department store features offer items for every member of the family,” Sara Wallace, Director of Marketing of Destiny USA, stated. “It will be a huge addition in size and selection for our expansion and the facility overall.”
Since the VF Outlet sales of the 1970’s, the new VF Outlet offers excess inventory and a unique combination of value price product with brands including Lee, Wrangler, JanSport, Maidenform, Avia, Disney and more for men, women and children.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our upcoming opening at Destiny USA. We look forward to joining the greater Syracuse community with our brand new 20,000 square foot space, offering amazing values for great quality national brands for the whole family, and the convenience of a 1-stop shop destination,” Michele Colonna, VP of Marketing at VF Outlet, said. “In addition to one of the largest assortments of denim in the marketplace, featuring iconic brands at excellent value, VF Outlet also features an extensive selection of intimates, junior fashions, sportswear, mens, misses, kids, plus sizes, not to mention a wide selection of team sports apparel and licensed apparel. VF Outlet also offers what is one of the most generous Loyalty programs in the industry. We can’t wait to be able to share our amazing deals, on which we’ve built our legacy for the last 40 years and look forward to many years of success.”
Destiny USA’s VF Outlet location will be one of three locations in Upstate New York. It will be the only location within a fully enclosed facility. VF Outlet is anticipated to open later this year and will take more than 20,000 square feet on the second level.


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QXL.com, the online auction company, has appointed media21 as to handle its online media planning and buying.
Media21 won the business following a pitch against several other local online media buying firms. QXL did not reveal the size of its budget.
Alex Czajkowski, marketing director of QXL said: "The key to success online is maximising the value of your media investments. We're looking forward to leveraging media21's experience in online planning, buying and reporting. They've proven themselves with other industry leaders and continue to demonstrate their value-added benefits to us in every meeting."


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17 Aug CUBE 3 Studio ranked by Inc. 500
For the second year, CUBE 3 Studio has been ranked by Inc500. For 2010, annual ranking at #340 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
The proof of our methodology and ability to create desirable designs is being ranked the tenth fastest-growing company in the construction business — and 340th overall in the United States for 2010, in the Inc500. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy — America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.
“If you want to know which companies are going to change the world, look at the Inc. 500,” said Inc. editor Jane Berentson. “These are the most dynamic, fast-growth companies in the nation, the ones finding innovative solutions to problems, creating smart systems, and inventing products we soon discover we can’t live without. The Inc. 500 list is Inc. magazine’s tribute to American business ingenuity and ambition.”


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PORT OF LOS ANGELES
Port of Los Angeles breaks ground on US$137-million railyard that will increase on-dock rail efficiency, reduce congestion and improve environment. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Port of Los Angeles officials broke ground on a new intermodal storage railyard that will improve a vital link in the national freight network. The new yard will function as a critical link between the Port of Los Angeles and the Alameda Corridor, providing staging and storage for trains using the corridor. Construction of the $137.7 million rail project at Berth 200, also known as the West Basin Railyard, will generate about 2,000 direct and indirect jobs. When completed, the new yard will move cargo more safely and efficiently, reduce truck traffic on roads and freeways and improve regional air quality while strengthening the Port of Los Angeles’ position as the nation’s No. 1 trade gateway. The Berth 200 railyard project also enables track space at the TraPac container terminal to serve as TraPac’s future on-dock rail facility. With completion of the $365 million in rail, roadway and terminal improvements at TraPac over the next three years, TraPac will join the other seven container terminals at the Port of Los Angeles that offer shippers the speed-to-market advantage of on-dock rail.
The Port of Los Angeles became the top U.S. international freight gateway by shipment value in 2003, according to a soon to be released report from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. America’s Freight Transportation Gateways shows that Los Angeles’ water port handled $17 billion in export trade and $105 billion in imports, totaling $122 billion in business handled by the port.
Port of Long Beach report surge in January container volumes, while those at Port of Los Angeles were slightly down. Up – Port of Long Beach Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach surged in January with 17.5 percent more containers overall ? including a 19.5 percent jump in imports and an 8.2 percent rise in exports compared to the same month one year ago. Port terminals in January moved 536,263 TEUs (or twenty-foot equivalent container units)
The total number of containers shipped through the Port of Los Angeles in August increased by six percent compared to July, the second consecutive month that volumes have risen at the Port amid a slumping economy. The total number of Twenty-Foot Equivalent (20-foot containers or TEUs) imported and exported through the Port of Los Angeles in August was 612,581, a six percent rise compared to 576,203 TEUs in July. In June, total container volume at the Port was 551,679 TEUs.
$122 Million Project Would Expand Facility, Extend Lease Agreement The Port of Los Angeles is initiating the environmental review process on a proposed berth-improvement project by Yang Ming, a Taiwanese marine transport company at the Port. The start of the environmental process, which is expected to formally begin this fall with a Notice of Preparation, is the first step in Yang Ming's plan to enhance its terminal facilities and deepen its berth to accommodate 14
The Port of Los Angeles and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (EIS/EIR) for the Berths 302-306 APL Container Terminal Project that involves the improvement and expansion of the existing 291-acre terminal by 56 acres. APL operates the second largest container terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. The proposed project calls for the development of 1250 feet of new wharf and 41 acres of backland with planned state-of-the-art infrastructure
Port of Los Angeles pioneers international clean ship incentive program in North America & the Pacific Rim The Port of Los Angeles has become the first seaport in North America and the Pacific Rim to adopt an international clean air program that rewards ocean carriers for bringing their newest and cleanest vessels to the Port. The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners having formally approved an Environmental Ship Index (ESI) program to take effect July 1.
Crowley tugboats used for ship assistance and escort operations in the Port of Los Angeles have begun using newly-installed shore-side electrical power when not on the job in an effort to cut fuel consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Previously, the tugs tied up at the dock needed to run their generators to provide electrical power. Crowley and the Port of Los Angeles recently completed this initiative, known as cold ironing, at Berth 86
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the signing of an agreement with Yang Ming, a marine transport company, to extend its lease at the Port of Los Angeles for an additional nine years. Yang Ming’s current lease at the West Basin Container Terminal ends in 2021; with this agreement, it extends to 2030 and represents additional port revenues of between $365 and $525 million, depending on cargo volumes. In conjunction with the lease extension
The Port of Los Angeles has released its June 2013 cargo volumes showing a decrease of 7.2 percent compared to June 2012. The port authority attirbutes the decrease as being due in part to a vessel service that shifted elsewhere. Imports dropped 7.2 percent, from 353,930 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers in June 2012 to 328,324 TEUs this June. Exports decreased 15 percent, from 174,418 TEUs in June 2012 to 148,203 TEUs in June 2013.
The newly assembled Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners held its first meeting, with four of the five-member panel newly appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Three of the commissioners are Harbor Area residents. The Harbor Commission is expected to elect its president and
The Port of Los Angeles has released its October 2013 cargo volumes. October overall volumes totaled 684,207 TEU, down 4.76% from October 2012 volume. Imports declined by 5.14%, from 364,881 TEUs in October 2012 to 346,137 TEUs this October. Exports decreased 5
The Port of Los Angeles released its October 2013 cargo volumes. October overall volumes totaled 684,207 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers, indicating a volume drop of 4.76% compared to October 2013. Imports declined by 5.14%, from 364,881 TEUs in October 2012 to 346,137 TEUs this October
Gary Lee Moore, who has served as Los Angeles City Engineer and General Manager of the city’s Bureau of Engineering for the past decade, has started his duties as interim executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “Gary is a trusted public servant
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a new incentive program to reward shipping lines that bring new container business to the Port of Los Angeles in 2014. The Ocean Common Carrier Incentive Program adds to the advantages of moving cargo through America’s No
Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (Pres. Takao Tanaka) has received an order for two automated container cranes for railroad terminal from TraPac, Inc.. which is Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.’s U.S. affiliated company, through MES’s U.S. affiliated company, PACECO Corp.
The Port of Los Angeles Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program awarded $97.6 million in contracts to small businesses during the 2012/2013 fiscal year of the $405.9 million that was awarded in construction and professional service contracts by the Port during the period.
The Port of Los Angeles has released its September 2013 cargo volumes. September overall volumes totaled 710,892 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers, the third consecutive month volumes exceeded 700,000 TEUs, but compared to September 2012, volumes dropped 4.57 percent.
APL has named their new 9,200-TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container ship 'APL Savannah' at the Port of Los Angeles. The APL Savannah is the fifth in a series of twelve 9,200-TEU vessels to be delivered to APL, the container shipping arm of Singapore-based shipping and logistics company
The Port of Los Angeles has released its August 2013 cargo volumes. August overall volumes totaled 709,675 Twenty-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers, the second consecutive month volumes exceeded 700,000 TEUs. Compared to August 2012, volumes inched up less than 1 percent.
As evidence of its continued strong financial position and overall stability, the Port of Los Angeles has been affirmed an “AA” long-term bond rating by Standards & Poor’s (S&P). “AA” is the highest rating given to a port without taxing authority.
The Port of Los Angeles has released its July 2013 cargo volumes. July overall volumes totaled 715,640 20-Foot Equivalent (TEU) containers, the busiest cargo month of 2013. Compared to July 2012, volumes slipped 1.48%. Imports edged downward by
The California Air Resources Board has fined three international shipping companies a combined $440,250 for failure to switch from dirty bunker fuel to cleaner, low-sulfur marine distillate fuel upon entering Regulated California Waters, as required by state law.
Foss Maritime and AKA's retrofit system wins federal listing after tug test shows significant fuel savings and reduced emissions Clean hybrid technology that's already proving its value in two of the world's most environmentally sensitive ports has received verification from the U.S
Voith will provide Voith Schneider Propellers and turbo couplings for two fireboats designed by Robert Allan Ltd. for the Port of Long Beach, U.S. With a water pumping capacity of more than 40,000 gallons per minute they will be among the world's most powerful fireboats.


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Private Relay and Hide my Email are privacy features included with iCloud Plus The first change sits more within iCloud’s traditional cloud storage remit, and is an expansion of Apple’s existing HomeKit Secure Video offering. iCloud Plus now lets you securely stream and record from an unlimited number of cameras, up from a previous maximum of five.
The pitch is simple: our products protect your privacy. But this promise has shifted very subtly in the wake of this week’s iCloud Plus announcement, which for the first time bundled new security protections into a paid subscription service. The pitch is still “our products keep you safe,” but now one of those “products” is a monthly subscription that doesn’t come with the device in your box — even if those devices are getting more built-in protections as well. iCloud has always been one of Apple’s simplest services. You get 5GB of free storage to backup everything from images, to messages and app data, and you pay a monthly subscription if you want more (or just want to silence Apple’s ransom note when you inevitably run out of storage). Apple isn’t changing anything about the pricing or storage options as part of the shift to iCloud Plus. Prices will still range from $0.99 a month for 50GB of storage up to $9.99 for 2TB. But what is changing is the list of features you’re getting, which is expanding by three. With the new Private Relay and Hide My Mail features, however, iCloud Plus is expanding its remit from a storage-based service into a storage and privacy service. The privacy-focused additions are minor in the grand scheme of the protections Apple offers across its ecosystem, and Apple isn’t using them as justification for increasing the cost of iCloud. But they nevertheless open the door to so-called “premium” privacy features becoming a part of Apple’s large and growing services empire.
The features appear as an admission from Apple about the limits of what privacy protections can do on-device. “What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone” was how the company put its promise in a 2019 ad, but when your iPhone needs to connect to the internet to browse the web, receive email, and generally earn the “i” in “iPhone,” inevitably some of its privacy rests on the infrastructure serving it. The most interesting of these new features is Apple’s Private Relay, which aims to shield your web traffic from prying eyes in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey. It hides your data from both internet service providers as well as advertisers that might build a detailed profile on you based on your browsing history. While it sounds a bit like a VPN, Apple claims the Private Relay’s dual-hop design means even Apple itself doesn’t have a complete picture of your browsing data. Regular VPNs, meanwhile, require a level of trust that means you need to be careful about which VPN you use.
Image: Apple As Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering explains, VPNs can protect your data from outsiders, but they “involve putting a lot of trust in a single centralized entity: the VPN provider. And that’s a lot of responsibility for that intermediary, and involves the user making a really difficult trust decision about exposing all of that information to a single entity.” “We wanted to take that completely out of the equation by having a dual-hop architecture,” Federighi told Fast Company.
Here’s how it works. When using Private Relay your internet traffic is being sent via two proxy servers on its way to its destination. First, your traffic gets encrypted before it leaves your device. Then, once it hits the initial, Apple-operated server, it gets assigned an anonymous IP that hides your specific location. Next up, the second server, which is controlled by a third-party, decrypts the web address and forwards the traffic to its destination. Apple thinks today’s VPNs pose “a really difficult trust decision” Apple can’t see which website you’re requesting, only the IP address you’re requesting it from, and third-parties can’t see that IP address, only the website you’re requesting. (Apple says it also uses Oblivious DNS over HTTPS.) That’s different from most “double VPN” and “multi-hop” VPN services you can subscribe to today, where a provider may control both servers. You could perhaps combine a VPN and a proxy server to do something similar, though. Apple says Private Relay won’t impact performance, which can be a concern with these other services.
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Preventative measures in the fight against the spread of COVID-19—known more commonly as the corornavirus—have already begun disrupting everyday life for folks around the world. Because of the virus that has affected 97,000 people world wild and killed over 3,000, business travel has been banned by some companies, events are being cancelled (or are daily monitoring to see if cancellation becomes necessary), and now it is affecting folks’ daily coffee routines as Starbucks has announced that they will no longer serve drinks in reusable cups.
As per Yahoo News, Starbucks has banned the use of any non-single-use coffee cups. This includes not only those brought in by customers—KeepCups, HuskeeCups, Carter Mugs, etc—but ceramic “for here” wares as well. In a letter announcing the policy change, Executive Vice President Rossann Williams states that Starbucks will still honor the $.10 discount for those who bring their own mugs, they just won’t be used.
First and foremost, the health and well-being of our partners and customers remains top of mind and our highest priority, and we will continue to act thoughtfully and courageously despite the disruption and uncertainty COVID-19 brings to our daily lives. As part of communities worldwide, we are navigating this situation with nimbleness, learning and adapting as new information is made available.
Along with the reusable cup restriction, the company has “increased cleaning and sanitizing for all company-operated stores,” restricted business-related travel until April, and have provided “scenario-based procedural information to our store teams on how to report and support anyone that may express they’ve been impacted by the virus, including store closure decision making support.”
Williams states that Starbucks is monitoring the situation daily with hopes that service will return to normal soon. In the meantime, wash your hands.


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Boat sales were good at Helsinki International Boat Show
The Helsinki International Boat Show, Vene 17 Båt, is the biggest boating event in Northern Europe. The 10 day event closed its doors on Sunday and gathered over 71,000 visitors to Messukeskus Helsinki. Visitors were satisfied with the event and exhibitors were satisfied with sales.
The event presented 390 exhibitors and 532 boats. The exhibition space occupied was 25,000 square meters. This time the event offered over 500 different presentations and demos, i.e. more programme than ever before.
New taxation on boats suggested by the Finnish Government was discussed in detail when the event opened its doors. To everybody's surprise and delight it was announced on Wednesday that the new tax is revoked.
Jarkko Pajusalo, the new CEO of the Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat, was satisfied with the event. "The atmosphere was great and very positive. After having discussions with numerous exhibitors the general feel is that more boats were sold this year than last year. Naturally more deals are closed in the next couple of weeks after which we know the actual results. In addition to boats, plenty of boating accessories and gear were also sold. Now it is time to thank everybody and collect feedback from the exhibitors and visitors so that the event can be developed further. The next event will of course be even better", summarises Pajusalo.
Satisfied visitors will attend also next time
Kantar TNS conducts a visitor survey each year at the Helsinki International Boat Show and interviews 300 visitors. This year 94 % were satisfied with the event and 90 % will most likely visit also next year. Visitors were most interested to see motorboats (62 %) and boating accessories and gear (46 %). 27 % were also interested in fishing equipment. Most of the visitors use motorboats but 15 % prefer sailing. The Helsinki International Boat Show gathers visitors from the entire Finland since as many as 51 % reported to live outside the Helsinki metropolitan area.
The Helsinki International Boat Show is the biggest boating event in Northern Europe and it was organised by Messukeskus Helsinki 10-19 February 2017. The event is commissioned by the Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat. In 2017 the event was organised for the 48th time and the operations of the Finnish Lifeboat Institution were highlighted. The main partner of Vene 17 Båt was Volvo Car Finland Oy Ab. Next time the Helsinki International Boat Show is organised 9-18 February 2018 at Messukeskus Helsinki.
For more information, please contact: Communications Manager Teija Armanto, Messukeskus Helsinki, tel. +358 50 376 0804,
Finnboat ry: CEO Jarkko Pajusalo, tel. +358 40 673 4032,


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Leading translation and interpreting company Word360 have won two awards at the annual Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) Awards at the International Convention Centre on 19 November.
The ABCC Awards celebrates some of the most dynamic businesses within the West Midlands Asian business community.
Word360 won Small Business of the Year whilst Commercial Director, Kavita Parmar, won the award for Businesswoman of the Year.
Kavita said, “I am delighted to have won two ABCC awards. It’s fantastic recognition for all the hard work of our staff and linguists over the past year. We would like to extend our thanks to the ABCC and the judges for these brilliant accolades. We are totally overwhelmed.”
Visit : www.word360.co.uk


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Annual series initially looked to be taking a year off
Activision has re-confirmed that it intends to release a brand new Call of Duty release in 2023, responding to suggestions that the series would be taking time out this year to focus on DLC and additional content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone.
But, following a recent report by Bloomberg, the publisher reached out to new outlets to confirm that a new, premium Call of Duty game will launch in 2023, though further details on the title were not forthcoming. According to Bloomberg, developer Sledgehammer Games had initially begun the project as MW2 DLC, but the scope and scale of the project have seen it expanded into its own title — an “extension” of sorts for the MW2 narrative/timeline.
It should also be noted that while 2021 release Call of Duty: Vanguard was one of the weakest-selling entries in recent years, Modern Warfare 2 was a resounding success, having the most lucrative launch in Call of Duty history, as well as being the fastest title in the series to reach the $1 billion sales milestone. While this is purely speculation, it’s not hard to imagine Activision’s “skip a year” plan was a response to Vanguard‘s sales, with MW2‘s staggering success quickly putting paid to that tentative decision.
Call of Duty 2023 is currently in development at Sledgehammer Games.


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Tate & Lyle, the global renewable ingredients company, today announced the formation of a joint-venture with an Israeli partner to build and operate a sugar plant in Israel.
The joint-venture company will supply high quality sugars to a range of users in the Israeli market. This will partially replace traditional sugar imports from the European Union, which will be restricted following European sugar regime reform and the WTO ruling on exports.
Tate & Lyle will acquire 65% equity in the new Company, the net assets of which will be £8.1m ($14.3m).
“This investment is another example of how we are reacting positively to changes to the European sugar regime,” said Stanley Musesengwa, Chief Operating Officer, Tate & Lyle PLC. “It will enable us to continue serving our customers effectively by replacing our existing European Union exports to Israel.
“Tate & Lyle has been exporting white sugar from its London-based refinery to Israel for over twenty-years and has built a reputation for high sugar quality, prompt deliveries and good customer service.”
The plant will be designed by Tate & Lyle’s specialist engineering division, Tate & Lyle Process Technology.


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The expansion is part of the Canton, Massachusetts-based quick-serve giant’s strategy to spread its presence to all corners of the Emirates, which is increasingly becoming a significant market in the burgeoning Middle East region.
Speaking on the occasion, Dunkin’ Donuts General Manager, David Rodgers said: “The new outlet is our 61st location in the country, which should become increasingly popular with visitors and residents of the upscale community. Our expansion is part of the company’s continuing response to strong demand for our products in the country.
“With the increasing popularity of our high-quality baked goods and select coffee blends across the country, we plan to add a total of 11 outlets across the emirates in 2011. Our strength is the unmatched combination of our superior blend of coffee and a wider range of donuts than any other coffee shop in addition to dedicated standards of customer service,” he added.
With the opening of this outlet, Dunkin’ Donuts has once again demonstrated its commitment to the region, for which it has an investment outlay of more than AED10 million spread over the next three years.
Uptown Motor City is a residential and lifestyle development designed for motor sports enthusiasts and those who prefer being near the iconic Dubai Autodrome. Apart from a range of apartments, the development includes parks, schools, retail outlets and recreational areas.
Dunkin’ Donuts is the established leader in the market for coffee and baked goods with a robust worldwide presence in 31 countries. Currently the company has more than 9,000 outlets across the globe.


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To facilitate high-end exchanges of household industry clusters between Foshan and Dongguan City, and support cluster enterprises in building their brands and expanding markets, the "AI Shapes the Future, Intelligent Manufacturing for Global Homes" 2023 Foshan-Dongguan Household Industry Summit and New Product Launch Ceremony were held on November 16th at the JD (Foshan) Digital Economic Industrial Park. Nearly 200 representatives from Foshan and Dongguan household enterprises, domestic household-related companies, investment institutions, and academic research institutions gathered to discuss the future of high-quality development in the household industry.
On the conference, Dr. Zhan Yibing from JD Exploration Research Institute, Zhou Yuxiang, President of Shanghai Heihu Technology Co., Ltd., and Chen Dingding, Vice Dean of the Belt and Road and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Research Institute at Jinan University, gathered at the summit. They delivered insightful presentations on topics like "Data-Driven Industry Interconnection for the Next Decade in the Household Industry", "AI-Driven Cross-Border Strategies", etc, offering a professional analysis of current AI trends and applications to guide enterprises in seizing opportunities and upgrading.
Six carefully chosen new products from the Foshan household industry took the stage at the afternoon product launch. Representing companies showcased the innovative achievements of the Foshan household industry clusters across diverse sectors, including home materials, non-metallic minerals, furniture, electrical machinery, and general equipment manufacturing. The products stood out for their technological advancements, innovation, and industry representation.
Featured a comprehensive exhibition area, the event displayed excellent products from over ten Foshan household industry enterprises. Attendees explored and experienced the innovative products, assessing their competitive potential, which provided a firsthand look at how Foshan's household industry contributes to improving daily life.
During the summit, the inauguration ceremony of the JD (Foshan) Digital Economic Industrial Park and the unveiling ceremony of the National Household Industry Cluster Promotion Institution Foshan Center were also held. This initiative has added new impetus to the public service platform for Foshan's household industry cluster, promising enhanced and superior support services for the development of the cluster and its associated enterprises.
Reporter | Eleanor
Revisor | Lynn
Photo丨Foshan News and Media Center


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Massive Google Pixel 4a design leak reveals all, punch-hole display included
The Pixel 4a inherits the new square-shaped Pixel 4 camera
The high-end Pixel 4 series saw Google ditch its trademark two-tone construction and single-camera layout after three years of use in favor of a much more simplistic rear panel that's dominated by a square-shaped camera module. It turned out to be quite a controversial move but, rather unsurprisingly, today's renders suggest the cheaper model will follow suit.
It appears the phone's back is now carved out of a single-tone slab of plastic. This is home to a noticeably larger camera module in the corner but, because of the smartphone's mid-range positioning, Google has decided to include an LED flash and just one camera rather than two.
With this design, it seems that Google has once again decided not to include an ultra-wide camera, but is placing its bets on an impressive main sensor that should support features such as Astrophotography and Google's improved Night Sight.
Accompanying these changes looks set to be a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and Google's usual 'G' logo. The whole package will be completed by an accented power key on the side, the return of the 3.5mm headphone jack on top of the phone, and a USB-C port that's paired with a speaker along the bottom.
Google's first phone with a punch-hole display
The front of the Pixel 4a is arguably its biggest differentiator because Google has ditched the costly 3D facial recognition and Motion Sense system. The latter was the reason for the massive forehead on Google's premium models, but with it now out of the way the internet giant has taken a different direction and selected a punch-hole panel for its new phone.
This screen pairs the cut-out, which is positioned in the top-left corner, with relatively thick bezels that are almost completely uniform. Google used OLED technology on the Pixel 3a series earlier this year and is expected to do the same thing with next year's models, although the size of the panel is being increased from 5.6-inches to 5.8-inches.
Despite this, the noticeably smaller bezels mean the device itself will be even more compact than its predecessor. To compare, the Pixel 3a measures in at 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm whereas the upcoming Pixel 4a's dimensions are 144.2 x 69.5 x 8.2mm in size.
Google Pixel 4a specifications and announcement timeline predictions
Google's strategy with the Pixel 3a series would suggest the Pixel 4a will arrive powered by the newer Snapdragon 675 chipset rather than the Snapdragon 670. However, with the Apple A13 Bionic-powered iPhone 9 reportedly around the corner, it could choose to include one of Qualcomm's more powerful alternatives such as the Snapdragon 730.
A minimum of 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage should accompany this in addition to stock Android 10 straight out of the box. Google is yet to confirm when the smartphone will be announced but an introduction at Google I/O 2020 in early Ma seems extremely likely. Shipments should commence shortly after in the United States and Europe.


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Wireless communications company SR Technologies has selected Sunrise for its new headquarters, and will create 40 new jobs and retain 161 positions, the company announced Wednesday.
The company has an office in Davie but was considering other potential locations for its headquarters including Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Maryland, according to Enterprise Florida and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, which work with companies on expansion and relocation.
SR Technologies, part of SRT Group, was offered state and local incentives of $280,000 for the confirmed creation of 40 jobs, according to the Alliance.
The company will occupy more than 77,000 square feet of office space at the Sawgrass Technology Park, expanding its footprint by 40,000 square feet in the new location. It is making an investment of more than $1 million, according to a news release from the state.
The company, which specializes in design, engineering, and research and development for wireless communications, said a key reason it chose Sunrise was access to software companies in the area.
“The location provides us with the room we needed to grow our company,” said Rick Lund, chairman and founder of SR Technologies.


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Global Revenue for IoT Devices in the Residential and Commercial Sectors is Expected to Total $732 Billion from 2016 to 2026, According to Navigant Research.
These are the sectors that may be attacked with IoT Attacks in 2017.
Caused by some reasons especially for security, lawmakers makes IoT security more strict.
Bosch is seeking to transform itself from equipment manufacturers to service providers. The company has launched its own cloud computing network and is determined to develop its Internet of Things technology and software to be better.
An MIT research team has introduced a new computer chip, Eyeriss, that will allow IoT devices to go through deep learning process. Data collected by the devices, is currently uploaded to the internet for processing by power servers. Eyeriss chip processes the collected data locally using the neural technology and thus ensures data security and reduces power consumption.
Internet of Things (IoT) has appeared as an exciting new technological chapter. Inclusion of more devices to the network poses huge risks of cyber attacking. Raising awareness among the device users has become a prime concern while combating with cyber threats. Despite all precautionary efforts, war against cyber hackers will cost around $6 trillion by the next five years.
Cisco and Ericsson on Monday reported a tremendous new partnership that they believe will bring in $1 billion for each company by 2018. Cisco is considered a pioneer in things that are associated to PC networking and is especially strong in selling its gear to market corporations and Government too.
The world's largest online retailer has posted encouraging performance for the third quarter ending September 2015. The higher sales in the US and cloud computing business pushed its bottom line to swell. Amazon announced profits for the consecutive second month. Adding to this, the cost control measures and expanding beyond online marketing helped Amazon perform better. Amazon Web Services (AWS) propelled Amazon's overall revenues to grow further.
Adding one more tool to the Internet of Things (IoT), Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the launch of 'Amazon IoT,' a new service from the online retailer.
American global conglomerate General Electric (GE) has floated a new unit 'GE Digital' to position itself a leader in Industrial Internet of Things. The newly created unit GE Digital will integrate GE software center, knowledge of its global IT teams and industrial security expertise of Wurldtech. Bill Ruh has been appointed as Chief Digital Officer to lead the GE Digital. GE Digital aims to be among global top-10 software companies by 2020.
Samsung, the technology giant has announced its undisclosed amount of investment in France-based start up Sigfox, which has recently raised $115 million mega round in venture capital.
British chip designer ARM Holdings (ARM.L) said on Monday it had bought Dutch firm Offspark, a specialist in security software for the Internet of Things.


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McDonald’s is known to pay its staff minimum wage. However, it could be beneficial to both McDonalds and their staff to give a bonus based on how many customers they serve.
It would be fair because it will compensate employees for the growing intensity of their work. Rational as it helps the company to retain qualified employees in a tightening, competitive labour market.
Like it or not, low-pay employees are the very heart of the McDonald’s business model. They’ve always been overworked too. These are the people preparing and serving the meals of demanding customers.
Adding breakfast items like pancakes and McMuffins to the lunch and dinner menu turned out to be a great idea for the company. Not to mention for the customers, who couldn’t get enough of the idea during breakfast hours. It helped the bottom line for the company and allowed it to capitalize on economies of scope.
The company was able to offer even more choice to their customers in their prime locations. That is to say, the customers that wanted more choice got more choice.
Employees are still earning close to the minimum wage; making between $8-$10 an hour on average in tight working conditions.
To give McDonald’s its due, the company does at least offer lots of benefits to employees, including tuition assistance and free food.
Even so, the reality is still there McDonald’s employees are working harder and they should be paid more for the extra effort.
Perhaps this payment could come in the form of a supplemental bonus based on how many meals a store serves in a month. Optima Foods CEO Kostas Mastoras thinks so. “If employees produce more sales, they should be paid a bonus,” he says.
McDonald’s franchises are operating on thin profit margins when franchise and lease costs are factored into the equation. However, the parent company is still making quite a tidy profit.
Perhaps reducing the franchise fee could ease the burden on local operators who decide to pay such bonuses to their employees.


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News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
This Thursday, the White Plains Galleria is closing for good after 43 years. When it opened in 1980, the once-popular mall at 100 Main St. was the largest in the region and most profitable in the country.
But a difficult economy and the pandemic were two of the key reasons for its death knell and the looming closure of the mega retail operation.
Open for its final days last week, the mall was nearly deserted with the exception of a few stores that remained open. Shops that were closed had darkened interiors covered by steel gray security gates. Eerily, all mall escalators were running, echoing throughout the expansive, empty corridors.
Floors that for years were abuzz with shoppers were now silent.
Still open was Westchester Trains & Hobbies, its merchandise spilling out onto the floor near the Main St. entrance, the only remaining access point for the mall. Long popular with hobbyists, the store moved to the Galleria in 2020.
John, the Westchester Trains & Hobbies manager who was reluctant to give his full name, said the store was looking for a new lease at another location.
“I’ve been working (with the business) for four years and there’s been only a few sales recently,” he said.
Another one of the few stores still open were Belleza Salon, and one dress shop on the food court level with a a small rack of clothes on clearance out front. Gone were all tables in the food court and a few chairs were scattered randomly while others were stacked in remote corners. Store directories were still displayed prominently.
Security guards were overtly present, chasing down anyone on the premises that didn’t have an appointment in the dwindling number of remaining businesses –Galleria Dental Center, Lenscrafters and Nails and More. A security guard intervened to prevent The Examiner from interviewing a specialist at Lenscrafters. The Examiner reporter was advised to stop taking notes and photos by security after a request to speak to mall management was denied.
The guard also questioned a couple with a child attempting to access the public garage from within the mall.
In one of the few exterior windows on Main St. that wasn’t papered over was a sign from mall owner Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP), thanking the community for its loyalty and “memories we have shared and the relationships we have formed with our customers and neighbors.”
The mall takes up about 10 acres, has 865,000 leasable square feet in its four levels, 2,840 available parking spaces, 50 small retail shop spaces and 22 restaurants. It also had two movie theaters. PRCP purchased the mall in 2016 from Simon Property Group for about $120 million.
But by 2021, the Galleria lost its premier anchor stores, Macy’s and Sears. Macy’s had been in the Galleria since 2001 and Sears since 2003.
In November, it was reported that PRCP was teaming up with Aareal Bank, the Cappelli Organization and SL Green Realty Corp. in a joint venture to develop a mixed-use project of residential development and amenity-based retail on the site.
Because the location is in the heart of downtown White Plains near the city’s Metro-North station, a major mass transit hub, it is considered a Qualified Opportunity Zone, one in which has seen large-scale revitalization.
The Qualified Opportunity Zone also includes the two 43-story towers of The Ritz-Carlton across the street from the Galleria that includes 374 condominiums, a hotel, 70,000 square feet of offices and a 900-car underground garage.
Abby is a local journalist who has reported on breaking news for more than 20 years. She currently covers community issues in The Examiner as a full-time reporter and has written for the paper since its inception in 2007. Read more from Abby’s editor-author bio here. Read Abbys’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/ab-lub2019/


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It’s great having a plethora of streaming services. But they still all require you to do something very important that isn’t always easy to do—make a decision. You actually have to select what you want to watch. And like a restaurant with way too many options, the more titles you can choose from the harder it can be to actually pick one. That’s why I so frequently end up channel surfing on cable instead. It’s less stressful. Earlier this year, Netflix launched a “shuffle” feature on its TV apps that plays random movies or episode of TV shows. Now it’s taking a step closer towards regular television. Netflix is testing out a new feature in France that looks a lot more like traditional TV. The streaming giant has launched a linear channel with specific, scheduled programming.
Netflix has announced it is experimenting with a new type of experience for users in France. It’s Direct channel (which we first heard about at IndieWire) will feature a curated lineup of original Netflix movies and shows. They will be programmed to run at specific times, the same way any normal TV station works. Subscribers in France will be able to tune in to see what’s on Direct, like they do with ABC or The Food Network any given time of day.
The streaming service explained in a press release why it chose France. “Watching traditional TV remains hugely popular with people who just want a ‘lean back’ experience where they don’t have to choose shows,” the press release said. Netflix is also clearly aiming to recreate the experience of just watching what’s put on, rather than serving up a seemingly endless buffet to chose from. They also wrote, “Whether you are lacking inspiration or whether you are discovering Netflix for the first time, you could let yourself be guided for the first time without having to choose a particular title and let yourself be surprised by the diversity of Netflix’s library.”
Hey, Netflix! We’re sure the people of France will love having that option. Know what other countries will too? All of them. Sometimes we don’t want to think.
Direct in France has already partially launched. It’s expected to be available for all users in the country by December. Meaning it’s coming just in time for Netflix to air all one million of its Christmas movies. I know I’d be far more likely to watch all of them if I didn’t actually have to select any of them.
Featured Image: Netflix


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2024 has started off with a bang for state privacy law developments. Only two months into the new year, there has been significant enforcement activity in California and Connecticut – with the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) winning a key court case that allows it to begin immediate enforcement of its revised California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulations; the California Attorney General’s office (California AG) announcing its second-ever enforcement decision under the CCPA and continuing with its enforcement “sweeps;” and the Connecticut Attorney General’s office (Connecticut AG) releasing a report providing insights into its active enforcement of the state’s comprehensive privacy law – the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA).
And looking ahead, activity in the state privacy space is not expected to slow down – with new comprehensive privacy laws in Texas and Oregon slated to take effect on July 1, Colorado’s recently announced universal opt-out requirement also going into effect on July 1, and a new comprehensive consumer privacy law in Montana rounding out the year to take effect on October 1. At the same time, there are even more privacy law compliance deadlines – in the form of more targeted laws focused on consumer health data, data about kids and teens, data brokers, and social media platforms, among others – peppered throughout this year, and companies will already need to be looking ahead to next year, which welcomes several new comprehensive privacy laws starting in January 2025.
What does all of this mean for companies subject to the increasingly complex state privacy law maze? As developments and deadlines continue to stack up, it is critical to stay on top of the latest trends to ensure that your compliance strategies are keeping pace. Below, we provide the key takeaways from these important developments, including what lessons companies can take away from enforcement developments and what companies need to be thinking about as they look ahead to new compliance hurdles.
Looking Back at Recent Enforcement Developments
- California Is Authorized to Begin Immediate Enforcement of New CCPA Regs. California’s new CCPA regulations – which among other things provide additional detail on compliance and consumer rights under the CCPA – were adopted on March 29, 2023. But the effective date has been subject to much debate. The new rules were originally set to take effect on July 1, 2023, but as explained here, a California state court delayed enforcement until March 29, 2024, just before they were set to take effect. Now, in the latest development regarding these rules, a February 9, 2024 California appellate court decision disagreed with the first state court and allowed the regulations to take effect immediately. The California Chamber of Commerce is appealing the decision, but in the meantime, for companies subject to the CCPA, it is important to ensure that your compliance strategies comply with the new rules.
- The California AG Announces Second-Ever CCPA Settlement. Also in February, the California AG issued a $375,000 fine and “strong injunctive terms” against DoorDash to resolve allegations that the company violated both the CCPA and the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA). Specifically, the California AG’s complaint alleged that Door Dash “sold” its customers’ personal information – by virtue of sharing the personal information with a marketing cooperative, which allows other members of the cooperative to use the information for their own marketing efforts – without providing notice or the right to opt out. In announcing the enforcement decision, the AG stated, “I hope today’s settlement serves as a wakeup call to businesses: The CCPA has been in effect for over four years now, and businesses must comply with this important privacy law. Violations cannot be cured, and my office will hold businesses accountable if they sell data without protecting consumers’ rights.” In addition to the “wakeup call” that the California AG mentioned with respect to the CCPA, this development is noteworthy because it shows that the California AG is also actively enforcing CalOPPA – a law that has been effective for almost 20 years.
- The California AG Continues CCPA Enforcement Sweeps – This Time with a Focus on Streaming Services. And ahead of its enforcement announcement regarding DoorDash, on January 26, 2024, the California AG announced its latest CCPA “sweep.” In years past, the California AG has conducted enforcement sweeps looking into specific practices and industries. This latest sweep “focuses on the compliance of streaming services with CCPA’s opt-out requirements for businesses that sell or share consumer personal information, including those that do not offer an easy mechanism for consumers who want to stop the sale of their data.”
- The Connecticut AG Reveals Insights into Its Active Enforcement of the New Connecticut Law. On February 1, 2024, the Connecticut AG released a report that detailed the actions taken to date by the AG to enforce compliance with the CTDPA. The Connecticut AG reports that his office has issued over a dozen cure notices along with broader information requests to covered businesses. Alleged deficiencies that triggered these notices of violation (with the opportunity to cure) included failure to provide required disclosers or inadequate disclosures, confusing disclosures, failing to provide a method to exercise rights, or making it burdensome to exercise rights. The Connecticut AG notes that some businesses took prompt action to cure the identified violations, while other investigations are still ongoing.
Looking Ahead to New Compliance Obligations on Tap for 2024 and Early 2025
- New Comprehensive State Law Compliance Deadlines Coming in July and October. In addition to the laws that are already in effect and being enforced, there are several new comprehensive state laws that will take effect this year. New laws in Oregon and Texas are generally set to take effect on July 1, 2024, while Montana’s new comprehensive law becomes effective on October 1, 2024.
- Colorado’s Universal Opt-Out Requirements Take Effect in July. While most of the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) went into effect last year, the provision requiring covered companies that sell personal data or that engage in targeted advertising to offer and honor opt-out requests through a “universal opt-out mechanism” – or UOOM – does not become effective until this July. Following multiple rulemaking processes to establish a public list of UOOMs that must be honored, and then to analyze and select which UOOMs should be on that list – the Colorado AG has announced that covered companies must comply with the Global Privacy Control (GPC) by July 1, 2024.
- Companies Also Need to Consider New Targeted Privacy Laws That Are Stacking Up. States have been busy not just enacting comprehensive privacy laws, but also targeted privacy laws – looking at specific types of actors in the privacy landscape (e.g., data brokers), as well as specific types of data (e.g., kids’ and teens’ data and consumer health data). Several of these new laws will be coming into effect this year as well, including the much-discussed My Heath, My Data law in Washington state, which goes into effect on March 31, 2024, and the narrower Florida privacy law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2024.
- The List of New Laws Slated for Early 2025 Keeps Growing. 2024 marks the beginning of the wave of new privacy law obligations, which is not expected to subside in the near future. New comprehensive laws in Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, and Tennessee are slated to come online between in 2025 and 2026. And this list is dynamic, as other states continue to consider and adopt privacy laws.
Key Takeaways from Covered Companies
If your business is subject to existing state privacy laws, this is a good time to reassess your compliance with those statutes and their corresponding regulations (where applicable), given the uptick in enforcement activity from states like California and Connecticut. It is important to consider the recent enforcement activity to inform how your company is interpreting and operationalizing the laws. For example, as California’s enforcement activity has made clear, that state takes a broad view of “selling,” so covered companies should take a close look at their compliance strategies for practices that could trigger the CCPA’s onerous do-not-sell obligations.
Looking ahead, covered companies need to start adding new states and new laws to their compliance plans. Although many of the new comprehensive privacy laws share similarities, each law also contains unique elements, making it crucial that potentially impacted businesses assess the applicability of each law. Now may also be the time for your organization to consider a universal privacy strategy – as opposed to a state-by-state compliance approach.
In any case, the enactment and enforcement of new privacy laws and regulations is not slowing down any time soon, so companies need to continue to vigilantly monitor developments and strategically update compliance approaches.