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Chesapeake, Va. Dollar Tree Inc. said Wednesday its second-quarter profit grew 15% as consumers turned to the discount retailer amid a tough economy.
The company earned $37.6 million compared with a profit of $32.6 million in the same quarter last year. Sales rose 12.5% to $1.1 billion from $971.2 million.
Dollar Tree said same-store sales increased 6.5% in the quarter.
"Our performance in the second quarter demonstrates the growing relevance of Dollar Tree to the consumer during tough economic times," CEO Bob Sasser said in a statement. "Increased demand for basic, consumable product is driving more customers into our stores, resulting in higher operating margin and earnings in the second quarter."


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Awww, isn't this just lovely? As reported yesterday, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt developer CD Projekt Red congratulated Guerrilla Games over Twitter, following the successful launch of Horizon: Zero Dawn. The Polish studio posted a rather nice drawing of Geralt and Aloy high-fiving each other, and now, the Dutch developer has responded with a similarly heartwarming image.
Once again it's Geralt and Aloy hanging out, only this time they're showing off their ranged weapons. It's nice to see such respected studios being so friendly, isn't it? Here's to the continued success of them both.

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Clayton S. Friedman is a partner, Ryan Strasser is a partner, Mackenzie W.J. Jessup is an associate and Carson Cox is an associate at Troutman Pepper.
Rapidly increasing demand for sustainable energy sources has sparked an explosion of alternative energy companies, especially in the residential solar market. This development has caught both the attention of states’ attorneys general and generated several consumer class actions.
In both the regulatory and class contexts, the complaints have typically centered on misrepresentations about the costs and savings benefits afforded by the residential solar power systems for sale and the companies’ aggressive sales and marketing tactics in persuading consumers to lease or purchase them. Costs and savings misrepresentations, in particular, have typically spurred the ire of state AGs when solar companies exaggerate their systems’ potential to save consumers money, despite financing that may end up costing the consumer more.
Claims around costs and savings have also triggered regulatory scrutiny where solar companies overstated consumers’ access to certain solar tax credits or overpromised the impact of those tax credits on consumers’ tax bills. These types of complaints can give way to violations of states’ unfair and deceptive or abusive practices acts and related common law claims.
Of course, the mode of these sales communications has also drawn heat from state AGs. For instance, practices of going door-to-door and misrepresenting that consumers have signed contracts, following consumers around hardware stores, and robocalling consumers have all found their way into consumer complaints and state AG investigations. These issues and the rising popularity of investment companies using environmentally-focused metrics in financial decision-making will likely increase regulators’ scrutiny of the sustainable energy industry.
In November 2022, a coalition of nine AGs, led by Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron, submitted a letter to several solar lending companies, urging them to provide relief to consumers by suspending loan payment obligations and the accrual of interest for customers who financed the purchase of a solar power system from Pink Energy. The letter details complaints that the systems were either underperforming or non-functioning and that “Pink misrepresented the availability of and/or consumers’ eligibility for state or federal tax credits.” Thus, it is not just solar companies who may be on the hook when consumers complain of ineffective or costly solar power.
However, most state AGs have focused on solar companies’ misrepresentations regarding the availability of financing or government support for residential solar power. In April 2022, the Minnesota AG filed a lawsuit against Utah-based solar companies, lenders and company executives, for telling “consumers they were automatically eligible for tax credits when they weren’t . . . [and] [w]hen consumers tried to get out of these contracts, the companies threatened them with lawsuits and exorbitant termination fees.”
In February 2022, the Idaho AG issued a consumer alert concerning continued consumer complaints about “solar companies’ misleading sales tactics through door-to-door sales and social media advertisements.” These included representations that “consumers will receive government rebates or payments for installing solar systems” and “customers with solar equipment will never pay a power bill again.”
According to Business Insider, online lead generators for solar companies posted ads on social media, like Facebook, “suggest[ing] that certain states are giving away solar panels for free or that utilities will pay customers to put solar panels on their roofs. And nearly all of them stated that there are no out-of-pocket expenses.” At the time, however, those representations were untrue. Touting the availability of tax credits where none exist has led several AGs to file complaints against solar companies.
Misrepresenting savings has also resulted in state AG action and steep renumeration. In January 2020, Vivint Solar entered into a $1.95 million settlement with the state of New York after allegations surfaced that it had misrepresented the amount of interest consumers would pay over the life a twenty-year lease on their systems.
Similarly, in March 2018, the New Mexico AG sued Vivint Solar for its claimed unfair and unconscionable business practices around the same 20-year leases. There, the AG accused Vivint of clouding titles to consumers’ homes, fraud and racketeering in connection with its residential solar power purchase agreements and solar equipment. And in March 2023, the Connecticut AG filed a lawsuit against New Jersey based Vision Solar following consumer complaints alleging similar savings misrepresentations in addition to “high-pressure” sales tactics and “predatory practices.”
However, it is not only the content of sales pitches that can land solar companies in hot water — making inappropriate calls may also lead to trouble. In 2019 Vivint Solar entered into a $975,000 settlement to resolve Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, claims for placing unsolicited robocalls advertising its products and services. SolarCity paid $15 million in 2018 to resolve similar TCPA claims. More recently, in February 2020, consumers filed a class action against Sunlight Solar based on allegations of similar TCPA violations. Such allegations may not only subject companies to consumer class actions, but also fall within the purview of the Federal Trade Commission.
Given the content and mode of communication, solar companies should beware of more than just state AG oversight. Regulators are already implementing measures to address public concerns and prevent future consumer protection violations in the solar industry. Minnesota, New York, Vermont, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Louisiana have released state-specific guides to help homeowners understand residential solar contract terms and system financing options. Other states, like Utah and Maryland, have enacted new regulations requiring solar companies to disclose certain details about their systems and transactions during the initial customer interaction.
Solar companies themselves should consider taking steps to avoid potential liability from customer interactions. The Solar Energy Industries Association suggests several ways to do so in its “Solar Business Code.” These include avoiding referring to solar services as “free,” fully disclosing eligibility requirements or qualifications for applicable incentive programs, accounting for all material factors in system production calculations, basing utility price projections on data from an official publicly available source, maintaining and respecting an up-to-date do-not-contact list, and providing consumers with a three-day period to cancel their contracts (as is required by law in certain situations). Other important internal compliance measures might include developing a system to monitor consumer complaints and adopting a standardized grievance procedure.
Proactively implementing similar policies would be a good way for solar companies to improve customer interactions and avoid potential regulatory scrutiny. This is important as regulators’ interest in these companies’ practices will only continue to rise as more consumers purchase or lease residential solar panels.


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Friday 5 May 2023
Electric vehicles (EVs) are losing their value at almost twice the rate of petrol cars.
That’s according to a new study by Choose My Car, revealing that EVs bought in 2020 will have lost more than half their value this year, compared with just 37% for petrol cars.
This leaves drivers of an electric car more than £15,000 out of pocket, compared to £9,900 for petrol car owners.
The study compared data from its site of price listings three years ago to now – with the more expensive cars leading to even more of a loss.
Drivers of a Tesla Model S for example, have lost £25,000 in the last three years, the company claims.
However, the trend is not specific to the more high end vehicles, with the data also stating that the cheaper Nissan Leaf has depreciated by 58% or £13,000 – that’s despite it being one of the most popular EVs in the UK.
Nick Zapolski, Choose My Car Founder, said: “Not only are the EVs themselves not holding value, the price of electricity itself has zoomed up, meaning running the cars is not as economical as it once was.
“On top of that, recent decisions made by the Government mean that some of the initial incentives to encourage EV ownership are being discontinued, such as lower tax and free entry into ULEZ zones.”


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Google Home reportedly has a fake news problem according to some recent reports that the Google Assistant-powered smart speaker has been kicking back results with incorrect information about various topics when asked. The reports originate from a series of users who are posting the results up on the web, with one user showcasing that their Google Home unit stated that Obama may have been planning a coup and that he may have been "in bed with the Communist Chinese." While these instances aren't true, it still poses a problem for users who may choose to ask it a specific query only to receive erroneous results.
According to Google themselves the issues are popping up due to the Feature Snippets functionality within Google Search. Featured Snippets was designed by Google to give users quick facts after asking a question and it uses algorithms to determine a match automatically to the given questions that are asked by users, which would naturally pair up well with something like Google Home as users would expect answers quickly, although the problem is that some of the websites that are actually being featured are third-party sites and some of these sites have misleading information on their content, which unfortunately is resulting in Google Home grabbing some of this information and listing it off.
Featured Snippets isn't a feature that's going to go away, but that doesn't mean that Google Home will continue to give users the same exact fake news results all of the time, as Google states that they actively work to remove snippets that mislead users with incorrect details as soon as they're made aware of their existence, such as the information that Google Home was giving out about Obama. The downside is that Featured Snippets can still end up grabbing onto other fake news in the future unless Google comes up with some way to ensure that this doesn't happen. If no changes are made to the actual algorithms that grab information for Featured Snippets, all Google can do is remove snippets as they show up, but that won't necessarily stop fake news from popping up like this again, as other third-party sites could at some point be featured which contain misleading details. For many users having these sorts of results kicked back may not be more than an interesting occurrence, but Google is also doing its best to make sure that no one is offended by the fake news.


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As part of their commitment to providing cost-efficient, quality products and services to their customers, Redline by Dynapac has partnered with Hitachi Construction Machinery (Thailand) Co.,Ltd. to serve as an authorized dealer for Redline equipment in Thailand. This partnership will allow Hitachi Thailand to offer their customers access to the latest Redline machines, and Aftermarket service and parts.
The launch ceremony was held on March 16, 2023, at the ConSite Center in Saraburi Province, Thailand. It was attended by industry leaders, construction professionals, and media representatives.
“Both Redline by Dynapac and Hitachi are leading global brands with focus on the customers’ interest,” said Mr. Katsunari Mugishima, Managing Director of Hitachi Construction Machinery (Thailand) Co.,Ltd. “I believe this strategic alliance between our companies; combining Redline’s unique concept of “Reliability”, “Efficiency”, and “Durability”, with the extensive sales capabilities and exceptional serviceability of Hitachi Thailand, has the potential to deliver the highest level of value to our customers, surpassing their expectations.”
At the launch event, Hitachi Thailand and Redline by Dynapac showcased the Redline DRS120D soil roller and range of Redline Aftermarket products. The combination of world-class performance and easy operation makes the DRS120D soil roller range the right choice when efficiency and quality is mandatory. The lean operator platform ensures an ergonomic and lean working place, while the efficient eccentrics ensure maximum quality with high efficiency.
“Hitachi is well-known in the construction industry for their expertise, experience, and commitment to customer satisfaction. By partnering with the Redline brand, they can further expand their offerings and provide even more value to their customers,” said Mr. Ihab Eldessouky, General Manager of Dynapac Road Equipment Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
“The launch of our joint solutions with Hitachi Thailand marks a significant milestone in our partnership. We believe that our products and services will be a game-changer for the construction industry in Thailand, and we look forward to working closely with Hitachi to deliver high-quality equipment and support to our customers,” he added.
REDLINE focuses on simplified, smart operations for optimal roadwork results. As an independent range of road construction equipment, REDLINE carries with it the pioneering DNA of Dynapac. Its durable range of highly efficient rollers, pavers, and compact equipment ensures ideal job outcomes with maximum reliability, safety, and lasting quality.
Hitachi Construction Machinery (Thailand) Co.,Ltd. a recognized dealer for Redline by Dynapac, officially authorized to sell the Redline range of equipment and products.
For more information, please contact:
Jacyn Kang, Regional Communications Manager for Redline by Dynapac
Telephone: +65 9655 0994


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Lions Gate Posts First-Quarter Loss on Marketing Expenses
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., the independent film studio that produced “The Hunger Games,” posted an unexpected first-quarter loss of $44.2 million, citing costs to market five pictures.
The net loss amounted to 33 cents a share and compared with profit of $10.3 million, or 8 cents a share, a year earlier, Vancouver-based Lions Gate said yesterday in a statement. Sales in the fiscal period ended June 30 rose 81 percent to $471.8 million, reflecting the takeover of Summit Entertainment and beating the average analyst estimate of $447.3 million.
Results were hurt by a $90 million increase in movie marketing costs tied to releases, including the horror picture “The Cabin in the Woods” and the comedy “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” which Lions Gate predicted will be profitable on an “ultimate basis.” The studio also cited expenses of almost $10 million related to the Summit acquisition.
“The takeaway is that Lions Gate expects all of those film titles to be ultimately profitable,” said Tuna Amobi, an analyst with Standard & Poor’s, in an interview. “When they can say that, it’s a big thing. You spend upfront and realize the benefits in a later quarter,” said Amobi, who recommends buying the shares.
In the quarter, analysts were projecting a profit of 18 cents a share excluding items, the average of seven estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
Revenue increased on contributions from Summit and ticket sales of “The Hunger Games.” The film, based on the Suzanne Collins young-adult novel, cost about $78 million to make and generated $684 million in worldwide sales, according to Box Office Mojo. The movie was released on March 23, a week before the first quarter began.
Lions Gate fell as much as 3.8 percent to $12.75 in extended trading yesterday, after declining 2.8 percent to $13.25 at the close in New York. The shares have gained 59 percent this year.
(Lions Gate plans a conference call at 9 a.m. New York time today at +1-800-230-1059 for U.S. callers and +1-612-234-9960 for others.)
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at email@example.com


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Entrepreneur Sean shares 46 success stories
Sean Gallagher, the entrepreneur and 'Sunday Independent' business columnist, has penned a new book for aspiring business founders.
Secrets To Success - Inspiring Stories From Leading Entrepreneurs is a compilation of stories based on Sean's interviews in the 'Sunday Independent' with 46 Irish business owners over the last three years.
Interviewees hailed from companies including Avoca, Kelly's Hotel, Glenilen Farm, Tour America and draper Louis Copeland. Mr Gallagher, a former presidential candidate, is president of Irish-founded Nutriband, the US-based pharma company which signed a $90m (€75.5m) distribution agreement with a Korean group for its products.
Mr Gallagher's book was officially launched on Thursday evening by Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, while entrepreneur and broadcaster Bobby Kerr acted as master of ceremonies.
Some 500 business and community leaders attended the launch at Dublin's Mansion House.


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BALTIMORE (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced a Baltimore man to nearly four years in prison for his role in a $20 million scheme to sell stolen goods through area pawn shops.
Spencer Garonzik, 44, was sentenced on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to his plea agreement, Garonzik, a co-owner of We Buy pawn shop in Catonsville, conducted transactions involving the sale of huge quantities of items stolen from grocery and department stores.
Prosecutors say 14 people have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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After several delays and false starts, Apple now has a solid launch date for its hybrid work arrangement. Corresponding Bloomberg and The edge, the tech giant will require employees working from its Santa Clara Valley offices to report to the office three times a week starting the week of September 5. They are expected to arrive every Tuesday and Thursday, with the third day being decided by their individual teams. In a letter to employees, Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, encouraged employees to share their thoughts on this third team-specific day with their managers to help them decide.
Apple plans to enforce a hybrid rule that requires employees to work from their offices since June 2021. At that time, however, they wanted the staff to come on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The company, which places great emphasis on what Tim Cook calls the “irreplaceable benefits of in-person collaboration,” has since made several attempts to enforce a hybrid workweek regime, but has repeatedly had to postpone its plans due to the rising COVID-19 pandemic. 19 cases and other factors.
Earlier this year it tried again to begin enforcing its hybrid labor policy the week of May 23. However, staff had criticized the policy as “driven by fear” – “[f]Ear for the future of work, fear of worker autonomy, fear of losing control,” they said in an open letter. Apple reportedly even lost Ian Goodfellow, its director of machine learning and the most-cited expert in the field, over the policy. In The End, the company backed down and relaxed its stance, embarking on a pilot that required some employees to show up at its offices two days a week instead.
Now it looks like there’s no stopping Apple from requiring employees to report to its offices. “September 5 marks the true beginning of our hybrid work pilot in the Santa Clary Valley,” Federighi wrote in his memo. As he mentioned, however, it’s still a pilot and the company expects to learn from its implementation in the coming months as it prepares for staff to return to other offices.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independently of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may receive an affiliate commission.
https://www.engadget.com/apple-return-to-office-september-063602820.html?src=rss Apple requires employees to work out of its offices thrice a week starting in September


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>> It no longer makes handsets after sending that part of the business to Microsoft two years ago. But, Finnish firm, Nokia, still has patents to protect. In what looks like a tit for tat spat, Nokia has accused Apple for violating 32 patents including interfaces, software and video coding technology.
And it's taking legal action. It comes a day after Apple also took legal action against Acacia Research Corp and Conversant Intellectual Property Management. Apple says they colluded with Nokia to unfairly extract and extort exorbitant revenues. Nokia handsets once dominated the global market but it was slow to transition to small phones.
Leaving the way clear for Apple with the iPhone in 2007. Nokia is now looking to re-enter the handset market. It signed a 10 year licensing deal with HMD after they bought Nokia's feature phone business from Microsoft earlier this year. Nokia plans to introduce a number of new smartphones models sometime next year.


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National Restaurant Association Show
Saturday, May 21, 2022
While the 2021 show has been cancelled, The National Restaurant Association Show offers attendees ideas and inspiration year-round. From menus to workforce to technology to operations. Restaurant Business will be covering the Show’s resources to bring you the latest updates, trends and insights. Stay connected here.
Group takes aim at restaurants' substance abuse problem
Ben's Friends provides a forum for addicts (and those who suspect they may be) to support one another in their quest for sobriety.
Automation tops list of tech to check at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show
Robots and AI will have a strong presence in the Tech Pavilion this year as operators look for solutions to labor and other challenges.


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The essentials of life in the 21st century include everything from clothes to shoes and shoes to shoes, according to the popular online retailer Recode.
Recode recently published a piece called “The Essential Clothing List” which outlined the most important items you should consider stocking up on when shopping.
Recode said its piece is based on research that shows a “50/50 mix” of essentials clothing and accessories.
The Essential Clothing list is not a comprehensive list of the top items that should be in your closet.
But the list offers recommendations on what you should avoid when shopping for clothing and other items.
Here’s a look at some of the items Recode recommends you avoid:Some of the best essentials for clothing include:There are a few more items on the list, which are also worth looking at:Recode also recommends items that may seem like they don’t need to be in the “essential” category, but they are.
For example, there’s a section called “Dressing Up: Wear Accessories” on the Essential Clothing Guide.
And the guide also mentions that you should be careful about purchasing certain items with a label that says they’re made with animal or synthetic materials.


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The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit is part of a four-year-old case brought on by anti-hate-speech groups in France over the sale of Nazi paraphernalia on Yahoo. In 2000, a French judge ordered Yahoo to block on its Web servers all sales of Nazi items to the country's citizens, citing France's law prohibiting the sale or exhibition of objects associated with racism.
The Web portal claimed that the French courts had no authority over material hosted by its servers in the United States and then took legal action to prove its point. The company filed a pre-emptive suit with the District Court in Santa Clara, Calif., in 2000. In November 2001,, ruling that the French court could not enforce its block order in the United States. The court went further, claiming that the case would also violate the Web portal's First Amendment rights.
In January 2001, Yahoo.
And in Monday's decision, the court did not side with the arguments involving the Nazi goods of either Yahoo or the French court. Instead, the ruling had more to do with procedural questions, claiming that the District Court had no right to make a judgment.
"The 9th Circuit is saying that the California District Court had no business hearing this case," said Joel Reidenberg, a professor at Fordham University School of Law who has written about the case. "It was not fair to haul the French parties into an American court to judge the case."
A U.S. court can rule on the case only if the French decide to seek enforcement in the United States, Reidenberg added. Thus far, the French have not taken action stateside.
A Yahoo representative did not immediately offer comment, saying the company's legal team was examining the ruling.
This case and others highlight thebetween doing business on the Internet and the pitfalls of international law. The Internet enables anybody in the world with a connection to buy goods, access information and interact on any Web site. However, some countries have taken action against sites that violate local norms and rules.
Yahoo has not always thumbed its nose at foreign rulings prohibiting its content. Two years ago, the company's division in China agreed to sign a "Public Pledge on Self-Discipline for the China Internet Industry," which requires providers to monitor and restrict "harmful" information. The move was condemned by Human Rights Watch, a nonprofit organization.


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Some banks and e-commerce sites are monitoring your unique typing and mouse movements to verify your identity and spot fraud
You type fast and hard on your computer keyboard while your boss uses a two-fingered, hunt-and-peck style. You hold your mobile phone in your left hand and text with your right, but your left-handed sister does the opposite. You always log into your bank account lying in bed and holding your phone above your face.
Increasingly, security companies are tracking these distinct behaviors to protect you, financial institutions and e-commerce sites against fraud. The technology also reduces irritating false positives — when you have to prove you’re really you before making a financial transaction.
Fraudsters can hack your credit card number, name, password, PIN, bank account number and more. But they can’t steal the way you hold your mouse or tap your keys.
“The way you move your mouse is different for each person,” says Natia Golan, senior product manager at BioCatch, in Tel Aviv. “We’re looking not just at typing speed, but at what kind of keys you are using. Are you using tabs? How hard do you swipe? Are you holding your mobile in a certain way? Every time you type do you put your tablet on a table or desk?”
|TYPING-BASED ANTI-FRAUD TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES|
|Information about exactly who is using the new typing-based algorithms and how many consumers are affected is hard to come by. But the companies supplying the technology can give some hints:|
• BioCatch has been offering its technology for two years, during which the company says it has protected 33 million users with 1 billion transactions, including customers of e-commerce sites, the top five banks in the U.K., as well as banks in France, Spain, Italy and Brazil.
BioCatch also is part of the Early Warning partnership owned by seven major banks in the U.S., which provides risk management solutions to 2,300 financial institutions, government entities and payment companies, Golan says.
• BehavioSec, which began working on its technology in 2006, now has more than 15 million users and logged more than 1.5 billion transactions in 2015, according to the company website. Clients include banks in Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the U.K., Costigan says.
• NuData Security was founded in 2008 and its customers include Fortune 50 financial services and e-commerce companies, including some of the largest financial and e-commerce companies in the world, a company spokeswoman says.
These behavior-based technology algorithms are offered by at least three security/behavior biometrics firms and used by financial institutions, e-commerce sites and others worldwide. The technology can flag attempted account takeover, card-not-present fraud and other online fraud in real time, even if the fraudster steals or hacks a verified device such as your mobile phone, tablet or computer.
These algorithms can also verify that you are who you say you are if you forget to give your credit card issuer a heads up before, say, taking your first trip to Argentina.
“We’re looking to really understand what that person looks like in the digital world,” says Ryan Wilk, director of customer success at NuData Security in Vancouver, British Columbia. “By knowing how you type, how you hold your mobile device, how much of your finger is actually landing on the machine, we can determine if it’s truly the correct human interacting with that device.”
A lot of money is at stake — both in terms of theft and loss of customer business. “For corporate accounts, we’re talking about a lot of money, accounts that have millions of dollars that can be stolen,” Golan says.
As for false positives, consumer irritation sometimes evolves into a lost customer. Someone who can’t get a legitimate transaction to go through is likely to move on to another e-commerce site or credit card and may never return — cutting into a lifetime of potential profit, Wilk says.
“A $20 buy can turn into thousands and thousands of dollars over a lifetime of spending” he says. “You’re building up that level of trust and consumer relationship.”
How it works
The technology doesn’t replace other anti-fraud technology, but adds another important layer. “Institutions are going with the assumption that data is compromised,” says Julie Conroy, research director at research firm Aite Group. “They’re building their defenses to be multi-pronged, multi-layerered. I’ve spoken with a number of banks who either have this technology in pilots or have rolled it out on their mobile/online channels.”
The hundreds of behaviors tracked include typing speed, typing strength, how much of your finger hits a key, whether you’re right- or left-handed, how you move your mouse, how and if you use the tab key, whether you use other keyboard shortcuts, and the angle you hold your mobile device. More behaviors can be tracked for mobile devices because these are often used in three dimensions, compared to two dimensions for a computer.
Major banks contacted by CreditCards.com (including Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo) declined to comment on their anti-fraud technology.
But technology vendors say, depending on how involved the consumer’s transactions are, the technology needs three to 10 sessions — sometimes more — to develop a user profile. That profile yields fraud detection rates of 83 to 99 percent (often higher for mobile devices) with false positive rates of only 1 to 2 percent.
Some people quickly move to a button, rest there and then click it. Some people zoom in.
|— Neil Costigan|
“We find people have small nuances,” he says. “Some people quickly move to a button, rest there and then click it. Some people zoom in.”
Compared to legitimate users, fraudsters quickly navigate online financial and e-commerce sites because they have practice from previous fraud forays, BioCatch’s Golan says.
Another tell is that fraudsters are often speedy, more efficient typists than typical consumers, Golan says. Fraudsters know more keyboard shortcuts — for example, they know that “shift tab” is the opposite of tab. “The fraudster knows the shortcuts,” she says. “He knows every time he presses ‘tab,’ the cursor lands on the address. Most people, every time they press the tab key, will need to look again at the window to see where the cursor is before they start typing. The fraudstertypes really fast and it looks different when you analyze his interaction.”
On the other hand, fraudsters are not as familiar with some of the data they’re inputting — that would be the names, addresses and other info of the consumers they impersonate, Golan says.
“When you have to fill in information about yourself, you’re very confident about your name, phone number and address,” she says. “If the fraudster needs to copy the information from another window, he will type it very slowly.”
Stopping suspected fraud
Each entity using the technology can set its own risk parameters. For example an e-commerce site selling low-value goods might opt to let more risk through to reduce false positives and the potential customer loss, NuData’s Wilk says. But an online retailer selling jewelry at $10,000 or more might set the bar lower because the stakes are higher if a fraudster succeeds. An entity also might react to a deviation depending on what you — or the person posing as you — is trying to do, he says.
The fraudster types really fast and it looks different when you analyze his interaction.
|— Natia Golan|
Sr. product manager, BioCatch
“Suppose it’s the same device, the same connection, but something has changed,” Wilk says. “The typing is not the way you normally do. It could be that you’re typing only with your right hand because you’re holding coffee or a briefcase in your left hand. Even though the log-in looks risky, the system could let the user continue through. But now the first thing the user wants to do is change the email account. The typing style was the first risky event. Now the user wants to do something risky within the account.”
At that point, the e-commerce site or financial institution could push for a second-factor verification such as a text message or voice call, Wilk says.
Or, you may be tested without even realizing it — with what’s called an invisible challenge such as making your cursor disappear, Golan says. “Imagine you are working on your computer and the mouse cursor disappears,” she says. “You do a swipe with your mouse to see where it went. Each person does that swipe in a different way. That’s another way we can differentiate between users.”
Improvement rates fuzzy
In one pilot with a top five retail bank in the UK, BioCatch showed a fraud detection rate of 83 percent with false positives of just 1 percent, according to a case study. NuData helped one of its e-commerce clients reduce by 20 percent the number of good customers whose transactions had to be reviewed before they could proceed — a situation the financial institutions call “customer insult,” Wilk says.
Financial institutions are reluctant to reveal just how much this technology improves their rate of catching fraud, says BehavioSec’s Costigan.
“It’s very commercially sensitive and banks just won’t share it with us,” Costigan says. “That would be the million dollar question if I could get our customers to say what the return on investment was.” But BioCatch works with its clients on annual contracts and, he says, “We don’t have anybody not renewing.”


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Biosecurity remains one of the greatest challenges that South African agriculture is faced with, which is threatening food security and the creation of more jobs. This was highlighted by the recent avian influenza outbreak that hit the poultry industry which hit Mzansi hard in 2023.
Chief executive officer of the South African Poultry Association, Dr Abongile Balarane has said without compensation or financial assistance to producers who have been impacted by the outbreak, a lot was at stake such as transformation, jobs, food security and the egg master plan.
It’s not free for all
Balarane said South Africa will take up to 17 months to recover the loss of production, mainly because poultry remains one of the biggest commodities in the country.
“From our side, we are not against the imports that come through. It’s the same as what we saw in 2017 when we had the first outbreak; cheap eggs of poor quality came through from Brazil and were dumped all over South Africa.
“It took us some time to convince consumers to consume eggs again and other products. The regulations are clear, everyone can import to South Africa but one needs to comply with the regulations first,” he said.
Balarane said Swaziland was the only country that South Africa was importing eggs from because the eggs in that part of the region were ticking all the boxes.
Meanwhile, a poultry farmer in Warrenton in the Northern Cape, Nqobile Khumalo said they experienced losses, especially towards the festive season.
“Our sales went down because we had to stop our operations during the peak of the outbreak and that was a period where most of our customers were placing orders for the festive season. But because we did not know the extent of the problem, we had to stop for a while.
“We have not recovered. Yes, we have resumed our operations but the recovery will take time. From our side, we have vaccinated our chickens and made sure the bio-security compliance was in order. However, the knock-on effect of closing for a while is still being felt,” she said.
Kobedi Pilane chief executive officer of African Poultry Producers said the impact of the outbreak was hitting the farmers hard because they were simply price takers amid a bio-security challenge that needed all stakeholders to come up with an amicable plan for all.
Biosecurity measures take centre stage
“As African Poultry Producers, we acknowledge the impact of this outbreak on the consumers and have encouraged our farmers to take appropriate measures including increased biosecurity measures.
“The farmers are dealing with the increased risk of outbreak and the costs of putting more biosecurity measures in place, as well as increased production costs of feedstock, diesel fuel costs and electricity costs,” he said.
According to Pilane, this burden was what most African Poultry Producers members were facing daily and barely surviving to provide poultry meat and eggs and make a living out of their proceeds.
“We will be sharing this situation with the government to find ways to assist our farmers who are mostly emerging smallholder producers,” he said.
Pilane said they have also noted some opportunistic predatory practices by some retailers and their intermediaries who have doubled the cost of eggs and insisted on maintaining their purchasing prices from the farmers.
Consumers feel the pinch
He said that was something that needed relevant authorities to intervene with a matter of urgency to save the consumer from being ripped off.
A consumer from Kokstad in KwaZulu-Natal, Brenda Phetlhe said during the festive holidays she had to cut down on her budget for poultry products because they were expensive.
“Although I had my kids and family members coming through for holidays, I just could not spend so much money on poultry products. I did end up buying eggs but it was less than normal because of the price that has gone up in the past weeks. It is currently unsustainable to keep eggs on the grocery list,” she said.
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You are here: Buzz
Reflecting on the new vehicle sales statistics for the month of November 2020 naamsa said that, although the gradual monthly gains in sales growth by volume in the new vehicle market continued during the month, the year-to-date situation remained depressed. Aggregate domestic sales at 39 315 units reflected a decline of 5 355 units, or 12,0%, from the 44 670 vehicles sold in November last year. The trend was mirrored by export sales at 31 966 units which also declined by 2 622 units, or 7,6%, compared to the 34 588 vehicles exported in November 2019.
Overall, out of the total reported industry sales of 39 315 vehicles, an estimated 33 547 units, or 85,3%, represented dealer sales, an estimated 8,0% represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 3,9% sales to government, and 2,8% to industry corporate fleets.
The November 2020 new passenger car market at 25 707 units had registered a decline of 5 696 cars, or a fall of 18,1%, compared to the 31 403 new cars sold in November last year. The car rental industry accounted for a sound 11,6% of car sales in November 2020. Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini-buses at 11 243 units during November had recorded a welcomed increase of 567 units, or a gain of 5,3%, from the 10 676 light commercial vehicles sold during the corresponding month last year.
Sales for medium and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a weak performance and at 664 units and 1 701 units, respectively, showed a decline of 70 vehicles, or a fall of 9,5%, in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and, in the case of heavy trucks and buses a decline of 156 vehicles, or a fall of 8,4%, compared to the corresponding month last year.
The November 2020 the exports sales number at 31 966 units represented a decline of 2 622 vehicles or 7,6% compared to the 34 588 vehicles exported in 2019. The performance for the year to date now reflected a fall of 122 987 vehicles, or 32,9% compared to the level of the same period last year.
A positive development is the steady small recovery gains in the new-vehicle market over recent months, however, real growth is still far away. The economic scars of the COVID-19 pandemic are extreme and the domestic as well as global economic environment would remain uncertain and volatile over at least the next six months until safe and effective coronavirus vaccines are available and rolled out in South Africa and around the world. With low inflation, marketing incentives available on new vehicles as well as interest rates expected to remain low for quite some time, it is actually a good time to purchase a new vehicle. However, consumer behaviour changes and short-term budget pressures could result in longer-term developments on the back of protracted COVID-19 concerns as consumers might have less need for mobility, despite improved new vehicle affordability.
Notwithstanding a solid monthly performance, exports of South African manufactured vehicles remained in arrears as a second-wave lockdown in major markets impact on consumer behaviour and demand. Vehicle exports are important to the viability of the domestic automotive industry. In 2019, the record 387 125 left- and right-hand drive vehicles exported supported record vehicle production of 631 983 vehicles as well as employment gains in the vehicle manufacturing side of the industry. For the year to date, vehicle exports, however, are still 32,9% below the level of the same period last year.


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12 October 2017, 04:04 | Taylor George
Aarushi Talwar murder case verdict today: All you should know
Nokia 9 CAD renders show the smartphone's possible design
The Nokia 8 features an auxiliary audio port, so we don't see a reason why the company chose to ditch it in the Nokia 9. Today, we've come across a fresh leak suggesting that HMD Global has another high-end Nokia in the works, the Nokia 9.
Apple placing bets on LG's display for an upcoming foldable smartphone
Apple's choice of South Korea-based LG may be attributed to its impressive gains in foldable screen technology over the years. Even then, this will only happen if LG Display can produce the screens reliably and in the massive scale Apple would require.
Just having best development ideas not enough: Prime Minister Modi
He did pioneering work towards poverty alleviation, rural health, rural education and took forward the legacy of Pt. Modi said that rural India wants to leverage similar facility as urban India enjoys.
Movies Anywhere finally brings your digitally purchased movies together in one place
Disney's Movies Anywhere service allowed consumers to buy a movie digitally once and enjoy it on all supported apps and services. According to Gilford, customers can also access their library on the new service (Disney Movies Anywhere will be phased out).


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New Brand Launch: MERCIER
We are extremely excited to announce that we have launched a new brand at Ghia Menswear. The Manchester based, French inspired menswear company Mercier is the latest brand to hit our shelves!
Mercier was born in October 2017 and has been producing collections since then which include t-shirts, tracksuits and head wear. Inspired by Parisian culture and mixing that with the English street-wear, the collection we have in-store are basic t-shirts with branding across the chest and head wear.
Take a look below to see some of the products we have in-store now.
With plenty more to come we are very excited about welcoming this brand to the Ghia Family and we know how much our customers will love the products on offer!
We are working hard to get these items online but for now they are all available in-store!
Keep your eyes peeled on our socials to see sneak peaks and updates on all things Mercier!
Comments are closed here.


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Disney has signed a multi-year deal with Sony Pictures, in a agreement which will bring its theatrical releases to its OTT platforms.
The companies confirmed that theatrical releases from 2022-26 are covered by the deal, with Disney gaining access following their Pay 1 TV window.
The announcement comes after Sony signed a similarly high-profile distribution deal with Netflix earlier this month.
In effect, Sony has outlined its movie release strategy as such: films will first be released in cinemas, then made available via paid rentals and purchases, followed by Netflix for an exclusive 18-month period, and then finally to Disney’s streaming services such as Hulu and Disney+.
For older properties, Disney will have access to the movies from as soon as June, a release from the companies announced. Disney will also be buoyed by gaining access to the Spider-Man franchise which is owned by Sony, but is a part of its gargantuan Marvel Cinematic Universe empire.
For Sony’s part, the deals with Netflix and Disney more or less confirm that the PlayStation maker has no intention of following the likes of WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS in launching its own premium streaming service.
DTVE: the week in view – Should streamers help to fund Europe’s network expansion? digitaltveurope.com/comment/should… https://t.co/x6aSHT8EvH
05 December 2021 @ 19:34:00 UTC
ICYMI: Vodafone TV arrives on LG TVs in Spain digitaltveurope.com/2021/12/03/vod… https://t.co/dpCVTHxPFr
05 December 2021 @ 19:30:00 UTC
ICYMI: Vizio ads AVOD content to WatchFree+ streamer digitaltveurope.com/2021/12/03/viz… https://t.co/i6syMw9Eli
04 December 2021 @ 19:30:00 UTC


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The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has doubled down on its Korea Income Joint Venture with asset manager ESR Cayman Ltd., as the pair collectively boosted their investment by US$500 million, bringing the total equity allocation to US$1 billion.
According to a news release, the CPPIB contributed the bulk of the new capital to the venture, which was formed in 2018 to focus on logistics assets near major cities in South Korea.
“Korea is already one of the most developed e-commerce markets in Asia and the pandemic has accelerated the growth in the past year, further fuelling the demand for quality logistics facilities,” said Jimmy Phua, the CPPIB’s head of Asia real estate, in a statement.
In other investment news, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and co-owner Stella Point Capital announced an agreement to sell First American Payment Systems to Deluxe for US$960 million.
According to a news release, the pension plan teamed up with private equity firm Stella Point to acquire the Texas-based payment processing company in 2014, overseeing a period of technology enhancement and strategic growth. First American now serves more than 159,000 merchants Europe and the Americas.
“We believe this transaction represents a terrific outcome for all stakeholders, and we look forward to continuing to watch First American prosper under the stewardship of its new owners,” said Karen Frank, the Ontario Teachers’ senior managing director, in a statement.
The deal remains subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals, but is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021.
Meanwhile, as the Ontario Teachers’ cashed out of the payment processing space, the venture capital arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System moved in the opposite direction, investing in the series C funding round of Belgian scale-up Deliverect.
The OMERS Ventures was an existing investor in the company — founded in 2018 to connect online delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Just Eat directly to restaurants’ point-of-sale systems — but also contributed to the latest funding round, which raised $65 million for Deliverect.
And, the OMERS Growth Capital will join the board of directors at ExecOnline after leading a series D funding round that raised $45 million for the leadership development company, which partners with top U.S. business schools to deliver courses aimed at enterprises.
“ExecOnline has identified significant white space in the popular edtech sector, which equates to a multi-billion dollar opportunity that we believe the company is ideally positioned to access,” said Saar Pikar, managing director of the OMERS Growth Equity, in a press release.


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Your search for blackberry found 831 results
Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) has changed the name of BlackBerry App World to BlackBerry World ahead of its January 30 launch of BlackBerry 10 (BB10).
Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook v2.1 is now available in BlackBerry App world.
Mobilicity has added the BlackBerry Curve 9360 to its line-up of BlackBerry smartphones.
The beta version of the eBay v2.0 BlackBerry app is available now in the BlackBerry Beta Zone.
BlackBerry has introduced BBM Channels, a new BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) feature that allows individuals and groups to create dedicated channels for which they can use to share information with subscribers.


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7th June 2023 - 2 min read
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) said that the ongoing Payung Rahmah programme has now been further expanded to also cover eyewear via a new Rahmah Eyeglass Package.
Rolled out in collaboration with eye care provider MOG Eyewear, Malaysians will be able to purchase glasses at the affordable price of between RM50 to RM100, at 96 MOG Eyewear branches nationwide. On top of that, individuals may also upgrade their lenses to blue-cut lenses with ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection at just RM100.
MOG Eyewear further clarified in its own social media post that the Rahmah Eyeglass Package will be officially launched across all MOG outlets on 10 June 2023. “Our aim is to provide equal opportunities for consumers to afford quality eyewear for different vision needs. At just RM50 or RM100, we hope to make vision care accessible for our community and boost awareness of the importance of yearly eye checks and changing your eyewear timely to meet your vision needs,” it said.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub also took to his Facebook account to express his appreciation for the effort and dedication that made the launch of the Rahmah Eyeglass Package possible. Additionally, he said that he hopes the Payung Rahmah programme can be continued with more attractive offers to meet the needs of the people.
To note, Payung Rahmah is an aid programme that was introduced by the government early this year, with the aim to reduce the cost of living for the lower-income group (B40) and hardcore poor. Aside from the latest Rahmah Eyeglass Package, some other packages and initiatives that were also rolled out under the Payung Rahmah programme include Menu Rahmah, Bakul Rahmah, and Jualan Rahmah. Takaful operators, too, have expressed an interest in offering Rahmah insurance through the programme.
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Stay tuned for what’s to come next in the personal finance world


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Official Disney+ Launch Time on November 12 Revealed - /FILM
|/FILM 09 Nov 2019 at 11:23|
Update: Despite this information coming from a countdown clock on Marvels official website, weve heard whispers that Disney+ may not be debuting at 9am EST after all. Well update this article again if we get more information, but in the meantime, I guess this is a wait and see situation. Our original article continues.
Disney+ will officially launch on Tuesday, November 12 at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. This reveal comes from the official Marvel website, which recently started a countdown clock for the launch of the Disney streaming platform, which will feature its inspirational kid-focused reality series The Marvel Hero Project as part of its Day One lineup.
This launch time may come as a surprise to some, as streaming outlets have tended to debut their big events at midnight, as weve seen with the premieres of highly-anticipated titles on Netflix likeEl CaminoorStranger Things. But Disney+ may be aiming more toward its family-friendly demographic, rewarding early risers with the first chance to see original titles like theStar Wars live-action seriesTheMandalorian, the live-action remake ofLady and the Tramp, the Disney theme park documentary seriesThe Imagineering Story, the National Geographic culture documentary seriesThe World According to Jeff Goldblum, the high school drama reunion reality seriesEncore!,and the scripted mockumentary seriesHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series.


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Pilots and cabin crew always come across as a fairly social bunch when you see them at hotels
The businessman in 6A is not heeding the flight attendant’s imploration: that iPad is most definitely not switched off. And neither is that smartphone in 14B: according to a recent study, 30 percent of air travelers left their devices on during prohibited times.
For the first time, more US fliers say they typically use airline websites to book airplane tickets than they use OTAs, says a new study from travel consultancy PhoCusWright.
Flight information service FlightView has compiled the results of its latest survey, showing that lack of functionality and inferior interfaces are the main barriers to wider adoption of mobile booking.
New website Farely lets users calculate the cost to an airline of flying a passenger between two airports.
The airlines’ main lobbying organization does a point-by-point rebuttal of a draft letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking the Secretary to reject IATA‚Äôs application covering the New Distribution Capability.
The latest foray into voice-tech comes from CheapAir.com. The voice activation feature is integrated with the company’s latest iPhone and iPad release, allowing customers to use voice to search for flights amidst the 25 million aggregated fares.
What do you get when you combine an airplane graveyard with 40 freestyle runners and parcour-partakers? Perhaps the best travel video ever to be unaffiliated with anyone in the travel industry…
The Gray Lady officially announced its deep skepticism about the New Distribution Capability (NDC), the airlines’ proposal for revised standards for how airlines provide airfare content to end users. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) responds.


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What do details about the second installment in the Wonder Woman franchise and Diana Prince's jet have in common? They are both invisible to the public.
Not much is known about Wonder Woman 1984 aside from the time period it takes place, the return of Chris Pine's Steve Trevor, and the casting of Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig as Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, respectively. Considering his comic lore, Lord's involvement will likely revolve around the "wealthy businessman gone rogue" trope, but Cheetah's role is a bit more unpredictable.
So far, fans have only seen flashes of Kristen Wiig's Barbara Ann Minerva before her beastly transformation; however, new images seem to hint at the complete look of the Cheetah.
An upcoming sticker pack for Wonder Woman 1984 has surfaced online. Coming from @DCFilmUpdates on Twitter , the sticker pack showcases a collage of 1980s style television sets, each imbued with images of Wonder Woman, Steve Trevor, and more characters from the Amazon's universe. Upon a closer look, one of the TV sets reveals a new look at Kristen Wiig's Cheetah after she has fully transformed.
WHAT THIS MEANS
Cheetah's new look coming in a sticker pack likely means Patty Jenkins and company want to save the motion picture reveal of the antagonist for the actual film.
Merchandise has been the bane of many blockbusters' secrets . From Funko Pops to Lego sets, leaked merchandise images have spoiled more than producers would likely want known. While Cheetah's reveal is not necessarily a spoiler, as fans have known about her involvement in the sequel for years, the absence of her fully-transformed self in trailers and TV spots suggests that this is something the filmmakers want saved for the actual movie.
WW84 has suffered much from COVID-19, having to move its release date numerous times as a result of pandemic precautions. Luckily, Warner Bros has only shown teaser trailers for the sequel, meaning concrete plot details can be saved for a final trailer once it gets closer to its current (and hopefully final) release date.
Wonder Woman 1984 is set to hit theatres on its new release date of October 2, 2020.


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PayPal, the head of digital payments, said on Wednesday that it would hire 1,000 engineers for development centers across India this year in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. PayPal will hire 1,000 engineers for these three city development centers over three years, across software, product development, data science, risk analysis and business analysis stream entry, mid-level and senior roles, a statement said.
India Technology Centers currently employs more than four and a half thousand people across the three centers. PayPal India has also announced its plans to lease campuses from top engineering colleges across India.
The agency noted that the epidemic has accelerated the transition to digital payments and highlighted the benefits of adopting the digital first method.
PayPal‘s products and services have become more relevant and, therefore, need to focus on technology innovation in AI / ML, data science, risk and security, customer experience and other key areas, it said.
Omni Channel and Customer Success, GM – PayPal India says, “Our India technology centers are the largest for PayPal outside the United States and play a leading role in keeping us constantly innovating and at the forefront,” said Guru Bhat, VP Omni Channel and Customer Success, GM – PayPal India said.
He added that as digital payments shift from beautiful to other essential services, the company is focusing on investing and nurturing world-class technology talent to deliver products and services that meet the needs of a growing customer base. And traders.
Last month, PayPal said it would shut down India’s domestic payment services from April 1 and instead focus on activating more international sales for Indian businesses.


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As the U.S. economy continues on its path of modest growth, lenders are showing signs of easing tight credit restrictions and business spending is also on the rise, the Federal Reserve said in its June 9 Beige Book report on the nation’s economic activity.
“Economic activity continued to improve since the last report across all twelve Federal Reserve Districts, although many Districts described the pace of growth as modest,” the Fed’s Beige Book summary stated.
Business spending rose, on net, with employment and capital spending edging up but inventory investment slowing. “Financial activity was little changed on balance, although a few Districts noted a modest increase in lending,” the Fed said
Consumer spending and tourism activity generally increased, and nonfinancial services, manufacturing, and transportation continued to gradually improve.
Residential real estate activity in many districts was buoyed by the April deadline for the homebuyer tax credit, while commercial real estate remained weak, although some districts reported an increase in leasing.
Prices of final goods and services were largely stable as higher input costs were not being passed along to customers and wage pressures continued to be minimal.
The Beige Book was prepared by the Fed’s Bank of Chicago using data collected on or before May 28. In the previous Beige Book released on April 14, the Fed also reported economic improvement in most districts around the country.


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Four countries, four states and four jobs in different fields led Dr. Fei Weisstein to her current associate professor position at Bowling Green State University (BGSU).
“Having a Ph.D. in marketing is a natural path for me to pursue an academic career,” she said. “My major was in marketing, while my minor was in information systems. I’ve always had an interest in e-commerce and computer-related research, as well as a passion for teaching.”
In 2015, Dr. Weisstein joined BGSU where she teaches in the online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing program.
“My major research area is online consumer behavior,” she said. “There is a clear distinction between how customers behave online and in brick-and-mortar stores. My dissertation examined the implementation of dynamic pricing strategies through the analysis of online consumer behavior.”
Born in Hong Kong, Dr. Weisstein moved to Taiwan at an early age. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in material science and engineering from National Cheng Kung University and began working as an engineer for a Taiwanese semiconductor company.
Pursuing a career in business held great appeal for Dr. Weisstein who then spent two years in Hong Kong working for a merchandising firm. Her prior work as a regional flight attendant for Korean Air also provided her with a global perspective and the opportunity to travel the world.
“I marketed to American and European companies and arranged for them to visit manufacturing plants in China,” she said. “My experience working as a merchandiser in Hong Kong sparked my interest in pursuing a marketing degree.”
After moving to the United States and graduating with a Master of Business Administration from San Francisco State University in 2003, Dr. Weisstein’s mentor, professor emeritus Dr. Robert Nickerson, convinced her to continue her education.
“I learned a lot from him,” she said. “He asked me if I would like to get a Ph.D. Even though I didn’t have the money, I was able to get a tuition waiver by working as a graduate assistant. He also wrote me a nice recommendation letter to enroll at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.”
“In the fifth year, I was assigned a course to teach,” she said. “That’s when I learned to develop a curriculum and syllabus. I was teaching principles of marketing and retailing courses. I already had teaching experience before I finished my Ph.D.”
After graduating in 2009, Dr. Weisstein taught at the University of Texas-Pan American (now UT Rio Grande Valley), where she spent six years before coming to Ohio with her husband, Eric, and their children, Iris (12) and Marcus (8).
“My in-laws wanted to be closer to the children,” she said. “In 2015, we moved back to the Midwest, where my husband is from. With my Ph.D. background, I was in charge of teaching social media marketing as well as advertising and promotion.
“Now, BGSU offers an online MBA in Marketing. The administration believed digital marketing would be a current topic and asked if I’d be interested in teaching it.”
Dr. Weisstein thrives on sharing her knowledge of marketing with students as they work toward earning a master’s degree.
“I am both a researcher and a customer,” she said. “I gain new knowledge about consumer behavior and consumer psychology every time I complete a research project. I can always bring my research findings back to the classroom. Graduate students can relate to it. My research is strongly linked to, and serves to enhance, my teaching.”
Students who enroll in Dr. Weisstein’s Digital Marketing Strategy & Tactics course enjoy the benefit of emerging with Google Ads and Google Analytics certifications.
“The course involves an online advertising campaign simulation,” Dr. Weisstein said. “The students have to run five weeks of the simulation for an online company with a goal of increasing conversion and sales.”
Although the certifications are recent additions, Dr. Weisstein has already seen positive results. A student who has worked in the digital marketing industry for 10 years credits the Google Ads certification with significantly boosting his knowledge beyond the basics.
Dr. Weisstein hopes to continue teaching marketing and interacting with students for the foreseeable future at BGSU.
“Even though I teach the same course and topics, the student body changes every semester,” she said. “Their feedback motivates me to continue revising the curriculum to keep it current and relevant. I see my teaching job as mutual learning.
In this online MBA program, some students are in the military and stationed abroad. I also have students who work in various fields such as finance, insurance, real estate, medical services, and in nonprofit organizations, which are outside my area of expertise. I learn a lot from my students.”
Learn more about BGSU’s online MBA with a Concentration in Marketing program.


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MCX member Best Buy announced Monday that they will soon accept Apple Pay and NFC payments in store later this year. MCX members agree to exclusivity of their yet to be launched CurrentC as their only mobile payment solution. It appears that the agreement will soon expire or Best Buy all be leaving the MCX consortium.
Sephora just recently upgraded their Verifone MX860s to the new capacitive MX915 terminals and with the upgrade brought NFC payments to their stores. Reportedly, the handheld portable checkout terminals will also be upgraded to accept NFC Payments.


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The Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) and the Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA) is teaming up and with the support f JAMPRO will be presenting Expo Jamaica 2010 at the National Arena in Kingston from June 17-20 2010.
Evolution of Trade Expo
Expo Jamaica is a re-branding of the Trade Expo that was last held in Kingston in 2008. Over 2000 products and services by Jamaican businesses are expected to be on show at the expo covering 15 industries.
Expo Jamaica 2010 will be held under the theme “Brand Jamaica to the World!” to promote the world class quality products and services that Jamaica has to offer, in an effort to expand sales and stir interest from buyers all over the world and locally.
Past event and Official Website


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Foldable Samsung Galaxy F to cost $1,770
- Just recently, Samsung previewed its Infinity Flex foldable display and One UI. Now, a new report reveals some essential details about the upcoming foldable smartphone.
- The phone will allegedly be called the Samsung Galaxy F and will launch in March 2019 in selected regions.
- Being a first-gen device that brings something brand new to the table, the Galaxy F, unsurprisingly, will retail for a steep US $1,770 (1.29 lakh). Mind you that’s the US pricing, it will surely cost more in India, Europe and China – if Samsung decides to launch the phone in these regions.
- The report also suggests that it will be the Galaxy S10 which will be Samsung’s first 5G-enabled smartphone. The Galaxy F will likely support only 4G.
- All next-gen Samsung flagship phones will run the new One UI, the Korean company’s new Android-based custom skin. The UI will also come to the Galaxy Note 9, Note 8, S9/ S9+ and S8/ S8+ with Android 9 Pie update.


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ARMONK, N.Y. Here is a list of events going on this weekend in and around Armonk, including a farmers market and a tag sale.
Friday, Aug. 24
Tag Sale: 10 a.m. 4 p.m. A multi-family tag sale will take place Friday and Saturday in Armonk. Items such as furniture, antiques and clothing will be available for purchase. 16 Nichols Road.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Farmers Market: 1 p.m. 4 p.m. The Stone Barns Center in Pocantico Hills will host a farmers market where fresh fruit, vegetables and other goods will be available for purchase. 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Kids in the Kitchen Course: 10:30 a.m. The Stone Barns Center will hold a cooking class for children. Kids will prepare food and cook using fresh ingredients from the centers farm. Admission is $30. 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills.
For more weekend activities, visit out Events page.
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I'll give you a hint. It rhymes with cupid.
has not been having a good year. Fromquarterly losses
, the once-powerful electronics manufacturer is taking a beating in virtually every area in which it conducts business. Now, several months aftertoying with the idea
of postponing the release of its next handheld, Sony has moved ahead with its plan todelay the launch of PS Vita
. Now the system won't arrive in Europe or the United States until 2012. This delay comes at a time when Sony faces stiff competition from alower-priced
Nintendo 3DS and aplethora
that claim to perform just as well as game-dedicated devices. Sony cannot afford a delay. With every additional month spent waiting for the PS Vita to be released, its relevance is diminished by the number of people that will get bored and move on to something else. If Sony had made a stronger system, one with games that people could not live without, this might not be as big of a problem. But nobody is anticipating the release of PS Vita. Nobody is looking forward to its obscure game lineup, which is more reminiscent of the NeoGeo Pocket Color (which had a hodgepodge of so-so releases) than the game console it is trying to emulate – PlayStation 3. In trying to defend its reason for the delay, Sony has claimed that it is dedicated to building a compelling game lineup. But unless the company plans on holding PS Vita till Christmas 2012, that isn't going to happen. Right now, the only games that are far enough along to make the presumed spring 2012 release date have already been announced. None of them are anything special. None of them will make consumers rush out and spend $249. In theory, Sony could prepare a whole lineup of games wedon't
know about and turn PS Vita into a huge success. Unfortunately, that's not how the game industry works. The average game takes 18 to 24 months to produce, and developers tend to announce new games 12 to 18 months before they're released. Some companies, such as KonamiKNM
and Capcom, are known to announce games 24 to 30 months before they are released. This does not bode well for Sony, a company that relies on third-party developers to provide its game devices with high-quality entertainment. And since game development is a time-consuming process, Sony can't simply drop a ton of money and make things happen. In order to ensure that the PS Vita launch is a success, the system must already have great games in development. As far as we know, it doesn't have any. Later this year, we are bound to hear about some new PS Vita games. But don't expect a release date to accompany those announcements. Instead, the games we hear about this fall are likely to be slated for fall 2012 and spring 2013. At that rate, PS Vita's launch is likely to resemble that of the Nintendo 3DS. Super Mario 3D Land, the Nintendo device's most anticipated (original) game, will not arrive until November – more than six months after the system was released. And unlike the 3DS, PS Vita doesn't have any unique gimmicks to push it out the door. Its dual-touch feature (one touch screen on top and one touch pad underneath the system) is not enough to sway consumers, especially when there aren't any cool games to demonstrate the purpose of that feature. Like the iPod Touch, PS Vita can multi-task. But aside from PlayStation 3, Sony hasn't been successful in trying to brand itself as a company that makes products that can do everything. If it could position the PS Vita as an iPod Touch-killer, it might be able to gain some ground. But to be really successful, it's going to need to stand out from the crowd. With PlayStation 3, Sony used Blu-ray to sell the system to people who don't even play video games. At that time, PS3 was the cheapest Blu-ray player available, and video junkies couldn't resist. However, the downside to selling a game system to non-gamers is that, unless you find a way to turn those people into regular customers, sales will be flat. You may sell a ton of hardware, but what's the point? Unlike AppleAAPL
and Nintendo (NTDOY
), Sony does not make money selling hardware. Rather, it profits by selling games, downloads, movies (download, stream or Blu-ray), and other forms content. In that sense, Sony has become more of an entertainment company than an electronics manufacturer, which could be the biggest problem of all. If Sony can't provide enough entertainment – whether it is in the form of video games or something else entirely – to get people to buy its hardware, the company is doomed.Follow me @LouisBedigian
© 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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The results of a examine reveal a possible backlink among greater usage of synthetic sweeteners and amplified risk of cardiovascular disease, which involves stroke and heart assault.
The results suggest that these foodstuff additives, eaten each working day by countless individuals and located in many beverages and foodstuff, shouldn’t be regarded as a harmless and wholesome sugar substitute.
Synthetic sweeteners are employed extensively as no or minimal-calorie sugar substitutes. They are present in numerous products and solutions all over the earth, specially in extremely-processed foods which include things like lower-calorie readymade foods, artificially sweetened drinks, and some treats.
Some analysis has related artificially sweetened beverage usage with pounds obtain, swelling, and hypertension, but benefits continue on to be blended with regards to the aspect that artificial sweeteners participate in in the trigger of some disorders, which incorporates cardiovascular disorder. Some observational experiments have also manufactured use of the consumption of artificially sweetened drinks as a proxy to look into the risk of cardiovascular sickness, but none have calculated the all round food plan usage of synthetic sweeteners.
To take a look at this more, the researchers used facts of 103,388 individuals with an common age of 42 many years from the web-primarily based NutriNet-Santé research, which was executed to search at nourishment and wellness associations.
Dietary intakes and synthetic sweetener intake were evaluated by nutritional documents, and a assortment of likely influential life style, overall health, and sociodemographic components were also deemed.
Artificial sweeteners from all nutritional resources these kinds of as dairy goods, tabletop sweeteners, drinks, and by kind which included sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and aspartame have been involved in the analyze.
Artificial sweeteners were consumed by a total of 37% of people today, with an normal of 42.46 mg consumed for every day, which is equal to about 100 mL of diet program soda or a person single pack of tabletop sweetener.
The common intake for lessen and bigger use groups was 7.46 and 77.62 mg per working day for persons consuming artificial sweeteners.
In comparison to individuals not consuming artificial sweeteners, better people have been a lot more probable to be considerably less bodily lively, have a larger BMI, be younger, follow a bodyweight loss eating plan, and were extra very likely to smoke. Bigger people also had reduce overall electricity intake, reduce carbohydrate, fiber, polyunsaturated and saturated fats, liquor, vegetable and fruit intake, and greater intake of dairy solutions, sodium, processed and pink meat, and beverages without having any added sugar. The researchers nevertheless accounted for these dissimilarities.
There were being 1,502 cardiovascular activities recorded throughout an average stick to-up period of 9 years, which involved angina, stroke, heart assault, transient ischemic assault, and angioplasty. Complete artificial sweetener consumption was observed to be joined to enhanced cardiovascular sickness chance. Artificial sweeteners ended up extra specially linked to the danger of cerebrovascular illness.
Aspartame intake was joined to an maximize in the chance of cerebrovascular occasions, although sucralose and acesulfame potassium ended up joined to an amplified hazard of coronary heart ailment.
Even however this was an observational study that simply cannot establish induce, this was a massive study that evaluated synthetic sweetener ingestion creating use of precise nutritional data, and the success assistance other study linking synthetic sweeteners to weak overall health.
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Hoarders seem to get a lot of bad press these days. But anyone who has an old iPhone or iPod in the bottom of a drawer could actually have a valuable asset on their hands.
Retro Apple tech is fetching a lot of cash and on eBay first-generation iPhones are worth as much as £18,000 in their original packaging. And if you have one of the first iPods it could be worth up to a whopping £36,000, The Daily Star reported.
Many older Apple products, while only a couple of decades old, are now considered valuable collector items since being phased out in favour of new high-tech gadgets. Even newer models of used iPods go for thousands of pounds, as both Apple fans and audiophiles like them for their big storage options.
However, none of these newer gadgets are worth as much as old Apple computers, which were some of the first home computers sold to the general public. The first MacIntosh can sell for several thousand pounds while the Apple-1 computer is so rare that it has sold for as much as £660,000 in auctions.
Apple are known for their high prices, and although some of these may have cost thousands new, it's a good reminder that holding onto your old tech when you upgrade can eventually pay off. Keeping gadgets in their original packaging can be like gold dust to collectors as it helps verify authenticity.
Even if an item is broken, you can get it repaired or refurbished and resell it. But don't rush to sell your old Apple gadgets if you can afford to wait - they will increase in value over time and you could get even more money in a few years.
It might even be worth buying up some gadgets now and keeping them in boxes for a decade or two – you never know.
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MONTREAL—Mega Brands capped a strong year by posting its best fourth-quarter since the toymaker’s 2010 recapitalization, as soaring North American sales contributed to a 20-fold growth in net income.
The Montreal-based toy maker reporting in U.S. dollars earned $4 million for the period ended Dec. 31, up from $234,000 a year earlier.
It earned 24 cents per basic share and one cent per share on a diluted basis, compared to one cent basic and a loss of 21 cents per share on a diluted basis a year earlier.
The big difference between basic and diluted earnings per share reflects the impact of the recapitalization, which potentially will increase the number of shares outstanding, thus reducing the amount of profit attributed to each share.
Mega Brands’ net sales jumped 18 per cent to $127.5 million from $108 million.
“This strong finish capped a great year for Mega in which we significantly strengthened our brands and our financial position,” CEO Marc Bertrand said Friday during a conference call.
Mega Brands was expected to earn 15 cents per basic share on $117 million of revenues, according to two analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
Pre-tax operating earnings (EBITDA) increased 33 per cent to $13.9 million, the strongest improvement in two and a half years and substantially ahead of analyst expectations of $12.6 million.
For the full year, the company’s profits doubled to $16.6 million or $1.01 per basic share as revenues grew 11.5 per cent to $420.3 million from $376.8 million in 2011.
Toy sales grew by 21 per cent in the fourth quarter, while stationery and activities sales were up one per cent.
North American sales rose 22 per cent, a fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, while international sales were up seven per cent.
Bertrand said the company expects a strong performance in 2013 as its new Barbie line of construction toys gains traction around the world and it adds other toys, including Skylanders and Hot Wheels.
Martin Landry of GMP Securities said Mega Brands had solid fourth-quarter results and “impressive” balance sheet improvement as it reduced debt by $30 million.
He said the company’s strongest performance since before the recapitalization highlights the strength of its product offering which is resulting in significant traction at retail.
“With the success of the initial Barbie product line launch, we would expect this momentum to continue as Barbie launches globally beginning mid-year and combined with the launch of Hot Wheels construction sets in the fall and new product introductions in Skylanders, in our view this bodes quite well for Mega Brands’ future,” he wrote in a report.
Landry said Mega Brands’ North American sales again outperformed larger competitors Mattel and Hasbro for the fifth consecutive quarter, suggesting Mega Brands continued to gain market share during the quarter.
Mega Brands manufactures more than half of its toys in Montreal, at least double what it did a few years ago, and said it has begun to explore opportunities to further expand its Canadian manufacturing base.
It is seeking up to $50 million in financial support from the Quebec government to build a new production facility, according to a filing with the province’s lobbyist registry.
On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Mega Brands shares briefly hit a new 52-week high in early trading Friday, and were up 44 cents, or 3.73 per cent, at $12.23 in later trading.


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West Branch Angler Hosts ‘Fall Fest’
September 13, 2012 —
HANCOCK, NY — There will be a fly-fishing expo and gear sale at the West Branch Angler “Fall Fest,” on Saturday, September 15. Highlighted events include Learn to Spey Cast for Free, Stream Monitor Workshop, tube fly demo, fall gear sale and BBQ. Visit www.westbranchresort.com or call 607/467-5525.


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In the summer of 2020, amid pandemic fear and uncertainty, Amber Cole of Colorado Springs, Colorado, turned to retail therapy. She browsed Lululemon’s website for $50 to $130 for trendy athletic apparel like T-shirts and leggings.
Cole, 33, saw an attractive option to pay for his purchases. After entering some information, she could buy clothes in four installments in six weeks. Thus, the $50 T-shirt shrunk down to a $12.50 payment; A $130 pair of leggings was only $32.50. Best of all: She could have gotten the goods before she finished paying, and she wasn’t on the hook to pay interest.
The question of ‘crorepati tax’ may go up to the voters of the Mass High Court.
Airbnb has just given a New Bedford Superhost a special recognition. Why here?
This friction-free option for paying for items in piecemeal – called “buy now, pay later” – was popularized by Afterpay, a fintech firm based in Australia and founded in 2014. During the pandemic, as people hunkered down at home and sought to fill vacancies with physical assets, installment payment schemes gained traction. Afterpay, which Square acquired in 2020 for $29 billion, has spawned copycats, including Affirm, Klarna and Fingerhut. This month, Apple announced that it would be offering a similar program.
While financing programs offer upsides such as interest-free payments, there are potential dangers. Personal finance experts said the rule of thumb for financial security is to be aware of your budget and be in control of your spending. But the Buy Now, Pay Later programs aim to make people understand that the product is actually cheaper and make them lose control over their spending, critics said.
In December, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began investigating these programs, raising concerns that people could accumulate debt with multiple purchases.
“They can be helpful to consumers in that they don’t charge interest if paid on time, but consumers can buy more than they plan,” said Laura Udis, a program manager at the bureau.
Cole fell into that trap. Using installment payment plans, she said, she increased her average purchase from $200 to $400 per order over time. Packages showed up at his door every day. Her biggest regret was the $600 rug from Anthropologie (spread over four $150 payments).
Cole soon fell behind in paying his regular bills. She eventually came clean to her husband and, in order to hold on to payments, got a job at a bakery and sold some of her impulse buys on eBay. A few months back, he closed his Afterpay account.
“I had a beautiful closet full of beautiful clothes, purses, and shoes,” she said. “But it is also full of shame, guilt and regret.”
Buy now, pay later has become impossible to ignore. Here’s what you need to know.
How to buy now, pay later? depends on.
In general, programs from companies like Buy Now, Pay Later, Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna, and Zip look similar, but they have significant differences.
They are typically short-term loans that let you pay for an item in four installments (or less) over a period of about six weeks. After a consumer provides certain information, such as a name and Social Security number, companies usually do a light credit pull. From there, you make a down payment, which is 25% of the total cost of the product, and bill every two weeks for the remaining three payments.
The loans are interest-free to people in large part because the retailer pays a high transaction fee — 4%, nearly double the normal transaction fee charged by a credit card company. The benefit for the retailer is that installment plans can persuade people to buy things they wouldn’t otherwise, said Jared Wiesel, an executive at Revenue Analytics, a pricing and sales consulting firm.
What happens when you miss a payment? This is where the differences emerge. Afterpay charges a flat $8 late fee for approximately 10 days after the missed payment. Affirm doesn’t charge any fees, but it says late payment can damage your credit score, Which can hurt your chances of getting another loan.
This one major downside was recently highlighted by John Cabell, director of banking and payments research at JD Power. published a study About problems with paid programs.
“It doesn’t help you build your credit like a credit card, but it can definitely hurt your credit if you’re not making payments on time,” he said.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, returns have been a source of confusion among consumers who have purchased now, paid financing later. For some retailers, consumers must first contact the creditor, who then submits the payment schedule and notifies the retailer of the return. For others, the customer contacts the retailer, who contacts the creditor.
Just to say that it’s early days for shopping, pay later programs, which have many variations and unknowns. As is the case with taking any type of loan, people will benefit from reading the fine print.
So who is this good for?
Buying now and paying later can be beneficial in some situations. Cabela’s came up with one in which an installment plan can be used to make an emergency purchase, such as a replacement of a kitchen appliance, so that the money doesn’t leave a bank account all at once.
Yet according to research by Caballe, most people don’t access these loans. Most buy now, pay later purchases include clothing and home goods, and 21% of young consumers say they are using multiple buy now, pay later accounts.
“Suddenly you have eight payments that are affecting your card, and that can get complicated,” he said.
Above all, the key to reaping the benefits of these interest-free loans is knowing that you can actually afford what you’re buying, said Julie-Alma Tavares, personal finance advisor. That said, as important as it is, you should avoid using installments on the pretext of buying more things than you need.
Alyssa Salinas, 34, a teacher assistant in Chicago, believes she’s got installment planning under control. She said she regularly uses the programs to shop for things like shoes and glasses. Her payments are on time because they hit her bank account when she receives her paychecks every two weeks.
“It sounds more convenient than seeing a large amount of money withdrawn from your bank account all at once,” she said. But she admitted that it was probably a bad thing that she was unaware of how the loan would affect her credit score.
This article is originally from . appeared in new York Times,
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Language isn't the only trade barrier
MAKING contact with potential customers or business partners overseas has become easier for small firms, with lower costs for travel and phone calls. But the real challenge is to convert inquires into business.
'Anyone with a website can create export opportunities,' says Murray Chisholm, a director at international banking and insurance specialist Fortis Commercial Finance. 'But they still need to get products from A to B and understand the cultural and legal implications of doing business overseas.'
Terms of trade vary, for example. Overseas firms might insist on terms being written under their own regulations rather than British law. 'Businesses must be aware of the impact on their cashflow and costs,' says Chisholm. 'The best advice is to get a good lawyer.'
Late payments are a major headache for small firms chasing debts abroad.
'Know your debtor,' advises Chisholm. 'Check their credit history and think about how you will collect money from overseas. You might want to use a third party, such as a factoring company.'
Nte, based in Peterlee, Co Durham, sells voice and data communications equipment to the Middle East and North Africa. The company has 32 staff and an annual turnover of £3m.
Founder and managing director Ron Elliott adapted to Middle Eastern business culture, recognising the region's traditional weekend of Thursday and Friday and long lunches and dealing with a two to three hour time difference.
As sales rose, Ron recognised the need to fly to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for face-to-face meetings. He also turned to local sources of help, BusinessLink and the chamber of commerce.
They offer a range of services to exporters, including Governmentsubsidised trade missions, cultural awareness training and translation services. Nte has printed parts of its product catalogue and literature in Arabic.
Market research is the key to a successful export strategy. As well as identifying demand for products, it can shed light on the way foreign companies do business, says Dr Bill Snaith, director at Durham Business School. 'In Germany, for example, the banks are much more involved in business than here. A British company looking to partner a German firm might see the bank as intrusive. But that is how they do business.'
But some of the most valuable information on global trade may be the easiest to find. Chisholm says: 'Talk to people who have traded overseas and find out about the potential pitfalls.'
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A deadly magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on October 30, 2020. This led to many losing their lives and homes.
Tag Archives: Environment
For years, the fashion industry has been criticised for its huge negative impact on the environment. Will the global pandemic be a force for a change?
Is it possible for the technology and social fabric of Ernest Callenbach’s book Ecotopia to exist in reality?
Claims about climate change come after nearly 200 people have been accused of starting the fires. So what are the real causes?


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Clearview AI's bread and butter is a tool providing facial recognition on a massive scale to law enforcement, federal agencies, private companies, and—apparently—nosy billionaires. The company has achieved this reportedly by scraping more or less the entire public Internet to assemble a database of more than 3 billion images. Now that there are spotlights on the secretive firm, however, Clearview is facing a barrage of lawsuits trying to stop it in its tracks.
The latest comes from Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, who filed suit against Clearview this week claiming violations of multiple state laws.
Clearview built its massive database by gobbling up "publicly available" data from the Internet's biggest platforms—including Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others—most of whom have since issued cease-and-desist letters telling Clearview in no uncertain terms to knock it off. These images are frequently of minors, the complaint notes, and Clearview admitted in its state filing to knowingly having images of minors collected without anyone's consent. Vermont's data law prohibits "fraudulent acquisition of brokered personal information," and the state argues that Clearview's screen-scraping tactics are exactly that.
What Clearview does with its ill-gotten data is also a problem, the state argues. The Green Mountain State's first issue is from a security perspective: the company has already suffered at least one data breach, in which its client list—which it has repeatedly refused to make public—was stolen. The second issue is privacy.
"Once entered into a facial-recognition database, the individual loses an enormous measure of anonymity, privacy, and freedom," the complaint reads. "Easily accessible facial recognition would permit governments, stalkers, predators, and con artists to instantly identify any stranger and, combined with other readily available data sources, know extensive details about their family, address, workplace, and other characteristics."
"Clearview encouraged police officers to use the tool on innocent citizens," the complaint adds, citing media reports about Clearview's marketing strategy to police.
The complaint goes on to explain that the "unfair acts and practices in commerce" Clearview's actions represent violate the Vermont Consumer Protection Act and:
offend public policy as it relates to the privacy of Vermont's consumers; are immoral, unethical, oppressive, and unscrupulous; and cause substantial injury to consumers which is not reasonably avoidable to consumers themselves and not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition.
Additionally, the complaiRead More – Source