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RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 12-18-2023


Quote:The Wall Street Journal reports that the legal battle between Google and Epic Games, which began in 2020, has culminated in a San Francisco jury finding Google guilty of maintaining monopoly power through anticompetitive conduct. This verdict represents a major blow to Google, amidst its ongoing legal challenges regarding its search dominance and ad tech business.

Epic Games, known for its popular game Fortnite, accused Google of using its dominant position in smartphones to extract excessive profits from app developers. The jury’s unanimous verdict came after less than four hours of deliberation. Epic Games hailed the verdict as a victory for app developers and consumers worldwide.
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Wilson White, a Google vice president for government affairs and public policy, commented: “Android and Google Play provide more choice and openness than any other major mobile platform. We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners and the broader Android ecosystem.”

The Epic Games lawsuit aimed at Google’s control over app distribution on Android devices and the fees charged on its Play Store.

AI News

Elon Musk Section



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 12-20-2023

When you thought that Musk would stop stealing the news headlines in the tech world, his companies make a terrible comeback once again! Shocked


Quote:Business Insider reports that the European Commission’s decision to investigate Elon Musk’s X/Twitter marks a major development in the enforcement of the newly implemented regulations. The DSA, which came into effect in August, mandates social media platforms to maintain effective and transparent systems for moderating and removing false or harmful information within Europe. The Commission’s concerns revolve around X/Twitter’s capacity to effectively manage risk and content moderation.

Elon Musk has previously hinted at the possibility of withdrawing X/Twitter from the European market to circumvent the stringent regulations imposed by the DSA. However, the Commission’s latest action signifies a tightening of scrutiny over online platforms, particularly those owned by high-profile figures like Musk.

Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for Internal Market, emphasized the end of an era where large online platforms could operate with little regard for regulations. The investigation will particularly focus on how X/Twitter handles the spread of illegal content and the efficacy of its internal systems, including “community notes” and a blue tick verification system, to combat such content.
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While the investigation could potentially lead to hefty fines for X/Twitter, amounting to up to six percent of its global revenues, several steps remain before such penalties could be applied. The timeline for the investigation and any subsequent actions remains unclear.


Quote:The Los Angeles Times reports that a Tesla Cybertruck became the center of attention after sliding down a snowy embankment while carrying a Christmas tree on its roof. Much to the embarrassment of fans of Elon Musk’s odd-looking electric vehicles, the stranded EV was rescued by a Ford F150 that pulled the Cybertruck to safety. The post was originally made to Facebook but quickly went viral on other platforms including X/Twitter.

The incident caught the eye of the U.S. Forest Service. Viewing this as a teachable moment, the Forest Service proposed a partnership with Tesla to launch an educational campaign about responsible off-road vehicle use on public lands.

This offer from the Forest Service, described as “a little bit cheeky” by spokesperson Benjamin Cossel, was issued through a news release by the Stanislaus National Forest. Jason Kuiken, the Forest Supervisor, emphasized the need for educating users about Motor Vehicle Use Maps and responsible off-road practices.

Other News



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 12-22-2023

As a previous report had demonstrated, you can't copywrite any AI related product in the US. But this cyber story doesn't end here at all! Shocked


Quote:In a landmark decision, the UK’s highest court has upheld previous legal rulings that AI-powered machines cannot be listed as inventors on patent applications.

CNBC reports that the ruling stems from a case that has been in the legal system for five years, brought by Stephen Thaler, who sought to list his AI tool “DABUS” as the inventor of two products for which he filed patent applications. Thaler argued that the patents were derived from his ownership of DABUS, a stance that challenged traditional interpretations of inventorship in patent law.

Initially, the UK Intellectual Property Office denied his applications, citing patent stipulations that require a human inventor. Thaler appealed this decision, arguing that he met all requirements of the 1977 patent legislation. His appeals were heard in the UK’s High Court and Court of Appeal, both of which upheld the initial decision.

The Supreme Court’s ruling did not address whether inventions created by AI tools should be patentable or if the definition of “inventor” should expand to include AI. Instead, it focused on existing patent law, which necessitates that an inventor be a “natural person.” The court also rejected Thaler’s claim that he was entitled to patent rights on the basis of his ownership of DABUS, reiterating that a human must be listed as the inventor.

Tim Harris, a patent litigator at law firm Osborne Clarke, told CNBC: “Whilst it is increasingly easy to anthropomorphise AI and its accomplishments, the UK Supreme Court has reiterated that the Patents Act requires an inventor to be a natural person to obtain a patent.”

So nope, you can't bypass your graphical resources limitations by claiming your Dalek AI tool is the creator of all of your assets. Happy with a sweat


Quote:Forbes reports that the study, encompassing data from 30 car brands, found Tesla at the most accident prone with 23.54 accidents per 1,000 drivers, surpassing other brands like Ram and Subaru. The study did not delve into the reasons behind these incidents, focusing on the numbers of accidents per vehicle brand. However, this finding coincides with a significant recall by Tesla involving over 2 million vehicles in the United States, addressing safety concerns in its Autopilot software, particularly the Autosteer feature.
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The Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reviewed hundreds crashes where Autopilot was reportedly engaged, focusing particularly on accidents involving frontal collisions and unintended disengagement issues.

The NHTSA highlighted potential issues with the Autopilot system, suggesting that the system’s controls might not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse. The NHTSA stated that “in certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the … advanced driver-assistance feature.”

The recent recall aims to improve the system that ensures driver attentiveness when using Autopilot. Tesla’s system requires the driver to be ready to intervene, as the technology does not permit complete disengagement from driving.

Critics, including legal experts, have voiced concerns over the fundamental flaws in the Autopilot system, particularly Tesla’s failure to limit the scenarios where it can be activated. This aspect has been linked to several crashes, especially on roads with potential cross traffic.

Cyber Security Issues



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 12-28-2023


Quote:Ars Technica reports that Google has been embracing its role as a generative AI company, motivated by the challenges posed by emerging AI competitors like ChatGPT. This strategic shift is not just about competing in the AI space but also about internal optimizations using AI capabilities. One significant area of impact is Google’s advertising division.

Google’s advancements in AI might already be replacing human roles in its large customer sales unit. This unit, responsible for managing relationships with major advertisers, is seeing a consolidation of staff, which might include layoffs. The reason behind this is the automation capabilities of Google’s new AI tools.
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However, this shift towards AI-driven ad creation and management is leading to a reduction in the need for human intervention, particularly in roles that were once vital for designing and selling ads. As of a year ago, Google’s ad sales team comprised about 13,500 people, a significant portion of its 30,000-strong ad division. While not all these roles are at risk, and some employees might be reassigned within Google, there is an undeniable impact on the workforce due to AI integration.

The Musk Section

Terrible Policies



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 12-31-2023

Lawsuits

AI NEWS

4 Articles



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 01-07-2024


Quote:Ars Technica reports ChatGPT-4, OpenAI’s most advanced AI model, recently faced a major test at the hands of researchers at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York. The model was tested against 100 pediatric case challenges, sourced from prominent medical journals JAMA Pediatrics and NEJM, covering the period between 2013 and 2023. These cases are known for their complexity, serving as educational challenges for practicing physicians to diagnose conditions based on the given information.

The AI’s performance was extremely poor on the test, achiving an accurate rate of just 17 percent. Out of the 100 cases, ChatGPT-4 correctly diagnosed only 17. It made incorrect diagnoses in 72 cases, and in 11 cases, it provided answers that were too broad or unspecific to be considered correct. For instance, in one case, ChatGPT diagnosed a child’s condition as a branchial cleft cyst instead of the correct Branchio-oto-renal syndrome, a more complex genetic condition that also involves the formation of branchial cleft cysts.

The study exposed a notable deficiency in ChatGPT-4’s diagnostic approach. The AI struggled to recognize known relationships between conditions, a skill crucial for medical diagnosis. In one case, it failed to link autism with scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency), a common issue due to dietary restrictions common in neuropsychiatric conditions. This oversight is critical, as neuropsychiatric conditions are known risk factors for vitamin deficiencies in children, especially in high-income countries.

Pediatric diagnoses require special consideration of the patient’s age, a factor that adds complexity, particularly when dealing with infants and small children who cannot explain their symptoms clearly. The study’s findings emphasize the indispensable role of clinical experience, suggesting that human pediatricians are far from being replaced by AI in diagnostics.


Quote:Gizmodo reports that Facebook’s new feature, “Link History,” is the latest addition to its vast library of data collection tools. This new feature automatically logs every link a user clicks within the Facebook app, storing it in a dedicated section in the app. While there is an opt-out option for users, the default setting is to collect this data which will mainly be used for enhancing targeted advertising.

While tech regulations are becoming more strict and companies such as Apple and Google are stepping up their privacy game, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta ( the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) seems to be continuing its usual plan of action to collect as much information on its users as possible. This move appears to be a strategic effort to preserve its data-collection focused business model in the face of growing privacy concerns and regulatory challenges.

Facebook is marketing Link History as a user convenience feature, a tool for users to keep track of their browsing activities in one place. The feature is being advertised as a means for users to “never lose a link again.” However, Meta makes it clear that enabling Link History allows the company to leverage this information to fine-tune ad targeting on its various platforms.

Google Section

The Controversial Elon Musk Section



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 01-10-2024

AI News


Quote:BBC News reports that in 2017, Apple admitted to intentionally slowing down certain iPhone models as they aged, citing concerns over aging batteries that could affect device performance and longevity.

This sparked public outrage and legal challenges, which led to a settlement in 2020. Despite denying any wrongdoing, Apple agreed to pay a substantial sum from a $500 million fund to claimants, averaging around $92 per claim.
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“Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices,” the company declared, explaining, “Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.”

“Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions,” Apple continued. “We’ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.”

Some users on Twitter, however, alleged Apple were slowing down older devices in an effort to force customers to upgrade.
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Now, a similar lawsuit is currently underway in the UK, with approximately 24 million iPhone users seeking £1.6 billion in compensation. The lawsuit, initiated by Justin Gutmann in June 2022, alleges that Apple intentionally shortened the lifespan of its products and degraded user experience to encourage upgrades.


Quote:The Independent reports the alarming security breach, first announced on a Telegram channel by a hacker in October 2023, exploits vulnerabilities in third-party cookies. Specifically, it targets Google authentication cookies, which are normally used to streamline user access without repeated logins.

Hackers have devised a method to extract these cookies, allowing them to bypass password-based security and even two-factor authentication mechanisms to access user accounts.

This exploit is a major risk for all Google accounts as it allows for ongoing access to Google services, even after a user’s password has been changed. An analysis by the cybersecurity firm CloudSEK indicates that several hacking groups are actively experimenting with this technique.

The widespread use of Google Chrome, one of the most popular web browsers in the world which allows users to log in to a browser “profile” with their Google account, makes this exploit particularly dangerous.

In response to this threat, Google issued a statement highlighting their efforts, stating: “We routinely upgrade our defenses against such techniques and to secure users who fall victim to malware.



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 01-15-2024


Quote:The Financial Times reports the Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent decision to approve spot bitcoin [exchange-traded funds] marks a significant change in the commission’s stance on cryptocurrency. The approval of eleven ETFs from a combination of established financial organizations and digital finance newcomers has cleared the path for a more regulated and accessible route for investing in bitcoin.

Jad Comair, CEO of Melanion Capital – the first company to launch a Bitcoin-themed ETF in the EU – highlighted the significance of this move, stating, “It’s a huge milestone; it’s recognition of bitcoin being a large-scale traditional investment. We’re opening the doors to Wall Street.”

For nearly a decade, the regulator has been resistant to approving such ETFs due to concerns around the susceptibility of cryptocurrencies to manipulation and fraud. However, last year, the crypto asset manager Grayscale successfully challenged the SEC’s rejection of an earlier spot bitcoin application, and a federal appeals court ruled in August that the decision was “arbitrary and capricious.”

This ruling put pressure on the SEC to reevaluate their stance, ultimately leading to their recent decision to approve spot bitcoin ETFs.

Other News

Layoffs Section

4 Articles



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 01-22-2024


Quote:AI-generated rip-off articles have made their way into Google News results, while the tech giant says it is not concerned about whether an article is produced by a human or AI, according to a report by 404 Media.

Google told the outlet that while it tries to counter spam on Google News, it doesn’t focus on how an article is created.

This paves the way for more AI-generated news articles to reach the top of search results and therefore accidentally be viewed by readers as content that was authentically created by humans.

404 Media pointed out that AI-generated news articles on Google News signals that “the black box nature of Google News, with entry into Google News’ rankings in the first place an opaque, but apparently gameable, system.”

It also means that Google “may not be ready for moderating its News service in the age of consumer-access AI, where essentially anyone is able to churn out a mass of content with little to no regard for its quality or originality,” the outlet added.


Quote:CNBC reports that in an internal memo addressed to employees, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, revealed plans for additional job reductions in 2024. This announcement aligns with the company’s strategic shift towards investment in key areas, particularly artificial intelligence. Pichai emphasized the necessity of making “tough choices” to facilitate these investments. The memo, titled “2024 priorities and the year ahead,” detailed Google’s plan for the new year.
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Google recently announced layoffs in some of its key divisions as part of its workforce strategy. The affected departments include the Voice Assistant unit; the hardware team responsible for Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit devices; and the augmented reality (AR) team. This move comes shortly after Google’s acquisition of Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2021, which was a significant investment in the wearable technology sector. Despite this acquisition, Google has continued to develop and release new versions of its Pixel Watch, a product that directly competes with Fitbit’s offerings and the Apple Watch.

Google initiated several changes throughout the second half of 2023 to improve efficiency, streamline its operations, and realign resources. This restructuring involved eliminating roles across different teams globally. While the exact number of affected roles has not been announced, the impact is being felt amongst employees, as Alphabet has a reported global workforce of 182,381 as of September 2023.

The Alphabet Workers Union commented on the layoffs, calling them “needless” and promising to continue to fight the company “until our jobs are safe!”


Quote:Fortune reports that Mustafa Suleyman, a notable figure in the AI industry and co-founder of the AI firm DeepMind, recently shared his views on the future implications of AI, particularly its effect on the labor market. Suleyman, who founded DeepMind in 2010 alongside Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg and later sold it to Google for £400 million in 2014, spoke at the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland.

Suleyman highlighted two primary ways AI could transform businesses: by making operations more efficient, leading to significant cost savings but often at the expense of human jobs, and by enabling the creation of entirely new operations and processes, which could potentially lead to job creation. However, he cautioned that these changes would significantly disrupt the labor market in the coming years, with the long-term impact remaining uncertain.

“In the long term…we have to think very hard about how we integrate these tools, because left completely to the market and to their own devices, these are fundamentally labor replacing tools,” Suleyman told CNBC.

The debate over AI’s role in the job market is not new. Some experts, like Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne, have raised alarms with studies suggesting a high risk of job automation. For instance, their 2013 study estimated that 47 percent of US jobs might be automated by the mid-2030s. Conversely, other studies, like a 2022 report from the United Nations’ International Labor Organization, have suggested that AI will more likely complement human workers than replace them.


Quote:Gizmodo reports that Sheryl Sandberg, often hailed as the original “girlboss” of Silicon Valley and a longstanding presence at Facebook, has decided to step down from her role on the board of Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta. This marks a significant transition for Sandberg, who has been a pivotal figure in shaping the trajectory of the company. Announcing her departure in a Facebook post, Sandberg expressed her profound gratitude and the multitude of memories she amassed during her tenure.

Sandberg stated in the post: “With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I let the Meta board know that I will not stand for reelection this May.” She further indicated her continued support for Meta in a different capacity, stating, “Going forward, I will serve as an advisor to the company and I will always be there to help the Meta teams.”

Sandberg stepped down from her long-held position as COO and Zuckerberg’s chief lieutenant in 2022.  Her choice to leave Zuckerberg’s board of directors comes as the company remains under a cloud of bad news, including a lawsuit filed by 42 states that accuses the company of targeting young people with addictive features on Facebook and Instagram.

Joining Facebook in 2008, Sandberg has been instrumental in steering the company through various phases of growth and navigating through numerous challenges, including the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal. “Serving as Facebook’s — and then Meta’s — COO for 14 ½ years and a board member for 12 years has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I will always be grateful to Mark for believing in me and for his partnership and friendship.” she stated in her announcement.

In response to this announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged Sandberg’s contributions to the company.


Quote:A recent study from Consumer Reports engaged 709 volunteers who provided archives of their Facebook user data. Astonishingly, Consumer Reports discovered that 186,892 different companies transmitted data about these users to Facebook. On average, data from each participant was shared by 2,230 companies, with some users’ data being shared by over 7,000 companies.

This examination highlighted a lesser-known form of tracking known as server-to-server tracking, where personal data is transferred directly from a company’s servers to Meta’s servers, alongside the more visible method involving Meta tracking pixels on company websites.

Emil Vazquez, a spokesperson for Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, defended the company’s data practices, stating: “We offer a number of transparency tools to help people understand the information that businesses choose to share with us, and manage how it’s used.” However, Consumer Reports identified issues with these tools, including unclear data provider identities and companies that service advertisers often disregarding user opt-out requests.

A surprising finding was the pervasive presence of LiveRamp, a data broker, appearing in the data of 96 percent of study participants. The list of companies sharing data with Facebook extends beyond obscure data brokers to include well-known retailers like Home Depot, Macy’s, Walmart, and others, such as Experian and TransUnion’s Neustar, Amazon, Etsy, and PayPal. Notably, LiveRamp did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.

The study’s data came from two main collection types: “events” and “custom audiences.” The latter involves advertisers uploading customer lists to Meta, including email addresses and mobile advertising IDs, to target ads on Meta’s platforms. ‘Events’ describe real-world interactions, like website visits or store purchases, facilitated by Meta’s software in apps, tracking pixels on websites, and server-to-server tracking.



RE: News of the Cyber World - kyonides - 01-26-2024


Quote:TechCrunch reports that LoanDepot, one of the largest loan and mortgage companies in the United States, recently disclosed in a filing to federal regulators that 16.6 million customers have had their sensitive personal information compromised in a cyberattack that took place on January 8. This incident, which has been identified as a ransomware attack, poses a significant risk to the affected customers.

The company has acknowledged the data breach but has not specified the nature of the sensitive and personal data that was stolen. Jonathan Fine, a spokesperson for LoanDepot, declined to provide specific details about the types of customer data that were compromised during the attack.

Frank Martell, the CEO of LoanDepot, said in a statement: “Unfortunately, we live in a world where these types of attacks are increasingly frequent and sophisticated, and our industry has not been spared. We sincerely regret any impact to our customers. The entire LoanDepot team has worked tirelessly throughout this incident to support our customers, our partners and each other. I am pleased by our progress in quickly bringing our systems back online and restoring normal business operations.”
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The company’s online services have been severely disrupted, with some customer-facing systems remaining inaccessible into their second week following the data breach. The system failure has led to significant challenges for customers, including difficulties in making payments or accessing their online accounts.


Quote:Top cancer researchers at Harvard have been accused of scientific fraud affecting 37 studies. The researchers are also accused of manipulating data images with simple methods such as copy-and-paste and Adobe Photoshop.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is retracting six scientific studies and seeking to correct 31 others that were published by its top researchers, including the hospital’s CEO, according to a report by Ars Technica.

Data sleuth Sholto David and his colleagues on PubPeer, an online forum for researchers to discuss publications, reportedly brought forward the allegations on January 2, when David posted a lengthy list of possible data manipulation from DFCI researchers to his research integrity blog, For Better Science.

In his blog post, David pointed out several data figures that appeared to feature pixel-for-pixel duplications. Researchers are accused of manipulating images of data that include what are known as “Western blots” — used to see proteins in a complex mixture.

The allegations are against DFCI President and CEO Laurie Glimcher, Executive Vice President and COO William Hahn, Senior Vice President for Experimental Medicine Irene Ghobrial, and Harvard Medical School professor Kenneth Anderson.

Moreover, all four of the implicated researchers have faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School.
DFCI Research Integrity Officer Barrett Rollins responded to the allegations, telling the Harvard Crimson that the school is “committed to a culture of accountability and integrity,” and that “every inquiry about research integrity is examined fully.”

Rollins also noted that David had contacted DFCI with allegations of data manipulation involving 57 studies, adding that the institute’s internal review found that there are 38 papers in which DFCI researchers “have primary responsibility for the potential data errors.”

Now, the institute is retracting six studies and contacting scientific publishers to correct 31 others, bringing the total to 37 affected studies so far. Meanwhile, the 38th remaining study in question is still under review.
Of the remaining 19 studies in question, three were cleared of allegations, and 16 were determined to have had the possibly manipulated data collected in labs that were outside the DFCI. Rollins told the Harvard Crimson that those studies are still under investigation.


Quote:The Verge reports that Microsoft has laid off 1,900 employees from Activision Blizzard and its own longstanding Xbox gaming division. This layoff represents eight percent of the company’s 22,000 workers devoted to video games and gaming hardware.

The cuts come just months after Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, the published of massively popular games like Diablo and Call of Duty, in a monster deal of almost $69 billion.
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According to the Verge, an internal memo lays out the reasoning for the layoffs:

It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth.

The fallout extends beyond the rank and file employees who have been let go by the software giant. Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has reportedly stepped down, as has Allen Adham, the studio’s chief design officer and a company co-founder. Additionally, Blizzard has canceled a survival game that has been announced but remained untitled.

Long-time Activision Blizzard fans have felt their games have fallen off in quality and innovation in the face of a relentless pursuit of profits, these layoffs are a sign that there is not much hope for a return to the company’s glory days as the company is subsumed into Microsoft’s byzantine corporate culture.


Quote:The Verge reports that in a significant restructuring move, eBay is set to lay off approximately 1,000 employees, representing nine percent of its full-time staff. This decision follows similar actions by other tech companies such as Google, Discord, and Twitch. Despite reporting a profit of $1.3 billion in the last quarter, eBay’s CEO Jamie Iannone emphasized the need for the company to become more nimble and make quicker decisions for long-term sustainable growth.

The company’s rapid hiring practices in recent years have been identified as a key issue, with Iannone stating that eBay’s overall headcount and expenses have outpaced its business growth. eBay has communicated the layoff news to its employees, requesting all U.S. employees to work from home to process this development.

In an internal memo, Iannone highlighted eBay’s growth and resilience, noting the necessity to reorganize for speed and decision-making efficiency. The layoffs and reduction in the number of contractors over the coming months are part of these changes.


Quote:CNBC reports that Meta’s withdrawal from its role as a distributor of news content has marked a significant change in the digital news media ecosystem — with many publishers claiming they’re facing a major reduction in traffic following the change. This strategic shift, initially announced in September 2023, has led to the “deprecation” of its Facebook news tab around the world. This move was part of Mark Zuckerberg’s claimed goal of aligning its investments with products and services that users value most.

According to a study by Chartbeat, which analyzed 1,930 news and media websites, Facebook’s contribution to overall social traffic, measured by page views, plummeted from 50 percent to 33 percent as of December 2023. This decline was also reflected in referral volumes from social media and search engines, with Facebook’s share dropping significantly.

Zuckerberg’s decision to pull away from news distribution was influenced by a number factors, including years of public relations challenges related to misinformation and account censorship controversies. These issues had brought intense scrutiny and criticism from various political spectrums, with conservative politicians accusing the company of leftist bias, and others criticizing its role in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.

Publications like Mother Jones reportedly experienced a drastic reduction in traffic referrals from Facebook. The decline in traffic from Facebook has forced many media outlets to adapt their strategies for audience engagement and revenue generation. This adaptation has included a greater emphasis on other distribution channels, such as Google, which has seen an increase in its share of external traffic to news sites.