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Dhaka-Delhi ties must be defined by respect and fairnessBATAVIA, Ill., Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI), a leading global provider of managed cybersecurity, reported results for continuing operations for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024. All comparisons are to the same year-ago period unless otherwise noted. The following results are from continuing operations following the divesture of the company's technology enablement services business on June 27, 2024. The company's current business segments include Overwatch managed cybersecurity services and SVC telecom services. Q3 2024 Operational Highlights "In Q3, we saw continued revenue growth from our Overwatch managed cybersecurity and telecom businesses as we began to realize the benefits of the strategic realignment we initiated in the second quarter,” stated High Wire CEO, Mark Porter. "This realignment included the divestiture of our IT enablement services business so we could focus on the greater and more rewarding opportunities in managed cybersecurity. "The strong momentum we've experienced with our current business in Q3, including higher average monthly recurring revenue from new and expanded engagements, validates this transition. It also reinforces our strategy of targeting larger channel partners and enterprise-level opportunities in the cybersecurity space. "Our Overwatch growth in the quarter is perhaps even more impressive when considering the distraction of the IT divestiture and our transition to focus on Overwatch. Our sharper focus on Overwatch resulted in the full realignment of our Overwatch management team with certain departures and key news hires designed to better prepare us for the accelerating growth we see ahead. "The new appointments included Ed Vasko as our new Overwatch CEO, Mark Dallmeier as chief revenue officer, and Michael Lieder as senior director of Overwatch's service delivery and products. Together, they have refined our go-to-market strategy around larger partners, paving the way for strong growth ahead. "During the quarter we also implemented efficiencies that decreased our operating expenses by 21% versus the same year-ago quarter. This substantial improvement demonstrates the effectiveness of our operating strategies and leverage in our model, which includes the application of advanced AI automation and engineering. "Altogether, these efforts have resulted in the largest pipeline of large deals in our company's history, with several in the final closing stages and supporting our path to profitability. Combined with now a much cleaner capital structure, we are well positioned for an uplisting to a major exchange - especially how the capital markets are looking the best they've been in many months. Capable players have expressed strong interest and confidence in helping us with such an endeavor. "Last month, we were honored to be recognized for the fourth consecutive year by MSSP Alert as a Top 100 provider in the managed security service space. This achievement reflects our team's dedication to delivering cutting-edge solutions through our Overwatch ecosystem, including managed XDR and advanced edge protection. We believe these solutions meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers like none other on the market today. "Looking ahead, we remain confident in our ability to capitalize on the new foundation we've established. Our diversified service offerings in secure voice, combined with enhanced compliance and quality, are attracting new customers and unlocking additional revenue streams. "As we progress through the final quarter of the year and into 2025, we expect accelerating growth with this supporting significant profitability by the second half of the new year. This positive outlook, coupled with the strengthening macroeconomic sentiment among our partners, positions us well for executing our managed cybersecurity strategy and delivering greater shareholder value.” Q3 2024 Financial Summary Revenue in the third quarter of 2024 totaled $2.1 million, an increase of 4% from $2.0 million in the same year-ago quarter. The increase in revenue reflects an increase in revenue from the company's Overwatch managed cybersecurity business. At the end of the third quarter of 2024, Overwatch was generating monthly recuring revenue of approximately $0.4 million or $4.8 million on an annualized basis. Gross profit totaled $0.7 million or 33.1% of revenue in the third quarter, improving from $0.6 million or 32.6% of revenue in the same year-ago quarter. The increase in gross profit in the third quarter of 2024 was primarily due to the business moving towards a more scalable, efficient cyber platform as well as the efficiencies gained by continued improvements in the company's automation capabilities. Total operating expenses decreased 21% to $3.6 million compared to $4.6 million from the same year-ago quarter. The decrease is due to decreases in salaries and wages expenses of $0.8 million, general and administrative expenses of $812,000, and depreciation and amortization of $12,000. Net loss from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2024 totaled $1.7 million or $(0.01) per diluted share, compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $3.8 million or $(0.01) per diluted share in the same year-ago quarter. Net loss attributable to High Wire Networks common shareholders in the third quarter of 2024 totaled $1.7 million or $(0.01) per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $3.6 million or $(0.01) per diluted share in the same year-ago quarter. First Nine Months of 2024 Financial Summary Revenue in the first nine months of 2024 totaled $6.1 million, an increase of 8% from $5.6 million in the same year-ago period. The increase in revenue reflects the same reasons described above. In the first nine months of 2024, the Overwatch managed cybersecurity business contributed revenue of $3.1 million, as compared to $2.9 million in the same year-ago period. Gross profit totaled $2.4 million or 39.8% of revenue in the first nine months of 2024 as compared to $1.7 million or 29.6% of revenue in the same year-ago period. The increase in gross profit reflects the same reasons described above. Total operating expenses decreased 7% to $12.2 million compared to $13.0 million from the same year-ago period. The decrease is primarily due to decreases in general and administrative expenses of $1.2 million and depreciation and amortization of $6,000. Net loss from continuing operations in the first nine months of 2024 totaled $7.7 million or $(0.03) per diluted share, compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $6.4 million or $(0.02) per diluted share in the same year-ago period. Net income attributable to High Wire Networks common shareholders in the first nine months of 2024 totaled $2.0 million or $0.01 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $7.5 million or $(0.03) per diluted share in the same year-ago period. The first nine months of 2024 included a gain on the sale of the company's technology enablement business for approximately $8 million. About High Wire Networks High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI) is a fast-growing, award-winning global provider of managed cybersecurity. Through over 200 channel partners, it delivers trusted managed services for more than 1,100 managed security customers worldwide. End-customers include Fortune 500 companies and many of the nation's largest government agencies. Its U.S. based 24/7 Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center is located in Chicago, Illinois. High Wire was ranked by Frost & Sullivan as a Top 15 Managed Security Service Provider in the Americas for 2024. It was also named to CRN's MSP 500 and Elite 150 lists of the nation's top IT managed service providers for 2023 and 2024. Learn more at HighWireNetworks.com . Follow the company on X , view its extensive video series on YouTube or connect on LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statements The above news release contains forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this document that are not statements of historical fact, including but not limited to, statements identified by the use of terms such as "anticipate,” "appear,” "believe,” "could,” "estimate,” "expect,” "hope,” "indicate,” "intend,” "likely,” "may,” "might,” "plan,” "potential,” "project,” "seek,” "should,” "will,” "would,” and other variations or negative expressions of these terms, including statements related to expected market trends and the Company's performance, are all "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on assumptions that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performances and are subject to a wide range of external factors, uncertainties, business risks, and other risks identified in filings made by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based except as required by applicable law and regulations. High Wire Contact Mark Porter Chief Executive Officer High Wire Networks Tel +1 (952) 974-4000 Email contact Investor & Media Relations: Ronald Both or Grant Stude CMA Investor & Media Relations Tel +1 (949) 432-7557 Email contact Condensed consolidated statements of operations (Unaudited) September 30, September 30, taxes tax Inc. common shareholders Networks, Inc. common shareholders, basic:
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Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughing HOUSTON (AP) — Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in corporate fraud and greed in America after it went bankrupt in 2001, is coming back. But the infamous company's return seems to be an elaborate joke. If its return is comedic, some former Enron employees who lost everything in the company’s collapse aren’t laughing. They're angry at a publicity stunt they say minimizes what they went through. Enron was once the nation’s seventh-largest company, but it went bankrupt amid massive accounting fraud. On Monday, a company representing itself as Enron announced it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” But a paper trail of legal documents points to the comeback being parody and performance art. Authorities fear a Pennsylvania woman was swallowed by a sinkhole while looking for her cat Authorities fear a grandmother who disappeared while looking for her cat may have been swallowed up by a sinkhole that recently opened up in a western Pennsylvania village. Crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole in Marguerite on Tuesday morning but detected nothing. A second camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe. Police say the family of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard called police at about 1 a.m. to say she hadn't been seen since going out Monday evening to search for Pepper, her cat. They found her 5-year-old granddaughter in her parked car near the manhole-sized opening. It’s not clear what happened to Pepper. Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Trevor Lawrence HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair’s punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says “video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide.” Last 2 defendants in Atlanta's Young Thug trial are acquitted of murder and gang charges ATLANTA (AP) — The long-running gang and racketeering trial in Atlanta that led rapper Young Thug to plead guilty in October has ended with a jury finding the last two defendants not guilty of racketeering, murder and gang-related charges. Deamonte Kendrick, who raps as Yak Gotti, was acquitted of all charges and Shannon Stillwell was found guilty only of a gun possession charge. Jury selection in the trial began nearly two years ago after prosecutors indicted 28 defendants. They said YSL was a criminal gang co-founded by Grammy-winning Young Thug. The Atlanta-born rapper’s given name is Jeffery Williams. He was released on probation after pleading guilty to gang, drug and gun charges. Great Lakes region braces for more snow while cleaning up after lake-effect storms Cleanup work is continuing around parts of the Great Lakes region socked by lake-effect snowstorms that dropped several feet of snow over the weekend. Forecasters are warning that another storm system could add a few more inches and maybe even more later this week. Many school districts in western Pennsylvania remained closed Tuesday as the storms were finally slowing after several days of lake-effect snow that also fell on parts of western New York, Ohio and Michigan. Snow totals since Thanksgiving in some places are nearing six feet. New women's baseball league names 97-year-old AAGPBL alum honorary chair on advisory board Former baseball pitcher Maybelle Blair will be an honorary chair on the advisory board of the Women’s Professional Baseball League, which last month announced plans to launch in 2026 as a six-team circuit for female players. The 97-year-old Blair helped inspire the baseball film “A League of Their Own” with her play in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She will chair a board of women who have worked in sports and business. The list includes a leader from the upstart Professional Women’s Hockey League, a longtime ESPN executive, and baseball pitcher and six-time World Cup winner Ayami Sato. Search suspended for man believed to have gone overboard from cruise ship off California's coast SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has suspended the search for a man believed to have gone overboard from a cruise ship as it was returning to San Francisco after a voyage to Ensenada, Mexico. The Ruby Princess arrived in San Francisco at 6:50 a.m. Monday following the five-day trip. Officials searched the ship several times for the missing passenger. They also scoured CCTV videos, but there was no sign of the man. Princess Cruises says the 72-year-old American citizen was traveling alone. The Coast Guard began aerial searches that were suspended around 5:30 p.m. Chicago house party shooting kills 3 men and wounds five other people, police say CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say eight people were shot at a house party, three of them fatally. Others fled as gunfire erupted. Police Chief of Patrol Jon Hein says officers responded Monday afternoon to the “social gathering” at a home in the city's southwest Chicago Lawn neighborhood. He says four men and four women between the ages of 20 and 35 were shot. Police say a 26-year-old man and two other men were pronounced dead. A 27-year-old woman was in critical condition, a 24-year-old woman was in serious condition and three other shooting victims were in good condition. Philadelphia ready to go the distance with RockyFest week dedicated to 'Rocky' movies PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rocky Balboa fans are ready to go the distance to honor Philly’s favorite fictional fighter almost 50 years after the first movie launched the enduring series of an underdog boxer persevering despite the odds. The city Rocky called home at last has a week dedicated to the box office heavyweight champion of the world a year after the inaugural Rocky Day was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. RockyFest officially opened Tuesday and a series of events dedicated to the movies series are set to be held around the city. Kendrick Lamar tops Apple Music's 2024 song chart and women make history NEW YORK (AP) — Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2024 as the giant music streamer released year-end lists Tuesday and provided listeners with data on their own most listened-to tunes. “Not Like Us” is Lamar’s first-ever No. 1 on the year-end global songs chart. He’s followed by Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” in second, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” in third, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” in fourth and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” in fifth. Of the 100 songs included on the list, 39 are from female-identifying artists, a record first in the global chart’s 7-year history. In November, Apple Music named Billie Eilish its artist of the year.HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work and wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory claiming all birds are actually government surveillance drones. Peters said she and some other former employees are upset and think the relaunch was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, 74, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. But Sherron Watkins, Enron’s former vice president of corporate development and the main whistleblower who helped uncover the scandal, said she didn’t have a problem with the joke because comedy “usually helps us focus on an uncomfortable historical event that we’d rather ignore.” “I think we use prior scandals to try to teach new generations what can go wrong with big companies,” said Watkins, who still speaks at colleges and conferences about the Enron scandal. This story was corrected to fix the spelling of Ken Lay’s first name, which had been misspelled “Key.” Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died
Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Has $2.36 Million Holdings in CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP)
Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 20.63 points, or 0.3%, to 5,969.34. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week and is within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week. The Dow rose 426.16 points, or 1%, to 44,296.51 as it nudged past its most recent high set last week. The Nasdaq composite rose 42.65 points, or 0.2%, closing at 2,406.67. Markets were volatile the past few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump’s presidential victory, before falling again. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts’ third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company’s Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company grew to a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. Its quarterly earnings forecast fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% after the Supreme Court allowed a multibillion-dollar class-action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts’ expected. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughing
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died
Perimeter Provides Update on Canada Postal Strike and Mailing of the Company's 2024 Annual General Meeting MaterialsWarning—digital fingerprinting is back Republished on December 21 with Google’s proposals to change search for iPhone and Android users as a response to the U.S. government’s push for it to sell off Chrome. With Google’s last tracking u-turn fresh in the mind, here comes another one. Not only have cookies won a stay of execution , it now looks like digital fingerprinting is back as well. But as one regulator has pointed out, Google itself has said that this type of tracking “subverts user choice and is wrong.” And yet here we are—wrong or not. “We think this change is irresponsible,” the regulator warns. For its part, Google cites advances in so-called privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) as raising the bar for user privacy, enabling it to loosen the shackles on advertisers and the hidden trackers that underpin the internet and make the whole ecosystem work. This, it says, will unlock “new ways for brands to manage and activate their data safely and securely,” while “also giving people the privacy protections they expect.” The risk is that this simply rolls the dark side of tracking cookies forward into a new era, and in a way that is impossible for users to unpick to understand their risks. The specifics are complex—these are the algorithms that ingest all the data signals you give off when browsing the internet on any device, some based on who you are—device, IP and credential identifiers, but also the sites you visit and apps you use as a map to be followed and analyzed. The change has been prompted, Google explains , in part by “the broader range of surfaces on which ads are served.” This includes smart TVs and gaming consoles, as well as all your usual browser and app activity. While Chrome has taken plenty of flack for tracking, this takes it to a new, very different level. “In the past decade,” Google says, “the way people engage with the internet changed dramatically. So we’re constantly evaluating our policies to ensure they reflect the latest evolutions in technology and meet our partners’ needs and users’ expectations.” And so from February 16 , Google will be “less prescriptive with partners in how they target and measure ads” across “the broader range of surfaces on which ads are served (such as Connected TVs and gaming consoles).” “Fingerprinting involves the collection of pieces of information about a device’s software or hardware, which, when combined, can uniquely identify a particular device and user,” explains Stephen Almond, representing the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office . “The ICO’s view is that fingerprinting is not a fair means of tracking users online because it is likely to reduce people’s choice and control over how their information is collected. The change to Google’s policy means that fingerprinting could now replace the functions of third-party cookies.” The ICO says that “when you choose an option on a consent banner or ‘clear all site data’ in your browser, you are generally controlling the use of cookies and other traditional forms of local storage. Fingerprinting, however, relies on signals that you cannot easily wipe. So, even if you ‘clear all site data’, the organisation using fingerprinting techniques could immediately identify you again. This is not transparent and cannot easily be controlled. Fingerprinting is harder for browsers to block and therefore, even privacy-conscious users will find this difficult to stop.” Changes to user tracking confirmed Both the regulator and Google have confirmed they’ll continue to engage on this change, which the ICO says is a “u-turn in its position and the departure it represents from our expectation of a privacy-friendly internet.” The regulator has also issued a stark warning for businesses that might be readying themselves for the gloves to come off in February when the changes kick in. “Businesses do not have free rein to use fingerprinting as they please. Like all advertising technology, it must be lawfully and transparently deployed—and if it is not, the ICO will act.” Google gives an example of the need for such fingerprinting in its announcement—smart TVs and streaming services. “Internet users are embracing Connected TV (CTV) experiences, making it one of the fastest growing advertising channels. Businesses who advertise on CTV need the ability to connect with relevant audiences and understand the effectiveness of their campaigns. As people and households increasingly shift to streaming platforms, the ecosystem should invest in and develop solutions that are effective and measurable in an incredibly fragmented environment.” I have approached Google for any comments on the regulatory warnings following its announced change. Put simply—cross-platform, cross-device ad tracking. A move which does take the focus away from Chrome as being the epicenter of Google’s tracking empire—the timing of which is interesting. It’s hard to imagine a more complex backdrop, with the ongoing DOJ action that is expected to see changes mandated, including the potential for Chrome to be divested . Then there is the uncertainty as to what will replace tracking cookies. “Businesses should not consider fingerprinting a simple solution to the loss of third-party cookies and other cross-site tracking signals,” the ICO says, insisting users have “meaningful control over how their information is used to show them personalized adverts.” At its simplest, while tracking cookies are a nasty underpin to the internet, they can be seen and controlled, whether by those website popups or electing to use some form of private browsing that blocks such cookies altogether. Digital fingerprinting is not as obvious and so is harder to spot and to block, it’s also more open to clever manipulation as the tracking industry tests boundaries. Google says it can “apply privacy-preserving protections that help businesses reach their customers across these new platforms without the need to re-identify them. And because we’re looking to encourage responsible data use as the new standard across the web, we’ll also partner with the broader ads industry and help make PETs more accessible.” Google has been fighting this ad tracking battle for years now. It first announced its Privacy Sandbox in 2019, a search for a better way to track users across the internet and serve their data to advertisers. Its stated intent has been privacy-preserving tracking, which have included a range of masking technologies, grouping users into semi-anonymized cohorts, and a newer suggestion of an opt-in. But Google now has a newer battle on its hand, and it could force change faster than the pedestrian pace of these tracking changes which have now hit a painful stalemate. Both battles have implications for Chrome, even if it’s not divested in the most extreme outcome. As reported by The New York Times , Google is now seeking to get in front of this. “Google said on Friday what it thought should change to address a ruling that it had illegally maintained a monopoly over online search: not much.” Google’s goal appears to be to reverse slowly back over the line it is ruled to have crossed, that it has “illegally maintained a monopoly in online search by paying companies like Apple and Samsung to be the search engine that automatically appears when users open a web browser or a smartphone. In response, the government last month asked the judge to force Google to sell Chrome.” Search is advertising’s twin pillar—between them they hold up the empire. And Google dominates search with key deals with Apple and across Android which have made “google” synonymous with “search.” Lee-Anne Mulholland—Google’s VP for Regulatory Affairs—suggests in a blogpost that “if DOJ felt that Google investing in Chrome, or our development of AI, or the way we crawl the web, or develop our algorithms, were at all anticompetitive, it could have filed those cases. It did not.” She warned that “DOJ’s proposal would harm American consumers and undermine America’s global technology leadership at a critical juncture — such as by requiring us to share people’s private search queries with foreign and domestic rivals, and restricting our ability to innovate and improve our products.” Google’s proposed remedies include changing agreements with “browser companies like Apple and Mozilla,” such that they would “have the freedom to do deals with whatever search engine they think is best for their users... Our proposal allows browsers to continue to offer Google Search to their users and earn revenue from that partnership. But it also provides them with additional flexibility: It would allow for multiple default agreements across different platforms (e.g., a different default search engine for iPhones and iPads) and browsing modes, plus the ability to change their default search provider at least every 12 months,” which was the period of time referenced by the court. And Google has also suggested something similar on Android, giving “device makers have additional flexibility in preloading multiple search engines, and preloading any Google app independently of preloading Search or Chrome. Again, this will give our partners additional flexibility and our rivals like Microsoft more chances to bid for placement.” The interesting twist here is Microsoft spamming its own Windows users with constant ads and security warnings, pushing Edge and Bing. The timing is all very interesting. Digital fingerprinting is back on the table and is going beyond traditional browsers, just as the tracking and search ecosystems are being shaken up. There are more moving parts now than there have been for many years—the long period of stability is coming to an end, driven by AI as much as anything else. It’s very unclear where this will end up. For users, though, the choices should be clear and transparent at all times. You should know when and how you are being tracked, and you should have an easy-button to say thanks, but no thanks.
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died
Memorial planned on Dec. 11 for homeless man who died in Windsor, N.S.
Trump picks businessman Warren Stephens to be Britain ambassadorWINDSOR, N.S., Ont. — A Nova Scotia support agency for homeless people is holding a memorial service on Dec. 11 for a man found dead last week at the site of an ice fishing tent where he lived in Windsor, N.S. Leslie Porter, director of the Windsor-West Hants Caremongers, says the man in his early 50s was a regular at a warming centre her group operates, adding that her community located 55 kilometres northwest of Halifax doesn't have services, including addictions treatment, that could have helped him. Connie Pollock, a volunteer at Caremongers and a friend of the man, identified him as William (Billy) Walsh and says that prior to becoming homeless he was a welder and — as a younger man — an avid motocross racer. Pollock says Walsh was one week away from being placed in an affordable housing unit in Yarmouth, N.S., when he died. Had he lived in a "physically safer place," she said, "it would have made the world of difference to him." “He was so excited to be able to move into an apartment and to reinvent himself." In recent years, he had become receptive to receiving care, Pollock says, but services in Windsor are lacking. Porter said, “If we had a facility in our area for mental health and addictions counselling, we believe he may have been someone who could have been helped." RCMP have confirmed that a man died Nov. 26 in the community and, while the death was not considered suspicious, an autopsy to determine the cause of death is being conducted by the medical examiner's office. “He was a good citizen . ... and when COVID hit he lost his shop, he lost his apartment, he lost his dignity and ended up on the streets ... and he just turned to social services for assistance a few months ago,” Pollock said. Nova Scotia announced on Oct. 11, 2023, it was investing $7.5 million for a village of Pallet shelters — self-contained units to be used as temporary housing. Pallet shelters have been installed in Halifax and Kentville, N.S., but Pollock and Porter said these aren't available yet in their community. There are almost 530 shelter beds across the province, with about 400 of them in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Kimm Kent, director of Peer Outreach Support Services and Education in Windsor, said, "we need supported housing ... the reality is nobody should be having to sleep outside and not everybody can manage an apartment by themselves." Alyse Hand, a spokeswoman for the Department of Community Services, said in an email that the province is working with municipalities and non-profit support groups to help homeless people. "Our focus is on creating long-term, sustainable housing supports and solutions that meet people where they are," she wrote. In Windsor, she said, the province is working with the Portal Youth Outreach association, which operates six units of supportive housing, and the West Hants Family Resource Centre, where the province funds one full-time housing support worker. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024. — Story by Michael Tutton in Halifax. The Canadian Press