Platform Executive

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Tech earnings tsunami buoys Alphabet and sinks Apple Alphabet rallied, Apple dropped and Twitter tumbled following a mixed bag of quarterly reports from top-tier tech businesses that investors have relied on this season to power a stock market rally throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Share swings after the reports from your tech heavyweights following the bell delivered exchange-traded funds tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq down approximately 1% each, suggesting Wall Street may open weaker on Friday. Mostly upbeat effects from Facebook , Google-parent Alphabet and Amazon, along with Microsoft's strong report earlier this week, reveal how the largest US companies have expanded their companies and also outperformed smaller rivals this year as the pandemic accelerates trends toward online shopping, video streaming and other technology. Alphabet and Facebook both reported stron...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Wikipedia buttons up key pages ahead of US election Wikipedia has locked down its main election page before the US presidential election that only certain editors can make modifications, a part of preparations to combat possible disinformation and abuses related to the vote. The internet encyclopaedia's articles, written mostly by unpaid volunteers, are relied on by platforms from Alphabet Inc's Google into Amazon Inc's voice helper Alexa to present their users information and context. "We're not worried about vandals who want to just mess up an article in order to cause a little trouble. The Wikipedia community deals with those issues for breakfast," Ryan Merkley, chief of staff at the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit organization which hosts Wikipedia, said in a phone interview. "We're really worried about coordinated actors ... trying to fin...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Facebook gains court backing in document row with EU regulators Facebook has won backing from Europe's second-highest court at a row with European Union antitrust regulators on exactly what the American company says are surplus requirements for information after a judge set special conditions for access to its documents. The US social networking group contested the European Commission at the Luxembourg-based General Court in July over its requirements for access to documents in two investigations linked to its trove of information and online marketplace. Facebook alleged that EU antitrust authorities were seeking information beyond that which was needed, including highly personal details. The General Court stated Facebook will transmit requested documents related to its business activities to the European Commission. "Those documents shall then be placed in a virtual data ...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: EU’s Vestager: Tougher new rules for tech giants, more power to enforcers Tech giants will need to do much more to weed out harmful and illegal content while online gatekeepers will be bound by a list of dos and don'ts under new rules aimed at reining in their own power, Europe's antitrust chief has said. European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager also proposed new abilities for enforcers to tackle market failures in electronic markets and to stop new ones from emerging markets. Under the projected Digital Services Act, online platforms will need to check vendors' identities before they can use their services in a move aimed at countering illegal and dangerous content. The tech companies will have to produce reports on their actions and inform users who pays for the advertisements that they see and why they have been targeted by certain adverts, Vestager said. ...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: From Facebook to TikTok, US political influencers are paid for posts A voter registration project is compensating Latina moms for posting on social media about climate change, while a political action committee (PAC) is paying eight TikTok influencers for videos to help get the youth vote out for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The tactic of paying so-called influencers and publishers for posting and creating political material is taking off across social media sites. While Facebook and Google are placing various pauses on election advertisements from the days round the US vote Tuesday, sponsored articles posted by social media creators remains allowed on their own platforms. "We're developing our plans right now around how to message during that time," said Christian Tom, head of electronic partnerships at the Biden campaign. "I suspect that digital p...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Uber and HSBC wins help trading improve at ad group WPP The UK proprietor of the Ogilvy, Grey and GroupM bureaus, already rebuilding following a few years of tech-led turmoil from the advertising industry, is currently recovering from the sudden cancellation of spending by firms desperate to save cash in the outbreak. While businesses in consumer packaged goods, pharmaceuticals and technology have significantly improved their spending, those in the luxury and automotive sectors are stabilising, while leisure and travel businesses stay weak. Overall, underlying net sales dropped by 7.6% in the three months to the end of September, an advancement over the 15.1% fall in the past three weeks, and WPP said it remained on track to lower costs and hit its own downgraded forecast. "Given the tightening of COVID restrictions around the world and uncertainty in the global economic outlo...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Court rules that California Uber drivers could not establish ‘political coercion’ A California court has denied an application for a temporary restraining order by the nation's Uber drivers, saying the drivers could not set the alleged "political coercion" by the ride-hailing business. The drivers had sued Uber Technologies over in-app messages regarding an upcoming gig worker ballot measure that the drivers say violates a California law protecting their political rights. The litigation had said that Uber was unlawfully pressuring drivers through the app to encourage the November the 3rd company-sponsored ballot measure, known as Proposition 22. Uber had rejected those claims. "The application for a temporary restraining order is denied", Richard Ulmer, judge of Superior Court of California for San Francisco County, stated in his purchase. The petition for ...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Google steps up campaign against EU push for tough new tech rules Google has launched a 60-day strategy to counter the European Union's push for tough new tech rules by acquiring US allies to push back against the EU's digital chief and spelling out the costs of new regulations, according to a Google document. The European Commission will release rules called the Digital Services Act (DSA) on December the 2nd, after which they will need to be reconciled with proposals from EU nations and the European Parliament before they become laws. The proposal has triggered intense lobbying from US tech giants as well as some European tech peers concerned about the effect on their business models. The aim is to "remove from the Commission proposal unreasonable constraints to our business model, our ability to improve our products or roll out new features/services," the documen...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Where do Trump and Biden stand on tech policy issues? The CEO's of Facebook and Google were grilled about the regulation of Big Tech by US senators, a hot-button issue before the presidential election on November the 3rd. Here is a look at the stances of Republican President Trump and his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, on several key tech coverage issues: BREAKING UP BIG TECH COMPANIES The Trump administration is conducting a broad antitrust probe into major tech businesses. Last week, the Justice Department sued Google , accusing it of illegally using its market muscle to hobble competitions from the largest hurdle to Big Tech's power in decades. A Biden campaign spokesman declined to comment on the Google litigation but said the candidate has "long said that one of the greatest sins is the abuse of power." Both Trump and Biden have criticized big tech companie...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: German watchdog launches new investigation into Amazon Germany's anti-trust authority has launched an investigation to Amazon and Apple over potential anticompetitive behaviour, German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily has reported. Amazon bans some third party dealers on its own e-commerce platform from providing certain branded products, and also Germany's Federal Cartel Office is investigating if this complies with German law. Amazon reported that it is cooperating with the German authorities, adding it always invests to guard its store from illegitimate goods. Apple and the Federal Cartel Office were not immediately available for comment. The agreements can provide protection against product piracy. But, bans of third party dealers must "comply with the principle of proportionality and must not lead to the elimination of competition," Mundt said. The most ...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Italian watchdog investigates Google over alleged advertising market abuse Italy's antitrust authority is exploring Google for alleged abuse of its dominant position in the Italian online display advertising market, it has said. The investigation follows a complaint filed by Italian digital advertising lobby group IAB last year, also adds to regulatory scrutiny the Silicon Valley tech giant is facing global. The watchdog said it suspects Google of utilizing enormous amounts of data collected through its applications to stop rival operators from competing effectively. It said it completed inspections of some Google offices on Tuesday. A Google spokesman in Italy stated in an emailed statement the company was working constructively together with the Italian government. He added that the Google policy changes on which the watchdog was focusing were partly aimed at squaring Europe...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Twitter, Google and Facebook CEO’s defend key internet law The CEO's of Twitter and Google defended a law protecting internet companies before a US Senate panel, while Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg fought to connect almost, bringing the hearing into a short halt. The topic of reforming the law has divided US lawmakers on ways to hold 'Big Tech' responsible for the way they medium content in their platforms and shape political discourse. Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai advised the committee that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act - which protects employers from liability over content posted by users - is crucial to free expression online. Twitter's Dorsey cautioned the committee that eroding the foundation of Section 230 could significantly hurt how folks communicate online. Mr Pichai said the company operates without political pr...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Indian parliamentary panel slams Twitter in China map dispute The mind of an Indian parliamentary panel detained Twitter of disrespecting New Delhi's sovereignty on Wednesday, after mapping data revealed Indian-ruled land as part of China in the social media said was a fast resolved error. Twitter executives appeared before the Joint Committee on the Personal Data Protection Bill to describe the mistake that came to light last week and which the company said had since been resolved. But committee chairwoman Meenakshi Lekhi, a lawmaker in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, told journalists at our partner news agency that the committee was unanimous that Twitter's explanation was inadequate. It is matter of Indian sovereignty and integrity," she said. "Showing Ladakh as part of China amounts to a criminal offence." India and China, which fought a brief but ...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Spy agency ducks questions about ‘back doors’ in tech products The US National Security Agency has been rebuffing efforts by a leading Congressional critic to ascertain whether it is continuing to place so-called back doors to commercial technology goods, in a controversial practice that critics say compensation both American industry and national safety. The NSA has long sought agreements with technology companies where they would build special access for the spy service into their products, based on disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. These so-called back doors empower the NSA and other agencies to scan considerable amounts of traffic without a warrant. Agency advocates say the practice has eased assortment of vital intelligence in other nations, such as interception of terrorist communications. The bureau developed new guidelines for such clinics following the Sn...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Ensuring your standards are continually gold-tier Think about the nature of the products and/or services you offer in your online venture. Depending on the clientele you serve or what kind of service you offer, some mistakes in business can be more costly than others. For example, if your fast-food order is incorrect for instance, you’re liable to get an apology, perhaps a redemption for a free drink while they bring you your original choice. If a chef makes the same mistake in a three-Michelin star establishment, or a waiter delivers food to the wrong table on a night when an important restaurant critic is to be in attendance, that person can almost be sure of losing their job. Some businesses simply cannot afford mistakes , and they must be stamped out repeatedly. This is not a situation where mistakes are to be learned from in action, but through thorough practice and careful consi...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Tech CEO’s to defend key law in front of US Senate panel The CEO's of Twitter, Facebook and Alphabet will inform US lawmakers in a hearing on Wednesday that a federal law protecting internet companies is essential to free expression on the internet, based on written testimonies in the companies seen by journalists. Section 230, a provision of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, shields technology companies from liability to user-generated content and lets them eliminate lawful but objectionable articles. It has come under significant criticism from Republican President Donald Trump and both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who've been worried about Big Tech's content-moderation conclusions. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey will inform the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday that eroding the foundation of Section 230 "could collapse how we communicate on the Internet, l...

The full version of the article, along with thousands like it, can be found on the following page: Microsoft beats sales estimates as Azure growth ticks upward Microsoft beat Wall Street estimates for annual revenue and profit yesterday, driven by a slight uptick in expansion in its flagship cloud computing firm since the software maker continued to gain from a worldwide change to operating from home and online learning. The pandemic has accelerated a move already under way toward cloud-based computing, helping companies like Microsoft , Amazon.com cloud unit and Alphabet Inc's Google Cloud. For Microsoft, it has also boosted demand for its Windows operating systems such as laptops and its Xbox gaming services as families work, play and learn from home, leading to gain that has been about 30% over expectations. "It was another healthy quarter, with continued demand for remote offerings continuing to power results," Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood told jou...