#Data Management Platform in China

[digateai0]

Data Management Platform in China

Discover the power of data management platform in China with DiGate's comprehensive 360° ecommerce solutions. Elevate your business operations and efficiency with ManageIQ, an integrated platform offering tailored tools for seamless management. Explore how our innovative features optimize every aspect of your organization's workflow, ensuring unparalleled performance and success in the dynamic Chinese market.

[jcmarchi]

Kamal Ahluwalia, Ikigai Labs: How to take your business to the next level with generative AI - AI News

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/kamal-ahluwalia-ikigai-labs-how-to-take-your-business-to-the-next-level-with-generative-ai-ai-news/

Kamal Ahluwalia, Ikigai Labs: How to take your business to the next level with generative AI - AI News

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AI News caught up with president of Ikigai Labs, Kamal Ahluwalia, to discuss all things gen AI, including top tips on how to adopt and utilise the tech, and the importance of embedding ethics into AI design.

Could you tell us a little bit about Ikigai Labs and how it can help companies?

Ikigai is helping organisations transform sparse, siloed enterprise data into predictive and actionable insights with a generative AI platform specifically designed for structured, tabular data.  

A significant portion of enterprise data is structured, tabular data, residing in systems like SAP and Salesforce. This data drives the planning and forecasting for an entire business. While there is a lot of excitement around Large Language Models (LLMs), which are great for unstructured data like text, Ikigai’s patented Large Graphical Models (LGMs), developed out of MIT, are focused on solving problems using structured data.  

Ikigai’s solution focuses particularly on time-series datasets, as enterprises run on four key time series: sales, products, employees, and capital/cash. Understanding how these time series come together in critical moments, such as launching a new product or entering a new geography, is crucial for making better decisions that drive optimal outcomes. 

How would you describe the current generative AI landscape, and how do you envision it developing in the future? 

The technologies that have captured the imagination, such as LLMs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and others, come from a consumer background. They were trained on internet-scale data, and the training datasets are only getting larger, which requires significant computing power and storage. It took $100m to train GPT4, and GP5 is expected to cost $2.5bn. 

This reality works in a consumer setting, where costs can be shared across a very large user set, and some mistakes are just part of the training process. But in the enterprise, mistakes cannot be tolerated, hallucinations are not an option, and accuracy is paramount. Additionally, the cost of training a model on internet-scale data is just not affordable, and companies that leverage a foundational model risk exposure of their IP and other sensitive data.  

While some companies have gone the route of building their own tech stack so LLMs can be used in a safe environment, most organisations lack the talent and resources to build it themselves. 

In spite of the challenges, enterprises want the kind of experience that LLMs provide. But the results need to be accurate – even when the data is sparse – and there must be a way to keep confidential data out of a foundational model. It’s also critical to find ways to lower the total cost of ownership, including the cost to train and upgrade the models, reliance on GPUs, and other issues related to governance and data retention. All of this leads to a very different set of solutions than what we currently have. 

How can companies create a strategy to maximise the benefits of generative AI? 

While much has been written about Large Language Models (LLMs) and their potential applications, many customers are asking “how do I build differentiation?”  

With LLMs, nearly everyone will have access to the same capabilities, such as chatbot experiences or generating marketing emails and content – if everyone has the same use cases, it’s not a differentiator. 

The key is to shift the focus from generic use cases to finding areas of optimisation and understanding specific to your business and circumstances. For example, if you’re in manufacturing and need to move operations out of China, how do you plan for uncertainty in logistics, labour, and other factors? Or, if you want to build more eco-friendly products, materials, vendors, and cost structures will change. How do you model this? 

These use cases are some of the ways companies are attempting to use AI to run their business and plan in an uncertain world. Finding specificity and tailoring the technology to your unique needs is probably the best way to use AI to find true competitive advantage.  

What are the main challenges companies face when deploying generative AI and how can these be overcome? 

Listening to customers, we’ve learned that while many have experimented with generative AI, only a fraction have pushed things through to production due to prohibitive costs and security concerns. But what if your models could be trained just on your own data, running on CPUs rather than requiring GPUs, with accurate results and transparency around how you’re getting those results? What if all the regulatory and compliance issues were addressed, leaving no questions about where the data came from or how much data is being retrained? This is what Ikigai is bringing to the table with Large Graphical Models.  

One challenge we’ve helped businesses address is the data problem. Nearly 100% of organisations are working with limited or imperfect data, and in many cases, this is a barrier to doing anything with AI. Companies often talk about data clean-up, but in reality, waiting for perfect data can hinder progress. AI solutions that can work with limited, sparse data are essential, as they allow companies to learn from what they have and account for change management. 

The other challenge is how internal teams can partner with the technology for better outcomes. Especially in regulated industries, human oversight, validation, and reinforcement learning are necessary. Adding an expert in the loop ensures that AI is not making decisions in a vacuum, so finding solutions that incorporate human expertise is key. 

To what extent do you think adopting generative AI successfully requires a shift in company culture and mindset? 

Successfully adopting generative AI requires a significant shift in company culture and mindset, with strong commitment from executive and continuous education. I saw this firsthand at Eightfold when we were bringing our AI platform to companies in over 140 countries. I always recommend that teams first educate executives on what’s possible, how to do it, and how to get there. They need to have the commitment to see it through, which involves some experimentation and some committed course of action. They must also understand the expectations placed on colleagues, so they can be prepared for AI becoming a part of daily life. 

Top-down commitment, and communication from executives goes a long way, as there’s a lot of fear-mongering suggesting that AI will take jobs, and executives need to set the tone that, while AI won’t eliminate jobs outright, everyone’s job is going to change in the next couple of years, not just for people at the bottom or middle levels, but for everyone. Ongoing education throughout the deployment is key for teams learning how to get value from the tools, and adapt the way they work to incorporate the new skillsets.  

It’s also important to adopt technologies that play to the reality of the enterprise. For example, you have to let go of the idea that you need to get all your data in order to take action. In time-series forecasting, by the time you’ve taken four quarters to clean up data, there’s more data available, and it’s probably a mess. If you keep waiting for perfect data, you won’t be able to use your data at all. So AI solutions that can work with limited, sparse data are crucial, as you have to be able to learn from what you have. 

Another important aspect is adding an expert in the loop. It would be a mistake to assume AI is magic. There are a lot of decisions, especially in regulated industries, where you can’t have AI just make the decision. You need oversight, validation, and reinforcement learning – this is exactly how consumer solutions became so good.  

Are there any case studies you could share with us regarding companies successfully utilising generative AI? 

One interesting example is a Marketplace customer that is using us to rationalise their product catalogue. They’re looking to understand the optimal number of SKUs to carry, so they can reduce their inventory carrying costs while still meeting customer needs. Another partner does workforce planning, forecasting, and scheduling, using us for labour balancing in hospitals, retail, and hospitality companies. In their case, all their data is sitting in different systems, and they must bring it into one view so they can balance employee wellness with operational excellence. But because we can support a wide variety of use cases, we work with clients doing everything from forecasting product usage as part of a move to a consumption-based model, to fraud detection. 

You recently launched an AI Ethics Council. What kind of people are on this council and what is its purpose? 

Our AI Ethics Council is all about making sure that the AI technology we’re building is grounded in ethics and responsible design. It’s a core part of who we are as a company, and I’m humbled and honoured to be a part of it alongside such an impressive group of individuals. Our council includes luminaries like Dr. Munther Dahleh, the Founding Director of the Institute for Data Systems and Society (IDSS) and a Professor at MIT; Aram A. Gavoor, Associate Dean at George Washington University and a recognised scholar in administrative law and national security; Dr. Michael Kearns, the National Center Chair for Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania; and Dr. Michael I. Jordan, a Distinguished Professor at UC Berkeley in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Statistics. I am also honoured to serve on this council alongside these esteemed individuals.  

The purpose of our AI Ethics Council is to tackle pressing ethical and security issues impacting AI development and usage. As AI rapidly becomes central to consumers and businesses across nearly every industry, we believe it is crucial to prioritise responsible development and cannot ignore the need for ethical considerations. The council will convene quarterly to discuss important topics such as AI governance, data minimisation, confidentiality, lawfulness, accuracy and more. Following each meeting, the council will publish recommendations for actions and next steps that organisations should consider moving forward. As part of Ikigai Labs’ commitment to ethical AI deployment and innovation, we will implement the action items recommended by the council. 

Ikigai Labs raised $25m funding in August last year. How will this help develop the company, its offerings and, ultimately, your customers? 

We have a strong foundation of research and innovation coming out of our core team with MIT, so the funding this time is focused on making the solution more robust, as well as bringing on the team that works with the clients and partners.  

We can solve a lot of problems but are staying focused on solving just a few meaningful ones through time-series super apps. We know that every company runs on four time series, so the goal is covering these in depth and with speed: things like sales forecasting, consumption forecasting, discount forecasting, how to sunset products, catalogue optimisation, etc. We’re excited and looking forward to putting GenAI for tabular data into the hands of as many customers as possible. 

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

Tags: data, ethics, generative ai, Ikigai Labs, llm

[digateai-1]

How To Do An Effective Marketing With Social Media Analysis Tool in China

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape of the Chinese market, effective marketing strategies are paramount for businesses aiming to thrive. Leveraging a social media analysis tool is not just a choice; it's a necessity. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the intricacies of conducting effective marketing with a social media analysis tool in China, delving into the importance of data-driven insights, understanding consumer behavior, and optimizing strategies for maximum impact.

The Chinese Social Media Landscape

China's social media landscape is vast, diverse, and unique. Platforms like WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin dominate the digital space, each with its own nuances and user demographics. To navigate this complex ecosystem, businesses need more than just a surface-level understanding. A social media analysis tool becomes the compass, providing in-depth insights into platform-specific trends, audience engagement, and the ever-evolving preferences of Chinese consumers.

Importance of Data-Driven Insights

In the era of digital marketing, decisions should be fueled by data. A social media analysis tool empowers businesses with actionable insights derived from user interactions, content performance, and market trends. By harnessing these data-driven insights, marketers can make informed decisions, optimize their campaigns, and allocate resources strategically. This not only enhances the effectiveness of marketing efforts but also ensures a higher return on investment in the dynamic Chinese market.

Understanding Consumer Behavior

China's consumers are discerning, diverse, and digitally savvy. To create resonant marketing campaigns, understanding their behavior is key. A social media analysis tool allows businesses to dissect consumer preferences, track sentiment, and identify emerging trends. By tapping into this wealth of information, marketers can tailor their messaging, refine their offerings, and create campaigns that genuinely connect with the target audience.

Platform-Specific Strategies

Different social media platforms in China cater to distinct demographics and interests. Crafting platform-specific strategies is essential for effective marketing. A social media analysis tool provides insights into the performance of campaigns across various platforms, helping marketers understand where their audience is most active and receptive. This knowledge allows for the optimization of content, timing, and engagement strategies, ensuring that marketing efforts align seamlessly with the preferences of users on each platform.

Trend Monitoring and Anticipation

In the dynamic Chinese market, staying ahead of trends is crucial for maintaining relevance. A social media analysis tool enables businesses to monitor trends in real-time, helping them anticipate shifts in consumer behavior and preferences. By aligning marketing strategies with emerging trends, businesses can position themselves as innovative and culturally relevant, capturing the attention of a constantly evolving audience.

Competitor Benchmarking

To stand out in a competitive market like China, understanding what competitors are doing is invaluable. A social media analysis tool facilitates competitor benchmarking, offering insights into their strategies, engagement levels, and overall market positioning. Armed with this information, marketers can identify gaps, capitalize on opportunities, and differentiate their brand effectively.

Influencer Marketing Optimization

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool in China, where Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) hold significant sway. A social media analysis tool aids in identifying and evaluating potential influencers by analyzing their reach, engagement rates, and audience demographics. This data-driven approach ensures that businesses collaborate with influencers who align with their brand values and resonate with their target audience, maximizing the impact of influencer marketing campaigns.

Crisis Management and Reputation Building

In the era of instantaneous information sharing, crises can emerge swiftly. A social media analysis tool serves as an early warning system, allowing businesses to detect potential issues and negative sentiment in real time. This proactive approach enables an effective Data Management Platform, helping businesses address concerns promptly and maintain a positive brand image. Additionally, by consistently monitoring and analyzing brand sentiment, businesses can build and reinforce a positive reputation over time.

Integration with Overall Marketing Strategies

Effective marketing is a cohesive effort that aligns with overall business objectives. A social media analysis tool should seamlessly integrate with broader marketing strategies. By combining social media insights with data from other channels, businesses can create a holistic view of their marketing performance. This integrated approach enables more informed decision-making, streamlined processes, and a unified marketing strategy that resonates across all touchpoints.

Case Studies: Realizing Success through Social Media Analysis

To illustrate the tangible impact of effective marketing with a social media analysis tool, we delve into case studies. Examining businesses that have successfully navigated the Chinese market using data-driven insights, we uncover the strategies, challenges, and outcomes of their marketing endeavors. These real-world examples provide practical insights and inspiration for businesses looking to emulate success in their own marketing efforts.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Marketing Game in China

In the competitive and dynamic landscape of China's market, effective marketing is not just about creativity; it's about strategy backed by data. A social media analysis tool in China is the linchpin that transforms marketing efforts from guesswork to precision. By leveraging data-driven insights, understanding consumer behavior, and optimizing strategies for the intricacies of the Chinese market, businesses can elevate their marketing game, outperform competitors, and achieve sustained success in this digital era. Embrace the power of social media analysis and embark on a journey to redefine your marketing success in China.

[tonguetyd]

I know this website has a very overall negative view of TikTok, and I do understand why, but if I may offer up an alternate view?

TikTok was a place you could grow community. It was a place you could spread information (and yes, also plenty of disinformation) and reach people and organize and share ideas. And you didn’t have to have money or already have influence or fame. You just had to be funny or talented or unique (or bigoted and abrasive).

It was everyone’s platform. The way Twitter was. The way YouTube was. Fuck, the way VINE was.

Notice all of those sites are in past tense. Because now TikTok is just another example of how we have lost the internet.

Because with ALL of these sites, once people realize they have power to disrupt the system, they are made unusable. Either through ads or through bots or in this case, through outright government intervention.

If it was really about the data management, Temu would be banned. Meta and Google would be banned, or at least scaled back. (It’s ok when American companies use data unethically, just not China. And it’s ok if China is selling us stuff.) (This is not a defense of either Temu nor Meta/Google. All of these are bad. I’m just pointing out, the only site facing ban is the one people are using to speak out on Palestine about.)

Despite its many, many, irrefutable flaws, TikTok was the first place the internet had in a LONG time where anyone could blow up from. It revolutionized how music was discovered (pros and cons), businesses took off, people who had never been given a voice HAD a voice. It connected people who would not have been connected.

I won’t miss TikTok, specifically. I WILL miss yet another example of a virtual third space taken from us. In the same way I miss how the internet used to be.

[mariacallous]

I stopped using my cellphone for regular calls and text messages last fall and switched to Signal. I wasn’t being paranoid—or at least I don’t think I was. I worked in the National Security Council, and we were told that China had compromised all major U.S. telecommunications companies and burrowed deep inside their networks. Beijing had gathered information on more than a million Americans, mainly in the Washington, D.C., area. The Chinese government could listen in to phone calls and read text messages. Experts call the Chinese state-backed group responsible Salt Typhoon, and the vulnerabilities it exploited have not been fixed. China is still there.

Telecommunications systems aren’t the only ones compromised. China has accessed enormous quantities of data on Americans for more than a decade. It has hacked into health-insurance companies and hotel chains, as well as security-clearance information held by the Office of Personnel Management.

The jaded response here is All countries spy. So what? But the spectacular surprise attacks that Ukraine and Israel have pulled off against their enemies suggest just how serious such penetration can become. In Operation Spiderweb, Ukraine smuggled attack drones on trucks with unwitting drivers deep inside of Russia, and then used artificial intelligence to simultaneously attack four military bases and destroy a significant number of strategic bombers, which are part of Russia’s nuclear triad. Israel created a real pager-production company in Hungary to infiltrate Hezbollah’s global supply chains and booby-trap its communication devices, killing or maiming much of the group’s leadership in one go. Last week, in Operation Rising Lion, Israel assassinated many top Iranian military leaders simultaneously and attacked the country’s nuclear facilities, thanks in part to a drone base it built inside Iran.

In each case, a resourceful, determined, and imaginative state used new technologies and data to do what was hitherto deemed impossible. America’s adversaries are also resourceful, determined, and imaginative.

Just think about what might happen if a U.S.-China war broke out over Taiwan.

A Chinese state-backed group called Volt Typhoon has been preparing plans to attack crucial infrastructure in the United States should the two countries ever be at war. As Jen Easterly put it in 2024 when she was head of the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), China is planning to “launch destructive cyber-attacks in the event of a major crisis or conflict with the United States,” including “the disruption of our gas pipelines; the pollution of our water facilities; the severing of our telecommunications; the crippling of our transportation systems.”

The Biden administration took measures to fight off these cyberattacks and harden the infrastructure. Joe Biden also imposed some sanctions on China and took some specific measures to limit America’s exposure; he cut off imports of Chinese electric vehicles because of national-security concerns. Biden additionally signed a bill to ban TikTok, but President Donald Trump has issued rolling extensions to keep the platform functioning in the U.S. America and its allies will need to think hard about where to draw the line in the era of the Internet of Things, which connects nearly everything and could allow much of it—including robots, drones, and cloud computing—to be weaponized.

China isn’t the only problem. According to the U.S. Intelligence Community’s Annual Threat Assessment for this year, Russia is developing a new device to detonate a nuclear weapon in space with potentially “devastating” consequences. A Pentagon official last year said the weapon could  pose “a threat to satellites operated by countries and companies around the globe, as well as to the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services we all depend upon. Make no mistake, even if detonating a nuclear weapon in space does not directly kill people, the indirect impact could be catastrophic to the entire world.” The device could also render Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield largely ineffective.

Americans can expect a major adversary to use drones and AI to go after targets deep inside the United States or allied countries. There is no reason to believe that an enemy wouldn’t take a page out of the Israeli playbook and go after leadership. New technologies reward acting preemptively, catching the adversary by surprise—so the United States may not get much notice. A determined adversary could even cut the undersea cables that allow the internet to function. Last year, vessels linked to Russia and China appeared to have severed those cables in Europe on a number of occasions, supposedly by accident. In a concerted hostile action, Moscow could cut or destroy these cables at scale.

Terrorist groups are less capable than state actors—they are unlikely to destroy most of the civilian satellites in space, for example, or collapse essential infrastructure—but new technologies could expand their reach too. In their book The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar described some potential attacks that terrorists could undertake: unleashing hundreds or thousands of drones equipped with automatic weapons and facial recognition on multiple cities simultaneously, say, or even one drone to spray a lethal pathogen on a crowd.

A good deal of American infrastructure is owned by private companies with little incentive to undertake the difficult and costly fixes that might defend against Chinese infiltration. Certainly this is true of telecommunications companies, as well as those providing utilities such as water and electricity. Making American systems resilient could require a major public outlay. But it could cost less than the $150 billion (one estimate has that figure at an eye-popping $185 billion) that the House of Representatives is proposing to appropriate this year to strictly enforce immigration law.

Instead, the Trump administration proposed slashing funding for CISA, the agency responsible for protecting much of our infrastructure against foreign attacks, by $495 million, or approximately 20 percent of its budget. That cut will make the United States more vulnerable to attack.

The response to the drone threat has been no better. Some in Congress have tried to pass legislation expanding government authority to detect and destroy drones over certain kinds of locations, but the most recent effort failed. Senator Rand Paul, who was then the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and is now the chair, said there was no imminent threat and warned against giving the government sweeping surveillance powers, although the legislation entailed nothing of the sort. Senators from both parties have resisted other legislative measures to counter drones.

The United States could learn a lot from Ukraine on how to counter drones, as well as how to use them, but the administration has displayed little interest in doing this. The massively expensive Golden Dome project is solely focused on defending against the most advanced missiles but should be tasked with dealing with the drone threat as well.

Meanwhile, key questions go unasked and unanswered. What infrastructure most needs to be protected? Should aircraft be kept in the open? Where should the United States locate a counter-drone capability?

After 9/11, the United States built a far-reaching homeland-security apparatus focused on counterterrorism. The Trump administration is refocusing it on border security and immigration. But the biggest threat we face is not terrorism, let alone immigration. Those responsible for homeland security should not be chasing laborers on farms and busboys in restaurants in order to meet quotas imposed by the White House.

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are giving Americans a glimpse into the battles of the future—and a warning. It is time to prepare.

[abbysworldsastage]

I don’t know if some of you guys are being purposefully dense, or if you’re just trying to be edgy, or if you’re falling for some of the bullshit the US and their funders have been spouting, but I don’t think you guys understand what is happening with the tiktok ban and why you should be worried.

“Whatever. We need an app for the people and by the people. I don’t care about tiktok.”

This ban sets a precedent for allowing them to ban any app they SAY they view as a threat. We all know it isn’t really because of ccp involvement (senator im Singaporean), but because the people on tiktok are speaking out and organizing. AND Zuckerberg, Elon, and bezos are jealous of the platform and want to buy it so they are trying to force a sale. Even if we did manage to create an app “for the people by the people” that reached that level of success, if people started being so pro-Palestine and started organizing and talking the same way they do on tiktok, the second the government got wind of it they could make up some “national security” bs and use this as a precedent for a much faster ban. Remember, they have been working on this for YEARS. And maybe some tech bro would swoop in and say “hey, I’ll buy the platform and clean it up for the government so they don’t have to worry about the threats anymore *wink wink $$* and then there goes that platform too.

“Idk why people think they are getting one over on the government by going to RedNote. Do you all think you’re actually doing something?”

None of us believed going to RedNote would be a long term solution. It is a form of protest on many levels, AND calling out the government on their  fear mongering and xenophobia. They keep using the “China will steal your data” excuse and we very vocally said “we don’t care, and here is proof.”

AND

We are making a statement to Zuckerberg that we won’t go back to meta, even without tiktok. He spent MILLIONS lobbying for this ban in order to get rid of the competition one way or another. Either it goes away, or sells. And just like vine, he would probably buy it up and either shut it down after a while to get people back to instagram, or just fuck up the algorithm to suppress the creators that actually make the app special. The writers, artists, POC, queer people, etc. who have found an audience that they never would have found on Instagram or YouTube would be pushed to the background again.

Remember how we always say “money talks”? In a world where these platforms are profiting off of our data, we are taking that “digital currency” that they have been stealing for ages, and actively CHOOSING to give it to their competitors. WHILE withholding it from the people who have been profiting off it. That includes the politicians who have been getting paychecks from meta in order for all of this to happen.

“Tiktok has radicalized so many, and spread misinformation, is too addictive, and helped trump win the election!”

I have not been on a single app or social media network in my LIFE that you could not say that about. INCLUDING TUMBLR! Are we forgetting the fucking Russian bot accounts in the 2016 election? The fucking hairless purple eye condition people actually believed? I have seen rac*sts, and bigots, and “maps” on this app for years. It is on Facebook. It is on Instagram. It is on Reddit. it is on Twitter or X or whatever you wanna call it. The biggest difference with TikTok is that it is loud. It is popular. And it is making a lot of money for a billionaire that is not from America. I have spent the same amount of excessive hours doom scrolling on Tumblr that I have on TikTok. You can do that on any app. and I am going to be real with you all for a second: As someone who has spent a ton of time on both apps, I honestly feel like the content on TikTok feels just like Tumblr except in video format. 

I could rant for ages, but honestly at this point, I don’t know how else to tell you guys that you should care about this whether or not you like tiktok. And what TikTok users are doing in response to this ban is actually having an impact whether you want to see it or not. it might not be the thing that makes our politicians go “we are so sorry. you are right. We will fix this.” But it is making our voices and opinions on the matter loud and clear, so that when they do go against what we are telling them we want, they can’t claim ignorance for our reaction. It is forcing them to go out of their way to oppose what the people have been asking for. it is forcing them to out their true intentions to the people who don’t clearly see what they’re doing. Like there are so many layers to this and I am not eloquent enough to explain them all in a way that doesn’t make me sound like a rambling maniac please I am begging you all to take a second and think about this beyond an app. 



[dreamsequencermusic]

Big corporations should burn in the fire of the revolution

I'm fucking done this time. I'm furious, seriously. I'm sick and tired of Google's and Facebook's and Amazon's sleezy corporate policies and poor platform management decisions.

What happened, I hear you ask? Well, I lost my goddamn phone. And just like that I'm locked out of all of my important data and contacts, because of the fucking two-step verification bullshit they came up with. Most importantly, in the case of Google, I DISABLED THAT SHIT just two weeks ago.

I know my e-mail, I know my password, I even know my "secret secutity questions", which are apparently useless these days. Still, I can't use anything, I almost missed a job interview because of this, I can't call my friend, who lives in Denmark, and I can't access half of the websites I often visit (including my Stripe account and YouTube channel), because they're all tied up with fucking Google.

Make no mistake about this is. This is not about our security. The mere reason this 2-step assfuckery exists is to create a bridge between your computer and your phone so those corporate dipshits and sleazy marketing dickheads have your online identity complete. So they can show your more "relevant" ads.

That's right buddy, look at those beautifully AI generated toothpaste ads. Get that new gorgous tracking device, which probably cost the life of some poor kid in China. There you go. Accept all cookies. Goood boy. Now lick my fucking boots and balls and go back to your wage-slave job, while we come up with more ways to tighten the rope around your neck even more. I think we should come up with some new ways to lock you out of your bank accounts as well, what do you say? Oh, right. That already exists.

This is bullshit. We don't need you. YOU need us. You need us to be quiet, and docile, and engaged in some meaningless conflict, so you can smoke your fine cigars and take a nice, warm bath in our own tears.

And what WE need is just a little more boat rocking, just a little more eye poking, and I swear to God, - you're all gonna get what you asked for, delivered Ramsay Bolton style.

See you on the streets.

[usafphantom2]

USAF Should Look At China’s Future Multi-Crew Fighter Model For F-15EX

The F-15EX's currently empty rear cockpit needs to be taken advantage of by adding a new kind of second crewmen, an Air Mission Commanding Officer.

Major Joshua “Soup” Campbell Posted on Jul 25, 2024 11:24 AM EDT Edited By Tyler Rogoway

F-15EX and J16, both two seaters, but one uses the second crewman in a different capacity than the traditional weapon system officer role.

PLA/USAF

Amidst strategic shifts in its force posture, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) faces pivotal decisions on the deployment of its next-generation fighter fleet. With plans to retire aging F-15C/D Eagles and scale back F-15E Strike Eagle operations, the USAF is poised to integrate a limited number of F-15EX Eagle IIs into the fleet. Yet, while the F-15EX boasts advancements as an evolution of the F-15E Strike Eagle family of fighters, current strategies overlook the aircraft’s rear cockpit potential.

The first F-15EX Eagle II delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing, the first operational unit to receive the type, touches down in Portland in June 2024. 142nd Wing/Oregon Air National Guard

Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) advocates for multi-seat configurations to manage data-rich combat environments effectively. USAF plans, on the other hand, currently exclude utilizing the F-15EX’s rear cockpit, limiting its role to air-to-air missions and possibly limited air-to-ground missions sometime in the future.

In this era of transformative air combat, as the PLAAF pioneers new operational concepts with multi-seat fighters, the USAF stands at a crossroads, balancing legacy strategies with the imperative for adaptive, integrated command and control of unmanned systems and network-centric operations. With the F-15EX, however, the USAF has an opportunity to lead the way regarding future air combat by fully embracing the Eagle II’s two-crew capability.

The Eagle II Opportunity

With the pending divestment of the F-15C/D and reduction of the F-15E inventory, the USAF has committed to purchasing a relatively small number of F-15EXs to replace the F-15C/D in Japan, as well as at three National Guard bases with units tasked with U.S. homeland defense. The Eagle II, however, evolved from the Strike Eagle and subsequent F-15 derivatives, is capable of far more than what the legacy Eagle fleet previously provided to combatant commanders.

Given its modernized sensors, self-protection suite, fiber optics, future integration of an open mission system and digital open architecture backbone, more powerful engines, increased computing capabilities, and the inclusion of a rear fully-missionized cockpit, the F-15EX represents a significant advancement over both the F-15C/D and F-15E. Yet, current operational plans do not involve taking advantage of the rear cockpit, leaving it empty and unused, assigning the F-15EX to perform long-range and medium-range air-to-air only missions with minimal expansions into other missions sets the F-15EX is purpose-built to fulfill.

From left to right, an F-15C, an F-15E, and an F-15EX. USAF

The evolving character of air combat, however, demands that platforms do more amongst the growing complexity of high-end warfare. When considering the future of air combat, which places information at center stage in a high-end conflict, failing to utilize the rear cockpit would be a missed opportunity to expand future roles and responsibilities of the F-15EX, disregarding the investment that already exists in the aircraft’s capabilities.

By contrast, People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) assessments of the anticipated complexities of forthcoming high-end combat environments have led them to identify multi-seat, multi-role configurations as critical to operations.

Available information suggests that the PLAAF believes an additional operator offers the potential for more effective interpretation and utilization of the vast sensory data that could overwhelm the cognitive and processing capacities of a single individual, particularly in the future of contested air combat environments. Having made this assessment, the PLAAF is now moving forward in developing operational concepts for how best to employ multiple operators in a single tactical aircraft, like the J-16 and the two-seat J-20S variant (also referred to variously as the J-20B and J-20AS), beyond their traditional roles. The USAF could benefit from adopting a multi-operator approach like the PLAAF’s with the F-15EX.

A picture of a two-seat J-20 during testing. Chinese internet

Information Saturation

Any future high-end conflict will produce vast amounts of data that need processing. Both the U.S. military and PLA continue to develop robust integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) networks to facilitate combat operations and support long-range kill chains. As such, sensors within the land, sea, air, and space domains will provide more data than can be consumed by human operators to process — and make accurate — real-time tactical and operational decisions. Due to the rapidly changing environments in a future contest, these decisions will need to be made quickly and potentially at the forward edge of the battlespace.

In an anticipated information-saturated environment, the USAF advocates for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-to-human collaboration to alleviate the workload and cognitive demands on operators. While the incorporation of AI may process and distill information to provide operators with pertinent data, a saturated, complex combat environment full of adversary ships, aircraft, and coastal defenses employing deception and denial tactics will still likely result in an overwhelming influx of information for operators to process, leading to task saturation. Performing a multitude of missions and tasks — including controlling collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and managing other aircraft in formation — all the while making air-to-air and air-to-ground engagement decisions within a contested, degraded, and operationally limited (CDO-L) environment will challenge and could exacerbate cognitive processes for both humans and their AI agents. The PLAAF, on the other hand, seems to be intent on leveraging AI integration with more human operators, not less.

Public Domain

Moving Beyond Traditional Roles

A recent article published in January 2024 by Chinese state-owned outlet Ta Kung Pao Online in Hong Kong, titled “J-16 Leads the Air Force Aircraft Fleet in Preparations for Future Air Battles,” sheds light on the evolving role of the J-16 back-seater and its implications for the future role of the J-20S back-seater. The article outlines the traditional division of responsibilities between front-seat and back-seat operators in the J-16. It also underscores how, due to evolving characteristics of air warfare, the role of the backseat operator has evolved as combat has evolved, informing future J-20S operations.

A Chinese J-16. Japan Ministry of Defense A stock picture of a Chinese J-16. Japan Ministry of Defense

According to the article, the J-16 stands out as the primary two-seat fighter in the PLAAF’s combat air force. While the two-seat Su-30 Flanker exists in the PLAAF’s inventory, its fleet is smaller in size, whereas the J-16 contains more advanced avionics and is in continued domestic production exceeding 245 aircraft, leaving the PLAAF to rely heavily on the J-16 and its more advanced capabilities.

A Chinese Su-30MKK Flanker. Dmitriy Pichugin A stock picture of a Chinese Su-30MKK Flanker. Dmitriy Pichugin

Equipped with asymmetric, outsized weapons that don’t fit in the J-20’s weapons bay, the J-16 provides a broad array of operational capabilities, making it a versatile asset in various scenarios. Similar to the F-15E, the J-16 conducts long-range air-to-air engagements and attacks on ground and maritime targets where the back-seater serves as a weapons controller responsible for employing different types of weapons. The PLAAF, however, is beginning to adapt the J-16 to the expected information-dominated combat environment and evolving manned-unmanned teaming by developing new roles and responsibilities for the aircraft and its operators.

Information-Dominated Combat Environment

In the context of the evolving landscape of networked and unmanned warfare, contemporary air combat will incorporate a multitude of systems where all combat elements are interconnected with vast amounts of information. Through data transmission and intelligence-sharing platforms, collaborative operations based on interconnected systems have become the predominant operational model, with the J-16 capable of assuming the central command role for entire formations. According to the Ta Kung Pao article, the J-16 back-seater, in this new environment, evolves from simply a “weapon controller” into an “air mission commanding officer.”

A close-up look at the pilot and the back-seater in a Chinese J-16. China Military Online/Liu Chang and Liu Yinghu

With this new evolution, the air mission commanding officer (AMCO) encompasses multiple roles and responsibilities in a high-tech conflict that includes overseeing air-to-surface weaponry, managing and disseminating multi-platform intelligence, and issuing operational directives. While this may seem similar to the USAF’s airborne Forward Air Controller-Airborne (FAC[A]), there appear to be differences in employment concepts between the PLAAF’s AMCO and the USAF’s FAC(A), particularly regarding the operational environments with which they are utilized.

Primarily employed in close air support (CAS) or strike coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR) missions, the FAC(A) is the airborne version of a joint terminal air controller (JTAC) in which both can nominate and mark targets, deconflict airspace, relay critical ground schemes of maneuver, and authorize airstrikes. The PLAAF’s AMCO, however, seems to focus on roles and responsibilities that leverage the PLA’s sensing network in a contested air interdiction environment.

Utilizing the PLA’s expanding sensing network to build situational awareness in the battlespace, the J-16 back-seater, assuming the AMCO role and plugged into the sensing network, is intended to direct coordinated efforts among various aircraft, in conjunction with ground and naval units, to execute comprehensive aerial attacks. Additionally, the back-seater’s role is to command and coordinate multiple drones acting as ‘loyal wingmen’ with the intent to amplify combat effectiveness through combined manned and unmanned operations.

Whether or not the PLAAF is actually proficient with this type of force package integration in a high-end combat environment remains to be seen. There is a distinct possibility that the PLAAF is overstating its capabilities in such an environment and much of this training is nascent or scripted, or this is the aspirational plan for future operations. However, the article points to recent footage from state-run CCTV that claims to showcase joint exercises involving GJ-2 drones under the command of J-16s enabling swarm attacks. Analysts, however, suggest that the articles and CCTV coverage of these events do not match reality given current PLAAF capabilities and likely reflect a desire for future capability. But while the PLAAF may be unable to conduct the defined roles and responsibilities of the AMCO in the current state, the PLAAF continues to move forward in preparing its endeavors. More importantly, however, the J-16’s implementation of an AMCO also serves as a testbed for future two-seat J-20S operations.

While the J-20S may lack the payload capacity of the J-16, the PLAAF anticipates that “stealth, high-speed, and advanced situational awareness” allow the J-20S to “penetrate enemy territory, gain air superiority,” and subsequently assume command over trailing aircraft like J-16s and J-10Cs. Moreover, the J-20S, like the J-16, will be able to coordinate and control CCAs to compensate for its magazine depth and weapons limitations, a task overseen by the AMCO in the rear cockpit.

Drawing parallels from the expanding roles of J-16 and J-20S back-seaters, incorporating a Weapon System Officer (WSO) into the F-15EX’s rear cockpit would expand its capabilities and enhance the lethality of USAF strike packages. With the advent of large, integrated sensing networks providing a vast amount of data, an F-15EX WSO, assuming a role similar to an AMCO, can coordinate and direct fires, provide mission-critical intelligence in the midst of mission execution to other platforms in a strike package, pass information of evolving situations between pulsed operations, and even coordinate with various naval or ground forces.

As highlighted in this picture, a two-person crew did fly the first F-15EX jet to Portland in June 2024. Oregon National Guard

Additionally, the F-15EX’s weapons array integration, including outsized weapons, allows it to perform an array of missions already being fulfilled by the F-15E, which includes long-range air interdiction. Moreover, it can be deployed to other environments in the event of horizontal escalation or low- to medium-tier conflicts, providing global firepower reach against smaller, maligned nation-states while still providing key capabilities in the high-end fight. Furthermore, the lack of stealth allows the F-15EX the ability to carry highly specialized pods that stealth assets simply can’t, or won’t, carry. Advanced pods can provide many warfighting-enhancing capabilities, from communications to sensing, electronic warfare, network redundancy, and edge computing.

A US Air Force F-15C Eagle carrying an infrared search and track (IRST) pod. This is one of many specialized podded capabilities members of the F-15 family, including the F-15EX, can carry. USAF

Finally, an F-15EX WSO can oversee the employment of groups of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) or swarms of other drones.

CCAs, AI, and Command and Control

Both the USAF and PLAAF view CCAs as a way of generating cost-effective mass. The intent is to augment attack formations with low-cost, AI-infused robotic wingmen to increase capabilities in the realm of firepower, sensing, electronic warfare, communications, and other capabilities that manned aircraft bring to the fight. Though both air forces promote heavy reliance on AI in CCAs, AI currently lacks intuition and the ability to infer information in a complex CDO-L combat environment that it is not accustomed to and lacks the ability to break from its given prescribed parameters to adapt. It is therefore expected that some level of human-to-machine interaction between manned aircraft and CCAs will be required to make decisions in a combat environment for some time. Due to the anticipated human interaction with CCAs, the PLAAF foresees multi-seat fighter platforms as an operational requirement.

In a document titled “Study on the Combined Manned Aircraft/UAV in Air Operations,” published around 2021 by Wang Danjing and Liu Ying of the Department of Combined Tactics Air Force Command College in Beijing, the discussion of command and control of CCAs described the task intensive nature of managing combat operations and CCAs simultaneously. When deciding the optimal manned-to-unmanned mixed formation characteristics, task management and cognitive performance were at the forefront of the author’s conclusion that the ideal formation to employ CCAs consists of pairing a two-seat aircraft with a single-seat aircraft.

Wang and Liu note that “U.S. scientists show that there is a nonlinear relationship between a person’s workload and work performance,” suggesting that adding management of CCAs to a pilot’s tasks could impact performance. The authors conclude that “the manned aircraft formation scope is better as a two-aircraft formation, with one being a two-seat aircraft tasked with tactical control of the UAVs, while the other is a single-seat aircraft tasked with executing the task of standing guard and attacking.”

While USAF tactics will almost definitely differ from the PLAAF’s regarding CCAs, utilizing an extra body in the backseat of the F-15EX can enhance the employment of CCAs, allowing the front-seat pilot to focus on other tasks or coordinate various functions in a combat setting.

Moreover, it is expected that CCAs will not always launch with their manned platforms to conduct missions in an Agile Combat Employment (ACE) scheme of maneuver or disparate basing environment like in the Pacific. Positioned between forward assets and bases, an F-15EX could take command of CCAs and transfer to forward fighter platforms or launch or recovery locations.

Take Aways

Although the U.S. military typically does not examine adversary strategy, operations, and tactics with the intention of replicating them, it is crucial to recognize the strengths of developing adversary capabilities and evaluate how they align with U.S. military operational principles.

Given the information provided above, it is imperative for the USAF to recognize and address the limitations of human cognition in future information-intensive environments and consider deploying additional operators to process the vast data available and manage new cognitive demands and new responsibilities like CCAs in a high-tech warzone. The PLAAF’s ambitious approach to utilizing its two-seat J-16 and J-20S platforms in complex, high-end combat environments may provide insights into how to maximize the F-15EX’s enhanced capabilities by incorporating a back-seater.

Similar to how the PLAAF intends to use the J-16 to cooperate with other fighter platforms, C2ISR platforms, and its kill-web to employ its outsized weapons, the F-15EX provides the range, payload, and sensors to do the same for the USAF. Additionally, with its fully missionized rear cockpit and large-area display, the F-15EX is capable of doing everything the multi-seat F-15E can do, and more.

The F-15EX’s fully missionized rear cockpit allows a WSO to conduct a multitude of mission-related functions, freeing the pilot to focus on other tasks at hand. Incorporating a WSO in the F-15EX would thus harness the intended capabilities the F-15EX is designed for. With no one in the rear cockpit, however, the F-15EX’s potential expansion of roles and responsibilities and overall effectiveness cannot be realized, leaving the Air Force unable to capitalize on the investment that is already paid for with each aircraft rolling off the line.

With every new set of roles, responsibilities, and mission expansion, however, comes new training requirements. For the F-15EX to adopt similar roles and responsibilities of the AMCO, the F-15E training pipeline can leverage existing training plans either by restructuring F-15E training flights that develop these specific tasks or by creating a new AMCO training pipeline in concert with the F-15EX syllabus being constructed to prepare future Eagle II pilots. Taking qualified F-15E WSO instructors into an AMCO pipeline that runs in concert with the F-15EX syllabus, the Air Force can fully realize a cohesive multi-seat aircraft ready for the high-end environment.

Unfortunately, however, the USAF has chosen to focus the utilization of the F-15EX on a single mission: long-range air-to-air. While capable of conducting close air support (CAS), combat search and rescue (CSAR), long- and medium-range air interdiction, maritime air interdiction, defensive counter-air, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), and more, leaving the rear cockpit empty in this high-tech piece of machinery and conducting only long-range air-to-air engagements leaves all this potential capability on the table.

USAF

Equipped with outsized, long-range weapons and specialized pods, and the ability to command CCAs and swarms of other drones while directing combat fires and disseminating multi-platform intelligence from a multi-crew platform, the F-15EX offers a broader spectrum of capabilities beyond solely engaging in long-range air-to-air combat. Additionally, much of the necessary technology for these functions is already integrated into the aircraft.

For these reasons, it is imperative that the Air Force not let preconceived notions of traditional roles and responsibilities obstruct decision-making concerning the future of air warfare and the potential evolution of roles and responsibilities.

The character of warfare is evolving, necessitating the utilization of both machinery and personnel in innovative ways that align with the changing environment. The multi-operator platform direction currently pursued by the PLAAF yields operational insights worthy of consideration by USAF planners for the near- and mid-term, even as the USAF continues to develop advanced AI solutions for the long term.

Major Joshua “Soup” Campbell is an F-15E Weapon System Officer (WSO) and graduate of the distinguished USAF Weapon School with 1,500 hours in the F-15E which includes 630 combat hours. He spent the last year as a Fellow at the USAF’s China Aerospace Studies Institute with a strategic and operational focus. He is currently attending Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies through the Department of Defense’s Strategic Thinker’s Program. He has worked in a variety of capacities at both the squadron level and MAJCOM staff positions.

[digitaldetoxworld]

The Rise of Blockchain: Changing Business, Politics, and Everyday Life

 Blockchain generation has evolved considerably on account that its inception in 2008 as the inspiration for Bitcoin. Initially identified for its function in cryptocurrencies, blockchain has increased into a couple of industries, disrupting traditional commercial enterprise fashions and influencing society in profound ways. From improving transparency and security in transactions to allowing decentralized finance, blockchain is revolutionizing how businesses operate and how human beings interact with digital structures. This article explores the effect of blockchain on organizations and society, focusing on its advantages, demanding situations, and potential destiny developments.

Impact Of Blockchain On Society

Impact on Business

Blockchain generation gives organizations numerous advantages, which includes improved security, efficiency, and transparency. Many industries are leveraging blockchain to optimize operations, lessen costs, and construct agree with among stakeholders.

1. Enhanced Security and Transparency

One of blockchain’s maximum enormous benefits is its ability to offer steady and obvious transactions. The decentralized and immutable nature of blockchain manner that once facts is recorded, it cannot be altered or deleted. This gets rid of the chance of fraud, unauthorized get entry to, and information manipulation, that is specifically useful in industries like banking, healthcare, and deliver chain management.

For example, in economic services, blockchain ensures that transactions are steady and verifiable, lowering the risks of fraud and cyberattacks. Smart contracts—self-executing contracts with coded regulations—in addition decorate protection through making sure agreements are automatically enforced with out intermediaries.

2. Efficiency and Cost Reduction

Blockchain eliminates the want for intermediaries, decreasing transaction expenses and increasing operational efficiency. Traditional commercial enterprise processes regularly contain multiple parties, main to delays and further expenses. Blockchain simplifies transactions by permitting peer-to-peer interactions and real-time agreement.

For instance, in deliver chain management, blockchain allows actual-time monitoring of goods from production to transport. Companies like IBM and Walmart use blockchain to beautify supply chain transparency, decreasing inefficiencies and improving product authenticity.

3 Transforming Financial Services

The monetary sector has skilled substantial disruption because of blockchain. Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms provide alternatives to standard banking, permitting customers to get right of entry to economic offerings without relying on centralized institutions.

Blockchain-based virtual currencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, have added new strategies of moving value globally with minimal fees. Cross-border payments, which formerly took days and involved excessive transaction prices, at the moment are processed instantly and value-efficiently using blockchain era.

Moreover, valuable banks worldwide are exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) to improve financial rules and financial inclusion. Countries like China, Sweden, and the US are trying out CBDCs to streamline charge systems and decrease reliance on coins.

Four. Improved Data Management and Identity Verification

Businesses generate enormous quantities of information that require steady garage and efficient control. Blockchain gives a decentralized answer for statistics management, ensuring records is stored securely and accessed most effective by way of legal events.

One of the maximum promising applications is digital identity verification. Blockchain-primarily based identity answers permit people to manipulate their non-public records, lowering identification robbery and fraud. Companies like Microsoft and IBM are growing blockchain-primarily based virtual identification structures to improve safety and privacy.

Five. Revolutionizing Healthcare

Blockchain is remodeling the healthcare industry via improving records security, patient file management, and drug supply chain monitoring.

Patient information saved on blockchain can be securely accessed with the aid of authorized healthcare companies, ensuring correct and efficient clinical records monitoring. Additionally, blockchain prevents counterfeit drugs from entering the deliver chain by using verifying the authenticity of pharmaceutical products.

For instance, MediLedger, a blockchain-primarily based community, facilitates pharmaceutical organizations tune pills and prevent counterfeit drugs from achieving purchasers.

6. New Business Models and Innovation

Blockchain allows the improvement of new business fashions, inclusive of tokenization and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Tokenization lets in agencies to transform bodily assets into digital tokens, allowing fractional possession and liquidity.

NFTs have revolutionized the artwork and amusement enterprise by means of supplying a decentralized way to authenticate and alternate digital assets. Artists and content material creators can promote their paintings directly to shoppers, eliminating the need for intermediaries and ensuring truthful compensation.

Impact on Society

Blockchain is not simply remodeling agencies; it's also reshaping society through selling decentralization, financial inclusion, and believe in virtual interactions.

1. Financial Inclusion

A huge part of the global population lacks get entry to to traditional banking offerings. Blockchain presents an opportunity for the unbanked to participate inside the global economy thru digital wallets and decentralized finance platforms.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based totally financial offerings permit individuals in developing international locations to ship and receive bills without counting on banks. Mobile-based totally blockchain wallets provide an alternative to conventional banking, permitting users to shop and switch finances securely.

For example, structures like Stellar and Celo are centered on supplying less expensive financial offerings to underserved populations, supporting bridge the distance between the unbanked and financial systems.

2. Decentralization and Empowerment

Blockchain promotes decentralization by using getting rid of the need for intermediaries, giving individuals more manipulate over their assets and records. This is specially relevant in regions with risky governments and monetary systems, where human beings face demanding situations accessing banking offerings and securing their wealth.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are every other example of blockchain-pushed empowerment. DAOs permit communities to make collective selections without centralized leadership, fostering democratic and obvious governance.

3. Increased Trust and Accountability

In many sectors, lack of transparency and responsibility has led to corruption and inefficiencies. Blockchain enhances trust by using providing an immutable and transparent document of transactions.

Governments and organizations can use blockchain to improve public trust through ensuring transparency in elections, supply chains, and charity donations. For instance, blockchain-primarily based voting systems can save you election fraud and increase voter confidence. Estonia has implemented blockchain-based balloting to beautify electoral protection and integrity.

Four. Environmental and Ethical Concerns

While blockchain gives many benefits, it additionally raises worries, particularly concerning electricity intake. Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain networks, which include Bitcoin, require extensive energy to validate transactions, contributing to environmental issues.

However, newer blockchain models like Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consume notably less electricity and are being followed to deal with those worries. Ethereum’s transition from PoW to PoS in 2022 reduced its energy consumption through over ninety nine%, making blockchain extra sustainable.

Five. Privacy and Data Ownership

In the virtual age, private facts is frequently misused via agencies and governments. Blockchain-primarily based privateness solutions empower individuals to manipulate their records and limit unauthorized access.

Self-sovereign identification (SSI) is a concept in which people personal and manipulate their digital identities with out relying on 1/3 events. This prevents records breaches and identity theft at the same time as improving privacy protection.

6. Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response

Blockchain technology is being used for humanitarian efforts, providing useful resource to refugees and disaster-stricken regions more efficaciously. Organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) use blockchain to distribute aid without delay to beneficiaries, decreasing fraud and ensuring transparency.

For instance, WFP’s "Building Blocks" assignment uses blockchain to distribute meals assistance to Syrian refugees, ensuring finances attain those in want without intermediaries.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its capacity, blockchain faces numerous challenges, together with:

Regulatory Uncertainty – Governments worldwide are still developing guidelines for blockchain and cryptocurrencies, developing uncertainty for agencies and customers.

Scalability Issues – Some blockchain networks conflict with gradual transaction processing speeds, restricting vast adoption.

Adoption Barriers – Many groups and people lack the technical know-how to put in force and use blockchain correctly.

Security Risks – While blockchain is steady, vulnerabilities in clever contracts and decentralized programs may be exploited via hackers.

[william-r-melich]

Tik Tok on the Chopping Block - 04/25/2024

Yesterday, Joe Biden signed the Tik Tok Divest-or-Ban bill into law. I covered this bill extensively in my post, "Tik Tok Bill/HR 7521" back on March 16th of this year. This bill forces ByteDance to sell Tik Tok within one year. It's clear to me that this Chinese owned company is controlled by the CCP and is using it to gather information on US citizens and influence children toward committing self-harm and suicide.

Tik Tok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew released the following video statement yesterday. "Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on you and your voice. We are confident, and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again." He was referring to how they circumvented Trump's executive order to ban the app in the U.S. back in 2020. Tik Tok's position is that through China's Counterespionage Law, its customer data is stored in Virginia and backed up in Singapore. They claim that they have never or ever will share U.S. data with the CCP. Yet the owner of ByteDance previously issued a letter of apology to the CCP about failing to follow the CCP's directives. It's obvious to me that they are more of an arm of the CCP than a private company and we should not trust them. At the same time, I'm also conflicted about trusting our own government. Regardless it's now signed into law, like it or not.

Tik Tok and ByteDance together spent over $7 million since the beginning of this year on TV and digital ads in an effort to stop legislation from passing the bill. A Tik Tok spokesperson said this, "This expenditure reflects work we do to educate policy makers about how legislation could affect our community of 170 million American users." Tik Tok officials lobbied Congress and Biden's executive office last quarter. Biden's executive office contains the National Security Council, the Office Management and Budget, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and other divisions.

As I mentioned in my previous post on this bill last March, Donald Trump and Elon Musk both came out against it. Trump is concerned that it could expand government powers on other platforms, and Musk is concerned about censorship. The bill is intended to remove any foreign influence and investment in social media platforms and websites here in the U.S. The government would have to prove that a foreign entity is directly involved and then initially force divestment, and then later if necessary deplatform the app and shut down their operating websites.

I'm all for private companies operating platforms that allow freedom of expression, but not if they're being operated by a foreign adversary like China's CCP. Yet I'm always very skeptical of our government and their tendencies to over-reach in order to go after their political opposition. Especially with this current bunch in charge. All we can do is to stay informed and hopefully for the sake of our freedom and security vote in Republican majorities in both the house and senate, and get Donald Trump back into office, in my opinion.

[parodyroyalle]

Reblog

Comment:

“I don't believe Kate is racist. Is she a mean girl? Yes. Was she behind the smear campaign against Meghan? Yes. She hated Meghan from the get-go, but that had nothing to do with racism. Meghan being biracial just added fuel to the fire, and Kate jumped on the bandwagon. If Meghan were a 100% Caucasian woman, Kate still would have leaked the story that she made her cry, but now that the new allegations have come that Kate is indeed the racist who has concerns about Prince Archie's skin colour, this whole theory goes down the drain, and yes, Kate is a racist.” - Submitted by Anonymous

Answer:

Incorrect information and misinformation guised as opinion not

FACT: Did You Know ...

Skippy and the Skippettes ( YT, Bloggers and Anon's ) identified the 'smear campaign' ... and it was towards the British Royal Family.

Kate has been documented as survived bullying.

See link below.

FACT: Did You Know ...

Markle has a long history of being a reported bully, fraud, narcissist.

FACT: Did You Know ...

Markle admits to her History of Lying and Fraud branding herself as a 'fraud' with glee after admitting she lied in order to secure role and reports indicate when she was asked to confirm union status misrepresented herself again frequently so to force hand.

Meghan Markle branded herself a ‘fraud’. Pic: Rex

‘And I got there and they’re like: “so you’re union.”

‘And I’m like: “Of course I’m union. 

I mean yeah absolutely.” And I wasn’t.

Did you know "Absolut" is Seagram brand ?

FACT: Did You Know ...

Bullying and The Markle Family:

The Markle's have been speculated together on an alleged "con" all playing their positions for profit. There are several reports that suggest a history of shadiness perhaps that is why race seems the easiest cover story of all! Speculation aside, we see that the Markle Family indicates that Meghan is a bully and has a history of misrepresenting herself. Her Father has expressed that he is embarrassed at his daughters behaviours. In a new interview with Channel 5 in the U.K., Thomas, 75, claimed that the situation is “destroying” and “cheapening” the royal family. Is this a confession and thereby revealing a calculated agenda to tarnish the Monarchy?

Brother on half - sister "bully" .

Sister on Bullying as a result of Meghan's Flying Monkeys.

South China Morning Post:

Is Meghan Markle's 'bullying' half-sister Samantha to blame?

Reports on social media suggest bots and payments made to those known as Sussex Squad who have assisted in promoting glorifying Markle as a victim in attempts to wash away the facts through data and social media manipulation and participating in hate campaign against those who speak out causing irrevocable damages.

YT Yankee Wally was on the receiving end of the flax.

Change Petition:

Fans of Yankee Wally (from Wales) woke to find her popular YouTube channel removed. Wally had approximately 47,000 subscribers.  She's Welsh, she's disabled and homebound.  She has been viciously attacked by Omid Scobie, a PR flack for Meghan Markle and Christopher Ellis Bouzy of Bot Sentinel, an accused cryptocurrency scammer that dabbles in leftwing politics and defamation for hire.  They managed a campaign to de-platform her from Twitter and YouTube.  

Ellie Hall of Buzzfeed, tricked Wally into thinking she was writing a balanced article that would address the targeted harassment of Mr. Bouzy and the Sussex Squad.  Unfortunately,  Ellie Hall wrote an article for the sole purpose of talking to YouTube to remove Yankee Wally and soon other channels that are critical of public figures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as part of a PR crisis strategy implemented by Sunshine Sachs.  Wally's videos featured the appropriate disclaimers stating the videos were in the public domain and solely her opinion.  Yankee Wally should be entitled to due process and an examination of ALL the harassment of HER on YouTube's platforms.

FACT: Did You Know ...

YT Danja Zone was one of the first to reported on the missing link of this shitshow to a Canadian?

FACT: Canada

The Former Miss Universe Canada Delegate Angela Thompson, a survivor of Generational Human Trafficking survivor who alerted the Intelligence community of the alleged plot to infiltrate the Royal Family as early as 2008! More information and sources below.

FACT: Damages incurred linked to bullying

BEFORE Ashli's home was set on fire? No coincidences.

www.foxella.com/two-homes-both-set-on-fire-via-arson

Read more on these Tags: DanjA zonE,  Meghan Markle, 

Rest In Peace Ashli

Quora Question:

Is Meghan Markle a bully, or is she bullied?

A whopping TEN of Meghan’s Royal staff came foreward this year, saying Meghan’s abusive behavior was “sociopathic”.

Comments:

Markle USA

Her college sorority sister said she bullied girls for fun, her family called her a bully and a narcissist, her co workers said she would scream and threaten people to get what she wanted, and her staff called her a “living nightmare”.

Meghan is a bully. Just ask her sorority sisters, her co workers, her associates, her staff, her firmer friends, her family and the Royal Family.

Meghan is a bully. No wonder the UK hates her.

Jill Selwood · Rachel Meghan Markle USA

She’s the biggest bully around and has been since she was a teen. She glued a school mates eyelids together with super glue!!! Who does that? A big bully. The people who worked with her for the Reitman clothing shoot refused to work with her again as she was so awful.

Markle Canada

A documented history of Bullying. It is no surprise the heading reads: A whopping TEN of Meghan’s Royal staff came forward this year, saying Meghan’s abusive behavior was “sociopathic”.

A history of bullying Children and Adults regardless of race or creed. From little Princess Charlotte at only 3 years old. Palace Staff, Co Worker and Sorority Sisters reports a long history of cruel and unethical superior and “sociopathic “ pattern of behaviour.

There are reports of bullying of a young Toronto woman in a calculated smear campaign including visiting for an unauthorized tour of the Downtown Fundraising Office.

Markle’s Public Figure friend with affiliation to the World Vision Creative Artist Program openly offering a young Toronto Creative Activist who is a former Miss Universe Canada Delegate on a live video on social media which is perceived as Human Trafficking.

Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. Human-Trafficking - UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 

Markle can be viewed doing an Interview with the Public Figure at Soho before any engagement into the British Royal Family where Markle presented herself as a “Humanitarian”.

Palace staff report a continue history of Bullying as Page Six reports Palace staff members sticking to claims they were bullied by Ms. Rachel Meghan Markle. Is Meghan Markle a bully, or is she bullied? 

I would conclude that she is in fact a Bully and agree with that the pattern of abusive behavior is “sociopathic”.

Google Source: Bullying and International Human Rights.

FACT: Did You Know ...

Reddit Forum:

Never Forget Markle Bullied A 3 Year Old Child.

www.reddit.com/r/SaintMeghanMarkle/comments/16brluj/never_forget_meghan_markle_bullied_a_3_year_old

Who was the Child identified as allegedly bullied by Markle ?

Princess Charlotte

FACT: Did You Know ...

Prince William has thanked a Human Trafficking organization in Canada and cares about Wildlife and Humans as living beings ?

" The picture really says it all, doesn’t it? Shae Invidiata is one fierce philanthropist on a mission. She founded her organization “Free Them” at only twenty years of age, and alongside her aptly named army of “Free Them fighters,” she is leading the charge against human trafficking here in Canada and abroad.

Her work as an advocate for the cause earned her the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubillee Medal in 2012, which recognizes outstanding members of the community for their service, as well as the 2012 Joy Smith Foundation National Freedom Award, which honoured Free Them for its exemplary efforts fighting human trafficking. It may be the fastest growing illegal trade in the world (next to arms and drugs), but with extraordinary women like this on the frontlines, change is happening, one success story at a time… "

Full Article

http://trulymodernbeauty.com/2017/10/torontos-top-philanthropists/?fbclid=IwAR2svT6Bi0KY8Dg8e_zHiirQPkwzrU_ttOhurM4DU3sbvefL1AHnM4RnxPU

FACT: Did You Know ...

Former Miss Universe Delegate Alumna Angela Thompson wearing her Free -Them bracelet in Toronto is named as the young woman being offered for sale in a live broadcast by a Public Figure and is a survivor of generational human trafficking. It is reported she has written to members of Parliament and United Nations on invisible chains. The video can be viewed on Social Media and is disturbing.

Source Credit: IG, www.facebook.com/TheBeInspiredCampaign

A PSA awareness of invisible chains can be viewed here:

The Timeline time stamped, Meghan Markle, Emmanuel Jal

Promote International Women's Day on what is believed to be a paid PR tour. This is orchestrated before the Engagement.

FACT: Did You Know ...

World Visions Artist Program featuring Emmanuel Jal and Markle has since been removed from website. It was also featured in print.

www.worldvision.ca/about-us/media-centre/meghan-markle-brings-clean-water-to-children

FACT: Did You Know ...

Former Miss Universe Canada Delegate Alumna Angela Thompson is a World Vision supporter donated and fundraised for on their behalf ?

Interview:

" I was introduced to Emmanuel Jal through his manager ML and my sister, Lorette Stevenson. Jal and I shared a similar history as Adoptees who endured child separation and seemed to have common interests in Music, Film and Philanthropy. He called us to stage and preform at his Juno Event in Hamilton, Ontario.

I lent my voice to his album for Peace Music and documented this for my Gonzo Journalism and Creative Activism located on Facebook The Be Inspired Campaign where I solved my own missing persons case and reunited with my biological family, survivors of generational human trafficking, domestic violence. This case is ongoing.

It was not long after that I discovered my creative concepts were found elsewhere and my life story being woven into some fabricated variation of Ms. Markle's identity. From Humanitarian causes such as speech on Rwanda, conversations on not fitting in a box which steamed from speaking on Adoptees not having access to basic birth information. the Indigenous community, justice for children including children, at risk youth and women. It was disheartening to learn as it took away from core root of the causes and public awareness education all so a group of people could seemingly turn a profit.

What no one knew at the time was that I reported allegations of an alleged pot to infiltrate and smear the British Royal Family in 2008 before I reunited with my family. It was no surprise to learn of other reports of women being approached when the truth was, I was that women this occurred well before the 2016 reports circulated. These occurrences took place as I was surviving Generational Human Trafficking and solving my Missing Persons case which I did in 2009.

FACT: Did You Know ...

Princess Eugenie and The Anti-Slavery Collective.

" After following each other around the world, then to Newcastle University, and into our careers. In 2012, we went on a trip to Kolkata, India. Here, we visited an organisation called Women’s Interlink Foundation and first became aware of modern slavery. Aloka Mitra , the founder of Women’s Interlink, rescues girls from modern slavery, gives them a home and teaches them a simple vocational skill – fabric printing.  

We were shocked to discover the extent to which slavery still exists. In fact, there are more enslaved people today than at any other point in history and, at any one time, someone is being trafficked within a mile of where you live.  We often associate slavery with chains and shackles, but modern slavery is a hidden crime that is often hard to detect. 

We spent the next 5 years educating ourselves. We became obsessive investigators and would visit anyone who could help us expand our knowledge; from policy makers, law enforcement agencies and academics, to NGOs, social workers and survivors. We asked everyone we encountered, ‘what can two young girls like us do to help?’ Without fail, the answer was always raise awareness. So this became our mission. 

In 2017, we proudly launched The Anti-Slavery Collective. "

FACT: Did You Know ...

"Absolutely"

Self admitted liar and fraud Megan Markle

Human Trafficking is not a joke//Emmanuel Jal

2016 Time stamp of actual survivor on video

2018 Reports copycatting real survivor testimony and again weave in a manufactured narrative so to divert from the open connection of International Human Trafficking and the targeting of life to the survivors and reporters who have spoken up to maintain the Truth.

No "comparison".

In my opinion. Markle is not only a self admitted fraud and documented bully. She is dangerous and spiteful with what appears to be narcissism and sociopathic patterns of behaviour. She does not use her platform for Peace only to promote victimhood. She has been linked to blood diamond's, porn stars and organized crime. She was documented on the prowl as a social climber and use men to elevate her status. I would not be surprised if she try's to up her victim hood sharing something about assault or human trafficking. It would not surprise me if she was a recruiter as she uses overtly invasive boundaries on children and adults alike and likes to make deals.

FACT: Did You Know ...

"Absolut" is Seagram brand ?

Seagram

Alcohol industry company

Description

The Seagram Company Ltd. was a Canadian multinational conglomerate formerly headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Originally a distiller of Canadian whisky based in Waterloo, Ontario, it was in the 1990s the largest owner of alcoholic beverage lines in the world. Wikipedia

Founder: Joseph E. Seagram

Parent organizations: Vivendi, Pearson

Subsidiary: PolyGram

Founded: 1857

Headquarters: Montreal

Defunct: 2000; 23 years ago

Number of locations: Burlington; Oakville; Oshawa; Brampton; Saskatoon; Edmonton; Burnaby; Waterloo; New York City

Current News:

How to spot Human Trafficking Resources

Open Source Information. Fact Check. JMO.

Thank You.

Repost.

Mature Content

[hi-ma-ni]

BPO Companies: How to Choose the Best BPO Company in India?

Today, business process outsourcing has become a growing trend. With so much data and consumers to manage, corporate confidence in Best BPO Company has grown over the years. India's IT and BPO services sector has grown rapidly since its inception in the mid-1990s and today has a turnover of US$37.6 billion. The Indian BPO market has grown due to economies of scale, reduced business risk, cost advantages, improved utilization, and superior experience. Among competitors such as Australia, China, the Philippines, and Ireland, India is now the world's leading hub for the consumption of BPO services. India's immense popularity as a global outsourcing destination is due to the country's low labor costs and a large pool of skilled and skilled workers gave an opportunity to companies like Ascent BPO to provide better services at reasonable prices.

But since many organizations in India offer quality data entry services, companies only need to choose the best ones after they have done their homework. Look on our website to learn how to choose the Best BPO Company like us.

What is business process deploying or outsourcing (BPO)?

Before we get started, we want to give our audience an overview of what a BPO is. Business process outsourcing companies provide services that allow companies to focus on their core business. Let us consider this problem in detail. You may not have the time or resources for a separate organization that you can trust to handle other aspects of your business. These other aspects can be anything from call center operations, marketing, SEO, finance to human resource activities. The sky is the limit. Now that business process outsourcing has sparked some interest, let's explain what to look for in the Best BPO company.

Some Best BPO company are given below:

Tata Consulting Services:

Tata Consulting Services (TCS) is the second-best outsourcing firm in India. TCS is an organization based in Mumbai in Bangalore. TCS provides trading services, platform solutions, analytics, information services, and more. TCS has more than 400,000 employees in India and thousands of employees in other parts of the world. Tata Advisory Services will generate revenue of approximately $23 billion in 2020.

Wipro:

Wipro is a leading multinational company providing IT services, consulting, and business operations. They serve their clients by applying their expertise in cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics, and emerging technologies.

Ascent BPO

Ascent BPO manages multiple streams such as data entry services, data entry projects, data entry processing, web research, financial accounting, and call center services. Get the best outsourcing service at the lowest possible price here. Wide access to major Indian metropolitan areas such as Delhi and Mumbai, as well as other major cities in India such as Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.

First source solution:

Firstsource Solution is a leading provider of customized Business Process Management (BPM) services to the banking and financial, customer service, telecom, media, and health industries. It is headquartered in Mumbai, and also has operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Philippines. In addition, Firstsource Solutions recently won Gold and Silver Awards at the UK Complaint Management Awards 2020.

UrbanTimer:

UrbanTimer is a VA company based in Kolkata. Believing that your experience will be "the best in your business," the company offers administrative support, customer service, content creation, graphic design, project management, QuickBooks services, startups, and more.

Professional BPO Qualifications: What To Look For?

Companies considering working with a BPO company should know what to look for in potential partners. If you're wondering how to find the most qualified BPO company like Ascent BPO, a few key qualifications are good indicators that you're doing business with experienced professionals:

1.    Proven experience:

Your business processes should not be executed by ordinary people. One of the most important qualifications for Best BPO company is proven experience in the industry. Excellent customer testimonials show that your business has been treated similarly.

2.    Specialized Services:

We offer a variety of functions and processes, and specialized services demonstrate expertise. If you're wondering how to find the most qualified BPO company, it's a good sign to find a company that specializes in a field similar to yours.

3.    Reliability and Security:

Because Ascent BPO handles confidential and proprietary company information, you want to ensure that your BPO company's data security measures are in place. If you can tell that a BPO company values ??reliability and security, you know your data is safe.

4.    Focus on Metrics:

Being data-driven is one of the most important skills a BPO company should look for. A metrics-driven BPO company tests and shows clients how it is performing.

5.    Transparency:

Transparency is an important factor if you want to know how to find the most qualified BPO company. If a BPO company doesn't seem honest or transparent, you won't be satisfied with their work.

You should browse through the above-given details about BPO companies to find the most qualified BPO company. These elements will help you determine which BPO company is the best fit for your business.

Resource:https://www.ascentbpo.com/bpo-companies

Useful Links:

[zerosecurity]

Crown Equipment Corporation a Major Forklift Manufacturer Hacked

Key Takeaways

- Crown Equipment Corporation, a major forklift manufacturer, faces a suspected cyberattack and global IT outage. - Production plants have been shut down, and employees report unpaid due to IT issues. - While the company remains tight-lipped, employees and online discussions suggest a potential ransomware attack. - The lack of official communication has fueled speculation and criticism of Crown's incident handling. - The situation highlights the importance of cybersecurity preparedness and transparent communication during data breaches or cyberattacks.According to reports, Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world's largest manufacturers of forklift trucks and industrial equipment, has been the victim of a suspected cyberattack. The incident has resulted in a global IT outage, forcing the company to shut down production plants worldwide and leaving employees without access to critical systems. About Crown Equipment CorporationCrown Equipment Corporation, headquartered in New Bremen, Ohio, United States, is the fifth-largest manufacturer of forklift trucks, industrial trucks, and high-rack conveyors globally. The company has regional headquarters in Australia, China, Germany, and Singapore, with its European headquarters located in Feldkirchen near Munich, Germany. Crown also operates a production facility in Roding, Bavaria, Germany. Worldwide IT Systems Down and Production HaltedSince Monday, June 10, 2024, production at Crown's sites in Roding, Germany, has been at a standstill due to a reported IT system outage. The company's websites (crown.com) are inaccessible, with attempts to visit resulting in an error message stating "crown.com is temporarily unavailable." Additionally, the company's phone lines appear to be down, making it challenging to reach them. Suspicions of a Cyberattack and Ransomware InvolvementWhile Crown Equipment Corporation's management remains tight-lipped about the situation, reports from employees and online discussions suggest a potential cyberattack, possibly involving ransomware. Employees have taken to social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit to express their frustrations, claiming they have not been paid due to the IT issues One Twitter user, allegedly a Crown employee, stated, "thanks for letting your servers be hacked and not paying your employees. It's not like we have bills or anything. I thought I worked for a better company." Another tweet from a purported employee read, "Hey Jon, I work for Crown Equipment, a billion-dollar company with 19,000 plus employees. We were hit with a cyberattack and are currently not working. Now they tell us no pay! This after bragging about being an employee-first company, have to love corporate America." A Reddit thread was started to discuss the hack:https://www.reddit.com/r/LinusTechTips/comments/1denozy/crown_lift_trucks_experiencing_phishing_hack/ Lack of Official Communication and SpeculationCrown Equipment Corporation has yet to release an official statement regarding the nature of the incident or the extent of the impact. This lack of communication has fueled speculation and rumors within the cybersecurity community and among employees. Reports indicate that the company has advised employees not to clear data from their tablets and has implemented additional security measures, such as reducing the timeout function for multi-factor authentication (MFA) and restricting access to Office 365 applications like email, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive to company devices only. Handling of the Incident CriticizedThe way Crown Equipment Corporation has handled this incident has drawn criticism from cybersecurity experts and observers. The lack of transparency and clear communication has left customers and employees in the dark, leading to widespread speculation and concerns about the potential data breach and its implications. Read the full article

[wolfliving]

The "Digital Silk Road" and the Chinese IoT

*Sort of.

(...)

Precisely what activities fall under the umbrella of the DSR has not been officially disclosed, but all known projects work to integrate the hard and soft infrastructures underpinning next-generation IoT capabilities. Examples include 5G antenna and base stations, fiber optic cables, data centers, smart city initiatives, and e-commerce platforms. Across the board, Beijing has encouraged tech companies to deepen cooperation with recipient countries. Some of the flagship companies that have joined the project are state-owned enterprises such as China Telecom and Unicom, as well as ostensibly private operators like China Mobile, Huawei, ZTE, and Dahua. The common denominator among these actors is a commitment to consolidating China’s presence in emerging markets and developing economies. 

Over the past decade, Beijing has been able to build a parallel technological ecosystem that challenges Western-dominated norms. While this Initiative has the potential to enhance digital connectivity in developing economies, it also provides Beijing with a mechanism that can be used both to test its surveillance technology in third countries and to train these countries’ leaders on how to leverage the information that they collect. In a 2018 report, Freedom House cited a seminar on “Cyberspace Management for Officials from Countries Along the Belt and Road Initiative” that was repeated this year.  It saw foreign officials visit the offices of a Chinese company that uses a big data toolkit to track negative public sentiment in real time and promote positive opinions of the government.

This style of surveillance and public opinion “guidance” is consistent with some of the other projects DSR sponsors have exported to third countries. In Venezuela, for example, PRC tech giant ZTE has been closely working with authorities to develop a system that can monitor citizens and, most importantly, their voting preferences.

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[ledvideo]

Smart City LED Display Infrastructure: Lighting up the Future City

The deep integration of smart city and LED display

Smart cities are the hot spots for global urban development today. With the help of technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence, etc., urban management is moving towards a new stage of digitalization and intelligence. As a key infrastructure in the construction of smart cities, LED display screens are becoming the core carrier of data visualization with their high brightness, high-definition display and intelligent interaction functions. From street advertising to traffic induction to government management, LED displays are injecting new vitality into smart cities.

According to market data, the global LED display market size has reached 53.299 billion yuan in 2024, and is expected to exceed 85.271 billion yuan by 2030, with an annual compound growth rate of about 5.2%. As the leader in the global LED display market, China's market size reached 17.125 billion yuan in 2024, accounting for nearly one-third of the world's share. This is not only due to technological progress, but also closely related to the explosive growth of smart city construction. According to statistics, the size of China's smart city market has reached 25 trillion yuan in 2022, with more than 900 pilot cities, and LED displays have played an indispensable role in it. DOOH LED Display: The Core Power of Digital Advertising!

Application scenarios of LED display in smart cities

Data visualization: the "display center" of city operation

The core of smart cities lies in the collection, analysis and presentation of data. With its advantages of high-definition, seamless splicing and large-size, LED displays have become an ideal platform for urban operation situation awareness. For example, the urban comprehensive management platform can use a large LED screen to display data such as economic operation, traffic flow, and environmental monitoring in real time, helping managers intuitively grasp the city's "pulse". LED smart display terminals of brands such as Abison can even combine big data analysis to automatically generate event models to provide decision-making support for emergency management.

Smart transportation: "road sign" for information transmission

In the field of smart transportation, the application of LED display screens is particularly prominent. Taking SoStron's LED traffic induction screen as an example, it uses four-color patented technology, with clear pictures and rich colors, and can maintain high penetration even in haze or rainy weather. In addition, these screens also support remote monitoring and troubleshooting, greatly improving the efficiency of traffic management. From the expressway to the city intersection, the LED display screen protects citizens' travel through real-time road conditions and early warning functions. Introduce you outdoor transportation LED display: market, cases and advantages.

Smart government affairs: a "window" to improve management efficiency

In the field of government affairs, LED displays are not only information display tools, but also carry the important task of data integration and resource sharing. For example, the smart government comprehensive management platform uses large LED screens to centrally present data from multiple departments to support managers to make quick decisions. With the maturity of small-pitch technology, the display effect of LED display screens is more delicate and widely used in command centers, conference rooms and other scenarios.

Public Services and Advertising: The “Touchpoint” of Smart Life

LED display screens are also being used in public places such as communities, commercial streets, and scenic spots. They are not only used for advertising, but also display public service information, such as community notifications, weather forecasts, etc. The high brightness and weather resistance of outdoor LED displays make it an important medium for urban information dissemination, and the market investment continues to grow. There are price ranges for commercial LED displays here.

Technology Driver: Intelligent Upgrade of LED Display

In recent years, the LED display industry has made great progress in technology. Small-pitch technology makes the picture clearer and is suitable for high-end indoor applications; intelligent functions such as human-screen interaction, voice recognition, and AR/VR integration enable the LED display to be upgraded from a single display terminal to an intelligent interaction platform. For example, the LED rental screen launched by companies such as SoStron has been widely used in stage performances and commercial displays, bringing an immersive visual experience. Event Rental LED Screen: Make your event more exciting!

In addition, the popularity of 5G and the Internet of Things provides technical support for the networking of LED displays. Through cloud control, screen content can be updated in real time, realizing cross-region data sharing and collaborative management. This "interconnection" feature makes LED displays an important node in the smart city ecosystem.

Future Outlook: Unlimited Possibilities of Smart City LED Display

Looking ahead, LED displays will play a more important role in smart cities. With the in-depth integration of AI and big data technology, LED displays will further develop towards intelligence and scenario-based directions. For example, correction technology combined with machine learning algorithms can improve display effect and reduce energy consumption; customized solutions will better meet the needs of multiple scenarios such as transportation, government affairs, and commerce. There are commercial LED display price ranges here!

In addition, LED display companies need to break out of traditional thinking and embrace cross-border innovation. For example, the combination with smart security, VR/AR and other fields will inject new momentum into the industry. Smart cities are not only the stage of technology, but also an opportunity for LED display companies to show their "smartness".

Conclusion

As an important part of smart city infrastructure, LED displays are illuminating the future of urban management with their powerful data visualization and intelligent interaction capabilities. From transportation to government affairs, from advertising to public services, LED displays are everywhere and become the "eye" of urban digitalization. With the continuous breakthroughs in technology and the growth of market demand, the LED display industry will usher in a broader development space in the construction of smart cities, bringing a smarter and more convenient life experience to urban managers and residents.

Thank you for watching. I hope we can solve your problems. Sostron is a professional LED display manufacturer. We provide all kinds of displays, display leasing and display solutions around the world. If you want to know: IP65 waterproof LED panel: the first choice for outdoor display. Please click read.

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[mariacallous]

It’s been a week since President Donald Trump imposed massive tariffs on Chinese imports to the United States, but the policies haven’t forced Amazon shoppers in the US to dig deeper into their wallets just yet. Recent data from price tracking websites reviewed by WIRED show little in the way of dramatic price hikes across most product categories on the ecommerce platform.

On Wednesday, the average price of goods on Amazon was higher than the previous 90 days in just nine out of 27 high-level categories monitored by the price-tracking firm Keepa, which says it collects data about billions of different items. The categories showing higher average prices included automotive, arts and crafts, and musical instruments, though the increase in nearly every group was under 1 percent.

Prices were lower in 16 of the categories, including appliances and toys. Most of the drops amounted to less than 0.5 percent on average. Prices on Amazon fluctuate regularly for several reasons, including when sellers offer deals, and information collected by the tracking websites can help illuminate these many shifts.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on CNBC last week that he guessed Trump’s policies would raise costs for sellers on Amazon’s marketplace, which would eventually be passed on to customers in the form of higher prices. That may very well still happen in the near future if the tariffs rates on Chinese imports remain the same or increase for other countries.

But at least for now, ecommerce pricing experts say there are three leading reasons why Amazon sellers are keeping their prices steady: Many still have existing inventory in the US, are fearful about violating Amazon’s pricing rules, and remain inclined to wait out the mercurial president.

“Apart from a few isolated niche segments, we have not observed any significant price increases to date,” says Keepa CEO Julian Johann. “However, this situation may well evolve in the coming weeks and months.”

CamelCamelCamel, another service that provides pricing history for Amazon product listings, says it has also seen prices remain largely unchanged over the last week both for premier items, such as iPads, as well as household staples, including toothpaste and peanut butter.

The data fit with what Dani Nadel, president and chief operating officer of Feedvisor, says she is hearing from some of the thousands of businesses that use the company’s pricing software to manage their listings on Amazon and Walmart. “Many are taking a wait-and-see approach and don’t want to act rashly,” she says, noting that some stocked up on inventory earlier this year in anticipation of the trade war.

About 40 percent of the items consumers buy on Amazon are sold by the ecommerce giant itself. Independent merchants sell and price everything else—often with the help of software that can automatically adjust the prices consumers see. When multiple sellers offer the same item, those with the lowest price are more likely to be featured by Amazon and ultimately win the sale. Estimates suggest that over half of Amazon merchants are based in China, so a vast selection of goods on the platform may be vulnerable to Trump’s tariffs.

Fair Pricing Concerns

Amazon merchants that don’t have a stockpile of goods sitting in US warehouses are in a more difficult position to absorb the impacts of Trump’s tariffs. Importing a new batch of inventory from China is going to cost significantly more, but immediately passing on the expense to shoppers could trigger alarms at Amazon.

Nadel says Amazon’s “fair pricing” rules penalize merchants, including by potentially removing their listings, if they abruptly and dramatically hike up the price of their products. The exact thresholds that can lead to a listing being removed aren’t publicly disclosed, she says, so sellers often engage in “a tenuous dance” of gradual bumps. Experts say the policy has continued to be enforced in recent days. Will Amazon eventually relax enforcement in this volatile market? “I don’t think they know yet,” Nadel says.

Amazon declined to comment about the policy and how tariffs have generally affected prices.

So far, the small group of Feedvisor users that have begun accounting for the tariffs have been moving cautiously, according to Nadel. Feedvisor’s technology helps businesses dynamically adjust prices based on competing offers. But merchants can set a minimum to avoid matching outrageously low prices that would eat too far into their profit margins.

Some sellers in categories such as toys have raised their minimum prices by 5 to 10 percent this month to ensure they can recoup tariff-related costs, Nadel says. But higher minimums generally don’t affect shoppers unless prices were already about as low as sellers could bear.

Nadel says merchants also are continuing to insert “inflation-friendly” language in their product descriptions and advertising—think phrases like “affordable luxury” and “highest quality for the fairest price”—in an effort to resonate with ever price-conscious consumers.

Across the internet, some companies have reportedly enacted aggressive measures in response to Trump’s trade policies, such as adding a clearly labeled tariff surcharge at checkout. Chinese ecommerce giants Temu and Shein warned customers this week that they plan to start adjusting prices on April 25 and encouraged consumers to buy items now while better deals are still available.

In one Facebook group for Amazon sellers viewed by WIRED, merchants have been discussing strategies they can use to avoid tariffs or recoup the cost of them. Some also wrote that they have been surprised by unusual dips and spikes in sales during this period of volatility.

Fahim Sheikh, CEO and cofounder of pricing and advertising software company Trellis, says the tariffs are posing an existential risk to some of his Amazon seller clients, who are considering going out of business. “By the time they pay their suppliers, the money they are making is thin—10 percent to 15 percent for some of these guys,” he says. “Now, tack on these additional tariffs, there’s nothing really left for them.” Sheikh is bracing for not only higher prices on Amazon if the tariffs aren’t rolled back, but also less product selection.

Marty Mc Cay, vice president and manager at pricing tool developer Repricer, estimates that a quarter of its clients have made adjustments to their sales strategies this month. That includes raising minimum prices or halting the sale of products that no longer make financial sense. But the overall activity on Repricer’s platform has remained stable at 5 billion price adjustments per week, further suggesting that the tariffs to date haven’t triggered absolute chaos for consumers.