Online Security: What’s Behind Google’s Secretive Ad-Blocking Policy?
Oct 18, 2016When Google decided in May to stop accepting online ads for short-term, ultra-high-cost personal loans known as payday loans, some people wondered whether the company was acting more like a publisher exercising editorial control than a supposedly neutral search engine.
Now that Google’s policy has gone into effect, it’s worth asking: To what extent should the company be a gatekeeper, judging which online ads are okay and which are not? And if the world’s largest Internet search engine is going to be selective about accepting ads, where does it draw the line?
The same questions could be applied to Microsoft and Yahoo, which refuse to carry ads for certain types of sensitive content (but still advertise payday loans). Baidu, the world’s second-largest search engine, has been grappling with these issues since earlier this year, when its practice of promoting medical listings without vetting them sparked outrage over a tragedy: a young man with cancer died after receiving an ineffective treatment from a hospital he found through a Baidu ad. The outcry prompted an investigation by China’s Internet regulator, which ordered Baidu to review its ads and remove any that promote unlicensed medical providers.
University of Maryland law professor Frank Pasquale says Google has tried to have it both ways: sometimes it portrays itself as a simple utility and a mere conduit of its customers’ ads, but other times it presents itself as a content provider that can and should exercise control over the ads it shows.
“Whenever Google is accused of abetting or enabling copyright infringement or defamation, it says, ‘We’re just [connecting people] like the phone company does, and you wouldn’t sue the phone company over this,’” says Pasquale. “But when people say, ‘If you’re a common carrier [utility], you should take all ads,’ Google will say, ‘No, we’re like a newspaper and we should have carte blanche over what we publish.’”
With payday loan ads, Google is characterizing itself as the watchful online guardian. The company has said it banned the ads to protect its users because “research has shown that these loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates.” (Google declined to comment for this story beyond saying that it constantly reviews its AdWords policies and updates them ”when necessary.”)
Google also seems to have been influenced by advocacy from a large coalition of civil rights, digital rights, and financial reform organizations. In late 2015, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and other groups sent Google reports detailing abuses that often accompany payday loans—among them fraud, unauthorized transactions, and long-term indebtedness. “We said, ‘This is a problem, and we want to talk to you about this,’” says Alvaro Bedoya, the executive director of Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy & Technology, who participated in the outreach campaign. “There were long conversations with Google and a lot of bringing this research to their attention over the course of a couple of months.”
An ongoing inquiry into payday lending by the U.S. government’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may have further heightened Google’s interest in predatory lending practices.
Consumers might not realize it, but Google—and other ad-supported search engines—have been making editorial decisions about the types of ads they will carry for years. These companies won the right to reject ads they consider objectionable in 2007, when a Delaware district court ruled that constitutional free-speech guarantees don’t apply to search engines since they are for-profit companies and not “state actors.” The decision cited earlier cases that upheld newspapers’ rights to decide which ads to run.
Google currently prohibits ads for “dangerous,” “dishonest,” and “offensive” content, such as recreational drugs, weapons, and tobacco products; fake documents and academic cheating services; and hate-group paraphernalia. Google also restricts ads for content it deems legally or culturally sensitive, such as adult-oriented, gambling-related, and political content; alcoholic beverages; and health care and medicine. It may require additional information from these advertisers and limit placement to certain geographical locations.
Legal experts aren’t uniformly comfortable with Google’s taking on this role. While the University of Maryland’s Pasquale supports Google’s decision to add online payday loans to its restricted list as a benefit to consumers, University of Connecticut law professor James Kwak thinks Google is overreaching. Given the company’s dominance—it is estimated to have a 55 percent share of the $86.2 billion global market for search ads—Kwak thinks Google is essentially exercising regulatory authority when it bans certain ads and should be subject to scrutiny on the grounds that it might be violating First Amendment protections on free speech.
“The question is, ‘When does something have so much control over the dissemination of ideas that it should be treated as part of the government?’” says Kwak. “This is a company with enormous power that’s using that power to affect other industries.”
Now that Google has agreed to ban a category of ads, partly on the basis of community advocacy, will people expect it to block other ads that cause public harm? And since Google has committed to policing its payday loan ads, shouldn’t it take responsibility for other potentially unethical ads that it runs?
Consider for-profit colleges and services for relief of student debt. Google has not instituted special regulations for such ads even though both entities are widely believed to capitalize on consumers’ confusion and hurt more people than they help.
Logan Koepke, an analyst at Upturn, a technology law and policy consultancy that published an influential 2015 report about online payday loans, thinks Google’s decision may set a precedent for consumer advocates to seek to shape companies’ ad policies.
Some people aren’t comfortable with Google as the final arbiter on these topics. Kwak, for one, would like to see greater transparency surrounding such decisions. He suggests that Google hire a group of economists or social scientists to identify deceptive products being advertised online, or perhaps work with the CFPB to determine the most exploitative financial products.
Pasquale also favors some form of public or government scrutiny to ensure that such decisions are being made in the public interest and not for commercial reasons favoring Google. That’s relevant to the payday loan issue since some people have speculated that the ban will benefit LendUp, an online lender that describes itself as a “payday loan alternative” and is funded by Google Ventures, the investment division of Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
LendUp has pointed out, though, that its ads will be subject to Google’s ad ban, just like those of other lenders.
Bedoya understands why Google’s clout and reach make people uneasy, but he says, “The reality is, these companies had tremendous power before this decision and will have tremendous power after it. The key is to encourage them to use their position in a way that’s not harmful.”
Software Vendor Consolidation by Axia Consultants
Jul 13, 2016 What to do if another vendor acquires your software vendor Company acquisitions, takeovers, consolidations and failures happen in every business sector, including the business software sector. And, with the present economic climate, combined with a shift to cloud based technology – this may well happen more frequently in future, especially for those vendors with dated technology. So what do you, as the customer of a software vendor, do about it? How can you minimise the potential disruption to your organisation, or indeed even take advantage of it? Safeguards you can put in place now: 1. Obtain software Escrow with a third party, such that should the software vendor go bust, you will have access to the source code. This is always assuming your organisation has the technical resources to manage and program the code. 2. Get to know other software customers. Join the software user-group, attend networking events and build up contacts with other customers. There is safety in numbers and should there ever be problems, you can act jointly – always more effective than on your own! 3. Prepare a ‘strategic plan’ of what to do in case such an event occurs. You may never need to refer to it, but it is better to prepare it when you are cool and collected, rather than in crisis mode! Ideally, you should have a strategic plan and back up for all services that your organisation buys in - to be prepared for any unforeseen events. 4. If you have yet to purchase new or replacement software, you could ask potential vendors whether they are likely to be taken over or merge with another vendor. But, they may not know and even if they did, may not tell. Business consolidations and takeovers can happen quickly. However, they may be able to give you some reassurance or information of how they intend to look after their customers and any likely process, should it happen. What to do at the time, if your software vendor is taken over: 1. Keep up-to-date with the situation. It may be a confusing and uncertain time, with things changing quickly. Get as much information as possible out of your existing software vendor and the acquiring organisation. Consider formal and informal means. Liaise with other customers. Look out for any communication (emails, letters, press releases etc) from the new organisation. 2. Investigate the acquiring vendor. What is their reputation and track record regarding previously acquired vendors and software? Have they forced customers to ‘migrate’ to their software, or have they invested in the acquired vendor? How have other customers faired when they took over their vendors? What is the acquiring vendor’s strategy this time? How will product support be affected? Are there any signs that the software you use will be discontinued in the future? 3. If you have purchased your software through a reseller and your reseller is acquired, the situation is slightly different. Whilst it may take some effort, you could potentially switch to another reseller for your product support. 4. Review the status of your software system. Does it run more or less OK, on a day-to-day basis? Are you up-to-date with software upgrades? Or do you need any urgent bug fixes? And if so, can you still get them (possibly even from other software customers)? 5. Review your use of the software. Does it fulfil a critical function or more of a minor role? How well does it do the job you need it to do? Or have you outgrown the software? Or been unhappy with it or the support? 6. Review the software itself. Technologically, how up-to-date is it? Has there been a continuing stream of new enhancements / upgrades, or has it become stale and dated? 7. Review your contract and service level agreement with your existing software vendor. Are there any helpful clauses or escalation procedures you can use? How might your contract or SLA be affected by the new ownership? 8. Review your existing vendor. Have their revenues and staff numbers been growing or shrinking? Have they had major reorganisations recently? Have they been gaining or losing customers? Since the takeover announcement, are staff being retained or are they leaving? Pull answers to the above together and you will get a reasonable picture of what is happening. You may need to act swiftly, or it may simply be a case of ‘watch and wait’. Things may improve if you have been unhappy with your present software, vendor support etc. Alternatively, this event may be the ‘catalyst’ you need to replace your software! If it is, look at our selection information and templates to assist requirements gathering / RFP preparation. Either way, if you have considered the points above and have a ‘strategic plan’ – you will be in a much stronger position to minimise disruption and possibly to take advantage of it, should such an event occur.Bacall Investment Tips: What Is Missing From 2016 Investment Advice?
Apr 28, 2016 Lots of advice, but it is focused on lackluster/tepid expectations. It seems 2015’s negative surprises and poor performance set the tone for 2016’s outlooks. Even articles that include “bull market” in their titles restate what went wrong and end up asking the question of whether stocks can rise again. The only certainties offered are that the U.S. stock market will be volatile and that it will not generate a double-digit return in 2016. A good example is the AP article, “Expect less and buy antacid: 2016 investment forecasts.”Investing is becoming more of a grind. Expect it to stay that way.
Analysts, mutual-fund managers and other forecasters are telling investors to expect lower returns from stocks and bonds in 2016 than in past years. They’re also predicting more severe swings in prices. Remember that 10 percent drop for stocks that freaked investors out in August? It likely won’t take another four years for the next one.
That brings us to what is missing from most advice: Optimism and “cool” stocks. When attitudes and advice center in one area, taking a contrarian stance by focusing on overlooked or dismissed areas can often reward investors with lower risk and/or higher returns.
Disclosure: Author is fully invested in U.S. stocks and actively managed U.S. stock funds. Holdings include the five stocks mentioned below.
Contrarian investing using optimism
Contrarian investing is often linked to troubled, deeply discounted stocks. However, “contrarian” simply means going against a popular trend. Thus, selling a popular investment or buying stocks that others are ignoring are also examples of contrarian investing.
So, what is so special about adopting an optimistic attitude? Because it means having confidence in the future, and that shifts the investing strategy to future growth. Are the uncertainties and reversals revealed last year still at work? Of course. However, everybody knows about them, so today’s stock prices fully reflect that information. What is not yet included in the pricing is the expectation that today’s problems will be corrected by tomorrow’s actions. Instead, the 2016 advice says or implies that, because the solutions are not currently visible, we should not count on them occurring. This “wait until the dust settles” procrastination is the surest way of missing out on the largest, safest returns from stock investing. When the good news is obvious, prices are already up.
Six Holiday Booking Scams to Avoid - Bacall Associates
Apr 26, 2016 Don't get ripped off by fake airline tickets, timeshare schemes or travel scams with our guide to six cons that target people booking holidays.
The first few months of the year are some of the busiest times for holiday bookings, as those fed up with the cold, wet weather think about escaping to sunnier climes.
But if you are about to book a holiday, you need to be on your guard, as fraudsters are ready to pounce on those distracted by the excitement of organizing a trip to a dream destination.
Here we look at six of the common scams, the warning signs, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
1. Dodgy accommodation websites
When booking a holiday, you need to keep your wits about your to avoid getting duped by a fake travel website.
A common crime sees fraudsters hacking into the accounts of well-known accommodation sites, or redirecting people to bogus imitations.
If you do book through one of these so-called “clone” websites, you could end up handing over money for a villa or apartment that simply doesn’t exist.
Always check the authenticity of travel providers before booking a holiday and a do a thorough online search to check the firm’s credentials.
If the company has been defrauding people – or has a bad reputation – it’s likely that consumers will have posted warnings about it.
Also look to see if the holiday provider is a member of a recognized trade body, such as Abta or Atol.
But watch out for “fuzzy” logos for trade associations – as well as for credit card companies – as this could be a warning sign that the site is not genuine. Be sure to do your research before parting with any cash.
2. Fake airline tickets
You need to check – and check again – that the plane tickets you are buying are genuine. If not, you could end up parting with cash for a fake ticket, or a ticket that never arrives. Flights to West Africa are particularly prone.
If the flight prices you are looking at are considerably cheaper than competitors, proceed with caution, as this could be a scam.
You should also be wary if you are offered a discount for paying the whole bill upfront. Most legitimate bookings will require you to pay a deposit, and then the remaining balance a month or so before the trip.
The key is to go with your gut instinct: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Do all you can to ensure you are buying from a trusted and reputable source. Also bear in mind that buying direct from an airline will often work out cheaper.
3. Watch out for fraudsters targeting big sporting events and caravan stays
It’s also worth noting that big sporting events are often targeted by conmen, with sports fans ending up out of pocket on hotels and tickets for events such as the recent World cup in Brazil.
In addition, criminals will often target caravan stays, and will post fake promotions for accommodation on Facebook, as well as advertising websites, Craigslist and Gumtree.
4. Take care before posting holiday details on Facebook
Think carefully before posting any information about your forthcoming trip on a social-networking site, such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, as you could end up essentially advertising the fact you are going to be away.
Fraudsters will trawl sites such as these in search of details about people’s holiday plans, and could then target your empty property while you are away, safe in the knowledge that you are not at home.
If you do want to share details of your travels, be selective about the information you post, and avoid discussing holiday plans on sites which are accessible to the public.
5. Watch out for copycat websites
If you need to apply for a new passport for your holiday, take care not to get caught out by a copycat website. These sites offer access to online Government services, but often charge a premium for a public service which is either free – or much cheaper – when accessed via the official site.
To avoid getting duped, go directly to the Gov.uk site.
Also exercise caution when applying for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – the card which entitles you to state-provided healthcare either at a reduced cost, or for free.
A host of unofficial sites will offer to help you through the application process – often for a fee of up to £25.
But there is no need to part with any cash, as you can apply for a card for free at Nhs.uk.
6. Fraudulent resort presentations
Once you’re on holiday, keep your wits about you if you get invited to a so-called “holiday club” presentation in the resort in which you’re staying.
You may be persuaded into attending by the lure of a “free” holiday.
But if you’re not careful, you could get duped into buying a timeshare – and if you pay by bank transfer or cash, there is often no means of getting your money back.
Reporting fraud
If you do suffer the misfortune of falling victim to fraud, you should register your concerns at Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.