Data Science

Nielsen has been part of the answer to most of these questions for as long as anyone can remember. Yesterday, the Media Rating Council (MRC), a third-party industry watchdog, officially suspended its accreditation of Nielsen. Said differently, the MRC no longer trusts some of Nielsen's numbers. Can you? Continue Reading →

In partnership with Shopify, TikTok is adding in-app shopping. What does that have to do with tapping on Jennifer Aniston's sweater? Continue Reading →

Walmart and Walgreens are entering the mobile-first banking business in a big way. It's a solid strategic move, as an estimated 169 million Americans regularly use mobile devices for banking. Continue Reading →

With all the talk of reigning in big tech, we are hearing far too much about antitrust issues and far too little about data regulation. There may or may not be good reasons to break up big companies -- that's for others to decide -- but there is one very good reason we need to regulate data aggregation: people are being materially harmed by data abuse. Continue Reading →

Mike Novogratz has a good reason to believe that crypto is valuable. In March 2021, he revealed that cryptocurrencies made up nearly 85% ($4.8 billion) of his $5.65 billion net worth. But is crypto useful? Continue Reading →

I have often wondered which would be worse: a world where social media platforms are not held responsible for the content people post, or a world where they are. This "thought experiment" just became less hypothetical, as Twitter is testing three levels of warning labels for tweets its algorithm scores as potentially containing misinformation: "Get the latest," "Stay Informed," and "Misleading." Continue Reading →

If you have an Alexa-enabled device or any Amazon device that is Amazon Sidewalk-capable, you are automatically opted in to sharing up to 80Kbps (capped at 500MB per month) of your WiFi network with Amazon and your neighbors. After I tell you how to opt-out, I'll tell you what it is and why Amazon thinks it's a good idea. If you want to use the service and lend part of your WiFi network to Jeff Bezos, you don't need to do anything. You are opted-in unless you do the following. Continue Reading →

Facebook was quite vocal about its opposition to Apple's ATT (AppTracking Technology). The social media giant feared that its implementation in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 would significantly damage its Facebook Audience Network business. They were right. Very, very right. Continue Reading →

As she approached the entrance to the club, she gave the frame of her new prescription AR glasses a gentle squeeze. When she got to the door, it appeared to turn green, indicating recognition that she was over 21 years of age. Then, a message appeared along with a friendly voice asking for the 5 ADA cover charge. She shook her head yes. A moment later, the door opened, which indicated that the transaction had cleared. And so begins a story about life in a trustless, decentralized world − a tale from under the Merkle tree. Continue Reading →

iOS 14.5 featuring "App Tracking Transparency" is rolling out across the Apple universe and, wait… hear that? That's Facebook screaming in pain. Why? Because now, on iOS and iPadOS 14.5, whenever anyone (including Facebook) wants to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies, they will have to get your permission. Continue Reading →