Monthly Archives: May 2021

Google CEO: The digital divide is ‘easier to bridge than most people think’ – Yahoo Finance

Posted: May 24, 2021 at 7:57 pm

TipRanks

Markets are beset by volatility, with unpredictable swings making recent sessions something of a roller coaster. The main indexes were falling sharply at the end of last week, but Fridays release of economic data showing strong manufacturing activity provided a boost that pared back the market losses somewhat. The recent earnings season also gave reason for optimism the S&P listed companies, collectively, reported 46% year-over-year earnings gains in Q1, compared to the 20% expected. Goldman Sachs strategist David Kostin sees the generally positive macro data providing support for equities in an uncertain market environment. The combination of global reopening, elevated consumer savings, and strong corporate operating leverage will drive sharp recoveries in both economic and earnings growth... U.S. equities will continue to appreciate, albeit at a slower pace than has characterized the past 12 months equities will remain attractive relative to cash and bonds, Kostin noted. Taking this into consideration, our attention turned to three stocks that Goldman Sachs thinks have outsized growth prospects, with the firms analysts forecasting over 100% upside potential for each. Using TipRanks database, we found out that the rest of the Street is also on board, as each boasts a Strong Buy consensus rating. Rain Therapeutics (RAIN) Well start with a newly public biopharmaceutical company Rain Therapeutics. The company is developing a tumor-agnostic treatment strategy that selects patients based on the underlying genetics rather than the histology of the disease. Rain has two drug candidates in the pipeline, RAIN-32, which is undergoing several clinical trials, and RAD52, which is still in preclinical trial. Taking a closer look at the pipeline, we find that RAIN-32, an MDM2 inhibitor called milademetan, has a Phase 3 trial for WD/DD liposarcoma scheduled to begin in the second half of this year. At the same time, a Phase 2 trial, an MDM2 basket study, is also scheduled for 2H21. Beyond the WD/DD Phase 3 and the Phase 2 Basket study, the company is also looking to initiate another Phase 2 study in intimal sarcoma by early 2022. RAD52, the companys second pipeline candidate, is a novel approach to the treatment of breast, prostate, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The drug is still in early research phases, but lead candidate selection for clinical studies is set to begin sometime next year. As mentioned above, Rain is a newly public company; it held its IPO in April of this year. The company put 7,352,941 shares on the American public markets, at $17 each. The IPO raised about $125 million in gross proceeds. Opening coverage of this stock for Goldman Sachs, analyst Graig Suvannavejh writes: While were optimistic on RAIN-32s prospects in LPS, the revenue opportunity appears modest, as we project peak risk-unadj./adj. sales of $612mn/$428mn (assumes 70% POS), given just c.3K in US annual incidence. That said, our enthusiasm for RAIN also rests on RAIN-32s potential beyond LPS, including in intimal sarcoma (an ultra orphan cancer), and also MDM2-amplified solid tumors, which we see as a substantial market opportunity. Across these three, we project $2.2bn/$859mn in peak yr risk unadj./adj. sales in the US/EU5, with other future indications for RAIN-32 (trials to start in 2022) and also a preclinical RAD52 program (a synthetic lethality play) representing upside potential to our forecasts. In line with his bullish stance, Suvannavejh rates RAIN a Buy, and his $56 price target implies room for a stunning 252% upside potential in the next 12 months. (To watch Suvannavejhs track record, click here) Turning now to the rest of the Street, other analysts echo Suvannavejh's sentiment. As only Buy recommendations have been published in the last three months, RAIN earns a Strong Buy analyst consensus. With the average price target clocking in at $33.75, shares could soar 112% from current levels. (See RAIN stock analysis on TipRanks) Relmada Therapeutics (RLMD) The next stock on Goldman Sachs's radar, Relmada Therapeutics, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical firm, which focuses on issues of the central nervous system. REL-1017, the companys prime pipeline candidate, is a novel NMDA receptor channel blocker under development as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Mental health is a major segment of the pharmaceutical industry, and the antidepressant piece of the mental health pie is expected to exceed $18.5 billion by 2027. Relmada started RELIANCE I, the first pivotal trial of REL-1017, in December of last year, testing the drug as an adjunctive treatment for major depression. By this past April, two additional studies, RELIANCE II and RELIANCE-OPS were underway. All three are now ongoing, and a fourth, Phase 1, study of REL-1017 as a monotherapy is set to begin in the first half of this year. Top-line data from the two pivotal studies is scheduled for release in 1H22. Goldman Sachs analyst Andrea Tan covers this stock, and she gives it a Buy rating along with a $78 price target that implies a 103% upside over the next 12 months. (To watch Tans track record, click here) We note a string of key events in 2021+ that could drive value inflection: (1) human abuse potential (HAP) study against positive control oxycodone in 2Q21 and ketamine in 2H21, where we see the market as pricing in too much risk of a negative outcome (see scenario analysis within); (2) topline data for monotherapy REL-1017 in 4Q21; and (3) topline pivotal data in adjunctive MDD (GSe peak sales of $2.5bn in 2033) in 1H22 with NDA submission to follow thereafter, all of which we are constructive on given the differentiated profile demonstrating rapid onset of action, enhanced efficacy, and good tolerability to-date, Tan opined. What does the rest of the Street have to say? 3 Buys and no Holds or Sells add up to a Strong Buy consensus rating. Given the $67.67 average price target, shares could climb 76% in the year ahead. (See RLMD stock analysis at TipRanks) Agiliti (AGTI) Well close out our look at high-potential Goldman picks with Agiliti. The company is a provider of medical equipment, offering hospitals and health systems a range of bariatrics, beds, therapy mattresses, fall prevention devices, ventilators, breast pumps, patient monitors, medical-grade adjustable chairs, and surgical equipment along with the technical support, clinical engineering, and on-site management to properly use, maintain, and adjust the myriad devices. By the numbers, Agiliti boasts over 90 service centers across the lower 48 states, supporting more than 800,000 pieces of medical equipment in over 7,000 acute care hospitals and alternate medical sites. On April 23 of this year, Agility debuted its stock on the NYSE in an IPO that was initially priced at $14. The company put over 26.3 million shares on the market, and raised approximately $431.5 million in gross proceeds in the first day of the IPO. Last week, Agiliti released its first quarterly financial report as a public company. The top line revenue, at $235 million, was 31% higher than the year-ago Q1. Net income was $9.6 million, up a strong $22.2 million from last years Q1 net loss, and EPS was 9 cents per share. Looking at the companys forward path, Goldman Sachs analyst Amit Hazan noted, While not reflected in the 1Q close balance sheet, management provided visibility to post-IPO leverage of approximately 3.3x on a pro-forma basis. While somewhat constrained from a managerial standpoint given demands from Northfield, management expects both the financial and managerial flexibility to pursue opportunistic M&A by later this year. Hazan summed up, "We view AGTIs end-to-end service model as differentiated and ideally suited in todays Hospital operating environment; we see current valuation as an attractive entry point... To this end, Hazan gives AGTI shares a Buy rating, and his $43 price target implies a 151% upside for the coming year. (To watch Hazans track record, click here) In its first few weeks on the public markets, AGTI shares have picked up 9 reviews, which include 8 Buys and just 1 Hold. The stock is selling for $17.12 and the $21.39 average price target suggests it has room for ~25% one-year upside potential. (See AGTI stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Google CEO: The digital divide is 'easier to bridge than most people think' - Yahoo Finance

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RISE Education Cayman’s (NASDAQ:REDU) Stock Price Has Reduced 77% In The Past Three Years – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 7:57 pm

TipRanks

Markets are beset by volatility, with unpredictable swings making recent sessions something of a roller coaster. The main indexes were falling sharply at the end of last week, but Fridays release of economic data showing strong manufacturing activity provided a boost that pared back the market losses somewhat. The recent earnings season also gave reason for optimism the S&P listed companies, collectively, reported 46% year-over-year earnings gains in Q1, compared to the 20% expected. Goldman Sachs strategist David Kostin sees the generally positive macro data providing support for equities in an uncertain market environment. The combination of global reopening, elevated consumer savings, and strong corporate operating leverage will drive sharp recoveries in both economic and earnings growth... U.S. equities will continue to appreciate, albeit at a slower pace than has characterized the past 12 months equities will remain attractive relative to cash and bonds, Kostin noted. Taking this into consideration, our attention turned to three stocks that Goldman Sachs thinks have outsized growth prospects, with the firms analysts forecasting over 100% upside potential for each. Using TipRanks database, we found out that the rest of the Street is also on board, as each boasts a Strong Buy consensus rating. Rain Therapeutics (RAIN) Well start with a newly public biopharmaceutical company Rain Therapeutics. The company is developing a tumor-agnostic treatment strategy that selects patients based on the underlying genetics rather than the histology of the disease. Rain has two drug candidates in the pipeline, RAIN-32, which is undergoing several clinical trials, and RAD52, which is still in preclinical trial. Taking a closer look at the pipeline, we find that RAIN-32, an MDM2 inhibitor called milademetan, has a Phase 3 trial for WD/DD liposarcoma scheduled to begin in the second half of this year. At the same time, a Phase 2 trial, an MDM2 basket study, is also scheduled for 2H21. Beyond the WD/DD Phase 3 and the Phase 2 Basket study, the company is also looking to initiate another Phase 2 study in intimal sarcoma by early 2022. RAD52, the companys second pipeline candidate, is a novel approach to the treatment of breast, prostate, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The drug is still in early research phases, but lead candidate selection for clinical studies is set to begin sometime next year. As mentioned above, Rain is a newly public company; it held its IPO in April of this year. The company put 7,352,941 shares on the American public markets, at $17 each. The IPO raised about $125 million in gross proceeds. Opening coverage of this stock for Goldman Sachs, analyst Graig Suvannavejh writes: While were optimistic on RAIN-32s prospects in LPS, the revenue opportunity appears modest, as we project peak risk-unadj./adj. sales of $612mn/$428mn (assumes 70% POS), given just c.3K in US annual incidence. That said, our enthusiasm for RAIN also rests on RAIN-32s potential beyond LPS, including in intimal sarcoma (an ultra orphan cancer), and also MDM2-amplified solid tumors, which we see as a substantial market opportunity. Across these three, we project $2.2bn/$859mn in peak yr risk unadj./adj. sales in the US/EU5, with other future indications for RAIN-32 (trials to start in 2022) and also a preclinical RAD52 program (a synthetic lethality play) representing upside potential to our forecasts. In line with his bullish stance, Suvannavejh rates RAIN a Buy, and his $56 price target implies room for a stunning 252% upside potential in the next 12 months. (To watch Suvannavejhs track record, click here) Turning now to the rest of the Street, other analysts echo Suvannavejh's sentiment. As only Buy recommendations have been published in the last three months, RAIN earns a Strong Buy analyst consensus. With the average price target clocking in at $33.75, shares could soar 112% from current levels. (See RAIN stock analysis on TipRanks) Relmada Therapeutics (RLMD) The next stock on Goldman Sachs's radar, Relmada Therapeutics, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical firm, which focuses on issues of the central nervous system. REL-1017, the companys prime pipeline candidate, is a novel NMDA receptor channel blocker under development as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Mental health is a major segment of the pharmaceutical industry, and the antidepressant piece of the mental health pie is expected to exceed $18.5 billion by 2027. Relmada started RELIANCE I, the first pivotal trial of REL-1017, in December of last year, testing the drug as an adjunctive treatment for major depression. By this past April, two additional studies, RELIANCE II and RELIANCE-OPS were underway. All three are now ongoing, and a fourth, Phase 1, study of REL-1017 as a monotherapy is set to begin in the first half of this year. Top-line data from the two pivotal studies is scheduled for release in 1H22. Goldman Sachs analyst Andrea Tan covers this stock, and she gives it a Buy rating along with a $78 price target that implies a 103% upside over the next 12 months. (To watch Tans track record, click here) We note a string of key events in 2021+ that could drive value inflection: (1) human abuse potential (HAP) study against positive control oxycodone in 2Q21 and ketamine in 2H21, where we see the market as pricing in too much risk of a negative outcome (see scenario analysis within); (2) topline data for monotherapy REL-1017 in 4Q21; and (3) topline pivotal data in adjunctive MDD (GSe peak sales of $2.5bn in 2033) in 1H22 with NDA submission to follow thereafter, all of which we are constructive on given the differentiated profile demonstrating rapid onset of action, enhanced efficacy, and good tolerability to-date, Tan opined. What does the rest of the Street have to say? 3 Buys and no Holds or Sells add up to a Strong Buy consensus rating. Given the $67.67 average price target, shares could climb 76% in the year ahead. (See RLMD stock analysis at TipRanks) Agiliti (AGTI) Well close out our look at high-potential Goldman picks with Agiliti. The company is a provider of medical equipment, offering hospitals and health systems a range of bariatrics, beds, therapy mattresses, fall prevention devices, ventilators, breast pumps, patient monitors, medical-grade adjustable chairs, and surgical equipment along with the technical support, clinical engineering, and on-site management to properly use, maintain, and adjust the myriad devices. By the numbers, Agiliti boasts over 90 service centers across the lower 48 states, supporting more than 800,000 pieces of medical equipment in over 7,000 acute care hospitals and alternate medical sites. On April 23 of this year, Agility debuted its stock on the NYSE in an IPO that was initially priced at $14. The company put over 26.3 million shares on the market, and raised approximately $431.5 million in gross proceeds in the first day of the IPO. Last week, Agiliti released its first quarterly financial report as a public company. The top line revenue, at $235 million, was 31% higher than the year-ago Q1. Net income was $9.6 million, up a strong $22.2 million from last years Q1 net loss, and EPS was 9 cents per share. Looking at the companys forward path, Goldman Sachs analyst Amit Hazan noted, While not reflected in the 1Q close balance sheet, management provided visibility to post-IPO leverage of approximately 3.3x on a pro-forma basis. While somewhat constrained from a managerial standpoint given demands from Northfield, management expects both the financial and managerial flexibility to pursue opportunistic M&A by later this year. Hazan summed up, "We view AGTIs end-to-end service model as differentiated and ideally suited in todays Hospital operating environment; we see current valuation as an attractive entry point... To this end, Hazan gives AGTI shares a Buy rating, and his $43 price target implies a 151% upside for the coming year. (To watch Hazans track record, click here) In its first few weeks on the public markets, AGTI shares have picked up 9 reviews, which include 8 Buys and just 1 Hold. The stock is selling for $17.12 and the $21.39 average price target suggests it has room for ~25% one-year upside potential. (See AGTI stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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RISE Education Cayman's (NASDAQ:REDU) Stock Price Has Reduced 77% In The Past Three Years - Yahoo Finance

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NBA announces formation of NBA Africa as the sport expands on the continent – Yahoo Sports

Posted: at 7:57 pm

The NBA on Monday announced the creation of NBA Africa, where it will hold standalone business operations and has lured many NBA figures as investors in the venture.

The NBA has business relationships in other continents, so extending it to Africa where its relationship began in 1993 with a trip to the continent spearheaded by late commissioner David Stern seems like a logical move.

Some of its notable NBA investors include Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo, Junior Bridgeman, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, in an early morning news conference, estimated the enterprise value for NBA Africa is worth nearly $1 billion.

Africa is a growing market globally, and the NBAs relationship has grown in recent years, illustrated by the new 12-team Basketball Africa League. Victor Williams, NBA Africa CEO, believes basketball will become a main footprint in Africa within the next 10 years.

In order to reach that milestone, we've developed a comprehensive growth plan that will greatly accelerate the development of Africa's basketball ecosystem, deepen our fan engagement efforts, advanced social responsibility, and drive economic growth, Williams said.

The future of Africa is bright. And we will continue to use the game to shine a spotlight on Africa's capacity to be a global leader.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, in an early morning news conference, estimated the enterprise value for NBA Africa is worth nearly $1 billion. (Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Silver and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will serve, among others, on the NBA Africa board of directors.

African investors include Nigerian Babatunde "Tunde" Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation, led by Nigerian Tope Lawani, co-CEO of HFP and co-founder and managing partner of Helios Investment Partners.

The groups wide range of experiences in the business world should help NBA Africas growth as it aims to establish content, gain media rights and build corporate sponsorships very similar to the NBAs relationship with China.

Lawani recalls watching the 1994 NBA Finals on his small television when Nigerian-born Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to the first of two straight championships.

Story continues

I was proud to be Nigerian, proud to be African, Lawani said.

Silver pointed out the 55 NBA players who are from Africa or have one or both parents who are African. One player who was on that trip with commissioner Stern in 1993 was Mutombo, a native of Congo.

Mutombo has been very invested in hospitals in Congo, and met former South African president Nelson Mandela on that trip.

Africa is one of the youngest population in the world. And Africa youth have just need the opportunity and the support to achieve great things, Mutombo said. The new NBA Africa is that transformative next step, to do just that: giving more African youth the same opportunity that I had many years ago.

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The surprising age group that will save Australia from Covid-19 – Yahoo News Australia

Posted: at 7:57 pm

One of the nation's leading epidemiologists has called on the government to do more to convince young Australians to take the Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.

UNSW Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, who is a World Health Organisation advisor, said it was vital more was done to convince people aged between 20 and 30 to come forward for the vaccine amid waning public support for inoculation after the emergence of rare blood clotting complications with the AstraZeneca jab.

"We should be talking about how do we get the 20 and 30-year-olds vaccinated because they represent up to 40 per cent of all cases last year," she told ABC Breakfast on Monday.

She said the age group needs to be motivated to take the jab, and should be told "they are heroes" by doing so.

"They are going to save us and that is true," Prof McLaws said.

She said it was vital fear surrounding the vaccine was dispelled and mixed-messaging around their safety needed to stop.

"Every vaccine does have some risk, but it is so small compared to the risk for the 20-39 -year-olds acquiring COVID-19 and spreading it," Prof McLaws said.

Mary-Louise McLaws says young Australian adults will play a key role in how successful the vaccine rollout is. Source: Getty

"So we need to tell them that we are forever grateful for what they going to do for the country."

Experts have continuously warned Australia will only be able to open its borders once herd immunity is achieved.

According to a recent paper published by UNSW epidemiologist Professor Raina MacIntyre, 75 per cent of a population would need to be vaccinated for a vaccine with 80 per cent efficacy to achieve herd immunity.

An entire population would need to be vaccinated if efficacy is as low as 60 per cent.

Recent research has indicated the AstraZeneca is less effective than the Pfizer and Moderna jabs.

Story continues

Recent Public Health England research found the Pfizer jab was 88 per cent effective at stopping symptomatic disease from the now dominant Indian strain in the UK, while the AstraZeneca was much lower at 60 per cent.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends the Pfizer jab over AstraZeneca jab for adults aged under 50 years due to the rare blood clotting side-effects.

Yet Australia's vaccine rollout has been plagued by complications and has fallen significantly behind schedule.

About 3.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have so far been administered, through a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs well behind the targets previously set.

However the government is now promising two million doses of Pfizer will arrive in Australia each week from the start of October.

The Department of Health had previously promised all adults will have been offered a jab by the same month.

The latest pledge could see every Australian who wants protection from COVID-19 could be fully immunised by the end of this year.

Physician Dr Norman Swan, the face of the ABC's coronavirus coverage, said the government was "dreaming". He predicted it will be well into 2022 when all adults will have been offered a vaccine.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the significantly increased doses was the government's hope but stopped short of making a firm commitment.

"There have been many uncertainties in the vaccine rollout to date and we need to continue to be honest about the fact we can't control every aspect of global supply," he said.

"We can't control whether there are unexpected impacts in relation to health or other factors or advice that impact the vaccine rollout."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com

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Data privacy bill would force everyone to follow Apples tracking transparency lead – 9to5Mac

Posted: May 22, 2021 at 10:20 am

A bipartisan data privacy bill would force all tech giants to follow Apples example in allowing users to opt out of tracking by apps and websites.

Apple recently switched on App Tracking Transparency, which lets users decide whether or not they want to be tracked by apps in order to deliver personalized ads

App Tracking Transparency requires apps to ask permission before using any method of tracking users. Apple enabled the long-promised feature in iOS 14.5, complete with a video to promote the feature to users. Following heated exchanges with Facebook on the issue, the video is pretty aggressive in advising iPhone owners to decline permission.

Our reader poll showed that the majority of readers are blocking tracking for all apps, while a minority are allowing it for favorite/trusted apps in order to boost ad revenue for those developers. Almost nobody is allowing it for all apps and thats the same for all Americans.

Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal back in 2019, Sen. Amy Klobuchar put forward a bill that would require Google, Facebook, and all other tech giants to offer the same choice that Apple users now get. The bill failed due to lack of support from Republicans, but The Verge reports that she is now trying again, and has bipartisan support.

Klobuchar (D-MN) has teamed up with a bipartisan group of senators, including Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Richard Burr (R-NC), to reintroduce the Social Media Privacy Protection and Consumer Rights Act. The privacy legislation would force websites to grant users greater control over their data and allow them to opt out of data tracking and collection.

For too long companies have profited off of Americans online data while consumers have been left in the dark, Klobuchar said in a statement toThe Verge. This legislation will protect and empower consumers by allowing them to make choices about how companies use their data and inform them of how they can protect personal information.

If passed, tech companies would also be required to use plain language for their terms, and would get 72 hours to notify users of any data breach.

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Despite the Tech Giant Tug of War, Keep an Eye on These Five Trends – Editor And Publisher Magazine

Posted: at 10:20 am

Neha Gupta

To say that the relationship between publishers and technology giants has intensified in the last few days, weeks or months is putting it lightly.

Regardless of the way forward, the trends, developments and products pouring out of Silicon Valley should have publishers undivided attention, says Edward Roussel, Innovation Officer at Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal.

The five largest technology companies in the U.S.Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Amazoncurrently hold a combined market value of $7.5 trillion. So, how do publishers ignore that product development might, questioned Roussel, who was speaking at WAN-IFRAs virtual Digital Media India Conference 2021.

These companies are experimenting and rolling out new products right in the sweet spot of the news business. And depending on who you ask, they are in support of the industry or (unfairly) to the demise of it (hence the ongoing debate). Either way, some of these developments are moving the needle toward audience engagement, community and more.

So, just in case you missed it, here is a recap: Australia passed the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, that could push Facebook and Google to pay publishers, if they host their content. This code encourages tech giants and media companies to bargain payment deals, obligating Facebook and Google to invest tens of millions of dollars in local digital content.

The tech companies are changing news consumption. Five critical trends:

Brevity: As news consumption on mobile grows exponentially, each visit is for a relatively short period of time. According to Pew research, consumers now spend an average of 2.5 minutes per visit, a 10 percent decline since 2015.

How must publishers, then, create a wholesome news experience in less than 3 minutes, while serving bite-sized content?

Roussel presents data where Snapchat, on an average, estimates that they get a mere 2 seconds to grab a users attention with headlines and images, and another 80 seconds for consumers browsing the Discover tab. Likewise, according to Facebook, an average reader spends just 1 minute on a story.

We have learned, over the last 25 years, that the internet relentlessly drives productivity, said Roussel. There is an incredible amount of pressure to condense the amount of time we spend doing actions. Social media has invested greatly in adding heuristics or mental shortcuts such as arrows, hashtags and buttons to grab user attention.

Interestingly, time spent is one of the best metrics publishers use today to track loyalty, particularly among subscribers. So how do you create engaging, short content also to attract younger audiences who will pay?

Community is one way: The value of content is shifting from content to the interaction with content, with people increasingly paying for interaction with news. Companies such as Clubhouse (attracting powerful people such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg), OnlyFans (generating $2 billion a year in revenue), Patreon ($1 billion), Cameo ($100 million) and Substack ($25 million) exploded during the pandemic.

What do these services have in common and what are they telling us about the evolution of community? Roussel points out three things:

Exponential growth in audio: Publishers have begun to face the challenge of keeping consumers engaged without the written word, and peoples seemingly insatiability with audio/podcasts has caused a ripple effect on the content side.

With intense competition between Amazon, Apple and Spotify to capture the audio space and recruit top podcasters, here are a few stats:

Visual: In the era of Instagram, media has become increasingly visual. Roussel points out three categories.

Perhaps the least noticed onean explosion in data-driven graphics. For instance, six of the top read 20 New York Times stories in 2020 were data graphics driven.

Video shot on mobile phones: Mobile cameras are revolutionizing storytelling. The stories of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper were all at the heart of the Black Lives Matter protests that began with mobile video footage YouTube has more viewers under the age of 50 in America than all TV channels combined. That, in turn, is forming a secondary market for a new generation of mobile video media such as Brut and HouseOfHighlights.

Upgraded photo galleries: More than 1.5 billion photos are uploaded daily to Google, Facebook and Instagram.

Personalization: Hyperlocal journalism is making a comeback from applications that have embraced geolocation software, with Artificial Intelligence improving the quality of personalized content. The U.S. is seeing an explosion in hyperlocal news apps, with Citizen, Nextdoor and News Break ranking among the top 10 most used news apps, including social media.

Neha Gupta is a multimedia journalist, who writes about digital news trends, with a keen interest in revenue streams, media transformation, women in news, and technology-aided innovation for the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

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Tim Cook defends App Store rules during antitrust trial | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: at 10:20 am

Apple CEO Tim Cook defended the company's App Store rules during testimony Friday, claiming they protect users security.

Cook's testimony came during the Silicon Valley giants legal battle against Fortnite developer Epic Games.

Cook touted the tech giants App Store as an economic miracle and defended the policies related to the store including the up to 30 percent commission fees charged to developers at the core of Epic Gamess antitrust allegations.

The app developer is suing the company over allegations of anti-competitive behavior stemming from Apple's decision in August to kick Fortniteoff of the app store after the developer set up its own in-app payment system in an attempt to avoid Apples 30 percent commission fees.

The trial in California federal court,which concluded its third week Friday, comes at a pivotal moment when lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. and abroad are taking a close look at the market power of Apple and fellow tech giants.

Cook testified that Apple has a host of competitors in the field, such as app stores on Android products and game consoles.

He defended Apples policies, including its requirement for app developers to use Apples in-app payment system, saying the company puts users interests first and is committed to protecting their data and security.

Apple does not allow third-party app stores on its iPhones. Cook said third-party stores would not be as motivated to provide a safe and secure store for users.

Epics lawyer pressed Cook on the stance, asking how he knows if a third party could not do as well as, or better than, Apple at protecting user security since they have not had the opportunity.

Its an experiment I wouldnt want to run, Cook responded.

Pressed further on if consumers who value privacy could decide to use Apples store even if there were other options they may deem better, Cook said its a hypothetical possibility.

The bench trial is set to wrap up on Monday, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has said her ruling will not be issued that day or the next.

"I have a very tiny team, she said earlier in the week.

The judge has also acknowledged that whatever her decision is will likely be appealed.

Washington is expected to be keeping a close eyeon the trial.

Apples app store has come under fire as lawmakers scrutinize the market power of tech giants. Last month, the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee held a hearing on app store competition, featuring executives from Apple and Google.

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Action Aid says tech giants should pay more tax – The Standard

Posted: at 10:20 am

Unfair tax regimes are costing the worlds largest economies up to Sh3.2 trillion ($32 billion) from the global big tech firms, Action Aid has said.

The money is enough to have every person in the world given two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, said the organisation, which focuses on the eradication of poverty.

Action Aid said in a statement that tech firms such as Alphabet, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon should be made to remit tax according to the profit they make in each country they operate.

Tech giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Alphabet have extensive market activity across the world and have racked up billions in profits during the pandemic, the statement said.

If global corporate tax systems were fair, governments could increase their tax revenue and fund better health systems to end the pandemic and start the recovery.

Action Aid said if this is done, in just one year Sh3.2 billion would be collected from the five tech firms alone.

$32 billion would cover vaccine doses only, not the full costs of the vaccine rollout. This figure merely offers a sense of the scale of resources involved in taxing big tech companies, it said.

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Some of these tech giants have, through corporate social responsibility, contributed to the fight against Covid-19, led by Microsoft founder Bill Gates through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the recent surge of cases in India, Microsoft through Oxfam India and Unicef crowd-funded Sh300 million to support the countrys response.

Tax revenue from tech giants with economic presence in the global south is even more crucial for much-needed investment in public services, such as healthcare and education, which have been decimated by the pandemic, said Action Aid.

Graham Kajilwa

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Appen tries to answer $4b question: do its tech giant customers still need it? – Sydney Morning Herald

Posted: at 10:20 am

Artificial intelligence crowdsourcing provider Appen spent this week trying to answer the question that has wiped as much as $4 billion from its market valuation since August: Can the company thrive despite its reliance on US tech giants like Amazon and Facebook which account for the lions share of its revenue?

In a market update on Wednesday, Appen detailed its plans to restructure and become more customer and product-focused by actually using artificial intelligence itself. Where as it previously just provided human labour, Appen will provide a full service AI platform to help customers like Amazon identify things like different hat choices for its customers. To put it simply, we are accelerating our transformation into an AI-powered provider of AI data and solutions, said Appen chief executive Mark Brayan.

Appens overreliance on the US tech giants has triggered a $4 billion share rout since August. Credit:AP

On Thursday, the company provided details of its new products that will build new business outside of the tech giants like Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon which have provided up to 80 per cent of its revenue.

This reliance triggered a share rout starting last December when Appen issued an earnings downgrade. It blamed the tech giants shift in focus away from big projects that require Appens expertise, but claimed this was a temporary blip.

This blip came despite Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon all beating consensus revenue estimates in their most recent quarterly reports.

Most of Appens work relates to the tech giants advertising businesses, with its workers teaching computers to recognise basic images and speech, laying down the basic groundwork for the development of Artificial Intelligence solutions.

Appens products came into focus last week when it was forced to apologise after being hit by claims of racism in its recruitment processes after it asked job candidates about their skin colour. A spokeswoman said there was no intended racism in Appens hiring processes, practices or policies.

At the technology briefing on Thursday, Appen executives faced the big question: do the tech giants still need Appen?

We see a departure from people building their own platforms to wanting to work with a specialist provider, was the reassuring answer from Mr Brayan.

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The tyranny of big tech – Garden City News

Posted: at 10:20 am

I just completed The Tyranny of Big Tech (Regnery 2021), by Senator Josh Hawley. Its a short but significant work that certainly will engender debate. .

The publishing of the book itself had some wrinkles. Senator Hawley, Republican of Missouri, and a former attorney general of that state, originally signed up with Simon and Schuster to get his book published. However, although Mr. Hawley condemned the January 6 riots at the Capitol, the publishing house decided to spike Mr. Hawleys book on account of the Senators objection to the certification of some state electors, something that numerous Democratic senators had done in recent elections won by GOP presidential candidates. As it happened, the book was picked up by Regnery, the conservative publishing house, and has landed on numerous bestseller lists. Nevertheless, the initial decision not to publish seems like an unfortunate example of cancel culture.

Senator Hawleys thesis is that the big tech companies are the present day successors to the monopolistic robber baron enterprise that dominated American society at the beginning of the 20th century, and very much need to be reined in. In Mr. Hawleys view, President Theodore Roosevelt tried valiantly to shut down large monopolistic companies, only to be thwarted in the end and his trust busting efforts were supplanted by an era of corporate liberalism that continues to this day. Mr. Hawleys contention is that Big Tech is in many ways the present day incarnation of the robber barons.

The strength of Mr. Hawleys book is his catalogue of numerous problems with a tech world dominated by a relatively few enormous players. He details how Big Tech uses personal information about customers to construct profiles of social media users and then steer them to make buying decisions. He describes how the tech giants have undue influence over the advertising market and have enormous political influence in Washington. He points out how algorithms set up by Big Tech have the effect of altering search engine results. He also points out that excessive time spent online can, for a variety of reasons, have negative effects on children.

As a political leader, Mr. Hawley not surprisingly spends quite a bit of time on the topic of ideological censorship by Big Tech and its squelching of news stories unfavorable to its political favorites, for example New York Post revelations about Hunter Biden. Mr. Hawley draws on information supplied by Mike Gilgan, pseudonym for a Facebook information manager, and makes the claim that the censorship is coordinated among the tech giants.

In the end, Mr. Hawley calls for a strong response to the tech giants. For example, he believes that antitrust statutes should be dusted off and that the tech giants be required to divest themselves of some of their holdings. He also favors a rethinking of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields many tech companies from liability for posted content. On a more personal level, he calls for individuals and families to wean themselves from excessive time spent online.

I do believe that Mr. Hawley gives unduly short shrift to some of the benefits of the new online technology provided by the Big Tech companies. The ability to shop online, for example, can be a major saver of effort, and indeed was a lifesaver during the pandemic. Purchasing online also allows consumers a better opportunity to compare price and quality. Being able to gather information quickly is very useful in all sorts of endeavors. Just to take an example close to my heart, I believe that ability to find and check online information that appears in this column has improved its quality over the years and made my life much easier. Social media can be overused, but it has allowed numerous people to connect with others and to maintain important business and personal relationships.

Nevertheless, Senator Hawley has produced an important and thought provoking book that is well worth reading.

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