A new government task force will work to bolster US cyber defenses to combat surging ransomware attacks. Though an important first step, effective ransomware prevention will likely require either comprehensive legislation or scalable local security initiatives.
A pair of government watchdog reports into federal use of facial recognition has reinvigorated bipartisan calls for AI regulation generally. Algorithmic amplification of online content could present an opportunity for consensus for both parties, albeit from different angles.
Following a diminished need to refresh their wardrobe, consumers are excited to celebrate the holiday season in style. Watch Industry Voices: Holiday Preparedness with Banana Republic’s Jen Mullen, vice president and head of stores, to hear how the fashion retailer is applying learnings from last year to ensure a seamless holiday shopping experience.
Advertisers are still betting on the Olympics: The much anticipated, highly discussed games brought in 20% more TV ad sales in the US than their Rio predecessor.
Counterfeit hearables have proliferated alongside surging consumer demand for AirPods and other devices. Though most counterfeiters seek to replicate well-known brands, the continuing chip shortage has also incentivized production of counterfeit semiconductors, which could pose risks to consumers.
With the $70 million raise, the insurtech will further gamify the industry, and a recent uptick in online searches for life insurance and a need for better employee benefits can increase growth.
Paying for content: Facebook announced this week that it will invest $1 billion in incentive programs for creators across its increasingly broad array of monetization products.
Bank of Ireland’s digital-usage videos aim to reassure hesitant customers: The bank’s 15-part series of educational videos will teach customers how to conduct banking activities digitally—a move that could help build loyalty and wean people away from branches amid the company’s planned closures.
This latest funding round adds to its war chest, providing ample gunpowder to deploy as it looks to expand its products’ breadth and geographic reach.
U.S. Bank’s user mix sharply shifts to mobile: More of the bank’s active digital users conducted business over mobile devices than on larger screens, with mobile hitting 60% among active digital users in Q2 2021. This clear preference and the accolades that its mobile app has received validate U.S. Bank’s digital strategy.
We expect US social commerce sales to rise by 35.8% in 2021 to $36.62 billion. That’s only a slight deceleration in growth from 2020, when sales surged by 38.9% thanks to the pandemic-driven boom in ecommerce, increased social media consumption, and brands continuing to leverage these platforms to sell directly to consumers.
At Facebook, the social network is now a shopping network