A new study by 1Password has revealed that almost half of employees put their companies at risk by using risky online habits to avoid difficulties logging in and out of apps at work.

Taking Risks With Company Security 

The study, by passwords manager maker 1Password which surveyed 2,000 US workers, found that 44 per cent said that the hassles of trying to log in and out of work apps has a negative effect on their mood or their productivity. Also, 43 per cent of those surveyed said that in order to avoid these negative effects, they resort to using “dangerous online behaviours” such as sharing login details (password sharing), offloading tasks to others, or abandoning certain tasks altogether to circumvent complicated login procedures.

Cumbersome Passwords + Authentication More Than An “Annoyance” 

The survey found that having to remember cumbersome passwords or spend time going through authentication procedures is much more than an annoyance to employees. For example, 41 per cent of respondents said having to remember multiple logins heightens stress levels and strains mental health.

Other Issues 

Also, more than one-third of respondents said that the onboarding process at their current job was time-consuming, confusing or challenging when it came to logging into work-related accounts, causing them to fall behind in their work. One-fifth of respondents said that complex login challenges have stopped them from accessing employee-provided benefits designed to reduce workplace stress, and caused them to skip open enrolment, forgo requesting time off, and miss employer-provided perks and discount marketplaces.

Do Complex Logins Harm Productivity? 

1Password says the survey results show that, instead of enhancing company performance, complex login processes can achieve the opposite by putting companies at risk and harming productivity.

The survey also shows, for example, that login complications have led to employees giving up on conducting a work task, missing more than 10 hours of meetings per year, and procrastinating, delegating, or skipping setting up new work security apps because of burdensome login processes.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Although the survey was carried out by a company that makes a password manager, it does make some valid points relating to how current authentication and verification methods, plus the need to use complex passwords, all add time and extra hassle to daily work. The CEO of 1Password also makes the point that human-centric security that’s as easy to use can make life easier at work. Security, however, is an extremely important issue, particularly with remote and hybrid working patterns, and aspects of the report such as workers engaging in “dangerous” behaviours to avoid the stress of complex logins, e.g. password sharing, is worrying. Based on the findings of this survey, businesses need to look at whether their own login procedures and authentication achieve the right balance of providing security while enhancing productivity and workflow. Businesses also need to minimise the opportunities for circumventing security-based procedures and remind staff of the reasons for and benefits of what may appear to be complex login systems.

Google has been given the largest ever anti-trust fine of 4.125 billion euros from the EU, following an unsuccessful appeal.

What Was The Anti-Trust Issue? 

The European Commission (EC) originally fined Google in 2018 for breaching its anti-trust laws by forcing Android phone-makers to install the Google search and web browser apps in order to access the Google Play Store. The EC said that Google had abused its dominant position by imposing anticompetitive contractual restrictions on manufacturers of mobile devices and on mobile network operators, in some cases since 1 January 2011 (the EC’s action against Google in relation to Android started on 15 April 2015).

The fine imposed at the time was €4.343 billion on Google, the largest fine ever imposed by a competition authority in Europe.

Google Says… 

Following its unsuccessful appeal, Google said of the decision to uphold the original ruling (with a slightly reduced but still substantial fine) “We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.” 

Restrictions To Strengthen Google’s Dominant Position 

In short, the EC fined Google for three types of restriction which it said were designed to “protect and strengthen Google’s dominant position in relation to general search services and, therefore, the revenue obtained by Google through search advertisements.”  The EU’s General Court ruled that the common objective and the interdependence of the restrictions were the reason why it had classified them as single and continuous infringement of Article 102 TFEU and Article 54 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA).

What Restrictions? 

The three types of antitrust restrictions that led to Google being fined were:

1. Those contained in ‘distribution agreements’ requiring manufacturers of mobile devices to pre-install the general search (Google Search) and (Chrome) browser apps in order to be able to obtain a licence from Google to use its app store (Play Store);
2. Those contained in ‘anti-fragmentation agreements’, under which the operating licences necessary for the pre-installation of the Google Search and Play Store apps could be obtained by mobile device manufacturers only if they undertook not to sell devices running versions of the Android operating system not approved by Google;
3. Those contained in ‘revenue share agreements’, under which the grant of a share of Google’s advertising revenue to the manufacturers of mobile devices and the mobile network operators depended on them not pre-installing a competing general search service on devices.

Appeal 

Google appealed against the decision, but the EU’s General Court largely confirmed the EC’s decision to fine Google. However, it decided to reduce the fine from €4.343 billion to €4.125 billion due to “its reasoning differing in certain respects from that of the Commission”. 

Other Antitrust Cases 

This is not the only antitrust lawsuit that Google has faced or is facing currently. For example:

– In July last year, an antitrust lawsuit by 37 US states over allegations relating to how it may be abusing its position of power in relation to Android app distribution and competition. This related to Google allegedly using its market monopoly power as the main Android app distributor through its Play Store to charge 30 percent fees for in-app purchases (the same as Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft XBox) from developers.

– In November last year, the EU’s General Court upheld a €2.42 billion penalty imposed on Google (and its parent company Alphabet) dating back to 2017 for competition abuses relating to Google’s product comparison search service ‘Google Shopping’.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Google has now suffered some painful defeats over some of its competitive practices, and this latest defeat does not bode well for Google or other big tech companies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) competition rules due to come into force next year. There appears to be general agreement among many commentators that the European Commission got it right with this latest decision because allowing phone manufacturers to open their devices to competition in search and other services could benefit consumers by giving them greater choice. The ruling may also help smaller competitors by allowing them to inter-operate with the dominant company’s services, promote their offers, and make contracts with their customers beyond the gatekeeper’s platform. This latest ruling could also be unwelcome news for Apple in terms of strengthening the EU’s antitrust watchdog in its investigations of Apple’s practices in the music streaming market, which the regulator says Apple currently dominates.

Aviation tracker website Flightradar24 has reported that the RAF plane flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Edinburgh to London on September 13 was the most-tracked flight ever.

Tracked By 5 Million

It was reported that 5 million people tracked the RAF flight, which beats the previous record of 2.9 million people who tracked the recent flight to Taiwan of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

76.2 Million Requests 

Sweden-based Flightradar24 reported in blog post that 4.79 million people viewed the flight of the aircraft containing the Queen’s coffin from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt near London across Flightradar24 web and mobile app services. Although 5 million people were able to track the flight, an unprecedented 6 million people actually attempted to click on the flight, and a total of 76.2 million requests relating to this flight were processed by Flightradar24. These ‘requests’ were actions such as a user clicking on the flight icon, clicking on the aircraft information in the left side box, or adjusting settings.

A further 296,000 are reported to have followed the flight via YouTube live stream.

Flight24 reports that “Queen Elizabeth II’s final flight from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt, is by far the all-time most tracked flight on Flightradar24 and will likely remain at the top for a long while”. 

What Are Flight Trackers And Why Use Them? 

Flight trackers / plane trackers are websites and apps that track flights, aircraft (overhead or anywhere in the world) and airport activity, in real-time, often using software. These tracker apps can, for example, help travellers and those picking up travellers after a flight to know whether a flight has landed or is on schedule.

As highlighted by Ian Petchenik, the head of communications for Flightradar24, part of the appeal of using flight trackers is “You get to participate in history in real time. If the newspaper is the first draft of history, then this is the pre-write.”

Other reported ways that flight trackers have been/are used include:

– Tracking flights around Ukraine during Russia’s invasion.

– Tracking flights in the US evacuation from Afghanistan.

– Dedicated sports fans using flight trackers to try and discover what flight their favourite player is on around the time of the transfer deadline day.

How do they work? 

Aircraft carry open-standard technology called Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) transponders. An aircraft transponder is a small device that receives and sends radio signals. These transmit information such as the aircraft ID, GPS position, and altitude as radio signals to anyone with a receiver. The radio signals are collected by civilian ADS-B receivers located in the vicinity / within radio range of the aircraft. This data is then sent to a central server which aggregates feeds from numerous individual receivers throughout the world. In the case of Flightradar24, which reported that the Queen’s final flight was the most-tracked ever, it combines and aggregates data together from several different data sources including ADS-B, MLAT and radar data.

How Accurate Are Flight Trackers? 

Although flight trackers are generally very accurate for long flights, they can be up to about 100 km (55 miles) off or some transponders can generate errors which can present jagged or impossible-looking flightpaths in some cases.

Could They Pose A Danger To Flight Security? 

It is unlikely that flight trackers create any additional risks for passenger flights, e.g. the risk of terrorist or military attack because, for example:

– They only provide an aggregated report of the present and historical position of the flight, not an accurate future position

– Even if passenger flight positions could be tracked accurately from the ground by potential attackers, passenger flights when cruising are high above the range of the most advanced ground-based military equipment.

– Flight trackers don’t provide more information that keen plane spotters could gather.

– Terrorists would, in theory, not be influenced or deterred anyway by trackers if they wanted to board a flight, but aircraft security has been boosted significantly worldwide since 9/11.

– Some express concern, online, however, that flight trackers which show all types of flights, commercial, private, or secret, could potentially pose some risk, although some commentators online report that many military flights don’t show up on trackers.

Many people agree, however, that the beneficial information that flight trackers provide to their millions of users outweigh the perceived risks.

Many Different Flight Trackers 

Flight24 is, of course, not the only flight tracking app available. Other popular flight trackers include:

– Flightstats

– FlightAware

– Planefinder

– The Flight Tracker

– Planes Live

– Flight Board (app – see Google Play)

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

With passenger air travel now largely fully-resinstated since the pandemic, with recent highly publicised historic flights (Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and the Queen’s coffin from Edinburgh), plus with the conflict in Ukraine, flight tracking apps and websites are seeing huge interest and growing numbers of users. In addition to their practical uses for air travellers and those picking them up at their destination, flight trackers offer a unique and interesting insight to users, allowing them a birds-eye view of worldwide activity and potentially historic or secret events. As such, users can ‘experience’ and tap into thrill-seeking as well as providing special (perhaps novel) information to those who want to share and discuss it on social media and be seen to be informed. In the case of tracking the flight of the Queen’s coffin, flight trackers provided continuity of a compelling, unfolding, historic, and emotional event, providing an extra insight that linked up with other media coverage to provide a feeling of participation and sharing in a rare, nationally, and culturally important and significant event.

In this insight, we look at what OnlyFans is, its features and benefits, and alternative platforms that offer similar services.

What Is It? 

Launched in 2016, London-based OnlyFans is a subscription-based content hosting and sharing platform which has around 150 million registered users (according to its founder – although other estimates vary), and more than 1.5 million content creators. The platform offers a way for content-producers to monetise their content and hosts videos and photos from a wide range of influencers covering a wide range of subjects. Those offering subscriptions to their customers via the platform pay 20 percent of their earnings to OnlyFans.

Bolt-On To Your Existing Social Media 

The founder of OnlyFans, Timothy Stokely, describes the platform as “Uber is a bolt-on to your car just as OnlyFans is a bolt-on to your existing social media.” 

OnlyFans says its platform “is designed to optimise creator engagement” and that when a creator posts, “over 60 percent of their fans see and interact with the content” and “over 80 percent of direct messages sent by creators are seen and opened”. 

Porn Origins 

Although the platform now has a wide variety of users, it first gained notoriety for pornographic content, e.g. charging monthly subscriptions for access to videos and photos, and content posted by sex workers monetising their services online.

Back in August 2021, following pressure from banks and payment processors, OnlyFans announced that from October 2021 there would be a ban on adult material from its website, although some nudity would be allowed. A company spokesperson said on Twitter “In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.” However, only days later (and after reaching an agreement with its payment processors), OnlyFans reversed the decision to ban adult material following a backlash from its sex-worker customers.

Other Businesses 

Despite its use by those in the porn/sex industry, and its reported ownership by US-based online pornography veteran Leonid Radvinsky (cited on the platform as Fenix International Limited), the platform is also used by a wide variety of businesses and influencers in other industries, e.g. fitness, food, make-up, acting, sport, music, and more.

Features 

Some of the tools and features that content creators can use to engage their audiences, manage their campaigns, and earn money through OnlyFans include:

– The ability to track clicks and subscribers, plus a stats page.

– Co-streaming, i.e. reaching a new fanbase by collaborating and co-streaming with another creator through the platform.

– Live streaming through ‘Go Live,’ which includes the automatic uploading of a video at the end of the streaming so users can watch the video on-demand.

– Using lists to target specific groups for messaging, promotions, and co-stream requests.

– Sending Pay Per View messages.

– Conducting polls and creating quizzes.

– Social media and Spotify integration.

Benefits of Using OnlyFans 

Some of the key benefits of your business using OnlyFans could be:

– A source of income (particularly for those working at home).

– Relative freedom in terms of what types of content can be posted, i.e. few strict rules.

– Enhancing existing social media efforts.

– Reaching (and engaging) wider, and perhaps new audiences.

– Ease of management.

Alternatives / Competitors 

There are many other alternatives / competitors to the OnlyFans platform, such as:

– FanCentro

– Fanvue

– Cameo

– Loyalfans

– MYM (Meet Your Model)

– Fansly

– IFans

– Okfans (formerly FanPage).

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Video and live streaming can be very engaging and OnlyFans offers a way for businesses and individuals to enhance existing social media activities and engage and earn an income from audiences online. This has made it particularly popular in recent years with influencers and those working from home, and it works particularly well for those in professions where visual and experiential aspects of services/products are valued and have a particular influence over purchasing (and continued subscription) decisions. Many users say that OnlyFans accounts are easy to manage and operate. There are, of course (as mentioned in this tech-insight) many other alternatives to OnlyFans which offer similar services.

The most popular altcoin and second-largest cryptocurrency by volume, Ethereum, has switched to a new operating model which uses 99.95 per cent less energy!

The Merge 

‘The Merge,’ which the change is being called, and which finally happened on September 15, refers to the original Ethereum Mainnet merging with a separate proof-of-stake blockchain called the Beacon Chain, now existing as one chain.

A proof-of-stake blockchain is a consensus mechanism used to verify new cryptocurrency transactions that can guarantee that data saved on the network is valid. The advantages of proof-of-stake are faster transaction speeds and more efficient energy requirements. The Merge has, therefore, eliminated the need for energy-intensive mining and instead enabled the network to be secured using staked ETH i.e., a token that’s meant to be worth the same as Ethereum.

The technical complexity of tasks involved in switching over from a system that has been operating since Ethereum’s introduction in 2014 has been likened to rebuilding the foundations of a skyscraper while it remains standing. Also, The Ethereum blockchain supports the Ethereum currency and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of other coins and crypto products such as NFTs, thus making the risks of The Merge even greater.

The Merge became possible after the Beacon Chain was created as a separate blockchain to Mainnet (On December 1, 2020), was run in parallel, and was extensively tested to ensure that there would be a smooth switchover.

Mining No Longer Needed 

A proof-of-work (rather than proof-of-stake) consensus mechanism requires cryptocurrency computers to solve complex mathematical problems to verify transactions in a process known as crypto-mining. This mining process requires a vast amount of electricity, making it very energy intensive.

However, with Ethereum’s ‘The Merge’ and its switch to using the Beacon Chain as the engine of block production, mining is no longer the means of producing valid blocks. Instead, the proof-of-stake validators have adopted this role, thereby dramatically reducing Ethereum’s energy requirements.

Now Green 

Ethereum now describes itself as a green blockchain with the energy expenditure of Ethereum being roughly equal to the cost of running a modest laptop for each node on the network.

Scalability Enabled 

The Merge has also paved the way for or further scalability upgrades that would not have been possible under proof-of-work, bringing Ethereum one step closer to achieving full scale, security, and sustainability.

Changes For Ethereum Miners 

Although Ethereum points out that ‘The Merge’ “did not change anything for holders/users,” with energy costs increasing, miners of Ethereum will now need to find a new way to make money with their equipment or sell their many mining computers.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

Prior to ‘The Merge,’ due to the use of crypto-mining and a proof-of-work mechanism Ethereum was using as much energy as a medium-sized country! This merging and switching over to the proof-of-stake Beacon Chain has reduced Ethereum’s energy requirements by a massive 99.95 per cent which brings obvious environmental benefits (carbon reduction) and much greener and more sustainable model.  In addition to the very welcome environmental benefits ‘The Merge’ also offers greater security and stability, a possible price growth for related altcoins, the ability for Ethereum to scale up, and could put pressure on competing protocols such as solana and polkadot.