“Over the last 20 years, Airbnb has spent billions on brand building as the authentic, novel and community-led alternative to hotels. But, are they really? In this article, I will use data from InsideAirbnb to reveal Airbnb’s ownership patterns. Then, I’ll walk you through how I came to my conclusions so you can do the… Continue Reading
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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
First Lawsuits Filed Against Trump Administration For DOGE
MediasTouch: “The first lawsuits against the incoming Trump Administration have already been filed by several non-profit groups which allege that the Department of Government Efficiency “DOGE” violates federal transparency laws. The lawsuits allege that DOGE fails to comply with various transparency and ethics requirements as prescribed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act. DOGE is not… Continue Reading
The Powerful AI Tool That Cops (or Stalkers) Can Use to Geolocate Photos in Seconds
404 Media: “A powerful AI tool can predict with high accuracy the location of photos based on features inside the image itself—such as vegetation, architecture, and the distance between buildings—in seconds, with the company now marketing the tool to law enforcement officers and government agencies. Called GeoSpy, made by a firm called Graylark Technologies out… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, January 18, 2025
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, January 18, 2025 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on… Continue Reading
FTC Surveillance Pricing Study – Wide Range of Personal Data Used to Set Individualized Consumer Prices
“The agency details interim insights from staff perspective examining how companies track consumer behaviors to inform surveillance pricing. The Federal Trade Commission’s initial findings from its surveillance pricing market study revealed that details like a person’s precise location or browser history can be frequently used to target individual consumers with different prices for the same… Continue Reading
Protecting Your Home From Wildfire
California Chaparral Institute: Please download our comprehensive booklet on wildfire safety that explains how you can take control of saving your home. From The House Outward – Protecting your Home From Wildfire THE 3 FACTORS 1. Flying embers ignite most homes, because most homes are flammable. 2. It’s not the wildland vegetation, it’s the location.… Continue Reading
Perplexity acquires Read.cv, a social media platform for professionals
TechCrunch: “Read.cv, a social media platform for professionals that competed with LinkedIn, has been acquired by AI-powered search engine Perplexity. As part of the deal, Read.cv will begin to wind down operations Friday. Users will be able to export their data, including their profiles, posts, and messages, until May 16. “We’ve long admired Perplexity and… Continue Reading
Lawsuit accuses Amazon of secretly tracking consumers through cellphones
Reuters via MSN: “Amazon.com was sued on Wednesday by consumers who accused the retailing giant of secretly tracking their movements through their cellphones, and selling data it collects. According to a proposed class action in San Francisco federal court, Amazon obtained “backdoor access” to consumers’ phones by providing tens of thousands of app developers with… Continue Reading
Top financial watchdog warns climate change set to trigger market panics
Financial Times – “Basel-based FSB says damage caused by floods, droughts and fires threatens broader pullback in lending, “The world’s financial stability watchdog has warned that disasters caused by climate change are increasingly likely to trigger broader panic in financial markets. The world breached 1.5C of warming above preindustrial levels for the first time last… Continue Reading
ProPublica Releases New Private School Demographics Lookup
“Now you can look up detailed demographic information about thousands of private schools across the country and compare them to nearby public schools. Private schools in the United States are, on the whole, whiter than public schools, with fewer Black, Hispanic or Latino students. This may not be a surprising statistic because private schools can… Continue Reading
Wikenigma – an Encyclopedia of Unknowns
Wikenigma is a unique wiki-based resource specifically dedicated to documenting fundamental gaps in human knowledge. Listing scientific and academic questions to which no-one, anywhere, has yet been able to provide a definitive answer. [ 1139 so far ] That’s to say, a compendium of so-called ‘Known Unknowns’. All articles are open for registered users to… Continue Reading
Can you read cursive? It’s a superpower the National Archives is looking for
USA Today: “If you can read cursive, the National Archives would like a word. Or a few million. More than 200 years worth of U.S. documents need transcribing (or at least classifying) and the vast majority from the Revolutionary War era are handwritten in cursive – requiring people who know the flowing, looped form of… Continue Reading
