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Daily Archives: June 26, 2022

The Surprising Reason Your Amazon Searches Are Returning More Confusing Results than Ever

WSJ: “Jeff Bezos wanted to build the ‘everything store’—and now the company is drowning in China-based sellers hawking the same items under a dizzying array of brands…Thanks to China’s freewheeling approach to trade, counterfeiting and consumer protection standards, China-based sellers on Amazon have developed a reputation for issues with quality and customer service that Amazon seems constantly to be trying to stamp out. Of course, some U.S. sellers also have similar issues, and there are China-based brands on Amazon that have built reputations for good quality and service, like consumer-electronics company Anker. Through Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit, the company has significantly increased the number of counterfeiters it has sued or criminally referred this year, an Amazon spokeswoman says. The problems Amazon took on once it opened up its marketplace to sellers in China have become more evident in recent years. My Wall Street Journal colleagues in 2019 uncovered thousands of banned, unsafe or mislabeled products in Amazon’s catalog, most of which came from China-based sellers. It also became apparent that Amazon sellers were gaming Amazon’s algorithms to get goods listed as high in its search results as possible, and even going so far as to bribe Amazon employees in China to help boost items’ rank. Through all these evolutions of its marketplace, it’s become apparent that Amazon is locked in a kind of permanent arms race with sellers choosing to use banned and underhanded tactics, says Jason Boyce, chief executive of Avenue7Media, which consults for businesses that sell on Amazon…”

Security and Privacy Tips for People Seeking An Abortion

EFF: “Given the shifting state of the law, people seeking an abortion, or any kind of reproductive healthcare that might end with the termination of a pregnancy, may need to pay close attention to their digital privacy and security. We’ve previously covered how those involved in the abortion access movement can keep themselves and their communities… Continue Reading

Abortion donation link fairy

@helmsinki Replying to @SCOTUSblog – The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, Eliminating the Constitutional Right to an Abortion: “I have created a document with info about abortion funds specific to each state: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter. I encourage y’all to share this information and follow/donate to the orgs I have cited! There’s also a website version: https://donateabortions.com.… Continue Reading

With Roe overturned, updated ABA Legal Fact Check explores doctrine of legal precedent

“With the decision today by the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the landmark abortion decision of Roe v. Wade, the posted ABA Legal Fact Check has been revised to reflect the developments to assist reporters and the public to better understand the legal principle of stare decisis, or legal precedent, and how it came to be.… Continue Reading

Who will be most impacted by rising temperatures in California?

New online mapping tool helps the state prepare for extreme heat: “Last summer was the hottest in California’s history. And as this summer kicks off, we’re bracing for more record-breaking temperatures. Heat is the deadliest effect of climate change in California. While it affects everyone, it disproportionately impacts low-income residents and communities of color.  “Heat… Continue Reading

Just 4% Of Employers Are Making Everyone Return To The Office Full-Time

Forbes: “…A new survey of human resources leaders from the Conference Board, a nonprofit business research group, finds that just 4% said they are requiring all employees to return to the workplace full-time. And less than half (45%) said they were requiring some workers to return to the office five days a week. “We were… Continue Reading

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, June 26, 2022

Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, June 26, 2022 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly… Continue Reading

What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

“Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions. In our most recent survey, 61% of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal all or most of the time, while 37% say it should… Continue Reading

Is abortion illegal in the U.S. now? Depends where you live

AP: “The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, although the timing of those laws taking effect varies. Some Republican-led states will ban or severely limit abortion immediately,… Continue Reading