ResidentialBusiness

iPhone maker has filed a complaint to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal over demand to access encrypted dataView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When Tim Cook posted "There's something in the AIR" on X this week, it seemed to imply the company was soon dropping the hotly anticipated M4 MacBook Air. After all, it's the only major Mac (aside from the Mac Studio) that Apple hasn't upgraded with the M4 chip, so it only makes sense the company would refresh the line. As it turns out, however, Apple had a different plan for consumers. If you want a new MacBook Air, you'll still need to settle for the M3 chip. If you want a new iPad Air, however, you're in luck. On Tuesday, Apple announced two brand new iPads: an iPad Air, which now sports the M3 chip, and a base iPad, that now runs the A16 chip. As with any new devices, both of these new iPads come with perks previous models didn't, and, as such, it might seem like the logical choice for anyone looking for a new Apple tablet to pick up. If you had your eye on a new iPad Air, the M3 would be the best one, right? The thing is, I don't think so. Not much new with the M3 iPad AirObjectively, yes: This new iPad Air is the best one Apple has ever made. It has Apple's M3 chip, which Apple says is nearly two times faster than the M1 iPad Air (notice how they skip the M2 iPad Air here). That M3 chip enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a first for the iPad Air, so lighting effects in games and graphically intensive apps should look better. The thing is, the M3 chip is the only thing that's new on this iPad Air. Everything else is exactly the same as it is with the M2 iPad Air: You have your choice between an 11-inch and 13-inch device, in the same four color options; the displays are identical whether you go M2 or M3; the front and rear cameras are exactly the same; both use USB-C and Touch ID in the top button (no Face ID on these iPads); both devices are compatible with Apple Intelligence (if you even care about that); both have the same battery life; and both support the same Apple Pencils. If someone placed both iPads side by side, you'd never know which was which. In fact, if you used these iPads side by side for a week, you probably wouldn't be able to tell which was which. While the M3 chip is faster than the M2 chip, it likely won't feel that way in real-world use, considering the chips here have the same number of CPU and GPU cores. The M3 chip in the MacBook Air, on the other hand, has two extra GPU cores compared to the M2 MacBook Air. As such, the difference in performance between these two iPads is going to be less—which is to say, imperceptible to the vast majority of people who use an iPad. So, yes, the M3 iPad Air is the best you can buy. But that's because it slightly improves on the already-great tablet Apple made in the last go-around, which really only slightly improved on the tablet that came before it. The only other new iPad Air announcement Apple made on Tuesday was a refreshed Magic Keyboard, but even it is compatible with older iPad Air models. You should buy an old iPadI love my iPad. I use it every day to catch up on the news, message friends, and browse the web. There was zero reason I needed an M1 chip to power those tasks back in 2021 when I bought the tablet, and, to be honest, virtually zero reason I need that M1 chip in 2025. Everything I do on an iPad, my iPad Air from 2014 could probably handle (albeit very slowly). It's a problem plaguing the iPad line in general. Apple builds these tablets with incredible hardware, a fantastic combination of high quality screen and powerful processors—and yet, it all powers the same, souped-up version of iOS. iPadOS, for the most part, simply cannot push the M-series chips anywhere close to their limits. Sure, there are professional apps and demanding games available on the App Store to give your iPad something to work with. But really, iPadOS is nothing for even my M1 iPad Pro to handle—even when I have multiple windows open at once with Stage Manager. The point is, you probably don't need the M3 chip in the latest iPad Air. Hell, you probably don't need the M2 chip. But if you're looking for a new iPad Air in March of 2025, I'd highly recommend looking for the latter. Now that Apple has moved on to a new iPad Air model (at the same $599 price point, no less) the M2 version is likely to see some decent discounts across various stores. The new iPad Air isn't due out until March 12, so you might need to give it some time, but expect stores like Amazon and Best Buy to cut the price of the older model while selling the newer one at full price. Even today, you can get the 256GB M2 iPad Air for $649 on Amazon, which doubles the storage of the base model Air for an extra $50. Consider an iPadLet me rephrase: Consider the entry-level iPad, which Apple confusingly calls "iPad." Alongside the M3 iPad Air, Apple also dropped the 11th-generation iPad. Like the Air, this new iPad doesn't change all that much from the 10th-generation iPad. There are really two big changes, and one small one: The screen is 0.1 inches larger on the new iPad (pretty small); the base model doubles the storage from a tricky 64GB to a useable 128GB (without changing the price tag); and the new one runs the A16 chip found in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15, which should offer a decent performance bump over the A14 in the 10th-gen iPad. The rest is about the same: a decent, bright display; a nine-to-10 hour battery life; USB-C charging; identical front and rear cameras; the same Apple Pencil support. The new iPad does leave a couple things behind: It ditches the nano-SIM slot in favor of relying entirely on eSIM, while also losing support for True Tone on the retina flash feature. But it does support Smart HDR 4 over the 10th-gen iPad's Smart HDR 3. But that's getting into the nitty-gritty: The 11th-generation iPad represents the best iPad for most people, as long as you can live without some of the perks the iPad Air (or even iPad Pro) offers. You won't get the best quality display in Apple's lineup, or the fastest processor. But that A16 chip is going to be more than enough to run iPadOS for years to come. The same purchase principle that I discussed with the iPad Air applies here as well: Stores are likely going to discount the 10th-gen iPad once Apple starts selling the 11th-gen. I'd encourage anyone who wants an iPad for basic iPad tasks to try that route, but I also think the 11th-gen iPad is a pretty good value as-is. Even in the face of tariffs, Apple didn't raise the price on the iPad, while at the same time doubling the storage to 128GB. That means you get an all-around great Apple tablet for $349, $250 less than an iPad Air. You could use those savings to buy a Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, or just pocket the rest and enjoy the iPad itself. At the end of the day, none of Apple's iPads are a bad buy—but while each tier offers additional perks and features you may or may not enjoy, the overall "iPad experience" is the same. The question is, how many perks and features can you cut, while still enjoying the overall experience as much as you would with the more expensive model? For the vast majority of people, I'd say that answer is the 11th-gen iPad. But, if possible, head to your local Apple Store or tech outlet to try them out for yourself. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. One of the oddest things about interviewing people for jobs has always been how frequently candidates say they don’t have any questions when I ask what I can answer for them. This is a job they’re considering spending a large chunk of their waking hours at for the next however many years, and it’s likely to have a significant impact on their day-to-day quality of life and progression in their career. Surely there’s something they’d like to know about. At New York Magazine today, I talk about why people don’t ask questions in interviews, why that makes a bad impression, and 10 especially strong questions you can ask that will help you figure out whether the job is right for you. Head over there to read it. View the full article

Lenovo has introduced a new lineup of AI-powered Yoga and IdeaPad laptops at MWC 2025, along with software advancements and innovative concept designs aimed at enhancing creativity and productivity. The company’s latest AI-driven devices include the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, the IdeaPad Slim 3x, and the Yoga Solar PC Concept, which leverages renewable energy to power a laptop. “As we push the limits of AI innovation higher than ever, it is important to remember that delivering access to AI for all is equally a core tenet of Lenovo’s philosophy,” said Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. “With the announcement of innovations like the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, the IdeaPad Slim 3x, and the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept, Lenovo has delivered a suite of new devices and proofs of concept that empower end users to let their creativity shine, their ‘process’ unbounded by the processing of their PC thanks to AI-powered innovation.” Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept: Harnessing Solar Power for Computing One of Lenovo’s unveilings at MWC 2025 is the Yoga Solar PC Concept, which features a built-in solar panel with a 24% energy conversion rate. The device utilizes ‘Back Contact Cell’ technology to maximize solar absorption and employs a Dynamic Solar Tracking system to adjust charging settings for optimal energy efficiency. According to Lenovo, the solar panel can generate enough power in 20 minutes of direct sunlight to provide one hour of video playback. At just 15mm thin and weighing 1.22kg, the Yoga Solar PC Concept is the world’s first ultraslim solar-powered PC, reflecting Lenovo’s vision of integrating renewable energy into personal computing. New Yoga AI Laptops with Aura Edition Enhancements Lenovo’s Yoga lineup expands with two new Aura Edition devices, developed in collaboration with Intel. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16”, 10) and the Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition (14”, 10) feature Smart Modes for adaptive performance, Smart Share for cross-device content sharing, and Smart Care for AI-driven support and troubleshooting. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is designed for creators, featuring an Intel Core Ultra processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, and a 3.2K PureSight Pro tandem OLED display with 1600 nits of peak brightness. Lenovo X Power machine learning technology optimizes power consumption and thermal management, ensuring high performance while keeping the device cool and quiet. For portability-focused users, the Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition features Intel Core Ultra 9 processors, 32GB RAM, and a 14.5” 3K OLED PureSight Pro display. The device balances AI-enhanced performance with portability and long battery life. IdeaPad Slim 3x: AI-Powered Productivity for All The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (15”, 10) offers AI capabilities and future-proof storage expansion in a budget-friendly device. Featuring a Snapdragon X processor with a 45 TOPS NPU, the laptop provides AI-powered productivity, extended battery life, and a durable metal design tested to MIL-STD-810H standards. The laptop supports Copilot+ AI experiences and allows for SSD storage expansion, making it a flexible and long-lasting productivity tool. Innovative Proofs of Concept: AI and Sustainability Beyond commercial products, Lenovo showcased multiple proof-of-concept (POC) designs at MWC 2025: Solar Power Kit for Yoga: A detachable solar panel using Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to optimize energy conversion, enabling mobile solar charging. AI Display with NPU Inside: A monitor featuring a discrete NPU, allowing non-AI PCs to leverage AI-powered tasks such as local Large Language Models (LLMs) and intelligent content recognition. Lenovo AI Stick: A USB-C-powered NPU device that enables non-NPU PCs to run AI-enhanced applications, including graphics acceleration and AI-driven search. Expanding AI-Powered Connectivity Lenovo and Motorola also announced AI enhancements to Smart Connect, an ecosystem integration tool. The update includes natural language search, AI-powered file retrieval, and voice-activated commands for seamless multi-device management across Lenovo and Motorola devices. Image: Lenovo This article, "Lenovo Unveils AI-Powered Innovations at MWC 2025" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Lenovo has introduced a new lineup of AI-powered Yoga and IdeaPad laptops at MWC 2025, along with software advancements and innovative concept designs aimed at enhancing creativity and productivity. The company’s latest AI-driven devices include the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, the IdeaPad Slim 3x, and the Yoga Solar PC Concept, which leverages renewable energy to power a laptop. “As we push the limits of AI innovation higher than ever, it is important to remember that delivering access to AI for all is equally a core tenet of Lenovo’s philosophy,” said Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. “With the announcement of innovations like the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, the IdeaPad Slim 3x, and the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept, Lenovo has delivered a suite of new devices and proofs of concept that empower end users to let their creativity shine, their ‘process’ unbounded by the processing of their PC thanks to AI-powered innovation.” Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept: Harnessing Solar Power for Computing One of Lenovo’s unveilings at MWC 2025 is the Yoga Solar PC Concept, which features a built-in solar panel with a 24% energy conversion rate. The device utilizes ‘Back Contact Cell’ technology to maximize solar absorption and employs a Dynamic Solar Tracking system to adjust charging settings for optimal energy efficiency. According to Lenovo, the solar panel can generate enough power in 20 minutes of direct sunlight to provide one hour of video playback. At just 15mm thin and weighing 1.22kg, the Yoga Solar PC Concept is the world’s first ultraslim solar-powered PC, reflecting Lenovo’s vision of integrating renewable energy into personal computing. New Yoga AI Laptops with Aura Edition Enhancements Lenovo’s Yoga lineup expands with two new Aura Edition devices, developed in collaboration with Intel. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16”, 10) and the Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition (14”, 10) feature Smart Modes for adaptive performance, Smart Share for cross-device content sharing, and Smart Care for AI-driven support and troubleshooting. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is designed for creators, featuring an Intel Core Ultra processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, and a 3.2K PureSight Pro tandem OLED display with 1600 nits of peak brightness. Lenovo X Power machine learning technology optimizes power consumption and thermal management, ensuring high performance while keeping the device cool and quiet. For portability-focused users, the Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition features Intel Core Ultra 9 processors, 32GB RAM, and a 14.5” 3K OLED PureSight Pro display. The device balances AI-enhanced performance with portability and long battery life. IdeaPad Slim 3x: AI-Powered Productivity for All The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (15”, 10) offers AI capabilities and future-proof storage expansion in a budget-friendly device. Featuring a Snapdragon X processor with a 45 TOPS NPU, the laptop provides AI-powered productivity, extended battery life, and a durable metal design tested to MIL-STD-810H standards. The laptop supports Copilot+ AI experiences and allows for SSD storage expansion, making it a flexible and long-lasting productivity tool. Innovative Proofs of Concept: AI and Sustainability Beyond commercial products, Lenovo showcased multiple proof-of-concept (POC) designs at MWC 2025: Solar Power Kit for Yoga: A detachable solar panel using Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to optimize energy conversion, enabling mobile solar charging. AI Display with NPU Inside: A monitor featuring a discrete NPU, allowing non-AI PCs to leverage AI-powered tasks such as local Large Language Models (LLMs) and intelligent content recognition. Lenovo AI Stick: A USB-C-powered NPU device that enables non-NPU PCs to run AI-enhanced applications, including graphics acceleration and AI-driven search. Expanding AI-Powered Connectivity Lenovo and Motorola also announced AI enhancements to Smart Connect, an ecosystem integration tool. The update includes natural language search, AI-powered file retrieval, and voice-activated commands for seamless multi-device management across Lenovo and Motorola devices. Image: Lenovo This article, "Lenovo Unveils AI-Powered Innovations at MWC 2025" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Software helps, so here are three tips for choosing it. By Frank Stitely The Relentless CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Frank Stitely. View the full article

Software helps, so here are three tips for choosing it. By Frank Stitely The Relentless CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Frank Stitely. View the full article

With iOS 19 expected to be unveiled in June 2025 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), rumors about its features have been coming in fast. Although none of these rumors can be confirmed at the moment, they still give us a good idea about what Apple might be considering behind the scenes. Since AI is the flavor of the month, Apple Intelligence improvements are expected for iOS 19, but the camera app might also be getting some attention. Here's everything that's been leaked so far. The merging of Siri and Apple IntelligenceAccording to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple plans to merge Siri with Apple Intelligence sometime during the iOS 19 patch cycle. Yes, the assistant is currently listed as being part of Apple Intelligence, but behind the scenes, it's supposedly got a new LLM in the works that would unify its currently split architecture and allow it to more frequently handle complex requests. As of now, its AI features are much more limited, and most of Siri doesn't use AI at all. Gurman says he expects the merger to be completed by spring of 2026 with the launch of iOS 19.4. His report states that, originally, Apple's plan was to launch a more conversational Siri in the same update, but that's been delayed and is not expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2025. Gurman also indicates that because Apple has not yet completed last year's Apple Intelligence feature rollout, any as yet unannounced features shouldn't be expected for a while. A Camera app redesignAbout a month ago, YouTuber FrontPageTech revealed a leaked redesign of the iPhone's Camera app. He claimed to have seen a video of the rumored redesign and recreated it for a video. The render primarily focuses on the control system. Instead of swiping left or right to switch between camera modes, this leak indicates that we may see just two options when we open the app—photos and videos. Swiping switches between them, while tapping reveals more options such as panorama or spatial videos. You can also see a slightly larger viewfinder in the render, but all of this should be taken with a pinch of salt. Even if the sources are credible and the information accurate (other leakers have doubted FrontPageTech before), a lot can change between now and release. Features get shifted around all the time during development, and you can expect some of that with iOS 19 as well. No major UI changesThe FrontPageTech leak also suggests that Apple won't be making other major UI changes in iOS 19. With iOS 18's development not yet complete despite WWDC 2025 being right around the corner, I do have to agree that looks unlikely that big UI changes would follow so soon. Your iPhone will (probably) run iOS 19With no major UI redesign expected, there's no reason for Apple to axe more phones from the iOS 19 update lineup. Citing a source within Apple, French website iPhoneSoft.fr reports that any phone that runs iOS 18 should be compatible with iOS 19 as well. However, the iPad 7 will supposedly not be so lucky, as the website says it will not be included in the iPadOS 19 update. View the full article

The world’s biggest fast-food chain by locations isn’t Starbucks, KFC, or even McDonald’s. It’s Mixue Ice Cream and Tea. The Chinese quick service restaurant chain currently has about 45,000 storefronts across Asia and Australia, according to the research firm Technomic. That’s about 2,000 more than McDonald’s’ global store count and 5,000 more than Starbucks’s. But the boba tea purveyor really picked up broad attention when it debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday—and raised an IPO of $400 million. Shares surged by around 43% before by the end of the day, bringing the company’s total valuation to $10 billion. (Storefronts aside, McDonald’s’s market cap is over 20 times that size at almost $223 billion, and Starbucks’s market cap is over 10 times at $129 billion.) Mixue was founded almost three decades ago in 1997. But for many Americans, its massive stock market debut might be the first they’re hearing of the company. Here’s what to know about the beloved chain. What’s on the menu? As the name suggests, Mixue specializes in ice cream and bubble tea, offering a curated selection of sundaes, ice cream cones, smoothies, milk tea, and fruit tea. Popular options include treats like the super boba sundae (vanilla ice cream, sweet caramel or brown sugar syrup, and boba topping), brown sugar bubble tea, and lemon black tea. Why is Mixue so popular, and what sets it apart from U.S. chains? The main driver of Mixue’s popularity is its competitively low prices. Drinks and ice cream typically range between six and 10 Chinese yuan, which converts to around 83¢ and $1.40, respectively. Even in China’s highly saturated bubble tea market, those kinds of numbers stand out. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Ernan Cui, a Beijing-based analyst for research firm Gavekal Dragonomics, noted that Mixue’s low prices have helped attract customers during an economic downturn: “People are chasing more cost-efficient products,” she said. Another key element of Mixue’s success is its expansion strategy. Several analysts have noted that Mixues tend to be relatively small by square footage but located in areas of high foot traffic, like near a university campus or squeezed between other popular shops. As the chain grows, this helps give the company a sense of ubiquity and build brand trust among repeated customers. Both Starbucks and McDonald’s have tried their hands at incorporating a more trendy menu that somewhat reflects Mixue’s strategy. Starbucks launched boba offerings in the summer of 2024. McDonald’s launched spin-off snack and bev concept store CosMc’s in December 2023. But aside from featuring significantly lower prices than either Starbucks or CosMc’s (a grande Starbucks boba cost around $7, while most of CosMc’s beverages land around the $5 range), Mixue stands out due to the relative brevity of its menu. Despite continuously expanding its locations, the company has kept its selection limited to the beverage and ice cream space, steering clear of any actual food for the time being. What about the branding and mascot? Mixue has gotten its branding down to a science. It centers around three main elements: sound, color, and character. To start, the chain has found a way to live rent-free in the minds of its regulars by blasting its signature jingle on a loop in many of its stores. The earworm is set to the tune of “Oh! Susannah” with lyrics that translate to, “I love you. You love me. Mixue Ice Cream and Tea.” While this strategy has created a sort of Pavlovian effect in customers, it’s unsurprisingly less pleasant for workers. “​​I worked in Mixue for two months and this song is killing me,” one former employee wrote under a lyric video of the tune. “If I hear this song one more time I’m going to die, this song is haunting me everywhere,” another commenter wrote. The Mixue branding stands out in storefronts and on socials with its simple, bright red-and-white color palette and bubbly font. Perhaps most recognizable, though, is the brand’s mascot: A somewhat confounding snowman-slash-superhero figure named Snow King. He’s pleasantly round, wears a red cape, and holds an ice cream cone on a stick like a scepter. Both Snow King and the brand jingle debuted around 2018, and the mascot has since become integral to the brand’s image and social media channels. Across Mixue’s various local accounts, Snow King can be seen in a mascot suit interacting with members of the public and participating in various trends—sort of like the Duolingo bird, but for bubble tea. View the full article

Excess cash flow will pay timely interest and protect against realized losses in the rated certificates before being paid out to the class X notes. View the full article

Plus outlooks from our exclusive expert council: Pipe, Dobek, Grundy. By Martin Bissett Passport to Partnership Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

Plus outlooks from our exclusive expert council: Pipe, Dobek, Grundy. By Martin Bissett Passport to Partnership Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

Chancellor says growth and inflation will be hit by fallout from global friction View the full article

CEOs who rushed to support Donald Trump after the election may have awoken this morning to the painful realization that they made a mistake. It’s not just that business leaders were wrong to assume President Trump would never follow through on his threats to impose stiff tariffs on Canada and Mexico. They misjudged the man and the moment, failing to learn lessons from both politics and business. Now, clear-eyed CEOs should break from the herd mentality, steer clear of Trump’s orbit, and plan for the likelihood that the pendulum will swing back to the center. Every day there’s more evidence that the business community’s stampede to Trump was a miscalculation. Think of it as a “Trump bubble,” where enthusiasm overshot reality and undervalued risk. When the bubble bursts it will seem obvious that publicly aligning with a divisive, mercurial president was bad politics and bad business. Here’s what many in the business community got wrong about Trump. Loyalty only goes one way America’s allies have learned this the hard way—just ask Ukraine—and business leaders should catch up. It’s true that Trump is transactional. He has a history punishing corporate critics while shifting policy to reward financial backers. Former advisors say he is easily manipulated by flattery. But Trump is a fickle friend. Look at Mark Zuckerberg. After the election, the Meta CEO shut down fact checking on Facebook, allowed attacks against trans people and immigrants, and paid $25 million to settle a Trump lawsuit for suspending his account after the January 6 insurrection. But according to the tech journalist Casey Newton, “Meta’s concessions to the right may have backfired.” By bowing to Trump and giving credence to conservatives’ complaints about online “censorship,” Zuckerberg didn’t quiet his critics—he emboldened them. Now Trump’s Federal Trade Commission is launching a new probe of Facebook’s content moderation policies. Voluntarily giving the bully your lunch money rarely works out. Trump is not as strong as he claims and is getting weaker every day It’s true that “Teflon Don” defied political gravity by rebounding from his 2020 loss and still manages to shake off scandals that would sink most other politicians. But that doesn’t make him invincible. Trump wildly exaggerated the size of his victory. While he started this term in a stronger position than he did in 2017, he’s still the least popular new president in modern history and his chaotic first weeks have damaged his standing further. Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy, long his strong suit, is rapidly declining. Consumer confidence is dropping and inflation fears are rising. Things are likely to get worse for Trump, not better. Public opinion usually shifts away from the president’s party over time. And Republicans preparing to slash funding for health care to pay for big tax cuts for the wealthy are repeating the same playbook that cratered Trump’s approval ratings in his first term and led to Democratic victories in the midterms. Business leaders fawning over Trump may hope they’re hitching a ride on a shooting star, but it’s more likely they’ve tied themselves to a sinking stone. CEOs are underestimating the risks that come with cozying up to such a polarizing figure You can look at the politics, as Republicans face angry town hall meetings and sinking poll numbers. But you can also look at the bottom line—and not just the costly tariffs that are likely to snarl supply chains and reignite inflation. Dumping diversity goals and retreating from sustainability targets may win points with MAGA critics in the short term, but research and experience both suggest it will be bad for business and the wider economy in the long term. Remember that companies did not embrace environmentally and socially responsible practices because of altruism, they did it because diverse talent leads to better outcomes, energy efficiency saves money, and because employees, customers, and investors demanded it. College-educated corporate workers and blue state consumers haven’t disappeared. We’re already seeing some consumers start to vote with their feet. After Target joined the crowd abandoning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments, one study found foot traffic dropped nearly 10%. By contrast, it went up for Costco, which stood firm. Global companies face additional risks. They should expect cross-pressure from other governments and consumers around the world as Trump alienates allies and abandons shared concerns like promoting clean energy and AI safety. The same choices that help a CEO score a dinner invite to Mar-a-Lago may spur investigations in Brussels and boycotts in Toronto. Tesla sales are plummeting in Europe thanks in part to backlash against Trump’s right-hand man Elon Musk. There’s business value in stability And even if you love tax cuts, they won’t be worth much if the federal government is shattered and the rule of law is shredded. A healthy democracy, stable trading relationships, and a liveable planet are necessary for a thriving economy. This is starting to dawn on investors, who are warning of a “Trump slump.” The stock market has struggled since Inauguration Day. Even before the latest tariffs caused panic, the Wall Street Journal reported that “for CEOs and bankers, the Trump euphoria Is fading fast.” The Financial Times asked, “Is corporate America already souring on Trump?” Trump may cave to market pressure and roll back his new tariffs, but there’s surely more chaos and uncertainty to come. He will have good days—today’s State of the Union could provide one—but his honeymoon is ending faster than many expected. Looking ahead, business leaders should try to avoid controversy but be prepared for it to find them anyway. Smart CEOs are consistent in their long-term vision and aren’t swayed by passing political winds. You don’t need to pick fights with a vindictive administration, but leaders aren’t afraid to tell the truth. Look at Ford CEO Jim Farley warning about the costs of Trump’s trade policies, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert highlighting the cost of selling off America’s public lands, and Coca-Cola continuing to make the business case for diversity. As hard as this moment is, there’s an opportunity waiting for those brave enough to seize it. Over the next four years, many consumers and talented workers—and some investors, too—will be looking for businesses that refuse to be complicit in cruel and potentially illegal policies. If you’re not going to stand up for what’s right, at least don’t bend the knee to what’s wrong. View the full article

The war in Gaza has come with an awful cost. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed, and thousands more are missing. And while a temporary ceasefire has allowed for increased aid delivery, easing the plight of those facing disease and hunger, experts predict malnutrition and health issues to persist for months or even years. Much of the territory’s infrastructure—its schools, hospitals and homes—has been damaged or destroyed. And yet, the tremendous human and societal loss has been augmented by a lesser reported but potentially catastrophic, consequence: environmental devastation. In June 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme conducted an environmental impact assessment to evaluate the damage resulting from Israeli military actions in Gaza. It found “unprecedented levels of destruction” from the intensive bombing campaign, along with the complete collapse of water and solid waste systems, and widespread contamination of the soil, water and air. And that was before another six months of bombing caused further damage to Gaza. As a scholar of environmental justice, I have thought carefully about the impact that a lack of clean water, access to sanitation facilities, and the absence of basic infrastructure can have on a community, particularly vulnerable and marginalized populations. The current pause in fighting is providing respite for the 2.2 million people in Gaza who have endured more than a year of war. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate the environmental damage to the densely populated enclave in three crucial areas: the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, or WASH; air quality; and waste management. Here is what we know so far: WASH sector According to an interim damage assessment released by the World Bank, U.N. and E.U. in March 2024, an estimated US$502.7 million of damage was inflicted on the WASH sector in Gaza in the initial months of bombing, including damage to approximately 57% of the water infrastructure. The United Nations reported that water desalination plants in Gaza, 162 water wells and two of the three water connections with Israel’s national water provider had been severely damaged. As a result, the amount of available water in Gaza was at that point reduced to roughly 2-8 liters per person per day—below the World Health Organization emergency daily minimum of 15 liters and far below its standard recommendation of 50-100 liters per day. In November 2024, meanwhile, the charity Oxfam reported that all five wastewater treatment plants in Gaza had been forced to shut down, along with the majority of its 65 wastewater pumping stations. This resulted in ongoing discharges of raw, untreated sewage into the environment. As of June 2024, an estimated 15.8 million gallons of wastewater has been discharged into the environment in and around Gaza, according to the U.N. environmental report. Meanwhile, sanitation facilities for Palestinians in Gaza are practically nonexistent. Reporting from U.N. Women states that people in Gaza routinely walk long distances and then wait for hours just to use a toilet, and due to the lack of water, these toilets cannot be flushed or cleaned. Smoke and clouds of dust rise after an Israeli attack in Gaza City on Jan. 5, 2025. [Photo: Khalil Ramzi Alkahlut/Anadolu/Getty Images] Air quality The air quality in Gaza has been drastically impacted by this war. NASA satellite imagery from the first few months of the war found that approximately 165 fires were recorded in Gaza from October 2023 to January 2024. With a shortage of electricity, residents have been forced to burn various materials, including plastics and household waste, for cooking and heating. And this has contributed to a dangerous decline in air quality. Meanwhile, large amounts of dust, debris and chemical releases have been produced from explosions and the destruction of infrastructure, leading to significant air pollution. In February 2024, the U.N. Mine Action Service estimated that, in the first few months of the war alone, more than 25,000 tons of explosives had been used, equivalent to “two nuclear bombs.” Waste management In the first six months of bombardment, more than 39 million tons of debris were generated, much of it likely to contain harmful contaminants, including asbestos, residue from explosives and toxic medical waste. Human remains are also mixed in with this debris, with estimates that over 10,000 bodies remain under the rubble. Moreover, the three main landfills in the Gaza Strip have been closed and are unable to receive waste or conflict-related debris. Substantial damage has been done to five out of six solid waste management facilities, and solid waste continues to accumulate at camps and shelters, with an estimate of 1,100 to 1,200 tons being generated daily. The charge of ‘ecocide’ With such environmental destruction, claims of “ecocide” have been made against the Israeli government by international rights groups. Although not presently incorporated into the framework of international law, there have been recent efforts for ecocide to be added as a crime under the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. Indeed, a panel of experts in 2021 proposed a working definition of ecocide as “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment caused by those acts.” To date, 15 countries have criminalized ecocide, and Ukraine is investigating Russia for ecocide for its destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023. Various organizations, including the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, the University of California Global Health Institute and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, have stated that the level of environmental devastation in Gaza reaches the proposed legal definition of “ecocide.” Although the Israeli government has not responded to these accusations, it has consistently stated that it has a right to defend itself and that it seeks to protect civilians as it conducts its military operations. Health impacts of environmental harm Regardless of whether the charge of ecocide applies to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, the environmental impact, the spread of disease, and other harmful health impairments will be felt for years to come. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency reported an increase in hepatitis A in the enclave, from 85 cases before the current war to 107,000 cases in October 2024. The WHO has reported 500,000 cases of diarrhea and 100,000 cases of lice and scabies, along with the reemergence of polio. The lack of adequate WASH facilities has also disproportionately affected women and girls by interfering with basic menstrual hygiene, harming their mental and physical health. Meanwhile, the increased presence of dangerous air pollutants has led to increases in respiratory issues, including nearly 1 million acute respiratory illnesses. Presently, the most common respiratory ailments in Gaza are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer. Next steps As a licensed environmental engineer, I have never seen the scale of environmental destruction that has occurred in Gaza. While the situation is unprecedented, there are concrete steps that the international community can take to help Gaza’s environment recover. The three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which went into effect on Jan. 19, 2025, is a promising first step. This agreement has allowed some Israeli hostages to be released and Palestinian detainees to return to their homes. It also allows for more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza to deal with the current food crisis and health emergency. Nevertheless, there are significant challenges ahead for the people of Gaza. First, the ceasefire agreement will need to hold—and already there are signs of difficulty in implementing the agreement in full. Should fighting resume, that will close or delay the opportunity for engineers and surveyors to perform detailed, comprehensive field assessments. Meanwhile, the need for a post-conflict plan for Gaza has never been starker. Recovering from Gaza’s environmental devastation will require Israel and neighboring countries, as well as influential world powers such as the United States and the European Union, to work together to rebuild critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater treatment plants and solid waste infrastructure. Moreover, to succeed, any long-term plan for the reconstruction of Gaza will need to prioritize the needs and perspectives of Palestinians themselves. Lesley Joseph is a research assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University of South Carolina. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

A handful of major data breaches that occurred in 2024 have already come to light in the last few months (including the PowerSchool and Community Health Center incidents), the latest of which affected a major employment screening and background check service and compromised information from more than 3.3 million people. DISA Global Solutions provides background checks for more than 55,000 employers across the country, and its systems were compromised for more than two months last year. What happened with DISA?According to the company's filing with the Maine attorney general's office, hackers accessed DISA's system between Feb. 9, 2024 and April 22, 2024 (when the breach was discovered) and stole the data of 3,332,750 individuals In its letter notifying consumers of the breach, DISA did not provide specifics as to what was stolen, noting simply that the hackers "procured some information." However, an additional filing located by TechCrunch indicated that the breach included Social Security numbers, medical records, financial account information, credit and debit card numbers, and other government-issued documents. In conducting background checks, DISA collects a wide range of consumer data, including credit, education, and employment histories; driving records; drug tests; references from employers and landlords; and criminal and civil legal filings. What you can do if your data was stolenThe best you can do after a data breach is to pay attention to your personal accounts, follow basic security best practices—such as being especially vigilant with suspicious communication that might be a phishing attempt—and lock down as much as possible to prevent any further damage being done with your information. If you haven't already, you should take steps like freezing your credit and placing a fraud alert to prevent anyone from taking on debt in your name, as well as considering identity protection services that can notify you of anything suspicious. You can also set up protections for your SSN so no one can take on employment or file taxes fraudulently. As of Feb. 21, DISA is notifying consumers affected by the breach and offering a 12-month membership to Experian's IdentityWorks identity monitoring service. To enroll, go to the IdentityWorks website and enter the activation code in your notice. You must sign up by June 30, 2025. View the full article

Conciliatory statement comes after White House clash led to abandonment of plan to sign agreementView the full article

This article is posted with permission from our partner MacPaw. MacPaw makes Mac + iOS apps that have been installed on over 30 million devices worldwide. Freelancers Union members receive 30 days of free unlimited access to CleanMyMacX and Setapp: https://freelancersunion.org/resources/perks/macpaw/ As a freelancer, your computer is your most valuable tool — your office, storage space, and sometimes even your creative playground. Keeping it clean and organized isn't just about freeing up space; it's about ensuring smooth performance, protecting your data, and boosting productivity. Here's how to give your computer the deep clean it deserves. Not only does your Mac benefit from regular cleanups, but many also find cleaning quite satisfying. The MacPaw team has always been fascinated by the ever-evolving world of technology. In 2008, our passion for the tech inspired us to create CleanMyMac, a Mac app that would help curb the never-ending digital clutter. As a team of Mac cleaning experts, we gathered the best practices to keep your Mac up and running. 1. Set a Cleaning RoutineRegular maintenance is key. Many professionals recommend cleaning their computers weekly or at least once a month. A cluttered desktop, sluggish performance, or frequent crashes clearly show that your system needs attention. Almost 47% of our teammates clean their Macs once a week, and the other 35% run cleanups monthly. 2. How do you determine if your Mac needs cleaning? Your device is running slower than usualYour storage is almost fullYour desktop and downloads folder are clutteredYour battery drains faster than normalYour computer takes longer to start up3. Declutter Your Files and FoldersStart by organizing your files. Move essential documents to dedicated folders, delete unnecessary files, and clear out old downloads. Don’t forget to back up critical data to an external drive or cloud storage. Step-by-step digital decluttering: • Remove outdated files and clean up your desktop • Uninstall programs and apps you no longer use • Scan for large and old files to free up space • Empty Trash • Restart your computer 4. Don’t Just Delete—Uninstall ProperlyDragging an app to the Trash (on Mac) or the Recycle Bin (on Windows) doesn’t always remove all associated files. Use a dedicated uninstaller or a system cleaner to ensure complete removal. One of CleanMyMac’s modules can do this task for you! 5. Protect Your Computer from MalwareFreelancers often download files from multiple sources, increasing the risk of malware. Protect yourself by: • Avoiding downloads from unknown sources • Using secure Wi-Fi networks • Regularly scanning for malware • Keeping your passwords updated and secure 6. Don’t Forget About Physical CleaningA dusty laptop fan or a keyboard full of crumbs can cause overheating and wear down your hardware. Use compressed air or a small vacuum to remove debris from your keyboard and vents. If you have pets, a lint roller can help remove cat or dog hair from your keyboard. 7. Make It a HabitConsider digital cleaning like maintaining your car—it’s easier to do it regularly. Adopt simple daily habits like clearing your downloads folder, organizing files, and shutting down your computer properly. By keeping your computer clean and optimized, you’ll boost its lifespan and work more efficiently. Whether it’s National Clean Out Your Computer Day or just another workweek, taking the time to maintain your device can make all the difference in your freelancing success. View the full article

This article is posted with permission from our partner MacPaw. MacPaw makes Mac + iOS apps that have been installed on over 30 million devices worldwide. Freelancers Union members receive 30 days of free unlimited access to CleanMyMacX and Setapp: https://freelancersunion.org/resources/perks/macpaw/ As a freelancer, your computer is your most valuable tool — your office, storage space, and sometimes even your creative playground. Keeping it clean and organized isn't just about freeing up space; it's about ensuring smooth performance, protecting your data, and boosting productivity. Here's how to give your computer the deep clean it deserves. Not only does your Mac benefit from regular cleanups, but many also find cleaning quite satisfying. The MacPaw team has always been fascinated by the ever-evolving world of technology. In 2008, our passion for the tech inspired us to create CleanMyMac, a Mac app that would help curb the never-ending digital clutter. As a team of Mac cleaning experts, we gathered the best practices to keep your Mac up and running. 1. Set a Cleaning RoutineRegular maintenance is key. Many professionals recommend cleaning their computers weekly or at least once a month. A cluttered desktop, sluggish performance, or frequent crashes clearly show that your system needs attention. Almost 47% of our teammates clean their Macs once a week, and the other 35% run cleanups monthly. 2. How do you determine if your Mac needs cleaning? Your device is running slower than usualYour storage is almost fullYour desktop and downloads folder are clutteredYour battery drains faster than normalYour computer takes longer to start up3. Declutter Your Files and FoldersStart by organizing your files. Move essential documents to dedicated folders, delete unnecessary files, and clear out old downloads. Don’t forget to back up critical data to an external drive or cloud storage. Step-by-step digital decluttering: • Remove outdated files and clean up your desktop • Uninstall programs and apps you no longer use • Scan for large and old files to free up space • Empty Trash • Restart your computer 4. Don’t Just Delete—Uninstall ProperlyDragging an app to the Trash (on Mac) or the Recycle Bin (on Windows) doesn’t always remove all associated files. Use a dedicated uninstaller or a system cleaner to ensure complete removal. One of CleanMyMac’s modules can do this task for you! 5. Protect Your Computer from MalwareFreelancers often download files from multiple sources, increasing the risk of malware. Protect yourself by: • Avoiding downloads from unknown sources • Using secure Wi-Fi networks • Regularly scanning for malware • Keeping your passwords updated and secure 6. Don’t Forget About Physical CleaningA dusty laptop fan or a keyboard full of crumbs can cause overheating and wear down your hardware. Use compressed air or a small vacuum to remove debris from your keyboard and vents. If you have pets, a lint roller can help remove cat or dog hair from your keyboard. 7. Make It a HabitConsider digital cleaning like maintaining your car—it’s easier to do it regularly. Adopt simple daily habits like clearing your downloads folder, organizing files, and shutting down your computer properly. By keeping your computer clean and optimized, you’ll boost its lifespan and work more efficiently. Whether it’s National Clean Out Your Computer Day or just another workweek, taking the time to maintain your device can make all the difference in your freelancing success. View the full article

Across the city of Chengdu, China, the quiet but remarkable buildings of Liu Jiakun has slowly pierced through the dominant stereotype of bombastic Chinese architecture. Liu, who has just been named the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, has spent the past three decades carefully injecting pieces of socially conscious and transformative architecture into his hometown. Liu’s work includes subtle museums, historically informed preservation projects, and progressive urban projects that blur the edges of private space and public good. “In a world that tends to create endless dull peripheries, he has found a way to build places that are a building, infrastructure, landscape and public space at the same time,” writes Alejandro Aravena, chair of the Pritzker jury. Novartis (Shanghai) Block – C6 [Photo: courtesy of Arch-Exist] Liu, 69, has a unique background that informs his work. After studying architecture in the late 1970s and early ’80s, he worked at the state-owned Chengdu Architectural Design and Research Institute before volunteering to embed in remote Tibet where he developed a passion for meditation and writing. For a decade he left architecture to write novels and paint. In 1999 he returned to the field and established Jiakun Architects, when he was in his 40s. He now has more than 30 built projects to his name, many located in and around his hometown of Chengdu. In its citation for the 2025 Pritzker Prize, the jury commended Liu for his focus on the creating high-quality buildings for the lives of ordinary people. “While density appears to be a more sustainable solution for people to live together, the scarcity of space usually implies a poor quality of life,” the jury writes. “Liu Jiakun rethinks the fundamentals of density through cohabitation, crafting an intelligent solution that balances the opposite forces at play.” West Village [Photo: courtesy Chen Chen] This is especially evident in one of Liu’s standout projects, the West Village mixed use “urban complex,” which wraps the perimeter of a gigantic city block with a five-story building combining shops, offices, and community spaces. One full side of this megablock is made of a striking crisscross of steel ramps that serve to connect pedestrians and cyclists to the complex’s various spaces while also doubling as an inner city trail. A large courtyard of sports fields and gardens sits inside the built perimeter, with its towering ramps serving as a window frame for the 21-million-person city beyond. West Village [Photo: courtesy Qian Shen Photography] This socially minded work is continuing at an even larger scale in a forthcoming project. Liu’s firm is in the midst of creating a large park from a former steel factory in the city of Hangzhou. Opening once degraded land to the public while also celebrating its industrial heritage, the park strikes a soft balance between history and contemporary urban demands. Liu is just the second Pritzker Prize winner from China, after Wang Shu in 2012. No American has won the prize since 2005. View the full article

It’s not only cryptocurrency investors who are seeing red today. If you’re an investor in Elon Musk’s Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA), the trading day is off to another bad start. That’s because Tesla shares are currently down over 6% to below $267 a share as of the time of this writing. Today’s early-morning drop is just the latest one for the electric car maker since the beginning of the year, with TSLA shares down over 33% in 2025 so far. Increasingly, they’ve fallen nearer to an important psychological price barrier: $251, which is where they were trading on November 5, 2024 when President Trump won the election. In other words, Tesla is close to losing all of the gains it had made since Trump’s victory. Exactly why are TSLA shares falling this morning? There are two likely immediate reasons. Tesla sales crash in China in February China is Tesla’s second most important market after the U.S. However, sales in the country reportedly fell off a cliff last month. In February 2025, Tesla sold just 30,688 cars in China. That is a staggering decline of 49.2% from a year earlier. It’s also the lowest number of vehicles Tesla has sold in any month in China since August 2022. However, there are a few one-time events that may have contributed to this drop. First, Tesla had to partially suspend the production of the Model Y in the country due to upgrade work. Second, there was a shift in the Lunar New Year holidays this year, which could have contributed to fewer people car shopping during the February period. However, as Reuters notes, one-offs weren’t the only reasons behind the fall. During the same month, one of Tesla’s main Chinese competitors, BYD, reported 614,679 vehicles sold—a 90.4% increase. Tesla is also facing an EV price war in the country. BYD recently released an EV with driving-assistance technology. The starting price of that vehicle is less than $10,000 USD. Tesla’s Model Y starts at around $35,000 USD in China. And BYD isn’t the only rival Tesla faces in China. Other companies in the country, including Geely and Leapmotor, have recently entered into the EV price wars, heaping more competition on the company. Tesla’s nearly 50% sales drop in China during the month follows recent falls in other countries. Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) shows that Tesla has recently seen a 45.2% drop in the European Union, Britain, and the European Free Trade Area. Bank of America downgrades TSLA stock A second bit of news seems to be rattling Tesla investors this morning, too. Bank of America has downgraded Tesla’s stock price. Previously, BoA held a $490 price target for TSLA shares, but now it’s reduced that target to $380. At $380, that’s still about $110 higher than where Tesla is right now, but it’s a huge drop from the nearly $500 price point that BoA previously had on the stock. It’s worth noting that Bank of America has maintained its “neutral” rating on TSLA shares. Trump trade wars and DOGE President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China in the past day may also be weighing on Tesla stock. Those tariffs—as well as retaliatory actions taken by America’s three largest trading partners—are spooking markets in general this morning. Economists worry that the tit-for-tat tariffs could signal that the largest economies in the world are on the cusp of a massive trade war—one that would not benefit the economies of any country involved, nor the larger global economy. If the global economy worsens, it could lead to consumers pulling back on spending on everything from cars to computers. Today’s 6%-plus decline in Tesla’s stock may also partially be blamed on ongoing worries that Elon Musk’s political activities and his involvement with the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may be tarnishing the company’s brand image beyond repair. Not since Steve Jobs and Apple has one man been so connected to a company in the eyes of the public. If Elon Musk’s political antics continue to generate anger against the buying public—especially the affluent, progressive, environmentally conscious consumers who tend to buy his cars—investors worry those customers may abandon the brand. Where does Tesla go from here? Where TSLA shares go from here is anyone’s guess. Tesla recently passed a grim milestone last month when it lost its status as a company with a $1 trillion market cap. As of the time of this writing, Tesla is now worth below $900 billion. In December, TSLA shares closed at an all-time high of over $488. They have fallen more than $222 since then. View the full article

Deal involves sale of the bulk of ports owned by Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison View the full article

Sycamore Partners is planning a three-way split of Walgreens Boots Alliance if a deal to take the struggling pharmacy chain private is reached, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Walgreens’s three businesses—U.S. retail pharmacy, Boots UK, and U.S. healthcare—will be separated and have distinct capital structures, according to the report. Sycamore and Walgreens both declined to comment on the report. Shares of the Deerfield, Illionois-based company rose 5% to $11.62 in early trading. The report “marks another twist in the potential go-private story” for Walgreens, Leerink analyst Michael Cherny said. Walgreens has reportedly been in talks to sell itself to private equity firm Sycamore since December, but a deal is yet to be reached. Media reports have also pointed to issues with financing for a buyout and discussion with Sycamore briefly falling out. The financing of the take-private deal is not expected to be an obstacle, according to the FT report. Walgreens’ executive chairman Stefano Pessina, who currently holds a 17% stake, is expected to maintain a significant share of the company, it added. —Bhanvi Satija and Sriparna Roy, Reuters View the full article

Ticketing platform Eventbrite has a new look—and an overhauled mobile app. The company just unveiled its first brand refresh and app redesign since 2019, signaling its increasing focus on surfacing event recommendations for its users. Coming less than a week after Eventbrite shared its Q4 and full-year 2024 earnings—posting a loss of $8.4 million for the quarter and loss of $15.6 million for the year—the new app is designed, in part, to help shore up the company’s 10% year-over-year decline in ticket sales by emphasizing event discovery. To do that, CEO and cofounder Julia Hartz tells Fast Company that Eventbrite’s strategy is cribbing somewhat from the music streaming world. “We believe that event discovery should be as intuitive as discovering music on Spotify,” she says. [Image: Eventbrite]The redesign and strategy shift is also informed by Eventbrite’s consumer research, which found users between 18 and 34 increasingly driven to attend live events—which Hartz calls “fourth spaces”—by a desire to bring their online interests into the real world—from podcasts to cooking and crafting. “We’re highlighting that niche is the new mass, especially for Gen Z and live experiences,” she says. Driving DiscoveryPutting a new app at the center of its strategy is how Eventbrite wants to capitalize on a highly engaged subset of users. Some 10% of the company’s 90 million monthly active users use the app, and that number is increasing at about 17% year over year. In a move pulled straight from streaming, Eventbrite’s Discover tab offers users recommendations based on past purchases. The new app also introduces It List—guides to events in 12 markets curated by more than 25 people Eventbrite calls “cultural creators.” In Chicago, for example, author Rebecca Makkai offers a guide to social art and literature events, and in Toronto, DJ Hangaëlle gives users a guide to the city’s nightlife. Users are able to save events they’re interested to come back to later, with a dedicated “Saved” tab in the app. [Image: Eventbrite]“Curated discovery is a game-changer” Hartz says, noting that early tests found that users engaging with It Lists are twice as likely to buy a ticket. “That’s not a new concept, but we bring it to life in this new experience. We know a lot about consumers, what they want to do, and how to drive action from intent, which is a big leap when you’re thinking about buying tickets to an event.” The new app also builds in a social function, allowing users to find and follow friends and see what events they may be attending. Hartz teases more features down the line, including user-generated It Lists. “[That would be] another way of connecting with your digital community and getting your friends to want to go out and experience real life with you,” she says. [Image: Eventbrite]Giving organizers a boostHartz’s comparison to the Spotify experience in the new app also extends to Eventbrite’s tools that help hosts promote their upcoming events. Since 2022, Eventbrite Ads has been a way for event planners to boost visibility of a listing—not unlike Spotify’s Discover Mode, which artists use to be promoted into a listener’s autoplay mix. [Image: Eventbrite]The ads program, which was introduced in 2022, has been a solid growth driver for the company, posting year-over-year revenue increases of 34% in Q4 and 83% for the full year. Hartz told investors last week that events using the ads tool sold four times more tickets than events that didn’t. She says that’s in part because of how engaged its app users are versus users on social media. [Image: Eventbrite]“While you’re getting a mass audience on Instagram, you’re getting a super high-intent audience on Eventbrite,” she says, noting that app users are two and half times more active in ticket sales than other users. That’s helped incentivize bringing the ads program into the redesigned app. “We’re expanding Ads placements to be in heavily trafficked places like It Lists and and category-specific landing pages,” Hartz says. We’re making it possible for creators to partake in that high-intent experience.” [Image: Eventbrite]Cornering the ‘fourth space’In surveying the swath of Gen Z and millennials aged 18 to 34, Hartz says Eventbrite is seeing the long tail of pandemic-fueled isolation start to evolve into renewed interest in IRL experiences—but for increasingly niche interests cultivated online. Eventbrite found three-quarters of the people it surveyed planned to spend more money on live events in the next six months. With home, work, and public spaces like parks and cafes constituting the first, second, and third spaces, Hartz sees these events—among them cosplay speed dating, run clubs, and culinary experiences—as a “fourth space.” [Image: Eventbrite]“There’s a mashup of niche interests coming together in really creative ways offline,” she says. “We think of ourselves as the infrastructure for fourth spaces.” When talking about Eventbrite’s focus on surfacing new events for niche audiences, Hartz sounds more like the head of a streamer than a ticketing platform. It’s an ambitious framing, but it’s not an accident. “We’re not ticketing large concerts and arenas and stadiums—we’re ticketing everything else that isn’t a backyard barbecue or birthday party,” she says. “Because of that, I think of Eventbrite’s content as a new type of media—content brought to life in tiny and massive ways. I think you could say that our competition is staying home and sitting on the couch.” View the full article

If what you don’t know can’t hurt you, Elon Musk may be in luck. With a series of candid posts on X, the White House’s resident broligarch has lately been divulging which aspects of civics and data science he appears to know little about. Fortunately for anyone following along, a scattered battalion of experts and reporters has received each bumbling post on X like a social media bat signal. Every time Musk posts about, say, the dire need for retired air traffic controllers to get back into the game, or for flight trajectories to look like a straight line, a veteran campaign strategist will explain that air traffic controllers are required by law to retire at age 56, or a journalist will describe how flight plans and prohibited airspace function. Together, these folks have turned Musk’s X feed into one long teachable moment—regardless of whether the primary pupil is paying any attention. It makes sense that most people wouldn’t know the ins and outs of things like air traffic controller staffing protocol or flight paths. It’s also reasonable to expect that Musk himself wouldn’t know, even as his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team is in the midst of a drastic overhaul of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), at a critical juncture in the public perception of flight safety. What makes no sense, however, is for someone in Musk’s powerful position to find out how such important systems work, through social media rebuttals, only after he’s already suggested sweeping changes within those systems. Early days of DOGE When Musk first started planning DOGE’s implementation, he had a golden opportunity to learn about government functionality. According to a recent New York Times report about DOGE’s origins, the task of putting logistics around Musk’s ideas fell to health care entrepreneur Brad Smith, who had previously worked with Jared Kushner during Trump’s first term. “In the first week after the election, Mr. Smith gave Mr. Musk a presentation that amounted to a basic budget and civics lesson, explaining how Congress appropriated funds and noting major line items like defense and health care,” the report reads. “In one early meeting, Mr. Musk said Mr. Smith was being too careful and offering ‘classic consultant stuff.’ In discussions, Mr. Musk expressed impatience with Mr. Smith’s caution that the team would need a phalanx of lawyers to help with executive orders and regulations. Mr. Musk wanted to tear down the government to the studs, and saw Mr. Smith’s approach as incremental.” Shoot first, ask questions later Musk’s apparent distaste for caution has led to a more “shoot first and ask questions later” style of reshaping the federal government. In the parlance of the 2020s, he is the literal embodiment of “FAFO” in action. But it’s those following along on X and Bluesky who are “Finding Out.” For instance, Musk recently posted an adamant denial on X that DOGE’s cost-cutting has resulted in fewer funds for cancer research, after writer Molly Jong-Fast called him out on it. Of course, Musk had previously griped on X about how much money in endowments from the National Institute of Health were going toward “indirect costs,” which he described as “overhead.” Amid Musk’s denials about cutting funding for cancer research, experts quickly chimed in to explain that, in the realm of NIH funding, all that “overhead” provides critical support for biomedical research and trials, something Musk may not have been aware of. It’s far from Musk’s only misapprehension around the allocation of government funds. When he posted “Defund the ACLU” in December, Musk may similarly not have known that the American Civil Liberties Union receives no money from taxpayers whatsoever—something Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quick to point out in a quote-reply. More galling, however, was Musk’s X post from mid-February, suggesting millions of dead people are currently collecting social security checks. As proof, he posted an excerpt of an Excel spreadsheet purportedly listing people up to 369 years of age receiving benefits. The following afternoon, social security’s acting commissioner, Lee Dudek, clarified: “The reported data are people in our records with a social security number who do not have a date of death associated with their record. These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits.” Even before Dudek’s statement, though, X users came out of the woodwork to explain that the incredibly high ages listed in the social security database were due to outdated computer systems like COBOL and SQL. (Not that any of these corrections or Dudek’s comments stopped Musk from going on Joe Rogan’s podcast over the weekend to continue peddling false claims about dead people receiving social security checks.) When Musk responded to one user’s suggestion that he doesn’t understand how SQL works, writing, “This [slur] thinks the government uses SQL,” many users explained why the government might, in fact, plausibly use SQL. Even the Community Notes on X joined in on correcting Musk… which may partly explain why he’s announced a plan in the days since to overhaul the Community Notes system. Moving fast and breaking things Some of his recent posts suggest he would like to do the same to U.S. democracy altogether. “What is the point of having democratic elections,” he posted last week, “if unelected activist ‘judges’ can override the clear will of the people?” As U.S. judges attempt to constrain some of DOGE’s maneuvers, such as blocking the group from accessing the Department of Education’s internal data, Musk continues questioning the role of the judiciary in American governance. When he floated the idea of annually firing “the worst 1% of appointed judges, as determined by elected bodies,” an economist wrote on Bluesky that Musk did not seem to understand Congress can already impeach judges. Whether he knew it at that point or not, he certainly does now, as Musk has recently started threatening judges with impeachment. The head of DOGE previously did not seem to know that the Ebola prevention team, nuclear arsenal experts, and bird flu officials were all indispensable before his department fired them. (And then subsequently attempted to rehire them.) Hopefully, there were no similar information gaps last Friday when DOGE fired hundreds of workers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s tsunami warning centers—and none in the decision process for whichever teams DOGE fires next. Otherwise, what Musk doesn’t know may end up hurting a great many other people. View the full article