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Jets' Ulbrich says Rodgers 'absolutely' remains the team's starting quarterbackNew York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Ulbrich said Monday the quarterback came back from the team's bye-week break ready to go. “All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has probably for the past month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. “So, I'm excited about what that looks like.” NFL Network reported on Sunday that Rodgers, who missed all but four snaps last season with a torn left Achilles tendon , has declined having medical scans on his injured leg so he can continue to play. “I have not been informed of that, either way,” Ulbrich said. Rodgers suffered what NFL Network reported was a “significant” hamstring injury against Denver in Week 4. He then sprained his left ankle against Minnesota in London a week later. The four-time MVP has not been able to consistently move around during games as he has in the past, when extending plays and making things happen on the run became such a big part of his game. Rodgers said leading into New York's 28-27 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday that it was the healthiest he felt in a while. But he struggled against the Colts, finishing 22 of 29 for 184 yards after a brutally slow start during which he went 9 of 13 for just 76 yards. The Athletic reported last week that owner Woody Johnson broached the idea during a meeting with the coaching staff of having the banged-up Rodgers sit after the Jets' loss to Denver in Week 4. With Rodgers' struggles and perhaps compromised health the past few games, a hot debate on social media and sports talk shows during the past week has been whether the quarterback should take a seat in favor of Tyrod Taylor. But when asked if there has been any talk of shutting down Rodgers, Ulbrich replied flatly: “There has not.” In a follow-up question, the interim coach was asked if Rodgers will, in fact, be the Jets' starting quarterback at home Sunday against the Seahawks. “Absolutely,” Ulbrich said. He added that he didn't feel the need to sit down with Rodgers and address all the reports and chatter outside the facility. “No, I feel like we are on the same page,” the coach said. Last week, Ulbrich said he and his staff would take “a deep dive” into what the team could do better after losing seven of its past eight and being on the verge of missing the postseason for the 14th consecutive year. Ulbrich opted not to make any changes to the coaching responsibilities of his staff and he will continue to run the defense as the coordinator. He also said there would not be any personnel changes coming out of the bye, barring injuries. “But definitely, we created a really clear vision of where we need to improve and found some things,” Ulbrich said. “Obviously, you find the things that you’re not doing well, you need to improve upon them, but then also found some some things that I think we can really build upon. So I was excited in both ways.” Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas last Tuesday, six weeks after he also dismissed coach Robert Saleh. On Monday, the team announced it would be assisted by The 33rd Team , a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, in its searches for a general manager and coach. Ulbrich insisted that isn't creating an awkward situation for him, in particular, as he and his staff focus on the present while the organization begins planning for the future. “In all honesty, it’s not at all,” Ulbrich said. “My singular focus is just finishing the season off the right way, playing a brand of football we’re all proud of, myself included. And that starts with Seattle.” LB C.J. Mosley said he's “progressing” in his return from a herniated disk in his neck, but is still uncertain about his availability for Sunday. Mosley said Monday was the first time he put on a helmet since the injury occurred during pregame warmups against New England on Oct. 27. ... Ulbrich said the team is still evaluating LT Tyron Smith, who missed the game against Indianapolis with a neck ailment. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Steelers QB Russell Wilson is spreading the wealth on offenseNone

With an important regular-season finale ending a short week, Mississippi has watched its dreams shift from national success to perhaps something it certainly did not want on Thanksgiving weekend: An Egg Bowl that holds only regional significance and statewide bragging rights. After their third and disappointing defeat, the No. 14 Rebels will play Friday afternoon in their annual Egg Bowl matchup against rival Mississippi State in the intrastate series in Oxford, Miss. It will not be easy putting aside the catastrophic 24-17 loss at Florida last Saturday, a soul-crushing setback that all but ended any College Football Playoff aspirations for the most talented Rebels team assembled in a long time. Coach Lane Kiffin's team slid five spots to 14th in the latest CFP rankings. The offseason outlook was rosy when Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC) shelled out big NIL money and added the top portal class to fill a roster that won 11 games in 2023. But the Rebels repeatedly shot themselves in the foot Saturday against the Gators. Ole Miss' high-powered offense turned the ball over three times, went 3 of 14 on third down, failed on two fourth-down attempts, dropped five passes and missed a field goal. Before the game, ABC's broadcast noted that the Rebels had an 84 percent chance to make the CFP. Following the loss, that number dwindled to four percent. The only way the Oxford school gets in is if there is the repeated chaos of Week 13, one that talk show host Paul Finebaum called "the most SEC carnage" he had ever seen. The Egg Bowl has been played on Thanksgiving Day 23 times, including 2017 to last season, but Kiffin feels the afternoon start on Friday is an advantage. "It helps them to know that playoffs are still alive and they get kind of the first shot to show everybody on a national stage," Kiffin said Monday, "as opposed to a Saturday game where these people that make the decisions don't necessarily see all the games because so many are going on." For the second time this month, Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby will lead his last-place Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7) against a former boss. The 40-year-old head coach faced Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel, who had Lebby on his staff at UCF in 2018 and 2019, in a 33-14 loss on Nov. 9. Now he will face Kiffin, whom he was paired with in 2020 and 2021 in their first two seasons at Ole Miss when the school led the SEC in total offense. A frequent social media user who enjoys trolling others, Kiffin took a jab at Lebby and Mississippi State when the first-year coach was hired. "We've traded texts throughout the season and had communication," Lebby said Monday. "But no, not this week. He'll continue to find ways to have fun on social. That's who he's always been and who he'll always be." Ole Miss owns a 65-46-6 series advantage and has claimed five of the past seven matches, including a 35-3 "Egg Brawl" victory by the Bulldogs in 2018 that was later vacated. Another loss to the Rebels would give MSU its first winless SEC season since 2002. --Field Level MediaCongressional bicameral team pushes for insurance, pharmaceutical reformA judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia

NEW YORK , Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) between February 7, 2022 and October 25, 2023 , both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 13, 2025 . So what: If you purchased Hasbro common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Hasbro class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31157 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 13 , 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements that represented the quality of inventory and the appropriateness of the levels of inventories carried by Hasbro and its retailers compared to customer demand. In truth, however, Hasbro had a significant buildup of inventory that it was struggling to manage and which far exceeded customer demand. As a result, defendants' statements about Hasbro's inventory, and what inventory levels reflected regarding demand, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Hasbro class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31157 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/has-deadline-has-investors-with-losses-in-excess-of-100k-have-opportunity-to-lead-hasbro-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302337452.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.SaferWatch Elevates Executive Protection with 24/7/365 Monitoring, Live Communication, and Direct Law Enforcement Connectivity

Over on SuspectFile, Marco A. De Felice writes: This interview provides a detailed look at Dragon Ransomware, a group active in the cybercrime landscape that combines a defined organizational structure with advanced technological expertise. Their statements shed light on operational elements and motivations that help to better understand the internal dynamics of these illicit activities. Dragon RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) officially began operations on July 9, 2024. Unlike conventional ransomware groups driven primarily by economic gains or political goals, Dragon positions itself as a revolutionary entity in the field of cybersecurity. The group claims to pursue a mission combining “social justice” and resistance to economic exploitation, targeting powerful entities while protecting the vulnerable. This declared ethos sets them apart from other actors in the field, framing their actions within a controversial narrative of “cyber resistance.” Specifically, they describe themselves as defenders of marginalized communities, citing injustices faced by civilians in the Gaza Strip as a principal driver of their activities. From a technical perspective, Dragon Ransomware demonstrates significant expertise in hacking, social engineering, and programming in languages such as C and Python. Their encryption techniques, which combine AES-CBC 256 and RSA algorithms, establish a highly secure framework that prevents data recovery without their cooperation. Read the interview at SuspectFile.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is historically synonymous with big reunion celebrations and bar hangouts ahead of busy holiday season ahead. But bring the party with your favorite people home with BLACK+DECKER’s bev Cocktail Maker Machine and Drink Maker on sale for Amazon’s massive Black Friday Deals event with a major 43% off markdown . If you shop now, you can get the “Best Grown Up Toy Ever” for $170, down from $300, and — if you’re a Prime member — have it shipped free in two days. The innovative machine takes the hassle out of cocktail crafting and lets you create mixologist-quality drinks in a few simple steps. You just connect your core spirits (750-milliliter standard bottles) to the easy-load liquor system, then choose from over 40 Bartesian cocktail capsules, which contain real juices, extracts and bitters. Next, you’ll select your desired drink strength, from a mocktail to a strong cocktail, and then let the machine go to work using its smart barcode-reading technology. bev dispenses exact amounts of each ingredient in the proper ratios so that whatever you or your guests are drinking is balanced and tasting precisely how it should. Plus, the LED lights on the machine’s base can illuminate your liquor bottles for a look that’s straight out of a swanky martini lounge, and with a quick switch to “Party Mode,” you can trigger a light display that rivals the energy of your favorite club. Once you’re done using the machine, the self-rinsing feature makes cleanup a cinch. Investing in this cocktail maker now is one of the best decisions you can make, especially with Christmas and New Year’s Eve right around the corner and Super Bowl Sunday not too far behind. Shop the bev Cocktail Maker Machine and Drink Maker from BLACK+DECKER for $170, only while Black Friday Deals last . Keep these other Amazon Black Friday Deals in the hopper, too. SodaStream Terra Sparkling Water Maker for $50, instead of $100 CUISINART Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Machine for $70, instead of $100 Breville the Barista Touch Impress Espresso Machine for $1,200, instead of $1,500 The Best Black Friday Deals in 2024 Amazon has Orastone rechargeable hand warmers that stay warm for up to 4 hours on sale for 50% off Walmart and Target have all the Xbox Black Friday deals up to $100 — but they won’t last long Black Friday 2024 mall hours: What N.J. malls are open and closed on Friday? HOKA’s Black Friday sale has Bondi 8, Clifton 9 sneaker deals and more top styles for up to $72 off — but they’re selling fast Walmart has the Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker on sale for $50 off — and it’s cheaper than Amazon’s Black Friday price Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Danielle Halibey can be reached at dhalibey@njadvancemedia.com . Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips .

Ayodhya: To accommodate the ever-increasing rush of vehicles in Ayodhya, a fully mechanised puzzle parking system will be established in the Ramkot area, near Asharfi Bhawan in the temple town. The self-sustainable parking complex, which will include a residential block and a dormitory to house workers operating the facility, will be the first of its kind. The puzzle parking system uses stacking and sliding technology to maximise the use of available space. Executed by the planning department at the behest of the department of religious affairs, a five-story building will be constructed on a 2.21-acre parcel of land, capable of accommodating 474 cars. Based on an intelligent algorithm and sensor-based technology, cars parked at the front of the complex will be moved to other available spots using a combination of conveyors, turntables, lifts, and collapsible decks. On average, the company developing the system will spend between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh per parking slot. The complex will feature 12 shops, washroom blocks, an electric sub-station, dormitories for males and females, a dining area, a kitchen, a reception, and a waiting lounge. There will also be provisions for rooms to accommodate tourists and visitors interested in staying at the complex. According to the officials the construction work will commence next year after the agency responsible for building and operating the facility is shortlisted. The operations and maintenance of the parking facility will be handed over to the company undertaking the construction for a period of 10 years. The estimated cost of setting up the facility is Rs 53 crore. Ayodhya divisional commissioner Gaurav Dayal said that the parking complex was going to be in close vicinity of the Ram temple and will be connected via Tedhi Bazar road. "It will bring down congestion in the Ramkot area. Besides the Ram temple, a lot of families also visit Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, and Dashrath Mahal, as well as other important religious sites within vicinity of Ramkot," said Dayal. Ayodhya divisional commissioner Gaurav Dayal said the parking complex would be located close to the Ram temple and connected via Tedhi Bazar Road. "It will significantly reduce congestion in the Ramkot area. In addition to the Ram temple, many families also visit Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Dashrath Mahal, and other important religious sites in the vicinity of Ramkot," said Dayal.

By LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz Announce Closure of Bar Schwartz & Sandy’sSalesforce Grants Equity Awards to Tenyx, PredictSpring, and Zoomin Employees Under Its Inducement Equity Incentive Plan

Stocks wavered in afternoon trading, as losses for several Big Tech companies offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 fell 0.5 per cent, even though more stocks were rising than falling in the index. The Dow Jones fell 78 points, or 0.2 per cent. Both indexes set records on Tuesday. The Nasdaq composite fell 1.1 per cent. Wall Street’s tech giants retreated on Wednesday. Credit: AP The Australian sharemarket is set to inch up, with futures at 4.56am AEDT pointing to a rise of 14 points, or 0.1 per cent, at the open. The ASX added 0.6 per cent on Wednesday. Losses for tech heavyweights helped pull the broader market lower. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slipped 3.3 per cent. Its huge value gives it outsized influence on market indexes. Microsoft fell 1.1 per cent. Several personal computer makers added to Big Tech’s heavy weight on the market following their latest earnings reports. HP sank 12.6 per cent after giving investors a weaker-than-expected earnings forecast for its current quarter. Dell slumped 12.1 per cent after its latest quarterly revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Gains for financial and health care companies helped counter Big Tech’s downward pull. The US economy expanded at a healthy 2.8 per cent annual pace from July through September, according to the Commerce Department, leaving its original estimate of third-quarter growth unchanged. The growth was driven by strong consumer spending and a surge in exports. The update follows a report on Tuesday from the Conference Board that said confidence among US consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Consumers have been driving economic growth, but the latest round of earnings reports from retailers shows a mixed and more cautious picture. Department store operator Nordstrom fell 10.3 per cent after warning investors about a trend toward weakening sales that started in late October. Clothing retailer Urban Outfitters jumped 15.9 per cent after beating analysts’ third-quarter financial forecasts. Weeks earlier, retail giant Target gave investors a discouraging forecast for the holiday season, while Walmart provided a more encouraging forecast. Consumers, though resilient, are still facing pressure from inflation. The latest update from the US government shows that inflation accelerated last month. The personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, rose to 2.3 per cent in October from 2.1 per cent in September. Overall, the rate of inflation has been falling broadly since it peaked more than two years ago. The PCE, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, was just below 7.3 per cent in June of 2022. Another measure of inflation, the consumer price index, peaked at 9.1 per cent at the same time. The latest inflation data, though, is a sign that the rate of inflation seems to be stalling as it falls to within range of the Fed’s target of 2 per cent. The central bank started raising its benchmark interest rate from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023 and held it there in order to tame inflation. The Fed started cutting its benchmark interest rate in September, followed by a second cut in November. Wall Street expects a similar quarter-point cut at the central bank’s upcoming meeting in December. “Today’s data shouldn’t change views of the likely path for disinflation, however bumpy,” said David Alcaly, lead macroeconomic strategist at Lazard Asset Management. “But a lot of observers, probably including some at the Fed, are looking for reasons to get more hawkish on the outlook given the potential for inflationary policy change like new tariffs.” President-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China when he takes office in January. That could shock the economy by raising prices on a wide range of goods and accelerating the rate of inflation. Such a shift could prompt the Fed to rethink future cuts to interest rates. Treasury yields slipped in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.24 per cent from 4.30 per cent late Tuesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely follows expected actions by the Fed, fell to 4.21 per cent from 4.25 per cent late Tuesday. US markets will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. AP The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day’s trading. Get it each we e kday afternoon .A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

NCino: Fiscal Q3 Earnings SnapshotSTATE & LOCAL LAWS & REGULATIONS California Privacy Protection Agency Advances New Security, ADMT Regulations : The California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) initiated the formal rulemaking process for proposed regulations on cybersecurity audits, risk assessments, and automated decision-making technologies (“ADMT”) at its November public meeting. The proposed regulations would regulate artificial intelligence (“AI”), which would fall within the definition of ADMT. The proposed regulations define ADMT as “any technology that processes personal information and uses computation to execute a decision, replace human decision-making, or substantially facilitate human decision-making” and specifically includes AI and profiling. The proposed rules would provide consumers with a number of rights with respect to ADMT, including the right to opt out of the use of ADMT and to appeal significant decisions relating to a business’s use of ADMT. The proposed rules would also require businesses to conduct risk assessments related to certain uses of ADMT, among other things. As it relates to cybersecurity, the proposed regulations would require certain businesses to conduct cybersecurity audits. Cybersecurity audits would require identification, assessment, and documentation of the business’s cybersecurity program, including authentication, encryption, zero trust architecture, and other areas. Businesses would be required to submit a written certification to the CPPA on an annual basis that the cybersecurity audit was completed. The formal comment period for the proposed rules opened on November 22, 2024, and will close on January 14, 2025. California Privacy Protection Agency Adopts New Data Broker Regulations : The CPPA also formally adopted new data broker regulations . The new regulations would define a “direct relationship” under California’s data broker law as a relationship where “a consumer intentionally interacts with a business for the purpose of obtaining information about, accessing, purchasing, using, or requesting the business’s products or services within the preceding three years.” The new regulations would also require data brokers to disclose the types of personal information the data broker collects that are subject to other laws, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and information on the products and services the data broker offers that are covered by those laws. If the regulations are approved by the California Office of Administrative Law, they will become effective on January 1, 2025. Colorado AG Releases Revisions to Draft Colorado Privacy Act Rules : The Colorado Attorney General’s Office released the second version of its proposed amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act rules. This round of revisions seeks to take into account concerns expressed through public input to the first draft of the amendments. The rules address two laws amending the Colorado Privacy Act that heightened protections for biometric data and children’s data that were signed into law in 2024. The amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act require businesses operating in Colorado to keep written policies on how they handle and dispose of biometric data and to provide consumers with notice of the collection of biometric information take effect July 1, 2025. The draft rules define the notice and consent requirements for biometric data, including notice and consent requirements for employees, contractors, and subcontractors. Amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act relating to children’s data take effect on October 1, 2025, and will require companies to use “reasonable care” to avoid harms to a consumer they know is under 18 and limit use and collection of minors’ data. Reproductive Data Privacy Legislation Introduced in Michigan : SB 1082 , the Reproductive Data Privacy Act (“RDPA”) was introduced in the Michigan legislature. The RDPA is modeled after Washington’s My Health, My Data Act, but would apply specifically to entities that provide products or services related to a person’s reproductive health data. Reproductive health data is defined under the law as “information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual and that identifies the individual’s past, present, or future reproductive health status.” Reproductive health status is in turn defined as including, but not limited to, reproductive health, menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, pregnancy outcome, plans to conceive, or type of sexual activity. The RDPA would require entities to provide notice and obtain consent from consumers before collecting or processing reproductive health data, and to minimize the reproductive health data that they collect to only that data which is necessary to perform the purposes for which it is collected, among other things. As introduced, the RDPA would also provide consumers with a private right of action to seek statutory damages between $100 and $750 per violation or actual damages, whichever is greater. Texas Lawmaker Releases Draft Comprehensive AI Legislation : Representative Giovanni Capriglione (R) released draft legislation entitled, the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act. Representative Capriglione stated he intends to introduce the legislation in the 2025 Texas State legislative session. The draft legislation provides for a risk-based approach and borrows a number of concepts from the Colorado AI Act that was passed in 2024 and similar Connecticut legislation that failed to pass last year. The legislation would require developers and deployers of high-risk AI systems to use “reasonable care” to avoid algorithmic discrimination, including through regular testing and requiring non-compliant AI systems to be disabled or recalled until problems are resolved. High-risk systems are defined by the draft legislation as an AI system that makes or is a contributing factor in a consequential decision, which is a decision that has a material legal, or similarly significant effect, on a consumer’s access to, cost of, or terms of employment, financial services, healthcare, and certain essential services, among other things. Lawmakers in other states around the U.S. are expected to introduce AI legislation in 2025. FEDERAL LAWS & REGULATIONS CFPB Releases Report on State Consumer Laws and Consumer Financial Data : The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) released a report examining federal and state privacy protections for consumers’ financial data. The report finds that all of the major state data privacy laws passed to date exempt financial institutions, financial data, or both if they are already subject to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act or Fair Credit Reporting Act. The report further finds that existing federal laws are limited in scope and may not protect consumers from companies’ novel and increasingly pervasive methods of collecting and monetizing data. The report encourages state lawmakers to consider these gaps and to extend the protections of state privacy laws to financial data to help regulate and provide consumer protections with respect to, monetization of consumer financial data and commercial surveillance. CFPB Finalizes Rule on Oversight of Digital Payment Apps : The CFPB also finalized a rule to supervise large nonbank companies offering digital funds transfer and payment wallet apps. The CFPB previously maintained enforcement authority over the funds transfer and payment activities of such companies, but the new rule will extend the CFPB’s proactive supervisory authority over the industry. Companies offering these products that handle more than 50 million transactions a year will now be supervised under federal law like large banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions already supervised by the CFPB. The CFPB stated that the new rule will enable to supervise companies in key areas, including data privacy and surveillance, errors and fraud, and debanking. This includes extending federal law allowing consumers to opt out of certain data collection and sharing, providing mechanisms to dispute transactions that are incorrect or fraudulent, and protecting consumers from loss of access to their payment apps without notice. 32 State AGs Write Congressional Leaders to Urge Passage of Kids Online Safety Act : In a letter written by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, 32 state attorneys general urged Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (“KOSA”). The attorneys general highlighted that KOSA would enhance online protections for minors by requiring platforms to automatically enable their strongest safety protections instead of offering them on an opt-in basis, allow minors and parents to disable manipulative design features and algorithmic representations, and provide parents with new tools to report dangerous content. The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced KOSA in September, but House leadership appears not to have made its passage a priority amid concerns that KOSA would violate the First Amendment. State laws in California, Texas, Ohio, Utah, and Arkansas that provide for varying types of online protections for minors have faced legal challenges alleging similar constitutional violations. FTC Issues Paper on Smart Devices and Software Updates : The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released a paper that stated 89 percent of smart device products surveyed by the FTC did not disclose on their websites how long the products would receive software updates, which can help patch security flaws in the devices and ensure they continue to operate properly. The staff paper stated that manufacturers’ failure to inform prospective purchasers about the duration of software updates for products sold with written warranties may violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, which requires that written warranties on consumer products costing more than $15 be made available to prospective buyers prior to sale. Failing to provide software update information to consumers could also violate the FTC Act if manufacturers make express or implied representations about how long the product is useable, according to the paper. NIST Releases Initial Public Draft of Privacy Workforce Taxonomy : The National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) announced the release of the initial public draft of the NIST Privacy Workforce Taxonomy (“Workforce Taxonomy”). The Workforce Taxonomy contains Task, Knowledge, and Skill Statements aligned with the NIST Privacy Framework, Version 1.0, and the NICE Workforce Framework, which establishes a common lexicon to describe cybersecurity work and workers. The Workforce Taxonomy is intended to help organizations better achieve their desired privacy outcomes, support recruitment, and inform the education and training of professionals. Blank Rome Secures Landmark Ruling on Retroactive Application of BIPA Amendments : A Blank Rome team representing DNJ Intermodal Services LLC prevailed in striking the complainant’s prayer for relief, which sought $1,000 or $5,000 for each of the thousands of times six plaintiffs allegedly had their hands scanned at work. Will County Judge Roger D. Rickmon found—perhaps the first among Illinois state judges—that a recent amendment to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA” or “the Act”), which stipulates that a business collecting identical biometric data multiple times from the same person in violation of the law is liable for only a single violation, applies retroactively to claims that arose and were filed prior to August 2, 2024, the effective date of the Act. This landmark ruling shaves potential BIPA damages for most pending cases from astronomical damages of millions (or hundreds of millions) of dollars to $1,000 or $5,000 per person. The question of whether BIPA’s amendment applies retroactively is simmering in courts throughout the state of Illinois and is expected to eventually make its way up to Illinois’ Courts of Appeals and perhaps the Illinois Supreme Court. Tech Group Files Challenge to California Social Media Addiction Law : NetChoice, a technology industry trade group that has challenged a number of recently enacted social media laws around the country on constitutional grounds, filed a complaint and motion for preliminary injunction asking a California federal court to strike down California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (the “Act”). NetChoice argues that the Act violates the First Amendment by restricting how and when personalized feeds can be disseminated and also by “placing multiple restrictions on minors and adults’ ability to access covered websites and, in some cases, blocking access altogether.” Among other things, the Act would require that covered platforms display content chronologically, rather than in a personalized way. NetChoice also flagged the Act’s requirements that platforms obtain parental consent to show minors personalized feeds and send minors notifications during school hours or late at night as unconstitutional restrictions on speech. NetChoice instituted a challenge to California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act last year and secured a court decision temporarily enjoining that law. Company and Ex - employee Settle Trade Secret Lawsuit Involving AI Application Recording of Phone Calls : A former salesman of cloud technology company CX360 settled the company’s trade secrets lawsuit against him, which included allegations that he used an artificial intelligence application to record company conference calls. The employee was terminated by CX360 in February of 2024. After that, the company claimed that it discovered the former salesman forwarded confidential messages to his personal email address, which amounted to theft of trade secrets for company accounts. The alleged theft came to light when Otter AI, an AI call recording and transcription application, tried to join a sales manager’s call under the ex-employee’s name after the employee was terminated. The District Court hearing the case previously issued a temporary injunction ordering the former employee to assign his Otter AI account to CX360 as part of the court order that he return all company property and customer information to CX360. U.S. ENFORCEMENT FTC Proposes Settlement with AI-Enabled Review Platform: FTC announced that it has entered into a settlement with CGL Projects, Inc. d/b/a Sitejabber (“Sitejabber”), which provides an AI-enabled consumer review platform. The FTC alleged that Sitejabber misrepresented to consumers that the ratings and reviews it published came from consumers who experienced the reviewed product or service, artificially inflating average ratings and review counts. Sitejabber collected ratings and reviews for its online business clients from consumers at the time of purchase ( e.g. , asking consumers to rate/review their overall shopping experience so far), before they received or had the chance to experience the products or services they bought. The proposed order against Sitejabber specifically prohibits Sitejabber from misrepresenting, or assisting anyone else in misrepresenting, any ratings, average ratings, or reviews it publishes, and requires that such ratings or reviews reflect the views of customers who actually received or experienced the product or service purchased. CPPA Announces Settlements with Data Brokers: Following their announcement of a public investigative sweep of data broker registration compliance, the California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) has settled with two data brokers, Growbots, Inc. (“Growbots”) and UpLead LLC (“Uplead”), for failing to register as a data broker and pay an annual fee as required by California’s Delete Act. Growbots will pay $35,400 to resolve the CPPA’s claims that the company failed to register between February 1, 2024, and July 26, 2024. UpLead will pay $34,400 to resolve the CPPA’s claims that the company failed to register between February 1, 2024 and July 21, 2024. In addition to the fines, both companies have agreed to injunctive terms, including agreeing to pay the CPPA’s attorney fees and costs resulting from any non-compliance. The Delete Act imposes fines of $200 per day for failing to register by the deadline. FCC Proposes Fine Against Chinese Video Doorbell Manufacturer: The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) proposed a fine against Hong Kong, China-based smart home device manufacturer, Eken, for violations of FCC rules that require the company to designate an agent located in the United States. The FCC found that the mailbox of Eken’s designated agent had been inactive since 2019. Providing a false address for a designated agent on three FCC applications constitutes three apparent violations of FCC rules. Accordingly, the FCC proposed three penalties of the maximum forfeiture amount allowed under the law against Eken, totaling $734,872. The FCC also announced it would audit the certifications that used the same U.S. designated agent information as Eken. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau is further continuing its investigation into privacy and data security issues related to Eken, following news reports that Eken’s video doorbells exposed users’ home IP addresses and Wi-Fi network names and allowed access to photos and videos from household cameras by third parties. New York Attorney General and New York State Department of Financial Services Fine Auto Insurance Companies for Data Breaches: The New York Attorney General and New York State Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) settled with two auto insurance companies, the Government Employees Insurance Company (“GEICO”) and The Travelers Indemnity Company (“Travelers”), for data breaches the companies experienced, resulting in the personal information of approximately 120,000 New York residents being compromised. The data breaches were part of an industry-wide campaign by hackers to steal consumers’ personal information, including driver’s license numbers and dates of birth. For GEICO, the cyberattacks occurred by exploiting vulnerabilities on GEICO’s consumer-facing insurance quotes website and insurance agents’ quoting tool. For Travelers, the cyberattacks occurred through compromised agent credentials. The New York Attorney General and NYDFS settled with the companies with GEICO agreeing to pay $9.75 million and Travelers $1.55 million in penalties. The companies also agreed to implement specific security controls, including maintaining a data inventory, authentication procedures, logging and monitoring systems, and threat response procedures. FTC Proposes Settlement with AI Security Screening Company: The FTC has proposed a settlement with Evolv Technologies (“Evolv”) for the misleading claims Evolv allegedly made with respect to its AI-powered security screening system. The FTC alleged that Evolv deceptively advertised that its scanners would detect all weapons (when it failed, for instance, to detect knives but flagged harmless personal items like laptops) and made misleading claims that its use of AI made its scanners more accurate, efficient, and cost-effective than metal detectors. Under the proposed settlement, Evolv is required to notify certain K-12 school customers that they can cancel their contracts. Additionally, the proposed settlement prohibits Evolv from misrepresenting its scanners’ accuracy, false alarm rates, and ability to detect weapons; the screening speed of its scanners and labor costs compared to the use of metal detectors; testing or the results of any testing; and any material aspect of its scanners’ performance, including the use of AI. HHS Announces Settlement of Ransomware-Related Enforcement Action with Healthcare Provider : The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced that it had entered into a settlement with Plastic Surgery Associates of South Dakota for alleged violations of the HIPAA Security Rule arising from a 2017 ransomware attack. Threat actors infected nine workstations and two servers with ransomware after obtaining access to Plastic Surgery Associates’ network through a brute force attack on their remote desktop protocol. The records of 10,229 individuals were affected and the provider was unable to restore affected data from backups. OCR stated its investigations revealed multiple potential violations of the HIPAA Security Rule, including failures to conduct a compliant risk analysis or implement security measures sufficient to reduce risks and vulnerabilities to electronic protected health information to a reasonable and appropriate level. Plastic Surgery Associates will pay $500,000 and implement a corrective action plan that requires them to take steps to resolve potential HIPAA Security Rule violations. OCR also reiterated a number of recommendations that covered entities and business associates should take to prevent or mitigate cyber threats, including integrating risk analysis and risk management into business processes, utilizing multi-factor authentication, and encrypting protected health information. INTERNATIONAL LAWS & REGULATIONS European AI Office Publishes First Draft of General - Purpose AI Code of Practice : The first draft of the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice (“Code of Practice”), written by independent experts, was published by the European AI Office. The Code of Practice will detail the EU AI Act rules for providers of general-purpose AI models and general-purpose AI models with systemic risk. The EU AI Act rules on general-purpose AI will become effective in August 2025. The EU AI Office is facilitating the creation of the Code of Practice to provide additional detail on those rules. The Code of Practice is intended to guide the future development and deployment of trustworthy and safe general-purpose AI models, including principles of transparency and copyright-related rules, as well as how systemic risk is evaluated. The EU AI Office plans to facilitate four drafting rounds of the Code of Practice with the final round planned to occur in April 2025. EU AI Office Launches Consultation of AI System Definition and Prohibited AI Practices Under EU AI Act : The EU AI Office announced it is launching a multi-stakeholder consultation on the application of the definition of an AI system and the prohibited AI practices established in the AI Act. The consultation is targeted to stakeholders, including providers and deployers of AI systems such as businesses, governmental authorities, academia and research institutions, trade unions and other workers' representatives, and the general public. The EU AI Office prepared a questionnaire for the consultation, which will be open for comment through December 11, 2024. Questions include requests from stakeholders to rate or select elements of the definition of AI systems and prohibited AI practices that would most benefit from additional clarification. EDPB Adopts First Report on EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework : The European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) adopted a report on the first review of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (“DPF”), a mechanism that allows for the lawful transfer of EU personal data to companies in the U.S. that certify compliance with the DPF. The EDPB noted that the U.S. Department of Commerce took all relevant steps to implement the certification process. This includes developing a new website, updating procedures, engaging with companies, and conducting awareness-raising activities. It also noted that the redress mechanism for EU individuals has been implemented and that there is comprehensive complaint-handling guidance published in both the U.S. and EU. However, due to the low number of complaints received so far under the DPF, the EDPB highlighted that it would be important for U.S. authorities to separately monitor the DPF compliance of certified companies. The EDPB recommended that the next review of the EU-U.S. adequacy decision regarding the DPF should occur within three years or less. Australian Information Commissioner Publishes Tracking Pixel Guidance : The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (“OAIC”) released guidance for private sector organizations to assist them in meeting their obligations under the Australian Privacy Act when using third party tracking pixels on their websites. The Guidance clarifies that organizations seeking to deploy third-party tracking pixels on their websites are responsible for ensuring they are configured and used in a way that is compliant with the Australian Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles. The Guidance also states that, when deploying third-party tracking pixels, organizations should adopt a data minimization approach to ensure that pixels are configured to limit the collection of personal information to the minimum necessary, ensure sensitive information is not disclosed to third parties through tracking pixels, and ensure that privacy policies and notifications contain clear and transparent information about the use of third-party tracking pixels, among other things. Daniel R. Saeedi, Rachel L. Schaller, Ana Tagvoryan, P. Gavin Eastgate, Timothy W. Dickens, Gabrielle N. Ganze, Jason C. Hirsch, Tianmei Ann Huang, Adam J. Landy, Amanda M. Noonan, and Karen H. Shin also contributed to this article.In a strategic effort to enhance monetization opportunities within the Telegram ecosystem, TON has been working with Adsgram , a dedicated advertising platform tailored for Telegram. Adsgram emerged from its founder Vadim Sterlin ‘s firsthand challenges in monetizing his Fanton game, highlighting a broader issue faced by the GameFi community on Telegram and the TON network. As a seasoned Adtech product manager, Sterlin highlighted earlier this year in the Adsgram community the scarcity of effective tools for publishers to generate revenue through advertising, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions in this space. Benzinga recently caught up with Sterlin, the CEO and founder of Adsgram. Here's an excerpt from the interaction. What factors contributed to Adsgram attracting over 550 mini apps in just six months? The market required a simple, clear, and scalable solution for monetizing mini-apps, and we were the first to deliver something to meet this growing demand. Our team has a wealth of experience in developing mini-apps, having built one of TON ecosystem's most popular mini-apps in the form of Fanton fantasy football. This gave us unique insights into what developers actually need, and enabled us to refine and optimize the platform for an experience that is as user-friendly as possible. This set us apart from our competitors and helped us to attract many mini-apps to Adsgram during the early stages of our project. Monetizing Telegram mini-apps has historically been challenging. Individual applications often struggle to connect with advertisers, especially when they're looking to engage larger players in the advertising market. Adsgram filled this gap in the market by offering a unified and seamless solution to help mini apps find new audiences and grow their products. How does Adsgram tailor advertising specifically for Telegram mini apps compared to traditional ad platforms? The way that mini-apps bridge Web2 and Web3 is a fascinating aspect of the platform. This position at the intersection of these two worlds opens up exciting opportunities to implement strategies that bridge these two ecosystems. Initially, users were primarily drawn to ads for the rewards they offered in terms of user acquisition. Traffic characteristics and working funnels had to be adjusted, and users had to be educated on how to interact with the new model that we are looking to popularise. Over time, advertisers and users have adapted, creating a mutually beneficial system. The hallmark of advertising in mini-apps is its simplicity. We intentionally set strict limits on the size of banners and video clips to ensure that any user, on any device, can easily view and engage with the advertising content. A recent innovation we've introduced is the ability for developers to target users by wallet. In addition to traditional targeting options, such as location, language, platform, and premium accounts, focusing on wallet activity grants a deeper understanding of user behaviour in the Web3 space – this allows advertisers to identify the most financially active and crypto-savvy users within the Telegram ecosystem. What makes Adsgram attractive to large mobile applications and service providers as advertising partners? The traffic generated through Telegram Mini Apps (TMA) is not only highly cost-effective but also exceptionally transaction oriented. This is particularly evident when looking at cryptocurrency, where many of the most successful recent projects have leveraged blockchain and airdrop technologies to drive engagement. What sets Adsgram apart is its ability to tap into Telegram's vast audience, which is now close to exceeding one billion users. How did you identify the need for a dedicated advertising platform within the Telegram mini apps ecosystem? In 2024, several applications experienced rapid growth, including Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, and Blum. However, all of them relied on inefficient, manual ad sales. This sparked our interest in automating ad sales and building an open, transparent advertising marketplace for Telegram mini-apps. To bring this vision to life, we collaborated with TON Foundation, who believed in our idea and supported the development of Adsgram. What new features or enhancements can we expect from Adsgram as the mini app space continues to grow? We recently introduced additional targeting options for VPN and wallet users. Further enhancing targeting accuracy and precision will remain a key focus as Adsgram evolves. The market is evolving rapidly, bringing with it new demands for advertising. In response, we've already expanded our platform with several new advertising formats. In the future, we plan to introduce task functionality for our partners. This functionality will help to engage users with our advertising even further, with both the application hosting ads and the user earning crypto rewards for engaging with our product. These tasks will undergo manual moderation, ensuring quality and providing our partners with even more opportunities to earn. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.