Category «E-Commerce»

Ads Are Impersonating Government Websites in Google Results, Despite Ban

The Markup: “…Last year, the Federal Trade Commission sued On Point Global, a company that allegedly advertised websites via Google search where you could renew your driver’s license, buy a fishing license, or determine if you were eligible for public benefits like Section 8 housing.  But in fact, when people signed up for any of …

Subjects: Cybercrime, E-Commerce, Economy, Search Engines

PrivacyBot

Berkeley MIMS Final Project 2021 – “PrivacyBot is a free and open-source way to delete your data from an exhaustive list of data brokers and people search sites. The largest statewide privacy law change in a generation, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect in January 2020. However, exercising these privacy rights is a tricky business …

Subjects: E-Commerce, E-Records, Internet, Legal Research, Privacy

Facebook can track your web activity. Here’s how to stop it

CNET – “No, the Off-Facebook Activity tracking rumor is not a hoax. Here’s how to keep the social media platform from tracking your web browsing. If you haven’t been using the privacy feature Facebook introduced last year, now’s the time to start. It’s called Off-Facebook Activity and it lets you see and control data that apps and websites …

Subjects: E-Commerce, Internet, Privacy, Social Media

Amazon blocks 10 billion—yes, billion—listings in massive counterfeit crackdown

AP via Fortune – “Amazon, which has been under pressure from shoppers, brands and lawmakers to crack down on counterfeits on its site, said [in its 2020 Brand Protection Report] Monday that it blocked more than 10 billion suspected phony listings last year before any of their offerings could be sold. The numbers were released …

Subjects: Congress, E-Commerce, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research

Where Should You Buy Your Books?

The New York Times – Where Should You Buy Your Books? “Bookstore or Amazon? Curbside pickup or delivery? We answer common questions readers might have.  The last year has seen expanded options for buying books online, as more bookstores have developed websites, and e-commerce sites like Bookshop.org gain traction. But massive retailers like Amazon continue …

Subjects: E-Commerce, Economy, Internet, Knowledge Management, Libraries

How we fought Search spam on Google in 2020

Google Search Central: “…Hacked spam was still rampant in 2020 as the number of vulnerable web sites remained quite large, although we have improved our detection capability by more than 50% and removed most of the hacked spam from search results….Before we deliver a set of search results on Google, there’s a lot that happens …

Subjects: Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, E-Commerce, Internet, Privacy, Search Engines