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Google has acted illegally to maintain a dominant position in online advertising, a federal judge ruled on Thursday. The tech giants exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Googles publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web, Judge Leonie Brinkema wrote in her 115-page ruling, which followed another federal judges ruling last year that Google had monopolized the search market. Google was found liable under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act for actions in the ad exchange and tool sectors, but not that it operated a monopoly on ad networks. Google told Fast Company it disagreed with the courts decision, and would appeal it. We won half of this case and we will appeal the other half, said Lee-Anne Mulholland, vice president, regulatory affairs, in a statement. The latest decision is a big hit to the company, and acts as a prelude to further crackdowns in other jurisdictions, which some suggest could impact its operations. This is a very big deal, says Stacy Mitchell, co-director at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The chokehold that Google has over the flow of information and ideas online, and its power to pocket the ad dollars, has been killing off local news outlets and undermining a key foundation of democracy. Jason Kint, CEO of the trade association Digital Content Next, says the ruling underscores the global harm caused by Googles practices, which have deprived premium publishers worldwide of critical revenue, undermining their ability to sustain high-quality journalism and entertainment. Kint believes the decision is a significant step toward restoring competition and accountability in the digital advertising ecosystem. Yet for all the headlines the decision will generate, theres still uncertainty about how much itll change Googles practicesand the wider web. While theres a recognition that the decisions will likely change how Google works, what impact that will have is uncertain. Frankly, the ad exchange market is so complicated that it’s hard to know what the impact of any changes to Google’s operations in that area might mean for internet users, says Anupam Chander, a law professor at Georgetown University. Chander believes any changes compelled by this decision may not immediately be obvious to rank-and-file users. If Google is forced to spin out its ad exchange market or forced to open it up to more competitors, it’s not clear that the results will be visible to users, he says. The ruling could also present a Catch-22: While it may open up the ad market and benefit online publishers, it could also lead to increased data collection of users (since a raft of third parties would compete to gather more data on users to supplant Googles current single supply). Still, the decision, whatever it means for end users, is another drumbeat in a wider shift in power between big tech giants and the governments trying to regulate them. And while attention is on the U.S. right now, its decisionmaking elsewhere that could have the more longer-lasting impact on the web. The U.S. courts decision will likely energize European regulators, who are conducting their own investigation into Googles ad tech practices. A decision there is expected imminentlyand could carry more weight. After years of imposing fines that Google has shrugged off as a mere cost of doing business, the European Commission has the chance to break free from this cycle of whack-a-mole enforcement, says Stephen Kinsella, an independent legal expert with 30 years of experience in antitrust regulation. European regulators may be prepared to go further than their American counterparts, potentially reshaping the digital ecosystem by compelling the breakup of Googles intertwined businesses. By taking decisive action and mandating a structural break-up, the EU can go beyond slapping big tech companies on the wrist, says Kinsella. It can restore a thriving, competitive and fair digital economy that works for its citizens, not entrenched monopolies. This is a moment that Europe cannot afford to let pass.
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E-Commerce
Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. Once again, Zillow has downgraded its 12-month forecast for national home prices. On Wednesday, Zillow economists published their updated forecast model, projecting that U.S. home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, will fall 1.7% between March 2025 and March 2026. Back in March, Zillow downgraded its 12-month outlook for U.S. home prices to +0.8%. In February, Zillow downgraded its 12-month outlook to +1.1%. And at the start of the year in January, Zillows 12-month national home price forecast was +2.9%. Why does Zillow keep downgrading its national home price outlook? The rise in [active] listings is fueling softer price growth, as greater supply provides more options and more bargaining power for buyers, Zillow economists wrote in March. Potential buyers are opting to remain renters for longer as affordability challenges suppress demand for home purchases. Essentially, Zillow thinks strained housing affordabilitycaused by U.S. home prices rising over 40% during the pandemic housing boom and mortgage rates spiking from 3% to 6% in 2022is weighing on price growth. According to Zillows home price model, the listing site also believes that weakening and softening housing markets across the Sun Belt will weigh on nationally aggregated home prices this year. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}(); Among the 300 largest U.S. metro area housing markets, Zillow expects the strongest home price appreciation between March 2025 and March 2026 to occur in these 10 areas: Atlantic City, NJ: 2.4% Kingston, NY: 1.9% Rochester, NY: 1.8% Knoxville, TN: 1.7% Torrington, CT : 1.6% Bangor, ME: 1.5% Syracuse, NY: 1.4% Vineland, NJ: 1.4% Concord, NH: 1.3% Norwich, CT: 1.2% In that same time frame, Zillow expects the weakest home price appreciation to occur in these 10 areas: Houma, LA: -10.1% Lake Charles, LA: -8.9% New Orleans, LA: -7.6% Lafayette, LA: -7.5% Shreveport, LA: -7.0% Alexandria, LA -7.0% Beaumont, TX : -6.6% Odessa, TX: -6.3% Midland, TX: -5.7% Monroe, LA: -5.5 Below is what the current year-over-year rate of home price growth looks like for single-family and condo home prices. Florida is currently the epicenter of housing market weakness right now. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
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E-Commerce
In my coaching, I pride myself on helping clients get to the root of their issues, instead of offering Band-Aid solutions. At the same time, Ive found that sometimes people are so overwhelmed with all they have to do that they have difficulty making time for the deeper reflective thought that coaching requires. In these situations, I offer some quick and easy-to-implement best practices to help reduce their sense of overwhelm. Managing your work calendar effectively is one of the most crucial steps toward feeling more in control of your professional life. When your calendar is well-organized, it reduces stress, increases productivity, and ensures that you are focusing on the tasks that truly matter. However, its easy to feel overwhelmed by back-to-back meetings, constant demands on your time, and the struggle to find space for deep work. Heres how you can regain control of your work calendar with practical tips and strategies that can be implemented right away: {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} Set clear priorities Before diving into calendar management, it’s important to set clear priorities. Your calendar should reflect your key objectives, goals, and valuesnot just the urgent requests that come your way. Start by identifying your top priorities for the week, month, and quarter. These could include project milestones, professional development, or key meetings with stakeholders. Set clear priorities Time blocking is a powerful technique where you divide your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities. This method helps you focus on one task at a time, reducing the mental clutter that comes from multitasking. It also ensures that you allocate time to all aspects of your work, including deep work, meetings, and administrative tasks. Learn to say no One of the biggest challenges in calendar management is learning to say no. Its easy to accept every meeting request that comes your way, but this often leads to a crowded calendar with little time for meaningful work. Protecting your time is essential to maintaining control over your schedule. Use the two-minute rule The two-minute rule, popularized by David Allen in his book Getting Things Done, suggests that if a task can be completed in two minutes or less, you should do it immediately. This rule helps prevent your to-do list from becoming cluttered with minor tasks and ensures that these small items dont take up unnecessary space on your calendar. Leverage technology Modern calendar tools offer a range of features that can help you manage your time more effectively. From scheduling assistants that find the best meeting times to integration with task management apps, these tools can significantly reduce the time you spend organizing your calendar. Batch similar tasks Batching similar tasks together is a technique that can improve your efficiency and focus. For example, if you need to make multiple phone calls, schedule them back-to-back rather than scattering them throughout the day. This minimizes the mental switch costs associated with jumping between different types of tasks. Create buffer time Buffer time between meetings and tasks is essential for maintaining flexibility and preventing burnout. It gives you a moment to regroup, reflect, or handle any unexpected issues that arise during the day. Without buffer time, your day can feel rushed, and you may find yourself running late from one meeting to the next. Review and reflect Effective calendar management requires regular review and adjustment. At the end of each week, take a few minutes to reflect on how well your calendar worked for you. Did you manage to stick to your time blocks? Were there meetings that could have been shorter or avoided? Use these insights to make adjustments for the following week. Delegate and outsource If youre constantly overwhelmed by tasks, it might be time to delegate or outsource some of them. Delegating responsibilities to others not only frees up your time but also empowers your team members to take on more responsibility. (For more on how to delegate effectively, see here.) {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
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E-Commerce
Young volunteers who respond to natural disasters and help with community projects across the U.S. have been discharged as a result of the Trump administration ‘s campaign to shrink government workforce and services. AmeriCorpss National Civilian Community Corps informed volunteers Tuesday that they would exit the program early due to programmatic circumstances beyond your control, according to an email obtained by the Associated Press. More than 2,000 people ages 18 to 26 serve for nearly a year, according to the programs website, and get assigned to projects with nonprofits and community organizations or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It celebrated its 30th year last year. The volunteers are especially visible after natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Helene last year. The organization said on social media last month that teams have served eight million service hours on nearly 3,400 disaster projects since 1999. Jordan Kinsler, 23, has worked with FEMA Corps for the past nine months, traveling from Minnesota communities impacted by floods to ones in North Carolina touched by Helene. He and his team were on their final project at FEMA headquarters in Washington when they got word Tuesday that they wouldn’t be able to finish. Kinsler, who is from Long Island, New York, said they packed that night and left Wednesday morning for their home base in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Kinsler said he’s proud of the work he’s done and had hoped to apply for a permanent position. To have this ripped right from us at the very end, it felt insulting,” he said. The AP sent an email Wednesday seeking comment from AmeriCorps. Funding for AmeriCorps and NCCC has long been included when there are talks in Congress of budget trims. The federal agencys budget showed NCCC funding amounted to nearly $38 million last fiscal year. The unsigned memo to members said NCCC’s ability to sustain program operations was impacted by new operational parameters laid out by the Trump administration’s priorities and President Donald Trump’s executive order creating the Department of Government Efficiency. Members, who receive a living allowance and have basic expenses covered, would be paid through the end of April, according to the memo. The program also provides members who complete their 1,700-hour service term with funding for future education expenses or to apply to certain student loans. That benefit was worth about $7,300 this service year. The memo stated that those who have completed 15% or more of their term would be eligible for a prorated amount, but those that have completed less would not be eligible. Theres always been bipartisan support of NCCCand bipartisan criticism, said Kate Raftery, who was NCCC director from 2011 to 2014. Raftery said the abrupt departure of these service teams would have lasting damage both on the NCCC members who were gaining education and launching careers as well as the organizations that depend on them and the neighborhoods where they served. It was a very unique mixture of incredible heartbreak and incredible rage, outrage, Raftery said of her reaction to the news. The two were battling themselves most of the day. Bud Maynard, mayor of Vinton, Iowa, which is home to a regional NCCC campus, said the program has been without a doubt, a blessing for Vinton and celebrated the opportunity to host hundreds of people over the years with an unmatched passion and selflessness to want to help others. “All of Vinton should never forget what a great program, filled with great people, this has been for not only Vinton but every community that benefited from their mission, Maynard said in a statement Wednesday. Hannah Fingerhut, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
A major Burger King franchisee with dozens of locations has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Consolidated Burger Holdings, based in Destin, Florida, filed the court documents this week in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida. The franchisee now operates 57 Burger King restaurants in Florida and Georgia, after it reportedly closed 18 locations before its Chapter 11 filing. “Over the past several years, and particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Debtors business suffered significantly from loss of foot traffic, resulting in declining revenue without proportionate decreases in rental obligations, debt service, and other liabilities,” Consolidated Burger said in the filing. The documents also cited “significant hurdles resulting from industry headwinds,” resulting in financial turbulence for the franchisee. According to the documents, sales plummeted in the past two fiscal years. In 2023, the franchisee documented $76.6 million in sales and a net operating loss of $6.3 million. Last year, sales were down to $67 million with an amplified operating loss of $12.5 million. Consolidated Burger plans to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and has been seeking a buyer. It listed assets at $78 million in the court documents.It’s unmistakably a tough time for restaurant franchisees, between rising food costs, as well as higher labor costs and slower foot trafficand that’s before restaurant owners begin to feel the impact of Trump’s tariffs. To get more customers in the door, fast food chains have been offering budget meal deals: Last year, Burger King launched a $5 meal deal promotion, similar to one McDonald’s was running.Still, on the whole, Burger King’s sales have been moving in the right direction. According to QSR, which monitors data on quick serve restaurants, the Burger King chain itself outperformed its peers in Q4 with a 1.5% increase in same-store sales compared to 1.2% increase among competitors.Last year, Burger King’s parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), dumped more money into its ambitious restaurant remodeling plans for locations in the U.S. and Canada. RBI also bought Burger Kings largest U.S. franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group, for $1 billion to expedite the process. RBI said it planned to spend about $2.2 billion on the remodels, and said that by 2028, 85% to 90% of its roughly 7,000 restaurants will be upgraded. At the time, Burger King U.S. President Tom Curtis told CNBC about the investment, saying, It was the first time in a long time that RBI had invested a significant amount of capital back into the business to coinvest with franchisees.” Curtis continued, I think the process was, Lets see how this works . . . and were seeing early results on remodels.
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E-Commerce
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