 |
|
|
|||||
Google will confront an existential threat Monday as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into a ruthless monopoly.The drama will unfold in a Washington courtroom during the next three weeks during hearings that will determine how the company should be penalized for operating an illegal monopoly in search. The proceedings, known in legal parlance as a “remedy hearing,” feature a parade of witnesses that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai.The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to order a radical shake-up that would ban Google from striking the multibillion dollar deals with Apple and other tech companies that shield its search engine from competition, share its repository of valuable user data with rivals and force a sale of its popular Chrome browser.The moment of reckoning comes four-and-half-years after the Justice Department filed a landmark lawsuit alleging Google’s search engine had been abusing its power as the internet’s main gateway to stifle competition and innovation for more than a decade.After the case finally went to trial in 2023, a federal judge last year ruled Google had been making anti-competitive deals to lock in its search engine as the go-to place for digital information on the iPhone, personal computers and other widely used devices, including those running on its own Android software.That landmark ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta sets up a high-stakes drama that will determine the penalties for Google’s misconduct in a search market that it has defined since Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the company in a Silicon Valley garage in 1998.Since that austere start, Google has expanded far beyond search to become a powerhouse in email, digital mapping, online video, web browsing, smartphone software and data centers.Seizing upon its victory in the search case, the Justice Department is now setting out to prove that radical steps must be taken to rein in Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc.“Google’s illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that no matter what occurs Google always wins,” the Justice Department argued in documents outlining its proposed penalties. “The American people thus are forced to accept the unbridled demands and shifting, ideological preferences of an economic leviathan in return for a search engine the public may enjoy.”Although the proposed penalties were originally made under President Joe Biden’s term, they are still being embraced by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump, whose first administration filed the case against Google. Since the change in administrations, the Justice Department has also attempted to cast Google’s immense power as a threat to freedom, too.“The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and ‘free’ online services,” the Justice Department wrote in a March 7 filing with Mehta. “These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist.”Google is arguing the government’s proposed changes are unwarranted under a ruling that its search engine popularity among consumers is one of the main reasons it has become so dominant.The “unprecedented array of proposed remedies would harm consumers and innovation, as well as future competition in search and search ads in addition to numerous other adjacent markets,” Google lawyers said in a filing leading up to hearings. “They bear little or no relationship to the conduct found anticompetitive, and are contrary to the law.”Google also is sounding alarms about the proposed requirements to share online search data with rivals and the proposed sale of Chrome posing privacy and security risks. “The breadth and depth of the proposed remedies risks doing significant damage to a complex ecosystem. Some of the proposed remedies would imperil browser developers and jeopardize the digital security of millions of consumers.”The showdown over Google’s fate marks the climax of the biggest antitrust case in the U.S. since the Justice Department sued Microsoft in the late 1990s for leveraging its Windows software for personal computers to crush potential rivals.The Microsoft battle culminated in a federal judge declaring the company an illegal monopoly and ordering a partial breakup a remedy that was eventually overturned by an appeals court.Google intends to file an appeal of Mehta’s ruling from last year that branded its search engine as an illegal monopoly but can’t do so until the remedy hearings are completed. After closing arguments are presented in late May, Mehta intends to make his decision on the remedies before Labor Day.The search case marked the first in a succession of antitrust cases that have been brought against a litany of tech giants that include Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, which is currently fighting allegations of running an illegal monopoly in social media in another Washington D.C. trial. Other antitrust cases have been brought against both Apple and Amazon, too.The Justice Department also targeted Google’s digital advertising network in a separate antitrust case that resulted last week in another federal judge’s decision that found the company was abusing its power in that market, too. That ruling means Google will be heading into another remedy hearing that could once again raise the specter of a breakup later this year or early next year. Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
In the past year, Ive worked with job seekers, HR teams, and tech leaders, navigating everything from résumé optimization to the ethics of AI in hiring. And Ive seen a clear pattern emerge: Candidates are using AI more than ever, and sometimes in ways that backfire. The tools are smarter. The competition is fiercer. Used well, AI can be your most powerful copilot. Used poorly, it can quietly disqualify you before a human ever sees your name. Here are five of the most common AI-related job search mistakes I see, along with one bonus pitfall you may not realize you’re making. Mistake 1: Relying on AI to Write Your Entire Résumé or Cover Letter AI résumé and cover letter generators promise to help you create professional documents quickly. But these tools often generate generic content based on keywords, which can make your application blend in with the rest. Yes, with a single ChatGPT prompt, you can have a résumé draft in 30 seconds. But if you stop there, youre hurting your chances. Remember: AI-generated résumés read like they were written by a robot, because they were. Why its a problem: AI can help you with structure and grammar, but it cannot capture the nuances of your personal brand or unique career story. Worse yet, you also risk having a nearly identical résumé as another applicant because you are all asking for the same keywords/skills. Solution: Use AI to improve rather than replace your writing processfor example, to check for grammar errors, suggest keywords, or guide you to quantify your impact further. But make sure to personalize the content with specific examples from your own career. Your résumé should reflect your unique journey, not just a collection of skills and accomplishments with AI-generated words in between. Mistake 2: Using AI to Apply for Jobs on Your Behalf Without Customizing Your Application AI tools like job application bots can now apply for thousands of jobs on your behalf, filling out applications and submitting résumés for you. While this may save you time, it can also lead to oversaturation and missed opportunities. Why its a problem: These AI tools are good at mass applications but are not great at tailoring your application to each job and company. Customization is key when it comes to standing out in this crowded job market. An AI application will often lack the personalized touch that hiring managers value, and it wont allow you to highlight specific aspects of your experience that align with the companys culture and needs. Solution: Use AI to help identify relevant job openings, but take the time to customize your applications. Craft a personalized cover letter and tweak your résumé to reflect the most relevant skills and experiences for each job. Even a few tailored adjustments can make a huge difference in catching a hiring managers eye. Mistake 3: Letting AI or Deepfakes Do the Interview for You Yes, weve entered that chapter. Some candidates are now using AI tools to generate real-time answers during live chat interviews and in extreme cases, deploying deepfakes to complete asynchronous video screenings. Even if you make it through the first round or get hired, consider this: What will you do on the job? Why its a problem: AI-driven interviews and deepfakes can make it easier for candidates to present themselves in an overly polished or dishonest way. While you might pass the screening, the real challenge comes once you’re on the job. Most companies now prohibit pasting confidential or company-specific info into public AI tools like ChatGPT. So even if youre AI-savvy, the tools you used to land the role may not be available on the job. If you oversell your capabilities or rely on tools you wont have access to later, you risk being fired or flagged early in onboarding. Solution: While it might be tempting to rely on AI to enhance your interview performance, remember that authenticity is now paramount. Use AI to prep, not perform. Practice interview questions, refine your examples, and improve how you tell your story using AI, but never fake it. The risk isnt just not getting the job. Its losing your reputation. Mistake 4: Overinflating Your Experience with AI Polish AI tools can help you highlight your accomplishments and frame your experiences more effectively, but theres a danger in overinflating your role or contributions. While its tempting to use AI to embellish your résumé or cover letter, its important to remember that overstatement will be quickly exposed, not only in interviews, but also through informal back-channel checks. Why its a problem: Hiring managers often reach out to former colleagues, managers, or industry connections to gather informal insights about candidates. Even if theyre not conducting formal reference checks, these casual conversations can reveal discrepancies between your résumé and the reality of your work experience. If your claims dont match the reality of how you were perceived in previous roles, it could harm your credibility and disqualify you immediately. Solution: Focus on being authentic and accurate when detailing your experience. Use AI to help articulate or reframe your achievements but ensure that everything you list is something you can back up with real examples. Honesty and transparency go a long way in establishing trust with hiring managers. Mistake 5: Underestimating the Power (and Liability) of Your Digital Presence AI tools may help you land interviews, but they can also scan your LinkedIn profile or social media accounts as part of the screening process. Its not enough to just have a résumé. Your online presence is increasingly scrutinized by employers. Why its a problem: If your LinkedIn profile doesnt match your résumé, at minimum, it can confuse hiring managers. AI wont just look at your résumé. Now its scanning your digital presence on all platforms. If you have once posted something negative about your potential employer as a customer, it can be flagged and prevent you from landing an interview. Solution: Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date, fully aligned with your résumé, and clearly highlights your relevant skills and accomplishments. Create a compelling headline and summary that clearly state what you do and what youre looking for. Share posts that demonstrate your expertise and thought leadership. Clean up any social media posts that might paint an inaccurate or outdated picture of the current you. Remember, your LinkedIn is an extension of your résumé and should reflect your personal brand authentically. Bonus Mistake: Ignoring the Human Side of the Job Search Heres the reality: Many jobs arent filled through cold applications. Some jobs are never even listed on job boards. Theyre filled through referrals and networking. AI cant replace genuine relationship building, and it shouldnt. You should use AI to help you research target companies, suggest outreach messages on LinkedIn, or prep for networking calls and coffee chats. Then, go out there and attend events. On LinkedIn, you can comment thoughtfully on industry conversations and start building relationships with those who might someday become the hiring manager of your dream job. Remember, networking is expanding who you know and having a strong personal brand online expands who knows you. Both will enhance your chance of getting hired in this market. Final Thoughts: Stay Human and Stay Authentic My advice as an AI expert? Embrace AI as a tool to enhance your job search but always maintain authenticity and integrity. Let it help you shine brighter, not become a distorted version of yourself. Your skills, experience, and passion are what will ultimately land you the right job. Don’t let AI derail that by turning you into someone you’re not.
Category:
E-Commerce
Moments after Daniris Espinal walked into her new apartment in Brooklyn, she prayed. In ensuing nights, she would awaken and touch the walls for reassurancefinding in them a relief that turned to tears over her morning coffee.Those walls were possible through a federal program that pays rent for some 60,000 families and individuals fleeing homelessness or domestic violence. Espinal was fleeing both.But the program, Emergency Housing Vouchers, is running out of moneyand quickly.Funding is expected to be used up by the end of next year, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and obtained by The Associated Press. That would leave tens of thousands across the country scrambling to pay their rent.It would be among the largest one-time losses of rental assistance in the U.S., analysts say, and the ensuing evictions could churn these peopleafter several years of rebuilding their livesback onto the street or back into abusive relationships.“To have it stop would completely upend all the progress that they’ve made,” said Sonya Acosta, policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which researches housing assistance.“And then you multiply that by 59,000 households,” she said.The program, launched in 2021 by then-President Joe Biden as part of the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act, was allocated $5 billion to help pull people out of homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking.People from San Francisco to Dallas to Tallahassee, Florida, were enrolledamong them children, seniors and veteranswith the expectation that funding would last until the end of the decade.But with the ballooning cost of rent, that $5 billion will end far faster.Last month, HUD sent letters to groups dispersing the money, advising them to “manage your EHV program with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming.”The program’s future rests with Congress, which could decide to add money as it crafts the federal budget. But it’s a relatively expensive prospect at a time when Republicans, who control Congress, are dead set on cutting federal spending to afford tax cuts.Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, who championed the program four years ago, is pushing for another $8 billion infusion.But the organizations lobbying Republican and Democratic lawmakers to reup the funding told the AP they aren’t optimistic. Four GOP lawmakers who oversee the budget negotiations did not respond to AP requests for comment.“We’ve been told it’s very much going to be an uphill fight,” said Kim Johnson, the public policy manager at the National Low Income Housing Coalition.Espinal and her two daughters, aged 4 and 19, are living on one of those vouchers in a three-bedroom apartment with an over $3,000 monthly rentan amount extremely difficult to cover without the voucher.Four years ago, Espinal fought her way out of a marriage where her husband controlled her decisions, from seeing her family and friends to leaving the apartment to go shopping.When she spoke up, her husband said she was wrong, or in the wrong or crazy.Isolated and in the haze of postpartum depression, she didn’t know what to believe. “Every day, little by little, I started to feel not like myself,” she said. “It felt like my mind wasn’t mine.”When notices arrived in March 2021 seeking about $12,000 in back rent, it was a shock. Espinal had quit her job at her husband’s urging and he had promised to cover family expenses.Police reports documenting her husband’s bursts of anger were enough for a judge to give her custody of their daughter in 2022, Espinal said.But her future was precarious: She was alone, owed thousands of dollars in back rent and had no income to pay it or support her newborn and teenage daughters.Financial aid to prevent evictions during the pandemic kept Espinal afloat, paying her back rent and keeping the family out of shelters. But it had an expiration date.Around that time, the Emergency Housing Vouchers program was rolled out, targeting people in Espinal’s situation.A “leading cause of family homelessness is domestic violence” in New York City, said Gina Cappuccitti, director of housing access and stability services at New Destiny Housing, a nonprofit that has connected 700 domestic violence survivors to the voucher program.Espinal was one of those 700, and moved into her Brooklyn apartment in 2023.The relief went beyond finding a secure place to live, she said. “I gained my worth, my sense of peace, and I was able to rebuild my identity.”Now, she said, she’s putting aside money in case of the worst. Because, “that’s my fear, losing control of everything that I’ve worked so hard for.” Jesse Bedayn Associated Press/Report for America
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||