All posts tagged: firm

Exposé of parasite SEO firm Clickout Media removed from Google

Exposé of parasite SEO firm Clickout Media removed from Google

Published by Sam Flores

Clickout Media uses what have been described as parasite SEO tactics A Press Gazette investigation into parasite SEO firm Clickout Media has been removed from Google’s search index after a spurious legal complaint. On Wednesday (25 March), Press Gazette revealed how UK-based Clickout Media has bought a number of news websites in order to exploit their reputations in Google and promote online casinos. In some cases, journalists have been fired and replaced with AI-powered writers. Some sites were removed from Google’s search results as a result of Press Gazette’s reporting, effectively killing the sites off. Now Press Gazette’s own reporting of this issue has been removed from the Google archive after a bogus copyright complaint. A search of the exact Press Gazette headline: “The SEO parasites buying, exploiting and ultimately killing online newsbrands” does not bring the article up. A note at the bottom of the Google search results page reveals for this query states: “In response to multiple complaints that we received under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we have removed 2 results from …

‘I’ll have a pint in Derby after horror car smash – we’ll stand firm’ | UK | News

‘I’ll have a pint in Derby after horror car smash – we’ll stand firm’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Police have conducted forensic investigation work at the scene (Image: Jacob King/PA Wire) A Derby landlord has said he will buy a pint in the area of the city hit by a horror car smash to “stand firm”. Steve Kirk, 67, runs the Neptune in Osmaston Road. He said the city was in “deep shock”, but locals are relieved that nobody was fatally hurt after a car struck pedestrians in Friar Gate, injuring several people, on Saturday evening. “It’s the talk of the pub, obviously, but I think there’s mass relief there’s nobody critically ill,” he said. “But there’s still shock. It shouldn’t be happening, should it? It’s Derby, at the end of the day. You don’t this happening here. It obviously brings it home now.” A 36-year-old man, who came to the UK from India several years ago, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Counter-terror officers are assisting Derbyshire Police’s investigation into the incident, but the force has emphasised that this “does not mean the incident is currently being treated as terrorism”. …

Travel tech firm Navan sees strong 2027 revenue on demand from new customers

Travel tech firm Navan sees strong 2027 revenue on demand from new customers

Published by Sam Flores

March 25 : Corporate travel booking agency Navan on Wednesday forecast 2027 revenue above Wall Street estimates, banking on strong demand from on-boarding new company clients to its platform. Shares of Navan rose over 21 per cent in aftermarket trading. The Palo Alto, California-based firm makes a bulk of its revenue from big enterprise customers, which includes companies in the AI & technology, manufacturing and health sectors. In February, Navan signed on Yahoo, which selected the platform to integrate AI into the travel booking process and reduce its travel spend by 7 per cent to 10 per cent. Navan expects 2027 revenue in the range of $866 million to $874 million, compared with analysts’ average estimate of about $839 million, as per LSEG-compiled data. “We are seeing a great return and very attractive payback on our sales and marketing investment,” CFO Aurélien Nolf told Reuters, adding that it was going to remain a priority as Navan looks to onboard more clients over the next year. Sales and marketing expenses during the fourth quarter ended January …

Cyberattack on a Car Breathalyzer Firm Leaves Drivers Stuck

Cyberattack on a Car Breathalyzer Firm Leaves Drivers Stuck

Published by skeptic

United States law enforcement this week took down the Aisuru, Kimwolf, JackSkid, and Mossad botnets, a slate of cybercriminal tools that have infected more than 3 million devices around the world, including many inside home networks, and have been used to carry out record-breaking cyberattacks. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of iPhones are currently vulnerable to takeover by a new tool called DarkSword that Russian hackers used to steal victims’ data. Customer service calls and chats with the Sears Home Services AI bot Samantha were exposed and publicly accessible until a researcher reported the situation—revealing personal details from calls and chats, including, in some cases, hours of extra audio seemingly recorded after customers thought a call had ended. And WIRED reviewed dozens of Telegram channels containing job listings for “AI face models.” The people who land the jobs are mostly women and are likely being used as the face of AI scams to steal victims’ money. Meta recently announced that it will eliminate end-to-end encryption protections for Instagram Direct Messages on May 8, citing low adoption …

Public relations firm picks bar fight with Polymarket

Public relations firm picks bar fight with Polymarket

Published by Sam Flores

Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images Public relations firm Global Situation Room on Thursday sent a cease and desist letter to Polymarket over the prediction market’s planned bar pop-up in Washington. Polymarket has dubbed the bar “The Situation Room,” which the consulting firm’s attorney said infringes on its trademark, according to the letter obtained by CNBC. The firm said Polymarket’s use of the name gives a false impression that Global Situation Room is “somehow connected or associated with Polymarket’s services.” “Indeed, there are obvious overlaps in the uses of GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM and THE SITUATION ROOM such as both marks include ‘SITUATION ROOM’ and allow consumers to monitor and act on global affairs,” the letter, written by Shane Delsman, an attorney at Godfrey & Kahn, reads. “In fact, the marks are so similar, Global Situation Room has already witnessed actual confusion in the form of press requests to comment on the opening of the new THE SITUATION ROOM bar.” Read more CNBC politics coverage The firm demanded that Polymarket immediately stop all use of …

LocatED chief to depart with DfE set to absorb firm

LocatED chief to depart with DfE set to absorb firm

Published by skeptic

CEO announces she will take on ‘new challenge’ when the government-back company moves into the department CEO announces she will take on ‘new challenge’ when the government-back company moves into the department More from this theme Recent articles The boss of the Department for Education’s property arm LocatED is set to step down from the role, as the body prepares to be brought in-house. Lara Newman, its CEO, has announced she will take “on a new challenge” when the company gets absorbed back into government next month. Launched nine years ago to procure sites for new free schools, the firm’s work was extended to acquiring and selling sites on DfE’s behalf and providing “an expert commercial property consultancy service” to officials and leaders. ‘New challenge’ Posting on LinkedIn, Newman said: “After nearly a decade, I’m leaving LocatED. “I won’t be joining the team as they transfer to DfE on April 1 — instead, I’ll be taking on a new challenge that I’m not quite ready to share the details of yet.” Lara Newman The decision to …

Mandelson ‘received £1.5m from selling shares in collapsed firm’

Mandelson ‘received £1.5m from selling shares in collapsed firm’

Published by Sam Flores

Lord Mandelson made more than £1.5m from selling his shares in his lobbying firm before it collapsed over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, it has been reported. The peer is said to have received £250,000 for his remaining stake in Global Counsel just days before the company shut down last month. Meanwhile, his former colleagues’ shares ended up worthless, three sources told the Financial Times. The newspaper reported that the former business secretary had made between £1.3m and £1.4m in an earlier sale of shares to friends and associates in 2024. One source said the peer had received money “from a business that he destroyed”, adding: “If he had any decency he would donate the money to the victims of his friend Jeffrey Epstein.” Lord Mandelson tries on a belt on a 2005 shopping trip with Jeffrey Epstein in the Caribbean in a photo released from the Epstein files – US House Oversight Committee Global Counsel collapsed into administration on Feb 19 after losing a succession of high-profile clients including Barclays, Tesco, the Premier League, …

Denby pottery firm on brink of administration – 217 years in business | UK | News

Denby pottery firm on brink of administration – 217 years in business | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A historic Derbyshire pottery firm has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators. Denby Pottery Company said it’s been struggling with rising costs for years and has so far been unable to secure a suitable investment partner. The 217-year-old company was previously bought by investment firm Hilco Capital in 2009, saving it from going under. It has now filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators “as a precautionary measure” amid reduced demand, “escalating employment costs”, and “soaring” energy bills. Denby said these pressures had “squeezed the business financially” and it struggled to get funding due to “tighter financial markets”. A statement from the group said, as reportedly DerbyshireLive: “While Denby has explored a range of options, it has not yet been able to secure a strategic investment partner aligned with the long-term vision and values of its historic British brands much loved by their large global fan base. “The search for a suitable partner will continue whether for the Denby Group as a whole or for the brands individually.” The notice of intention …