Search Engine Journal: Google Helps Searchers Find Cost Of Living Assistance. “In response to a spike in searches for ‘cost of living,’ Google is updating search results with quick access to helpful resources.”
National Institute of Standards and Technology: Deciding Whether to Install Solar Panels on Your Home? A New NIST Web Tool Can Help. “Whether it’s to live more sustainably, save money or both, many people think about adding solar panels to their homes. Homeowners consider a number of factors, including which type of solar panel might work best for them, when deciding whether the investment is worth it. Now, an online software tool from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) can help answer homeowners’ questions. The software is called [PV]2 — Present Value of PhotoVoltaics — and it analyzes the economic and environmental impacts of rooftop solar technology.”
University of Florida: Smartphones push consumers to prefer unique, tailored products. “Personalized wine lists. Tailored clothing options. Unique experiences just for you. The world is awash in products and services that promise to provide custom experiences to every consumer. And it turns out our smartphones are pushing us to unconsciously prefer just these kinds of customized options.”
Mother Jones: A Crypto Giant Froze Their Accounts. Now Customers Are Begging a Judge for Their Money Back.. “According to a presentation filed in court, Celsius now hopes to offer its customers a choice: accept a cash payment worth just a fraction of their investments, or opt to ‘remain “long” crypto’—that is, continue to hold their digital currency on Celsius’ books in the hopes of eventually being able to recover their money.”
Rensselaer: Consumers Are Likely To Be Susceptible to Slick Graphic Design of Trading Platforms. “Research conducted by Gaurav Jain, a behavioral economist and assistant professor at Rensselaer, and John Chen, an undergraduate student studying biology in Rensselaer’s accelerated B.S./M.D. program, explored how certain graphic designs on decentralized finance (defi) apps can target an investor’s inexperience to elicit decisions that are quick and uninformed, using an investor’s intuition rather than information.”
NBC News: Class-action suit filed against Equifax after millions of scores were affected by glitch. “A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Equifax following a report that millions of credit scores were affected by a technical glitch in the credit bureau’s reporting system.”
Bleeping Computer: Huge network of 11,000 fake investment sites targets Europe. “Researchers have uncovered a gigantic network of more than 11,000 domains used to promote numerous fake investment schemes to users in Europe. The platforms show fabricated evidence of enrichment and falsified celebrity endorsements to create an image of legitimacy and lure in a larger number of victims.”
NPR: Amid the hype, they bought crypto near its peak. Now, they cope with painful losses. “Quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, starred in an ad for FTX, and a commercial for Crypto.com featured Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon. These were designed to appeal to a potential investor’s fear of missing out. ‘Fortune favors the brave,’ Damon says. The ads included little-to-no explanation of crypto, and how risky the unregulated asset is. About two weeks after that Crypto.com ad debuted, Bitcoin set a new record: $68,990. Today, it’s less than a third of that.”
PR Newswire: CCsmart.org Helps Americans Understand the Value of a Community College Education (PRESS RELEASE). “CCsmart is an evidenced-based and data driven website designed to make it easier to find reliable information about higher education pathways, from workforce training to associate degrees to transfer options to bachelor’s degrees. It also provides easy to understand information about financial options for various credential and degree options and aid options beyond just Pell Grants and the FAFSA.”
CNET: FBI Warns Fake Cryptocurrency Apps Are Defrauding Investors. “Cybercriminals are creating fake cryptocurrency apps in an effort to defraud investors, according to a Monday warning from the FBI. The bureau’s cyber division identified 244 victims that have been swindled by fraudulent apps, accounting for an estimated loss of $42.7 million.”
CSUF: Artificial Intelligence Has Fundamentally Changed Branding, Says New Study. “Decades ago, the practice of branding and marketing relied heavily on creativity. Today, that is no longer the case according to research led by Cal State Fullerton Professor of Marketing Chiranjeev Kohli. With the advent of artificial intelligence — machines that think like humans — and a growing amount of data on consumer purchase behavior, Kohli has conducted research to shed light on what he describes as a fundamental change in marketing and branding.”
Utah State University: New USU Extension Website Offers Inflation Resources. “Website topics include budgeting for emergencies, combating panic buying during inflation, teaching children about money management, positive conversations about money, and other topics.”
CNET: Crypto Scams Have Cost Consumers More Than $1 Billion, FTC Says. “Crypto scams have cost consumers more than $1 billion since the start of 2021, according to a new Federal Trade Commission analysis. The numbers, which are based on losses reported by consumers from January 2021 through March 2022, also show that crypto is becoming the payment of choice for many scammers, accounting for about one in every four dollars lost to fraud, the FTC says.”
Rest of World: From Argentina to Nigeria, people saw Terra as more stable than local currency. They lost everything. “The apparent security of stablecoins has made them attractive to people in countries that experience high inflation or currency devaluations, such as Argentina, Iran, and Nigeria. The UST crash, which has hit other crypto assets, shattered that illusion. Valeria is one of more than a dozen people Rest of World spoke with, from countries including Argentina, Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, and Nigeria, who invested in UST — the third-largest stablecoin — and its accompanying Luna token, and who said they have now lost tens of thousands of dollars in savings.”
The Guardian: Cosmopolitan no more: Russians feel sting of cultural and economic rift. “Three months into the war, Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world, and almost 1,000 foreign brands – the majority of them voluntarily – have curtailed their operations there, according to records kept by the Yale School of Management. The exodus of companies continued this week with McDonald’s officially announcing it would leave Russia after three decades.”
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