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The United States government isn’t holding back when it comes to Big Tech, and <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> is squarely in its sights. After years of concern over the tech giant’s grip on the digital world, the US Justice Department (DOJ) has made a bold demand: sell your Chrome browser. The move comes amid two high-stakes antitrust trials that accuse Google of monopolistic practices. So, what’s at the heart of the government’s case, and why is Chrome a key piece of the puzzle? Let’s break it down. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">Search, Chrome, and monopoly madness</h3>In one corner, we have the DOJ versus Google in a trial in Washington, D.C., where a judge has already ruled that Google’s search business operates as an illegal monopoly. The DOJ argues that Google’s dominance in search, bolstered by its Chrome browser, gives the company an unfair advantage, effectively locking in users and advertisers. To remedy this, the DOJ has proposed that Google sell off Chrome entirely. This drastic move, they argue, could level the playing field and restore competition to a market where Google currently reigns supreme. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">The ad tech tug-of-war</h3>Meanwhile, in Virginia, a second trial focuses on Google’s grip on the ad tech market — the engine behind the ads you see while browsing. The government alleges that Google’s trio of advertising software products effectively monopolises the ad tech ecosystem. Publishers like News Corp and Gannett claim they’re stuck using Google’s ad tools to survive. DOJ lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum summed it up bluntly: “Google is once, twice, three times a monopolist.” The DOJ accuses Google of using its financial clout to buy out rivals and control the auction systems that determine which ads appear online. This, they say, allows Google to charge advertisers more while paying publishers less. The government wants Google to divest parts of its ad tech business to dismantle this stranglehold. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">Google fights back</h3>Unsurprisingly, Google has a different story. The tech giant calls the government’s arguments an attempt to pick “winners and losers” in an already competitive market. “The law simply does not support what the plaintiffs are arguing in this case,” said Google’s lawyer Karen Dunn. Google also argues that the ad tech market isn’t as straightforward as the DOJ claims. The company points out that ads appear across multiple platforms — search engines, social media, and apps — and Google doesn’t dominate all of them. In fact, it says rivals like Meta, Amazon, and TikTok are gaining ground. Dunn warned that forcing Google to sell parts of its business or work with competitors would essentially amount to government interference. “This is central planning,” she said, urging the court to reject the DOJ’s proposals. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">What’s at stake?</h3>If the court rules against Google, the implications could be seismic. The DOJ’s proposals — selling Chrome or divesting parts of Google’s ad business — would fundamentally reshape how the company operates. But don’t expect a resolution anytime soon. Presiding Judge Leonie Brinkema is expected to issue her opinion swiftly, but any decision will almost certainly be appealed, dragging the case potentially to the US Supreme Court. Even then, the question of enforcement remains murky. While the Biden administration is eager to rein in Big Tech, future administrations could change course. Whether Google will ultimately be forced to sell Chrome or parts of its ad tech business is up to the courts — and potentially years of appeals. For now, the trials highlight a growing unease with the power of tech giants like Google. For Google, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For the rest of us, these decisions will shape the future of the internet as we know it. Stay tuned — this battle is far from over.

Why does the US want Google to sell its Chrome browser?

<keyword id="20242921" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Adobe" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Adobe" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Adobe">Adobe</keyword> has launched two new initiatives aimed at empowering both learners and marketing professionals through advanced AI technologies. The announcements were made at Adobe MAX 2024, which is underway at Miami Beach, Florida. The company unveiled a new global initiative designed to provide <keyword id="21872144" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-literacy" source="keywords">AI literacy</keyword>, content creation and <keyword id="20399182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing" source="keywords">digital marketing</keyword> skills to 30 million next generation learners so that they can carve a niche for themselves in the modern workforce. <h2>Collaborating with <keyword id="20153384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coursera" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Coursera" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Coursera">Coursera</keyword> </h2> Adobe is collaborating with Coursera, educational institutions, NGOs, and other education platforms to make its training and certification accessible to a diverse range of emerging professionals. Adobe’s initiative also features a focus on responsible AI use, ensuring learners are equipped to handle emerging technologies in an ethical manner. The curriculum will cover various areas such as generative AI, social media content, and multi-channel advertising. Courses have already been rolled out globally on Coursera. To enhance inclusivity, Adobe is providing $250,000 in scholarships and expanding partnerships with nonprofits like DECA and NPower to integrate skilling opportunities into youth education programs. The company has pledged over $100 million this year through scholarships, product access, and partnerships to help learners from all backgrounds thrive in today’s workforce. Adobe’s Stacy Martinet, VP of Marketing Strategy and Communications, said that the goal is to ensure AI becomes a bridge, not a barrier, in helping professionals succeed. “Adobe’s mission has always been to design products that create opportunities and empower people from all backgrounds to change the world,” she said and added, “We want AI to bridge the digital divide not widen it, and this program will open doors for emerging professionals to succeed in the future workforce with AI literacy, content creation and marketing skills.” <h2><keyword id="23563843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GenStudio" source="keywords">GenStudio</keyword> for Performance Marketing </h2> Simultaneously, Adobe also launched GenStudio for Performance Marketing, an AI-driven application that aims to accelerate the creation and management of marketing campaigns. By integrating generative AI tools such as Adobe Firefly and third-party large language models, GenStudio empowers marketers and creative teams to generate high volumes of personalised content for digital campaigns. The new tool addresses a critical challenge faced by businesses today: the demand for dynamic, on-brand content that can be tailored to individual consumer preferences across multiple platforms. GenStudio streamlines the content supply chain, from creation to activation, enabling marketing teams to respond quickly to shifting consumer trends. Adobe has forged key partnerships with platforms like Google Campaign Manager 360, Meta, TikTok, Microsoft Advertising, and Snap, allowing brands to activate and adjust campaigns based on real-time insights. This integration, Adobe says, provides marketers with a comprehensive view of campaign performance, helping them tailor content to resonate more effectively with their target audiences. Prativa Mohapatra, Adobe India’s VP and Managing Director, highlighted how the new AI-powered workflows bring marketing and creative teams closer together. Brands like Air India and HDFC Bank have already begun exploring the possibilities of GenStudio, with plans for broader adoption across various industries. “With collaborations across industry leaders like Air India, HDFC Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Adobe is empowering marketing and digital teams to seamlessly manage multi-channel campaigns, with real-time insights to optimize performance. We’re excited to see how more Indian businesses will harness GenStudio to revolutionize their marketing strategies and deliver exceptional customer experiences,” she said.

Adobe collaborates with Coursera and others to help people develop AI skills, announces new AI-powered marketing tool

Digital Marketing for E-Commerce

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Google faces a landmark antitrust trial over its alleged digital ad market monopoly.</li><li>The DOJ and 17 states allege Google used acquisitions and ad auction tactics illegally.</li></ul>Google executives and lawyers are headed to the Eastern District of Virginia Courthouse on Monday to face a landmark antitrust trial that could result in the breakup of its business.That outcome would be a boon for Google's adtech rivals but wouldn't necessarily provide an instant panacea for the publishers and advertisers that have come to depend on its services.The case, brought by the US Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general, alleges that Google used acquisitions and anticompetitive ad auction tactics to build an illegal monopoly of the digital ad market.The trial is focused on the open web display ad market and the tools that power the ad auctions that happen in the milliseconds it takes for a webpage to load.Google owns an ad server that publishers use to manage their ad inventory, buying tools that advertisers use to purchase ads, and an ad exchange that connects the two. It owns the most popular of all three technologies, which the DOJ alleges helped the company impede rivals, inflate advertising costs, and reduce revenue for publishers.The trial is set to last multiple weeks, and Google will likely appeal if the judge doesn't rule in its favor. That means it could be months before the real ramifications of the case are known.Still, the case is being closely watched by all members of the online ad ecosystem, which is expected to reach some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://chart-na1.emarketer.com/265167/digital-ad-spending-worldwide-2022-2027-billions-change-of-total-ad-spending#_gl=1*i6ho3e*_gcl_au*MjM0MjQ1ODQ0LjE3MjI5NDExNzUuMTI1NDc4NTAuMTcyMjk0MTE3Ni4xNzIyOTQxMTc4">$691 billion in spending this year</a>. The DOJ and the states are seeking a breakup of Google's adtech business. Such a move would not only transform the online advertising landscape. It would be the "biggest forced corporate shake-up since Microsoft unbundled the Internet Explorer browser in 2000," Macquarie media tech analyst Tim Nollen wrote in a recent research note.Business Insider interviewed analysts, legal experts, and adtech insiders to explore how the industry would shape up if Google is declawed. Google on Sunday published a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/google-ad-tech-sept-2024/">blog post</a> that said it intends to show in court how advertisers and publishers choose to use its adtech because it "simple, affordable, and effective."<h2 id="d9ba6873-391d-40b5-ab40-742d45033c22">A Google breakup would be a major boost for rival adtech firms like The Trade Desk and Magnite</h2>It's hard to find an adtech company that isn't gunning for Google to lose this case.The DOJ wants the judge to rule that Google needs to separate its publisher adtech — the DoubleClick for Publishers ad server and its Google AdExchange — from its advertiser adtech, namely its Google Ads and Display &amp; Video 360 ad-buying platforms.<div type="image" title="Google's ad tech stack" height="666" width="1276" msid="113191335" hostid="261" sizebytes="24658"></div>The argument goes that by owning the entire adtech stack, Google has access to a huge pool of ad inventory that it can tie to demand on its ad-buying platforms. That setup means most publishers select Google as their ad server, the complaint argues.Plus, Google has troves of user data from its logged-in users on platforms like Chrome and Gmail. Combined, that gives Google wide visibility across the entire auction process, the ability to refine its bids accordingly, and a way to self-preference its own ad inventory tech, the complaint says.Many industry experts think that untethering Google's supply and demand side would level the playing field for competing tech companies with big advertising businesses, such as Meta and Amazon, as well as pureplay adtech firms. That, in turn, could boost innovation in the space, reducing costs for advertisers and increasing revenue for publishers, some experts say."[Demand-side platforms] like The Trade Desk, [supply-side platforms] like Magnite and PubMatic, specialist ad tech services like Criteo, and companies supporting alternative IDs and data collaboration like LiveRamp, all should see a better competitive landscape without the heavy hands of Google scooping up so much of the business itself, and for its own purposes (YouTube)," Macquarie's Nollen wrote in a recent research note.Separately, a divestiture could encourage more transparency and traceability of data flows within the online ad ecosystem, Elettra Bietti, assistant professor of law and computer science at Northeastern University, told Business Insider."Transparency, in turn, could lead to better regulation of surveillance and behavioral advertising, which is currently a significant concern for privacy advocates," she added.<h2 id="22fbad15-d850-486a-8c45-0310325ac6af">A DOJ win isn't necessarily good news for all publishers and advertisers</h2>Google and its lawyers are expected to argue in court that a breakup of its adtech stack would harm publishers and advertisers and make it more difficult for the company to invest in important research in areas like artificial intelligence.The barrier to entry to start advertising on Google Ads is incredibly low, which is part of the reason why it has attracted so many small business advertisers.Mark Jamison, director and professor of the Public Utility Research Center and director of the Digital Markets Initiative at the University of Florida, has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.aei.org/technology-and-innovation/small-businesses-should-be-wary-of-a-breakup-of-google/">said</a> a breakup of Google and the resulting free-for-all from lower quality adtech players could result in higher ad prices and lower quality ads."Absent evidence that Google is artificially restricting the quantity or quantity of ads, and that consumers would accept more ads, a breakup of Google's business will harm small businesses by removing their preferred advertising channel," he told Business Insider.One publisher tech executive, who asked for anonymity to preserve business relationships, said while many in the publishing community are unhappy with some of Google's historical actions, a breakup might not be the best outcome.This executive said that if Google sold off its sell-side business, its DV360 ad-buying platform might not have any incentive to continue spending on the open web and instead just direct even more ad dollars to Google's own platforms. Separately, they said that while a separation of Google's ad server and its ad exchange would be good for competition in the adtech market, it might drive ad server costs up for publishers.Google's ad server is "a loss leader, they make all their money in AdX," the exec said, referring to Google's ad exchange that connects buyers and sellers.<h2 id="302448a4-afd4-4a39-b44d-78c9314e5f31">Global regulators have Google in their sights, too</h2>Any unraveling of Google's ad empire would be complex.A separate adtech company would still likely be worth billions, meaning any potential suitor with enough capital to acquire it would encounter its own competition issues. It's more likely that it would be spun off into a separate company. But then there's also the technical challenge of untangling assets that, by design, have become so intertwined.Either way, experts generally think Google will probably come away from this trial with a bloody nose as regulators are increasingly taking a dim view of its advertising practices. The company recently lost a separate search ads antitrust trial.Over the pond, the European Union said last year it might look to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-says-it-may-seek-breakup-of-googles-ad-tech-business-b988fd78">break up</a> Google's adtech business. And just last Friday, the UK's competition watchdog <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-objects-to-googles-ad-tech-practices-in-bid-to-help-uk-advertisers-and-publishers">said</a> its investigation into Google's adtech practices had provisionally found Google had abused its dominant positions in operating its publisher ad server and ad buying tools. In a statement, Google said it disagreed with the CMA's findings, which it said were based on "flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector.""It's a bad month to be a monopolist," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ariellesgarcia_usvgoogle-activity-7237762680244113408-tR5g?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop">wrote</a> Arielle Garcia, director of intelligence at adtech watchdog Check My Ads.

Inside the landmark Google adtech antitrust trial that could transform the $700 billion global digital ad market

Issues related to data privacy and rising <keyword id="20127272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-frauds" source="keywords">online frauds</keyword> are emerging as significant hurdles in the growth of e-commerce in India, said the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Economic Survey" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Economic Survey">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 tabled in Parliament on Monday. Citing third-party data, the survey said that the e-commerce industry in India is expected to cross USD 350 billion by 2030 and called for the need to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms. "The rise of e-commerce is constrained by inadequate skills required for online selling, such as cataloguing. <keyword id="22505774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-privacy-issues" source="keywords">Data privacy issues</keyword> and increasing online fraud have turned out to be the most significant hurdle in the growth of e-commerce in India. It becomes imperative to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms," the survey said. The survey mentioned that India's e-commerce market has gained significant momentum during the past few years, owing to technological advancements, evolving new-age business models coupled with government initiatives like the Digital India program, UPI, One District - One Product (ODOP), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), new foreign trade policy, easing of FDI limits and Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules 2021. It has identified data privacy and <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword> as critical concerns in the <keyword id="22505776" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digitisation-of-services" source="keywords">digitisation of services</keyword> in the country and called for adopting strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and innovation, among others. "Data privacy and cybersecurity have become critical concerns with the increasing digitisation of services," according to the survey. It said that the government is spearheading data protection laws and cybersecurity policies to safeguard consumer data and strengthen cybersecurity measures in the services sector. "To further embrace technology with confidence, ensuring the adoption of strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and fostering innovation in security technologies are essential," the survey noted. It said the future of e-commerce is built on the enhanced <keyword id="20290101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="user-experience" source="keywords">user experience</keyword> through <keyword id="19899640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="keywords">AI</keyword>, seamless <keyword id="21332958" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payment-methods" source="keywords">digital payment methods</keyword>, innovations like UPI, and business engineering data analytics for business operations and enhancements. The survey mentioned that the buyer ecosystem in India is evolving at a very sharp rate, and business models will need to innovate to serve the needs of a diverse shopper base regarding service expectations, price sensitivity and language requirements. "Local language platforms are needed as the shopper base expands to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Growing startups and innovative social media platforms provide an opportunity to test unique business models that might be targeted to specific demographic cohorts," the survey said.

Data privacy issues, online frauds emerging as e-commerce growth hurdles: Eco Survey

Digital Marketing Strategies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Markets celebrated Donald Trump's election victory on Wednesday.</li><li>The Dow soared by more than 1,400 points. Bank stocks, tech shares and bitcoin rallied in the session.</li></ul>US stocks embarked on a major rally on Wednesday as traders took in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-wins-presidential-election-race-2024-11">Donald Trump's election win</a>.Major indexes soared to fresh records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing more than 1,500 points during the session.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/bonds/surging-treasury-yields-after-trump-win-show-borrowers-may-not-get-relief-2024-11">Bond yields surged</a> as investors eyed the potential for inflation and interest rates to rise again in another Trump term. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury spiked 14 basis points to 4.431%.Here's where US indexes stood at the 4:00 p.m. closing bell on Wednesday:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">S&amp;P 500</a>: 5,929.05, up 2.53%</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a>: 43,729.93, up 3.57% (+ 1,508.05 points)</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_composite?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">Nasdaq composite</a>: 18,983.46, up 2.95%</li></ul>Traders piled into assets they see <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-trade-us-presidential-election-dollar-treasuries-stocks-crypto-djt-2024-11">benefitting under a Trump presidency</a>, with markets eyeing an agenda of deregulation and lower taxes benefiting US corporations.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/bank-stocks-donald-trump-victory-reelection-wall-street-outlook-regulation-2024-11">Bank stocks</a> soared during the day, with Bank of America and Citigroup more than 8%, JPMorgan up 11%, and shares of Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs each up 13%.Tesla <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-trump-win-elon-musk-election-tsla-2024-11">climbed almost 15%</a> to trade at its highest level in over two years. Investors see Elon Musk and his companies among the election winners after the CEO strongly backed Trump during his campaign.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/bitcoin-price-soars-crypto-president-donald-trumps-election-betting-odds-2024-10">Bitcoin jumped to a fresh record high</a>, climbing above $75,000 for the first time ever. Investors see Trump as the first "crypt president"," hoping that his term will boost digital assets after he courted the market during his campaign.Wall Street will focus on the Fed's policy meeting on Thursday. Central bankers are expected to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">cut rates another 25 basis points</a> on Thursday, followed by another quarter-point cut in December. However, rate cut expectations are starting to ease as investors consider potentially higher inflation under another Trump term."As a result, the Fed rate cut on Thursday may be the last cut, since the Fed does not like to fight market rates," Louis Navellier, the chief investment officer of Navellier &amp; Associates, said in a note on Wednesday, pointing to higher Treasury yields."As we move into 2025, we believe it's possible that we only see two or three cuts for the year depending on the mix of policy and growth that plays out," Yung-Yu Ma, the CIO of BMO Wealth Management, added.Here's what else is going on:<ul><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/nvidia-stock-price-soars-record-valuation-overtakes-apple-nvda-ai-2024-11">Nvidia stock hit a record high</a>, solidifying its position as the world's most valuable company.</li><li>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/polymarket-whale-banked-48-million-profits-trump-president-election-win-2024-11">polymarket whale that bet big on Donald Trump's victory</a> banked $48 million on Wednesday.</li><li>There are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-election-trump-stock-rally-rise-sp500-outlook-regulation-mergers-2024-11?_gl=1*1culf3a*_ga*OTI1ODIwOTQ2LjE3MTYzOTg2NjU.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTczMDkxNjYxMC41MjguMS4xNzMwOTE5MTMyLjM0LjAuMA..">three post-election reasons why stocks are bound to rise</a> through the end of the year, according to Goldman Sachs.</li><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/bonds/ukraine-bonds-trump-wins-us-election-russia-war-zelenskyy-2024-11">Ukraine bonds jumped after Trump's win</a> amid his vows to help end the war in Ukraine.</li></ul>In commodities, bonds, and crypto:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price">West Texas Intermediate</a> crude oil dipped slightly to $71.89 a barrel. <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price">Brent crude</a>, the international benchmark, edged lower by 0.5% to $75.14 a barrel.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price">Gold</a> slumped 2.85% to $2,665.64 an ounce.</li><li>The 10-year Treasury yield climbed 13 basis points to 4.426%.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/btc-usd">Bitcoin</a> rose 9.31% to $75,742.</li></ul>

Stock market euphoric over Trump win

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A number of bank research desks have raised their S&amp;P 500 price targets in recent weeks.</li><li>The adjustments come as the index continues its bull market run, up 3% in the last month and 23% this year.</li></ul>The bull market hasn't weakened in the fourth quarter, and top bank research desks have been rushing to raise their S&amp;P 500 price targets into year-end. Strategists from Goldman Sachs, UBS, BMO, and Deutsche Bank have raised their year-end price targets on the S&amp;P 500 in recent weeks as the benchmark index continues to hit record highs. On Monday, it notched its 46th all-time high of 2024. UBS strategists Jonathan Golub and Patrick Palfrey upped their 5,600 price target to 5,850 for the end of the year, marking their fourth upgrade since late last year.The target is just slightly above the level the index is trading at on Wednesday, but the analysts forecast a 9% rise in the next 15 months and raised their target for 2025 from 6,000 to 6,400 in a note on Tuesday. Earlier this month, meanwhile, Goldman Sachs raised its target on the index to 6,000 by December, marking the fourth increase since late last year. The call, from the firm's chief equity strategist David Kostin, is the second highest among those tracked by Bloomberg.Kostin said the estimates were driven by a steady macro outlook and greater margin expansion."The primary driver of the upward revision to our 2025 EPS estimate is greater margin expansion," Kostin said, adding, "The macro backdrop remains conducive to modest margin expansion, with prices charged outpacing input cost growth."Kostin's price target is just behind that of BMO's chief equity strategist, Brian Belski, who raised his forecast from 5,600 to 6,100 last month. Belski's new target implies a nearly 5% gain through the rest of this year.Belski said his upgrade was based on strong market gains so far this year, which he says typically leads to stronger-than-normal gains in the fourth quarter."We continue to be surprised by the strength of market gains and decided yet again that something more than an incremental adjustment was warranted," Belski said in a note.He added that Federal Reserve easing and a broadening market rally will only help fuel further gains.Deutsche Bank also raised its year-end target for the S&amp;P 500 last month, up to 5,750 from 5,500. The bank's strategists pointed to strong corporate earnings and inflows, rising stock buybacks, and higher risk sentiment."We see S&amp;P 500 earnings growth continuing to run robustly in the low double digits, in line with typical growth rates outside of recessions," the strategists said in a note.The strategists' target raises come amid a chorus of strategists turning decidedly more upbeat on the market. JPMorgan's chief equity strategist Dubravko Lakos-Bujas <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/wall-street-biggest-bear-jpmorgan-stock-market-outlook-interest-rates-2024-10">recently recommended</a> investors should get less defensive after a strong September jobs report."While it is too soon to assume that this is a turning point, it does suggest that a recession is unlikely in the near term, especially since surprisingly strong job growth and a downtick in the unemployment rate broke a slowing trend in the job market," he said in a note earlier this month.Lakos-Bujas kept his 4,200 price target for the S&amp;P 500 unchanged, though.The more upbeat 2024 forecasts come as the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-bull-rally-anniversary-earnings-interest-rates-sp500-2024-10">bull market charges on</a>, with the S&amp;P 500 up 3.2% in the last month and 22.6% this year. Several risks persist, though, with the upcoming US presidential election in November, an unclear trajectory of monetary policy easing from the Fed as economic data comes in mixed, and as war in the Middle East continues to threaten stability in the region and beyond."Fiscal and monetary policy uncertainty, and potential election outcomes, make 2025 returns far from certain," UBS analysts said.

Top Wall Street analysts are boosting stock market forecasts as the bull market charges on

<keyword id="19897919" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-media" source="keywords">Social media</keyword> platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have established safeguards to combat <keyword id="23571068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bot-accounts" source="keywords">bot accounts</keyword>, including policies and technical mechanisms. However, the effectiveness of these measures is increasingly being questioned as AI-driven bots evolve and find ways to bypass restrictions. <h2>AI bot evolution</h2>While <keyword id="21559036" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AI-bots" source="keywords">AI bots</keyword> can serve legitimate purposes like marketing and customer service, some are designed to manipulate public discussions, incite hate speech, and spread <keyword id="19933162" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="misinformation" source="keywords">misinformation</keyword>. Research from the University of Notre Dame investigated the bot policies of platforms like LinkedIn, <keyword id="19932634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tiktok" source="keywords">TikTok</keyword>, and X, testing how well these platforms enforced their rules. The findings were troubling. "Despite what their policy says or the technical bot mechanisms they have, it was very easy to get a bot up and working on X. They aren't effectively enforcing their policies," said Paul Brenner, a Director at Notre Dame. Even interns, who had only a high school-level education and minimal training, were able to launch the test bots using technology that is readily available to the public, Brenner explained. Their bots were created using commonly-available AI tools such as <keyword id="19918823" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OpenAI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="OpenAI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="OpenAI">OpenAI</keyword>'s GPT-4o and DALL-E 3, and the tests were run on LinkedIn, Mastodon, Reddit, TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114283439" title="Security threats to AI models are giving rise to a new crop of startups" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As per the tests, none of these platforms had sufficient safeguards to keep the bots out. Researchers successfully published benign test posts from bots across all platforms, with X and Reddit posing minimal challenges. While <keyword id="19911549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="meta" source="keywords">Meta</keyword> platforms proved somewhat more challenging due to stronger enforcement mechanisms, they ultimately could still be bypassed — even by relatively inexperienced folk. <h2>Why does it matter?</h2>In India — and the rest of the world, for that matter — the rise of AI-driven bots has significant implications for public discourse, particularly in the political arena. Research has indicated that a substantial portion of misinformation circulating during electoral periods can often be traced back to automated accounts. Many experts emphasise that the pervasive influence of these accounts can negatively shape public perception and discussion, and is often used to target certain sensitive groups and stoke communal tension. As platforms struggle to keep pace with the evolving tactics of malicious bots, the need for stronger regulations becomes increasingly evident. Considering that AI is evolving at a rapid pace that makes it supremely difficult to tell bots apart from real human accounts — even for the tech-savvy — Brenner argues for US legislation that mandates platforms to identify human versus bot accounts. Similar measures are needed in India, where the lack of accountability for social media platforms allows harmful bot activity to proliferate. <h2>What needs to be done?</h2>Addressing the bot problem requires a multitude of different solutions. For starters, enhanced technology, such as more sophisticated AI detection systems, could help platforms identify and mitigate bot activity more effectively. Recent advancements in machine learning are paving the way for tools that can better analyse user behavior and detect anomalies that indicate bot activity. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114250696" title="AI labs are fragmenting because of ego clashes and commercial pressures. It&amp;#39;s about to drive a wave of new startups." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, it is almost just as necessary to educate users about identifying bots and understanding online discourse. To platforms can implement user-friendly tools that highlight potentially automated accounts, empowering users to make more informed decisions about whom to engage with. Legislation could also play a pivotal role in shaping how social media platforms handle bot accounts. By requiring transparency about bot activity and holding companies accountable for enforcement, policymakers can create an environment where genuine discourse thrives and misinformation is curtailed. In India, the proposed <keyword id="19955205" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital-India-Act" source="keywords">Digital India Act</keyword> could be an avenue for strengthening regulations around <keyword id="19979951" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-platforms" source="keywords">digital platforms</keyword> and enhancing user safety. While platforms like X and Facebook have made strides in developing detection methods, the sophistication of AI-driven bots continues to outpace current safeguards. This situation requires urgent attention from both tech companies and policymakers to ensure a safer social media environment. The findings of this research has been published on a pre-print server and can be accessed <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.18931">here</a>.

Even high school interns were able to use common AI tools to bypass security and launch bots on X, Facebook and other social media: report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The stock market flashed a bullish technical indicator on Monday, according to Ned Davis Research.</li><li>NDR strategist Ed Clissold noted the market is its the fourth stage of bottoming as it approaches record highs.</li></ul>The stock market just flashed a bullish technical indicator that suggests double-digit gains are in store for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a> over the next year.That's according to a Wednesday note from Ned Davis Research strategist Ed Clissold, who said the stock market has entered the fourth stage of its bottoming process following its early August sell-off.The stock market fell more than 5% in early August amid a confluence of risks, including a weak July jobs report, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-crash-yen-carry-trade-unwind-fed-japan-rates-2024-8">yen carry-trade unwind,</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/apple-stock-price-plunge-warren-buffett-cuts-stake-berkshire-hathaway-2024-8">Warren Buffett slashing his stake in Apple.</a>But since then, the S&amp;P 500 has rallied nearly 10% and is just 1% shy of record highs."New breadth thrust signals confirm that the market is in step four of the bottoming process and moving past the recent pullback," Clissold explained, adding that the four stages of a stock market bottom are oversold, rally, retest, and breadth thrusts.On August 19, a new breadth thrust signal flashed, which occurs when the stock market swiftly transitions from very few stocks participating in the upside to many stocks moving higher at the same time."The rationale is that if a few stocks run into trouble, others can propel the popular averages higher," Clissold said. "The beginning of major moves is often marked by breadth thrusts, or an extremely high percentage of stocks rallying together."A breadth thrust "fired" on Monday when over 90% of stocks in NDR's internal Multi-Cap Equity Series jumped above their 10-day moving average.Since 1980, there have been 42 such instances, and stocks were higher 95% of the time one-year later with an average gain of 10%.Such a gain from current levels would put the S&amp;P 500 at just above 6,100, which is nearly in-line with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-sp500-prediction-8000-bull-rally-ed-yardeni-2024-6#:~:text=The%20S%26P%20500%20is%20on,%22I'm%20still%20bullish.">one Wall Street bull's 2025 price target.</a>Another breadth thrust flashed on August 8 when stocks saw an "11:1 up day," which occurs when volume in advancing stocks is 11 times that of the cumulative volume in declining stocks.Ultimately, Clissold wants to see at least five breadth thrust signals flash in a three-month period to be certain that the stock market has more upside ahead.So far three signals have flashed since July 16, but even if two more don't flash by the middle of October, stocks are likely still in a good spot thanks to the expected decline in interest rates, according to the note."We may not get five breadth thrust signals, but additional trend indicators are turning bullish," Clissold said. "Falling rates are another check in the bulls' favor."

A bullish signal in the stock market is pointing to double-digit gains for the S&P 500 next year, research firm says

For a long time, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/reddit">Reddit</a> felt like it wasn't a place for everyone. Not that everyone couldn't be there — it's free to join, completely anonymous, and you can lurk without an account — but it was also a weird, sometimes dark little corner of the internet, probably closer to 4chan than Instagram. It was a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-new-content-policy-2015-7">bastion of free speech</a> but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-said-racism-is-okay-2018-4">one that could get ugly</a>, something that Reddit leadership <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-war-users-community-free-speech-ellen-pao-victoria-taylor-2015-7">struggled to define and defend</a>. The interface was tricky to navigate for those not in the know.Nowadays, Reddit is a different — and more mainstream — beast. It's spent the past several years <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/19/reddit-and-the-struggle-to-detoxify-the-internet">cleaning itself up</a>. It's banned controversial subreddits and made the platform a more pleasant, user-friendly place to be. As its cofounder and CEO Steve Huffman told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/19/reddit-and-the-struggle-to-detoxify-the-internet">The New Yorker in 2018</a>, the platform worked to get its "shit together."Moderators of individual subreddits — users that manage communities and enforce their content rules — still run much of the show but under a tighter set of policies. The moderators are pretty good at keeping their own houses in order, and in a landscape where AI spam is making it increasingly hard to figure out what's authentic information, Reddit's community-driven content and policing shine. Real, actual, live human beings are talking to each other, which, on balance, is good. This broadening of the platform has also been reflected in the business. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddits-ipo-set-to-take-front-page-of-internet-public-2024-3">Reddit went public</a> earlier this year at a $6.4 billion valuation, and last quarter, the 20-year-old company turned a profit for the first time in its history. Reddit lovers and noobs are flocking to the site, thanks in part to the Google gods. The search platform is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-reddit-is-taking-over-google-right-now-2024-4">prioritizing Reddit's results</a>. There's speculation that it has to do with the companies' $60 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/google/comments/1ax1nyh/reddit_has_struck_a_60_million_deal_with_google/">deal</a> to let Google use Reddit's data to train its AI, though both deny that's the case.Normal people — or, rather, people who aren't so steeped in online culture — are also seeking Reddit out. If you've recently found yourself inputting whatever search term and then tacking "reddit" onto the end of the search, you're not alone: On the company's most recent earnings call in October, Huffman said it's the sixth-most-Googled term in the United States this year."Those are people literally typing the word Reddit into Google," Huffman said. "So they know they're going to end up on it. They're using, in this case, Google to navigate Reddit."In other words, Reddit is a little bit <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-search-getting-worse-spam-affiliate-links-duckduckgo-bing-2024-1">the new Google</a>. And while people may not be heading in droves to Reddit to search directly, the hope is — at least on Reddit's end — that they someday will.It's not just Google. Other tech platforms' missteps have become some of Reddit's gains. As Twitter has become a worse, uglier forum for discourse, Reddit has emerged as an alternative for users and advertisers alike. People are increasingly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/technology/23962999/best-product-reviews-shopping-reddit">using Reddit to find reviews</a> instead of turning to places such as Amazon, where the review section is often flooded with fakes. It's also becoming a more trusted place for reliable information — even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/10/white-house-reddit-disinformation/680220/">the White House is using it to combat misinformation</a>.Basically, if you want to get honest opinions about a crockpot you're considering or get a sense of what recovery from a medical treatment might be like based on real-life experiences, Reddit is becoming the place to go for more people, including people who would have shied away just a few years ago.For those not paying close attention, Reddit's most recent earnings report was a bit of a "Wait, what?" moment. Its <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/reddit-stock-skyrockets-earnings-beat-ai-growth-revenue-huffman-2024-10">stock popped</a> after the company announced that its revenue had jumped by 68% and its daily active users increased by 47% compared to a year ago. Revenue from ads was up, as was cash from other areas — namely, Reddit licensing its data to train AI.Much of the boost in eyeballs appears to be coming from people who are relatively new to Reddit or who don't have accounts. Reddit's daily active users who are logged in to their account is up 27%, but that metric is up by 70% for people who are logged out. This is a bit of a risky proposition for Reddit — Wall Street and advertisers are more focused on that logged-in number because, <a target="_blank" href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/reddit-traffic-google-search-growth.html">as John Herrman at New York Magazine points out</a>, the Google algorithm can always shift against you, shutting off the traffic spigot. But for the purposes of looking at what's going on with consumers, the story is pretty clear: Lots of people are landing on Reddit more often, many of whom are casual browsers."It has gone from kind of a fringy and kind of, 'I'm not sure about it,' to very mainstream, and it's showing up in the numbers," said Mark Lehmann, the CEO of Citizens JMP Securities, one of the banks to help take Reddit public. He added that given how quickly the platform has grown and "monetized things even faster than people thought, I think it shows you the power of the leverage of the brand and the legitimization."To be clear, Reddit is still pretty small compared to other social-media sites. As <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=e1355fc23cfc066980304c13aa726ac457ef26acf9ae7b17eddf693d740d7560&amp;postID=672a7cbbd057d3e5c5c4df84&amp;postSlug=reddit-mainstream-google-traffic-stock-revenue-human-users-2024-11&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theinformation.com%2Farticles%2Fwhy-reddits-explosive-growth-could-last">Anita Ramaswamy at the Information notes</a>, Snap has over 400 million daily users, and Meta has 3 billion across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, whereas Reddit has 97 million. Reddit's growing fast, though, and it's got a lot of room to grow. Marcel Hollerbach, the cofounder and chief innovation officer of Productsup, an e-commerce software company, compared Reddit's potential growth to that of Amazon."When you look at product searches, they tended to start primarily on Google, and nowadays Amazon actually has more product-search-related traffic than Google has," he said. "I would assume that, I mean, it's a matter of time until people figure out that probably if they're searching for a conversation around something or they want real user feedback and not just like a Wikipedia page or something, they might directly start engaging with Reddit."Reddit's recent ascendance was not a foregone conclusion. I won't dive into the site's full history, but let's just say it's had its fair share of controversies and upheavals, including over-greenlighting some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-bans-r-fatpeoplehate-the-community-furious-ellen-pao-2015-6">pretty gross subreddits</a>, being a home for<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-jennifer-lawrence-nude-photos-on-reddit-2014-9"> leaked nude celebrity photos</a>, and allowing a fair amount of racist, sexist, offensive, and even potentially illegal content to run rampant. It's also dealt with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-blackout-48-hour-what-you-need-to-know-2023-6">revolts</a> from users and moderators. Even if you're not aware of the specifics of the fuss around Reddit, for a lot of people, it just had a reputation as being off the beaten path. In many ways, that's a positive — it gave space for people to anonymously have real conversations and engage with niche communities they might not find anywhere else. But there were also, as mentioned, some downsides.Part of what's happened with Reddit is that it's grown up. In terms of moderation, it's not perfect, but no one can even agree on what perfect is. If it wants to keep growing — and be on the public markets — there's a level of maturity that is necessary. Scott Kessler, the global sector lead of technology, media, and telecommunications at Third Bridge Group, pointed to the takeoff of r/WallStreetBets and the subsequent attention to the subreddit, especially during <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wallstreetbets-gamestop-nathaniel-popper-book-excerpt-2024-6">the GameStop short squeeze</a>, as a recent touchpoint that helped push Reddit into the mainstream. As much as WSB was treated as fringe at the time, it became much less so, especially after the media caught on. Two more things have caught people's attention when it comes to possible growth and performance: AI and data licensing and machine translation into other languages. Reddit isn't just reaching more people in the US, it's reaching more people everywhere. Going public, for Reddit, has entailed becoming a more welcoming place for users as well as for investors, Kessler said. If you're hosting a subreddit where illegal activity's going on, it's very different to deal with it as a private company than a public one."If you're public and these things come out, I mean, that could start having an impact on your market cap. And so that obviously will make a whole host of stakeholders unhappy," he said. It's not dissimilar to PayPal clamping down on gambling transactions in the early 2000s.Not everyone is thrilled with the normie-zation of Reddit. Jessica Melton, a 33-year-old longtime Redditor in Seattle, told me that it took a while for her to get the hang of Reddit when her then "self-proclaimed nerd" boyfriend introduced her to it in high school. But then, she felt like it helped her become her own person. It's where she found tips for approaching her first gynecological appointment, how she discovered she had a relatively common skin-picking disorder, why she decided to go to therapy, and how she navigated being the first among her friends to become a mom. She likes that there's more moderation now because there were some "really disgusting subreddits," but she also misses some of the specificity and smallness of the old days."There's way more ads, more sponsored stuff, more influencers in general, too," she said. "I have noticed more brands posting and pretending not to be a brand, and it's really obvious for people who have been on Reddit for a while. And it's annoying."To some extent, it's impossible to keep it too weird while becoming mainstream, and there's some specialness that's inevitably lost with growth. What's been gained isn't all good, either. Many of the factors that have driven people away from other platforms, whether it be Amazon or Instagram or Google, are things to which Reddit isn't immune. AI bots can talk on Reddit. Brands can overrun it. Just as search engine optimization operations have gotten good at gaming Google, they can likely do it on Reddit, too.Perhaps right now, Reddit's in almost a sweet spot: not so big that it's completely ruined by corporatization, not so niche and unwieldy that it's a hellscape. It's part social media, part search engine, part just a place for real answers, or as close to real as you're going to get on the internet today.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/emily-stewart">Emily Stewart</a> is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

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