FormerNFL player Sergio Brown was arrested by law enforcement on Tuesday in connection with the death of his mother, whose body was found near a creek behind her home in Illinois last month, police said Wednesday.
Brown, 35, was taken into custody after trying to re-enter the United States into California from Mexico by the San Diego Police Department Threat Management Unit and several other agencies, including local and federal, after a warrant for his arrest was issued in Illinois.
Sergio Brown of the Colts reacts after breaking up a pass intended for Jermaine Gresham of the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 19, 2014, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.(Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
He was arrested on a first degree murder charge in connection with the homicide of his mother, 73-year-old Myrtle Brown. He is currently awaiting extradition to Illinois.
Myrtle Brown was found dead near a creek behind her home in Maywood, Illinois, on Sept. 16, an area just 12 miles west of Chicago. Family members had reported Brown and his mother missing.
Police were still attempting to locate Brown late last month when he appeared in videos on social media discussing the reports about his mother’s death.
“Fake news. Fake news. Fake news,” Brown said in the video in which he tagged ESPN. “It has to be the FBI that came into my house on Bob Marley’s death day with the 511 haze and gas unwarranted. They kidnapped me twice from home – the Maywood Police Department. It had to be the FBI or the Maywood police.”
Sergio Brown of the Colts on the sideline during the Jacksonville Jaguars game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 23, 2012, in Indianapolis.(Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
“I thought my f—ing mama was on vacation in Sinaloa. That’s f—ing fake news. Get the f— out of my goddamn face. She’s retired, and you want to come to me? The FBI had to do it. They have some power to do some s— like that. What the f— is going on? That’s fake news.”
He posted a second video the following day.
Maywood police spokesperson Carmen Rivera told The Associated Press at the time that they were aware of the videos and investigating.
As late as last week, it was reported the former NFL defensive back was seen in a video partying in Mexico.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Myrtle Brown’s death a homicide, saying she was injured during an assault.
Sergio Brown of the Buffalo Bills warms up before the Pittsburgh Steelers game on Dec. 11, 2016, at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York.(Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
Brown signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played with several teams across his seven-year career, including the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills.
He last played in the league in 2016.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former NFL player Sergio Brown was taken into custody by police on Tuesday nearly a month after his mother’s body was found near a creek in Illinois, and he was reported missing by law enforcement, according to online records.
Brown, 35, was taken into custody on a felony fugitive arrest charge, according to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
Details surrounding his arrest were not immediately known.
Myrtle Brown, 73, was found dead near a creek behind her home in Maywood, Illinois on Sept. 16, an area just 12 miles west of Chicago. The Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled Myrtle Brown’s death a homicide Sunday, saying she was injured during an assault.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
How secure is your mobile phone connection? This is a question Kathleen is asking, as she wants to know the difference between mobile data and WiFi security.
“For my cellphone, is it more secure to use the mobile data connection or is it more secure to use the WiFi from (spectrum/cable) for my phone connection? Thanks, Kathleen”
We’re all concerned about our security and personal details being protected from those who shouldn’t have access to them. Because having a safe and stable WiFi connection isn’t always readily available to us, many people like Kathleen wonder if it’s still safe to use cellular data.
What’s the difference between using cellular data and a WiFi network?
Using cellular data means that your cellphone is using its data plan in connection with the cellular networks and cellphone towers around it to get service. If your cellular data is turned off, then you won’t be able to receive messages, install software updates, surf the web, and more.
Using cellular data means your phone is also connected to a cell tower.(CyberGuy.com)
Using a WiFi network means your phone is connected to a router that uses radio waves to operate and give you high-speed internet. It deletes the issue of using up all your data, however, it doesn’t cover as large of a range as using cellular data would.
Although WiFi networks can be made to be secure, overall they are still not quite as secure as using cellular data. Cellular networks use encryption protocols that are much more difficult to break, however, you can still make sure that your WiFi network is securely configured so that your chances of getting hacked become extremely low. Here are some of my tips for securing your WiFi network.
There are a few steps you should be taking to make sure that your WiFi network is as safe as it can be from hackers who want your private information. Here’s what you can do.
One of the easiest ways for a hacker to make their way onto your WiFi network is by guessing your password correctly. The more complicated your password is, the less likely they will be to guess it. Consider using a password manager to keep track of all your passwords instead of relying on a single password, which, if stolen, can expose you.
Use a guest network for other people visiting
Did you know that you don’t actually have to give guests your password if you have a guest network? If possible, to do with your router, you should create a guest network that others can use while they’re in your home so that you don’t have to share your WiFi password with anyone who doesn’t live with you, which could reduce your risk of being hacked. If you feel comfortable you can also easily share your WiFi password with guests. And for more information on how to see if someone is stealing your WiFi click here.
Some of the latest encryption protocols you can use are WPA2 and WPA3. Make sure you’re using those protocols and not something older like WEP as those security measures are not up-to-date and can be easily hacked into. To encrypt your network with WPA2 or WPA3, you need to access your router’s administrator console and change the encryption settings. Here are some steps you can follow:
Connect your computer to your router using an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.
Open a web browser and enter the IP address of your router in the address bar. You can find the IP address on the label of your router or in the user manual. It is usually something like 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
Enter the username and password to log in to your router’s administrator console. If you don’t know them, you can try the default ones or look them up online. You can also reset your router to factory settings if you forgot them, but this will erase all your custom settings.
Look for the Wireless or Wireless Settings menu and then click on Security.
Choose the WPA2-PSK or WPA3-SAE option from the encryption settings. If you can’t find them, consider updating your router’s firmware or getting a new router that supports them.
Set a strong password for your network that is at least 12 characters long and contains a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid using common words or personal information that can be easily guessed.
Save the changes and restart your router if needed.
To check if it worked, look for the padlock icon next to the name of your network in your device’s network settings. You will need to reconnect all your devices to the network using the new password.
Make sure your firmware is updated
The firmware on your router is also important because the more up to date it is, the less likely you are to be hacked. Manufacturers for these routers will often release updates to correct vulnerabilities in their security system, so make sure yours is always up to date.
Avoid using public WiFi
Using public WiFi can be dangerous because there is very little protection on those networks. You’d be better off using your cellular data in those circumstances, and you should always avoid visiting websites that will require you to enter your private information such as your online banking site.
Both private WiFi networks and cellular data plans provide a great deal of security, so double-check the pros and cons list we provided above and see which one feels better for you. Just remember, if you do decide to use a WiFi network to help you save money and get potentially faster speed, make sure you’re taking those extra steps to secure your network and keep those hackers out.
How do you choose between cellular data and WiFi for your mobile phone connection? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact
For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/Newsletter
Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
In a world increasingly anxious about privacy and exploitation of one’s personal data by governments, corporations, social media platforms and banks, zero-knowledge proofs may offer some relief.
Indeed, this emerging cryptographic protocol could partially remedy two rapidly growing global deficits: privacy and truth.
ZK-proofs have already found a home within the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector — enabling scaling protocols to make Ethereum transactions faster and cheaper, for example. But this may just be the beginning.
One day, ZK-proofs could help convince your bank that your income is above a certain threshold — to qualify for a mortgage, for example — without revealing your actual income. Or prove to the election authorities that you are a resident or citizen without giving them your name, driver’s license or passport.
ZK-proofs open up a new world of potential applications, including “anonymous voting, decentralized games, proving personal information without fully disclosing your personal information, and fighting against fake news by proving the source of the news,” Polygon co-founder Jordi Baylina tells Magazine.
To this point, some in the cryptographic community already view ZK-proofs as a potential weapon in the looming struggle against false information, including AI-altered documents, images and identities.
“We may have a technological battle for truth coming up where ZK can play a critical part,” prize-winning cryptographer Jens Groth tells Magazine. “There is this idea of proof-carrying data,” i.e., data that carries within itself proofs of correctness including origin and provenance data, “so nirvana would be that all data we get are verified data.”
In some industry sectors like finance, ZK-proofs may profoundly alter how business is conducted. “We see this revolutionizing the audit industry,” Proven co-founder and CEO Rich Dewey tells Magazine in connection with ZK-enabled proof-of-solvency protocols, like the one his tech firm has developed. “The only question is the timeline.”
Requiring fewer resources
Even though ZK-proofs were first presented back in the 1980s by researchers Shafi Goldwasser, Silvio Micali and Charles Rackoff, only in the past decade have they had their “big breakthrough,” according to Baylina.
“Now it’s possible to prove any generic statement.” This statement — sometimes called a circuit — “can be programmed with a specific language and can be anything,” Baylina says.
ZK-proofs are computationally complex, which has arguably slowed their development, but their core intuition seems simple enough. As described in a forthcoming paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis:
“By using a zero-knowledge proof (ZKP), a party can prove to other parties that a computation was executed correctly. There is no need to replicate the computation—only the proof needs to be verified. Ideally, verifying a ZKP needs significantly less resources than re-executing the computation.”
What follows are some of the promising ZK-proof use cases on the table today — beyond the strict confines of the crypto sector — that may or may not involve the use of blockchains.
ZKPs require fewer resources when re-executing a computation. (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
Verifying digital voting
Electronic voting has been slow to catch on globally, but if and when it does, the odds are that ZK-proofs will play a prominent part. ZK-proofs are already being used in e-voting systems in trials in a number of Swiss towns and cantons, Dahlia Malkhi, distinguished scientist of Chainlink Labs, tells Magazine.
“ZK-proofs can add verifiability to an online election, allowing anyone to check that the votes were counted correctly,” explains Malkhi, without revealing how individuals voted — a key concern with electronic voting, she says.
Cryptographic electronic voting systems have been around for decades, Malkhi adds, but their adoption has been moderate. On the technical side, one of the challenges has been “the compromise of end-user devices, which ZK-proofs don’t protect against.”
There are other obstacles, too, that are beyond ZK-proofs purview or ability to control — which also may suggest their limitations.
Electronic voting requires a credible “digital identity” system, i.e., a link to “real world” information that isn’t always easy to secure. (Think of all those voting rolls on aged paper ledgers.) “ZK by itself cannot bootstrap e-voting,” Malkhi says.
Cryptographer Groth, like Malkhi, cites the need for some sort of “trust anchor” to make ZK-proofs impactful in everyday life. “Zero-knowledge proofs often need a hook to reality.”
Electronic “ballot boxes” like this could benefit from the added security of ZKPs. (Fred Miller)
Maybe one day, thanks to ZK-proofs, someone will be able to prove that they are older than 18 years of age or a United Kingdom citizen without having to pull out a driver’s license or passport, Groth tells Magazine, but “you cannot prove you’re over 18 out of thin air. You need the trust anchor that establishes your age,” he says, i.e., some authority that verifies your citizenship or birth year, adding:
“In the future, organizations may issue ZK-friendly trust anchors, but right now, it is not common practice, so you have a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem.”
Privacy safeguards for CBDCs
Today, the world seems awash with central bank digital currency projects. According to the Atlantic Council, 130 countries representing 98% of global GDP are now exploring state-issued digital money.
But CBDCs come freighted with privacy questions, and some fear they could be misused by governments to surveil their own populations, for instance.
That is why high privacy guarantees are “at the core of most CBDC projects today,” Jonas Gross, chairman of the Digital Euro Association, tells Magazine.
ZK-proofs can be part of the solution, he adds, and it is for this reason that “various central banks are studying [ZK-proof] applications — for example, in the U.K., Japan and South Korea.”
“If privacy is a top priority, ZK-proofs should be considered,” Remo Nyffenegger, a co-author of the St. Louis Fed paper cited above and research assistant at the Center for Innovative Finance at the University of Basel, tells Magazine.
Indeed, the European Central Bank published a regulatory proposal for the digital euro in late June “and states therein that zero-knowledge proofs should be considered in the CBDC tech stack,” he adds.
Again, there may be limits on what exactly ZK-proofs can do by themselves. “I don’t see using ZK-proofs [alone] as sufficient because ongoing political discussions show that not all CBDC-related data will be obfuscated if ZK-proofs are used,” Gross comments. “High privacy also needs to be supported by regulation and educational efforts around the actual degree of privacy of a CBDC.”
Exposing an altered photo
AI apps are now so powerful that distinguishing between machine-generated images or documents and those created by human beings is already problematic. Things will only get worse, but ZK-proofs may offer at least a partial remedy.
“Blockchain tech and ZK-proofs could be used as built-in safeguards in these systems to verify the origin, authenticity, and ownership of AI-generated files and manage some of the risks associated with AI-generated content,” says Malkhi, while Groth adds:
“There is interesting new research showing applications of ZK-proofs to demonstrate, for example, you’ve not altered a photo too much — i.e., combating fake news.”
High-end cameras that digitally sign photos along with metadata like location and timestamp are already on the market and can establish authenticity, continues Malkhi. The current problem is that these digital files are often enormous — much too large to post on a news service’s website, for instance.
But with ZK-proofs, their file size can be substantially reduced, making them practical to use online while preserving critical verification elements. “It could prove that the recording or image has not been altered, maybe [including] even the date, without revealing identity or location or whatever,” adds Baylina.
Proof-of-solvency with ZK-proofs?
Many believe that finance will be the first major business sector to be impacted by ZK-proofs. Indeed, 41% of respondents in Mina Foundation’s “State of Zero-knowledge Report 2022” agreed that finance was the industry “most in need of ZKPs,” far ahead of healthcare (12%), social media (5%) and e-commerce (3%).
In March, Mexican cryptocurrency exchange Bitso announced a partnership with tech firm Proven to implement a “proof of solvency” solution that relies on ZK-proofs. This protocol will soon enable investors, regulators and others to know whether the exchange is solvent — i.e., its obligations are less than its assets — based on daily reports.
One of the more ingenious aspects of Proven’s protocol is that it involves the exchange’s customers in the process of keeping the exchange honest. It’s a sort of crowd-sourcing version of auditing.
Co-founders Dewey and Agustin Lebron tell Magazine that every day, an exchange (e.g., Bitso) publishes a cryptographic proof-of-solvency attestation. And when it does, each individual client/user of the exchange is issued a “receipt” that reflects that individual’s unique holdings. Millions of digital receipts might be issued on a daily basis.
What if one day a customer doesn’t receive a daily receipt, or it’s wrong? That user might take to Twitter or some other social media venue and complain or ask questions. Have others experienced something similar? A thread might grow.
This protocol relies on the law of big numbers. Bitso, for instance, has some five million users, and the presumption is that a critical mass of complainants might surface quickly, collectively waving a red flag that might prompt further investigation.
This ZK-proofs-based protocol has another advantage, too, according to Bitso. It provides “a proof-of-solvency that can be confirmed without revealing all of that information to a third party. All an auditor needs to do is run the zk-SNARK protocol to come to the conclusion that the proof is true.”
According to Groth, the use of ZK-proofs to demonstrate financial solvency “gained more traction after the FTX implosion.” Indeed, if such a protocol had been available last year, the Bahamas-based exchange’s meltdown might have been avoided, some say — or at least its wrongdoing would have come to light sooner.
Interestingly, FTX Japan, now rebranded as Liquid Japan, has been using Proven’s proof-of-solvency technology since its recent re-launch in early September. “With the adoption of Proof of Solvency, we can now prove it [solvency] in a cryptographic manner that is verifiable by 3rd parties,” notes the company, adding:
“We are starting to work on increasing the frequency of publishing the Proof of Solvency to 1x day by the end of 2023.”
A snapshot of Liquid’s proof-of-solvency widget. (Liquid)
“Immutable” tracking of goods
“ZK-proofs can become very relevant in the context of digital identities, whether they are issued by the government or private entities,” adds Nyffenegger. They could prove that you are not included on some government sanctions list without revealing who you are, for instance.
ZK-proofs potential use in supply chains is also frequently cited. But the difficulty here, as with e-voting, is that this requires connecting to a trustworthy “real-world information” source, which can authenticate the date an order was shipped from the factory, for instance.
“ZK-proof-based supply chain tracking systems haven’t been battle-tested long enough in live environments,” notes Malkhi, adding that that could soon change:
“The potential of ZK-proofs here is vast — helping to improve transparency and reduce the potential impact of fraud by enabling the immutable, real-time tracking of goods.”
It should be added that while blockchains provide some of ZK-proof’s first exciting use cases, the technology does not require blockchain technology to work — but they are surely helpful.
“They are just a very suitable tool for blockchains because they provide proofs of correct computation — which aligns well with the need for verifiability on blockchains — while hiding as much information as possible,” Johannes Sedlmeir, a researcher at the University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust, tells Magazine.
With a blockchain platform, a verifier can check if a certain “hash” appears somewhere on the blockchain “and hence binds me as a prover,” he adds.
Blockchains aren’t required for Proven’s proof-of-solvency protocol to work, Lebron tells Magazine, though it’s always useful to have validators on-chain. It appears to be more of a “like to have” than a “need to have” circumstance.
Obstacles remain
What obstacles still need to be overcome before ZK-proofs become commonplace? Malkhi has already cited the challenges with “bridging to the real world,” and this would well prove the biggest hurdle to surmount before ZK technology becomes mainstream, in her view.
However, other barriers remain that might require laws and regulations to overcome. Will ZK claims be accepted in court, for instance?
Scaling also remains a challenge in many use cases given that there is, at present, no “standardized way to ‘program,’” says Malkhi, making it difficult for developers to integrate proofs into their apps.
To this last point, Proven’s protocol with Bitso requires some five million unique “receipts” to be issued monthly (though soon daily) to Bitso users, but Proven says this isn’t an issue. “We figured out how to scale,” co-founder Lebron says.
Complexity is another potential sticking point. “For small- to medium-size assertions, we already have a good ZK system,” cryptographer Groth tells Magazine. “For large assertions, we still need to improve efficiency.” ZK-proofs like SNARKs can be cheap to verify, “but the prover pays a large performance overhead compared to native computation,” he adds.
Becoming “magnitudes cheaper”
The user experience needs to improve, too. “Using a technology secured by ZK-proofs for an everyday activity like buying groceries should be so seamless that the user doesn’t even know,” says Baylina.
“The other thing we need is time,” Baylina says. Protocols like Polygon’s zk-Ethereum Virtual Machine are still new but are becoming more usable all the time. “As Polygon zkEVM matures, over the next year, we anticipate it will become orders of magnitudes cheaper.”
Given these potential roadblocks, how long might it take before the technology becomes commonplace?
“I believe five years is too short of a time frame owing to the current TRLs [technology readiness levels] of ZK-proofs,” says Sedlmeir, referencing the finance sector specifically. While ZK-proofs have matured rapidly in recent years, they “are still complex to implement and prover performance is still a significant bottleneck.”
There might be a transition period as ZK-proof works in tandem with traditional protocols, as in financial auditing. Proven’s Dewey envisioned working “hand in glove” with traditional Big Four audit firms for a time.
Vast potential
In sum, ZK-proofs still face challenges. They can’t work in isolation. They still need to be attached to a truth source or “oracle.” Doubts about computational complexity, usability and scalability remain as well.
But if these hurdles are surmounted, ZK-proofs could offer a 21st-century solution to not only the “fake news” challenge but also the privacy quandary as with CBDCs, providing just enough anonymity for users to comfortably use state-issued digital money but enough accountability so governments can be assured fraudsters or money launderers aren’t infiltrating their networks.
As the technology and the underlying infrastructure improve, summarizes Malkhi, “ZK-proofs have vast potential to enable an internet where the majority of contracts are underpinned by cryptographic guarantees.”
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Andrew Singer has been a regular contributor to Cointelegraph since October 2019. He has been a professional business writer and editor for more than 30 years, including 25 years as founder and editor-in-chief of Ethikos: The Journal of Practical Business Ethics, which still publishes. In 2017 he obtained a Master’s degree in statistics from Columbia University — which spurred his interest in AI, machine learning, and blockchain technology. He currently lives in Peekskill, New York and likes to hike in the Hudson Highlands.
I received email from a reader asking if hitting the “unsubscribe” button in her inbox is smart. Like many things in tech, it depends. In some cases, reacting to spammers might make your email a hot commodity, leading to more unwanted emails or even a spot on a “for sale” list.
Here’s the lowdown on how to stop getting emails you don’t want — without opening yourself up to more junk.
Try Tech News and Hacks, the FREE newsletters read by 579,890 people who want helpful tech advice and are tired of tech news and tips meant for experts and coders. It’s easy to subscribe and easy to cancel!
It could go one of two ways
With reputable companies, clicking unsubscribe should do the trick. If you’re receiving newsletters or promotional emails from brands you know, they generally follow email marketing regulations.
For unsolicited spam from unknown senders? Clicking unsubscribe may indeed make things worse. You inadvertently confirm that your email address is active … possibly leading to even more spam.
‘How do I know what to pick, Kim?’
Stick to familiar ground: If the email is from a trusted source (think brands you’ve shopped with or newsletters you’ve signed up for), go ahead and hit that unsubscribe button.
Dodge the unknown: If it’s a random email about a long-lost prince or a miracle cure, steer clear of the unsubscribe link. Mark the email as spam in your email client.
For Outlook:
Select the messages you want to report as junk.
From the top toolbar, select Report > Report Junk.
For Apple Mail:
On your iPhone or iPad, swipe left on the message, tap More, then Move to Junk.
If you want to block an email address, enter the email address under Blocked senders and select Add. To block all emails from a domain, enter the domain name under Blocked Domains and select Add.
Select Save.
For Gmail:
To set up a filter using a spam email that you’ve received:
Sometimes, you need to bring in the big guns, especially if it’s an inbox you’ve had for years and years … and have shared with everyone under the sun.
Unroll.Me: Handy for identifying and unsubscribing from multiple newsletters at once. This service is free to use.
Clean Email: This organizer that sorts emails and aids in unsubscribing. Plans start at $9.99 per month.
MailWasher: Preview and eliminate unwanted emails even before they reach your inbox. There is a free MailWasher plan, but if you want to upgrade to Pro, it’s $49.95 annually.
Balancing caution and convenience are the key to banishing email clutter. You’re already on your way to a cleaner inbox!
Keep your tech-know going
My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today.” It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from all over the country. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, hit the link below for a recent episode.
Plus, always forget your laptop charger? Here’s how to make your laptop battery last longer. Now’s the time to stop leaving voicemails — we’ve got the lowdown on new phone etiquette rules. TikTok slang for parents and how to turn an okay resume into a great one.
As the digital landscape evolves, decentralized governance has become an important notion to foster a fair and inclusive ecosystem. In the trend toward transparency and collaborative decision-making, analyzing companies’ roles and responsibilities in this new paradigm is critical as we navigate the exciting realm of decentralized governance in search of the ideal balance of transparency and control.
The balance problem
The conventional system of centralized control is called into question by decentralized governance. The goal is to equally share power and decision-making authority among participants while encouraging transparency and inclusiveness. However, striking a balance becomes critical when considering corporations’ roles in this shifting environment.
Organizational roles
Organizations play an important role in decentralized governance by serving as collaborative leaders and catalysts. They create spaces for people to share their expertise, collaborate and build communities. Organizations believe in empowering individuals and contributing to the ecosystem’s growth via their efforts.
Guardian responsibilities — wait, what?
Great power comes with great responsibility. Organizations must recognize their position as promoters of fairness and integrity. Everyone is responsible for prioritizing and promoting the greater good of the community while protecting against abuse. Organizations may foster trust and an environment where everyone has an equal voice by emphasizing transparency and responsibility.
How to embrace the Web3 spirit
Decentralized responsibility demands avoiding the flaws of centralized systems by learning from the past. It pushes inclusiveness and fairness while avoiding the power imbalances that plagued Web 2. Organizations must actively engage with the community to build a collaborative and shared decision-making culture with the following:
Embracing transparency and trust: Web3 promotes a transparent and trust-based strategy in which organizations prioritize openness in their operations, decision-making processes and data handling. Web3 fosters trust among users by increasing transparency, ensuring that their data is appropriately managed and allowing them to participate in a more informed and accountable digital world.
Fostering a participatory ecosystem: Web3 thrives on active community interaction, encouraging companies to involve users, developers and stakeholders in establishing the direction of their projects. Organizations can create a participatory environment that empowers the community, promotes creativity and ensures inclusivity by actively soliciting feedback, organizing open talks and embracing decentralized governance approaches.
User-centric design is prioritized: Web3 emphasizes putting users at the center of design and development processes. Organizations can design applications and platforms that adapt to individuals’ requirements and preferences by prioritizing user experience, accessibility and privacy. This user-centric approach promotes loyalty, engagement and optimism, ensuring that the benefits of Web3 technology are seamless, accessible and appealing to everybody.
Redefining business ethos: In the Web3 era, businesses must go beyond profit and embrace a broader ethos. Fostering social impact, sustainability and integrity are all part of this. Organizations are encouraged to prioritize social responsibility, environmental sustainability and equitable wealth distribution, matching their actions with the values of the community they serve.
Creating a vibrant and informative environment: Web3 governance does not have to be taken lightly. It thrives on the enthusiasm and innovative thinking of its contributors. Organizations may encourage a sense of excitement by creating an environment that coordinates essential issues with humor.
Towards a bright future
Decentralized governance’s future depends upon striking an appropriate balance between transparency and control. By actively embracing the community, organizations can develop an ecosystem that is not just educational and powerful but also fun and inclusive. We can collaborate to create a world wherein good vibes, knowledge exchange, fair, transparent, balanced and effective governance coexist.
Conclusion
Does Web3 need the foundation that Web2 gave us? The solution reveals an essential relationship between the past and the future by demonstrating a developed symphony of innovation and continuity. Web2 helped establish a foundation for the emergence of Web3, an environment where decentralization and user empowerment take center stage because of its dynamic user-generated content, integration and limitless innovation. While Web3 marks the beginning of a new era, it does continue to stand on the strong shoulders of Web2. It relies on its technologies, infrastructure and services to pave the way for a more decentralized, secure and immersive digital experience.
Finally, as we move forward on emerging technologies such as AI and decentralization, let us remember to remain optimistic and seize the opportunities that lie ahead of us. Let’s come together, exchange ideas and harness technology for the greater good. By working collectively, we can create positive change and contribute to a more transparent, seamsless, ethical, inclusive and sustainable future.
Pioneering Blockchain Solutions as CEO of Block Tides | Forbes Business Council Member | CoinMarketCap Key Opinion Leader
This article was published through Cointelegraph Innovation Circle, a vetted organization of senior executives and experts in the blockchain technology industry who are building the future through the power of connections, collaboration and thought leadership. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Cointelegraph.
The advent of name, image and likeness in college athletics, as well as the transfer portal, has turned basketball and football on its heads, but not everybody is for it.
Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, who has expressed support for student-athletes who want to make money playing their sport in college, drew a sharp contrast between why coaches leave their posts and players deciding to transfer because they are unhappy.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo speaks during Big Ten NCAA college basketball Media Days Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
“Yeah, I have flexibility, I can leave,” Izzo said at Big Ten Media Day, via ESPN. “I have millions of dollars of a buyout if I leave. I’ve paid 40 years of dues to leave. Most coaches have put in their time. Most coaches will be doing that at 35 and 40 and 50, not at 20 when one guy tells you to leave because you’re unhappy.”
Izzo said he has been “unhappy” for most of his life but never thought of leaving Michigan State because of it. He has been the head coach of the Spartans since the 1995-96 season. He led the team to the NCAA Tournament in 1998, and the Spartans won the championship in 2000.
“You know what, what’s wrong with being unhappy? I’m unhappy most of my life,” Izzo added. “Unhappy drives you. Unhappy pushes you. Unhappy makes people realize, ‘You know what? I’m not good enough. I’ve got to get better.'”
Michigan State Spartans basketball head coach Tom Izzo looks on from the sidelines of Kinnick Stadium before the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Michigan State Spartans in Iowa City, Iowa.(Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports)
Izzo made clear he was not a fan of the NCAA shortening the notification-of-transfer window from 60 days to 45 days. The window opens after Selection Sunday.
The coach said he thought 30 days would have been enough and feared the “unintended consequences” of student-athletes transferring, including the potential drop of graduation rates.
“This transfer portal is not going to be the best thing for the kids. You get 45 days. If you think a kid is leaving, are you going to go out and get somebody else? Because you can’t wait forever. Now it’s affecting the kids you’ve got there,” Izzo said.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts to a call against Marquette in the second half of a second-round men’s college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Every day, AI seems to flip a coin between being our tech hero or digital villain. One day, it’s saving the day, another day, it’s stirring up some trouble. In this mix, Bing Chat made a splash by teaming up with OpenAI, turning the mundane task of searching into a friendly chat.
With Microsoft leading the way, these tech giants were able to integrate the capabilities of ChatGPT into the Bing search engine.
This integration was meant to change the search engine game. Now, instead of staring at a blank search bar, like other typical search engines, you’re chatting with what feels like an old buddy. But while many were expecting to experience this new way to search in amazement, some shady stuff started cooking behind the scenes.
In March, like most companies that offer free services, Bing began rolling out ads. It was Microsoft’s way to generate revenue in between your chats. Unfortunately, this move was like setting out a welcome mat for some not-so-welcome guests.
Here’s where things got dicey. Some crafty scammers whipped up ads that looked like legit links for downloading the “Advanced IP Scanner.” This tool basically helps a person see all the devices hopping around on their network.
Now, when curious minds turned to Bing Chat for guidance on downloading this tool, instead of being led to the official download site, they were faced with a malicious ad playing dress-up.
Click on it, and you’ll find yourself on a fake download site, ready to serve up a hefty portion of malware instead of the handy scanner tool you were after. This twisted ad-venture was like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, waiting to pounce the moment you hit “download.” We’ve reached out to Microsoft to understand how this issue is being addressed and have not yet received guidance by the time this story was published.
The download offered on this site isn’t the authentic and legit Advanced IP Scanner but disguised malware. When downloaded and run, one of the files in the installer connects to an external server to fetch the payload. Although the exact payload hasn’t been identified, it’s a shady setup that often leads to data theft or allows bad actors to sneak into other accounts or networks.
The Bing Chat scam shines a light on the cunning ways scammers are weaving their dark web. So, how to stay safe?
Be wary: Do not trust ads, especially those offering downloads. Even in a friendly chat setting, keep the guard up.
Think before you click: Double-check URLs to ensure they lead to official, reputable sites before hitting that download button.
Have good antivirus software on all your devices: The best way to protect yourself from having your data breached is to install antivirus protection on all your devices. Having good antivirus software on your devices will alert you of any malware in your system that could possibly be downloaded by clicking on the bogus Advanced IP Scanner ad, warn you against clicking on any malicious links in phishing emails and ultimately protect you from being hacked.
Use identity theft protection: If you did click malware and think your personal information has been compromised, you may consider using identity theft protection.Identity theft protection companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security number, phone number, and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
Have strong passwords and use 2-factor authentication: Using the same password across multiple platforms will always make you more vulnerable because if one account gets hacked, they all get hacked. And 2-factor authentication is an extra shield preventing hackers from getting into your accounts. Make sure to use a password manager to keep track of all your passwords.
Invest in data removal services: If you want to protect your online privacy and security, you might consider using a removal service that can help you delete your personal data from hundreds of sites and prevent hackers from exploiting your information.
While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service can be effective if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process over a longer period of time.
The Bing Chat escapade leaves us with more than a few breadcrumbs to follow. It’s a peek into how our digital chit-chats can take a left turn into some shady alleys. And while the tech landscape keeps morphing, the cat-and-mouse game between us and the scam artists gets a new playground.
In this chat-fueled digital age, have you ever clicked on something that took you somewhere you didn’t expect? Or bumped into an online scam that left you second-guessing your click? Or have you ever used an AI-powered chatbot? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/Newsletter.
Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days features deep discounts on gear for your pets.(iStock)
Amazon’s latest savings event, Prime Big Deal Days, is here and now is the time to take advantage of meaningful savings on all things pets. Find deep discounts on an assortment of highly rated pet products, including offers on pet hair vacuums, air purifiers, and dog beds.
Amazon’s sale event kicks off October 10 at 3 a.m. EDT and runs through October 11. If you’d like to save big on Prime Big Deal Days, then you’ll need to either be an existing Amazon Prime member or you can join or start a 30-day free trial to enjoy hundreds of discounted pet products. Read on for the top pet supplies from Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days pet cleaning sales
BISSELL Little Green Multi-purpose Portable Cleaner $123.59, now $89.00
Make cleaning up pet messes a breeze with the BISSELL Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner. The #1 best seller in carpet & upholstery cleaning machines is now selling for $89.00, down from the original price of $123.59. You can feel even better about spending on this essential cleaning tool because you help save pets through the BISSELL Pet Foundation.
Dyson V10 Cyclone Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum $549.99, now $388.90
The Dyson V10 Cyclone Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum is a top-of-the-line pet vacuum with a de-tangling motorbar cleaner head. So your home can now enjoy deeply cleaned carpets and hard floors. The vacuum’s hair removal vanes help clear long hair and pet hair from the brush bar. Plus, it’s lightweight and converts to a handheld, so you get that pet hair out of your cars, stairs and upholstery. The vacuum is usually listed at $549.99 but is now on sale for $388.90.
Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover and Reusable Lint Roller $31.95, Now $19.99
Say goodbye to pet hair everywhere. The Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover works for dog and cat hair removal and promises deep cleaning. Plus, it comes in a convenient size to easily carry it wherever you go. It is typically priced at $31.95, but you can try one at the sale price of $19.99.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days pet health sales
Veken Pet Fountain $33.99, Now $25.99
You can help keep your pet healthy with fresh filtered water when you buy the Veken Pet Fountain, 84oz/2.5L Automatic Cat Water Fountain Dog Water Dispenser with 3 Replacement Filters & 1 Silicone Mat for Cats, Dogs, Multiple Pets, Grey. Studies show that pets prefer water from a running source, so the Veken Pet Fountain is perfect for furry friends, especially fussy ones. The fountain’s 2.5L capacity meets the needs of small and medium-sized pets. Also, it is easy to install and clean, making life easier for you and your pet. Its compact design will only take up a little space in your home. Snag one on sale for $25.99.
Embark Breed & Health Kit – Dog DNA Test $199.00, now $127.00
Want to learn more about what health issues your beloved pet might be susceptible to as it ages? You can now try out Embark’s Breed & Health Kit – Dog DNA Test for a significant discount. Embark’s panel tests 230+ health risks and provides hundreds of actionable insights to help you give your pup the best care possible. After receiving their test results, 37% of dog owners changed how they care for their dogs. You can test your pet’s DNA for the sale price of $127.00, down from the list price of $199.00.
BestPet Pet Stroller Premium 3-in-1 Multifunction Jogger Stroller $89.99, now $39.99
Don’t let an ailment keep your pet from enjoying the outdoors. This Pet Jogger Stroller will help you easily transport your pet anywhere you go. The pet stroller is easy to use and store. It also comes with a detachable basket that can be taken off quickly as a travel carrier. It can also be a car seat when sitting in a car. It’s on sale now for $39.99.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days air purifier sales
Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier $249.99, now $159.99
Keep the air in your home air free of pollutants, dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other allergens with the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier with True HEPA, PlasmaWave and Odor Reducing Washable AOC Carbon Filter Medium in Charcoal Gray. This filter has a washable AOC carbon filter made from activated carbon granulars to remove household odors, allergens, chemical vapors and other pollutants. It is suitable for medium and large rooms, kids’ bedrooms, family rooms and kitchens. On sale now for $159.99 from $249.99.
K&H Pet Products Pillow-Top Orthopedic Lounger Sofa Dog Bed $90.99, now $59.43
Your pet won’t be sleeping ruff on the K&H Pet Products Pillow-Top Orthopedic Lounger Sofa Dog Bed. The thick orthopedic foam base with fluffy pillow-top sleeping surface with an open front is inviting and accessible for senior pets. Plus, it features a removable cover that is machine washable for easy care and features easy grip zippers. The bed is available in various sizes and is on sale for $59.43.
dCee Medium Pet Sofa – Dog Sofa $219.00, now $197.99
Give your pet’s bed an update that can fit in any living room with this Soft Velvety Pet Couch. The upholstered pet sofa bed cushion with cotton-covered PE foam supports dogs’ and cats’ joints and provides them with good sleep. You can buy one on sale at $197.99.
Best Friends by Sheri The Original Calming Donut Bed $34.99, now $29.99
This Calming Donut Cat and Dog Bed in Shag Fur could be a hit with your best friend. The round shape and 7-inch tall bolster will make this the perfect bed for cuddling up and burrowing, helping to calm dog anxiety and provide a sense of security while your pet sleeps. It comes in various colors and is on sale for $29.99.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days pet stocking stuffer sales
Chuckit! Ultra Ball Dog Toy, Pack of Two $13.99, now $5.30
Snag these Chuckit! Ultra Ball Pack of 2 for the Fido that loves to fetch at a 62%discount. The balls are tough, durable and better than standard tennis balls. Ultra Ball is made of durable rubber, yielding an ultra bouncy, exciting fetch experience on land or water thanks to its lightweight, buoyant design. On sale now for $5.30.
Hyper Pet Dura-Squeaks Stick Dog Toy, Medium $18.72, now $7.50
The Hyper Pet Dura-Squeaks Stick Dog Toy might be your dog’s next hit stocking stuffer and you can rest easy knowing that it’s safe and non-toxic. The Dura-Squeaks product line is made from thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and does not contain BPA, making this a safe & fun dog toy. It is built to have an unpredictable bounce, which will entertain your pup for hours, along with a squeaker sure to stimulate interest. On sale now for $7.50.
SmartyKat (3 Count) Fish Flop Crinkle Catnip Cat Toys $8.99, now $4.62
Keep your cat amused with this SmartyKat (3 Count) Fish Flop Crinkle Catnip Cat Toys. The catnip, crinkle material and feathers drive cats wild. The toys are perfectly sized to bat and carry. On sale now for 49% off the list price at $4.62.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days pet grooming supply sales
LBFO Dog Grooming Kit, Pet Hair Vacuum and Dog Dryer with Grooming Tools $179.99, now $99.99
If you’ve been contemplating DIY pet grooming, snag this LBFO Dog Grooming Kit, Pet Hair Vacuum, and Dog Dryer with 6 Pet Grooming Tools. The vacuum cleaner pet hair 6-in-1 grooming kit caters to various grooming requirements, including drying your dog’s coat post-bathing. The trimmer and accompanying combs allow you to create your dog’s preferred style effortlessly. The grooming brush and de-shedding brush help eliminate excess hair. It is on sale now for $99.99.
Professional Dog Grooming Kit – All Pet Safe Cat Hair Trimmer $44.99, now $19.99
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) — the European Union’s financial markets supervisory authority — released an article on decentralized finance (DeFi) and the risks it poses to the EU market on Oct. 11.
In a 22-page report, the ESMA admits the promised benefits of DeFi, such as greater financial inclusion, the development of innovative financial products, and the enhancement of financial transactions’ speed, security and costs.
However, the paper also highlights the “significant risks” of DeFi. According to the ESMA, the first is liquidity risk tied to the highly speculative and volatile nature of many crypto assets. The authority compares the 30-day volatility of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) with the Euro Stoxx 50 index, with the cryptocurrencies being, on average, 3.6 and 4.7 times higher than the stock index.
The ESMA doesn’t believe that DeFi manages to avoid counterparty risk, even if, in theory, it should be lower or even nonexistent due to smart contracts and atomicity. However, smart contracts are not immune to errors or flaws.
DeFi is especially vulnerable to scams and illicit activities as it lacks Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, according to the ESMA. Another important source of risk for DeFi users, as specified in the report, is the lack of an identifiable responsible party and the absence of a recourse mechanism.
However, currently, DeFi and crypto, in general, do not represent “meaningful risks” to financial stability, the report concludes. That is because of their relatively small size and limited interconnectedness between crypto and traditional financial markets.
The ESMA pays close attention to the crypto market, releasing its second consultative paper on the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulations on Oct. 5. In the 307-page document, the regulator suggested allowing crypto asset providers to store transaction data in “the format they consider most appropriate,” if they can convert it into a specified format should the authorities request it.
