Sunday, 27 August 2017

The Downsides of Video Game Addiction

People get addicted to video games especially in their youth when time is plenty and there is nothing much to do. Young kids can spend hours and hours in front of the screen playing arcade to role play games that soon become an addiction. While it is a great past time and can save one’s sanity from boredom, both the experts and parents are strongly against too much video game use for good reason.

Not only does it take time away from doing important school work or helping with household chores, playing video games can also impact one’s health and well-being. Many times a player loses track of their priorities and get so immersed in the games they are playing or even end up fighting with other players they have disagreements with. But have we really looked at playing video games as an addiction or is it just an innocent hobby for those who are kids at heart?

 Some of the cons of video games come from bad parenting in my opinion. The most common complaint about video games is that they are too violent. The "too violent" games are rated M and to buy it, you have to be 17 years of age with an ID or older. So, if a parent buys their 10-year-old a rated M game that wasn't meant for someone his or her age, the game isn't at fault the bad parenting is.

Personally, I believe one of the worst cons that can come with video games is the addiction. It is really easy to get addicted to video games (speaking from experience) due to how fun they are. Children might develop the habit of caring about video games more than school. That could also be bad parenting, however.

If you want your child to be exposed to the benefits gaming could offer them, but are afraid of the cons, the answer is simple: monitor how long they play games. Not only do you monitor how long they play, but also watch the type of games they play to see if anything you don't think is appropriate is in the game.

(Via: http://www.chicagonow.com/code-purple-gold/2017/04/the-positive-and-negative-effects-of-growing-up-with-video-games/)

While playing with video games can be a great stress-buster for many, its biggest downfall is that it prevents people from dealing with real problems head on. It serves as a means of escape from real life that is not always a good thing to do.

Video games keep getting more complex and visually appealing, so it’s no wonder more people are drawn to them nowadays. But this new era of compelling digital entertainment could have a dark side for unemployed young men.

It might sound like something an old man shouts from his rocking chair, but kids these days appear to be more interested in escapism than diving into the job market. A preliminary report from economists at Princeton, the University of Rochester and the University of Chicago, suggests a strong link between electronic leisure activities and unemployment rates for men in their 20s.

And technological advancements are mainly to blame her because the more sophisticated and life-like video games have become, the more people want to play with it, even sacrifice time for work, school, or relationships just to indulge themselves in a game or two.

 For starters, the study points to video games getting more and more sophisticated as time goes on. Gaming is now a multi-billion dollar industry filled with beautiful, engaging games that can take upwards of 100 hours to complete. It’s much easier to get lost in an immersive, virtual world than it used to be. But it’s not just about how amazing video games are now. As Erik Hurst, one of the report’s lead authors, explained in an interview with Econ Focus, living a leisure lifestyle is also a little easier than it was before.

(Via: https://lifehacker.com/are-video-games-keeping-young-men-unemployed-1794268772)

Video games can be an addiction that affects many of today’s youth and even young adults who have a hard time looking for work or the elderly who are too bored at home or in nursing homes and want to relax and have fun without necessarily going out. But because we all acknowledge it is an addiction, we know that it can affect your health and life negatively.

There are other more useful things to do rather than sit in front of the screen and play games that do not make a difference in your life. While it is fine to play video games when you have literally nothing important to do, it becomes a bad influence in your life once it takes your time away from important life pursuits. Aside from becoming an additional expense, it’s also a waste of precious resources like electricity or energy and a hindrance in building and maintaining

The post The Downsides of Video Game Addiction is courtesy of The New Influencers



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/the-downsides-of-video-game-addiction/

Saturday, 19 August 2017

The Fascinating World Outside Our Planet

We know that our planet is an awesome place for the mere fact that it can support different life forms. And it’s also a blessing that we manage to co-exist despite our diversity. As the more superior species, mankind continues to explore the peaks of the mountains and the depths of the oceans but still some mysteries remain. Despite all these mysteries that the world has in store for us, nothing piques our curiosity more than the vast space outside our planet.

Do other forms of life exist? Can we survive in the harsh environment of the space? These are just some of the questions that fill our minds but still answers seem to elude us. For centuries, great minds tried their best to seek for answers and gain more understanding about our solar system and other galaxies farther from us. But are we really close to finding the answers with the help of modern technology or are we just barely scratching the surface of even stranger things to come.

 The skies above the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory resemble oil on water, as greens, yellows, and blues blend to create an iridescent skyscape.

The rocky, barren landscape below evokes an image of an alien world, perfectly complementing the shimmering cosmic display occurring above. The main feature is our beautiful home galaxy, the Milky Way, arching across the Chilean night sky and framing the awestruck observer on the left. The light from billions of stars combines to create the Milky Way’s glow, with huge clouds of dark dust blocking the light here and there and creating the dark and mottled pattern we observe. A natural effect known as airglow is responsible for the swathes of green and orange light that appear to be emanating from the horizon.

ESO’s Very Large Telescope can be seen as a speck in the distant background to the right atop Cerro Paranal. Its neighbour, slightly lower down, is the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA).

(Via: https://astronomynow.com/2017/04/16/within-reach/)

We try to develop technologies that will allow us to see the world outside in a different light and find out once and for all whether living outside our planet is actually possible. Our planet is aging and the threat of global warming and climate change has caused some people to panic but experts are doing their best to find out as much as they can the soonest time possible.

 Do you believe there’s life to be found on these other planets?

First, let me correct you. “Believe” is not a scientific term, as a scientist you don’t need to “believe,” you have to experiment. You can try and search for suitable planets that could sustain life, if you have enough money and technology. NASA had the idea for the TPF, Terrestrial Planet Finder, which was a satellite that was considered to difficult and expensive to develop. Eventually, it will be done because this is a question we need to answer. It could take 10 or 20 years and won’t be easy, but I believe we will get there.

When you have all the good conditions, chemistry and physics could explain how life forms. In the lab it’s not possible to test the existence if life exists out there, like in the ice layer of Europa, one of Jupiter’s four moons, the only way to do it is to observe.   

(Via: http://www.newsweek.com/eve-online-video-games-michael-mayor-gamers-gamer-extraterrestrial-life-space-584746)

And it seems as if all their hard work are paying off with the discovery of an exoplanet (a planet orbiting another star outside our own solar system) with evidence of an atmosphere raises the hope of experts that it may possibly support human life.

 For the first time, scientists have detected an atmosphere around a planet beyond our solar system that's just a little bit larger than Earth.

The exoplanet GJ 1132b, which orbits the dwarf star GJ 1132, is located about 39 light-years away from Earth. It has a radius about 1.4 times that of Earth and is 1.6 times Earth's mass, according to the new study. When the planet was first discovered, researchers called it a potential Venus twin because it's a rocky world with a very high surface temperature — and now, they've found that the planet and Venus might have a thick atmosphere in common, too (although it would have a different composition).

While observers have pinpointed atmospheres around much larger, Jupiter-like gas giants orbiting other stars — and a larger super-Earth, about eight times Earth's mass — this is the first evidence of an atmosphere around an exoplanet that's near Earth's size, the study's researchers said. Researchers can use planets' atmospheres to try and determine if these worlds are suitable for life as we know it on Earth, or even to identify potential traces of life recorded there.

(Via: http://www.space.com/36368-atmosphere-found-on-nearly-earth-size-planet.html)

There is still much that we need to know about life outside our planet. Despite our best efforts over the past few decades, there are still a lot of mysteries clouding the vast space and we are unsure whether we will be able to uncover all the answers in our lifetime.

Many are desperate to find out whether the human race can survive in another planet once Earth can no longer support existing life forms. However, it is still us to blame for the planet’s gradual destruction because of our abuse and misuse of Earth’s resources for our comfort and convenience. Nevertheless, it would be great if man can overcome the challenges of astronomical studies and make it possible for us to finally leave Earth for good, if worst comes to worst.

The Fascinating World Outside Our Planet Read more on: The New Influencers



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/the-fascinating-world-outside-our-planet/

Thursday, 10 August 2017

Developing Eco-friendly Technologies

We are all used to having technology being the focal point of our lives by now but tech innovators are gradually changing the landscape. Even young kids are adept at using the computer and most smart gadgets. Sadly, though, the environment suffers as we live a life of comfort and convenience. Pollution is a major issue as well as climate change and global warming. And we are not just talking about one type of pollution but on every form possible. And with an exploding population, our carbon footprint further increases as our demand for technology and resources continue to grow.

However, innovation is still possible without endangering the environment in the process with the help of a clean and safe green technology. We can continue to embrace the many wonders of technology and at the same time protect Mother Nature. Green tech is energy-efficient and generates less harmful wastes than when using regular technology. Although it is not yet available to the masses, there have been significant developments in this field that addresses waste management, water purification, and alternative sources of renewable energy.

A nasal filter that can ease breathing problems, a three-wheeler running on hydrogen, and cement that has a lower polluting effect, all have a common target: protect our precarious environment from further degradation. Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi are experimenting with new technologies, ecosensitive devices and mapping pollutants to make our environment and ecological habitats sustainable. The experiments, besides weaving a multi-disciplinary apparatus, have also boo sted the industry-academic collaborations.

“We have seen a drastic change in the environment in the last few years and, if not checked, this can be detrimental. While policy formulation will be done at the government level, there is an urgent need for academic institutions to scientifically analyse the data emanating from the atmosphere and provide the right unbiased inputs to the government,” IIT-Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao says.

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/how-iit-delhi-is-coming-up-with-eco-friendly-technologies-to-boost-a-sustainable-environment/articleshow/58980160.cms)

Green tech is still a new technology but you can see it being used in both small and large-scale industries. The tech industry is undoubtedly the biggest industry today with all the technologies running our lives and society in general. Unfortunately, we can all feel the strain of climate change and our fast depleting natural resources that encouraged concerned individuals to harness green technology for the betterment of everyone.

Going green does not necessarily have to cost you a fortune. It can start with a simple gesture like turning off the lights and air-conditioner when they are not in use. According to Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (Cetdem) executive director Anthony Tan Kee Huat, not all green initiatives or technologies are costly. “One of the most powerful tools are our fingers. With our fingers, we have the power to switch off the lights or any electrical appliances not being used. “It does not cost anything. In fact, you gain more by saving and cutting your electricity bills,” Tan told FMT after attending the European Climate Diplomacy Week forum at Taylor’s University yesterday.

Tan said the current thinking is that people are not motivated or educated enough to go green. “Their knowledge about going green is limited,” he said, adding that people mostly thought of hybrid and electric cars when it comes to being environment-friendly. “They are unaware of the fact that there are plenty of ways to go green without having to spend so much money.”

(Via: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/06/20/simple-and-inexpensive-ways-to-go-green/)

Others often think of alternative energy as the ones used in electric or hybrid cars. Well, they aren’t entirely mistaken but there is still a long list of ways of going green without putting a dent on your finances or going the extra mile. No need to totally revamp your home and your way of life because of your desire to do your part in saving the world. Let us all be friends with the environment because it has given so much to us over the years. It’s the least we can do for all the irreversible damage we have done.

It would also help if the government takes an active part in promoting green technology. They can start by passing legislations that address green technology and forcing the public to embrace it in their lives. We need to take this initiative seriously because we are running out of time. The planet is in a terrible shape right now and we should all do our part in protecting what’s left of it before it leads us to our ultimate doom.

Developing Eco-friendly Technologies Find more on: TNI



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/developing-eco-friendly-technologies/

Thursday, 3 August 2017

The Need To Fund Scientific Research

Money makes the world go round that is without a doubt. Some even worship it because of the many things you can do with ease. You can buy beautiful clothes, jewelry, homes, cars, and all the luxuries in the world and no longer have to worry about what the future holds. However, having too much money isn’t the answer to all your problems because greed can do you a lot of harm. Money can make a world of difference where everyone can benefit when used right. For your information, about 1/3 to ½ of the economic prosperity we are now reaping is the product of the numerous developments since the end of the Second World War. Everything we take for granted today all started as an idea that became a reality with the help of scientific research.

Scientific developments fuel prosperity. Most progressive countries have spent a great deal of effort and money in discovering and developing many scientific innovations from scratch that not only propelled the economy upwards but also uplifted the lives of many. We all know scientific researches take time and require a lot of money. The government funds many of these researches in the name of science to also get ahead of other nations. Some of these researches can drag on and take years before something fruitful comes out of it but others deliver the results we are looking for in a short span of time. Many of these researches won’t even happen if the government did not believe in the vision of scientists in realizing the ideas circling in their heads.

For decades, Chicago has had a backyard view of science at its most sublime. At Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, physicists hone our understanding of the universe by trailblazing the frontier of the subatomic. At Argonne National Laboratory, scientists probe ways to make lighter, cheaper batteries for electric cars and smartphones, and tackle global water scarcity with membranes fine enough to filter out viruses and nanoscale pollutants.

That's practical research that recognizes how finite the planet's resources are. Advancing battery technology helps ensure a reliable power source for tomorrow's driverless cars and taxi drones. How bad are the world's water troubles? Water scarcity affects at least 700 million people in 43 countries, according to the United Nations. By 2025, the number of people living in areas without enough water will rise to 1.8 billion, the U.N. projects.

It's disturbing to see where that research fits into President Donald Trump's federal spending priorities. Under Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which oversees Fermi, Argonne and eight other national laboratories, would take a $900 million budget cut.

(Via: http://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/the-importance-of-funding-science-research/article_bf807855-f53f-5738-8adb-5444a19131f4.html)

No matter how much scientific research has contributed to the betterment of society, not everyone is a fan of it. We all heard about President Donald Trump’s budget cuts on various sectors like the arts and education. Science isn’t exempted either. These are just some of the things he doesn’t personally believe in like how we consider climate change as merely a hoax.

As Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt defended massive proposed budget cuts to a House subcommittee Thursday, experts from the nation’s top science organization voiced their support for one of the programs slated for elimination.

A report released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences — and prepared at the request of the EPA — argues that the agency’s Science to Achieve Results, or STAR, program, which provides millions of dollars in funding for scientific research each year, has contributed to important benefits for the environment and the public health. And it recommends that the agency continue to use it.

“This report shows that through STAR, EPA has created a vehicle that fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing, which have produced research that has supported interventions that may reduce the cost of regulations, protect public health, and save lives,” the document states.

(Via: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/06/16/this-epa-research-program-just-got-a-rave-scientific-review-trump-wants-to-eliminate-it/?utm_term=.22742e61cc9f)

Trump’s proposed 2018 budget will hurt various industries a lot and it is a major cause of concern for both environmentalists and scientists. Federal funding that supported scientific researches has initiated innovations on health and science that are desperately needed by the public. They wouldn’t all be possible without the government’s help. In reality, many of these programs that would be badly hit by the budget cut have produced lifesaving and practical results. Losing them would mean a certain harm for all Americans who would rather see their taxes go to much-needed scientific developments than border walls even if they are solar-powered.

The article The Need To Fund Scientific Research Read more on: The New Influencers



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/the-need-to-fund-scientific-research/

Tuesday, 25 July 2017

Refugees Need An Education Too

Almost all the youth in progressive countries have access to free education. Even young children from third-world nations still have access to quality education although not always for free. However, everything changes once you are a refugee. Aside from not having a home of your own after being displaced because of wars, famine, or other natural or man-made disasters, refugees have an uncertain future where they don’t even know where to get food to eat, more so in having a shot at getting an education.

The life of a refugee isn’t easy. They have to make do with whatever is given to them out of other people’s generosity. Not all the time the government can provide everything they need to survive. It’s why going to school seems impossible when they barely have access to life’s basic necessities. Young refugees don’t normally go to school like typical kids. The places where they find asylum does not always cater to all their needs especially those of younger children who not only want to read and write but learn more about the big wide world.

Abbas and the other young refugees have been accepted in 93 schools across mainland Greece thanks to a transport scheme funded by EU Humanitarian Aid and implemented by the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project started in October and now covers 32 camps.

“Before the launch of the programme, kids did not participate in any kind of formal education,” says IOM project coordinator, Iannis Baveas. “Before that, it was only non-formal education inside the camps. It’s very important because every kid has the right to go to school, and education is not a privilege, it’s a basic human right.”

The kids are taken by bus to selected schools located between two and 18 kilometers away. It takes Abbas about a quarter of an hour to reach Avlona elementary school, which has taken in 20 refugees from Malakasa camp in addition to its 235 pupils.

“Many of those children have never been to school in their home countries, which means they didn’t even know the basics about how to behave inside a classroom,” explains teacher Giannis Stefanidis.

(Via: http://www.euronews.com/2017/06/20/refugees-integration-through-education)

Many refugee families struggle in making their kids understand the value of education because they didn’t even go to school in their home country and given the dire situation they are in. Moreover, there is no assurance as to how long they can stay in that particular place. They all have to persevere to change their fate and not allow their misfortune dictate the direction their lives are taking. With education, they can turn their life around and save the future generation from living a miserable life that they have lived so far.

Now 19 years old and resettled in the U.K., she is not only working hard on her own education but championing the cause of refugee education around the world.

Almellehan was appointed as youngest ever UNICEF goodwill ambassadoron June 19. She is also the first UNICEF ambassador with official refugee status.

“Goodwill ambassadors must exemplify good citizenship and be passionate, courageous, inspiring, caring, principled, credible and capable of acting as influential advocates for children,” said Georgina Thompson of UNICEF. “They must demonstrate leadership in their professions and show enthusiasm to use their professional prestige and networks to promote children’s rights. […] Muzoon fills this criteria perfectly.”

As a goodwill ambassador, Almellehan will advocate at events like the upcoming G20 summit for children affected by conflict or disasters to have safe places to learn, aiming to help influence policy and increase investments into this field.

(Via: https://www.newsdeeply.com/refugees/community/2017/06/19/a-teenage-syrian-refugee-on-a-mission-to-educate-her-generation)

The government should have education at the top of their list because educated individuals become productive citizens later in life. They can contribute to the betterment of society and help bring about the changes desperately needed by the country regardless if they are refugees. It’s the reason why government funding is crucial to help schools cater to the needs of the youth who want to learn the ways of the world even if they have to spend most of their young life in the four corners of the classroom absorbing everything they need to know to prepare them for adult life.

The article Refugees Need An Education Too was originally published on The New Influencers



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/refugees-need-an-education-too/

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

How Social Media Reshapes The World

The world is getting smaller and smaller virtually but that does not mean we’d all be able to cover the distance the separates us all. The world has changed a lot but most of these changes were brought about by technological advancements. The popularity of the Internet became even more unstoppable with the emergence of smart gadgets. You no longer need to use a laptop or a computer to be able to access the web like you used to. The world suddenly became accessible through your fingertips and it helped a lot that Internet access was made more available to the public too or more affordable for home use.

Nowadays, social media has become a household name mostly because almost everyone uses it every day, especially the teens and young adults who are most active online. Can you imagine life without Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and many others? These social channels wiped out the word boredom from the dictionary and everyone rejoiced. It is a common sight to see people hooked on their smart gadgets all throughout the day. Social media is the perfect 24/7 plaything for both the young and adults alike that you don’t mind getting addicted to.

I was just as excited as everyone else when my college was finally on Facebook. I opened an account that day. But now, almost 15 years later, it’s too much. A decade or more into this grand social experiment, it’s obvious social media is changing us, and not for the better.

It zaps my productivity and places me into a narrow bubble of people whose actions and feelings have little impact on my daily life. Multiply this by the billions of social media users online, and we have a fundamental restructuring of how people form and grow relationships, with huge ramifications for American political life.

The average person spends nearly two hours a day on social media. That’s five years and four months over a lifetime, and beats the amount of time spent eating and drinking, socializing, and grooming.

And although the internet has democratized information sharing by opening up access, it has also cheapened opinions. It’s taken Americans’ focus from their homes and local communities to national and international issues, which influences their lives much less.

This shift will continue to impact how we govern, how we vote and how we engage civically.

(Via: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/kaitlyn-buss/2017/05/18/media-democracy/101815302/)

Along with the popularity of social network sites are computer jargons used by just about everyone who is using social media on a regular basis. Unfortunately, too much social media has also affected relationships. SNS distanced you from the people around you but bridged the distance from loved ones living abroad. Fake news became a thing as well and has duped many people into believing stories that aren’t entirely true.

If keeping up with the latest social media trends feels like it’s harder than keeping up with the Kardashians, you’re not alone.

The very nature of social media is that it’s fast. Social networks are where people go for quick snippets of everything going on with the people, brands and places about which they care. They’re also where people go when they want an immediate response about something, such as a customer service issue with a business. Furthermore, the social networks themselves have fostered a fast-paced environment, changing how things look and feel, adding new features and updating algorithms at a rapid-fire pace.

5 Trends for Social Media Marketers in 2017

To start, let’s dive into the latest trends shaping how marketers need to approach social media. Only a few months into 2017, and it’s already clear that this will be a big year in the social-sphere, as marketers need to ramp up on different approaches and technologies in order to inject new life into their social media presence to really hit the mark. Here are the top five trends we’ve seen this year to date:

  • Live video

  • Paid social

  • Influencers

  • User generated content

  • Chatbots

(Via: http://customerthink.com/keeping-up-with-the-latest-social-media-trends/)

Like the technology itself that powers social media itself that is dynamic, social media trends are just as flexible too. Some trends stay for good while others are only as fleeting as the thankful emoticon on Facebook quite recently. While there has been news about it only lasting for a week in celebration of Mother’s day, many were still aghast after not seeing it in their newsfeed anymore.

Unless you’re a pioneer in the field yourself and work alongside brilliant minds like Gates and Zuckerberg, it is hard to tell what the future of social media will be like. We live in the moment and we relish the gift that social media offers in our daily pursuits but we also don’t want to lose our sense of humanity and compromise personal relationships because of our over fixation with our virtual life.

The blog article How Social Media Reshapes The World is available on The New Influencers



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/how-social-media-reshapes-the-world/

Thursday, 29 June 2017

Advertising Through The Web

The public knows about various goods and services because of advertising. Businesses actually spend a great deal of money to make sure their brand is seen by people everywhere, from traditional billboards, newspaper and magazine spots, TV commercials, and these days, the web is the new and best platform to get your business noticed by everyone.

E-advertising, online advertising, online marketing, web advertising, Internet advertising or plainly called e-word of mouth, advertising on the web is the best thing any business can do to grow their business and take advantage of the various tech innovations to their advantage. There are different tools one can use without spending a fortune. Social media is one of the easiest and cheapest platform and most businesses are going crazy in promoting their brand here and there.

 Large and small companies may leverage an investment in social media marketing differently, according to HubSpot. In fact, these average differences in the way companies of different sizes portion their budgets help to illustrate how SMBs have used this kind of online advertising and marketing to help level the playing field between themselves and their larger competitors.
For example, HubSpot reported upon these differences between the way that smaller businesses and large enterprises have allocated their budgets:

Small companies were likely to spend 2x as much of their overall marketing budget for online advertising on social sites.

Enterprises were likely to spend far more money on such outbound advertising tactics as mail, phone marketing, and trade shows.

Media Marketing

The figures from HubSpot do demonstrate that SMBs find online advertising an economical way to run an ad campaign, expand their reach, and even interact with prospects and customers. At the same time, they can’t expect to operate exactly the same way that big companies do.

(Via: http://www.business2community.com/small-business/social-media-advertising-smbs-vs-enterprises-01817402#kUwLIDlCKk3bddS4.97)

Everyone is on the web nowadays. People spend a great deal of their time online, whether for work or just plain browsing. It is why businesses are also taking advantage of online advertising because traditional advertising just became far too expensive but does not deliver the results most businesses are after.

Nowadays, even online advertising is taking a major hit as businesses are no longer happy seeing their ads in dubious sites, fake news and even pirated shows. With traditional advertising, they know just where their ads go but not with online advertising.

 In the tangled ecosystem that is online advertising, such nefarious websites collectively reap billions of dollars annually bilking advertisers. Many large companies wouldn’t want their ads financing distributors of misleading news, deceptive or counterfeit products, pirated movies and TV shows, or extremist groups. But that’s exactly what happens every day.

Media companies and their advertisers are shortchanged $8 billion a year because of scams, or more than the estimated combined revenue of Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures and MGM Studios.

Advertisers think they're getting the desired views and clicks. But companies taking closer looks are finding unwelcome results. Websites where ads appear are visited by robots — computers hacked to impersonate real browsing behaviors. Others traffic in content people crave but upstanding businesses wouldn’t want to support, such as bootlegged movies or terrorist propaganda.

“A lot of advertisers don’t look that close because there’s so many websites involved,” said Erik Mekkelson, who bought the ads for the tech firm. “There’s hundreds, thousands of websites. And these are sneaking through.”

The set-up is siphoning potential revenue from legitimate media companies to shady ones. And it’s enabling hucksters to profit in fake newswriting and piracy thanks to ad views.

(Via: http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-fake-news-piracy-20170410-story.html)

The web remains to be a major force in the world today. And it is not always a walk in the park when you do business online. The web is full of scams and scandals that would put even the most liberal person to shame, not to mention the part of the dark web where many cyber criminals like pedophiles abound.

But still, e-advertising remains to be the most practical thing to invest in these days for businesses because people frequent the web almost daily whether through their computers or their mobile gadgets. And for many, social media marketing, particularly with video has been a fast favorite because everyone is on most social networks that you can be sure your ads are seen by virtually everyone on the web. And most of the time, when people see something they like, they tell others too and it’s like a chain reaction after that and it’s what businesses keep rolling despite the competition.

The following blog article Advertising Through The Web is courtesy of TNI



source https://www.newinfluencers.com/advertising-through-the-web/