ReportWire

Tag: Information technology

  • Epic Games wins partial victory in Australian court against Google and Apple

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    MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Epic Games, the company behind the popular online game Fortnite, on Tuesday won a partial victory in an Australian court. The case was brought by U.S. billionaire chief executive Tim Sweeney, who claimed that Google and Apple engaged in anti-competitive conduct in running their app stores.

    Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach upheld key parts of Epic’s claim that the tech giants breached Australian competition laws by misusing their market power against app developers and using restrictive trade practices.

    Google and Apple ’s dominance of the app market had the effect of substantially lessening competition and breached Australian law, Beach found.

    But the judge rejected some of Epic’s claim including that Google and Apple engaged in unconscionable conduct as defined by Australian law.

    Sweeney is also challenging Google and Apple’s dominance in the app markets through the courts in the United States and Britain.

    The litigation began in August 2020 when Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store expelled Fortnite because Epic installed a direct payment feature in the extraordinarily popular game.

    The court ruled both companies pressured app developers including Epic through contracts and technology to sell their products through the two dominant app stores.

    Epic said that the ruling will allow its Epic Games Store and Fortnite to come to Apple’s operating system iOS in Australia.

    “An Australian court just found that Apple and Google abuse their control over app distribution and in-app payments to limit competition,” Epic said in a statement.

    “There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully understand the details,” the statement added. “This is a WIN for developers and consumers in Australia!”

    Apple said the company “faces fierce competition in every market where we operate.”

    “We welcome the Australian court’s rejection of some of Epic’s claims, however, we strongly disagree with the Court’s ruling on others,” Apple said in a statement.

    Google said it would review the judgment. Google and Apple could potentially appeal the ruling before the Federal Court full bench.

    “We disagree with the court’s characterisation of our billing policies and practices, as well as its findings regarding some of our historical partnerships, which were all shaped in a fiercely competitive mobile landscape on behalf of users and developers,” a Google statement said.

    Beach has yet to release a 952-page judgment on Epic’s case against Apple or his 914-page judgment on the case against Google.

    The judge gave an oral summary of his findings during a 90-minute hearing Tuesday.

    Lawyers will return to court on a date yet to be set to argue what Epic is entitled to in terms of damages.

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  • Trump says Intel CEO has an ‘amazing story’ days after calling for his resignation

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    Less than a week after demanding his resignation, President Donald Trump is now calling the career of Intel’s CEO an “amazing story.”

    Shares of Intel, which slid last week after CEO Lip-Bu Tan came under fire from the U.S. president, bounced higher before the opening bell Tuesday.

    The attack from Trump came after Sen. Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel Chairman Frank Yeary expressing concern over Tan’s investments and ties to semiconductor firms that are reportedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army. Cotton asked Intel if Tan had divested from the companies to eliminate any potential conflict of interest.

    Trump said on the Truth Social platform Thursday that, “The CEO of Intel is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

    Tan was named Intel CEO in March and it is unclear if he has divested his interests in the chip companies.

    Tan said in a message to employees that there was misinformation circulating about his past roles at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems and said that he’d “always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards.”

    After a Monday meeting with Tan at the White House, Trump backed off his demand that Tan resign without hesitation.

    “I met with Mr. Lip-Bu Tan, of Intel, along with Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, and Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “The meeting was a very interesting one. His success and rise is an amazing story. Mr. Tan and my Cabinet members are going to spend time together, and bring suggestions to me during the next week. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

    Shares of Intel gained 3.5% Tuesday

    The economic and political rivalry between the U.S. and China are increasingly focused on computer chips, AI and other digital technologies that are expected to shape future economies and military conflicts.

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  • Prepare to Land a Position in IT With This CompTIA Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

    Prepare to Land a Position in IT With This CompTIA Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Average growth in information technology (IT) is much higher than that of other industries, and the median wage is reported to be more than double the standard, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says. If you’re looking for a new or more lucrative career path, it may be smart to consider becoming an IT professional.

    While many roles may require a formal degree, roles like support specialists, administrators, and project managers don’t all necessarily demand a degree. Many professionals can earn CompTIA certifications by passing rigorous testing. You can study and prepare for those tests with this 15-course CompTIA training bundle, which is on sale for only $49.97 (reg. $585) for life.

    These courses were developed by IDUNOVA, an official CompTIA partner with mor than 20 years spent providing IT education.While these courses can help you prepare for the CompTIA certification exams, it may be helpful to gain relevant experience or a formal degree to land certain positions.

    Study CompTIA for a new, exciting career in IT

    There’s plenty of variety in the IT industry, meaning there are nearly endless positions to consider if you’re joining this field. Learn to become a debugging expert like Grace Hopper or a cloud-based engineer to join companies like Google or Salesforce.

    There are 15 certification prep courses in this bundle, so it might be challenging to figure out where to begin. If you have minimal or no prior IT experience, you might want to start with CompTIA Fundamentals+ and A+, industry standards that also build a foundation for more advanced training.

    Other introductory-level courses and certification preparation that might help you land your dream job in IT are Fundamentals+ and Core 1 and Core 2. These could help you get a new job as a desk technician or entry-level cybersecurity position.

    From there, you could delve into ethical hacking, a highly in-demand career for many companies. Check out courses like CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA PenTest+ to develop skills to penetrate systems and check their vulnerability.

    Ready to work in IT? Grab lifetime access to this 15-course CompTIA training bundle for $49.99 (reg. $585). No coupon is needed to secure this deal.

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  • Become Master of Your Own IT Domain with a CompTIA Readiness Bundle | Entrepreneur

    Become Master of Your Own IT Domain with a CompTIA Readiness Bundle | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Having a strong grasp of IT fundamentals can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs and business owners. It can help you understand the complex business of your IT department and help you make informed decisions about IT-related tasks within your business. It can also serve as a way to do some IT work yourself and save on hiring costs, which can be particularly helpful for small businesses.

    The 2024 CompTIA Course Super Bundle by IDUNOVA is designed to help you gain valuable IT knowledge and get ready to take CompTIA exams. Priced at just $49.97 (reg. $585), it offers the flexibility that comes with learning at your own pace and on your own schedule.

    Whether you’re just starting or looking to broaden your IT skills, this bundle covers an extensive range of topics essential for understanding and managing IT systems. From foundational knowledge of IT concepts to advanced cybersecurity practices, the courses provide a comprehensive education that can be applied directly to your business operations.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3dGlyXl444

    With the skills acquired from these courses, you can confidently address IT issues, implement best practices, and ensure your systems run smoothly. And if you can’t do it yourself, you’ll have the knowledge to oversee the professional or team doing it.

    The 2024 CompTIA Course Super Bundle equips you with a diverse array of IT skills that apply to various roles. You will gain a solid understanding of IT principles, learn to troubleshoot and maintain hardware and software, manage and secure network devices, and acquire expertise in server administration.

    Additionally, the bundle delves into penetration testing and vulnerability assessment techniques, along with cybersecurity strategies to protect your business from digital threats.

    Take control of your in-house IT situation with a lot of knowledge and guidance from the minds at IDUNOVA.

    Get The 2024 CompTIA Course Super Bundle by IDUNOVA while it’s on sale for $49.97 (reg. $585).

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  • Master Microsoft Technologies for Your Business with This Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

    Master Microsoft Technologies for Your Business with This Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Running a small business often comes with the challenge of managing IT infrastructure, ensuring robust security, and keeping costs under control. The Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle, priced at $59.97 (down from $429), is designed to help you tackle these issues head-on.

    This extensive training package has 11 courses totaling 264 hours of instruction on essentials like Microsoft technologies, focusing on cloud computing, security, and endpoint management.

    Key areas covered in this bundle include mastery of the super-popular Microsoft 365. You’ll learn how to manage user identities, services, and Microsoft Teams to boost productivity and streamline communication within your business.

    Develop a thorough understanding of Azure administration, infrastructure, development, and security. Utilize cloud services to optimize data management and enhance operational efficiency. You can also expect to get hands-on experience with modern desktop management and Windows client administration. This can help you ensure your systems are running smoothly and efficiently.

    You can also use this bundle to focus on security operations and Azure security technologies. Protect your business from cyber threats with advanced security strategies found here.

    Small businesses often struggle with the high costs of outsourcing IT support. This training bundle equips you and your team with the necessary skills to handle IT issues internally, significantly reducing these expenses. Learn to efficiently manage your IT environment with courses such as Microsoft 365 Identity and Services and Windows Client.

    Robust cybersecurity is essential in today’s digital world. The training bundle emphasizes security operations and Azure security technologies, ensuring you can safeguard sensitive data against potential threats. Courses like Azure Security Technologies help you implement strong security measures to protect your business.

    Lifetime access to this bundle is an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their IT capabilities, reduce costs, and secure their businesses.

    For a limited time, the Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle is on sale for $59.97 (reg. $429).

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  • Three-car crash in Manchester-by-the-Sea sends two to hospital

    Three-car crash in Manchester-by-the-Sea sends two to hospital

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    MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — At least two people were injured, one seriously, when a three-car crash Sunday shut down the southbound lanes of Route 128 for approximately 30 minutes.

    The crash, reported the by North Shore Regional 911 Center at 8:35 p.m., spanned approximately 1,000 feet, according to Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire.

    The crash took place between School Street and Pine Street, fire Chief James “Jake” McNeilly said.

    One individual suffered “serious injuries,” while a second suffered minor injuries, McNeilly said.

    “Both patients were taken to Beverly Hospital,” McNeilly said. “We had vehicles in every lane so it forced us to shut down the highway so we could transport the patients and the tow trucks could remove the vehicles.”

    Four other people involved in the crash refused medical care at the scene, Manchester Fire said.

    Manchester Police Officer Zak Johnson said the initial crash involved a black hatchback that hit a guardrail on the travel side of the highway and then spun and crashed into the guardrail across the road.

    The lone occupant was able to get out of the vehicle and get into a vehicle that pulled over to help, Johnson said.

    At that point, two approaching vehicles crashed into the Good Samaritan’s car, one after another, Johnson said.

    “Technically, there were three crashes in one crash,” Johnson said. “He got into the Good Samaritan’s car and then was slammed by the two other cars.”

    McNeilly said one vehicle flipped over in the crash, a second suffered severe damage to the front-end and a third had minor damage.

    “Route 128 was totally shut down for roughly 30 minutes,” Manchester Fire posted to Facebook.

    Among the first to arrive was Manchester Fire Lt. Robert Cavender, who requested an “all-tone” to be transmitted, callling all available fire personnel to the scene

    Manchester Fire units responded and were joined by mutual aid units from the Beverly and Essex Fire Departments. An additional ambulance from Beauport Ambulance responded to the crash as did personnel from the Massachusetts State Police and Department of Transportation, and Todisco Towing.

    Stephen Hagan may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or shagan@gloucestertimes.com.

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    By Stephen Hagan | Staff Writer

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  • Advocates renew push for permanent remote meetings

    Advocates renew push for permanent remote meetings

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    BOSTON — Good government advocates are renewing a push to make permanent pandemic-related rules temporarily authorizing remote meetings for local governing boards, but the move faces opposition from cities and towns which argue they shouldn’t be required to provide virtual participation.

    On Monday a coalition of groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause Massachusetts and the New England Newspaper & Press Association, urged lawmakers to act on a bill that would require cities and towns to provide options for officials and members of the public to attend meetings in person or remotely.

    Temporary rules adopted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed local governing boards — as well as the state Legislature — to meet remotely to conduct business as part of broader efforts to reduce the spread of the virus.

    Those emergency rules expired with the state’s public health emergency, but lawmakers extended the temporary law allowing remote local meetings and public participation. It’s set to expire next year.

    “The countdown is on: If lawmakers don’t act this session, people with disabilities or other reasons they can’t attend meetings will be completely shut out when city councils, select boards, or school committees decide to hold meetings exclusively in person,” the groups wrote in a joint statement.

    “Accessibility makes our democracy stronger, and we can’t afford to close the door on these perspectives and communities,” they said.

    The proposal is one of several bills in the current session they call for making hybrid and remote meetings permanent.

    Lawmakers are considering the changes as part of the so-called Municipal Empowerment Act, filed by Gov. Maura Healey in January.

    The legislation, which is being considered by the Legislature’s Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, would make permanent other pandemic-era policies like authorizing restaurants to offer outdoor dining and selling to-go cocktails with takeout food.

    But the coalition is criticizing Healey’s proposal, saying it would give cities and towns the discretion to offer remote or hybrid meeting access but not require it, which “would surely limit the public’s ability to participate.”

    “By contrast, the Legislature has embraced hybrid access for public hearings and other events, demonstrating the feasibility and importance of the coalition’s proposed reforms to the Open Meeting Law,” the groups said.

    The move to make remote meetings permanent is backed by the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which argues that local governing boards in some cities and towns have not only adapted to remote meetings but found that they increase public participation. The group wants to extend the rules to town meetings and other local governing functions.

    “There are a number of municipalities already successfully utilizing remote participation,” Adam Chapdelaine, the association’s executive director, said in recent testimony. “We strongly support changes for towns to have a permanent option to conduct remote town meetings, and that this authority also be extended to open town meeting communities.”

    Communities want the flexibility to continue to offer remote access — but not be mandated to do so, according to Chapdelaine. There are more than 10,000 local governing boards in the state, ranging from city councils to planning and zoning boards. The decision to offer remote meetings is often based on public interest, access to technology, staff, space and other factors, he said.

    “Each city and town has dozens of boards, councils and commissions which hold numerous meetings a year and often simultaneously,” Chapdelaine said.

    “These municipalities continue to find the meeting mechanisms that work best for their residents, and making these flexibilities permanent will help ensure they continue to do so.”

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Train for Microsoft Tech Certification with This Bundle — $70 Through April 2 | Entrepreneur

    Train for Microsoft Tech Certification with This Bundle — $70 Through April 2 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Microsoft is one of the leading tech giants in the world and has been for a long time. For aspiring IT professionals, demonstrating a proven mastery of its software can make you a valuable hire and team member. To help acquire those skills, you can pick up The Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle, which is on sale for just $69.97 (reg. $429).

    Designed to help users train and study for Microsoft certification opportunities, this bundle is outfitted with 11 courses and nearly 250 hours of content on Microsoft-centric IT.

    One of the most popular courses in the bundle, Managing Modern Desktops, has an average rating of 4.45/5 stars with students. Its 64 lectures cover a wide variety of helpful tips, including how to develop an operating system, how to deploy and migrate desktops to Windows 10, and how to manage user profiles.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52_XehkdylY

    This course and others throughout the bundle are taught by instructors from IDUNOVA, which is an organization with over two decades of experience in the world of IT education. Some of the other courses in the bundle focus on topics like learning how to manage Microsoft Teams, working with Microsoft’s Azure Administrator, mobility and security best practices for Microsoft software, Microsoft security operations, and a whole lot more.

    This educational resource is more than worth its discounted rate for those who want to pursue a career in Microsoft-focused IT.

    Through 11:59 p.m. PT on April 2, you can get The Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle on sale for just $69.97 (reg. $429).

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  • Senate approves ‘revenge porn’ ban

    Senate approves ‘revenge porn’ ban

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    BOSTON — The state Senate approved a proposal Thursday to make it a crime to post sexually explicit images on the internet to harass or embarrass another person.

    The legislation, approved unanimously, creates a new felony offense for people charged with distributing a sexually explicit image “for purposes of revenge or embarrassment,” and gives judges the authority to ensure explicit images are destroyed. Violators could face up to 2½ years in prison and fines of $10,000.

    Massachusetts is one of only two states – the other is South Carolina – that does not have laws against so-called “revenge porn,” which involves adults posting sexually explicit images of former spouses or ex-partners on the internet to harass them. Lawmakers said the state cannot wait any longer to approve the criminal sanctions.

    “It’s morally reprehensible, ethically unconscionable, and with the action we take today, it will finally also be criminal,” state Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Foxborough, said in remarks ahead of the bill’s passage. “Justice will be delivered.”

    The proposal, filed by Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, focuses on “coercive control” against abuse victims and bans the posting of sexually explicit “deepfakes” or a computer-generated manipulation of a person’s voice or likeness using artificial intelligence programs.

    It would also ease criminal sanctions for minors caught sending illicit materials to one another who under current state law are subject to felony charges of distributing or possession of child pornography.

    During the debate Thursday, senators slogged through about two dozen amendments to the measure, many of which were either rejected or withdrawn before they voted on the bill’s final version.

    Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican, won approval for an amendment giving state prosecutors discretion to seek tougher penalties – including the possibility of jail time – for offenders who target minors.

    Domestic violence victims have packed public hearings on Beacon Hill in support of the proposed law, many recalling stories of ex-partners posting lewd pictures of them on the internet to embarrass and harass them. Several victims attended the Senate session Thursday, watching the debate from the chamber gallery.

    The state House of Representatives approved a similar proposal in February, and any differences between the two bills will need to be worked out before heading to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for consideration.

    Then-Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, filed similar proposals during his eight years in office that also called for toughening rules aimed at keeping “dangerous” suspects locked up while awaiting trial. None were approved.

    The House approved a revenge porn bill in 2022, but the Senate didn’t take it up before the end of the legislative session.

    Tarr said the exploitation of victims by posting sexually explicit materials online is a problem that has been “crying out for a legislative response” for years.

    “It’s unfortunate that it took us so long to get here,” he said. “This is not a situation that should be tolerated for one more minute.”

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Etsy drifts further away from its roots with first Super Bowl ad

    Etsy drifts further away from its roots with first Super Bowl ad

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    Etsy Inc., once known as a quirky marketplace for handmade, artisanal and vintage items, seems to be moving further away from its origins amid a much tougher e-commerce landscape and the impact of AI.

    Etsy
    ETSY,
    +4.83%
    will be marketing to a whole new audience on Sunday, when its first Super Bowl commercial will run. The 30-second ad is quirky; it depicts a generic 19th-century American leader who’s flummoxed over how to reciprocate France’s gift of the Statue of Liberty. With the help of an anachronistic smartphone, he and his team search on Etsy using its new Gift Mode option, and find its “Cheese Lover” category after determining that the French love cheese. Voilà — they decide to send the French some cheese.

    The commercial is part of Etsy’s push of a new user interface featuring Gift Mode, which lets shoppers search for gifts for a specific type of person or occasion — combining generative AI and human curation to give gift buyers some unusual options.

    But are these moves desperate and costly efforts to try to reach potential new buyers, coming on the heels of Etsy’s plans to lay off 11% of its staff?Or could running a TV ad at the most expensive time of the year actually lead to more sales on the once-fast growing marketplace?

    Etsy believes these moves will help the company grow again, and its research shows the average American spends $1,600 a year on gifts. “There is no single market leader and Etsy sees a real opportunity to become the destination for gifting,” Etsy’s Chief Executive Josh Silverman said in a recent blog post.

    Etsy is clearly under pressure after seeing its gross merchandise sales more than double in 2020 during the pandemic, when it became a go-to place to buy handmade masks and all kinds of items for the home, from vintage pieces to antiques to castoffs. From personal experience as an Etsy seller, I saw sales at my own small vintage-clothing shop more than double in 2020 and then fall back in 2021, while still remaining higher than in 2019. In the last two years, sales have slowed, and some other sellers have witnessed similar patterns, based on their comments in seller forums.

    The number of sellers and buyers on the platform has increased on the same level as gross merchandise sales. But e-commerce competition has also gotten more fierce.

    “Our main concern with Etsy is growing competition in the space from new players like Temu,” said Bernstein Research analyst Nikhil Devnani, in an email. Temu and fellow Chinese online retailer Shein have raised a lot of investor jitters, as Etsy’s gross merchandise sales have slipped over the last year and are forecast to fall again in its upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report later this month.

    Devnani said a Super Bowl ad could potentially help the marketplace gain visibility, something it has always lacked.

    “One dynamic they’ve talked about a lot is that brand awareness/recollection is still low, and this keeps frequency low,” he said, noting that Etsy buyers shop on the site about three times per year, on average. “They want to be more top-of-mind … Super Bowl ads are notoriously expensive of course, but can be impactful/get noticed.”

    The company’s big focus on Gift Mode, however, could be a risky strategy. How many times a year do consumers look for gifts? And in a note Devnani wrote in October, before the company’s Gift Mode launch, he said that one of the concerns investors have is that Etsy is too niche. “’How often does someone need something special?’ is the rhetoric we hear most often,” he said. Etsy, then, is counting on buyers returning for other items for themselves.

    Etsy CEO Silverman believes buyers will come back again and again to purchase gifts. Naved Khan, a B. Riley Securities analyst, said in a recent note to clients that he believes Gift Mode plays to Etsy’s core strengths, offering “unique goods at reasonable prices” versus the mass-produced products sold on Shein, Temu, Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    +2.71%    ,
    and other sites.

    Consumer spending has changed, though. At an investor conference in December, Silverman said that consumers are spending on dining out and traveling, instead of buying things.

    But while investors still view Etsy as a niche e-commerce site, some buyers and sellers see it overrun with repetitive, non-relevant ads. Complaints about a decline in search capabilities, reliance on email and chat for support, and constant tech changes are common on seller forums and Facebook groups. AI-generated art offered by newer sellers as a side hustle has also become a thought-provoking, debated issue. And there are complaints about mass-produced items making their way on the site.

    Etsy said that in addition to its human and automated efforts, it also relies on community flags to help take down infringing products that are not allowed on its marketplace, and that community members should contact the company when if they see mass-produced items for sale on the site.

    It also continues to work on search. On its last earnings call, Silverman said the company was moving beyond relevance to the next frontier of search, one “focused on better identifying the quality of each Etsy listing utilizing humans and [machine-learning] technology, so that from a highly relevant result set we bring the very best of Etsy to the top — personalized to what we understand of your tastes and preferences.”

    The pressure could build on the company if its latest moves don’t generate growth. Etsy recently gave a seat on its board to a partner at activist investor Elliott Management, which bought a “sizable” stake in the company in the last few months. Marc Steinberg, who is responsible for public and private investments at Elliott, has also has been on the board at Pinterest
    PINS,
    -9.45%
    since December 2022.

    Elliott Management did not respond to questions. But in a statement last week, Steinberg said he was joining the board because he “believe[s] there is an opportunity for significant value creation.” Some sellers fear that the pressure from investors and Wall Street will lead to Etsy allowing mass-produced products onto the site. In its fall update, Etsy said the number of listings it removed for violating its handmade policy jumped 112% and that it was further accelerating such actions.

    Etsy’s stock before the news of Elliott’s stake was down about 18% this year. Its shares are now off about 3.65% this year, after recently having their best day in seven years on the news that Steinberg joined the board.

    Etsy is a unique marketplace that for many years had a much better reputation than some of its rivals, like eBay
    EBAY,
    +0.98%    .
    But since going public and answering to Wall Street, the need to provide growth and profits for investors has become much more of a driver. The Super Bowl ad and Gift Mode may bring a broader awareness to Etsy, but will it be the right kind of awareness? Sellers like me hope these new efforts will stave off the continuing fight with the likes of Temu and other vendors of mass-produced products, and help Etsy retain the remaining unique aspects of its marketplace.

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  • Even Cloudflare's CEO says that viral firing video is 'painful' — here's what went wrong

    Even Cloudflare's CEO says that viral firing video is 'painful' — here's what went wrong

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    A tech employee’s recording of the meeting firing her from a sales role at Cloudflare
    NET,
    -1.79%
    has spurred criticism of the company — and a broader conversation about the right way to let employees go.

    Viewers have called the roughly 10-minute TikTok video, which went viral this week, “sad” and a “disaster.” Even Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince responded on X (formerly Twitter) that it was “painful for me to watch.”

    In the video captioned, “POV: You’re about to get laid off,” former Cloudflare account executive Brittany Pietsch logs into a virtual meeting with an HR representative and a director at the company, both of whom she says she’s never met before. In a caption, Pietsch writes that she assumed they were meeting to let her go, because she had heard from coworkers who had been axed already.

    In the video, the company reps say that Pietsch hadn’t met performance expectations, and that Cloudflare had decided to “part ways” with her. Pietsch’s response is what has pushed this clip to be shared all over social-media newsfeeds: She asks for an explanation for why she, specifically, is being let go by the company, particularly because she’s a new employee who hasn’t heard any negative feedback. She also asks why her manager isn’t a part of this termination meeting.

    “Every single one-on-one [meeting] I’ve had with my manager, every conversation I’ve had with him — he’s been giving me nothing but ‘I am doing a great job,’” she says during the meeting. “I’m just definitely very confused and would love an explanation that makes sense.” 

    The director, who can’t be seen in the video, says he “won’t be able to go into specifics” on Pietsch’s performance. 

    In a statement to MarketWatch, a Cloudflare spokesperson clarified that the company did not conduct layoffs, and is not engaged in a reduction of force. “When we do make the decision to part ways with an employee, we base the decision on a review of an employee’s ability to meet measurable performance targets,” the Cloudflare statement said. “We regularly review team members’ performance and let go of those who aren’t right for our team. There is nothing unique about that review process or the number of people we let go after performance review this quarter.”

    Pietsch did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

    Company CEO Prince added on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the company fired 40 salespeople out of 1,500 in its go-to-market division. “That’s a normal quarter,” he wrote in his post. “When we’re doing performance management right, we can often tell within 3 months or less of a sales hire, even during the holidays, whether they’re going to be successful or not.” 

    But he also added: “We try to fire perfectly. In this case, clearly we were far from perfect. The video is painful for me to watch. Managers should always be involved. HR should be involved, but it shouldn’t be outsourced to them … We don’t always get it right.”

    Many viewers seem to agree, as the video has drawn close to 200,000 views on TikTok and millions of views on X, along with going viral on Reddit.

    “Total disaster on both sides,” lawyer Eric Pacifici said. 

    “Totally unfair to her,” wrote Austen Allred, CEO of the online-coding bootcamp Bloom Institute of Technology. “Pretty sad across the board.” 

    On LinkedIn, Pietsch gave her own response to the social-media uproar. She said that her manager was unaware that she was being let go, and that she asked questions during the meeting not to try and save her job, but rather to get greater clarity on why she had been singled out for termination. 

    “I’ll never be able to wrap my mind around it,” she wrote in the post. “We as employees are expected to give 2 weeks notice and yet we don’t deserve even a sliver of respect when the roles are reversed?”

    What’s the right way to fire an employee? 

    It’s never easy to part ways with an employee, according to Molly, a human-resources consultant who runs the TikTok account HR Molly, which has 80,000 followers. She asked only to be identified by her first name for privacy reasons. 

    But that being said, it’s very important to treat affected employees with respect. That can include sharing as much information as possible about why the decision is being made. 

    “I tell people that even if you catch someone stealing, even that termination meeting should have a level of decency,” she said. “It seems like there’s a significant consensus that the meeting [in the viral video] lacked some dignity.”

    It’s also important to understand these kinds of conversations will be difficult for an employee no matter what, Molly added. 

    “We know this impacts people and we know this is emotional and that it’s harmful. How can we do it in a way that creates the least amount of additional harm?” she said, noting that she picked up the concept from fellow TikTok creator and diversity consultant Ciarra Jones. “Companies need to prioritize the well-being of the employee that’s impacted.” 

    As for recording your layoff or firing meeting — that can be risky, Molly said, and downright illegal in states that require you to receive consent before doing so.

    But companies and HR professionals would be wise to remind themselves that, in this day and age, it can happen, she said. And if a camera or tape recorder would change the way you handle an interaction, it’s a good sign to reevaluate.

    According to its company website, Cloudflare has dozens of job postings for open positions across the company, including sales roles.

    In her LinkedIn post, Pietsch said that she’s not very concerned about any backlash over the video that might impede her chances of getting another job. 

    “Any company that wouldn’t want to hire me because I shared a video of how a company fired me or because I asked questions as to why I was being let go is not a company I would ever want to work for anyway,” she wrote.

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  • Interested in IT? This CompTIA Bundle Might be Just What You Need. | Entrepreneur

    Interested in IT? This CompTIA Bundle Might be Just What You Need. | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    The IT industry is growing every single day, and the need for new qualified workers is growing right along with it. If you’re setting out to embark on a promising career path this new year, then you might want to consider IT and the CompTIA certification exams that can help you start working. To prep for such exams, The Complete CompTIA & IT Exam Lifetime Access Training Bundle is on sale for $39.97 (reg. $2748) through January 7th only.

    This five-course bundle features 180 hours of content on a variety of IT and CompTIA essentials. The courses focus on CramWise™, LinuxPath, DojoLab, and CodeDirect. They are taught by instructors from Exams Digest, which has an average 4.1/5-star instructor rating for its experience offering high-end online training for CompTIA as well as Amazon, Cisco, and similar focuses. The bundle also comes with ExamsDigest lifetime access, which includes exam simulators, IT labs, and more e-learning experiences with additional focus on CompTIA, AWS, Cisco, Microsoft, and more.

    This CompTIA exam prep bundle is rated an average of 5/5 stars by verified purchasers. One recent five-star reviewer described it as “Great courses for an awesome price.” Discover what all the hype is about and set a course for a future in IT with this limited-time deal.

    The Complete CompTIA & IT Exam Lifetime Access Training Bundle is on sale for $39.97 (reg. $2,748) through January 7th at 11:59 p.m. PT.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Save Hundreds of Dollars on This Microsoft Tech Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

    Save Hundreds of Dollars on This Microsoft Tech Training Bundle | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    You might know all about Microsoft Office, but there’s only so far that will get you. Whether your company needs IT support or you’re looking to level up the services you can provide a new company, becoming a Microsoft Certified Expert can do wonders for your career. With The Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle, you can get on the right track, and it’s only $79.99 for a limited time.

    This comprehensive bundle includes 11 courses and nearly 250 hours of Microsoft tech education from IDUNOVA. IDUNOVA has more than 20 years of experience in online IT training, putting them at the forefront of the industry.

    These courses aim to take you from an absolute beginner through the Fundamentals, Associate, and eventually Expert levels. Beginning with Microsoft 365 Identity & Services (MS-100), you’ll learn how to set up and manage enterprise Microsoft solutions before graduating to Managing Modern Desktops (MD-101). There are basic certification courses on security, Microsoft Azure administration, and setting up the Windows client.

    As you progress, you’ll delve into more complicated topics like developing solutions for Microsoft Azure, designing Microsoft Azure infrastructure, managing Microsoft Teams, and administering Microsoft Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure (AZ-800). Throughout the courses, you’ll have a strong focus on security and efficiency and gain the skills you need to pass each certification exam when you’re ready to take it.

    Get on your way to becoming a Microsoft Certified Expert.

    Right now, you can get The Complete 2024 Microsoft Tech Certification Training Super Bundle, on sale for 81% off $429 at just $79.99 for a limited time.

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  • AI stole the show this year, but earnings will drag Wall Street back to reality

    AI stole the show this year, but earnings will drag Wall Street back to reality

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    Nearly a year ago, OpenAI released ChatGPT 3 into the world, and investors got visions of dollar signs in their heads as they imagined the ways that artificial intelligence could make big money for businesses.

    Wall Street’s now coming to terms with the fact that those sorts of paydays are going to take time. As investors have already seen from the past two quarters of earnings, AI has only really delivered financial benefits for a select few hardware companies so far — while spurring new costs for many others.

    “The AI boom has already bifurcated into the contenders and pretenders,” said Daniel Newman, chief executive and principal analyst of Futurum Research. And while Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Intel Corp. and Arm Holdings PLC
    ARM,
    +0.38%
    have stirred up interest, Nvidia Corp.
    NVDA,
    -4.68%
    has established itself as far and away the greatest “contender,” with AI driving strong demand for its chips tuned for AI training.

    Nvidia last quarter reported record earnings, including a 141% jump in revenue for its graphics chips used in AI infrastructure building up data centers. Nvidia, which reports near the end of earnings season on Nov. 21, posted record revenue of $13.5 billion last quarter and is expected to easily top that with $16 billion in the most recent quarter, a surge of 170% versus a year ago. Those estimates include $12.3 billion of revenue coming from data-center sales.

    Other chip companies could post gains from AI as well, but to far lesser extents. Candidates include Broadcom Corp.
    AVGO,
    -2.01%
    and system maker Super Micro Computer Inc.
    SMCI,
    +2.35%    ,
    as well as Marvell Technology Inc.
    MRVL,
    -0.91%    ,
    which last quarter told analysts that it expects to end the year at a revenue run rate of about $800 million this year from cloud/data-center chips related to AI.

    “This is well above what we had outlined last quarter. Put this in perspective: This would put us at the run rate we had previously communicated for all of next year,” Marvel Chief Executive Matthew Murphy told analysts.

    Super Micro is also riding the AI wave with its customized data-center servers that are designed to consume less power. But revenue in the September quarter is forecast to rise just 15% from a year ago and drop on a sequential basis, as supply constraints from Nvidia likely hampered Super Micro’s ability to meet all its demand.

    Much as Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    AMD,
    -1.24%
    and Intel Corp.
    INTC,
    -1.37%
    want to be in the AI conversations with the graphics chips they hope will be used for AI data-center applications, they won’t see much of an impact yet from AI revenue. Plus, those companies are experiencing a slowdown in PC sales that may overshadow any small benefit from AI chips.

    The AI boom in chips is clearly not providing enough of a boost to lift finances for the overall semiconductor sector, which is forecast to see earnings fall 3.3% in the third quarter and post a revenue decline of 0.6%, according to FactSet. The industry is being dragged down in part by Micron Technology Inc.
    MU,
    -0.12%    ,
    which reported a 40% drop in revenue and a whopping fiscal fourth-quarter loss in late September for the quarter ended Aug. 31, which is included in FactSet’s third-quarter data. Even so, the company called a bottom to the memory-chip downturn.

    Read also: Micron’s AI focused chip won’t help financial results anytime soon.

    “Most of the consumer-based tech is still struggling, [including] PCs, laptops and to a certain extent smartphones,” said Daniel Morgan, senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust Co. Wall Street has tempered expectations related to the impact of Apple Inc.’s
    AAPL,
    -0.88%
    iPhone 15 launch on the quarter, as estimates call for an overall 1% drop in September-quarter revenue. Last quarter, Apple executives forecast that both Mac and iPad sales would be down by double-digits and that revenue performance would be similar to its June quarter, when revenue fell 1.3%

    In addition, when asked about AI, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company views AI and machine learning “as core fundamental technologies that are integral to virtually every product that we build.” Those comments, though, can also apply to the bulk of tech companies, where AI is built into software as another layer to improve a product. Internet companies such as Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +0.89%
    and Alphabet Inc.
    GOOG,
    +0.36%

    GOOGL,
    +0.45%
    incorporate AI into their software and algorithms but don’t treat it as a specific, revenue-generating product.

    Other software companies are building AI into their products as separate features or add-ons, but they are still in the early stages of seeing whether or not customers will pay more for them. Take Microsoft Corp.,
    MSFT,
    -0.17%
    which has showed off Copilot, an extra AI feature for customers of Microsoft 365.

    “[Microsoft] can distinguish itself by providing more details around its AI revenue
    ramp since we don’t expect much information from Google, who really doesn’t seem
    to have the monetization plan for Bard and AI-assisted search (SGE) ready to
    articulate yet,” Melius Research analyst Ben Reitzes said in a note to clients this week. He also noted that the cost of offering AI products to consumers is steep, and requires lots of investment.

    “There are sophisticated issues to contend with for Microsoft, including balancing the potential for higher revenue from Copilots with the high costs per query and much-needed investment,” Reitzes said. “The balance of AI adoption vs. cost was implied when Microsoft guided to flat operating margins year over year for fiscal 2024.”

    Earlier this year, the Information reported that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and recipient of a hefty investment from Microsoft, has costs of up to $700,000 a day, because the massive amounts of computing power needed to run queries. In February, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Plus, for $20 a month, a service that will give subscribers access to its AI during peak times and faster response times.

    Another example is Adobe Inc.
    ADBE,
    +1.70%    ,
    which has a few AI offerings, including a subscription service called Generative Credits, tokens that let customers turn text-based prompts into images. Another is Firefly, a generative AI service for images, and an AI option in Photoshop, currently called Photoshop Beta AI, to help users fill in images and other collaborative tools. Adobe did not provide any forecasts on potential revenue generation during its analyst day earlier this month.

    Toni Sacconaghi, a Bernstein Research analyst, said AI could drive a massive increase in enterprise productivity, and companies could dramatically increase IT spending on servers in order to invest in productivity-enhancing AI. “However, we note that enterprise adoption appears to be in early stages,” he said in a recent note to clients, adding that it was feasible that spending on AI infrastructure could take money away from other IT projects in process. “We do worry that projected AI infrastructure build out may be occurring too quickly, necessitating a digestion period, which could result in a commensurate stock pullback in AI-related names.”

    Overall, the information-technology sector itself is expected to see anemic revenue growth this quarter. The consensus on FactSet forecasts a meager 1.35% revenue uptick in the third quarter, with earnings growth of 4.65%. FactSet’s estimates for IT companies exclude internet companies like Meta and Alphabet, which are under the category of communications/interactive media services. That sector is expected to see sales growth of 12%, and earnings growth of 51%, thanks to a 116% boost in Meta’s net income, after it hit a low point in the year-ago quarter.

    Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -0.81%    ,
    in the category of consumer discretionary/broadline retail, is forecast to see earnings growth of 109%, and revenue growth of 11%. Amazon’s cloud services business, AWS, is expected to also see a potential uplift from customers spending money on AI projects, according to a TD Cowen & Co. survey, in which 41% of respondents said they were “highly considering” allocating a budget for generative AI.

    “This trend could bode well for Amazon’s AWS,” TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge said in a recent report, adding that he expects AWS revenue growth to reaccelerate in the second half of this year and in 2024, boosted by the move of additional workloads to the cloud, possibly including generative AI.

    As companies build up their infrastructure, or their spending on cloud computing to add or improve AI capabilities, they are seeing higher costs, which is affecting margins — especially if revenue has slowed down, as it has in some sectors. Across both the broader S&P 500
    SPX,
    and the IT sector, earnings are lower than a year ago.

    As Newman of Futurum pointed out, “AI stole the budget this year.” And that is a mixed bag for tech.

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  • Invest in This IT Education Bundle While it’s Only $50 | Entrepreneur

    Invest in This IT Education Bundle While it’s Only $50 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Cybercrime Magazine reports that cybercrime may cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. The threat of cybercrime may seem abstract, but the impact it could have on a vulnerable business is much more real. However, there are simple steps one can perform to begin bolstering a company against cyber criminals, and it all starts with education.

    If you want to learn the fundamental tools of a cybersecurity professional and build your own IT team in-house, then start training with the Complete 2023 CompTIA Course Super Bundle by Iducate. This IT and cybersecurity primer has 239 hours of instruction, and you can get it for only $49.97 until October 15. No coupon necessary.

    Learn how to protect your business against cybercrime.

    This bundle gives you unlimited access to 13 courses covering a broad range of IT and cybersecurity basics. Study the basics of network security, cloud computing, penetration testing, and even the core fundamentals of the IT industry.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebxge_ldzGM

    For businesses looking to formally train their own IT team, this bundle could prove especially useful, as it also works as test prep for CompTIA certification exams. If you want any of your employees formally certified to work in cybersecurity, make sure they study the Core 1 and Core 2 courses before signing up for the exams through the CompTIA website.

    Train your team on IT fundamentals.

    Invest in the security of your business by training your team on cybersecurity core tools and principles.

    Until October 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get the Complete 2023 CompTIA Course Super Bundle by Iducate for just $49.97. That’s the best price online, too.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Get a Foundation in IT With This Bundle That Includes CompTIA Certification Training, Now for $29.99 | Entrepreneur

    Get a Foundation in IT With This Bundle That Includes CompTIA Certification Training, Now for $29.99 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    According to Statista, IT employment peaked at 3.12 million employees in January 2023. Whether you’re looking to change careers and get into the world of IT, or you’d simply like to learn how to beef up your own digital security for your business, these days you don’t have to head back to school to get a leg up. You can do it all from the comfort of your home office with things like The Exams Digest 2023 All-In-One CompTIA and IT Lifetime Training Bundle.

    With these online courses, you can fit studying into your busy schedule and start learning how to pass some of the biggest IT exams in the industry, the CompTIA certifications. Receive all this training for just $29.99 — $90 off the usual price — right here for a limited time.

    This bundle offers a convenient way to digest information about the world of IT via more than 180 hours of content you can access right on your device. You’ll explore 56 lectures filled with info ready to prepare you for some of the most popular certifications — CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Cisco labs, and Python programming exercises.

    You’ll be receiving your training from the experts at LabsDigest, an online learning service that specializes in IT training and certification. CompTIA performance-based questions let you get ready to encounter real-world scenarios, while Cisco labs make sure you get a foundation on Cisco technologies. And you’ll be receiving lifetime access to all of this, so you can take all the time you need.

    Dive into the world of IT with this CompTIA and IT lifetime training bundle, now just $29.99 (reg. $120) right here for a limited time.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Get a Cybersecurity and IT Bootcamp For $39.97 | Entrepreneur

    Get a Cybersecurity and IT Bootcamp For $39.97 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Entrepreneurs who are looking to grow businesses always have to look at cybersecurity. On one hand, if you want to build a business in any industry, you need a plan for protecting its digital assets. On the other hand, if you want to get in on the ever-growing need for cybersecurity services, then educating yourself could be the way to go. Now through September 30, you can get the Complete 2023 Cybersecurity Developer & IT Skills Bundle on sale for just $39.97 (reg. $754).

    This advanced cybersecurity bootcamp features over 400 hours of courses on IT essentials, programming languages, cloud security, and so much more. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular and valued courses available here.

    In Python for Security, users can take advantage of reviewing 15 lectures with five hours of content whenever they need it for the rest of their lives. The course is designed for users who want to learn the basics of Python — the most popular programming language in the world — for security testing. It shows users how to handle security challenges in Python code, how to spot vulnerabilities, and more.

    The course Mobile Security is rated an average of 4.5/5 stars by verified purchasers. It features eight lectures on a variety of focuses including defining components of a mobile application, security controls of mobile OS, and more. This course and others are taught by instructors from Iducate (formerly iCollege), which has been teaching hundreds of thousands of students IT online since 2012.

    Advance in the IT field and get this cybersecurity developer & IT skills bundle on sale for just $39.97 (reg. $754) until September 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • White House Situation Room gets renovated — here’s what a $50 million makeover looks like

    White House Situation Room gets renovated — here’s what a $50 million makeover looks like

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    A storied part of the White House complex — the Situation Room — has emerged from a $50 million makeover, with President Joe Biden taking part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week to mark the occasion.

    The White House Situation Room is actually a highly secure complex of rooms on the West Wing’s ground floor, including a reception area, a main conference room known as the “JFK room,” a smaller conference room, breakout rooms and a 24-7 operations center called the “watch floor.”

    The operations room is shown in the photo above, while the main conference room is shown in the photo below.

    The main conference room for the White House Situation Room is shown here.


    White House handout

    Biden shared a video on Friday that shows the ribbon-cutting ceremony and his tour of the revamped facility, writing in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it’s “incredible.”

    The renovation involved digging five feet underground to make more room and install cutting-edge technology allowing White House officials to bring together intelligence from different agencies with the push of a few buttons. The goal is to never need a complete renovation again, as now panels can be removed and updated and new technology swapped in.

    The Situation Room’s yearlong renovation came up in July when cocaine was found in a heavily traveled part of West Wing. Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, criticized what he described as “questionable reporting” on the room’s connection to the incident.

    “The Situation Room is not in use and has not been in use for months because it is currently under construction.  We are using an alternate Situation Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building,” Sullivan told reporters in July. “There was no issue with the Situation Room relative to this. “

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • This $40 Learn-to-Code Bundle Could Save Your Business Money | Entrepreneur

    This $40 Learn-to-Code Bundle Could Save Your Business Money | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Your business might be spending more than it needs to on IT. Techvera reports that the average small company spends nearly 7% of its revenue on IT, but you could start saving by learning and doing everything in house.

    Coding is a versatile skill, but there are many different languages, and mastering one doesn’t mean you know the others. Get a primer for multiple major coding languages when you enroll in the 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for just $39.99 (reg. $154)

    Busy professionals can still take advantage of all 244 hours of material in this coding bundle. You can view any of the video lectures at any time, and everything is yours for life. If you’re a complete beginner, this bundle gives you multiple places to start with a crash course in Django, a C++ course for absolute beginners, and a 25-hour mega course showing you how to use Python.

    Later courses require more advanced control over the languages you’ve learned. You can find out how to program an escape room with Python and find out how to build websites with Node and MongoDB NoSQL. It may sound intimidating to beginners, but after a few hours learning the basics, you could create your own business site instecreateg for someone else to do it. You may even be able to craft new revenue-earning initiatives with experience creating augmented reality environments.

    Train your own in-house tech team with expert instruction from Mammoth Interactive, Joe Ghal, Development Island, and others.

    Get the 2023 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle for $39.99 (reg. $154).

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Am I being tricked into overtipping when I eat out? Should I tip before or after sales tax is added?

    Am I being tricked into overtipping when I eat out? Should I tip before or after sales tax is added?

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    Dear Quentin,

    I’ve read your previous responses to letters on tipping, and my thoughts are simple: Tipping is dependent on the service given. I won’t tip at a deli counter, but I will tip more in a diner. I see no reason to tip a deli counter person on a regular basis. The person who rings up my groceries isn’t allowed to accept tips, and they do a lot more than put a sandwich in a bag.

    As far as restaurants go, 15% is the starting point and I will go up from that as warranted. I do tend to tip a high percentage in diners. The waitstaff there are generally fabulous, deal with lower price points and a varied clientele. I feel they also suffer from customer bias where some people seem to think it’s only a diner not a fancy restaurant.

    “‘Helping others is not always through money. I volunteer my time with several charities and donate blood.’”

    The job is the same whether my meal is $10 or $100. I try to pay in cash to ensure the waitstaff is promptly getting their tip, and to ensure that the money does indeed go to the wait staff. Are we expected to tip on a total that includes credit-card charges? What’s more, helping others is not always through money. I volunteer my time with several charities and donate blood.

    What troubles me is that throughout the New York City metro area, tipping recommendations in restaurants are based on faulty calculations. My friends and I all agree that tips are supposed to be based on the price of the meal — that is the subtotal or pre-tax figure. Restaurants frequently encourage people to tip on the final amount. 

    A Fair Tipper

    Related: I’m sick and tired of tipping 20% every time I eat out. Is it ever OK to tip less? Or am I a cheapskate? 

    Dear Fair,

    Yes, yes, yes, and yes. 

    Yes, wait staff in diners work as hard as any restaurant worker, and they deserve whatever your optimum tip — 15% or 20% — and as much as you would tip in a white-tablecloth restaurant. Yes, consumers should not be expected to tip in a deli — unless you have a good relationship with the staff, and you tip occasionally for goodwill. If you choose to “skip” the charity donation in a pharmacy, that’s OK too. Yes, donations and tips are increasingly being conflated, and that’s not always a good thing. We should be comfortable with the charity and 100% sure that the donation is going to the charity in question. 

    And your main point: Yes, tipping on the subtotal before tax and before credit-card charges is absolutely fair, although a lot of people — especially when calculating the tip among friends — tip on the after-tax total. Why? Perhaps we don’t want to be seen splitting hairs over the tax among friends and/or in front of a service worker who has given us exemplary service. Calculating tips is often done under pressure, and no one likes to be seen as a cheapskate. I almost always tip on the total amount, knowing that the sales tax is included, primarily because I figure that extra $1 or more is going to the person who served my table.

    My colleague, MarketWatch news editor Nicole Pesce, put together a guide for how much you should tip everyone, and who you should NOT tip. She also cited three reasons why tipping has become such a note of contention, and why it appears we are tipping more: people tipped staff more during the pandemic (they were, after all, putting their health and lives at risk with their jobs); 40-year high inflation over the last 12 months has increased the cost of everything and, as such our tips rose in tandem with prices; and, finally, digital tipping appears to be ubiquitous, and people have been suffering from tipping fatigue. 

    “‘You’re not the only one: Americans are souring on tipping.’”

    You’re not the only one with tipping fatigue, though: Americans are generally souring on tipping. A large majority (66%) of U.S. adults have a negative view about tipping, according to a poll released by the personal-finance site Bankrate last month. The bottom line: consumers feel they are being forced to compensate employees for low pay (41%) and they don’t appreciate all that digital guilt tipping (32%) and, as a result, they believe that tipping culture has gotten out of control (30%). Respondents also said they were confused about how much to tip (15%), but a small minority (a paltry 16%) said they would be willing to pay higher prices in lieu of tipping.

    People appear to be less generous with their tipping amounts, and they also appear to be tipping less often. What’s perhaps most surprising from Bankrate’s research is that only 65% of diners actually tip when they eat out (that’s down from 73% last year). After restaurants, people are most likely to tip barbers/hairdressers (53% of those polled) and food-delivery workers (50%). From thereon, only a minority of people say they tip taxi or rideshare drivers (New York City cabs, which give tipping options upon payment, may be an outlier here), hotel housekeepers, baristas and food-delivery workers.

    It’s important that we have this conversation about tipping because expectations and digital tipping methods are evolving all the time. On the one hand, people are facing higher prices and they are understandably feeling under pressure to tip. On the other hand, this conversation naturally overlaps with the working conditions and pay of service workers. Americans are tipping less than they did during the worst days of the pandemic. Service workers — along with medical personnel, bus and train drivers and first responders — were among the heroes of the pandemic. That is something I hope we never forget.

    “The person who rings up my groceries isn’t allowed to accept tips, and they do a lot more than put a sandwich in a bag,” the letter writer says.


    MarketWatch illustration

    Also read:

    ‘I respect every profession equally, but I feel like so many people look down on me for being a waitress’: Americans are tipping less. Should we step up to the plate? 

    ‘We’re very upset!’ We gave a friend $400 concert tickets and $2,000 Rangers seats, but weren’t invited to his wedding. Do we speak up?

    ‘All of these tips add up’: If a restaurant adds a 20% tip, am I obliged to pay? Should tipping not be optional? 

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