Thursday, July 21, 2022

Tokens.com Corp. (SMURF)
Hulk Labs is Getting Stronger

Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded company that invests in Web3 assets and businesses focused on the Metaverse, NFTs, DeFi, and gaming based digital assets. Tokens.com is the majority owner of Metaverse Group, one of the world’s first virtual real estate companies. Hulk Labs, a wholly-owned Tokens.com subsidiary, focuses on investing in play-to-earn revenue generating gaming tokens and NFTs. Additionally, Tokens.com owns and stakes crypto assets to earn additional tokens. Through its growing digital assets and NFTs, Tokens.com provides public market investors with a simple and secure way to gain exposure to Web3.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

New Financing. Tokens.com’s management announced subsidiary Hulk Labs has completed a strategic financing round led by DV Investment Management. The total amount for the round was $750,000, with the pre-money valuation for Hulk Labs being at $8 million, according to management. The Company is participating in the round and will continue to own over 90% of the subsidiary. DV Investment Management represented themselves in the financing round.

Who is DV Investment Management? DV Investment Management is an affiliate of the DV Group of financial services companies, and serves as an independent proprietary trading firm. DV Group affiliates include two broker-dealers, a cryptocurrency market making firm, and a bourgeoning investment adviser….

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Growth Of Direct Digital Holdings’ Colossus SSP Reflects Strong Results Generated For Multicultural And General Market Publishers and Leading Brands

Research, News, and Market Data on Direct Digital Holdings

SSP Kicked Off
2022 With Significant Revenue Growth – Q1 2021 vs Q1 2022 Marks 540% Upswing –
Driven by Diverse Marketplace Approach & Opportunity for Marketers to
Invest in Under-Represented Communities

HOUSTON, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) announced today that its supply-side advertising platform, Colossus SSP, had a strong first quarter, with comparisons between Q1 2021 to Q1 2022 showing a 540 percent surge in revenue. This uptick comes on the heels of year-over-year revenue growing by 330 percent between 2020 and 2021, as well as a triple digit increase the previous year, with the platform’s revenue rising by 235 percent between 2019 and 2020. Leadership credits the dramatic growth to the company’s commitment to normalize diversity in the field of programmatic advertising – delivering multicultural and general market audiences at scale. In addition, it points to several brands living up to their promises to support under-represented communities in their media buys.

“Colossus SSP’s approach has always been one of inclusivity, bringing together a diverse set of audiences – Black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ, and more – alongside general market, to serve as a one-stop-shop for advertisers who want to reach a cross-section of consumers,” said Lashawnda Goffin, CEO, Colossus SSP. “Not only has this allowed savvy marketers the opportunity to reach a vibrant range of consumers, but it has helped them increase investment in minority-owned media properties that have often been left out of the programmatic mix. Moreover, by putting their budgets to work to support multicultural voices, these brands are seeing remarkable results in meeting critical KPIs.”

The number of brands and media agencies tapping into Colossus SSP’s inclusive audience approach rose by 87 percent comparing Q1 2021 to Q1 2022, with clients such as Bayer, HP, and the NBA coming on board.

“At Bayer, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible, and that we have a responsibility to make our vision of Health for All, Hunger for None a reality,” said Gary Guarnaccia, Head of Platform & Publisher Investment, Bayer Consumer Health, North America. “Partnering with Colossus SSP and their growing marketplace of diverse content and minority-owned publishers has enabled our in-house digital media buying team to expand our reach to consumers with important information about our healthcare products and brands, such as Aleve, Midol and One-A-Day.”

In lockstep with demand, in Q1 2022 Colossus SSP significantly expanded its publisher inventory supply. Currently Colossus SSP makes over approximately 90 billion impressions available each month with a diverse audience marketplace that includes over 13,000 sites and apps.

Blavity Inc, a market leader for Black media, reaching over 100 million millennials per month, began working with Colossus SSP in January 2020 and over the course of the following two years saw a 7-fold increase in revenues derived from the partnership.

“Colossus SSP has proven to be a valuable partner, one that has a deep understanding of publishers – especially multicultural publishers – as well as the media and marketing landscape at large,” said Orchid Richardson, Senior Vice President of Digital, Blavity Inc. “After two years of exponential growth, we are on track to see revenues from our relationship with Colossus SSP rise at a steady clip – if not outpace.”

“Colossus SSP’s rapid growth is a testament to its distinct approach to diversity, technology and the dynamic team that Lashawnda Goffin has been able to build,” said Mark Walker, CEO, Direct Digital Holdings. “Marketers are experiencing the benefits through multiple ROI metrics and subsequently publisher partners are experiencing significant growth in revenues. It’s a win-win situation.”

About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. The holding group’s Sell-side platform Colossus SSP offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. Its operating companies Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare and travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 70,000 clients monthly, generating over 90 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app, and other media channels. The company has been named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal (“HBJ”).

About Colossus SSP
Part of Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), Colossus SSP is a leading custom supply-side platform (SSP) that delivers a diverse marketplace, enabling programmatic media buyers to connect with multicultural and general market audiences at scale. Colossus SSP’s consulting arm provides brands of all sizes with meaningful insights and actionable guidance for reaching curated audiences.  For more information, visit www.colossusmediassp.com.

 

 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/growth-of-direct-digital-holdings-colossus-ssp-reflects-strong-results-generated-for-multicultural–general-market-publishers-and-leading-brands-301590136.html

SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings

 

Digerati Technologies Provides Update on its SkyNet and NextLevel Internet Acquisitions

Research, News, and Market Data on Digerati Technologies

SAN ANTONIO, July 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) (“Digerati” or the “Company”), a provider of cloud services specializing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions for the small to medium-sized business (“SMB”) market, is pleased to provide an update on the integration of its SkyNet and NextLevel Internet acquisitions that were closed in December 2021 and February 2022 and contributed to the Company’s highest quarterly revenue in its history.

The Company is approximately six months into its integration playbook that has resulted in the following:

• Appointment of Patti Cuthill from NextLevel Internet as VP of People and Culture for the entire organization.
• Appointment of George Robyn from NextLevel Internet as VP of Engineering and DevOps for the entire organization.
• Armando Muniz, who joined the Company via the acquisition of ActivePBX in November 2020, was appointed Director of Voice Engineering for the entire organization.
• Other re-alignments throughout the organization to gain efficiencies and maximize team productivity.
• Annualized cost synergies of approximately $500K that are expected to continue contributing to OPCO EBITDA in the coming quarters.

The Company and its subsidiaries now serve over 4,000 business customers and approximately 45,000 users, with a run-rate of over $32 million in annual revenue.

As previously highlighted, some of the operating efficiencies, expected cost synergies and consolidation savings from the SkyNet and NextLevel acquisitions were realized over several months following the closing of the transactions. As a result, all of Digerati’s financial measures have steadily improved over the past several months which contributed to an increase in gross margin to 61.3% and improvement in non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) to $0.969 million for the three months ended April 30, 2022. The Company continues to execute on its integration playbook and expects additional cost synergies over the next two to three quarters.

In addition, NextLevel was recently awarded and certified a Great Place to Work for the third year in a row. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at NextLevel. This year, 97% of NextLevel’s employees said it is a great place to work, compared to the national average of 53%.

Arthur L. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Digerati, commented, “We are pleased with the progress on integration of both SkyNet and NextLevel since the closing of both acquisitions earlier in FY 2022. Our emphasis on the UCaaS/Cloud Communications business, which operates in a segment of the telecommunications industry that continues to experience solid growth as businesses migrate from legacy phone systems to cloud-based telephony systems, has proven to be a solid strategy. We also continue to prove that the M&A aspect of our business model works while increasing penetration in Texas and expanding west into California.”

Mr. Smith added, “I commend our team on successful execution of our integration playbook while achieving financial results that demonstrated improved margins at every operating level and a boost to our profitability.”

Recap of previously reported third quarter ended April 30, 2022:

• Revenue increased by 118% to $8.163 million compared to $3.751 million for Q3 FY2021.
• Gross profit increased 125% to $5.002 million compared to $2.225 million for Q3 FY2021.
• Gross margin increased to 61.3% compared to 59.3% for Q3 FY2021.
• Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA income was $0.557 million, excluding all non-cash items and one-time transactional expenses, compared to Adjusted EBITDA income of $0.321 million for Q3 FY2021.
• Non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) improved to income of $0.969 million, excluding corporate expenses, all non-cash items, and one-time transactional expenses, compared to a non-GAAP operating EBITDA of $0.619 million for Q3 FY2022.

Digerati expects to report its fourth quarter and fiscal year end July 31, 2022, operating and financial results the week of October 24, 2022.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measurements

The Company believes that EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) is useful to investors because it is commonly used in the cloud communications industry to evaluate companies on the basis of operating performance and leverage. Adjusted EBITDA provides an adjusted view of EBITDA that takes into account certain significant non-recurring transactions, if any, such as impairment losses and expenses associated with pending acquisitions, which vary significantly between periods and are not recurring in nature, as well as certain recurring non-cash charges such as changes in fair value of the Company’s derivative liabilities and stock-based compensation. The Company also believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides investors with a measure of the Company’s operational and financial progress that corresponds with the measurements used by management as a basis for allocating resources and making other operating decisions. Although the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as one of several financial measures to assess its operating performance, its use is limited as it excludes certain significant operating expenses. Non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) is useful to investors because it reflects EBITDA for the core operation of the business excluding corporate expenses, non-cash expenses and transactional expenses. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Non-GAAP operating EBITDA are not intended to represent cash flows for the periods presented, nor have they been presented as an alternative to operating income or as an indicator of operating performance and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In accordance with SEC Regulation G, the non-GAAP measurements in this press release have been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measurement, which can be viewed under the heading “Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA” in the financial table included in this press release.

About Digerati Technologies, Inc.

Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) is a provider of cloud services specializing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions for the business market. Through its operating subsidiaries NextLevel Internet (NextLevelinternet.com) T3 Communications (T3com.com), Nexogy (Nexogy.com), and SkyNet Telecom (Skynettelecom.net), the Company is meeting the global needs of small businesses seeking simple, flexible, reliable, and cost-effective communication and network solutions including, cloud PBX, cloud telephony, cloud WAN, cloud call center, cloud mobile, and the delivery of digital oxygen on its broadband network. The Company has developed a robust integration platform to fuel mergers and acquisitions in a highly fragmented market as it delivers business solutions on its carrier-grade network and Only in the Cloud™. For more information, please visit www.digerati-inc.com and follow DTGI on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future financial performance of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements such as annualized cost synergies of approximately $500K that are expected to continue contributing to OPCO EBITDA in the coming quarters and the Company expects additional cost synergies over the next 2-3 quarters, are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful execution of growth strategies, product development and acceptance, the impact of competitive services and pricing, general economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Facebook: Digerati Technologies, Inc.

Twitter: @DIGERATI_IR LinkedIn: Digerati Technologies, Inc.

Investors:

The Eversull Group
Jack Eversull
jack@theeversullgroup.com
(972) 571-1624

ClearThink
Brian Loper
bloper@clearthink.capital
(347) 413-4234

 

Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA
DIGERATI TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)
		Three months ended April 30,									Nine months ended April 30,
			2022					2021				2022					2021
OPERATING REVENUES:
Cloud software and service revenue		$	8,163				$	3,751			$	15,959				$	8,629
Total operating revenues			8,163					3,751				15,959					8,629
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)			3,161					1,526				6,203					3,708
Selling, general and administrative expense			4,296					1,993				8,211					4,969
Legal and professional fees			756					204				2,505					717
Bad debt			36					5				51					9
Depreciation and amortization expense			1,540					611				2,514					1,204
Total operating expenses			9,789					4,339				19,484					10,607
OPERATING LOSS			(1,626	)				(588	)			(3,525	)				(1,978	)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments			6,827					(10,878	)			7,835					(10,860	)
Loss on extinguishment of debt			–					–				(5,480	)				–
Gain on settlement of debt			–					150				–					347
Income tax benefit (expense)			(167	)				(63	)			(285	)				(122	)
Other income (expense)			2					–				–					–
Interest expense			(1,676	)				(1,577	)			(4,563	)				(3,079	)
Total other income (expense)			4,986					(12,368	)			(2,493	)				(13,714	)
NET INCOME (LOSS) INCLUDING NONCONTROLLING INTEREST			3,360					(12,956	)			(6,018	)				(15,692	)
Less: Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests			546					158				1,306					223
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO DIGERATI’S SHAREHOLDERS			3,906					(12,798	)			(4,712	)				(15,469	)
Deemed dividend on Series A Convertible preferred stock			(4	)				(5	)			(14	)				(15	)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO DIGERATI’S COMMON SHAREHOLDERS		$	3,902				$	(12,803	)		$	(4,726	)			$	(15,484	)
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE – BASIC		$	0.03				$	(0.09	)		$	(0.03	)			$	(0.12	)
LOSS PER COMMON SHARE – DILUTED		$	(0.01	)			$	(0.09	)		$	(0.03	)			$	(0.12	)
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING – BASIC			139,751,107					136,719,871				139,285,833					126,524,312
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING – DILUTED			254,167,793					136,719,871				139,285,833					126,524,312
See notes to consolidated unaudited financial statements
Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA – OPCO, Net of Non-cash expenses & Transactional Costs.
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO DIGERATI’S SHAREHOLDERS, as reported		$	3,906				$	(12,798	)		$	(4,712	)			$	(15,469	)
EXCLUDING NON-CASH ITEMS TRANSACTIONAL COSTS & CORP EXP
ADJUSTMENTS:
Stock compensation & warrant expense			28					183				75					906
Corp Expenses (Net of stock compensation & Transactional cost)			412					298				1,169					682
Legal and professional fees – transactional costs			579					110				1,968					488
Depreciation and amortization expense			1,540					611				2,514					1,204
Bad Debt			36					5				51					9
OTHER ADJUSTMENTS
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments			(6,827	)				10,878				(7,835	)				10,860
Loss on extinguishment of debt			–					–				5,480					–
Gain (loss) on settlement of debt			–					(150	)			–					(347	)
Other income (expense)			(2	)				–				–					–
Interest expense			1,676					1,577				4,563					3,079
Income tax			167					63				285					122
Less: Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest			(546	)				(158	)			(1,306	)				(223	)
ADJUSTED EBITDA – OPCO		$	969				$	619			$	2,252				$	1,311
ADD-BACKS Expenses
Corp Expenses net of stock compensation & Transactional cost			412					298				1,169					682
ADJUSTED EBITDA – INCOME		$	557				$	321			$	1,083				$	629

 

 

Voyager Digital Provides Update on Listing of its Shares

Research, News, and Market Data on Voyager Digital

NEW YORK, July 15, 2022 /CNW/ – Voyager Digital Ltd. (“Voyager” or the “Company”) (TSX: VOYG) (OTC: VYGVQ) (FRA: UCD) today announced that common shares of the Company have resumed trading on the OTC Pink Sheets under the new ticker symbol “VYGVQ.” Due to the Company’s July 5, 2022, bankruptcy filing, Voyager no longer qualifies to trade on OTCQX International.  

Trading of the Company’s common shares on the OTC was initially halted on July 7, 2022, when Voyager notified the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) that the Company would voluntarily delist its common shares from the TSX. The Company took this action in response to a notification from the TSX that the TSX would review the eligibility of the Company’s common shares for continued listing on TSX as a result of the Company and its main operating subsidiaries filing voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York.

The resumption of trading on the OTC Pink Sheets and the voluntary delisting of the Company’s common shares on the TSX have no impact on the Company’s continued business operations.

Additional information regarding the ticker symbol change can be found at www.otcmarkets.com/stock/VYGVQ/security.

Parties with questions about the chapter 11 process may contact the Company’s Claims Agent, Stretto, at +1 (855) 473-8665 (toll-free in the U.S.) or +1 (949) 271-6507 (for parties outside the U.S.). They have also set up a website at 
http://cases.stretto.com/Voyager, which includes court documents and other information.

About Voyager Digital
Ltd.

Voyager Digital Ltd.’s (TSX: VOYG) (OTC Pink: VYGVQ) (FRA: UCD) US subsidiary, Voyager Digital, LLC, is a cryptocurrency platform in the United States founded in 2018 to bring choice, transparency, and cost-efficiency to the marketplace. Voyager offers a secure way to trade over 100 different crypto assets using its easy-to-use mobile application. Through its subsidiary Coinify ApS, Voyager provides crypto payment solutions for both consumers and merchants around the globe. To learn more about the company, please visit https://www.investvoyager.com.

Forward
Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the restructuring process, the restructuring Plan, available remedies for recovery from 3AC, intended filings as part of the restructuring process, resumption of account access, return of value to customers, the ability of Voyager to continue as a going concern, exploration of strategic alternatives, discussions with third parties in respect of strategic alternatives and the results of those discussions, the temporary nature of the suspension of the platform, future growth and performance of the business, the exploration of strategic alternatives, future adoption of digital assets, anticipated trends and challenges in our business and industry, the regulation of digital assets offerings, the impact of the 3AC default on the Company, the Company’s liquidity and ability to satisfy customer orders and withdrawals and the Company’s anticipated results may constitute forward looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements), which can be identified by the use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue” or “believe” (or the negatives) or other similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Voyager’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any of its future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. It is uncertain as to the timing or results of the restructuring process or the terms of the final restructuring plan, when account access will resume, the value to be returned to customers, what amount Voyager will be able to recover from 3AC for non-payment or the legal remedies available to Voyager in connection with such non-payment or the impact on the future business, cash flows, liquidity and prospects of Voyager as a result of 3AC’s non-payment. Forward looking statements are subject to the risk that the global economy, industry, or the Company’s businesses and investments do not perform as anticipated, that revenue or expenses estimates may not be met or may be materially less or more than those anticipated, that parties to whom the Company lends assets are able to repay such loans in full and in a timely manner, that trading momentum does not continue or the demand for trading solutions declines, customer acquisition does not increase as planned, product and international expansion do not occur as planned, risks of compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to the business and those other risks contained in the Company’s public filings, including in its Management Discussion and Analysis and its Annual Information Form (AIF). Factors that could cause actual results of the Company and its businesses to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the results of the restructuring process and the terms of the restructuring plan, if such a plan is ultimately agreed to, the results from the exploration of strategic alternatives, the inability to resume trading, deposits, withdrawals and rewards on the platform in a timely manner, an inability to drawdown under the credit facility or access other sources of financing, an increase in customer demands for withdrawals from the platform, any insolvency or similar proceedings with respect to 3AC, our ability to find a strategic alternative, a decline in the digital asset market or general economic conditions; changes in laws or approaches to regulation, the failure or delay in the adoption of digital assets and the blockchain ecosystem by institutions; changes in the volatility of crypto currency, changes in demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum, changes in the status or classification of cryptocurrency assets, cybersecurity breaches, a delay or failure in developing infrastructure for the trading businesses or achieving mandates and gaining traction; failure to grow assets under management, an adverse development with respect to an issuer or party to the transaction or failure to obtain a required regulatory approval. Readers are cautioned that Assets on Platform and trading volumes fluctuate and may increase and decrease from time to time and that such fluctuations are beyond the Company’s control. Forward-looking statements, past and present performance and trends are not guarantees of future performance, accordingly, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, current or past performance, or current or past trends. Information identifying assumptions, risks, and uncertainties relating to the Company are contained in its filings with the Canadian securities regulators available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements in this press release are applicable only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the relevant forward-looking statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after that date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. The Company assumes no obligation to provide operational updates, except as required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Readers are cautioned that past performance is not indicative of future performance. There is no assurance that the funds available under the loan agreement will be available or, even if available will, together with any other assets of Voyager be sufficient to safeguard assets.

The TSX
has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.

Press
Contacts

Voyager
Digital, Ltd.

Voyager Public Relations Team
pr@investvoyager.com

SOURCE Voyager Digital Ltd.

Noble Capital Markets Initiates Equity Research Coverage on Direct Digital Holdings

Research, News, and Market Data on Direct Digital Holdings

HOUSTON, July 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform, is pleased to announce that Noble Capital Markets has initiated company-sponsored equity research coverage on the Company. The full report by Noble Capital Markets Senior Research Analyst Michael Kupinski, as well as news and advanced market data on Direct Digital Holdings, is available on Channelchek.

About Direct Digital
Holdings

Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. The holding group’s sell-side platform Colossus SSP offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. Its operating companies Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare and travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 70,000 clients monthly, generating over 90 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels. The company has been named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal (“HBJ”).

About Noble Capital
Markets

Noble Capital Markets, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 as a full-service SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer, dedicated exclusively to serving underfollowed small / microcap companies through investment banking, wealth management, trading & execution, and equity research activities. Over the past 37 years, Noble has raised billions of dollars for these companies and published more than 45,000 equity research reports. www.noblecapitalmarkets.com email: contact@noblecapitalmarkets.com

About Channelchek

Channelchek (.com) is a comprehensive investor-centric portal – featuring more than 6,000 emerging growth companies – that provides advanced market data, independent research, balanced news, video webcasts, exclusive c-suite interviews and access to virtual road shows. The site is available to the public at every level without cost or obligation. Research on Channelchek is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., an SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer since 1984. 
www.channelchek.com email: contact@channelchek.com

 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/noble-capital-markets-initiates-equity-research-coverage-on-direct-digital-holdings-301587228.html

SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings

 

Friday, July 15, 2022

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies (TAALF)
Getting More Machines

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. delivers value-added blockchain services, providing professional-grade, highly scalable blockchain infrastructure and transactional platforms to support businesses building solutions and applications upon the BitcoinSV platform, and developing, operating, and managing distributed computing systems for enterprise users.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

More Machines. On Wednesday, TAAL’s management announced that the Company will be acquiring 968 Bitmain S19J Pro machines that will be housed in a New Mexico facility and use immersion cooling to optimize performance. The majority of the facility will be powered by non-carbon emitting solar energy, and the machines will immediately begin to hash upon agreement inception. For processing power, the machines will give TAAL an additional 100 petahash/second.

New Brunswick Facility. The New Mexico facility is acting as a test bed ahead of final design plans for the Company’s flagship 50MW site in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, which is due to come online in 2023. Recall, the Company closed on the 60,000 square foot facility in December of 2021 and is expected to have a mining capacity of 2 exahash alone. Once online, we expect the facility to be a major impact towards the Company’s top line and be a big leap for TAAL moving forward….

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Friday, July 15, 2022

Tokens.com Corp. (SMURF)
Another Play-to-Earn Acquisition

Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded company that invests in Web3 assets and businesses focused on the Metaverse, NFTs, DeFi, and gaming based digital assets. Tokens.com is the majority owner of Metaverse Group, one of the world’s first virtual real estate companies. Hulk Labs, a wholly-owned Tokens.com subsidiary, focuses on investing in play-to-earn revenue generating gaming tokens and NFTs. Additionally, Tokens.com owns and stakes crypto assets to earn additional tokens. Through its growing digital assets and NFTs, Tokens.com provides public market investors with a simple and secure way to gain exposure to Web3.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

A New Acquisition. Tokens.com management announced yesterday the acquisition of play-to-earn company Playte Group, which will be integrated into Tokens.com subsidiary, Hulk Labs. In the acquisition, the Company will be issuing one million shares, or around CAD$400,000, with the Playte team being eligible for additional shares based on meeting various performance-based milestones.

What is Playte Group? Playte Group is a development entity that builds and manages play-to-earn ecosystems, along with building tools in play-to-earn games such as Axie Infinity. Playte Group also is in the process of building a network that consists of 1,000+ players in Africa, primarily in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).…

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

TAAL Completes Agreement To Bring 100 PH-S Of Computing Power Online

Research, News, and Market Data on TAAL

FIRST IMMERSION COOLING DEPLOYMENT

TORONTO, July 13, 2022 /CNW/ – TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. (CSE:TAAL) (FWB:9SQ1) (OTC:TAALF) (“TAAL” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated blockchain infrastructure and service provider for enterprise, announces its wholly owned operating subsidiary has entered into an agreement to acquire 968 Bitmain S19J Pro machines and host them with a subsidiary of LUXXFOLIO Holdings Inc. at a facility in New Mexico, representing an immediate increase of 100 petahash/s (“PH/s”) of additional computing power. The machines will be immersion cooled and represent a first full immersion deployment and acts as a test bed ahead of final design plans for TAAL’s flagship 50MW site in Grand Falls, New Brunswick which will come online during 2023. Details of the agreement include:

• 968 Bitmain S19J Pro machines immediately hashing upon agreement inception
• Miners will use immersion cooling to optimize performance
• The machines come with a one-year warranty and will be hosted in a facility located in New Mexico powered by majority non-carbon emitting solar energy
• Total of 100 Petahash/second
• TAAL can mine across all three SHA-256 based blockchain networks – Bitcoin Core (”
  BTC“), BitcoinSV (“BSV“), Bitcoin Cash (”
  BCH“) – switching chains economically and dynamically to optimize yield.

“With this additional capacity we continue to execute on our network rebalancing program and diversification strategy and build robustness across our mining fleet,” said Richard Baker, CEO of TAAL. “With this deployment our mining hash centre operations are in three diversified locations in North America and underpin our long-term objective of building out the transaction infrastructure of the future. We remain focussed on our goal of reaching 2 EH/s of hash power at full deployment.”

About LUXXFOLIO

LUXXFOLIO Holdings Inc. is a publicly traded, vertically integrated digital asset company based in Canada. It operates an industrial scale cryptocurrency mining facility in the United States powered predominately by renewable energy with a focus on the blockchain ecosystem and generation of digital assets. LUXXFOLIO provides a liquid alternative for exposure to digital assets for the broader capital markets.

About TAAL Distributed
Information Technologies Inc.

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. delivers value-added blockchain services, providing professional-grade, highly scalable blockchain infrastructure and transactional platforms to support businesses building solutions and applications on the BSV platform, and developing, operating, and managing distributed computing systems for enterprise users. BitcoinSV Blockchain is the world’s largest public blockchain by all major utility metrics, data storage, daily transaction volume, scaling ability, and average block size.

For more information please visit – www.taal.com/investors

The
CSE, nor its Regulation Services Provider, accepts no responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words “will”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information will contain these identifying words. Specific forward-looking information contained in this news release includes but is not limited to statements regarding: the type, number and performance of machines that have been acquired, TAAL’s future computing power and capacity; development plans and redeployment of activities in North America, geopolitical risks to operations and TAAL’s business and strategic plans. These statements are based on factors and assumptions related to historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Since forward-looking information relates to future events and conditions, by its very nature it requires making assumptions and involves inherent risks and uncertainties. TAAL cautions that although it is believed that the assumptions are reasonable in the circumstances, these risks and uncertainties give rise to the possibility that actual results may differ materially from expectations. Material risk factors include the future acceptance of Bitcoin SV and other digital assets and risks related to information processing using those platforms, the ability for TAAL to leverage intellectual property into viable income streams and other risks set out in TAAL’s Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2022, under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in TAAL’s continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Given these risks, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information contained herein. Other than as required by law, TAAL undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise.

SOURCE Taal Distributed Information Technologies Inc.

For further information: Media and Investor Contact, TAAL, Richard Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Office: (437) 826-8889, Richard.Baker@taal.com; Sophic Capital, Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations, Office: (437) 826-8889, Sean@SophicCapital.com

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies (TAALF)
More Power Means More Mining

TAAL Distributed Information Technologies Inc. delivers value-added blockchain services, providing professional-grade, highly scalable blockchain infrastructure and transactional platforms to support businesses building solutions and applications upon the BitcoinSV platform, and developing, operating, and managing distributed computing systems for enterprise users.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Going Nuclear. TAAL’s management announced yesterday that the Company has entered into a hosting agreement with Lake Parime USA Inc. to provide data center infrastructure and site origination for transforming low-value energy into computing power. The nuclear energy facility, located in Ohio, will host 3,000 S19J Pro bitcoin mining units by the end of September 2022. We view this agreement as a positive development due to higher top-line revenue through adding power for increased mining, along with taking steps in the Company’s risk management, as TAAL is continuing to operate 340 petahash in Siberia, Russia.

Moving Towards the Goal. The facility will have a capacity of 300 petahash/second, and adding TAAL’s current processing power of 550 petahash, gives the Company a total processing power of 850 petahash once all 3,000 units are online (this is not including the machines ordered in the third quarter of 2022). TAAL’s agreement also progresses the Company towards the goal of 2 exahash/second (or equivalent to 2000 petahash) at full deployment. We expect the Company to be near 1 exahash by year-end….

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

ISG to Announce Second-Quarter Financial Results

Research, News, and Market Data on Information Services Group

7/11/2022

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: 
III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, said today it will release its second-quarter financial results on Monday, August 8, 2022, at approximately 6:30 a.m., U.S. Eastern Time.

The firm will host a conference call with investors and industry analysts at 9 a.m., U.S. Eastern Time, the same day. Dial-in details are as follows:

• The dial-in number for U.S. participants is 1-800-304-0389;
• International participants should call +1 313-209-5140;
• The security code to access the call is 7515883.

Participants are requested to dial in at least five minutes before the scheduled start time.

A recording of the conference call will be accessible on ISG’s website (www.isg-one.com) for approximately four weeks following the call.

About
ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 800 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

Source: Information Services Group, Inc.

Direct Digital Holdings to Report Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Research, News, and Market Data on Direct Digital Holdings

HOUSTON, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform, will report financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, on Thursday, August 11, 2022 after the U.S. stock market closes. Management will host a conference call and webcast on the same day at 5:00 P.M. ET to discuss the results.

The live webcast and replay can be accessed at https://ir.directdigitalholdings.com/.

About Direct
Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) brings state-of-the-art supply- and demand-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. The holding group’s supply-side platform Colossus SSP offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. Its operating companies Huddled Masses LLC and Orange142, LLC deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare and travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ buy-side solution manages over 200 clients daily, and the sell-side solution serves over 80,000 advertisers generating over 70+ billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app, and other media channels.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/direct-digital-holdings-to-report-second-quarter-2022-financial-results-301583274.html

SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings

Released July 11, 2022

 

Voyager Digital Ltd. Provides Update on Listing of its Shares

Research, News, and Market Data on Voyager Digital

NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Voyager Digital Ltd. (“Voyager” or the “Company”) (TSX: VOYG) (OTC Pink: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2), today announced that it has given notice to the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) that the Company will voluntarily delist its common shares from the TSX. This action is being taken by the Company in response to the TSX notifying the Company that the TSX would be conducting a review of the eligibility for continued listing on TSX of the Company’s common shares as a result of the Company and its main operating subsidiaries filing voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York.

Due to this review, trading in Voyager shares has been suspended by the TSX. Voyager has also been notified that, due to its bankruptcy filing, the Company no longer qualifies for the OTCQX International. Effective today, shares will trade on the OTC Pink Sheets. However, due to the TSX trading halt and delisting review, shares are also halted on the OTC.

The Company plans to apply to the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) to transition the trading of its common shares from the TSX to the CSE. While the Company expects that trading in its shares will transition from the TSX to the CSE, there is no guarantee that the CSE will approve the trading in the Company’s shares or that such transition will occur.

Parties with questions about the chapter 11 process may contact the Company’s Claims Agent, Stretto, at +1 (855) 473-8665 (toll-free in the U.S.) or +1 (949) 271-6507 (for parties outside the U.S.). They have also set up a website at 
http://cases.stretto.com/Voyager, which includes court documents and other information.

About
Voyager Digital Ltd.

Voyager Digital Ltd.’s (TSX: VOYG) (OTC Pink: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2) US subsidiary, Voyager Digital, LLC, is a cryptocurrency platform in the United States founded in 2018 to bring choice, transparency, and cost-efficiency to the marketplace. Voyager offers a secure way to trade over 100 different crypto assets using its easy-to-use mobile application. Through its subsidiary Coinify ApS, Voyager provides crypto payment solutions for both consumers and merchants around the globe. To learn more about the company, please visit https://www.investvoyager.com.

Forward
Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the intend to file an application to list the common shares on the CSE and the listing of such shares on the CSE, restructuring process, the restructuring Plan, available remedies for recovery from 3AC, intended filings as part of the restructuring process, resumption of account access, return of value to customers, the ability of Voyager to continue as a going concern, exploration of strategic alternatives, discussions with third parties in respect of strategic alternatives and the results of those discussions, the temporary nature of the suspension of the platform, future growth and performance of the business, the exploration of strategic alternatives, future adoption of digital assets, anticipated trends and challenges in our business and industry, the regulation of digital assets offerings, the impact of the 3AC default on the Company, the Company’s liquidity and ability to satisfy customer orders and withdrawals and the Company’s anticipated results may constitute forward looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements), which can be identified by the use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue” or “believe” (or the negatives) or other similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Voyager’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any of its future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. It is uncertain as to the timing or approval of any listing application with the CSE,  timing or results of the restructuring process or the terms of the final restructuring plan, when account access will resume, the value to be returned to customers, what amount Voyager will be able to recover from 3AC for non-payment or the legal remedies available to Voyager in connection with such non-payment or the impact on the future business, cash flows, liquidity and prospects of Voyager as a result of 3AC’s non-payment. Forward looking statements are subject to the risk that the global economy, industry, or the Company’s businesses and investments do not perform as anticipated, that revenue or expenses estimates may not be met or may be materially less or more than those anticipated, that parties to whom the Company lends assets are able to repay such loans in full and in a timely manner, that trading momentum does not continue or the demand for trading solutions declines, customer acquisition does not increase as planned, product and international expansion do not occur as planned, risks of compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to the business and those other risks contained in the Company’s public filings, including in its Management Discussion and Analysis and its Annual Information Form (AIF). Factors that could cause actual results of the Company and its businesses to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the results of the restructuring process and the terms of the restructuring plan, if such a plan is ultimately agreed to, the results from the exploration of strategic alternatives, the inability to resume trading, deposits, withdrawals and rewards on the platform in a timely manner, an inability to drawdown under the credit facility or access other sources of financing, an increase in customer demands for withdrawals from the platform, any insolvency or similar proceedings with respect to 3AC, our ability to find a strategic alternative, a decline in the digital asset market or general economic conditions; changes in laws or approaches to regulation, the failure or delay in the adoption of digital assets and the blockchain ecosystem by institutions; changes in the volatility of crypto currency, changes in demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum, changes in the status or classification of cryptocurrency assets, cybersecurity breaches, a delay or failure in developing infrastructure for the trading businesses or achieving mandates and gaining traction; failure to grow assets under management, an adverse development with respect to an issuer or party to the transaction or failure to obtain a required regulatory approval. Readers are cautioned that Assets on Platform and trading volumes fluctuate and may increase and decrease from time to time and that such fluctuations are beyond the Company’s control. Forward-looking statements, past and present performance and trends are not guarantees of future performance, accordingly, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, current or past performance, or current or past trends. Information identifying assumptions, risks, and uncertainties relating to the Company are contained in its filings with the Canadian securities regulators available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements in this press release are applicable only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the relevant forward-looking statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after that date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. The Company assumes no obligation to provide operational updates, except as required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Readers are cautioned that past performance is not indicative of future performance. There is no assurance that the funds available under the loan agreement will be available or, even if available will, together with any other assets of Voyager be sufficient to safeguard assets.

The TSX
has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.

SOURCE Voyager Digital Ltd.

Press
Contacts
Voyager Digital, Ltd.

Voyager Public Relations Team
pr@investvoyager.com

SOURCE Voyager Digital Ltd.

Image Credit: Kristina D.C. Hoeppner (Flickr)

Browser Cookies Make People More Cautious Online, Study Finds

Website cookies are online surveillance tools, and the commercial and government entities that use them would prefer people not read those notifications too closely. People who do read the notifications carefully will find that they have the option to say no to some or all cookies.

The problem is, without careful attention those notifications become an annoyance and a subtle reminder that your online activity can be tracked.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by and represents the research-based opinions of Elizabeth Stoycheff, Associate Professor of Communication, Wayne State University.

As a researcher who studies online surveillance, I’ve found that failing to read the notifications thoroughly can lead to negative emotions and affect what people do online.

How Cookies Work

Browser cookies are not new. They were developed in 1994 by a Netscape programmer in order to optimize browsing experiences by exchanging users’ data with specific websites. These small text files allowed websites to remember your passwords for easier logins and keep items in your virtual shopping cart for later purchases.

But over the past three decades, cookies have evolved to track users across websites and devices. This is how items in your Amazon shopping cart on your phone can be used to tailor the ads you see on Hulu and Twitter on your laptop. One study found that 35 of 50 popular websites use website cookies illegally.

European regulations require websites to receive your permission before using cookies. You can avoid this type of third-party tracking with website cookies by carefully reading platforms’ privacy policies and opting out of cookies, but people generally aren’t doing that.

One study found that, on average, internet users spend just 13 seconds reading a website’s terms of service statements before they consent to cookies and other outrageous terms, such as, as the study included, exchanging their first-born child for service on the platform.

These terms-of-service provisions are cumbersome and intended to create friction.

Friction is a technique used to slow down internet users, either to maintain governmental control or reduce customer service loads. Autocratic governments that want to maintain control via state surveillance without jeopardizing their public legitimacy frequently use this technique. Friction involves building frustrating experiences into website and app design so that users who are trying to avoid monitoring or censorship become so inconvenienced that they ultimately give up.

How Cookies Affect You

My newest research sought to understand how website cookie notifications are used in the U.S. to create friction and influence user behavior.

To do this research, I looked to the concept of mindless compliance, an idea made infamous by Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram. Milgram’s experiments – now considered a radical breach of research ethics – asked participants to administer electric shocks to fellow study takers in order to test obedience to authority.

Milgram’s research demonstrated that people often consent to a request by authority without first deliberating on whether it’s the right thing to do. In a much more routine case, I suspected this is also what was happening with website cookies.

I conducted a large, nationally representative experiment that presented users with a boilerplate browser cookie pop-up message, similar to one you may have encountered on your way to read this article.

I evaluated whether the cookie message triggered an emotional response – either anger or fear, which are both expected responses to online friction. And then I assessed how these cookie notifications influenced internet users’ willingness to express themselves online.

Online expression is central to democratic life, and various types of internet monitoring are known to suppress it.

The results showed that cookie notifications triggered strong feelings of anger and fear, suggesting that website cookies are no longer perceived as the helpful online tool they were designed to be. Instead, they are a hindrance to accessing information and making informed choices about one’s privacy permissions.

And, as suspected, cookie notifications also reduced people’s stated desire to express opinions, search for information and go against the status quo.

Cookie Solutions

Legislation regulating cookie notifications like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation  and California Consumer Privacy Act were designed with the public in mind. But notification of online tracking is creating an unintentional boomerang effect.

There are three design choices that could help. First, making consent to cookies more mindful, so people are more aware of which data will be collected and how it will be used. This will involve changing the default of website cookies from opt-out to opt-in so that people who want to use cookies to improve their experience can voluntarily do so.

Second, cookie permissions change regularly, and what data is being requested and how it will be used should be front and center.

And third, U.S. internet users should possess the right to be forgotten, or the right to remove online information about themselves that is harmful or not used for its original intent, including the data collected by tracking cookies. This is a provision granted in the General Data Protection Regulation but does not extend to U.S. internet users.

In the meantime, I recommend that people read the terms and conditions of cookie use and accept only what’s necessary.

Suggested Content

Will a Third Mandate be Added to the Fed’s Challenges?

What Investors Haven’t Yet Noticed About the Value in Some Biotechs

Food Costs, Empty Shelves, and Real Estate Prices Could Provide Investors With Opportunities

Where are Consumers Most Likely to Spend Their Leisure Budget?

 

Stay up to date. Follow us: