Snippings

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And in a 2023 survey of 2,000 American travelers, 38% of Gen Z and millennial respondents said they preferred a traditional travel agent over online booking.

From: Travel Agents Are Back. and Gen Z, Millennials Love Them. – Business Insider.

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Wallets on the rise: With the increasing adoption of user-held digital identity data such as Mobile Drivers’ License (mDL), and active progress on citizen-scale digital identity projects in Europe, Australia, and several others, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing more interest in supporting technologies such as verifiable credentials and digital wallets. The majority of proposals received, however, are still relatively theoretical in nature: large-scale deployments are still some way off, and for every proposal exploring the potential benefits of wallet approaches, there is another one discussing challenges to navigate and risks to mitigate. The impact both on existing systems and processes will be significant; but with the levels of interest and investment across the industry is high and the tangible progress at national scale in several regions around the world, it’s clear that practitioners need to start considering how to adapt to these new constructs.

From: 2024 Identiverse trends report: Key findings | SC Media.

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Between 5 December 2023 and 13 May 2024, Santander prevented 1,899 customers from proceeding with their Facebook Marketplace purchase, after customers admitted to not having seen the item in person that they were attempting to buy.

However, 7,950 customers were initially prevented from making a payment, but then subsequently confirmed that they had seen the item in person, meaning the payment was made. Of this group, 240 customers then went on to report that they had fallen victim to a purchase scam.

Changing your answer

During this period, 439 people in total fell victim to a scam on Facebook Marketplace, losing a total of £284,000, an average of £647 per person. Of the 439 customers who fell victim to a scam, 263 were customers who changed their answer.

From: Clamping down on Facebook Marketplace scams.

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Elon Musk diverted $500 million worth of AI processors meant for the carmaker, according to correspondence from Nvidia employees obtained by CNBC.

Instead, he sent them to his social media platform X, the report, which was published Tuesday, said.

From: Elon Musk Sent $500 Million of Nvidia Chips Intended for Tesla to X – Business Insider.

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humanoid robots were ideal for roles that require interacting with the public, such as in museums, tourist attractions, school settings and ‘companion scenarios’.

From: Inside China’s terrifying humanoid robot factory with piles of eerie silicone masks and body parts as scientists develop life-like machines ‘with emotions’ to replace workers | Daily Mail Online.

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I am not sure exactly what “companion scenarios” might be given another more recent story about 

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ROBOT ROMANCE REVEALED: Women will be having more sex with ROBOTS than men by 2025
That’s according to a professional, who also thinks robot sex will be more common than human intercourse by 2050

From: REVEALED: Women will be having more sex with ROBOTS than men by 2025 – The Sun | The Sun.

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Apple has unveiled a Tap to Cash feature that lets people send each other money simply by tapping their iPhones.

From: Apple launches Tap to Cash.

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2010

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There are more than a few apps that leverage the iPhone’s accelerometer this way, including the appropriately-named “Bump,” the billionth app downloaded from the iTunes store.

From: PayPal Fist Bumps Square | WIRED.

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2012

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Bump, the popular contact sharing app developer, today releases a new standalone iOS app called Bump Pay that lets you transfer money via PayPal to anyone in arm’s reach.

From: Bump Pay Lets You PayPal Someone With A Tap, But Only In-Person | TechCrunch.

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Even more challenging is verifying the age of younger kids, as many children typically do not have established bank accounts, credit or government-issued IDs to confirm their identity. Additionally, while there are no outright bans on collecting biometric data from children, the framework of privacy laws and regulations creates a highly complex environment for businesses. These laws require companies to navigate through numerous strict conditions and compliance measures if they choose to use biometric methods for age verification.
Another challenge recently cited by Gartner includes online platforms requiring parental consent, as many vendors that provide identity and access management solutions do not have fully formed functions to obtain parental consent. Faced with these verification complexities, it’s clear that both legislative and technological advancements are essential in protecting our minors.

From: Protecting minors and businesses – age verification for online safety | Biometric Update.

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Lowe’s is preparing to bring its Apple Vision Pro-powered kitchen design experience to its brick-and-mortar stores.

Initially launched in February for the Apple Vision Pro, which is the tech company’s mixed-reality headset, the Lowe’s Style Studio app lets viewers explore kitchen projects and design a kitchen while immersed in a virtual 3D environment, the home improvement retailer said in a Monday (June 3) press release.

In its upcoming pilot program, Lowe’s will offer this experience in stores and with the assistance of a store associate, according to the release.

From: Lowe’s Launches In-Store Mixed-Reality Experience.

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David Birch and Victoria Richardson’s Money in the Metaverse dives into the heart of the monetary system underpinning the metaverse, exploring its potential impact on business and commerce. The book unpacks complex concepts like digital assets, online identities, and spatial computing, making them understandable for both tech enthusiasts and those new to the virtual world.

One of the book’s strengths is its clear structure. Birch and Richardson establish a foundational understanding of the metaverse, then delve into the various digital assets that will fuel its economy. They create a taxonomy – a system for classifying these assets – which provides a framework for comprehending the diverse virtual goods users will encounter. This includes everything from avatar clothing to virtual land ownership.

The concept of online identity takes center stage as well. The authors propose a “tried-and-tested model” for navigating this new landscape. Understanding how we represent ourselves virtually and the security considerations involved is crucial for safe and successful participation in the metaverse.

The book shines in its exploration of the real-world business opportunities presented by the metaverse. Birch and Richardson outline how companies can leverage virtual spaces for marketing, sales, and even creating entirely new revenue streams. They don’t shy away from the challenges, however, acknowledging issues like data security and regulation that need to be addressed.

From: (4) The Money Book Circle series – Q2 2024 edition.

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Tokyo, June 3, 2024, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) and MUFG Bank, Ltd. (MUFG Bank) are partnering to develop systems to enable the use of Verifiable Credentials (VCs)1, and digital certificates. Other participating companies and organizations include, Australian Payments Plus, which provide the ID platform ConnectID3 that realizes secure and easy data distribution, National Australia Bank (NAB) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), which provide ID data for ConnectID, along with Meeco,4 Australia’s leading provider of decentralized identity technology.

From: DNP and MUFG Aiming to Commercialize Digital IDs | DNP Group.

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