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Tag: social

  • VC giant Insight Partners notifies staff and limited partners after data breach

    VC giant Insight Partners notifies staff and limited partners after data breach

    Venture capital firm Insight Partners says it has completed notifying a number of individuals, including the firm’s limited partners, whose personal information was stolen by hackers in a January data breach. 

    In a statement late last week, the company said it completed its review in August following the data breach, which it described as a “social engineering attack” without further explanation.

    According to its earlier notice, the stolen data included information about certain Insight Partners’ funds, management companies, and portfolio companies. The hackers also took banking and tax information, the company said, as well as personal information about its current and former employees and its limited partners — the typically private and unnamed investors who help provide capital to Insight’s venture funds.

    Insight Partners has so far kept details of the breach under wraps, including how many individuals had data stolen, or provided a copy of the notification it sent to those affected when asked by TechCrunch. The company has not said if it received an extortion demand from the hackers or if it paid the hackers. (It’s not uncommon for companies to face demands for payment in exchange for the hackers deleting or not publishing the stolen data.)

    Kristen Zeck, a spokesperson for Insight Partners, did not respond to emails with questions about the breach. 

    The company has more than $90 billion in assets under its management and has invested in some of the largest cybersecurity companies today, including Databricks and Wiz. 

    Insight Partners joins a handful of other venture firms in recent years to have been hacked.

    Silicon Valley venture firm Advanced Technology Ventures was hit by a ransomware attack in 2021, the same year that Sequoia Partners experienced a data breach. Both incidents allowed hackers to swipe personal information of their firms’ limited partners.

  • Guarding Children in the Digital World: Act Today for Their Safety

    EU Ministers Sound the Alarm on Digital Wellness

    When 21 ministers from 13 different EU countries got together it was less about party politics and more about the future of our online lives. They’re demanding that the digital world becomes a place where kids grow up healthy, learners thrive, and friendships actually matter.

    Here’s what the coalition is shouting from the rooftops:

    • Instant Action needed: “If we’re serious about making sure the internet nurtures people, we’ve got to act—and fast.”
    • Health First: Focus on tools that keep us physically and mentally fit.
    • Learning Without Borders: Digital spaces should be as enriching as a good classroom.
    • Real Connections Over Likes: Let’s create platforms that foster genuine relationships, not just followers.

    Think of it like a digital diet plan—excluding junk content, training raw skills, and ensuring everyone gets a balanced share of online goodness.

    What This Means for Us

    If we all get on board, the net could become a safer, smarter playground. It’s the kind of change that turns scrolling from a pastime into a productive, life‑shaping habit.

    A Call to Action

    So, next time you tap open an app or scroll through a feed, remember: behind the pixels, a group of leaders wants the web to be the best version of itself. Are you in?

    Digital Kids: Surfing Too Far, What’s the Deal?

    Why the School of Hardship is Now Online

    Kids today grow up with social media in the same tight spot as homework and family meals. It’s a tech boost for learning, creativity, and staying in touch, but the oops‑moment is it’s also a rainmaker of real‑world risk.

    Numbers that Make Your Head Spin

    • The European Commission’s 2023 report tells us a solid 1 in 3 youngsters are glued to their screens for more than three hours a day.
    • A 2024 WHO study found “problematic” social media use jumped from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022 – that’s hardly a tiny shift.

    What’s Happening Inside?

    All those glowing posts and filtered smiles aren’t just harmless scrolling. The creepy part is that these platforms are crafted to keep you hooked — think ever‑scrolling feeds, endless like‑buttons, and steaming notifications.

    Feeling Small in a Big‑Picture World

    When every snapshot looks like a life chosen by a camera, it can wind up comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. That’s why many feel inadequate and dissatisfied – like they’re in a bad reality‑TV episode where everyone else is winning.

    Beyond the Numbers: The Kids Behind the Stats

    Those overhead graphs aren’t just data points; they’re real, emotional stories of a generation that’s navigating swipes, likes, and shares without a healthy compass. They’re struggling with anxiety, depression, and even low self‑esteem – all under the watchful eyes of algorithms that love a good eyeball.

    So, next time you see a teen chasing a perfect “like” count, remember: behind that screen lives a human with emotions, fears, and hopes. Let’s help them find balance, not just endless scroll.

    What is it that we are asking for?

    Securing the Digital Playground: Europe’s Call to Action for Kids Online

    Europe has recently given us some bright ideas—think the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) push and the Digital Services Act (DSA)—but the reality on the ground is still a bit rough around the edges. Protecting our little tech‑savvy dreamers needs to rise from a policy slogan to a full‑blown societal crusade, backed by solid, enforceable moves.

    First Things First: Lock‑Down Default Privacy

    Picture a new kid on the block, trying to text strangers or get lost in endless “friend” requests. We can’t let that happen. The plan calls for:

    • Default privacy settings for kids’ accounts—no random pings from unknown users.
    • Recommender systems tuned to yours, not the algorithm’s drama. Kids choose the topics that interest them, cutting the chances of them sliding into a content rabbit hole.
    • Even a simple “mute / block” button so they can silence unwelcome voices.

    Say No to Unwanted Group Chats

    Everyone loves a good chat, but nobody wants embarrassing messages unless they ask for it. Kids should be able to:

    • Read “you’re invited” only after they give a thumbs-up.
    • Be shielded from cyberbullying that can sneak in via group invitations.

    The Big Gear: Age Verification for All

    Think of age verification as a digital guard dog. The EU’s latest draft guidelines for minors under the DSA turn it from a nice idea into a must‑have feature for every social platform. What does that do?

    • Blocks toddlers from hacking past age gates.
    • Reduces children’s exposure to harmful content.
    • Lets platform owners enforce their own terms of service more effectively.
    • Ensures EU laws on age restrictions stay firm.

    Why the Delay is Dangerous

    If we’re serious about giving kids a healthy digital playground—where learning, growth, and genuine connection bloom instead of anxiety, addiction, or danger—then we need to act now. Waiting only means letting the problem grow.

    Who’s Rallying Behind This?

    Below are the European luminaries who signed the opinion piece championing these ideas:

    • Alexander Pröll – State Secretary for Digitalisation, Austria
    • Prof Radovan Fuchs – Minister of Science, Education & Youth, Croatia
    • Damir Habijan – Minister of Justice & Digital Transformation, Croatia
    • Dr Nicodemos Damianou – Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation & Digital Policy, Cyprus
    • Caroline Stage Olsen – Minister for Digital Affairs, Denmark
    • Clara Chappaz – Minister of AI & Digital Affairs, France
    • Elisabeth Borne – Minister of National Education & Higher Education, France
    • Catherine Vautrin – Minister of Labour, Health & Families, France
    • Karin Prien – Federal Minister of Education, Family Affairs, Women & Youth, Germany
    • Dimitrios Papastergiou – Minister of Digital Governance, Greece
    • Sofia Zacharaki – Minister of Education, Religious Affairs & Sports, Greece
    • Patrick O’Donovan – Minister for Culture & Communications, Ireland
    • Prof Giuseppe Valditar – Minister for Education & Merit, Italy
    • Alessio Butti – Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of Ministers, Italy
    • Elisabeth Margue – Minister of Justice & Media Connectivity, Luxembourg
    • Claude Meisch – Minister for Children & Youth, Luxembourg
    • Tomáš Drucker – Minister of Education, Research & Youth, Slovakia
    • Ksenija Klampfer – Minister of Digital Transformation, Slovenia
    • Vinko Logaj – Minister of Education & Care, Slovenia
    • Mattias Tesfaye – Minister for Children & Education, Denmark
    • Oscar López Águeda – Minister for Digital Transformation, Spain
    • María del Pilar Alegría Continente – Minister for Education & Vocational Training, Spain

    With this collective support, Europe is ready to shift from promise to practice—building a safer, kinder digital world for its youngest citizens.

  • AI & 'The End Of Labor' Day

    AI & 'The End Of Labor' Day

    Authored by James Howard Kunstler,

    Back to School

    “We are living in what I call the 3rd Arc of American history, a period as consequential as the American Revolution and the U.S. Civil War.”

    – Gen. Michael Flynn

    Yellowed leaves were already dropping here in August with the lack of rain and tomatoes won’t turn red when the air hits the mid-forties at dawn. Summer is trying hard to end, though technically there’s almost a month left. This is the real new year, of course, not the noisy one in January with all the drunken commotion and confetti. Tomorrow, it’s back to school, back to the job, the grind, the responsibilities, the worry, the rage, the hope, the yearning, as we gyre toward cold and fire. Enjoy ye burgers and hot dogs while ye can this Labor Day.

    Anyway, the geniuses of Silicon Valley are attempting to end labor, at least any labor of the mind. A-I is coming for your job, ye middle managers, ye info manipulators, ye engineers, copy-writers, clerks, and numbers-crunchers, coming for whatever remains of the American bourgeoise. I’m telling you now: A-I will be a huge disappointment. Not only will it wreck the scaffold of our social order but, after it makes everything stupid — even worse than today — it will hallucinate so badly that anything it touches will become crazier than the Democratic Party.

    That’s not a hard goal to reach either, with literacy at about what used to be age-eight-level for over half the US population. In such a milieu, gnostic communism is sure to flourish.

    The immiseration of all becomes the greatest good for the greatest number. We’re already halfway there — though it is a pretty sure thing that the story will turn sharply. It’s not for nothing that we call this moment in history a “fourth turning.”

    One turning point might lie directly ahead. You are now in the season of financial fiascos, and boy-oh-boy are we ever set up for a humdinger. Are you following the money-bloggers? Those boys and girls are staring into the abyss staring back at them, with their hair on fire and their eyes bugging out. Just about everything is unreal and out of whack: equity markets, bond rollovers, the fun-house of shadow banking, the value of collateral (if it’s even there), the fate of currencies, perhaps even the fate of nations. France, for instance, is chattering about an imminent IMF bailout. Well, if that one goes, what do you think happens in Germany, Britain, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium . . . Western Civ, that is?

    The cliché these days is that looming financial chaos and potential economic collapse is what’s driving the EU countries to all their loose war-talk. As if. . . as if they were even marginally capable of prosecuting any sort of war except the war against their own citizens currently underway — which requires only bureaucrats declaring new restrictions on liberty, not missiles, drones, bombs, bullets, and live human troops and, most of all, some comprehensible reason to fight.

    Paranoia about Russia seeking to invade Western Europe is not a comprehensible reason to launch a war against Russia — because it’s just paranoia, political crazy, in the absence of any rational aspiration in current European governance. The Germans have tried “green” energy planning, shutting down their nuclear power plant fleet, applauding the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines. Where did that get them? I will tell you: it got them to a crashing standard-of-living. It got them to their current (maybe not-for-long) chancellor Friedrich Merz telling them last week to wave auf nimmer wiedersehen to their social welfare system, you know: cheap, subsidized medical care, free college, six-week vacations, cushy pensions. (And, meanwhile, do you mind if we spend whatever’s left of your taxes on free stuff for the hordes of third-world savages we stupidly imported into the country?)

    But then, we’re not Europe. Mr. Trump has other ideas and is trying to lead a movement for re-ordering the economy back toward the production of real goods. It’s been tough-sledding, with every half-educated federal judge attempting to nix any-and-all executive actions in that direction. Anyway, if Europe’s banking system blows (and the accessories of banking, like markets and currencies, with that), then the damage is sure to spread to America, indeed probably all over the world, and then the fourth turning will rev-up to turning and churning at full speed. What will that mean?

    A universal fall in global standards-of-living . . . the collapse of governments and sharp contraction of economies (Europe especially) . . . a period of very uncomfortable flux, how long, no one knows . . . and then the re-ordering of life that anyone with half a brain has expected, though perhaps not the way they expected. Here’s what I expect: the failure of most things organized at the giant scale: global corporations, national chain retail, distant supply-lines, and consequently the laborious, painful reconstruction of far more localized economies. I expect radical simplification of everyday life, including less high-tech, less intrusive government, irregular electric service, falling oil production, and a notable drop in population levels.

    I expect a surprising shift in social relations, including a return to divisions of labor based on gender; de-pornified courtship manners and a revival of trad mating behavior, with priorities on motherhood and child-rearing in a crisis of infertility; a revival of religious communion (already underway in America’s youngest generation); a necessary return to the ethic of personal responsibility as government support withers; and a return to swift justice, including execution for significant crimes. I expect some nations to fracture into smaller regional and ethnic units, certainly Canada, possibly even the United States.

    That’s a lot of upcoming action and, of course, it won’t all happen right away or at once, but it will get underway in earnest this fall. It’s not exactly Mr. Trump’s “Golden Age,” and surely not what a lot of people had expected in the way of a “Singularity” or a tech utopia or a unicorn nirvana. But it will have its charms and, for a while anyway, we will have to stop being stupid and crazy.

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  • Measuring Your Facebook Success Rate

    Measuring Your Facebook Success Rate

    The problem a lot of advertisers have is that they’re spread out over such an expanse of business real estate—multiple websites, multiple ad campaigns, on-location offices, employees, outsourcing, etc—that they cannot accurately gauge just how well their social media campaign is doing versus the other marketing they’re doing. Thus they need a better way to look at Facebook-specific numbers.

    How to Gauge Social Media ROI
    The first step here is to actually break your business down and to judge Facebook and the campaign you’re running on its own. You want to judge it independent of all other aspects of your business; in fact, you always want to judge these aspects separately. You could be profiting overall but still losing money on Facebook, or you could be doing incredibly well on Facebook but still losing money in other areas.

    After you break your business down and begin to look at only Facebook, you want to focus entirely on your ROI – first making sure to realize what you’re investing and where you’re investing it.

    Although your social media marketing should in no way stand alone as a campaign, it needs to be measured that way in order to ensure you’re actually receiving a return on your investment. A lot of companies invest a lot of money, so judging how well it’s paying off is incredibly important.

    You’re looking for: Overall increased sales directly attributable to Facebook; New business leads stemming from your campaign; An overall increase in business efficiency; An improvement in customer feedback and in customer engagement; Increased brand recognition amongst Facebook and better brand awareness; An increase in the traffic you specifically target; and an overall farther reach.

    In other words, you are not looking to target a dollar amount per se. While a successful Facebook campaign will most certainly give you a return on your investment, your campaign is going to be about more than an immediate return. You’re looking for an increase in your brand and an increase in the size and scope of your business.

    A successful Facebook campaign will allow your business to grow. This growth is obviously measured by more than what your initial return is.

  • Musk’s X Faces EU Fury Over Personal‑Data Advertising Practices

    The EU Has Its Eye on the Digital Services Act

    In December 2023, the European Commission opened the floodgates for an investigation into potential Digital Services Act breaches, pulling the plug on any sloppy compliance in the digital space.

    Why This Matters

    • Ensures a level playing field for all online platforms.
    • Safeguards users from hidden manipulation tactics.
    • Keeps competition healthy and fair.

    What Comes Next?

    The Commission will comb through data, host hearings, and could hand out hefty fines if anyone is found dancing around the rules.

    Keep Your Eyes On It

    This investigation is still underway, so stay tuned for new twists as the digital landscape adjusts to compliance demands.

    Elon Musk’s X Faces an EU “Red Card” Over Targeted Ads

    Nine civil‑society watchdogs (including EDRi, AI Forensics and CDT) just filed a formal complaint against X, the racy social‑media platform that’s been considered “government‑level” since late 2023. The complaint says the platform is guilty of violating the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) by using extra‑sensitive personal data to target ads.

    What the AI‑Forensics Team Found

    • Targeted Ads on Sensitive Grounds: Brands and public institutions were using X’s Ad Repository to run ads that excluded users based on political opinions, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and health conditions.
    • Case in Point: Total Energies: X let the energy giant advertise while filtering out anyone who’d searched terms tied to ecological political figures.
    • Case in Point: McDonald’s: The fast‑food chain could launch promotions that didn’t reach users who’d explored trade union chatter, antidepressants, or even suicide.

    Why This Is a Problem

    Under the DSA, platforms are prohibited from profiling users based on “special categories” of data and then targeting ads accordingly. X’s actions—by allowing advertisers to exclude or target users on the basis of such sensitive traits—constitute a clear breach.

    Calling for Justice

    The complainants urge both national Digital Services Coordinators and the European Commission to launch a formal investigation into X’s alleged misconduct.

    The EU’s Existing Scrutiny
    • December 2023: The Commission opened an inquiry into X under the DSA.
    • Last Summer: Preliminary findings revealed that X’s blue checkmarks were deceptive and that the platform fails on both transparency and accountability.
    • Response Opportunity: X had the chance to reply in writing, but the investigation is still pending.

    In short, if Musk’s platform is going to keep the “” badge on the monitor, it better clean up its digital habits or be ready for a serious run‑in with European regulators.

  • What is Mental Health? – Health Cages

    What is Mental Health? – Health Cages

    A person’s mental health includes their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It involves the individual’s ability to handle stress, relate to others, make decisions, and navigate life’s challenges. Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall Well-being, and it influences how individuals think, feel, and act.

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    Following are some topics covered here:

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    Good physical health doesn’t mean the absence of mental issues; rather, it involves the ability to cope with life’s stresses, work productively, and contribute to one’s community. Many factors can affect health, including biological factors (genetics, brain chemistry), life experiences (trauma, abuse, family history), and a person’s social and family environment.

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    There are many mental health conditions and disorders that manifest differently. These incorporate anxiety issues, depression, bipolar confusion, and schizophrenia, and that’s just the beginning. To improve mental health and overall well-being, it is crucial to seek help and support when needed. This can be achieved through therapy, counseling, medication, or other forms of intervention. As with physical health concerns, it’s important to recognize and address health issues.

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    Why is General Health Dependent on Mental Health?

    Mental and physical health are similarly significant parts of, generally speaking, well-being. For instance, discouragement expands the risk of many sorts of actual medical issues, especially enduring circumstances like diabetes, coronary illness, and stroke. Additionally, the presence of persistent circumstances can expand the risk of psychological instability.

    Early Warning Symptoms and Signs

    • Pulling away from companions, family, and associates
    • Sleeping too much or too little
    • Eating too much or too little
    • Feeling hopeless
    • Changes in Mood
    • Behavioral Changes
    • Social Withdrawal
    • Relationship Issues

    Types of Mental Health Issues

    • Panic disorder
    • Mood disorders
    • Phobias
    • OCD
    • PTSD

    Anxiety disorders 

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    Anxiety and worry about various aspects of life.

    Worry is difficult to control.

    Physical symptoms like restlessness, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.

    Panic disorder

    Recurrent and unexpected panic attacks.

    Intense fear and discomfort during attacks.

    Persistent worry about future panic attacks.

    Mood disorders

    Persistent low mood or loss of interest in activities.

    Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt.

    Changes in sleep, appetite, and energy levels.

    Difficulty concentrating and thoughts of death or suicide.

    Phobias

    Extreme and irrational fear of specific objects, situations, or activities.

    Avoidance of the phobic stimulus to prevent anxiety.

    Impact on daily functioning due to avoidance behaviors.

    OCD

    Presence of obsessions (intrusive, unwanted thoughts or urges).

    Engagement in compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts to alleviate anxiety).

    Interference with daily activities and distress caused by obsessions and compulsions.

    PTSD

    Develops after exposure to a traumatic event.

    Symptoms include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened arousal.

    Avoidance of reminders of the trauma and negative changes in mood and cognition.

    How to Manage Your Mental Health Issues

    Physical Activity

    Customary activity is connected to a further developed temperament and diminished pressure. Hold back nothing but 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.

    Healthy Eating

    Keep a decent eating regimen rich in natural products, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit the using of processed food sources, caffeine, and liquor.

    Adequate Sleep

    Focus on getting sufficient rest every evening. Lay out a loosening up sleep time routine and establish an agreeable rest climate.

    Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:

    Practice care reflection, profound breathing activities, or moderate muscle unwinding to oversee pressure and advance unwinding.

    Social Connections:

    Foster and keep up with steady connections. Invest energy with loved ones and speak transparently about your sentiments.

    FAQ’s

    Q1. What does mental health mean?

    A1. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

    Q2. Why is mental health important to talk about?

    A2. By not talking about mental health, we add to the stigma that encompasses it.

    Q3. What are mental health examples?

    A3. Mental health is all about how people think, feel, and behave. people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, that affect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

    Q4. How is mental health affecting people?

    A4. Mental health conditions can cause difficulties in all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends, and the community.

  • Digital Marketing and Events

    Digital Marketing and Events

    On Thursday 19th May Climb Online hosted its first ever event, ‘Do Digital Differently’, at London’s prestigious Brand Exchange, and fortunately we were delighted to see many faces old and new as we talked about the importance of digital marketing for business growth.
    However, like every good event, the Climb Online team worked for weeks in advance calling on our expertise in digital marketing to ensure a good turnout – with the following pointers key for success:

    Social media

    Facebook advertising
    : For very little financial output, Facebook advertising provides an excellent Return on Investment (ROI), enabling you to target and reach many more potential guests than just relying on your day to day followers to spread the word.
    It is also important to note that according to statistics one tweet has a lifespan of approximately 18 minutes, which means running a low cost social media campaign will reach further and last a lot longer!
    Hashtag: Developing your own recognisable hashtag in all pre-event promotional activity will increase guest engagement prior to and during the event, whilst providing a searchable term for you to measure the event’s success through guests’ comments and feedback.

    Email Marketing

    There is a fine line between creating a successful and engaging email marketing campaign to just filling someone’s inbox with junk. Evidently they both have very different outcomes.
    Creating a strategic email marketing campaign that uses video and innovative design to really engage your guests during the build up to your event will guarantee names on the guest list, whilst providing you with a whole new list of potential customers to engage with during and afterwards.

    Content

    Remember content is still very much King, which means you need to engage with a relevant industry sector platform or blog to help you spread the word through useful and relevant content, which perhaps provides insight into what your guests could learn or gain from attending – not forgetting the use of your own company blog!