Technology

Work-from-home more prevalent in Bay Area than rest of U.S. and world, surveys show

Bay Area white-collar workers are spending about three days a week in the office, and survey results show most companies do not plan to mandate more days in the workplace, new data show. Nearly two-thirds of office-based employees attended workplaces on three consecutive days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, according to a survey by the Bay […]

Published

5 days ago

April 26, 2025

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Bay Area white-collar workers are spending about three days a week in the office, and survey results show most companies do not plan to mandate more days in the workplace, new data show.

Nearly two-thirds of office-based employees attended workplaces on three consecutive days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, according to a survey by the Bay Area Council of 236 companies with mostly white-collar workforces.

When the council first began surveying companies about remote work, in October 2021, the average number of days in office was 2.3.

About 40% of companies responding to the February survey said they had mandated increased in-office days over the previous six months, but only 22% said they planned to boost the number over the following six months.

However, larger firms, with 1,000 or more employees, were considerably more likely to say they would add mandatory office days over the next half year, said Abby Raisz, research director at the Economic Institute of the Bay Area Council, which represents businesses including major Silicon Valley tech companies Google, Meta and Apple.

Among companies making efforts to bring workers back to offices, some ask and some tell, with differing results, Raisz said.

“Overwhelmingly we found that those that require employees to come in feel like their policy is very effective,” Raisz said. “When they request, it’s less effective.”

The data comes as local and state government return-to-work mandates spark pushback. In Oakland, unionized city workers had been ordered to work four days in offices starting in early April, but the mandate was delayed until June 2, while San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie delayed a similar four-day order from April 28 to Aug. 18, according to local media reports. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order mandating four days in the office for state workers has riled employees and a state workplace regulator.

The COVID pandemic upended working life and companies’ employment models after the outbreak pushed office-based workers to their homes, leading many to develop a strong appreciation for commute-free employment. However, as the pandemic waned, many companies backed away from remote work, with Mountain View digital-advertising giant Google in 2022 ordering most employees back to the office three days a week and others taking similar action.

Bobby Khullar of Danville works for an engineering, design and construction company in Walnut Creek that requires in-office work three or four days a week.

“It’s decent, but if I had my druthers it would definitely be working from home,” said Khullar, 50. His meetings are typically via video with clients, and there’s no real need to be in an office, he said.

“If the cameras are on, you just have to get the top half of yourself ready to go and you’re fine,” Khullar said.

A recent global survey of thousands of workers in 40 countries found that America trails only Canada in the number of people working from home.

The average number of days worked remotely in the U.S. was 1.8 in the period between November and February, slightly lower than Canada’s two days, according to the Global Survey of Working Arrangements, co-conducted by Stanford University economics professor Nick Bloom.

Those numbers reflect the “hybrid” model that has become widespread in English-speaking countries after the pandemic.

“Hybrid working from home is just so profitable for firms,” said Bloom, who collaborated on the survey with other researchers from the U.S., Europe and Mexico. “It reduces recruitment and retention costs without any productivity impact.” Mixing remote with office work is “here to stay,” Bloom concluded.

Raisz said remote work has gained and maintained traction in the Bay Area because major industries like technology involve large numbers of jobs that can be done from home. Also, many companies recognize that many employees live far from the office, with time-consuming and costly commutes, and offer flexible schedules, Raisz said. That gives workers more power to leave jobs that force them into the office more than they would like, she said.

Sharon He of San Francisco, who works for a New York-based insurance firm, helped get her auditing team exempted from a companywide order to work at least four days a week in an office.

“We couldn’t hire anybody with that policy,” said He, 31. “We need to be competitive.”

In Silicon Valley, “hybrid seems to have won out,” Bloom said by email this week. “The large majority of tech and finance firms out here are hybrid, typically having folks come into the office 2 or 3 days a week,” Bloom said. “Managers and employees are happy with this, and it seems to be sufficient days to get work done and push through on productivity. Fully remote has become pretty rare, with a few folks lingering on from the pandemic and some elite coders.”

Meanwhile, furor is growing over a March executive order by Newsom mandating four office days a week for state workers. Newsom in his order — to take effect July 1 — cited “enhanced collaboration, cohesion, creativity and communication” and better opportunities for mentorship, supervision and accountability when employees work together from the office.

But on April 17, the state Public Employment Relations Board that oversees union-related laws covering state employees issued a preliminary finding alleging Newsom’s office broke state law by failing to meet and confer with an engineers union — which filed a complaint about the order — before he issued it. The matter is to go before an administrative law judge.

And foes of the order, as of Thursday, had crowd-funded more than $16,000 to erect a billboard in Sacramento showing a laughing Newsom with the words, “Think traffic is bad now? Wait until July 1st.”

Newsom’s office referred questions to the state’s human resources department, which declined to comment.

The number of people doing their jobs from home varies widely around the world, the Global Survey of Working Arrangements found. In Latin American countries where workers were surveyed, the rate of working from home was much lower than in the U.S., with an average of one day in Mexico and 1.4 days in Brazil. Asian countries had the lowest rates, with China, Japan and South Korean workers spending on average less than one day a week remote. In India, the working-from-home average came in at 1.6 days a week.

In a January presentation to the American Economics Association, Bloom broke down working-from-home by industry, saying finance and insurance workers did the most remote work, at about 2.4 days a week, with information workers — including some tech employees — following close behind at about 2.3 days. In retail, hospitality and food services, which require many on-site workers, the average was less than one day a week.

Bloom highlighted the commuting issue that has driven much of the conflict between employees and employers, telling the economists’ group that workers save 70 minutes on average every day they do their jobs from home. Another 10 minutes a day of time savings comes from being able to work without showering, donning fresh clothing, shaving or putting on makeup, Bloom said.

Bloom also noted that remote work has hollowed out the downtowns of many U.S. cities. In the San Jose area, only about 51% of seats in offices were occupied as of April 16, and in the San Francisco area, only about 43% of space was occupied, Kastle Systems, which generates office-occupancy numbers using data from people using badges to enter their workplaces, reported this week.

“Folks selling office space are not happy,” Bloom noted.

Originally Published: April 25, 2025 at 4:12 PM PDT

Technology

Atlanta Braves Should Be Blueprint for Sports Team Ownership

If Congress has any interest in making professional sports more equitable, accountable, and less reliant on taxpayer subsidies, it should consider not penalizing the Atlanta Braves—the only MLB team that’s actually accountable to the public. A change to tax code Section 162(m) that introduces a cap on top earner salary deductions for public corporations will […]

Published

6 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A change to tax code Section 162(m) that introduces a cap on top earner salary deductions for public corporations will soon go into effect. While it doesn’t specifically target sports franchises, this cap threatens to punish the MLB’s only publicly traded team. Tax policy should instead encourage transparent and public ownership of sports franchises.

This looming change, which is set to start in 2027, would hit the Braves with a projected $19 million annual tax hike—about twice the estimated cost of signing Ronald Acuña Jr. for the 2027 season. Meanwhile, private teams owned by billionaires and hedge funds would continue deducting massive player salaries without consequence.

The new rule is isn’t just a quirk of policy drafting—it’s a case study in how well-intentioned tax reforms can end up punishing transparency and subsidizing opacity when they aren’t carefully tailored. To foster better behavior in sports ownership—from curtailing municipal stadium shakedowns to encouraging financial accountability—Congress should flip the incentives.

Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves at bat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Photographer: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Publicly traded companies answer to shareholders and quarterly earnings calls, as well as to regulators. Consequently, the Braves must file audited financials with the Securities and Exchange Commission like any other similarly situated corporation. These filings detail revenue, expenses, payroll, and any long-term obligations.

Every big decision, from signing a star player to breaking ground on a new stadium, is subject to public scrutiny. In addition to encouraging good corporate governance for professional sports teams, the filing requirements create guardrails against the use of public funding for sports venues.

Public ownership isn’t perfect, but it’s significantly more democratic and subject to oversight than the status quo. When a public team proposes a stadium plan, investors analyze the numbers, ask questions, and push back on deals that don’t pass muster.

There’s another upside to public ownership: Publicly traded teams can’t pack up and move to Las Vegas on a single billionaire’s whim. A private owner can simply stroll into city hall with a glossy rendering and an ultimatum—pay up or we move. If Congress wants more accountability in how sports teams operate, it should ask why the private ones are getting a free ride.

When a stadium starts getting old, has an opossum infestation, or sees waning fan attendance, a private owner can threaten to relocate to a city with more generous taxpayers. This threat only works because a single owner can unilaterally make the call to walk. From Oakland to St. Louis, billionaire ownership groups have used this ploy to extract greater concessions out of municipalities for years.

Public companies, on the other hand, are legally obligated to act in the best long-term interest of the broader enterprise. That doesn’t make relocation impossible, but it does make it harder, slower, and more transparent. A cash-flush franchise can’t as easily cry insolvency and claim there’s no choice but to move unless taxpayers fund new facilities.

Publicly traded teams such as the Braves also have access to something most franchises don’t: capital markets. That means they can raise money to fund a new stadium or sign a high-profile free agent by issuing stock or corporate bonds or by borrowing against projected media rights and ticket revenue. They are structured in a way that allows them to more easily finance their own growth.

More teams should operate this way. But instead, Congress is preparing to slap the Braves with a tax penalty equivalent to a solid middle-infielder’s salary. That would do little to quell potential calls to take the Braves private or motivate other teams to go public.

Congress should consider an entertainment carveout that incentivizes public ownership in professional sports given the frequent use of taxpayer money to fund stadiums. A better calibrated policy could offer a deduction or targeted credit for publicly traded teams that operate under the increased scrutiny of the markets and the SEC.

This would reward a model that relies on investors, rather than taxpayers, to fund infrastructure—engaging in some tax spending today to avoid significant tax revenue expenditures tomorrow.

Ultimately, this isn’t about providing the Braves or any other publicly traded team with preferential tax treatment. It’s about designing a tax code that aligns best with the public interest. We should want more teams subject to shareholder oversight, more deals vetted through public filings, and fewer billionaires shaking down local governments for tax handouts.

Letting the new tax rule stand as written would send a clear message to major sports franchises: Transparency is taxable, and secrecy is subsidized. That isn’t just bad tax policy—it’s bad for baseball.

Andrew Leahey is a tax and technology attorney, principal at Hunter Creek Consulting, and practice professor at Drexel Kline School of Law. Follow him on Mastodon at @andrew@esq.social

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Technology

3 Risks African Startups Face Scaling Operations

African startups face three major risks when scaling operations: financial challenges, operational hurdles, and regulatory compliance issues. Here’s a quick breakdown: Money Management: Funding is tight, with startup funding dropping 50% to $1.1 billion in 2024. High borrowing costs (12%-18%) and currency instability make cash flow management critical. Strategies like using digital payment systems, negotiating […]

Published

7 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

African startups face three major risks when scaling operations: financial challenges, operational hurdles, and regulatory compliance issues. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Money Management: Funding is tight, with startup funding dropping 50% to $1.1 billion in 2024. High borrowing costs (12%-18%) and currency instability make cash flow management critical. Strategies like using digital payment systems, negotiating supplier terms, and maintaining emergency reserves help mitigate risks.
Operational Challenges: Scaling strains technology systems, leading to potential service outages. Startups can track key metrics, upgrade capacity proactively, and build redundancy to handle demand.
Regulatory Compliance: Each African country has unique rules around data, taxes, and employment. Startups need strong legal support, automated compliance systems, and regular audits to navigate these complexities.

Quick Tip: Successful startups like Twiga Foods and Flutterwave show that balancing growth with planning – like using hybrid power systems or leveraging government programs – can ensure smooth expansion.

When a business scales, many things has to scale with it …

Money Management During Growth

Managing finances becomes more complex as African startups scale. Recent figures highlight a tough funding climate, with total startup funding dropping by 50% to $1.1 billion in 2024.

Funding Challenges

African startups are dealing with a 35% funding shortfall and high borrowing costs, with interest rates ranging between 12% and 18%. According to the African Development Bank, working capital costs in Africa are 23% higher than the global average, largely due to currency instability.

Funding Metric	2023	2025
Total Available Funding	$2.8B	$1.1B
Average Series A Deal	$4.2M	$2.9M
Time to Secure Funding	6.8 months	9.3 months

Cash Flow Management

Kenyan agritech company Twiga Foods offers a good example of managing cash flow effectively. They negotiated 45-day supplier terms and adopted subscription-based revenue models. Similarly, Keegor Group reduced payment delays by 68% in 2023 by conducting weekly reviews and using digital accounting tools.

Some strategies to maintain healthy cash flow include:

Digital Payment Systems: Use platforms like Flutterwave to handle multi-currency transactions in real time.
Supplier Negotiations: Aim for extended payment terms (60–90 days) to improve cash cycles.
Emergency Reserves: Keep 6–8 months of operating expenses in dedicated accounts.

In addition to these strategies, open communication with investors is crucial for long-term growth.

Investor Relations

Building strong relationships with investors is critical. For example, Ugandan logistics platform Kobo360 used market-specific KPIs during their Series C funding round, which helped them expand into Francophone Africa.

Government programs are also stepping in to support scaling startups:

Program	Benefit	Impact
Nigeria Startup Act (2023)	10% corporate tax holiday	Boosts profitability during scaling
Kenya’s Hustler Fund	8% interest growth loans	36-month flexible repayment terms
Egypt’s ITIDA	Up to $200,000 in grants	Supports multi-market expansion

For tech startups, transparent financial reporting is essential. Around 71% of investors require monthly updates to consider follow-on funding. This level of openness builds trust and increases the chances of securing additional capital during critical growth stages.

Daily Operations Risks

When a startup experiences rapid growth, its technology infrastructure can face significant pressure, potentially making it harder to meet rising demand. One clear example of this challenge is the strain on technology systems.

Tech System Limits

As startups expand, systems like payment processing, customer data management, and API integrations may encounter bottlenecks. These issues can lead to slower response times or even service outages. To address this, consider these strategies:

Track key metrics: Keep an eye on response times and error rates to identify problems early.
Upgrade capacity proactively: Plan system upgrades before reaching critical limits.
Build redundancy: Ensure backup systems are in place to maintain essential operations during high-demand periods.

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Legal and Compliance Issues

Expanding into Africa comes with a web of regulatory challenges that can slow down growth if not managed properly.

Multi-Country Rules

Each country enforces its own set of regulations, including:

Data protection laws
Financial service requirements
Employment regulations
Tax obligations

Navigating these differences demands experienced legal support and clear procedures to monitor compliance on an ongoing basis.

Building Compliance Systems

Once you understand the various regulations across countries, it’s crucial to set up systems to maintain compliance. Using tools like digital record-keeping, automated tracking, and regular audits can help reduce costly mistakes.

Managing Documentation

Use digital tools for record-keeping
Automate compliance tracking
Schedule regular audits to catch issues early

Structuring Your Team

Appoint compliance officers
Hire local legal experts familiar with regional laws
Form cross-functional teams to handle compliance across departments

Scalable tools that automate repetitive compliance tasks and alert your team to potential problems can make this process much more efficient.

Risk Review Process

Before entering a new market, a detailed risk assessment is essential. Here’s how to approach it:

1. Market Analysis

Study local regulations
Identify necessary licenses
Look into competitors’ compliance challenges

2. Risk Assessment

Pinpoint compliance gaps
Calculate compliance costs
Assess how regulations might affect operations

3. Implementation Planning

Develop a timeline for meeting compliance requirements
Allocate the resources you’ll need
Set up monitoring systems to track compliance over time

Conduct quarterly risk assessments to adapt to changing regulations and keep your strategies up to date.

Conclusion

Expanding in African markets requires careful risk management. Research shows that businesses with strong risk management practices are 40% more likely to survive beyond their third year.

Operational challenges, such as frequent power outages, remain a hurdle. Nigerian startups, for example, face an average of 14 hours of outages weekly. Companies like Twiga Foods have addressed these issues by introducing hybrid solar-powered warehouses and localized distribution hubs, helping them navigate infrastructure gaps effectively.

Financial stability is equally important. Copia Global‘s experience, where $45 million in liabilities stemmed from premature infrastructure expansion, underscores the importance of pacing growth. Many startups now use real-time resource tracking systems and maintain six-month operational reserves to stay resilient.

Regulatory compliance is becoming more streamlined across the continent. The African Continental Free Trade Area‘s digital portal has cut cross-border registration times from 90 days to just 14. Similarly, Kenya’s 2023 Startup Act has shortened licensing processes from 58 to 9 days, contributing to a 17% rise in successful expansions.

These new tools and frameworks enhance financial and operational strategies. Key support systems include:

Support System	Impact
Pan-African Insurance Pools	Covers 72% of political risk
Blockchain Compliance Platforms	Cuts audit costs by 40%
Tech Partnership Networks	Assists 1,200+ startups with scaling

Balancing growth with smart risk management is essential. Flutterwave’s expansion into 34 African countries, while maintaining a 98% compliance rate, shows that strategic planning and leveraging support systems can lead to sustainable success.

FAQs

How can African startups effectively manage cash flow despite high borrowing costs and currency fluctuations?

Managing cash flow is crucial for African startups facing challenges like high borrowing costs and volatile currency markets. Startups can implement several strategies to navigate these hurdles effectively:

Diversify revenue streams: Relying on multiple income sources can reduce the impact of market fluctuations and create a more stable cash flow.
Negotiate with suppliers: Seek favorable payment terms or discounts for early payments to better align cash inflows and outflows.
Adopt technology: Use financial management tools to track expenses, forecast cash flow, and identify inefficiencies.

Additionally, maintaining a reserve fund and regularly reviewing financial plans can help startups remain resilient during economic uncertainty. By staying proactive and adaptable, startups can better sustain operations and scale successfully.

What steps can African startups take to ensure their technology infrastructure supports rapid growth without experiencing service disruptions?

To ensure their technology infrastructure can handle rapid growth, African startups should focus on scalability, reliability, and proactive planning. Start by investing in cloud-based solutions that allow for flexible scaling as your user base or operations grow. Regularly monitor system performance and conduct stress tests to identify potential weak points before they become critical issues.

Additionally, prioritize building a skilled IT team or partnering with reliable service providers to manage infrastructure efficiently. Implementing redundancy measures, such as backup servers and failover systems, can also help minimize downtime and maintain consistent service during high-demand periods. By staying proactive, startups can mitigate risks and maintain smooth operations as they scale.

How can African startups effectively manage regulatory challenges when scaling across multiple countries?

Navigating regulatory environments across different African countries can be challenging due to varying laws, compliance requirements, and governance structures. To address this, startups should prioritize thorough research into the legal frameworks of each target market and seek local legal expertise to ensure compliance.

Additionally, building relationships with regulatory bodies and staying updated on policy changes can help avoid costly missteps. Leveraging technology to streamline compliance processes, such as tax filings and reporting, can also reduce operational risks while scaling.

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Technology

Innovative Eyewear Launches Reebok® Smart Eyewear

MIAMI, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Innovative Eyewear Inc. (NASDAQ: LUCY), the developer of smart eyewear under the Lucyd®, Nautica®, Eddie Bauer® and Reebok® brands, today announced the launch of Reebok Smart Eyewear, available worldwide on Lucyd.co. Expanded availability is expected later this quarter on Reebok.com and select online and traditional retailers. A Landmark Product […]

Published

8 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MIAMI, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Innovative Eyewear Inc. (NASDAQ: LUCY), the developer of smart eyewear under the Lucyd^®, Nautica^®, Eddie Bauer^® and Reebok^® brands, today announced the launch of Reebok Smart Eyewear, available worldwide on Lucyd.co. Expanded availability is expected later this quarter on Reebok.com and select online and traditional retailers.

A Landmark Product Launch

Reebok Powered by Lucyd
Image courtesy of Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

Micah Richards sporting the Reebok Nitrous style. Courtesy of Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

The global smart glasses market is projected to reach approximately $13 billion worldwide by 2030¹. We believe Reebok Powered by Lucyd smart eyewear positions Innovative Eyewear at the forefront of this rapidly accelerating transition from traditional eyewear to smart, connected, voice-powered solutions.

Reebok smart eyewear features custom high-fidelity speakers, powerful amplifiers, and equalizers specifically tuned for outdoor activities and sports environments, deliver exceptional audio clarity while maintaining environmental awareness—a critical safety feature for athletes and urban pedestrians.

“We believe this launch represents a watershed moment for the entire smart eyewear category,” said Harrison Gross, CEO of Innovative Eyewear. “We’re pioneering the smart sport eyewear segment with AI-integrated eyewear that enhances athletic performance, while fulfilling our longstanding mission to deliver smart upgrades to every major type of eyewear: sunglasses, optical, sport, and safety.”

Global Distribution Strategy

Innovative Eyewear has a global distribution strategy beginning with MTB Mexico, a premier technology distributor across Latin America.

“We are extremely proud to partner with Innovative Eyewear to bring Reebok Smart Eyewear to the Latin American market,” said Mauricio Avelar, Director General at MTB Mexico. “This innovative product perfectly complements our portfolio and meets growing consumer demand for smart, lifestyle-integrated technology across our distribution network, including major retailers in Mexico.”

This partnership marks the first in a series of planned collaborations with leading distributors worldwide.

The product’s cross-category appeal has generated significant interest from both sporting goods retailers and consumer electronics chains across multiple continents, reflecting its unique position at the intersection of fashion, technology, and athletic performance. This versatility positions Reebok Smart Eyewear for success across diverse retail environments, from premium optical shops to high-end electronics stores.

Celebrity Endorsement

Micah Richards, former Manchester City football star and Olympic athlete turned sports analyst, is a brand ambassador for Lucyd and is featured prominently in launch photography and promotional materials for the Reebok smart eyewear line.

“In my career, both on the pitch and now as a broadcaster, I’ve always prioritized performance and style,” said Mr. Richards. “What impressed me most about Reebok Smart Eyewear isn’t just how good they look — it’s that I can stay connected without losing awareness of what’s happening around me. Whether I’m cycling through the city, hitting the gym, or calling a match, these glasses keep me in tune with both my surroundings and my digital life in a way that traditional headphones never could.”

Order your pair at Lucyd.co, and join us for a live YouTube launch event with a special promo offer at noon EST today, April 28, 2025.

About Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

Innovative Eyewear is a developer of cutting-edge ChatGPT enabled smart eyewear, under the Lucyd®, Nautica®, Eddie Bauer® and Reebok® brands. True to our mission to Upgrade Your Eyewear®, our Bluetooth audio glasses allow users to stay safely and ergonomically connected to their digital lives and are offered in hundreds of frame and lens combinations to meet the needs of the optical market. To learn more and explore our continuously evolving collection of smart eyewear, please visit www.lucyd.co.

About Reebok

Reebok is an iconic and irreverent sports culture brand with a rich and storied fitness heritage dating back to 1895. Founded on athletic footwear that changed the direction of sport, Reebok continues to introduce innovations that propel the industry forward. Today, Reebok sits at the intersection of active, lifestyle and sport, offering high quality and modern styles that are adaptable for every occasion. The brand strives to deliver every athlete, from professionals to enthusiasts, with the opportunity, products and inspiration to reach their full potential. Reebok currently operates in 80 countries with approximately 400 freestanding stores around the world.

For more information, visit Reebok.com or, for the latest news at News.Reebok.com. Discover Reebok on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including those relating to the anticipated launch of Reebok Powered by Lucyd and our position in the smart eyewear market. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe-harbor for forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected launch date for the new smart safety eyewear connection. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K under the caption “Risk Factors.”

Citation
1) https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-glass-market#:~:text=The%20global%20smart%20glass%20market%20is%20expected%20to%20grow%20at,USD%2012.76%20billion%20by%202030.

Investor Relations Contact:
Scott Powell, Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC
+1 (646) 893-5835 | [email protected]

Media Contact:
Society22 PR
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Innovative Eyewear, Inc.

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Technology

Black Think Tank Challenges Big Tech’s Legal Armor – The Tennessee Tribune

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — It highlights how the same protections that allow Black communities to mobilize, build businesses, and express themselves online have also created a legal loophole that permits anti-Black harassment, white supremacist organizing, and digital discrimination in areas like housing, credit, and employment. A new report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic […]

Published

8 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A new report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies urges lawmakers to put Black voices at the forefront of efforts to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act—a law that has helped fuel online innovation but also allowed unchecked harm against Black communities. The report is the first in a three-part series and marks the first time Section 230 has been examined solely through a Black lens. It highlights how the same protections that allow Black communities to mobilize, build businesses, and express themselves online have also created a legal loophole that permits anti-Black harassment, white supremacist organizing, and digital discrimination in areas like housing, credit, and employment. Danielle A. Davis, Esq., director of technology policy at the Joint Center and author of the brief, said the law’s broad immunity shields tech companies from accountability while exposing Black users to real-world harm. “For Black communities, [social media] has been a powerful tool — supporting entrepreneurship, amplifying activism, and fostering connection,” Davis said. “But the same legal protections that enable this empowerment can also shield platforms from accountability when discriminatory or harmful content is posted.”

Section 230, enacted in 1996, includes two key provisions. The first subsection protects platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) from being treated as publishers of user content. That means they can’t be held legally responsible for what users say or share. While this has helped nurture digital spaces where Black creators, small businesses, and activists thrive, the report shows how it also lets racism, extremism, and economic bias spread unchecked. Spencer Overton, former president of the Joint Center and co-author of the underlying research with legal scholar Catherine Powell, said Black perspectives are routinely ignored in major tech policy debates. “The perspectives and concerns of Black social media users have been consistently overlooked and underrepresented within the tech policy space,” Overton said. “To address the harmful and discriminatory effects that disproportionately affect Black platform users, our voices and experiences must be amplified in reform discussions.” The brief points to real-world examples, including the Buffalo mass shooting in 2022, where an 18-year-old gunman radicalized online, targeted a Black neighborhood, and live-streamed his attack. Despite public pressure, footage of the massacre remained on mainstream platforms like Facebook and X for days. Section 230 protections shielded those platforms from liability.

The report also cites Vargas v. Facebook, where the Ninth Circuit ruled Meta could not rely on Section 230 to avoid accountability for designing algorithms that allegedly discriminated against Black users. That ruling challenged the long-held assumption that platforms are mere bystanders when discrimination happens on their watch. Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad said the report seeks to make the complex topic of Section 230 more accessible while making clear that Black communities must be protected as reforms move forward. The next brief will examine how platforms moderate content and whether automated systems unfairly silence Black users. The final report in the series will discuss proposed reforms to Section 230 and their potential consequences for Black communities. “These briefs explain, in accessible language, how Section 230 protects platforms that provide many benefits to Black communities but also perpetuate harms,” Asante-Muhammad said. “As reforms are debated, we must ensure they do not further negatively impact communities who are often ignored in policy spaces.”

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Sports Broadcasting for the Future: How to Stay in the Game

In 2023, the value of sports rights in the U.S. surged by over 20%, reaffirming what we already know: live sport continues to be the crown jewel of premium content. But while the rights themselves are rising in value, the expectations around how sports are delivered have evolved even faster. According to an Emarketer forecast […]

Published

9 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In 2023, the value of sports rights in the U.S. surged by over 20%, reaffirming what we already know: live sport continues to be the crown jewel of premium content. But while the rights themselves are rising in value, the expectations around how sports are delivered have evolved even faster. According to an Emarketer forecast report, digital viewing surpassed traditional pay TV live sports viewing in 2023 and is expected to grow by over 20% between 2024 and 2027.

As streaming becomes the norm, today’s fans—especially digital natives – aren’t satisfied with simply watching a game. They want to experience it: instantly, interactively, securely, and on the device of their choice. As a result, the playbook for success in sports broadcasting and streaming has fundamentally changed. It’s no longer about just owning the content, it’s about owning the experience.

Low Latency and Short-Form Viewing Live Hand in HandIn a world where Gen Z and Millennials flip between full games and highlight clips in quick succession, delivering live sports at broadcast-level latency isn’t optional—it’s essential. In addition, the growth in sports betting means delays in stream delivery have the potential to impact revenue opportunities and fan trust.

With 71% of Gen Z and Millennial fans consuming sports highlights weekly (and within minutes of the live event), streamers must not only match and exceed the speed of broadcast TV but must also accelerate the turnaround for short-form content. Even small delays can gradually erode engagement, limit betting opportunities, or make it harder to stay relevant in fast-moving social conversations.

The industry is aggressively exploring new approaches, and protocols like WebRTC and Low-Latency HLS (LL-HLS) are increasingly being supported in various platforms to reduce latency. WebRTC supports sub-second peer-to-peer delivery ideal for fan interactivity, while LL-HLS brings scalable, mainstream HTTP workflows closer to real-time with chunked CMAF delivery. In parallel, AI applications enable sophisticated and automated highlight detection from live streams to facilitate rapid short form content creation and deployment to multiple social platforms.

From Passive to Personalized: Multicamera Synchronized Streaming
Fans now expect more than a director’s cut—they want options: alternative angles, replays, and multi-cam views they can control. But delivering on that promise requires more than just switching feeds. It demands precise synchronization across all sources, extended beyond the broadcast booth and into the streaming environment. Video alignment mechanisms traditionally used in broadcast production, such as those enabled by SMPTE 2110 and 2059, provide frame-accurate synchronization, but OTT workflows will need to adopt lightweight, stream-compatible timing strategies to match this level of precision.

This evolution is being driven by demand: 55% of sports fans say they want access to multiple camera angles, and 33% consider that capability a key enhancement for sports highlights. Platforms are beginning to respond—Sky Sports’ F1 Race Control is a leading example, allowing viewers to toggle between live driver cams, onboard feeds, and race telemetry in real time, all aligned with the main broadcast.

As interactive viewing becomes table stakes, broadcasters and streamers must develop timing models that scale across devices and networks, ensuring fans don’t just watch the action, they control how they experience it.

Adaptive, AI-Enhanced Encoding Improves the Experience
Sports fans today watch games on an array of devices, from high-definition TVs to smartphones and tablets, and with varying network conditions. Delivering a consistent, high-quality viewing experience across these platforms requires a more intelligent approach to encoding, one that dynamically adjusts based on content complexity and bandwidth availability.

Today’s sports broadcasting isn’t just about the live event, it’s about serving fans across live, on-demand, and 24/7 adjacent content.”

AI-powered adaptive encoding tackles this challenge by analyzing footage in real time and applying pre- and post-processing models to improve picture quality with increasing bandwidth requirements. This approach not only enhances streaming efficiency but also ensures mobile users on constrained connections receive an uninterrupted experience. With 75% of video now being consumed on mobile, AI-driven encoding can also optimize content for vertical viewing formats, catering to the rise of mobile-first sports consumption.

Tackling the Ongoing Threat of Piracy
With live sports rights commanding billions, piracy remains a clear and present danger. According to the 2024 HBR article—“Pro Sports Has a Piracy Problem”—sports rights owners are losing $28 billion in revenue each year. Beyond the loss of revenue, unauthorized streams degrade the fan experience and brand integrity.

That’s why forensic watermarking is gaining traction as a proactive anti-piracy tool. By embedding invisible, traceable identifiers into streams, down to the individual session, content owners and rights holders can identify the source of leaks and take swift action. When paired with geo-fencing, tokenized delivery, and robust DRM, it becomes part of a layered defense strategy that protects not just content, but trust.

From Live to Always-On: Hybrid Workflows Are the New Playbook
Today’s sports broadcasting isn’t just about the live event, it’s about serving fans across live, on-demand, and 24/7 adjacent content. Traditional fixed infrastructure can’t keep up with the scale and flexibility this demands.

That’s why cloud-hybrid workflows are becoming the norm. By combining on-prem production with cloud-based elasticity, broadcasters can support REMI, automate highlight creation, and deliver content globally with greater speed and efficiency. With over 60% of broadcasters now using cloud in live and adjacent workflows, the future is clear: agility wins.

Serving the Fluid Fan
As outlined in reports like The Age of the Fluid Fan by Sports Innovation Lab, today’s sports consumers are not locked into one team, one screen, or one format. They are open to change, empowered to choose, and continuously evolving.

They expect to:

Pick camera angles in real time
View live stats overlays or watch from an athlete’s POV
Join live chat, place in-game bets, or co-watch with friends
Watch vertical or AR-native streams on mobile
Discover highlights through social media, not just TV recaps.

This is not a future state, it’s happening now. And the technology to meet these expectations already exists. What’s needed is integration, interoperability, and a mindset shift—from content distribution to experience orchestration.

The Final Whistle
As we move deeper into an IP-based, data-driven, fan-centric era, sports broadcasters must adapt or risk losing relevance. That means embracing low-latency protocols, AI-enhanced encoding, scalable hybrid workflows, and proactive content protection.

The future of sports broadcasting isn’t about bigger rights, it’s about better delivery. And those who can master that will not only stay in the game – they’ll own it.

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Technology

Nike Faces Lawsuit Over NFT platform closure

Nike is currently facing legal challenges in the United States, prompted by a proposed class action lawsuit from an Australian customer who purchased the company’s non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The plaintiff claims that Nike has engaged in deceptive and unfair business practices following the closure of its digital fashion and collectibles subsidiary, RTFKT, in December of […]

Published

10 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Nike is currently facing legal challenges in the United States, prompted by a proposed class action lawsuit from an Australian customer who purchased the company’s non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The plaintiff claims that Nike has engaged in deceptive and unfair business practices following the closure of its digital fashion and collectibles subsidiary, RTFKT, in December of last year.

Nike acquired RTFKT in late 2021 as part of its strategy to enhance its presence in the digital asset space.

The lawsuit asserts that the closure of RTFKT has significantly diminished the value of the Nike NFTs, leading to financial losses for investors.

It further contends that the NFTs were never registered as securities with the Securities Exchange Commission, suggesting that Nike allegedly misled customers by promoting these digital assets prior to the sudden shutdown of the RTFKT marketplace.

The plaintiff argues that had buyers been aware of the unregistered status or Nike’s plans to dissolve the platform, they would not have purchased the NFTs at the aforementioned prices and no less than $5 million in damages.

This legal dispute places Nike alongside other sports organisations, including the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and DraftKings, which have encountered their own legal issues regarding NFT initiatives.

The slump in NFT market value, combined with escalating regulatory scrutiny, has prompted numerous businesses to withdraw from the Web 3.0 landscape.

RTFKT, which was established in 2020, specialised in creating digital shoes and collectibles for metaverse avatars.

Nike’s acquisition was aimed at tapping into RTFKT’s expertise in game development engines, blockchain technology, and augmented reality.

However, as consumer interest wanes and regulatory concerns mount, Nike’s decision to close RTFKT reflects a broader trend among companies reevaluating their involvement in the metaverse and NFT sectors.

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