How To Use Banners To Advertise And Grow Your Business

August 10, 2021

Banners are one of the most effective forms of advertising because so many people can see them. Banners also have a high ROI because they’re inexpensive to create and easy to change when needed. This blog post will discuss how you can use banners for your own business and see benefits almost immediately!

1. They’re a Low-cost

Marketing banners are one of the most effective tools small businesses can use to advertise and grow their business. They’re a low-cost, high-impact marketing tool that can be seen from far away.

This is great for small companies with limited budgets and reaches their target audience without breaking the bank. With overnight banner printing services, small businesses can quickly and easily create marketing campaigns without worrying about the cost. Through the internet, one can easily design their sites from scratch or upload ready-to-print designs.

2. They are Easy to Set Up

Banners are convenient because they are easy to set up. You can create them yourself in a matter of minutes using some simple software or hire someone else to do it for you if you prefer not to be bothered by creating the banners and just getting on with running your business.

Banners need an image (usually eye-catching) and then a text copy to tell people what benefits their offer has got for potential customers.

3. Are Perfect for Reaching Out to New Customers

Marketing banners are a great way to get your message across to new customers. If you’re looking for the best marketing solution, then banners may be what you need.

With a good banner design, your marketing efforts are sure to take off.

If you’re not designing yourself, then it’s crucial that the person has experience in design and can create a quality banner for you.

The more people see your banners, the more significant chance you have of converting those views into customers, which is what you want from advertising!

4. They Can be Used for Anything

One good thing about using banners in your marketing campaign is that they can be used for anything. This means you can use them to advertise a sale on the product section of your website, brand awareness, or even share news about what’s going on with the business in general.

You may have seen banners before while browsing websites, and this type of advertising has been around since the early days of computers when people started developing web pages. There are many different sizes available, so whether you need one tall banner for prominent placement or lots of little ones that will blend into other content without being too intrusive, there’s something out there for you!

5. They are Low-maintenance

Maintaining your banners is easy. Change the graphics or texts on your banner once in a while to keep things fresh and new. This is efficient as compared to having to update a whole website.

The benefits of using banners in your marketing strategy are clear. As highlighted in this piece, they’re a cost-effective, low-maintenance way to showcase the value and quality of your products or services with minimal effort. And they can be used almost anywhere! If you’re looking for an easy, effective way to improve sales on your website or social media pages, then consider implementing banner ads today.

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Tokyo Olympics 2021: What Will Be the Lasting Impacts?

August 10, 2021

By David J. Maurrasse

The latest version of the Olympic Games are upon us, and once again, it is time to review the value of major international sporting events to local communities. Cities across the world continue to present elaborate bids, hoping to secure these substantial experiences that require tremendous local investment in venues, transportation, housing, and other resources. For generations, many have wondered about the meaning and value of such spending. What are the lasting benefits of Olympic games to cities? Do Olympic games tend to benefit local populations, especially lower income constituencies? Do they improve environmental sustainability? Do they expand opportunities in employment, education, and housing?

The Tokyo Games provide an intriguing case regarding the local population. After all, these games are taking place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The running, swimming, jumping, twisting, and all manner of physical feats will take place without fans. This will certainly dramatically reduce local revenue in the shorter term. But even holding the event is questionable given strikingly low vaccination rates in Japan. At the beginning of the month, only 12.65% of Japan’s population was fully vaccinated against COVID, as compared to more than 40% in places like the U.S. and U.K.

The 2021 games are no ordinary example of the Olympics. Nevertheless, it is still worth taking a fresh look at the idea of major international sporting events as engines of community and economic development. Are they worth the effort for local communities? Particularly bringing an equity lens to these circumstances, do these events tend to reduce inequities and expand opportunities, or do they exacerbate existing disparities? It is one thing to attract capital by harnessing these events. Ensuring that this capital is distributed and applied to populations that could most benefit from these resources is an entirely different proposition.

Over recent decades, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has begun to grapple with some of these dynamics. International sporting events have been encouraged by the United Nations to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2015, the UN General Assembly mentioned the important role that sports play in supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs. The Olympic Movement has core missions closely aligned with many SDGs.

A December 2017 IOC report addressed concerns about the lasting legacy of Olympic Games. The report outlines an approach that includes considering and documenting the games’ long-term impacts. These objectives underscore, at least rhetorically, the IOC’s commitment to ensuring games contribute substantially to local communities well beyond their occurrence, which is considered in the selection process. Consequently, cities hosting contemporary games were required to propose a lasting legacy. Ostensibly, Olympic Games will increasingly be expected to deliver on promises. Will they succeed? Will they be held accountable if they do not?

For the most part, cities have experienced various challenges with ensuring a lasting legacy from these events. First of all, Olympic Games typically require numerous new facilities — housing apartments, sporting arenas and tracks, exercise areas and equipment. These structures leave cities with additional infrastructure that can be costly to maintain and lacks long-term value. Secondly, the economic impact from these events tends to be concentrated in the particular geographic areas in the immediate vicinity of the Olympic Park. These are often areas that are relatively inaccessible. Third, environmental regulations instituted in order to ensure a healthy and clean environment for the Games are often terminated after the event, leaving no lasting impact. Additionally, Olympic Park spaces require significant reconfiguration in order to be useful under normal circumstances. They also require new forms of public transportation to be accessible on some regular basis. Considering equity, these challenges are even more complex.

Some relatively recent examples of Olympic Games have promised lasting local benefits, and attempted to deliver them.

2016 Rio Olympic Games

Like the Tokyo Games, the Rio Olympics took place under a cloud of controversy and intense scrutiny over health and safety. These Games were rather costly at somewhere in the range of $13 billion USD. They promised tourism as a pathway to short-term job creation. As in the case of other Games, Rio accelerated various infrastructure investments around an Olympic Village, including 31 residential buildings with 3,604 apartments sold after the event. A recreational park, City of Rock, was created as well. But, here again, these structures are concentrated in a particular region that does not reach most local citizens. The tourism stimulated by the event actually revealed existing capacity and municipal management limitations.

The Organizing Committee of the Rio Olympic Games implemented a sustainable development plan to look at the environmental impacts of the Games on the host community. Medals distributed during the Games were made of recycled materials, and a Solar City Tower supplied energy to part of the city and the Olympic Village. However, the Games produced roughly 3.6 million metric tons of carbon, related to road and building construction along with emissions from air travel and shuttles between airports, stadiums, and hotels.

The Games provided an opportunity for Brazilians to share and gather, strengthening a sense of community. Crianca Global, a new government program, was created to expand educational opportunities for children and youth, requiring public schools to teach English as a second language. This program led to the hiring and training of 350 new teachers in 2014, which impacted 100,000 primary schoolchildren. Nineteen towns received funds from the program in 2016.

Despite this program with direct educational impact on local children, the Games encountered significant opposition, including widespread public demonstrations in 2014. The Organizing Committee rented or sold Olympic Village apartments at unaffordable prices. The Village was built on the site of the favelas, forcing the relocation of low income families. Additionally, the activity surrounding the games led to an increase in drug trafficking and the availability of drugs.

2012 London Olympic Games

The London Games were held in a historically lower income community in East London. Included in London’s proposal to the IOC was a commitment to transform this local community. Their Olympic Park was created on a site that was largely polluted and inaccessible, which was acquired through a program of land acquisition, remediation, and development. The transformation began with the remediation and clean-up of 2.5 kilometers of brownfield land. Six permanent sporting venues were developed. In 2013, after the Games, responsibility for the transformation of the Olympic Park was transferred to the London Legacy Development Corporation. The corporation’s work included transforming Olympic facilities into nearly 10,000 new homes, two primary schools, a secondary school, nine nurseries, three health centers, and a number of multi-purpose community, leisure, and cultural spaces.

The Games also resulted in some expansion of public transportation, including a project to double the capacity of a local train station (Stratford Station), upgrades to the Dockland Light Railway, and upgrades to the North London Line. Various local development projects were either accelerated or expanded, including the improvement of Hackney Wick and Fish Island, Greenwich Riverside and Town Center, and Stratford Center. Here again, we find some development stimulated by Olympics, but in a limited geographic area, as these projects are in the vicinity of the Olympic Park in Stratford.

While the intention to improve an area that has been relatively underserved is certainly noble, a 2017 report released by the London Assembly’s Regeneration Committee asserts that the gap in many quality of life indicators — including housing, health, and life expectancy — between the six host boroughs in East London and the rest of London has not been closed, and the earnings gap in 2015 was greater than it was in 2009, before the Games. Other key areas such as unemployment and income levels seem to have annual fluctuations but with little signs of consistent or permanent improvement. Nevertheless, educational targets for these boroughs have been achieved; whether the Games were a factor or not is unknown. Overall, the changes in East London may have been accelerated temporarily by hosting the Games, but long-term improvements are not likely.

Tokyo

Tokyo has proposed various approaches with respect to the environment, education, employment, and other areas.

The Games’ approach to venues has been a central aspect of their intended environmental legacy. They are making greater use of existing venues than some other Olympic Games, rather than building anew — 58% of venues are existing competition sites. The organizing committee is promoting the use of public transportation and fuel cell electric vehicles with a low environmental impact. They are making use of recycled materials in venues.

Also with respect to environmentally sustainable practices, various citizen CO2 reduction campaigns are connected to the Games. The Games have been collaborating with Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bureau of Environment on a range of strategies. Attention to the natural environment and biodiversity are also included. The venues are conserving water through rainwater harvesting and recycling. They have been retaining existing trees and protecting wildlife habits in the design and construction of venues.

Citizen engagement has been incorporated into the approach with projects such as Tokyo 2020 Nationwide Participation, a volunteer initiative to maximize the Games’ impact. They have engaged sponsors in dialogue about sustainability matters through the Sponsors Sustainability Network, created in 2017. Fifty-one companies were involved in this effort as of January 2020. The Games have also been considering human rights, labor, and fair business practices, including spreading diversity and inclusion and working to ensure accessibility through mobility support, information accessibility, and venue facilities development.

In education, as of April 2017, the Tokyo Organizing Committee launched a national education program (Yoi Don – Get Set) to promote the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to schoolchildren across Japan. Schools using these materials will receive special certification. This strategy includes dispersal of math textbooks to more than 100,000 students at public elementary schools in Tokyo. These textbooks aim to help students with mathematics through problems that involve Japanese athletes and sporting bodies.

CISCO Information Security Education includes a partnership with Cisco to provide training in information security. The “Cyber Security Scholarship Program” is open to students and adults seeking to become specialists in cyber security. This effort, which includes cooperation with local governments and educational institutions, is certified as a part of the “Tokyo 2020 Participation Program”.

In 2017, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government calculated the estimated economic and other effects associated with holding the Tokyo Games. Regarding employment, the government estimated that approximately 1.3 million people across Tokyo and 1.94 million people across Japan would be employed by the Games, including throughout the process of preparing for and holding the games, and employment opportunities continuing after the Games were held. While these estimations were made before the impacts of COVID-19 were a consideration, they indicate how Tokyo as the host city expected to gain lasting employment opportunities through the Games.

Regarding culture, the Japanese government started the “Beyond2020” program in 2017 to promote activities that highlight the rich and diverse regional cultures of the country. The “Beyond2020” program authenticated 8,593 projects from its inception in 2017 until the end of 2018.

Overall, the Tokyo strategy, while including numerous categories in which they hope to leave a lasting legacy, lacks a comprehensive community and economic development agenda. It does not appear to prioritize equity or ensure that lower income populations benefit. Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic may have seriously disrupted the potential impact of the Games. Without spectators, billions in revenue will be lost. The approach of these Games appears to be relatively surface level and short term.

In some ways, the public health context surrounding these games is an extreme challenge to the community benefits of Olympic Games. The local population overwhelmingly opposes holding the event given the continued spread of the virus. Now that numerous athletes are testing positive, some of the fears are being realized. Nevertheless, it appears the games will proceed.

It remains to be seen what the Olympics will catalyze for Tokyo populations in the coming years. But, reflections on the historical evolution of community and economic development via sporting events such as the Olympics provide us some considerations for the future. First of all, it is difficult to discern whether the IOC has effectively encouraged Olympic Games to leave a legacy that is truly transformative. Given the amount of time, energy, and resources invested in securing, holding, and leveraging the Games, it feels as if they should be held to a higher standard.

Even if a host committee promises a comprehensive and transformative strategy, what are the consequences for not following through? What is the role of the IOC in ensuring that Games benefit cities, particularly in an equitable manner? The overall approach of Olympic Games and other major international sporting events to host cities requires a fresh, critical look.

Furthermore, local populations should have a greater voice in shaping how the Games can strengthen benefits to host communities. Indeed, partnerships have been fundamental to organizing these multifaceted sporting experiences, but corporate sponsors and government officials are not the only partners to engage. Grassroots organizations that represent constituents that actually need an infusion of new resources bring a different point of view. Olympic Games should transcend strategies that merely generate revenue and other resources without attention to distributing them where they are needed most of all.

The article was first published on the State of the Planet.

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About the Author

David J. Maurrasse is a research scholar at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and is the president and founder of Marga Inc., a consulting firm providing advice and research to strengthen philanthropy and innovative cross-sector partnerships to address some of today’s most pressing social concerns. He is the author of Philanthropy and Society and the soon to be published Strategic Community Partnerships, Philanthropy and Nongovernmental Organizations. He is also beginning research toward the production of another book, Community Partnerships Toward Sustainable and Equitable Communities.

5 Habits That Help Simplify Your Sales Invoice Procedure

August 9, 2021

Invoicing can be complicated. Whether you are a small business or a large-scale agency or simply work as a freelancer, you know exactly what we are talking about. You may be scrambling around papers and spreadsheets, trying to stay on top of invoices and expenses, e-invoicing regulations, chasing clients and outstanding invoices but still feel like you aren’t reaping tangible benefits.

As it happens, if you are not leveraging the best invoicing practices, you can’t scale your business operations. The only solution is to gain control over your finances by automating your billing processes to save time and money to direct to core business goals.

Luckily for you, here are five habits to incorporate in your routine to uncomplicate your sales invoice procedure for effective management.

Best Practices to Simplify Your Sales Invoice Procedure

1. Go paperless

Even today, there are plenty of companies that rely on paper records to manage sales invoices. While you might still get away with it if you’re just starting out, inefficient sales invoicing procedures are bound to spell disaster down the line.

Given the number of clients, contractors, employees, work orders, account receivables and deliverables small and large businesses are required to keep track of, it is critical that you have a sales invoicing software or an accounting software to monitor sales transactions. It will not just simplify your invoicing procedure and keep your finances organized but also provide managerial advantages. What’s more, with effective sales invoice practices, you can quickly and conveniently access crucial business information from anywhere, as and when required.

You can also capture invoices and store them on the cloud through your accounting software for supporting paper trail.

2. Follow a set schedule

Another tip that can drastically increase convenience and save time when generating sales invoices is if you implement a strict routine for everyone to follow. If you are a small business with a dozen or so clients, a well-thought schedule is just what you need to stay on top of business operations. As per a recent study, nearly $100,000 in revenue is lost every year due to accounting consultants and business teams not tracking time spent on finances.

Your routine should include an effective policy regarding the invoicing and collection process. For instance, you can set your payment due date to be the same for all your clients, say the end of the month. In this manner, any outstanding invoices you need to manage or payment remainders you need to send out can be done simultaneously. A procedural schedule that helps you keep track of sales invoice details will also help align your monthly tasks and reduce the burden of your managerial duties in the long run.

3. Have signed agreements

Whether you are handling the finances for a big or small company, it pays to establish water-tight agreements with your clients so there is clarity regarding the expectations on both sides. This includes getting signed written agreement that outlines the project details, terms of engagement, and payment clauses highlighting when and how payments will be disbursed.

An agreement provides clarity regarding finances as well as gives you leverage to tackle unfavorable situations.

4. Send automated payment reminders

It’s imprudent to operate under the assumption that your clients or customers remember the due date of their payments. Forgetting to pay bills on time is rather common and can happen to the best of us.

In order to avoid chasing your clients for payments at the last moment, send them reminder emails a week before the due date to ensure timely payments.

Don’t wait for the due date of an invoice to remind your customers of pending bills. Past-due intimations, even though necessary, are unpleasant. Therefore, it makes sense to leverage automated payment reminders to inform them of the due date well in advance. You can include details of late payment fees and constructively nudge them to clear dues immediately. By doing so, you will continue to remain in the good books of your customers.

5. Include these essential invoicing elements

You need to maintain a thorough record of sales data if you hope to grow your business. For effective and thorough documentation, you should follow professional invoicing practices when generating sales invoices. This means laying out necessary details in an easy-to-understand and comprehensive manner so there aren’t any hold-ups in payments due to needless indescrepencies.

Here’s a check-list of essential elements to include in your sales invoice:

Clear Header
Company Details (Name, address, number, contact info)
Client’s Contact Details
Unique Invoice Number
Invoice Date
List of services you’ve provided & corresponding fees
Taxes or Additional Fees, if any
Total Amount Due
Payment Terms
Payment Due Date

Automate sales invoices for accuracy and quick access

By automating and digitizing finance documents, business owners and accounting departments can have instant access to sales invoices that include project orders or proof of delivery. They are in a position to track business finances effortlessly and report their income in a hassle-free manner at the end of the financial year.

Not only will you have your accounts organized but your customers will also feel more confident about doing business with you. With critical financial information and customer support, you can indulge in budget forecasting to upgrade your business offerings and increase your clientele.

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Monitor Your Remote Teams With These Highly Recommended Tips

August 9, 2021

If there is one thing that the global pandemic changed for business owners and workforces around the world, it was the rapid introduction of remote working. Many workers and businesses had never used remote teams before, while many had to quickly adapt to huge increases in those working from home or wanting to do so. But, there was no choice. It was: adapt to remote teams or lose your business.

Remote working brings a whole new set of challenges, work styles, and business operating strategies to all employers. What was once a weekly stand-up in the office is now a Zoom call, while managers get used to coaching staff from a distance. In this article, you’ll find some expert tips on monitoring and managing your remote teams successfully.

Clocking In

One of the biggest fears many managers had with remote teams is the fact that they would not be able to actively monitor the amount of time their staff were actually working. How are you supposed to know if they’ve popped out with the kids or gone to make coffee mid-morning, taking an extended break to do so? Some would argue that as long as the work gets done, it doesn’t matter. However, managers want the most productive teams they can get, even when managing them from tens or even hundreds of miles away.

There are some great ways to keep abreast of your staff and how active they are. According to the folks behind workpuls.com time-tracking app, you can actively monitor how long your staff has spent on each task. You can see if they are currently active or haven’t used their system in a while. This helps you see how often they are spending time at their computer and how often they are not.

This is just what a normal manager would do when sharing an office with their staff, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many remote managers are interested in tools like this. If you kept popping out of the office for 10 minutes every hour, your boss would notice. So, you shouldn’t be doing the same at home! Makes perfect sense, right?

New Ways of Monitoring Performance

As well as monitoring the amount of time your staff actually spend logged into their system working on projects, you also want to be able to monitor accurately how well they are doing. Again, this is just like what you would do with face-to-face meetings or over-the-shoulder analysis in the office, only now you have to find a way to do it remotely.

Again, there are various awesome software tools to help you do this. Tied in with your time management software, you’ll be able to find things to more deeply analyze how each member of staff is using their work PC. For example, you can get updates about which apps they are using, what websites they are visiting, or what amount of time they are spending on different projects.

These tools will help you to generate a productivity score for each member of staff. This score gives you a number to work from, a target to set for each member of staff. You can offer incentives, bonuses, or just great tips to help them maximize their potential at work, using this software to score them. Alternatively, you can go incognito and view all the data yourself, without ever sharing it.

Coaching Remotely

Remote management, though, is about more than just looking at and using data. The data can be a huge help and benefit to your choices when it comes to who needs some coaching, but you also have to remember that everyone is in the same boat. Those who have never worked from home before could be especially in need of some expert tips and wisdom from their superiors.

It’s a totally different environment working from home. There are distractions, family, TVs, and all sorts of things that would never be able to distract someone from their work in the office. Don’t take these productivity numbers at face value. Always consider what could be affecting your staff’s ability to hit 100%, and then help them develop ways to get better. This is what a true expert remote team leader would be able to do.

These things combined can help you have a far happier and more effective remote workforce. The challenges are certainly there, but so are the tools and methods that can help you overcome these hurdles. No matter what kind of business you run or team you look after, utilize tools and top managerial skills to help create a successful workplace.

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The Pandemic Has Made Mexico’s Gig Economy Even Riskier

August 9, 2021

By Rodolfo Aguirre Reveles

In Mexico City, it is now increasingly common to see UberEats drivers also delivering packages for Amazon. Such scenes represent the latest and crudest expression of how the gig economy operates today: an army of people forced to use every minute of their time to make the greatest possible number of trips in order to maximize their earnings.

Mexico has long relied on these types of workers. Before the pandemic, only 44% of the population (24.3 million) had formal jobs, while 56% (31 million) of workers were part of the informal economy. Then, in the second quarter of 2020, after the pandemic and ensuring lockdown, Mexico lost 2 million formal jobs and 5.4 million informal jobs. But gig workers like drivers and delivery persons did not have to stop working, and many of the thousands of people who lost their jobs found refuge in working for these apps.

Since gig workers are not considered employees, there is no reliable data regarding their numbers. However, some news sources claim that approximately half a million people are now gig workers and that number is likely growing by the day. Those who can are buying cars in order to work on these apps, exacerbating problems of mobility in cities. Today, groups of people – most of them men – can often be seen in cars, on motorcycles and bicycles, and on foot outside malls waiting for confirmation of an order or a trip.

Though these jobs have provided a pressure relief valve for the recession produced by Covid-19, they are the weakest link in the digital economy. These workers face a newly complicated situation created by the pandemic: greater competition, lower income, and heightened risk of contagion. Technology has made these platforms an employment option for thousands, but at the cost of creating danger for the workers, the users, and the general public.

New dangers during Covid-19

Gig workers who drive for ride-sharing apps and make deliveries have long been economically precarious. According to a survey of working conditions for app-based delivery people, the average hourly profit is around 42 pesos (2 USD). The bottom 25% earn 26 pesos (1.2 USD) or less per hour and only the highest-earning quartile make 54 pesos (2.55 USD) an hour. (These figures do not consider the earnings of ride-share drivers, which are probably determined by other parameters that allow them to cover higher operating expenses).

And though workers are called “partners,” this is a euphemism to disguise their lack of rights. Workers must submit to the rules companies impose, which frequently lack clarity in everything from how earnings are calculated to the suspension or cancellation of their accounts to changes in their commissions.

Day-to-day, these workers face the risk of accidents and robbery with scant support. Additionally, female workers in this predominantly male field confront harassment and sexual aggression and have had to create WhatsApp groups to warn each other of potential dangers and share preventative strategies.

At the dawn of this gig economy, there was only Uber. In recent years, Cabify, Didi, and Beat have joined the scene, often charging lower commissions. The arrival of these new competitors has caused companies to eliminate safety requirements – such as passing a driver’s test – for joining their platforms in an effort to maintain a broad base of partners.

And as the economic recession spurs more and more people to join these apps, the situation has worsened. Greater competition and pressure to earn more pushes app workers to constantly search for requests for deliveries or trips. A delivery person now typically has two or three delivery apps – such as UberEats, Rappi, Didi Food, and Corner Shop – installed; drivers may use Uber, Cabify, Didi, or Beat. “They are entering more precisely because of this unemployment situation. It is something brutal, the applications are already saturated, and the time will come when we have the same situation as in Argentina, where there will be more distributors than orders,” says one representative of a small group of delivery workers.

Yet more people joining the platforms lowers the quality of service and increases both personal risks and negative side effects for the broader community. Publications have reported on cases in which workers were run over, and then declared ineligible to work by their employer for failing to make deliveries. Increasing work means that app drivers are frequently so exhausted that they fall asleep at the wheel. Gig workers sometimes use the poor working conditions and high-risk environment as pretext to cut corners and not provide customers with the quality and safety companies promise. Reports of inappropriate behavior and hazardous situations produced by drivers are on the rise. A complaint from a woman who had to get out of a moving car because the driver didn’t follow her instructions or the path marked by the app was shared more than a million and a half times on Facebook and received more than 1,400 comments sharing similar situations.

Finally, with the pandemic raging, workers are also at high risk of contagion – both catching and spreading the disease – and receive no medical insurance from their employers. For instance, Uber reported on February 1 that it suspended 240 accounts due to a possible case of exposure in the capital that occurred 27 days before the first contagion in the country was confirmed. On July 2, the ride-share app Didi reported a record of 500 confirmed or quarantined cases.

Toward better regulation

These factors have created a dangerous situation. The pandemic has highlighted the fact that regulation is necessary to protect workers and the public during this crisis and beyond.

Currently, these companies enjoy nearly nonexistent regulation and pay almost no taxes. Platform partners file tax returns as independent workers and it was not until June 2020 that a legal reform to charge value-added tax (VAT) on digital platform transactions took effect. Some companies have passed this tax directly to the consumer, but are still obliged to enroll in the Federal Taxpayer Registry to report payment of VAT and income tax.

While this constitutes substantial progress, a huge regulatory challenge remains and much could still be done to make this growing gig economy safer. For example, regulatory agencies could demand access to company databases to act more quickly and decisively in response to reports of accidents or crimes and to clearly establish sanctions and responsibilities.

In the years ahead, worker organizations may offer a pathway to dignify gig work and gain recognition of a labor relationship with companies. Finally, awareness-building campaigns could be intensified to encourage customers to use services that maintain the best employment practices. Such actions show that, although this business model is here to stay, it is still possible to build a more just framework for this side of the digital economy.

This post is licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0
The English version of this article was first published as part of the “Tech and Covid-19” series by the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Brussels, Hong Kong and Washington, DC.

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About the Author

Rodolfo Aguirre Reveles is Coordinator of Democracy and Human Rights at the Mexico City’s Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Office. He has a degree in economics and master studies in International Business from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He has worked by civil society organizations on public policy, human rights and impact of the Mexico-European Union Free Trade Agreement.

The Devastating Impacts of Boko Haram Weapons Stockpiling on Lake Chad Basin Region

August 8, 2021

By Olusegun Akinfenwa

On April 26, Boko Haram (ISWAP) fighters reportedly overran an army base in northeastern Nigeria, killing over 30 soldiers. For people in the Lake Chad Basin region, such an onslaught has become a regular event and hardly garners much interest from the media and the general public. The Lake Chad Basin region, comprising Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, has witnessed recurring insurgency since the emergence of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The terrorists started their attacks against security forces sometime in mid-2010 with hit-and-run tactics at police checkpoints in northeastern Nigeria. The pillion rider would kill the officer on duty and run away with their guns. Today the group has grown bolder and bigger and now engages the military in gun battles.

This year alone, Boko Haram, along with its breakaway group, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), has killed more than 100 soldiers. Between 2015 to date, they have also overrun various fixed sites of battalions and companies in all four countries in the region. In most of their successful attacks, they dealt a double blow on the military – killing officers and men and carting away arms and ammunition. The stolen weapons, especially from the military, have kept the militants in business and make them deadlier by the day.

Much like most terrorist sects, Boko Haram has a knack for inflating its wins against the military, and this makes it difficult to ascertain the true scale and scope of materiel it has stolen. However, some reports show that the group has acquired hundreds of military vehicles, thousands of assault rifles and firearms, millions of rounds of ammunition from the attacks on military bases. It has also netted non-lethal materiel of various kinds, including military uniforms, petrol, and communication gears.

Sometimes, the militants release videos of the stolen weapons and their captives to gloat about their successes and mock the military. While the group’s wanton human right abuses on the civilian and military populations are devastating, its recent arms stockpiling is also of great concern. Already, Boko Haram has killed over 36,000 people since the start of the war and crippled economic activities in many communities in the Lake Chad Basin region, especially northern Nigeria.

About 2.4 million persons have been forcibly displaced by the group and tens of thousands of children orphaned, especially in northeastern Nigeria, the epicentre of the violence. Many of the displaced have found shelter in internally displaced people (IDP) camps in their home country, while some became refugees in other African countries. Unfortunately, the government-run camps, where most of them take abode, are poorly managed. Hunger, congestion, rape and other poor conditions are daily occurrences in these camps. They are also susceptible to terrorist onslaughts, thereby compounding the woes of the already traumatized people. In Nigeria, the militias have overrun IDPs camps on various occasions leading to deaths and abductions. A refugee camp in Niger was also attacked last year. The protracted fight has exacerbated the refugee crises in the continent.

Morale in military camps is also reportedly low, as there have been cases of mutiny and desertion from war fronts, owing to the incessant attacks by Boko Haram. Trust of security agencies among civilians is also at its lowest ebb, as the military appears to be helpless, and the extremists seem to have better knowledge of the local terrain than the security operatives.

The crisis also has financial implications. For example, the Nigerian government spends about 20 per cent of its annual budget on security, leaving other important sectors, such as education and healthcare, underfunded. Despite the increased military spending, the crises seem to worsen by the day. This has raised suspicions of internal sabotage by some military and political leaders in the region. Of course, it will be baseless to begrudge those with such views, given the high success rate the militants enjoy and the frequency of their attacks in recent time.

With the cache of weapons in Boko Haram’s camp, the decade long war could be prolonged for far longer than anyone can possibly imagine – signalling more devastations in the region. Nigeria recently named the third most affected country by terrorism, mainly as a result of Boko Haram and other armed sects in northern Nigeria. If the attacks continue unchecked, the unrest could worsen and spread to other countries on the continent.

It is therefore imperative that the political and military leaders in the region reassess their current efforts and be more proactive rather than reactive. Boko Haram constitutes a monster that must be neutralized with immediate effect, and stopping its growing arms stockpiling should top the agenda towards achieving that.

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About the Author

Olusegun Akinfenwa is a political correspondent for Immigration News, a news organization affiliated with Immigration Advice Service (IAS). IAS is a leading U.K. immigration law firm that helps people immigrate, settle, and acquire British citizenship.

What is a DNS Leak? How Can I Prevent It?

August 8, 2021

A domain name system or DNS resolves the alphabetic web address you put into your address bar and provides the browser with the IP address for the website. The browser then requests the page hosted on that IP address. Simply put, a DNS server points the browser in the right direction.

The process of translating the domain name into the corresponding IP address is called DNS lookup. IP addresses can be complex and a domain name makes things so much easier for everyone involved.

A DNS leak refers to a security lapse or vulnerability at any stage during the DNS resolution process. DNS leaks can be a serious problem and allow strangers and outsiders to eavesdrop on the traffic and the website as a whole.

To understand how a DNS leak happens and how it can be prevented, there are some things you need to understand first.

What is a VPN?

A virtual private network or VPN for short creates a tunnel between your device and the intended destination server. This allows it to securely transmit data and secures all traffic traveling between your browser, the DNS, and the host website server.

This keeps all activity anonymous and tracking is not possible. If due to some vulnerability, your ISP-provided IP address is exposed, you can be at risk.

What is a DNS Leak?

When your connection is not secure the whole stream of data traveling from your PC/mobile device to any website and back can be compromised. It goes without saying that you’re trying to mask your IP address and would like to stay anonymous when you use a virtual private network or VPN.

But sometimes VPNs do fail at hiding your IP address. The failure can reveal your original IP address, which in the wrong hands, can allow them to intercept the traffic between your browser and DNS. Do your research when picking a VPN. Vpncheck.org is a great place to start.

This exposure and failure to keep the IP address private is called a DNS leak. It allows prying eyes to intercept the communication between the DNS and your browser.

Is a DNS Leak Dangerous?

In the wrong hands, a DNS leak can allow someone to:

Trace your device’s IP address
Allow access to the browser’s DNS requests thereby exposing the history
Allow access to your online activities

This sensitive information can be used in all sorts of ways for targeted marketing or more sinister crime framing. The avenues for wrongful use are endless.

If you are not using a dependable VPN service like ExpressVPN there are chances that your ISP is already gathering this information about your usage. This is because your ISP DNS servers are being used instead of VPN servers.

ISP servers are much less secure than a VPN server and can allow individuals to monitor your actions online by tracing your IP address.

What Causes a DNS Leak?

Your DNS comms can be compromised if:

Your DNS settings are not configured properly
ISP’s wrong use of DNS proxies
Faulty IPv4/IPv6 transition process

DNS Leak Test

Good luck with keeping yourself safe if you’re trusting your ISP with your DNS privacy. But, even VPNs can sometimes fail at keeping things secure. To test if your VPN is protecting your DNS, follow the following steps:

Turn your VPN service off.
Head over to dnsleaktest.com or dnsleak.com.
These websites will provide you with your ISP IP address, ISP’s name, hostname, and geographical location.
Turn the VPN back on.
Select a different geographical location than the one you found in step 2.
Access either of the websites again.
Compare the information obtained with the one obtained in step 3.

It should show a different IP address. If the IP address is the same as before you have a potential DNS leak.

How to Prevent DNS Leaks?

You can prevent any leaks by taking preventive measures. These include:

1. Use a Dependable VPN

The best VPNs keep the traffic secure and ensure that there are no DNS leaks. Make sure you opt for a service that offers DNS leak prevention. As an added layer of security, VPN monitoring software can also be used.

2. Regularly Clear DNS Caches

Your PC also keeps caches of DNS information and your browsing history. To make sure the information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands:

Press the Windows Key + R key combination and type in cmd.
Type ipconfig/flushdns and press enter to flush DNS information.

3. Disable Microsoft Teredo

Microsoft Teredo can override VPN’s DNS servers and can result in a leak while trying to keep your connection stable. Teredo can be switched off through the following steps:

Press the Windows Key + R key combination and type in cmd.
Type netsh interface teredo set state disabled and press enter.

4. Make VPN’s DNS Servers Your Default Servers

Never allow traffic through the ISP servers if you’re worried about a leak. Always use a DNS provider that you trust.

5. Use Secure DNS Service

There are enterprise solutions for DNS communication protection. If you’re not satisfied with the level of security offered by the above-mentioned tips, a dedicated secure DNS service can be opted for. It monitors, filters, blocks, and manages DNS requests as the need may be boosting both security and productivity.

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Cryptocurrency and Legal Considerations About It

August 8, 2021

By Jessica Chapman

Cryptocurrency has taken the world by storm due to its exemplary use of blockchain technology. It is, in fact, one of the leading products that are completely powered and dependent on blockchain technology.

With more people starting to invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, some might ask themselves about the legal standing of crypto. Here are a few points about the legal considerations about cryptocurrency and its transaction system.

Concerns over money laundering schemes

The advent of cryptocurrencies was real-life proof of blockchain technology making huge strides in a real-life environment. This has proved how much it is possible for blockchain to make changes in the business landscape. Through wide-spreading growth, it is proof of blockchain transforming businesses in various industries and sectors. However, the anonymity and shroud of the mystery of the transaction ledger make it hard for the IRS to track down any unpaid taxes.

Also, since cryptocurrency does not have the legal standing of an actual currency, it is viewed as an asset. Therefore it is a currency of choice for people trying to hide their incoming cash away from the relevant tax authorities. As a result, others have strong reasons to believe that cryptocurrencies might be a tax haven for money laundering schemes.

With the popularity of this digital currency growing, it seems to be getting easier to bypass local laws regarding taxation since crypto is regarded as an asset. Even the average citizen has come to a point where their salary might even be paid out as crypto.

Lack of legal accountability

What makes cryptocurrency work so efficiently is that it does not belong to anyone specific individual or company. Even though the inventors and developers of cryptocurrencies built these systems, they do not own them. Nobody does have legal ownership of crypto companies, and this is the main idea behind it.

The intention of cryptocurrency is to decentralize currencies so that no one individual has total control over them. Although this seems like a great aspect of cryptocurrency, some perceive it as a lack of legal accountability. If there is any data leak or other legal issue with cryptocurrency, you can’t really claim or file a suit against anyone. The lack of legal accountability might even be more evident by having no one central office where the servers are.

Instead, they are scattered across the entire globe, making up a worldwide network of blockchain nodes. All of the individuals that own these nodes are also not accountable for the operations of cryptocurrencies because all they do is provide infrastructure to complete a transaction.

Fraudulent activities surrounding crypto

Apart from tax evasion and money laundering, cryptocurrencies might have other legal implications that seemingly promote this digital currency as the perfect platform for fraudulent activities. Due to the very own blockchain system that provides complete anonymity, government organizations have been concerned about what this catalyzes. Using cryptocurrency to complete fraudulent transactions is not something that is surprising.

In the deep dark corners of the internet, some are selling carded and fraudulently obtained goods. On the other hand, anonymity benefits the perpetrators since law enforcement officers find it hard to intercept any payments made for such fraudulent sales. This is in direct contrast with how banks help law enforcement officials when sharing subpoenaed bank statements and other financial records.

Apprehending suspects conducting fraudulent activities has become much harder on law enforcement if cryptocurrency was used. Without strong evidence, the police and prosecutor need a smoking gun testimony or tangible evidence of any wrongdoing. Otherwise, the suspects might as well walk away scot-free from any charges on their name.

Jurisdictional legal implications

Most crimes committed either physically or on the web can be tied to a specific location using geotagging or crime scene spot identification. As a result, law enforcement agencies know exactly who has jurisdiction over the investigation of that case. Depending on the severity of the crime, local police departments might have the authority to investigate. Alternatively, state law enforcement or even federal agencies might need to be involved in more complex cases.

Federal agencies might also be better equipped to handle nationwide crimes. However, crimes committed using cryptocurrency are generally over the internet with no location tied to them. As a result, it becomes challenging trying to ascribe which law enforcement agency has jurisdiction.

There is nothing law enforcement agencies can go on when suspects are using crypto because of the anonymity. Also, there is no one individual who can shed light on the specific users because it is decentralized and there’s no accountability whatsoever. Therefore, jurisdictional divides are blurred out and it is hard to track down crimes committed online using cryptocurrency as the payment method.

The legality of smart contracts fulfilled using crypto

There has been great fanfare regarding a very innovative idea to enter into binding financial agreements. This innovative idea is none other than smart contracts that use cryptocurrency and blockchain ledgers to be completed. Smart contracts are binding agreements that facilitate a sale and payment is only released to the individual once the obligations have been fulfilled.

These agreements could range from something as small as making a second-hand gadget sale to selling your house. As a result, both seller and buyer are safe as this contractual arrangement is a bit similar to the escrow system. Before making a sale, the buyer and seller agree on the obligations that need to be fulfilled before the funds are automatically released.

Although this idea seems very functional and innovative, there are some questions regarding its legality. If anything were to go wrong, are these contracts admissible in court? It is hard to tell, especially since these smart contracts use crypto, which has a veil of secrecy in terms of its transactions.

Operational risks of cryptocurrency

In addition to all of these legal concerns regarding cryptocurrency, this digital currency also poses further implications that impact its legality. There are some operational risks that cryptocurrencies possess because they aren’t backed up by any tangible assets.

Unlike normal currency impacted by the gold reserves of a country, the value of cryptocurrencies is ascribed by the users. If most of the users decide to tip the scales and drive the value of any given crypto down, they have the prerogative to do so. These operational risks have been the ones that impact the legal status of cryptocurrency.

As there is no underlying value to cryptocurrencies, that is why it has been classified as an asset instead of a currency. Subsequently, this has all the other ripple effects regarding tax evasion and money laundering schemes. Additionally, there are no ethical laws that govern cryptocurrencies and price-fixing that are applicable to regular currencies.

The bottom line

Cryptocurrency is here to stay and there are significant benefits associated with using this digital currency. However, there are some legal concerns regarding how cryptocurrency operates, especially regarding the anonymity it provides to criminal activities. Be that as it may, there is very little that can be done about this and cryptocurrency is overall beneficial. Hence its growth might continue on an upward trend since more users are attracted to this digital currency.

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About the Author

Jessica Chapman, a writer and editor from Chicago, works for a professional writer service and proofreading services UK. Besides writing, she is into sport, politics and traveling.

These Are the Documents That Are Still Worth Scanning

August 7, 2021

You probably thought you were done with paper. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is true that some paper dependency has been reduced thanks to technology. But it is not enough to even begin speculating about a paperless society. There is a good chance you are not purchasing as many newspapers and magazines as you used to. That’s a good thing since there aren’t nearly as many from which to choose. Professional typesetters are no longer in demand. Even common utility bills are going paperless.

Still, this progress is muted by the fact that dead-tree junk mailers are still filling our boxes with paper garbage. Junk email hasn’t slowed down the amount of paper junk mail. Job applications are going online. But that hasn’t stopped those same employers from demanding that you fill out a paper application and produce a paper resumé. Grocery stores are still printing out receipts loaded with ads. If anything, they are using more paper. We are receiving mixed messages about whether to eliminate paper for the sake of the environment, or whether we should print everything? What items should we print and keep in a file cabinet and which should we scan for our digital records? Here is some guidance that can help you decide:

Event and Travel Tickets

If you ever get a chance to go to the Olympics as a spectator, be sure to scan your tickets. That wasn’t an issue this year because of the lack of spectators at the Olympics. This is true for other sporting events, concerts, and all travel tickets. The good news is that many tickets now have a digital component so you can keep them neatly in a digital wallet. But that is not true for all of them. With a good scan, some venues will accept it as a proof of purchase. They should be able to scan the QR code to give them the necessary information.

Some event tickets cost more than a house payment. And overseas airfare can run several thousands of dollars. It won’t exactly be fun for the whole family if something were to happen to the physical tickets. Don’t just count on your scans. To be on the safe side, get travel insurance to cover mishaps involving expensive tickets. The scan is just a backup that you never want to actually need.

Tax Records

Even the IRS knows that keeping your tax records in a shoebox is a bad idea. That said, keeping them in a shoebox is fine as long as it is locked in a fireproof safe. If you don’t have a fireproof safe, you should definitely scan all your tax records from as far back as you can get. It is the kind of thing you never want to need. But if you are audited for any reason, those records are going to be very important. If it is your word against the IRS, you are going to lose.

Many apartments will also ask to see your most recent tax records. If you are self-employed, it is the only proof of income you have that they will accept. You might not have to produce a hard copy if you have a clear scan you can include as a digital attachment.

Pay Stubs

If you are lucky enough to work for a company that keeps a record of your paystubs online, you are ahead of the game. But you will only have access to those stubs as long as you work for the company. If you move on to your next opportunity, you are going to need scans of your physical pay stubs for your records. Often, the online stubs can be saved as PDFs. Be sure to do that every pay period so that you always have a copy. If you only get them in print, be sure to scan them and treat them like tax records.

You can find a document scanner that is software only and can be used with smartphones and tablets. Those work just as well. You will need them as long as there are vaccination cards, tax records, and pay stubs to be scanned.

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Going Against the Professional Grain: 5 Reasons Entrepreneurs Should Ditch the Traditional Office

August 7, 2021

As an entrepreneur, you’re probably a go-getter who’s always looking for the next new step in growing their business. Whether you’re a startup or an established business owner, finding ways to increase productivity is crucial. Going digital just might be the extra kick you need to break your ventures into the next profit tier.

Tools you’ll need

Before you can do away with traditional workspaces, you’ll need virtual tools to replace the traditional ones. Here are the digital instruments you need to run a small company successfully:

Virtual office

One absolute must for running a remote business is a virtual office from service providers such as iPostal1. A virtual office connects you with a business address without the need to rent a physical office. The costs of a virtual business address are virtually non-existent when compared to a physical address and all the overhead costs running an office. Important mail, phone calls, and faxes are all forwarded to you without the overhead of a traditional office. Your employees and clients can also reach you regardless of location, broadening your reach.

Project management software

Project management software will help you plan and keep track of your and your employees’ tasks. The software makes it possible to collaborate within your team, adding more value to your e-business.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing creates a safe and smooth work environment for virtual work. Employees can gain access to essential work files without the need to access physical equipment. Cloud computing also cuts hardware expenses and leaves files less vulnerable to theft.

Five reasons you should ditch the traditional office

Many of the digital tools speak for themselves, but here are five additional reasons why you should run your business without a physical office:

You access great talent from different locations

Your physical location limits you when searching for exceptional employees. The talent you need may not be in your area and may not be willing to relocate. Remote work gives you unlimited access to talent across the globe.

You save on overhead

Renting a physical space is expensive. The cost of furniture, interior decorations, office supplies, and utilities adds up quickly. You can spend less establishing a virtual office than you might on just one month of renting a physical location.

You save time

Planning a formal boardroom meeting is usually a slow and complicated affair. Moving from one office or conference room to another is tedious, and it wastes time. You can channel the hours normally spent in transit or on the road into productive work. Remote work sets schedules without the need to travel, cutting down on time expenditure.

Increase in business productivity

Research shows that productivity is not deterred by shifting to remote work. Although virtual work means your employees may not do a full nine-to-five, they’ll still get the job done, possibly to a higher standard than before. Remote work means they get to create a comfortable workspace for themselves, and the same applies to you. When you don’t have to worry about driving into the office or leaving for a rushed lunch, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

It improves employee motivation

Working remotely helps to balance work and personal life. People put in more effort when they’re allowed to work in a comfortable environment . Increasing employee motivation is a valuable metric for growing your business and managing your employees’ needs.

Make the change

Sometimes it pays to go against the grain, and going digital is one way you can get in on the action. Ditching the traditional office may seem like a big change, but once you do, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t do it sooner.

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