The following is an announcement from the (U.S.) Federal Trade Commission:

The FTC has issued a new rule striking against the persistent problem of fake and false consumer reviews and testimonials. Consumers should be able to trust the authenticity of feedback they read, hear, or see about a product or service. But digital content — including reviews and testimonials — has always been easy to fake, and with generative AI tools it’s now even easier. That makes our new rule even more significant.

Fake reviews and testimonials have polluted the marketplace. They harm the many consumers relying on them to pick products and providers, subverting people’s ability to make informed decisions. They also hurt competitors who work hard to comply with the law. 

The FTC has challenged illegal practices regarding reviews and testimonials for several decades. Along with numerous law enforcement actions, we’ve also issued guidance to help businesses do the right thing. We’re not alone. Other regulators in the states and abroad have been trying hard to attack the problem. And whether protected from liability or not, online marketplaces and social media companies also have a crucial role to play, and they could and should do more to stem the tide of deceptive commercial conduct that they’ve allowed to fester on their platforms.

But altogether it has not been enough. That’s why, in 2022, we started the process for developing a new federal rule spelling out clearly deceptive practices in this area, authorizing courts to impose civil penalties for knowing violations, strengthening our enforcement actions, and imposing a deterrent effect on bad actors. The final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials reflects the great benefits of the public comment process. We heard a broad range of perspectives from consumers, small businesses, advocacy organizations, trade associations, review platform operators, researchers, and others with an interest in the area. As a result of their comments, we’ve made some clarifications and adjustments to the initially proposed version of the rule, which you can read all about in the lengthy statement accompanying the new rule.

Just as originally intended, the new rule remains focused on fighting clearly deceptive practices involving reviews and testimonials and not burdening honest businesses. Any deceptive or unfair practice involving reviews or testimonials which the rule does not cover is still subject to the FTC Act. The rule prohibits the following practices:

Writing, selling, or buying fake or false consumer reviews. The rule prohibits businesses from writing or selling consumer reviews that misrepresent they are by someone who doesn’t exist or who didn’t have actual experience with the business or its products or services, or that misrepresent the reviewers’ experience. It also prohibits businesses from buying consumer reviews that they knew or should have known made such a misrepresentation. Businesses are also prohibited from procuring from certain company insiders such reviews about the business or its products or services for posting on third-party sites, when the businesses knew or should have known about the misrepresentation. (The prohibitions on buying or procuring reviews don’t cover generalized review solicitations to past customers or simply hosting reviews on the business’s website. Neither will a retailer or other entity be liable for sharing consumer reviews unless it would have been liable for displaying those same reviews on its own website.)

Writing, selling, or disseminating fake or false testimonials. Businesses are similarly prohibited from writing or selling consumer or celebrity testimonials that make the same kinds of misrepresentations. They’re also prohibited from disseminating or causing the dissemination of such testimonials when they knew or should have known about the misrepresentation. (The prohibition on disseminating testimonials doesn’t cover the type of generalized solicitations to past customers discussed above with respect to reviews.)

Buying positive or negative reviews. Businesses are prohibited from providing compensation or other incentives contingent on the writing of consumer reviews expressing a particular sentiment, either positive or negative. Violations here include situations in which such a contingency is express or implied. So, for example, while it prohibits offering $25 for a 5-star review, it also prohibits offering $25 for a review “telling everyone how much you love our product.”

Failing to make disclosures about insider reviews and testimonials. The rule prohibits a company’s officers and managers from writing reviews or testimonials about the business or its products or services without clearly disclosing their relationship. Businesses are also prohibited from disseminating testimonials by company insiders without clear disclosures, if the businesses knew or should have known of the relationship. A similar prohibition exists for officer or manager solicitations of reviews from their immediate relatives or from employees or agents of the business, and when officers or managers ask employees or agents to seek such reviews from relatives. For these various solicitations, the rule is violated only if (1) the officers or managers didn’t give instructions about making clear disclosures, (2) the resulting reviews – either by the employees, agents, or the immediate relatives of the officers, managers, employees, or agents – appear without clear disclosures, and (3) the officers or managers knew or should have known that such reviews appeared and failed to take steps to have those reviews either removed or amended to include clear disclosures. All of these prohibitions hinge on the undisclosed relationship being material to consumers. (These disclosure provisions also clarify that they don’t cover mere review hosting or generalized solicitations to past customers.)

Deceptively claiming that company-controlled review websites are independent.  Businesses are prohibited from misrepresenting that websites or entities they control or operate are providing independent reviews or opinions, other than consumer reviews, about a category of businesses, products, or services that includes their own business, product, or service.

Illegally suppressing negative reviews.  The rule prohibits using unfounded or groundless legal threats, physical threats, intimidation, or public false accusations (when the accusation is made with knowledge that it’s false or with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity) to prevent the posting or cause the removal of all or part of a consumer review. Legal threats are “unfounded or groundless” if they’re unwarranted by existing law or based on allegations that have no evidentiary support. Also, if reviews on a marketer’s website have been suppressed based on their rating or negative sentiment, the rule prohibits that business from misrepresenting that the reviews on a portion of its website dedicated to receiving and displaying such reviews represent most or all submitted reviews.

Selling and buying fake social media indicators.  The rule prohibits the sale or distribution of fake indicators of social media influence, like fake followers or views. A “fake” indicator means one generated by a bot, a hijacked account, or that otherwise does not reflect a real individual’s or entity’s activities or opinions. The rule also bars anyone from buying or procuring such fake indicators. These prohibitions are limited to situations in which the violator knew or should have known that the indicators were fake and which involved misrepresentations of a person’s or company’s influence or importance for a commercial purpose.

We mentioned generative AI earlier, and you may be thinking, to paraphrase Tina Turner, what’s AI got to do with it? The rule doesn’t specifically refer to AI, so do these prohibitions cover situations when someone uses an AI tool to generate the deceptive content at issue? Of course they do. To paraphrase ourselves, there’s no AI defense to the regulations on the books. 

From an article by David Nield published in the lifehacker web site:

Just like apps on your phone, websites can request permissions inside your browser. Some of these permissions are pretty essential—like webcam access for video calling apps—but it's a good idea to run a regular audit of which websites and web apps have access to which permissions on your computer and phone.

These permissions can be pretty important, too: access to your location, for example. You'll probably want this turned on for a website that's delivering you a daily weather forecast, but it's not necessarily something you want every website knowing about.

Whatever browser you use, permissions must be explicitly requested and then granted by you—there's no way for them to be accessed surreptitiously. You'll see a pop-up whenever a new permission is requested, but as we'll show you here, you can also, at any time, check up on the permissions you've granted or blocked.

You can find instructions on how to check all the more popular web browsers at: https://lifehacker.com/tech/check-website-permissions-in-chrome-edge-firefox-and

The Industrial Archives & Library (IAL) announced today that staff and volunteers finished a yearlong project to digitize and make accessible approximately 476 issues of Bethlehem Steel newsletters from a variety of steel plants, shipyards, mines and other operations across America. The newsletters not only tell stories about the industrial giant, but also its employees.

The newsletters, dated 1978-1985, are as much a story of Bethlehem Steel as the communities in which the company had its plants, yards, and offices. Most issues include corporate news, but also include stories about hobbies of miners, corporate picnics, and academic accomplishments of blue-collar workers’ children.

“The newsletters are a treasure trove of interesting information about Bethlehem Steel, much of it from the perspective of its everyday employees,” said Stephen G. Donches, IAL President & CEO. “While the scope of our collection strategy is national across a variety of industries,” Donches added, “our Bethlehem Steel holdings are central to our mission at IAL, and we are looking to expand them at every opportunity.”

”This collection would not have been available until much later if it were not for the work of one of IAL’s talented volunteers, George Myers,” said Missy Nerino, IAL’s Digital Archivist, who oversaw the project. Myers, who has been volunteering with IAL for over 17 months, has been digitizing the newsletters each week throughout the year. “George is a huge asset to IAL,” stated Nerino, “and he approaches every job with a positive attitude. I know he enjoyed digitizing these newsletters with an enthusiasm in finding interesting articles that was infectious on everyone involved with the project.”

“My main takeaway from these newsletters,” Myers noted, “Was that you get to see the real face of Bethlehem Steel through the stories of individual employees. The newsletters covered everything, and it was only on the front page you’d see the corporate line.”

In total, 28 different titles, and about 2732 pages were digitized in the effort. Nerino then provided metadata to each newsletter before uploading them into IAL’s digital asset management system, Preservica. The newsletters can be viewed online at this link. 

Can you help us fill the gaps? IAL is looking for missing issues of newsletters. Contact IAL by email at info@industrialarchives.org or by telephone at 618-868-1115.

• Google Drive now allows users to save scanned documents as JPEGs.
  
• Scanned docs saved as JPEGs are generally smaller in size when compared to PDFs, enabling faster uploads over mobile data.
  
• This new feature is rolling out now to all Google Workspace customers and those with personal Google accounts.
  

Google Drive users have long had the ability to scan physical documents and upload them to the cloud right within the app. However, saving scanned documents has always been limited to PDFs.

The tool had previously been upgraded to offer automatic capture when the camera view is aligned with a document, an option to import from your camera roll, and a scanner button shortcut for faster scans, alongside options for changing the scanned document's alignment, automatic crops, filters, and more.

Now, in a bid to make scanned documents easier to upload and share with others, Google Drive is rolling out support for saving scanned docs as JPEGs. The tech giant announced the rollout in a Workspace Updates post, highlighting that the feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

This new feature is rolling out now to users on both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains, and users can expect it to be available within the next fifteen days on both Android and iOS.

I wrote a few days ago (at: https://eogn.com/page-18080/13391849) about Tim Walz's ancestry from  Luxembourg. Now, as more amore genealogists research his heritage, they are finding more information about more ancestors from more countries. He is the latest American politician to have his roots traced back to Ireland - but where exactly his ancestors are from is a matter for debate.

The 41st governor of Minnesota's relatives are said to have hailed from County Wexford. American genealogist Megan Smolenyak, who has been tracking politicians' roots since Barack Obama first ran for president in 2008, believes his ancestors are from Ferns in the county. However, local genealogists are suggesting it is Kilmore which is about 52km down the road.

Ms Smolenyak told BBC News NI that Mr Walz was "about 1/8th Irish", pointing out that his ancestors moved to Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska.

She said, according to records, Mr Walz's great-grandmother was called Laura Ellen Sullivan. "A surname like Sullivan is a clear sign that you have Irish ancestry," she said. "I started working backwards then following the trail from there. "His ancestor's name was Sullivan. I found James Sullivan who was from Ireland, his daughter was Laura Ellen Sullivan."

The hunt is now on for distant relatives of the man who could be another American in the White House with Irish connections.

You can read more in an article by Barry O'Connor published in the BBC News web site at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz5r5yl624ko 

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

Speculation in the stock market, real estate, oil futures, or dot-com firms is commonly associated with contemporary endeavors pursued by daring entrepreneurs. Our predecessors were renowned for taking even more substantial risks in a predominantly uncontrolled economic environment. Arguably the most renowned example is the Dutch Tulip Mania that occurred from 1636 to 1637. Nevertheless, the phenomenon was not limited to the Dutch; a significant number of our forebears in several nations also participated in the fervor. A significant number of individuals experienced financial losses, both substantial and minor.

When tulips come to mind, the majority of us instinctively associate them with Holland. Nevertheless, it is not an indigenous species of that particular nation. In 1593, Charles de L'Ecluse, also known as Carolus Clusius, successfully cultivated tulips that were able to withstand the challenging climate of the Low Countries, which were then known as the United Provinces (today called the Netherlands). Charles received bulbs from Turkey as a gift from his friend, Ogier de Busbecq.

During the Bubonic Plague outbreak in the Netherlands, Charles de L'Ecluse intended to study the tulip plant for its medical properties. He cultivated a petite garden. Allegedly, a group of individuals trespassed into his garden and pilfered a portion of his bulbs with the intention of generating immediate profit, therefore initiating the Dutch bulb trade.

The flower quickly gained popularity as a highly desired luxury item and a mark of social prestige. 

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/13394792. (A Plus Edition password is required to access that article.)

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

Explore new church records spanning 60 years this week. 

We added 24,453 church records from England, Scotland and the United States to our Catholic Heritage Archive this week. 

Covering intermittent years between 1914 and 1974, these unique new additions will enable you to unlock the stories of your Roman Catholic ancestors in more detail than ever. 

We also added over 300,000 pages to our newspaper collection, taking our total page count to 82 million.

England Roman Catholic records

We've added 22,586 English Catholic birth, marriage and death records. 

These additions - all from 1914 - cover Birmingham, London, Northampton and Nottingham.

Scotland Roman Catholic records

Our Catholic record collection for Scotland also grew this week, as we added 1,829 birth, marriage and death records from 1934, 1949 and 1974.

Philadelphia Roman Catholic records

If you've got roots in America's Keystone State, you may find a familiar name or two within these new Roman Catholic records from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church, Philadelphia. 

Within this updated set, there are a handful of brand-new images and transcriptions for you to explore. 

82 million new pages to discover

We hit the 82 million page mark this week, with the addition of a brand-new Northumberland title - the Whitley Bay Guardian - and updates to 17 of our existing newspapers. 

Whitley Bay Guardian.

Here's a full rundown of everything that's been added this Findmypast Friday. 

New titles:

• Whitley Bay Guardian, 1987-1990, 1992, 1996, 1998-1999

Updated titles:

• Bexhill-on-Sea Observer, 1942
• Bicester Review, 1995, 2001-2002
• Bucks Advertiser & Aylesbury News, 1995, 1998-1999, 2002-2003
• Crawley and District Observer, 1996-1999
• Football Echo (Sunderland), 1907-1910, 1912-1915, 1924-1939, 1949, 1951-1955
• Halifax Evening Courier, 1999-2002
• Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 1978-1979, 1998-2000
• Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 1996
• Hebden Bridge Times, 1883, 1897, 1911, 1978, 1992-1993, 1996-1997
• Horncastle News, 1996, 1998-2002
• Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian, 1984, 1999, 2001-2002
• Littlehampton Gazette, 1940-1954, 1978, 1987, 1993-1997, 2000, 2002-2003
• Morecambe Guardian, 1961-1963, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998
• Spilsby Standard, 1997-1999, 2001-2002
• West Sussex County Times, 1998, 2003
• West Sussex Gazette, 1967-1968, 1996-1997, 1999, 2001-2003
• Worthing Herald, 1998-1999, 2002

Last week we added over 28,000 fascinating records from the East Midlands - explore the full release here. 

Fridays Live is getting a makeover...

From this week, you'll get not one but two separate live sessions, rotating fortnightly. And what's more - there's something for everyone. We're kicking this exciting new format off with The Family History Show, at 4 pm on Friday 16 August.

The Family History Show will see co-hosts Ellie Ayton and Liam Boyle in conversation every two weeks, as they chat about historical anniversaries, the latest family history shows and historical films, surname spotlights, and of course, your amazing family history discoveries. Everyone's welcome, so bring a coffee and join in the discussion.

Family History Expert Hour will be your fortnightly dose of family history wisdom, featuring tutorials, top tips, brick wall busting, record deep dives, and more. Whether you want to solve a mystery or deepen your genealogy know-how, hosts Jen Baldwin and Rose Staveley-Wadham are here to help.

Louisianans are embracing their roots on National Acadian Day in Nova Scotia.

People from the state are among the 30,000 expected to attend a big party happening in southwest Nova Scotia on Thursday. It's part of the World Acadian Congress 2024, a celebration of Acadian culture that began on Aug. 10 and ends Aug. 18.

Donna Bourque-Misthos, a Cajun who travelled to Nova Scotia from Louisiana, told Radio-Canada that she wanted "to see where it all started in the New World for my family."

It's her first trip here and she said it's been a great experience so far. She said she has a pot and wooden spoon ready for her first Tintamarre, a traditional Acadian parade in which participants march through the community making noise.

"It's been very emotional. When we went to Grand Pre, a lot of tears and it's been very heartwarming to be embraced by the Acadians of Nova Scotia. When they say 'Welcome home,' it's very special," Bourque-Misthos said.

Jessie LeBlanc, another Cajun from Louisiana, said he came to Nova Scotia for reunions with the LeBlanc, Landry and Gaudet families.

He said his genealogy traces back to early French settlements in Nova Scotia. After the British kicked Acadians out of the region in the mid-1700s, families like his settled in Louisiana.

"I do not speak French because in my family, in Louisiana, my two older brothers failed first grade because they couldn't speak English well enough," he said.

"So word got out that Cajuns in Louisiana needed to assimilate if you wanted to get ahead in life, so you had to master the English language. So everything French was kind of thrown out and a lot of our French culture down in Louisiana was lost during that period, like the 1930s and 1940s. But it's coming back."

Denise Comeau Desautels, the president of the Acadian Federation of Nova Scotia, told CBC's Information Morning Halifax it's been an exciting week so far in southwest Nova Scotia — particularly with all the family reunions.

"There's a lot of resemblances between us from people, from all the Acadians all over the world. We are seeing people from all the states, especially Louisiana, lot of people from Louisiana — from Quebec, from New Brunswick, from other parts of Canada and from France. It's incredible," Comeau Desautels said.

• With Acadians coming to N.S. by the thousands, rappie pie is a hot commodity

• 'My trademark is my accent': Acadians embracing their brand of French

Comeau Desautels said people want to talk about their genealogy and their connections to Nova Scotia.

"Everybody is really enjoying their time here and tonight is the big concert at the Yarmouth Airport … the Tintamarre, which is a parade making a lot of noise to show Acadians are still here and that starts in Clare and ends up in Yarmouth," she said.

Comeau Desautels said people are showing pride in their Acadian heritage in a big way.

"There's a lot of Acadian flags everywhere, a lot of Acadian flags," she said.

Billy Nungesser, the lieutenant governor of Louisiana, is in Nova Scotia for the Acadian World Congress. He told Radio-Canada he wants to strengthen ties between his state and the province. (Radio-Canada)

Billy Nungesser, the lieutenant governor of Louisiana, is also in Nova Scotia for the World Acadian Congress. 

He said he'd like to strengthen ties between Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and his state.

"Last night out on the waterfront, we made jambalaya, Louisianans, Canadians pitched in to make it together," Nungesser said.

"The music, the Cajun music, people were joining in all night, sitting together like they've been playing together for years and just picked it up but that friendship, that, like I said, Canadians are like Louisianans. They treat strangers like family."

In today's digital age, the quest for ancestry and family history has transcended mere curiosity. Many people seek to reconnect with their roots, discover the final resting places of their ancestors, or locate the graves of famous personalities. Sysoon stands out as a premier free resource dedicated to this very purpose, offering users the ability to search for deceased individuals and explore millions of death records across the globe.

What is Sysoon?

Sysoon is more than just a website; it's a comprehensive database and social network dedicated to the themes of death, dying, funerals, and memorials. With Sysoon, users can:

• Search for Deceased Individuals: Easily locate the burial records of family members, friends, or famous personalities.

• Explore Ancestry and Family History: Delve into genealogy records and uncover your family's past.

• Locate Cemeteries: Find cemeteries worldwide, offering a valuable tool for those looking to visit the graves of their loved ones.

• Create Online Memorials: Establish virtual memorials for deceased individuals, complete with photos, virtual flowers, and heartfelt notes.

The First Social Network Dedicated to Death and Dying

Sysoon isn't just a repository of records; it's a social network that brings together individuals who share a common interest in preserving the memories of the deceased. Whether you are planning a funeral, searching for cemetery records, or simply exploring your ancestry, Sysoon offers a platform where users can connect, share information, and honor the memories of those who have passed.

Key Features of Sysoon

• Search for Deceased and Millions of Death Records Worldwide: Sysoon allows users to search billions of death records quickly and easily. With just a few clicks, you can locate the grave of an ancestor or search for death certificates, burial records, and obituaries.

• Family History and Genealogy Records: For those interested in genealogy, Sysoon offers access to a vast collection of family history records, helping users piece together their family tree.

• Online Memorial Website and Virtual Cemetery: Sysoon provides a unique opportunity to create online memorials. These virtual cemeteries allow users to pay tribute to their loved ones by adding photos, virtual flowers, and personal messages.

• Locate a Cemetery Anywhere in the World: Whether you're searching for a cemetery in your hometown or across the globe, Sysoon's comprehensive database makes it easy to locate cemeteries and gravesites.

• Funeral Home Directory and Cemetery Resource: Planning a funeral can be a daunting task. Sysoon offers a directory of funeral homes and cemeteries, helping users find the right resources during a difficult time.

Why Use Sysoon?

• Free Access to a Wealth of Information: Sysoon is a free resource, making it accessible to everyone. Whether you are conducting research or simply want to honor a loved one's memory, Sysoon provides a wealth of information at no cost.

• Comprehensive and User-Friendly: With millions of cemetery records and online memorials, Sysoon is one of the most comprehensive resources available. Its user-friendly interface ensures that even those unfamiliar with genealogy can navigate the site with ease.

• A Community for the Bereaved: Sysoon's social network aspect allows users to connect with others who have experienced loss. By sharing stories, memorials, and memories, users can find comfort and support in a community that understands their grief.

How to Use Sysoon

Using Sysoon is simple and straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Search for Deceased Individuals: Enter the name of the deceased in the search bar and explore the available records.

2. Locate a Cemetery: Use the cemetery locator to find burial sites worldwide.

3. Create an Online Memorial: Pay tribute to your loved ones by creating a virtual memorial with photos, messages, and virtual flowers.

4. Explore Family History: Dive into genealogy records and trace your family lineage.

Sysoon is a valuable tool for anyone interested in genealogy, family history, or simply honoring the memory of those who have passed away. As the first social network dedicated to death and dying, it offers a unique platform where users can search for deceased individuals, locate cemeteries, and create online memorials. With its comprehensive database and user-friendly interface, Sysoon is a must-use resource for anyone looking to explore the final resting places of their ancestors or pay tribute to loved ones.

Start your search today and discover the rich history that lies within Sysoon's vast records. Whether you're searching for the graves of famous folks, friends, or family members, Sysoon offers a free, accessible, and comprehensive resource that connects you to the past in a meaningful way.

Source: Busines NewsWire

For a century, the Schneider family had lost one another, unwillingly split in half in 1924 during efforts to flee the chaos brought on by the Bolsheviks taking control of Russia and the antisemitic riots that ensued.

Alex Schneider’s grandfather Aaron had traveled with 7-year-old daughter Mina and 5-year-old son Rem—who would become Alex’s father—with the intent of wife, Katerina, and the younger children, 3-year-old Simon and baby Fania, joining them on a second trip.

However, Joseph Stalin’s efforts to shut off the Soviet Union from the outside world prevented the family from reuniting, until eventually they lost contact completely.

“For the rest of their lives, my father and his sister did not know what happened to their mother and younger siblings. The separation was extremely painful and affected them deeply. They grew up without a mother,” Schneider wrote in a July 28 blog post.

Using the genealogy website MyHeritage, Schneider managed to find and connect with Michael Kogan, the son of Fania. Schneider spoke with JNS about the experience and the insights gained from his research.

“Connecting with our long-lost family members has been a transformative experience for all of the family members,” Schneider said. “Learning about our grandfather Aaron’s journey from Moscow to China and the challenges he faced has deepened our appreciation for the resilience and adaptability that runs in our family.”

“Discovering our father’s younger brother Simon at the Soviet Army memorial site with the help of MyHeritage and connecting with our long-lost cousins has enriched our understanding of our cultural heritage,” Schneider said.

The process of discovering this hidden family history also strengthened the bonds in the Schneider family, moving some to tears. 

“Sharing these discoveries with other family members has brought us closer together and created a sense of unity and pride in our shared history,” Schneider told JNS. “Overall, this journey has been a source of joy and inspiration.”

Elisabeth Zetland, a researcher at MyHeritage, said that the Schneider family’s story “highlights the power of online genealogy platforms like MyHeritage in bridging the gaps created by time and history.