Public

public

Authors:
(1) AMINA A. ABDU, University of Michigan, USA;
(2) LAUREN M. CHAMBERS, University of California, Berkeley, USA;
(3) DEIRDRE K. MULLIGAN, University of California, Berkeley, USA;
(4) ABIGAIL Z. JACOBS, University of Michigan, USA. Authors: Authors: (1) AMINA A. ABDU, University of Michigan, USA; (2) LAUREN M. CHAMBERS, University of California, Berkeley, USA; (3) DEIRDRE K. MULLIGAN, University of California, Berkeley, USA; (4) ABIGAIL Z. JACOBS, University of Michigan, USA. Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction Abstract and 1. Introduction 2. Related Work 2. Related Work 3. Theoretical Lenses 3.1. Handoff Model 3.1. Handoff Model 3.2. Boundary objects 3.2. Boundary objects 4. Applying the Theoretical Lenses and 4.1 Handoff Triggers: New tech, new threats, new hype 4. Applying the Theoretical Lenses and 4.1 Handoff Triggers: New tech, new threats, new hype 4.2. Handoff Components: Shifting experts, techniques, and data 4.2. Handoff Components: Shifting experts, techniques, and data 4.3. Handoff Modes: Abstraction and constrained expertise 4.3. Handoff Modes: Abstraction and constrained expertise 4.4 Handoff Function: Interrogating the how and 4.5. Transparency artifacts at the boundaries: Spaghetti at the wall 4.4 Handoff Function: Interrogating the how and 4.5. Transparency artifacts at the boundaries: Spaghetti at the wall 5. Uncovering the Stakes of the Handoff 5. Uncovering the Stakes of the Handoff 5.1. Confidentiality is the tip of the iceberg 5.1. Confidentiality is the tip of the iceberg 5.2. Data Utility 5.2. Data Utility 5.3. Formalism 5.3. Formalism 5.4. Transparency 5.4. Transparency 5.5. Participation 5.5. Participation 6. Beyond the Census: Lessons for Transparency and Participation and 6.1 Lesson 1: The handoff lens is a critical tool for surfacing values 6. Beyond the Census: Lessons for Transparency and Participation and 6.1 Lesson 1: The handoff lens is a critical tool for surfacing values 6.2 Lesson 2: Beware objects without experts 6.2 Lesson 2: Beware objects without experts 6.3 Lesson 3: Transparency and participation should center values and policy 6.3 Lesson 3: Transparency and participation should center values and policy 7. Conclusion 7. Conclusion 8. Research Ethics and Social Impact 8.1. Ethical concerns 8.1. Ethical concerns 8.2. Positionality 8.2. Positionality 8.3. Adverse impact statement 8.3. Adverse impact statement Acknowledgments and References Acknowledgments and References Emerging discussions on the responsible government use of algorithmic technologies propose transparency and public participation as key mechanisms for preserving accountability and trust. But in practice, the adoption and use of any technology shifts the social, organizational, and political context in which it is embedded. Therefore translating transparency and participation efforts into meaningful, effective accountability must take into account these shifts. We adopt two theoretical frames, Mulligan and Nissenbaum’s handoff model and Star and Griesemer’s boundary objects, to reveal such shifts during the U.S. Census Bureau’s adoption of differential privacy (DP) in its updated disclosure avoidance system (DAS) for the 2020 census. This update preserved (and arguably strengthened) the confidentiality protections that the Bureau is mandated to uphold, and the Bureau engaged in a range of activities to facilitate public understanding of and participation in the system design process. Using publicly available documents concerning the Census’ implementation of DP, this case study seeks to expand our understanding of how technical shifts implicate values, how such shifts can afford (or fail to afford) greater transparency and participation in system design, and the importance of localized expertise throughout. We present three lessons from this case study toward grounding understandings of algorithmic transparency and participation: (1) efforts towards transparency and participation in algorithmic governance must center values and policy decisions, not just technical design decisions; (2) the handoff model is a useful tool for revealing how such values may be cloaked beneath technical decisions; and (3) boundary objects alone cannot bridge distant communities without trusted experts traveling alongside to broker their adoption. 1 INTRODUCTION Recent work on values in technology attempts to understand how technological changes can produce fairer, more accountable, and more trustworthy systems [38, 78, 110]. Transparency and participatory design are often proposed to advance these goals in both academic work and policy [16, 26, 27, 44, 67]. However, scholars, critics, and advocates have raised complications and limitations of transparency and participation, particularly when adopted uncritically [13, 30, 33, 112]. We argue that prevailing models of algorithmic transparency and participation stand to benefit from sociotechnical analysis of transparency and participation on-the-ground. As such, we focus on a single case study: the adoption of differential privacy in the 2020 Decennial Census. Differential privacy (DP) is a mathematical definition of privacy that leverages statistical uncertainty to provably limit leakage of any individual’s sensitive information– in other words, random noise is added to data in order to reduce the possibility for re-identification [43]. Under the leadership of Chief Scientist John Abowd, the Census Bureau implemented DP in its 2020 disclosure avoidance system (DAS), the mechanism used to manipulate census response data prior to publication to ensure confidentiality in accordance with Title 13.[1] Notably, the technical affordances of DP allowed the Bureau to make details of the DAS public for the first time without undermining confidentiality. The Bureau embraced this possibility, introducing many innovations in transparency and attempting to facilitate participation from a wide variety of experts and the public. Despite these significant efforts, this newfound transparency did not produce the accountability and trust the Bureau hoped to engender [59, 71, 95, 97]. The resulting controversy attracted the attention of critical scholars, who have attempted to adjudicate its history and implications [18, 19, 92]. We build upon this literature; by employing the handoff lens [90], we parse out how a seemingly technological transition - from its previous statistical disclosure (SDL) methods to DP - in fact altered the very function of disclosure avoidance as the Bureau’s methods, experts, and values were reconfigured. Drawing on this case study, we demonstrate the utility of the handoff model for addressing calls from the critical algorithmic transparency literature to examine transparency in context. In particular, we show that the handoff model makes visible where decisions about values are embedded within sociotechnical systems and identifies the configurations of human actors surrounding these decisions. Our contribution is three-fold. First, we shed new insight on a case that has been of significant interest to both researchers and policymakers. We provide an account of the specific values decisions at the core of the adoption of DP and how participation was limited in these decisions despite significant efforts. Second, we argue that values should be at the center of transparency and participation efforts and demonstrate the utility of the handoff model for eliciting these values. Finally, we highlight the need for understanding the role of experts in transparency and participation processes. While the literature has focused on developing documentation artifacts for transparency and participation, the census case highlights the insufficiency of artifacts alone to facilitate meaningful participation. Trusted individuals with requisite expertise must exist, within stakeholder communities, in order for such artifacts to be understood and adopted. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv available on arxiv [1] The Census Bureau is obligated to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individual data according to Title 13 of the U.S. Code

Dear Public, We Added Noise to Your Data. Love, the Government

ደንበኞች, የእርስዎ ውሂብ ላይ ሩፍ አግኝቷል.

Kære offentlighed, Vi har tilføjet støj til dine data.

Αγαπημένο κοινό, προσθέσαμε θόρυβο στα δεδομένα σας. αγάπη, η κυβέρνηση

Querido público, hemos añadido ruido a sus datos. amor, el gobierno

親愛なる市民、私たちはあなたのデータにノイズを追加しました 愛し、政府

សូមអរគុណអ្នកអាជីវកម្មយើងបានបន្ថែមសេចក្តីអធិប្បាយដល់ទិន្នន័យរបស់អ្នក. Love, the Government

친애하는 대중, 우리는 귀하의 데이터에 소음을 추가했습니다.

Miarahaba ny vahoaka, dia nanampy feo ho an'ny angon-drakitrao izahay.

Awam terkasih, kami menambah bunyi kepada data anda. cinta, kerajaan

Drogi publiczności, dodaliśmy hałas do Twoich danych.

Caro público, adicionamos ruído aos seus dados. amor, o governo

پیارے عوام، ہم نے آپ کے اعداد و شمار کو ہلکا اضافہ کیا. محبت، حکومت

Your Kubernetes Secrets Are Basically Public Without a KMS

How GDPR Has Influenced Public Understanding of Privacy

Which is Better for Your DApp: a Custom Polygon RPC Node or a Public Polygon Node?

How Special Relays Let Some Ethereum Transactions Skip the Public Queue

Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction Abstract and 1. Introduction 2 Related Work and 2.1 Technology Convergence Approaches 2 Related Work and 2.1 Technology Convergence Approaches 2.2 Technology Convergence Measurements 2.2 Technology Convergence Measurements 2.3 Technology Convergence Models 2.3 Technology Convergence Models 3 Data 3 Data 4 Method and 4.1 Proximity Indices 4 Method and 4.1 Proximity Indices 4.2 Interpolation and Fitting Data 4.2 Interpolation and Fitting Data 4.3 Clustering 4.3 Clustering 4.4 Forecasting 4.4 Forecasting 5 Results and Discussion and 5.1 Overall Results 5 Results and Discussion and 5.1 Overall Results 5.2 Case Study 5.2 Case Study 5.3 Limitations and Future Works 5.3 Limitations and Future Works 6 Conclusion and References 6 Conclusion and References Appendix Appendix 5.2 Case Study To illustrate the practical implications of our findings, we examine the evolution of proximity indices between ”Public-key cryptography” and ”Blockchain,” as depicted in Figure 4. A notable interpolation rate of 46% is evident. This can be attributed to the sparse interactions between both technologies from 2002 to 2012, reflecting the early stages of blockchain development in the cybersecurity domain. Consequently, during this phase, indices remained relatively stagnant. It’s important to note that this interpolation rate, though steep, doesn’t significantly bias our indices between ”Public-key cryptography” and ”Blockchain”; instead, it accurately reflects the non-interactive phase between these technologies. A significant surge in the proximity indices is evident from 2017 onwards, with the indices for common keywords and collaboration based on incremental h-indices being particularly prominent. This suggests a robust correlation between the variables ”common keywords” and ”collaboration,” indicating a notable number of authors simultaneously exploring both public-key cryptography and blockchain technologies. Additionally, there is a marginal increase in mutual citations between the two technologies. While citation-based indices exhibit modest growth, it could be attributed to their inherent construction rather than a lack of interaction between the two technologies. Based on this evidence, we hypothesize that a tangible technological convergence occurred between blockchain and public-key cryptography from 2017 to 2021. This convergence is highlighted by the increasing adoption of public-key cryptography in blockchain platforms during this period. Techniques like digital signatures, based on public-key cryptography, became integral to verifying blockchain transactions. Furthermore, the integration of zero-knowledge proofs, also based on public-key cryptography, gained traction in blockchain frameworks to validate assertions without revealing the underlying data. In conclusion, our findings highlight a pivotal phase of technological convergence between blockchain and public-key cryptography spanning 2017 to 2021. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv Authors:
(1) Alessandro Tavazz, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland, Institute of Mathematics, EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland and a Corresponding author (tavazale@gmail.com);
(2) Dimitri Percia David, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland and Institute of Entrepreneurship & Management, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), Techno-Pole 1, Le Foyer, 3960, Sierre, Switzerland;
(3) Julian Jang-Jaccard, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland;
(4) Alain Mermoud, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Authors: Authors: (1) Alessandro Tavazz, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland, Institute of Mathematics, EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland and a Corresponding author (tavazale@gmail.com); (2) Dimitri Percia David, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland and Institute of Entrepreneurship & Management, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), Techno-Pole 1, Le Foyer, 3960, Sierre, Switzerland; (3) Julian Jang-Jaccard, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; (4) Alain Mermoud, Cyber-Defence Campus, armasuisse Science and Technology, Building I, EPFL Innovation Park, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Case Study: Convergence of Blockchain and Public-Key Cryptography

As someone who has spent months documenting, reporting, and repeatedly reaching out to VRChat's moderation team, I can say with full certainty: VRChat is failing its community. Worse, it's failing the thousands of underage users on its platform by allowing sexually explicit avatars to remain accessible in public worlds. These avatars are not subtle. They're not merely "suggestive." They're explicit, with full nudity toggles, simulated sexual parts (DPS/SPS), and hyper-sexualized models that can be used—and are being used—in public worlds accessed by children. And VRChat knows it. I've reported over 120 public avatars, each of which violated VRChat's own Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Each avatar included blatant sexual content, from strip toggles to simulated genitalia. And while some of these avatars were later switched to "private"— which proves the reports were acknowledged — this lazy moderation tactic does nothing. Any user can reupload the same avatar. They can flip the switch and make it public again. And no action is ever taken against the accounts that originally uploaded them. That means the same user who put a hyper-nude avatar in a public world where minors play can go back and do it again without a single consequence. Let That Sink In: No Consequences. No Accountability. VRChat is a platform that boasts over 100,000 active users daily, and it has a rapidly growing Quest user base—which includes children as young as 13. Yes, the platform allows minors. And yes, those minors can—and do—equip fully nude avatars because they are public and often marked as Quest-compatible. This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening now. This isn’t just poor moderation. It’s corporate negligence. When I reached out through the official moderation ticketing system, I was met with silence. Weeks passed. Tickets were ignored. In rare cases where action was taken, it was insufficient, temporary, and left the underlying problem untouched. Out of frustration and with deep concern for platform safety, I reached out to multiple senior staff at VRChat Inc., including: Casey (VP of Product & Production)
Graham Gaylor (Co-Founder & CEO)
Sam Luangkhot (Senior Community Manager)
Travis Morrison (Chief of Staff)
Thomas Hyde (VP of People) Not a single response. The VRC+ Illusion I’ve been a paying member. I’ve supported the platform. But VRC+ membership doesn’t come with any enhanced support, moderation tools, or even a voice in community health. You’re just another number feeding revenue to a company that reduced its workforce by 30% while its platform grew in daily users and risk. Meanwhile, the few remaining staff are too overwhelmed—or disinterested—to address one of the platform’s biggest threats: unchecked exposure to sexual content. Why It Matters Because this isn’t about prudishness. This is about basic digital safety and platform ethics. When minors are allowed to equip and explore NSFW avatars that simulate sexual acts, it’s no longer just a community problem. It becomes a legal and reputational liability. And it's something the entire VR industry should be watching closely. It's astonishing that in 2025, a leading VR social platform can look the other way while its underage users are exposed to—and actively using—avatars that could easily fall under definitions of sexually explicit material. I’m Done Waiting I've sent emails. I've submitted tickets. I've done the job of a community moderator for free, painstakingly documenting and flagging harmful content. And in return, I've been ignored. No one should have to fight this hard just to get a basic safety violation acknowledged. So now, I’m bringing this to the public. If VRChat won’t listen to those of us within the community trying to uphold its own policies, then maybe it’s time the wider tech world takes notice. A Call to Action If you’re a developer, creator, or someone who cares about the future of digital platforms: speak out. If you're a parent, take a hard look at what your kids are accessing. And if you’re part of the VRChat team reading this: do your damn job. You don’t get to hide behind automation and ticket systems anymore. Your users—especially your youngest ones—deserve a safe environment. And those of us who care about this community aren’t going anywhere. Harry Varden As someone who has spent months documenting, reporting, and repeatedly reaching out to VRChat's moderation team, I can say with full certainty: VRChat is failing its community. Worse, it's failing the thousands of underage users on its platform by allowing sexually explicit avatars to remain accessible in public worlds. These avatars are not subtle. They're not merely "suggestive." They're explicit, with full nudity toggles, simulated sexual parts (DPS/SPS), and hyper-sexualized models that can be used—and are being used—in public worlds accessed by children. And VRChat knows it. I've reported over 120 public avatars , each of which violated VRChat's own Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Each avatar included blatant sexual content, from strip toggles to simulated genitalia. And while some of these avatars were later switched to "private"— which proves the reports were acknowledged — this lazy moderation tactic does nothing. over 120 public avatars Any user can reupload the same avatar. They can flip the switch and make it public again. And no action is ever taken against the accounts that originally uploaded them. That means the same user who put a hyper-nude avatar in a public world where minors play can go back and do it again without a single consequence. Let That Sink In: No Consequences. No Accountability. VRChat is a platform that boasts over 100,000 active users daily , and it has a rapidly growing Quest user base—which includes children as young as 13. Yes, the platform allows minors. And yes, those minors can—and do—equip fully nude avatars because they are public and often marked as Quest-compatible. This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening now. over 100,000 active users daily public This isn’t just poor moderation. It’s corporate negligence. When I reached out through the official moderation ticketing system, I was met with silence. Weeks passed. Tickets were ignored. In rare cases where action was taken, it was insufficient, temporary, and left the underlying problem untouched. Out of frustration and with deep concern for platform safety, I reached out to multiple senior staff at VRChat Inc., including: Casey (VP of Product & Production) Graham Gaylor (Co-Founder & CEO) Sam Luangkhot (Senior Community Manager) Travis Morrison (Chief of Staff) Thomas Hyde (VP of People) Casey (VP of Product & Production) Graham Gaylor (Co-Founder & CEO) Sam Luangkhot (Senior Community Manager) Travis Morrison (Chief of Staff) Thomas Hyde (VP of People) Not a single response. The VRC+ Illusion I’ve been a paying member. I’ve supported the platform. But VRC+ membership doesn’t come with any enhanced support, moderation tools, or even a voice in community health. You’re just another number feeding revenue to a company that reduced its workforce by 30% while its platform grew in daily users and risk. Meanwhile, the few remaining staff are too overwhelmed—or disinterested—to address one of the platform’s biggest threats: unchecked exposure to sexual content. Why It Matters Because this isn’t about prudishness. This is about basic digital safety and platform ethics . When minors are allowed to equip and explore NSFW avatars that simulate sexual acts, it’s no longer just a community problem. It becomes a legal and reputational liability. And it's something the entire VR industry should be watching closely. basic digital safety platform ethics legal reputational It's astonishing that in 2025, a leading VR social platform can look the other way while its underage users are exposed to—and actively using—avatars that could easily fall under definitions of sexually explicit material. I’m Done Waiting I've sent emails. I've submitted tickets. I've done the job of a community moderator for free, painstakingly documenting and flagging harmful content. And in return, I've been ignored. No one should have to fight this hard just to get a basic safety violation acknowledged. So now, I’m bringing this to the public. If VRChat won’t listen to those of us within the community trying to uphold its own policies, then maybe it’s time the wider tech world takes notice. A Call to Action If you’re a developer, creator, or someone who cares about the future of digital platforms: speak out . If you're a parent, take a hard look at what your kids are accessing. And if you’re part of the VRChat team reading this: do your damn job . speak out do your damn job You don’t get to hide behind automation and ticket systems anymore. Your users—especially your youngest ones—deserve a safe environment. And those of us who care about this community aren’t going anywhere. Harry Varden

VRChat's Dangerous Oversight: A Breeding Ground for Public NSFW Avatars

VRChat's Dangerous Oversight: A Breeding Ground для публічных аватараў NSFW

La supervisió perillosa de VRChat: un terreny de cria per als avatars públics de NSFW

La supervisión peligrosa de VRChat: un terreno de cría para avatares públicos de NSFW

הפיקוח המסוכן של VRChat: קרקע לגידול אווטרים ציבוריים של NSFW

VRChatov opasni nadzor: uzgojno tlo za javne NSFW avatare

VRChatの危険な監視:公共のNSFWアバターの繁殖地

Ny Fanaraha-maso mampidi-doza amin'ny VRChat: Tontolo ho an'ny avatar NSFW ho an'ny vahoaka

यो बर्ष महानगरको अभियान — सम्पदा संरक्षण तथा सम्बर्धन, पर्यटन प्रवर्धनका लागि पूर्वाधार Next Post

Het gevaarlijke toezicht van VRChat: een kweekterrein voor publieke NSFW-avatars

Supervisão perigosa do VRChat: um terreno de reprodução para avatares públicos do NSFW

Небезпечний нагляд VRChat: Рослинний грунт для публічних аватарів NSFW

VRChat's Dangerous Oversight: A Breeding Ground for Public NSFW Avatars (Nhận xét nguy hiểm của VRChat: Một nền tảng sinh sản cho các avatar NSFW công cộng)

Public reviews have been among the most effective factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions. They give consumers a general overview of what to expect if they purchase your business. Companies like Payoneer, Grammarly, Uber, and others leverage this daily. That is why you will always see them put their Trustpilot rating under all emails, websites, and everywhere else. Five- and seven-star hotels get this marketing insight and other marketing theories they use from this idea. What is Marketing Theory? What is Marketing Theory? Marketing theory is how a brand or company induces voluntary change by selling ideas or lifestyle changes that influence the target audience or society. According to Kotler (1967), every product has three levels: the core level—the benefits; the actual level—the main product, referring to the packaging and design; and the augmented level—measures taken to help the consumer use the product. Marketing Theory simply states that for the maximization of sales, a company must position its products or services so that consumers need them or believe they can benefit from them. Businesses employ several marketing theories to influence buyers' purchasing decisions. These include buyer behavior, marketing insights, and market segmentation. buyer behavior, marketing insights, and market segmentation. How Public Review Influences Consumer Buying Decisions Buyer behavior, also known as consumer behavior, involves factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions. Emotions, situations, psychological and environmental factors, personal preferences, societal influence, and several others often influence consumer behavior. Buyer behavior Businesses using excellent public reviews can easily wow consumers into patronizing them. According to UK Web Motion, 89% of consumers consult reviews before making purchases above £50. UK Web Motion Public reviews play an effective role in consumer behavior. People will most often patronize a brand that their friends have used before. Likewise, a great public review will influence people to want to patronize your service. Businesses can easily leverage this by incorporating different marketing theories into their operations to reach their target audience and generate more sales. Impacts of Public Review on the Distribution of Market Impacts of Public Review on the Distribution of Market Market segmentation divides a company's or brand's target market into approachable groups. Many companies adopt target marketing techniques in their market segmentation. The strategy involves dividing the market into segments and developing products or services for those segments. Public review can also come in handy for market segmentation. For example, everyone knows 5-star hotels are very expensive, and this helps them target their target audience, the rich who like a life of luxury. They can also mention booking a first-class flight instead of a regular one. Apple primarily targets the American first class, which is why the iPhone appears like a luxury product in most other countries, especially the developing ones. The new generation is more into online shopping than patronizing brick-and-mortar shops. One excellent reason for this may be the ability to rate the online store they use based on their star ratings. Segmenting a market is likely to produce several possible customer groups; the enterprise then has to evaluate the relative attractiveness of the market segments identified and select the target segment (s) it will seek to serve. A targeting strategy aims to understand the consumer's needs and wants. Market segmentation can be divided into several parts: Demographic Segmentation Demographic Segmentation This is the division of consumers into groups based on age, gender, income, education, social status, family, life stage, and occupation. Understanding the age group and other demographic factors helps you learn more about the consumer. Geographic Segmentation Geographic Segmentation It is the division of consumers based on their country, city, density, language, climate, area, and population. Psychographic Segmentation Psychographic Segmentation Consumers are segmented based on their purchase, usage, intent, occasion, buyer stage, user status, and engagement. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral Segmentation It is the division of consumers based on their purchase, usage, intent, occasion, buyer stage, user status, and engagement. Impacts of Public Review on Market Research and Operation Impacts of Public Review on Market Research and Operation Market Insights are not complete without an effective understanding of what people think about your business. What are people saying about your business? Do they consider it an amazing experience or something terrible? Market insight means conducting adequate research into things that can positively influence consumer behavior. Marketing insights are reasoned thoughts and conclusions supported by an analysis of data and information established from marketing research, surveys, etc. For marketing purposes, insights result from applying human thought and reasoning to analyze data, sorting out, and producing a directional change in the way we expect or act. Insights begin as data, filtered through layers of analysis, acted upon by thought and reason, and eventually become a directional change agent. With public rating, companies can check out how they rank against their competition, understand what they can improve on, and identify what their customer like and don't like about their services. To achieve this, businesses should first start by identifying the purpose first, learning more about the company's outlook, comparing the competition, gathering enough data, analyzing their findings, and finally, implementing their analysis can help influence consumer buying behavior. How businesses can combine these three marketing theories with Public Reviews for business growth. How businesses can combine these three marketing theories with Public Reviews for business growth. Businesses can easily use the three marketing theories for effective growth. This can begin with effective marketing research through market insights. Target the most effective market segment that works for your industry and adopt the most effective strategy to influence consumers' purchasing decisions. Positive general reviews benefit a business by improving the brand's reputation, increasing sales and traffic, enhancing ranking on search engines, and boosting profitability. Customers are more likely to purchase from a website with custom reviews than from a website that doesn't. Displaying reviews gives potential customers more confidence in purchasing decisions and reduces doubts, influencing consumer behavior. Zan Mo, Yan-Fei Li, and Peng Fan (2015) wrote that consumer Reviews are reviews given by consumers related to information about evaluating a product about various aspects; with this information, consumers can get the quality of the product they are looking for from reviews and experiences written by other consumers who purchased products from online sellers before. Zan Mo, Yan-Fei Li, and Peng Fan (2015) For instance, using 5-star hotels as a case study, most customers would want to patronize 5-star hotels more than 3-star ones because of previous customers' positive and convincing reviews. The primary goal is customer satisfaction, which can not be achieved if previous customers leave bad or negative reviews. A good case study is the use of a public review system like Uber's, where consumers can order different classes of cars and support their purchasing decisions with comfort, class display, satisfaction, and other factors. Conclusion Conclusion Positive reviews help build brands' reputations, increase sales and traffic, enhance search engine rankings, and boost profitability. Customers are more likely to purchase from a website with custom reviews than from a website that doesn't. Displaying reviews gives potential customers more confidence in purchasing decisions and reduces doubts, influencing consumer behavior.

How Public Reviews Influence Business Growth and Development

When analyzing how businesses perceive PR, imagine a scale: on the right side, you have brand recognition, audience loyalty, product awareness, lead generation, and post-sale customer support. On the left, there’s the business’s fear of publicity, negative feedback, and even outright hate. Plus, the cost of PR, with results that seem impossible to measure. In other words, businesses want it—but they’re afraid of it. Let’s break down what’s really on the left side of that scale—and whether it even exists. Public Modesty Leads to Obscurity From personal experience, I can say that many business owners have a near-panic fear of gaining too much publicity. “What if a million people read about us and start writing about us?” This fear is especially common among IT developers creating their own market solutions. They focus heavily on internal processes but hesitate to show a less-than-perfect version of their product to a broader audience. They’re afraid of drawing attention that could supposedly damage their reputation and sales. Some entrepreneurs also worry that PR activity will lead competitors to copy their ideas and strategies. My rebuttal: These business leaders rely on emotional assumptions and fail to recognize the right moment to start talking about their brand. They struggle to determine when it’s time to build communication, shape an image, and create a brand identity. By fixating on “perfecting” their product, they risk never bringing it to market at all. Meanwhile, we all know other entrepreneurs and startups that confidently launch MVPs and refine them based on audience feedback. Some even turn problem-solving into an interactive experience, openly sharing their challenges and triumphs. This transparency earns high levels of positive engagement from people. In other words, a well-structured PR strategy, the right tone of voice, and audience feedback are tools that help businesses understand customer expectations and improve their product or service—not just IT developers, but businesses of all kinds. You Have to Earn Extreme Media Hate From my experience, half of all business owners fear that a PR mistake or a flaw in their product will trigger an avalanche of negative media coverage and social media backlash, completely destroying their company’s and CEO’s reputations beyond repair. They believe the negativity will be so overwhelming that neither the product, the business, nor its leader will ever “clean up” from it. My rebuttal: This only happens when there is no PR strategy—when a company fails to plan its online presence and doesn’t know what to do after its first media appearance. Even then, such cases are rare. First, large-scale negative PR must be earned. It usually happens to big corporations that make glaringly obvious mistakes. Second, companies that develop their reputation alongside business growth significantly lower the risk of PR disasters. If a company is small and its product is new, then a well-planned PR campaign will help refine it over time based on user feedback. earned. When potential clients ask whether a PR campaign could cause them to lose control of their reputation, I always respond: If you do nothing to shape your media image, that’s exactly what will happen. If you don’t provide people with information about yourself, someone else will—and it won’t be in your favor. An information vacuum will always be filled with negativity. If you do nothing to shape your media image, that’s exactly what will happen. Entrepreneurs who try to avoid media contact entirely, fearing they won’t know how to handle increased attention after a major publication, are making a mistake. In reality, a media feature might go unnoticed, while online discussions could actually work in the company’s favor by generating additional interest. Moving Forward or Watching the Underdogs? Business owners are, of course, aware of failed companies whose owners are now haunted by scandals across the internet. Many avoid any form of publicity to prevent a similar fate. Some hesitate too long when asked to comment in the media, missing their chance to establish themselves as industry experts. That said, sometimes staying silent is a justifiable strategy. staying silent My rebuttal: The business landscape changes every day, and a competitor’s PR failure from a year ago doesn’t mean they would necessarily fail today. There’s no need to fear shadows. Many entrepreneurs avoid media contact out of fear of making a mistake and don’t know how to handle increased attention after a high-profile publication. But in reality, a media appearance might barely get noticed, while online discussions could actually boost interest in the company. If a business wants to control its reputation, it shouldn’t stay silent about its successes or hide problems. Instead, it should implement an open crisis communication strategy so that customers, partners, and competitors see systematic and transparent operations. The key is to strike the right tone—one that doesn’t invite suspicion of dishonesty. Finding PR Experts Who Know Everything About Cybersecurity or Protein Inhibitors “You don’t understand our industry.” Every PR agency hears this objection from time to time. Executives in pharmaceutical, chemical, and high-tech industries, as well as medical, legal, and IT firms, believe that only specialists with relevant degrees can write about their products. Even better if they have 10 years of experience in the field. My rebuttal: Sorry, but no. The success of a PR campaign depends on the PR professional’s ability to work with information, conduct press conferences, set up content delivery systems, monitor the media landscape, and measure campaign results. Simply put, a PR expert needs to understand PR. It’s the client’s job to explain the differences between antiviral inhibitors or the latest Linux security protocols. That takes an hour. Finding a PR professional with an exact industry background could take a year. PR. Who Can Predict the Results of a PR Campaign? Like any complex process, PR involves multiple stakeholders and many variables. If a business handles PR on its own, results may not just fall short of expectations—they may be nonexistent, even with a substantial budget. A rational business leader will naturally feel uneasy about this uncertainty and may hesitate to invest further in PR. My rebuttal: That’s understandable. Many company leaders and technical specialists don’t know how to sell their products, let alone promote them. They need expert guidance in media relations and digital marketing. A PR agency, when trusted, will gather all the necessary information about a product, industry, or technology and present it effectively to the target audience. That’s the essence of PR: facilitating the delivery of key messages. If the agency is professional and experienced, it will provide a forecast during negotiations—outlining expected results, estimated reach, potential outcomes, and associated costs. Don’t Under— Or Overspand on PR Many small and medium-sized business owners believe PR isn’t necessary in the early stages of their company’s development and remain skeptical about investing in it. They operate with a short-term mindset, expecting direct returns on every marketing expense. Their focus is on boosting sales, while PR is seen only as media coverage on TV or in major publications. My rebuttal: PR tools extend far beyond that, and impactful results can be achieved even with a modest budget. A skilled PR professional will identify potential news angles within the business and suggest ways to highlight them in offline or online media, company blogs, social networks, or industry forums—with minimal financial investment. Even at the startup stage, businesses should gradually build their PR strategy so that by the time the product launches, some brand awareness already exists. This makes sales much easier. Delaying PR efforts only makes it harder—and more expensive—to scale later. The less known a brand is, the greater the effort required to establish it. Intensive PR campaigns always require investment in media events, promotional campaigns, and video content creation. Advertising alone won’t cut it. Paid leads from contextual or targeted ads are important, but they don’t build long-term brand recognition or trust. The Compound Effect of PR Ever heard the phrase, “We spent X on PR, but nothing happened”? So have we. And that’s normal. Many business owners don’t fully understand how PR communication works, how PR agencies operate, or how specialists interact with media, bloggers, and industry experts. This lack of understanding leads to skepticism and fears of losing control over their image. My rebuttal: Good PR managers will always outline the step-by-step strategy in a PR campaign calendar and teach clients how to engage with the media effectively. And don’t trust PR professionals who promise instant brand recognition after a single publication. PR does drive customer growth and revenue—but the impact is often delayed. Over time, its cumulative effect will far outweigh short-term sales-driven marketing efforts.

Fear of Publicity: Why Tech Startups Miss Out on PR Opportunities

Hello World is a weekly newsletter—delivered every Saturday morning—that goes deep into our original reporting and the questions we put to big thinkers in the field. Browse the archive here. Hello World is a weekly newsletter—delivered every Saturday morning—that goes deep into our original reporting and the questions we put to big thinkers in the field. Browse the archive here. Browse the archive here What’s up, world? 🤓 I’m Ese Olumhense, one of the latest hires at The Markup. I’ll be reporting on government here: the ways federal, state, and local agencies are finding, vetting, and using new technologies. I’m fascinated by the ways these products are packaged and marketed to our leaders—and by the private companies making fortunes from public dollars. latest hires These interests meet in my first story for The Markup: a juicy look at Axon’s seemingly ongoing plans to develop Taser-equipped drones as a response to mass shootings. The company, which makes both Taser devices and body-worn cameras, boasts that its products are already used by more than 95 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. Its CEO has proposed embedding weaponized drones in school classrooms, armed with surveillance cameras and microphones, to be used to incapacitate active shooters. (Yes, you read that right.) my first story for The Markup When Axon made this surprising announcement last year, three quarters of its ethics board—a panel of academics, attorneys, activists, and former law enforcement officials—resigned in protest, saying they had “lost faith in the company’s ability to be a responsible partner.” The explosive exodus halted the weaponized drone development program, Axon’s CEO said. But it didn’t kill it, folks, as our latest shows. Axon still appears to be moving forward with its armed drone plan. In July, the company acquired Sky-Hero, a company based in Belgium that manufactures drones and unmanned ground vehicles. Sky-Hero has already developed so-called “distraction” technology for some of its drones and rovers that produces the same sound pressure levels as a semiautomatic rifle, it said in the description of a YouTube video showing off the tech, acting as a “true non-lethal flashbang.” As you can read in the piece, I tracked down members of the former ethics advisory board to learn more about the implications of weaponizing drones. (Spoiler alert: there are M A N Y, including the obvious risks of physical harm and potential misuse.) I also spent lots of time reading through Axon statements, investor reports, patent documents, and even the book “The End of Killing,” written by Axon CEO Rick Smith. Ultimately, I also asked Axon how soon we could see Taser-equipped drones on the market. They still haven’t gotten back to me. A little bit more about me, since you’ve read this far: I am obsessed with creative approaches to investigative storytelling. Before I got to The Markup, for example, I used body-cam footage from companies like Axon to add dimension to my reporting on voting crimes investigations. Using those images and sound, obtained through public records requests, I was able to illustrate just how deeply these investigations stirred fear and chilled voters. That report, part of a package called “The Ballot Boogeymen,” recently won a national Edward R. Murrow Award. a national Edward R. Murrow Award Now, I’m looking at government and technology, and I would love your help. What are journalists missing here? I’m interested in how technology is pitched as a solution for issues not only in policing and our criminal legal system, but in schools, government workplaces, and emergency management capacities. I’d also love to hear more about how tech is changing public transportation, public housing, and our environment and infrastructure. There is near-unlimited latitude here: Almost all of us deal with government in some way, and corporations and their products seem to have an increasing say in how we’re governed. I recently had a conversation with Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, about how this affects policing, and he blew me away with the following: “Critical decisions about public safety are being decided by marketing departments.” !!!!!!!! I’m looking forward to reporting on tech in our collective interest. Please reach me if you have tips, thoughts, or leads that might be helpful. (Or if you’re a government employee and you want to say hello ☺️.) I’m at ese@themarkup.org, on Signal or Whatsapp at (917) 407-0635, and you can send me some snail mail at The Markup, P.O. Box 1103, New York., NY 10159. ese@themarkup.org Signal Whatsapp Thanks for reading, Ese Olumhense Reporter The Markup Credits: Ese Olumhense, Investigative Reporter Ese Olumhense Photo Selection Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Engagement Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Copy Editing and Production Monica Riese Monica Riese Monica Riese Editing Ko Bragg Ko Bragg Ko Bragg Also published here Also published here here Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash Giorgio Trovato Unsplash

The Markup Wants to Investigate Companies Like Axon That Expand Their Reach With Public Dollars

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