DarkCyber for February 11, 2020, Now Available
February 11, 2020
This week’s program includes three stories. The first describes an open source repository of intelligence-centric and investigative information. The listing of programs and resources is available on Github. The second story explains why facial recognition is of interest to law enforcement agencies. Vendors provide free trials to their systems. The goal is for the vendor to make a sale. The law enforcement agency has an opportunity to learn and test the systems. Because facial recognition is in its infancy, DarkCyber believes that use of advanced systems will increase. The final story provides information about the CIA’s online information service. A free book about the craft of intelligence is reviewed. You can view the video at either of these locations:
The video runs about 10 minutes.
Kenny Toth, February 11, 2020
Amazon and Twitch: Monetizing an Interesting Streaming Service
February 7, 2020
The write up “Amazon Might Offer Twitch’s Streaming Technology to Businesses” is an interesting business analysis crafted by Engadget. Like other Silicon Valley infused information services, writing about gadgets is definitely the platform one can use to write about business strategies and tactics.
The write up states:
Twitch would still exist, but Amazon would have a new way to monetize its technology.
Twitch is a collection of individuals who “play” games. As the DarkCyber team has documented for my lectures to law enforcement and intelligence professionals, Twitch serves up a number of interesting digital experiences:
- Pole dancers
- Pirated first run videos
- Streams of protests, some displaying a Russian communications service logo
- Live “instructional” gambling
- Partially clothed individuals (assorted genders)
- A Hollywood Squares style discussion of jobs and other compelling subjects
- Emojis used to signal intent, some good, some bad.
Oh, there are streaming games played by individuals with “rigs” and lightning fast reflexes. Microsoft has been luring the star gamers to its streaming platform too.
Streaming services like Twitch, however, are expensive to operate, but Amazon keeps those costs under wraps. Plus, there may be some risks to the Amazon entity. What type? See the list of content DarkCyber identified above.
The Twitch technology is remarkable, particularly for a person who has never seen what the future of video programming may be like. However, Amazon Twitch looks a bit frumpy when compared to Neverthink, TikTok, and Walnut.
Engadget writes:
Amazon seems to think that Twitch’s streaming technologies could have a lot of value to other companies, thanks to the robustness of the platform.
What could go wrong for business? Stream hijacking? Bad actors using a corporate stream to inject interesting content?
Net net: Amazon may tap Engadget to assist with repositioning the Twitch property. DarkCyber’s view of Twitch is the stuff of my lectures for law enforcement and intelligence conferences, not a free blog. Money losing units at Amazon may not be too popular if bonuses are eroded. Difficulty level: Comparable to selling business Amazon blockchain technology.
Stephen E Arnold, February 7, 2020
DarkCyber for January 28, 2020, Now Available
January 28, 2020
The end-of-January 2020 DarkCyber presents two stories. The first is an explanation about growing security vulnerabilities. When countries and billionaires are at risk, DarkCyber points out the obvious. The second story is a follow-up interview with Robert David Steele, former CIA professional and intelligence analyst. The topic is Amazon in India. Mr. Steele comments about the impact of Amazon on China’s door step. You can view the video on Vimeo or YouTube.
Kenny Toth, January 28, 2020
Online Video: Revenue Options to Watch
January 24, 2020
Since we assembled CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access, we have been monitoring video content innovations. Of interest to the team are interfaces. These are essential because — let’s face it — keyword search on mobile devices sucks. Clicking on big, colorful icons is the future. How smart are the interfaces? Not smart enough.
In terms of eyeballs, both Twitch and Neverthink are taking approaches that Video content continues to proliferate. However, monetization seems to innovating slowly and in predictable ways. The “begging for dollars” approach is the most common. In this post, I want to highlight a problem with begging.
A ripple roiled the Twitter-verse because a Twitch content producer with the handle BadBunny, wanted more financial support from her followers. (This performer (content creator) adopts a left leaning, abrasive persona; therefore, her approach may have been designed to attract publicity.) “Twitch Streamer BadBunny Slams Her Own Viewers for Not Paying for Her Content” reported:
The streamer, frequent in the Just Chatting section, is close to reaching 100,000 followers on Twitch thanks to her content and the guests she brings to her debates. During a broadcast on January 18, she slightly deviated from the topic of conversation to refer to her audience, insisting she needed the cash to continue creating content for the platform. After giving the blunt message, BadBunny, who could not believe the number of people who were watching her for hours for free, said she was surprised to see that her message was in vain since she did not get new subscribers. Faced with the refusal, she exclaimed: “How did all my speech about how I need subscribers to start the broadcast, blah, blah, blah, result in zero subscribers?”
DarkCyber believes BadBunny’s situation may reflect the lack of monetization innovation at Amazon Twitch. The platform is popular, but Microsoft has been poaching some streaming talent from Twitch. Twitch has other challenges, and these may be making Twitch cause people like BadBunny to demonstrate her Xanthippe-infused characteristics.
For sake of contrast, DarkCyber wants to call attention to to Neverthink.tv. The service is different from Twitch because it streams content available on other services; for example, YouTube, Reddit, and others. As a result, ads on Neverthink.tv drive traffic to YouTube. Presumably, Google passes some of the cash to creators. (But maybe not?)
The key differentiators of Twitch and Neverthink are:
- User interface. Both provide point and click video consumption. The Neverthink approach deals with categories, not individual streamers.
- Revenue model. Amazon jams ads in front of and in the middle of some streams. Neverthink accepts sponsored content for cash and uses what appears to be Google ads in some streams. Neverthink accepts money to run videos as “Specials.” Twitch may accept money, but if it does, the deals are not labeled. (Do those featured streamers who attend Twitchcon get some money?)
- Curation. The Neverthink angle is curation. Allegedly smart software and video loving humans make sure nothing “bad” streams. Twitch — regardless of its method — does have some interesting content. DarkCyber won’t provide any examples, but we do present some of the gambling, stolen content, and somewhat off color content in our lectures to law enforcement and intelligence professionals.
Net net: Twitch may have to up its game. Neverthink seems to have a more varied monetization model. What happens if Neverthink lures popular streamers to its app? Amazon Twitch will have to get woke or do a rethink.
If you want to check out these services, here are the links you need:
- www.twitch.tv. BadBunny is at https://www.twitch.tv/badbunny/videos
- www.neverthink.tv A useful “channel” is Millennial AF. DarkCyber finds this service educational.
Stephen E Arnold, January 24, 2020
European Commission Facial Recognition White Paper
January 20, 2020
The EC is trying to herd ducks. The facial recognition issue may become less of a backburner issue and more of a mass of congealed spaghetti. A white paper, allegedly the real deal, of course, has surfaced. You can download the document from this link: https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/AI-white-paper-EURACTIV.pdf. If it is not available, DarkCyber doesn’t have any bright ideas. The document has no title and is dated “12/12”. As you know, none of the Web search engines are very good when it comes to traditional bibliographic metadata.
Stephen E Arnold, January 19, 2020
Amazon and New, Quite Real Twitch Opportunity
January 14, 2020
In my lectures, I discuss Twitch. I won’t go into the examples of Twitch content in this blog. You can look for me at one of my law enforcement lectures this year.
I do want to call attention to “Twitch’s Non Gamers Are Finally Having Their Moment.” The write up includes an interesting factoid, which – like most Wired information – is super credible. Here’s the statement:
A new report from stream management site StreamElements indicates that in December, Twitch viewers watched 81 million hours of “Just Chatting,” Twitch’s category for streamers who do exactly that, plus any number of other grab-bag activities. That was a solid 7 million hours more than the first game listed, League of Legends, and 23 million more than the second, Fortnite. The popularity of “Just Chatting” is bleeding into January, too, and according to StreamElements, nongaming may be Twitch’s number two category in 2020.
Several observations:
- Microsoft and the GOOG are working hard to poach gamers from Twitch. This seems like a contentious issue for Amazon, and it will be interesting to see how the Bezos legal eagles respond to the talent drain. Maybe terminate their Prime accounts?
- The surge in Just Chatting viewing points to Twitch becoming the go to source for in real life streaming programs. Most programs are experimental, but a few of them – for example, BadBunny and the Raj thing – are starting to develop into a shotgun marriage of radio talk, live listener feedback, and visual content.
- Traditional content producers like the people who create TV game shows and wanna bes like Apple and Netflix, look a bit old fashioned when compared to content generated by Awkwards_Travel, who may be the future of travel information.
There are downsides. If you are interested in our Amazon briefing which expands on the Twitch innovations and their downside, write darkcyber333 at yandex dot com.
Net net: Twitch started with egames, but it is now on a path to create something which complements games and creates a fresh approach to video.
Stephen E Arnold, January 14, 2020
DarkCyber for January 14, 2020, Now Available
January 14, 2020
The DarkCyber for January 14, 2020, is now available. The program includes stories about ToTok, cyber trends in 2020, and information about the new Amazon Blockchain Policeware report. You can view the video on Vimeo at this link: https://vimeo.com/384343454.
We want to thank the people who commented on our interview with Robert David Steele. We posted this video on December 31, 2019. If you missed that program, you can view it at this link: https://vimeo.com/382165736.
Kenny Toth, January 14, 2020
DarkCyber for December 17, 2019, Now Available
December 17, 2019
Robert David Steele, a former CIA professional, learned about Stephen E Arnold’s blockchain research. Steele interviewed Stephen. This week’s DarkCyber is an extract of the original interview. You can access the video on Vimeo.
Kenny Toth, December 17, 2019
Arnold Interviewed about Amazon Blockchain Inventions
December 5, 2019
Robert David Steele, former CIA professional and open source intelligence expert, interviewed Stephen E Arnold about Amazon’s blockchain inventions. Arnold recently completed a chapter for a forthcoming academic press book about blockchain. That chapter and its information prompted journalists from the US and France to interview Arnold about his findings. Arnold’s information was included in news stories appearing in the New York Times, MIT Technology Review, and Le Monde.
Steele obtained an exclusive video interview with Arnold about his Amazon blockchain research. Among the topics discussed in the 30 minute program are:
- The “trigger” for the research
- Sources of data and research methods
- The major findings from the 18 month research project
- The likely trajectory of Amazon’s products and services incorporating the company’s more than 12 blockchain inventions.
- How to obtain a summary of Arnold’s research findings.
You can view the video at this link. Steele has compiled links to other Amazon information obtained from Arnold at this link.
Kenny Toth, December 5, 2019
DarkCyber for December 3, 2019, Now Available
December 3, 2019
DarkCyber for December 3, 2019, is now available at on Vimeo, YouTube, and on the DarkCyber blog.
The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web, cybercrime, and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s program features an interview with Trent Livingston, founder and chief executive officer of ESI Analyst. Livingston highlights the principal features of ESI Analyst. The cloud-centric software generated positive discussion at a recent law enforcement and digital security conference.
In the 10 minute interview, Livingston explains what makes ESI Analyst different from other investigative and eDiscovery systems. He said, “The system’s principal differentiators are its ease of use and affordability.” Livingston explained that licenses pay for blocks of data processed for an investigation or a legal discovery process. There are no per-user fees or annual fees. Cost savings range from 30 to 70 percent in typical use cases.
Other features of ESI Analyst include one-click analytics, options to display data on a map, and link analysis. Plus the system does not require classroom instruction. He noted, “Some users are up and running in as little as 30 minutes.”
In the next release of the software, Livingston’s team will be adding connectors and new report formats. Users will be able to output chat streams and maps in a form suitable for use in a legal matter. Livingston also revealed support for Amazon Web Services and Elasticsearch to add additional information access flexibility to ESI Analyst.
Stephen E Arnold, author of CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access, said, “ESI Analyst advances beyond the challenging interfaces and rigid pricing models for IBM Analysts Notebook- and Palantir Technologies Gotham-type systems. More predictable pricing and eliminating tedious classroom instruction reduces costs and improves efficiency. ESI Analyst makes clear the value of innovation for policeware.”
DarkCyber is a weekly production of Stephen E Arnold. The currency series of videos ends with the August 27, 2019, program. The new series of DarkCyber videos begins on November 5, 2019. The new series will focus on policeware with an emphasis on Amazon’s products and services for law enforcement, intelligence professionals, and regulatory authorities in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
DarkCyber programs are published twice each month without a charge, advertising, or commercial endorsements.
Stephen E Arnold will be speaking on December 11, 2019, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The event is sponsored by DG Vision. Media interested in speaking with Stephen can write darkcyber333 at yandex dot com to arrange a time to discuss the Dark Web and its impact on corporate governance.
Kenny Toth, December 3, 2019
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