panalo999 free 100
Football photos: Shabazz vs. No. 6 Rumson-Fair Haven in Group 2 final, Dec. 4, 2024Trump ally Carlson announces interview with Russian FM
Dates Set for PG&E Quarterly Stock Dividends
'Development won, Parivarwad, negative politics lost': PM Modi on landslide victory in Maharashtra (WATCH)Kemi Badenoch signals leaving ECHR on the table in new Tory approach to immigration
WASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
Residential Mortgage Market Forecasted to Reach $26.5 Billion by 2031 | Roquette Freres Company, Cargill Inc., SPI Pharma, Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group Co 11-27-2024 07:34 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: DataM Intelligence 4 Market Research LLP The Residential Mortgage Market study by DataM Intelligence offer an in-depth analysis of the market, presenting insightful observations, statistics, historical data, and industry-validated market insights. The report delves into the competitive positioning of key companies, examining factors such as product offerings, pricing strategies, financial health, product portfolios, growth initiatives, and geographical reach. Download a Free sample PDF (Use Corporate email ID to Get Higher Priority) at: - https://datamintelligence.com/download-sample/residential-mortgage-market What is the projected growth rate (CAGR) of the Global Residential Mortgage market from 2024 to 2031, and what is the market value expected to change by 2031? The Global Residential Mortgage Market reached US$ 11.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 26.5 billion by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period 2024-2031. A residential mortgage is a loan provided by a financial institution to individuals for purchasing or refinancing a residential property. The borrower agrees to repay the loan amount, along with interest, over a specified period through monthly installments. The property itself serves as collateral, meaning the lender can seize it if the borrower defaults on the loan. Residential mortgages are a common method for homeownership, offering various types such as fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, and government-backed loans to suit different financial needs. Key Developments: ❁ In July 2023, LendInvest, a prominent player in the lending industry, has made a significant move in UK mortgage market by launching its residential mortgage product range nationwide. The pivotal step marks not only a major achievement for the company but also a notable development for the entire industry. The move enables all UK intermediaries to access LendInvest's newly introduced residential mortgage offerings via their online platform. ❁ In June 2023, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE), a prominent global provider of data, technology and market infrastructure, successfully launched its first mortgage. The two cash-settled futures contracts are based on the ICE U.S. Conforming 30-year Fixed Mortgage Rate Lock Index and the ICE U.S. Jumbo 30-year Fixed Mortgage Rate Lock Index. The indices are updated daily and track U.S. residential mortgage loan applications where borrowers and lenders commit to locking in interest rates before closing. By tying these futures contracts to primary market rates, investors now have a more precise tool to hedge their exposure to U.S. residential mortgage rates, surpassing the available options. List of the Key Players in the Residential Mortgage Market: Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Rocket Mortgage, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America Home Loans, U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, CitiMortgage, PNC Mortgage, SunTrust Mortgage, Freedom Mortgage and PennyMac Loan Services Research Process: Both primary and secondary data sources have been used in the global Residential Mortgage Market research report. During the research process, a wide range of industry-affecting factors are examined, including governmental regulations, market conditions, competitive levels, historical data, market situation, technological advancements, upcoming developments, in related businesses, as well as market volatility, prospects, potential barriers, and challenges. Segment Covered in the Residential Mortgage Market: By Type: Fixed-Rate Mortgage (FRM), Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM), FHA Loan, VA Loan, Jumbo Loan, Conventional Loan By Provider: Banks, Credit Unions, Online Lenders, Non-Bank Lenders, Mortgage Companies, Savings and Loan Associations, Government Agencies Regional Breakout: The global Residential Mortgage Market report focuses on six major regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Get Discounts on Premium Report:- https://www.datamintelligence.com/buy-now-page?report=residential-mortgage-market Regional Analysis: The global Residential Mortgage Market report focuses on six major regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The report offers detailed insight into new product launches, new technology evolutions, innovative services, and ongoing R&D. The report discusses a qualitative and quantitative market analysis, including PEST analysis, SWOT analysis, and Porter's five force analysis. The Residential Mortgage Market report also provides fundamental details such as raw material sources, distribution networks, methodologies, production capacities, industry supply chain, and product specifications. **The full version of the report includes an in-depth analysis of emerging players and startups, which will provide valuable insights into the evolving market landscape and key strategies being adopted** Chapter Outline: ⏩ Market Overview: It contains chapter wise data, as well as information about the research scope, major manufacturers covered, market segments, Residential Mortgage market segments, study objectives, and years considered. ⏩ Market Landscape: The competition in the Global Residential Mortgage Market is evaluated here in terms of value, turnover, revenues, and market share by organization, as well as market rate, competitive landscape, and recent developments, transaction, growth, sale, and market shares of top companies. ⏩ Companies Profiles: The global Residential Mortgage market's leading players are studied based on sales, main products, gross profit margin, revenue, price, and growth production. ⏩ Market Outlook by Region: The report goes through gross margin, sales, income, supply, market share, CAGR, and market size by region in this segment. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America are among the regions and countries studied in depth in this study. ⏩ Market Segments: It contains the deep research study which interprets how different end-user/application/type segments contribute to the Residential Mortgage Market. ⏩ Market Forecast: Production Side: In this part of the report, the authors have focused on production and production value forecast, key producers forecast, and production and production value forecast by type. ⏩ Research Findings: This section of the report showcases the findings and analysis of the report. ⏩ Conclusion: This portion of the report is the last section of the report where the conclusion of the research study is provided. Get Customization in the report as per your requirements:- https://datamintelligence.com/customize/residential-mortgage-market Frequently Asked Questions ✹ What is the expected growth rate of the global market for the forecast period? ✹ What are the key driving factors that are responsible to shape the fate of the Residential Mortgage market during the forecast period? ✹ What will be the overall size of the market during the analysis period? ✹ What are the prominent market trends which influence the development of the Residential Mortgage market across various regions? ✹ Who are the key market players and the market strategies that have helped them to secure the leading position in the global market? ✹ What are the challenges and threats that are likely to act as a barrier to the growth of the Residential Mortgage market? ✹ What are the major opportunities that the companies can get to attain success in the world? Contact Us - Company Name: DataM Intelligence Contact Person: Sai Kiran Email: Sai.k@datamintelligence.com Phone: +1 877 441 4866 Website: https://www.datamintelligence.com About Us - DataM Intelligence is a Market Research and Consulting firm that provides end-to-end business solutions to organizations from Research to Consulting. We, at DataM Intelligence, leverage our top trademark trends, insights and developments to emancipate swift and astute solutions to clients like you. We encompass a multitude of syndicate reports and customized reports with a robust methodology. Our research database features countless statistics and in-depth analyses across a wide range of 6300+ reports in 40+ domains creating business solutions for more than 200+ companies across 50+ countries; catering to the key business research needs that influence the growth trajectory of our vast clientele. This release was published on openPR.
ALPINE, Texas (AP) — Three U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, have been arrested on human smuggling charges, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said Thursday. Soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, 20, and Enrique Jauregui, 25, were arrested after a vehicle allegedly driven by Palma and carrying Mendoza Lopez, a Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals was stopped Nov. 27 by law enforcement in Presidio along the border with Mexico, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) southwest of Dallas. Mike Lahrman, a spokesman for Esparza, said he did not know the soldier’s ranks or whether action had been taken against them by the military. A spokesman for Fort Cavazos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “Mendoza Lopez and Palma allegedly traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio for the purpose of picking up and transporting undocumented noncitizens,” Esparza said in a statement. “Jauregui is alleged to be the recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy,” according to Esparza. “Data extracted from Palma’s phone through a search warrant revealed messages between the three soldiers indicating collaboration in the smuggling operation.” Related Articles National News | Two children wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school National News | Abandoned mines in the US pose dangers to people and property when land gives way National News | Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says National News | White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign National News | Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions Mendoza Lopez was arrested at the scene of the Nov. 27 traffic stop while Palma, who prosecutors said fled the scene of the traffic stop, and Jauregui were arrested Tuesday at Fort Cavazos, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) south of Dallas, Lahrman said. Mendoza Lopez’s attorney, Shane Chriesman, said he is awaiting more information, known as discovery, from prosecutors on the charge. “Once I get discovery and have a chance to assess the case we’ll develop a plan of attack” and will try to get a bond set for Mendoza Lopez, who is currently jailed without bail, Chriesman said. No attorneys are listed in jail records who could speak for for Palma and Jauregui, who are awaiting their first court appearance on Friday, according to Esparza.Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Thursday. The jackpot has risen to $100 million once again. Lottery officials are expecting a big rush this evening, with one in two Australian adults expected to have a ticket. The heat continues in NSW with temperatures set to soar well above 30 yet again. Residents are also being warned about storms that will bring heavy rain, strong winds and possibly hail to large parts of the state. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. China has told New Zealand there will be "negative consequences" if the country joins Australia, the UK and the US in the military pact AUKUS. Chinese ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong told RNZ such a move "will have a negative impact on the [China-New Zealand] relationship". "Trust is one of the most precious but also one of the most fragile commodities. It may take years to build up; it just might take seconds to be destroyed," he said, according to the Global Times. "We would advise against anything that threatens to erode that very important trust between us." Australia has invested heavily in AUKUS, with up to $368 billion to be spent on boosting military readiness, with the centrepiece a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The pact has been widely seen as a direct counter to China's military growth and increased presence in the Indo-Pacific. But China has repeatedly slammed the group, accusing the countries of harbouring a "cold war mentality". It's yet another $100 million draw for the Powerball tonight. They used to be a rare occurrence but in the last few years they've been pretty regular and there's a reason why. In 2018, lottery officials added an extra ball to the draw, making it almost twice as hard to scoop Division one and therefore triggering more rollovers. The big jackpots lead to plenty of buzz and plenty of tickets purchased. The Lott regularly predicts a $100 million draw prompts half of Australia's adults to buy a ticket – a quite staggering amount and one far greater than if the jackpot returned to the low millions. The Lott revealed this week that at the peak of sales at the last $100 million draw, there were 8,681 tickets sold in a single minute. According to The Lott's estimations, this would mean the draw will bring in at least $57.2 million from roughly 10.6 million people based on the cost of the minimum requirement of four games to participate. If on average there were 20 games per person, the equivalent number of tickets in a PowerHit entry, Thursday's draw would turn over $285,569,840. The Lott has previously remained tight-lipped on the exact number of tickets it sells. Well it was a hot night for millions in NSW after what was a sweltering day on Wednesday. The heat rose to 39.9C in Penrith yesterday while at one point in the middle of the day, Sydney Airport became the hottest place in the planet momentarily when it hit 38.2C, Weatherzone reported. And while there were repeated warnings from the state government energy supplies might run out with air cons blaring, it was actually a different cause that left properties and businesses in Sydney's CBD without power on Thursday morning. "At least 950 customers and businesses lost power after a water main burst and flooded an underground substation," Ausgrid said this morning. Crews are working on the issue and power is expected to be out for "most of the day". There's more heat on the way today, and those in the state will also be facing storms that will bring rain, wind and potentially hail.
Shares of National Health Investors, Inc. ( NYSE:NHI – Get Free Report ) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $73.29. NHI has been the subject of several analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered National Health Investors from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 15th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded National Health Investors from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $81.00 to $86.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Truist Financial lifted their price target on National Health Investors from $65.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Finally, Bank of America assumed coverage on National Health Investors in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $92.00 price target for the company. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on NHI Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Health Investors National Health Investors Stock Down 0.2 % Shares of NYSE NHI opened at $77.71 on Monday. National Health Investors has a 1 year low of $51.59 and a 1 year high of $86.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 10.29 and a quick ratio of 10.29. The firm has a market cap of $3.53 billion, a PE ratio of 26.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.20 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $79.48 and a 200 day simple moving average of $74.37. National Health Investors ( NYSE:NHI – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.07 by ($0.42). The business had revenue of $63.32 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.93 million. National Health Investors had a return on equity of 10.11% and a net margin of 38.53%. National Health Investors’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.08 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that National Health Investors will post 4.42 EPS for the current year. National Health Investors Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 29th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be issued a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.63%. National Health Investors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 123.71%. About National Health Investors ( Get Free Report Incorporated in 1991, National Health Investors, Inc (NYSE:NHI) is a real estate investment trust specializing in sale, leasebacks, joint-ventures, senior housing operating partnerships, and mortgage and mezzanine financing of need-driven and discretionary senior housing and medical investments. NHI's portfolio consists of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities, entrance-fee retirement communities, skilled nursing facilities, and specialty hospitals. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for National Health Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Health Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .By ALI SWENSON and BARARA ORTUTAY Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, which they view as increasingly leaning too far to the right given its owner’s support of President-elect Donald Trump, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. Related Articles Technology | The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Technology | Who’s who in Donald Trump’s new Silicon Valley entourage Technology | South Bay tech data site is bought by big California real estate firm Technology | As we enter the shortest days of the year here’s the history of light bulbs Technology | Albania to shut down TikTok for a year over violence, bullying The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter, championed by its former CEO Jack Dorsey. Its decentralized approach to social networking was eventually intended to replace Twitter’s core mechanic . That’s unlikely now that the two companies have parted ways. But Bluesky’s growth trajectory — with a user base that has more than doubled since October — could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. But with growth comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. The skyrocketing user base — now surpassing 25 million — is the biggest test yet for a relatively young platform that has branded itself as a social media alternative free of the problems plaguing its competitors. According to research firm Similarweb, Bluesky added 7.6 million monthly active app users on iOS and Android in November, an increase of 295.4% since October. It also saw 56.2 million desktop and mobile web visits, in the same period, up 189% from October. Besides the U.S. elections, Bluesky also got a boost when X was briefly banned in Brazil . “They got this spike in attention, they’ve crossed the threshold where it is now worth it for people to flood the platform with spam,” said Laura Edelson, an assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University and a member of Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media. “But they don’t have the cash flow, they don’t have the established team that a larger platform would, so they have to do it all very, very quickly.” To manage growth for its tiny staff, Bluesky started as an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February. That period gave the site time to build out moderation tools and other distinctive features to attract new users , such as “starter packs” that provide lists of topically curated feeds. Meta recently announced that it is testing a similar feature. Compared to the bigger players like Meta’s platforms or X, Bluesky has a “quite different” value system, said Claire Wardle, a professor at Cornell University and an expert in misinformation. This includes giving users more control over their experience. “The first generation of social media platforms connected the world, but ended up consolidating power in the hands of a few corporations and their leaders,” Bluesky said on its blog in March. “Our online experience doesn’t have to depend on billionaires unilaterally making decisions over what we see. On an open social network like Bluesky, you can shape your experience for yourself.” Because of this mindset, Bluesky has achieved a scrappy underdog status that has attracted users who’ve grown tired of the big players. “People had this idea that it was going to be a different type of social network,” Wardle said. “But the truth is, when you get lots of people in a place and there are eyeballs, it means that it’s in other people’s interests to use bots to create, you know, information that aligns with their perspective.” Little data has emerged to help quantify the rise in impersonator accounts, artificial intelligence-fueled networks and other potentially harmful content on Bluesky. But in recent weeks, users have begun reporting large numbers of apparent AI bots following them, posting plagiarized articles or making seemingly automated divisive comments in replies. Lion Cassens, a Bluesky user and doctoral candidate in the Netherlands, found one such network by accident — a group of German-language accounts with similar bios and AI-generated profile pictures posting in replies to three German newspapers. “I noticed some weird replies under a news post by the German newspaper ‘Die Ziet,’” he said in an email to The Associated Press. “I have a lot of trust in the moderation mechanism on Bluesky, especially compared to Twitter since the layoffs and due to Musk’s more radical stance on freedom of speech. But AI bots are a big challenge, as they will only improve. I hope social media can keep up with that.” Cassens said the bots’ messages have been relatively innocuous so far, but he was concerned about how they could be repurposed in the future to mislead. There are also signs that foreign disinformation narratives have made their way to Bluesky. The disinformation research group Alethea pointed to one low-traction post sharing a false claim about ABC News that had circulated on Russian Telegram channels. Copycat accounts are another challenge. In late November, Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, found that of the top 100 most followed named individuals on Bluesky, 44% had at least one duplicate account posing as them. Two weeks later, Mantzarlis said Bluesky had removed around two-thirds of the duplicate accounts he’d initially detected — a sign the site was aware of the issue and attempting to address it. Bluesky posted earlier this month that it had quadrupled its moderation team to keep up with its growing user base. The company also announced it had introduced a new system to detect impersonation and was working to improve its Community Guidelines to provide more detail on what’s allowed. Because of the way the site is built, users also have the option to subscribe to third-party “Labelers” that outsource content moderation by tagging accounts with warnings and context. The company didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Even as its challenges aren’t yet at the scale other platforms face, Bluesky is at a “crossroads,” said Edward Perez, a board member at the nonpartisan nonprofit OSET Institute, who previously led Twitter’s civic integrity team. “Whether BlueSky likes it or not, it is being pulled into the real world,” Perez said, noting that it needs to quickly prioritize threats and work to mitigate them if it hopes to continue to grow. That said, disinformation and bots won’t be Bluesky’s only challenges in the months and years to come. As a text-based social network, its entire premise is falling out of favor with younger generations. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that only 17% of American teenagers used X, for instance, down from 23% in 2022. For teens and young adults, TikTok, Instagram and other visual-focused platforms are the places to be. Political polarization is also going against Bluesky ever reaching the size of TikTok, Instagram or even X. “Bluesky is not trying to be all things to all people,” Wardle said, adding that, likely, the days of a Facebook or Instagram emerging where they’re “trying to keep everybody happy” are over. Social platforms are increasingly splintered along political lines and when they aren’t — see Meta’s platforms — the companies behind them are actively working to de-emphasize political content and news. The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.