New tech that tracks return visitors
Mobile Location Analytics Are Making Merchants Smarter

What ShopperTrak Analytics can do for you

Mobile location analytics are giving malls, retailers and restaurants new information about how you spend your time. Can it do the same for your business?

ShopperTrak, which, in the pre-cellphone era, pioneered the use of in-store devices to count shoppers, is now using mobile device detection and other analytics to give retailers a means of "measuring the entire shopper journey," Dan Mahoney, general manager, ShopperTrak Americas, told CO-.

ShopperTrak is part of the retail solutions portfolio of Sensormatic Solutions, a division of Johnson Controls.

The new technology "can determine whether shoppers are returning visitors or not, and if a shopper is a returning customer how often does that customer return," Mahoney said, along with time spent in the store and which part of the store the shopper visits.

Enhanced mobile location intelligence that's anonymized and clustered helps retailers in many ways by providing richer data, Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at retail tech research firm RSR Research told CO-. For one, it helps them to better understand the demographics associated with their stores, she said. uschamber.com

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Historic U.S. Policy & Law Enforcement Action

DHS: Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods
Report to the President of the United States - Jan 24, 2020

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its first report pursuant to President Trump's April 3, 2019, Memorandum on Combatting Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods. The first-ever report outlines a series of recommendations and actions that can be taken by both the federal government and industry partners to combat this illicit trade epidemic.

The President's historic Memorandum provides a much warranted and long overdue call to action in the U.S. Government's fight against a massive form of illicit trade that is inflicting significant harm on the American homeland. The counterfeiting and pirating of goods must be stopped in its tracks and DHS is leading the way in protecting both consumers and businesses," said Acting Secretary Wolf.

DHS led a robust effort in coordinating with ICE, CBP, and the interagency to develop recommendations focused on protecting businesses and consumers against counterfeits and pirated goods. This report includes more than a dozen recommendations, best practices, and immediate actions to be taken. dhs.com

Editor's Note: Given the size and growth of the problem, the ease with which counterfeiting is now possible, and the fact that the vast majority of it originates in China, it makes sense that this is being rolled out simultaneously with the trade talks and with the World Economic Forum last week. It's time for the U.S. and the world to take a stance on this, as it's impacting thousands of jobs and retailers worldwide. Let's see how far this goes in practice.

Read the full report


U.S. Counterfeit Push: Operation Mega Flex
 
3 Blitzes Found 5% Counterfeits - 1,000 Packages

Stepping Up Searches & Squeezing Online Sellers
 
The Trump administration is moving swiftly to ensure that China is keeping its promises to protect American intellectual property, ratcheting up searches for counterfeit goods at ports and increasing pressure on e-commerce companies like Amazon to halt online sales of Chinese knockoffs.

Trump administration officials estimate that more than 100,000 packages a day from China contain items that could defraud or harm Americans.

The United States will place more of the burden on e-commerce portals such as Amazon and Walmart.com by holding them liable for fake or illicit products that are sold by third-party sellers on their websites.

And it is planning to more carefully vet smaller packages, valued at less than $800, which are currently exempt from some customs entry regulations, including tariffs.

Mr. Trump has been particularly focused on shipments of fentanyl coming from China. Last summer, Mr. Trump called on Amazon, FedEx and UPS to screen for and refuse any deliveries of fentanyl coming from China.

Since the agreement, Mr. Navarro has been working with Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security on a project known as Operation Mega Flex, which will screen thousands of additional packages coming from China to assess whether the flow of counterfeits is slowing.

In the first three "blitzes," which entailed searches of more than 20,000 additional packages from China and Hong Kong, about 5% (1,000) contained illicit products. nytimes.com
 

London PD Goes Real-Time Live Facial Recognition

London Police Are Taking Surveillance to a Whole New Level

It'll Use Real-Time Facial Recognition "To Tackle Serious Crime"

London's police department said on Friday that it would begin using facial recognition to spot criminal suspects with video cameras as they walk the streets, adopting a level of surveillance that is rare outside China.

The decision is a major development in the use of a technology that has set off a worldwide debate about the balance between security and privacy.

The technology London will deploy goes beyond many of the facial recognition systems used elsewhere, which match a photo against a database to identify a person. The new tools use software that can immediately identify people on a police watch list as soon as they are filmed on a video camera. nytimes.com


Have a Search Warrant for Data? Google Wants You to Pay

Charging U.S. law enforcement for search warrants & subpoenas

Facing an increasing number of requests for its users' information, Google began charging law enforcement and other government agencies this month for legal demands seeking data such as emails, location tracking information and search queries.

Fees range from $45 for a subpoena and $60 for a wiretap to $245 for a search warrant. In the first half of 2019, they received more than 75,000 requests for data on nearly 165,000 accounts worldwide; one in three came from the U.S.

Google has been inundated with requests for geofence searches. Drawing on an enormous Google database called Sensorvault to find suspects and witnesses using location data gleaned from user devices.

Cox and Verizon have charged fees for similar services for years. Facebook, does not charge. Microsoft and Twitter declined to explicitly address whether they charge. nytimes.com

Editor's Note: Be on the lookout - You may see this passed-on expense if it's your case.
 

World Economic Forum's Impact on Retail & Retail LP

Sustainability Takes Center Stage at World Economic Forum in Davos with World Leaders

Is this an LP career opportunity?

Right After Friday's Article & Listing 2 Sr. LP Exec's Running Sustainability Programs

This article pops up, literally:

Leaders from big fashion brands descended on the World Economic Forum for the first time with the climate crisis top of mind. But the elephant in the room was the fundamental tension between sustainability and growth.

Organizers had hoped would focus on "stakeholder capitalism," the notion that companies have a wider purpose beyond mere profit-making and delivering returns to shareholders, but by far the biggest topic of the week was the growing climate crisis that. businessoffashion.com

It's Coming
Digital Dollar Project Envisions a U.S. Fed-Issued Digital Currency
The Digital Dollar Project aims to encourage the launch of a central bank digital currency in the United States, according to Giancarlo. Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chairman Christopher Giancarlo presented a detailed look into his Digital Dollar Project at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. cfo.com

Economic Losses from Natural Disasters Reached $232 Billion in 2019
The past decade broke new records in terms of economic damages and insured losses, according to Aon's Weather, Climate & Catastrophe Insight: 2019 Annual Report.

The costs to global economies reached $2.98 trillion between 2010 and 2019, which was $1.19 trillion higher than 2000-2009, said Aon. It said that Asia-Pacific accounted for 44 percent of the total.

The report revealed that 409 natural catastrophe events of 2019 resulted in economic losses of $232 billion - three percent below average annual losses for this century, but 20-percent lower than the previous decade. securitymagazine.com
 

DHS Steps Up REAL ID Education and Awareness Efforts
Deadline approaching - October 1, 2020, air travelers 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States. tsa.gov


This could offer some LP challenges:
Department Stores Are Betting on Booze to Boost Retail in NYC

"A Round of Drinks is a Second Pair of Shoes" at Bergdorf Goodman's

"A bar means people are spending more time within your walls. The more time they spend and the more loose they are, the easier the sale on everyone's side."

Goodman's Bar, which opened in early January, is the newest in a growing number of watering holes inside Manhattan's higher-end department stores. Nordstrom introduced its Shoe Bar and Broadway Bar when its women's store opened in late October. Across the street, the men's store has a café with a similarly strong bar program. Saks Fifth Avenue, which underwent a $250 million renovation in 2019, is home to the Alpine-themed drinks lounge Le Chalet. Across town, inside Hudson Yards, Neiman Marcus has Bar Stanley, which features its own ambitious cocktails.

One of the most crowded spots at the three-floor Neiman Marcus is Bar Stanley. "This feels like the busiest place here," said a customer. The bartender responded, "We get that a lot." bnnbloomberg.ca


Does Wearing Masks Block Coronavirus?

They may help, but experts say it's more important to wash your hands

Many infectious disease specialists say the cheap disposable masks, which cover the nose and mouth, may help prevent the spread of infections if they are worn properly and used consistently.

Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, chairwoman of the public health committee for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said surgical masks are really "the last line of defense." "Washing your hands and avoiding people who are ill is way more important than wearing a mask." The bigger problem is that people don't use the masks properly. "Most people will put their hand underneath the mask to scratch their face or rub their nose," bringing contaminants in contact with the nose and mouth, said Dr. Adalja. And "You can't take it off when you get a phone call."

BTW, infected patients who wear surgical masks are less likely to spread infection to others. nytimes.com

Schumer calls on feds to declare coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency
Sen. Chuck Schumer on Sunday urged federal officials to declare coronavirus a public health emergency in the US, so millions more in funds could be made available to fight the deadly bug. The senator appealed to the Department of Health and Human Services to make the declaration in order for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to access $85 million that is allocated to fight infectious disease. nypost.com

3 possible NY coronavirus cases negative, results for 4 pending: Cuomo
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Vice President of Asset Protection - Casey's General Stores - Ankeny, Iowa
We're seeking a Vice President of Asset Protection to build, lead, and develop our new asset protection team. As the VP of Asset Protection, you'll ensure the company's processes, controls and systems are of the highest standard, driving efficiencies and protecting our assets, guests, business and team members. You'll provide expertise and leadership in all aspects of loss prevention across the entire enterprise, and lead the AP team to reduce waste in processes and systems.

Casey's General Stores, Inc. is a chain of convenience stores in the Midwestern and Southern United States. The company is headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. As of April 30, 2019, Casey's had 2,146 stores in 16 states. recruiting.adp.com
 

Top Four Security Predictions for 2020

Cost of Data Breaches to Increase 70%

The total cost of data breaches is expected to increase nearly 70 percent over the next five years, from $3 trillion in 2019 to more than $5 trillion in 2024, according to a recent Juniper Research report. Below are the top four security predictions that researchers and other executives at cybersecurity firm Webroot believe businesses should be aware of moving into 2020.

Phishing and Other Social Engineering Scams Will Become Even More Sophisticated, Targeted and Believable
The most surprising and concerning finding from Webroot's annual 2019 Nastiest Malware Report released in October was a dramatic growth in the complexity and sophistication of phishing attacks and other social engineering scams.

For example, business email compromise (BEC) was one of the most prevalent campaigns of the year - increasing 100 percent over 2018.

In addition to becoming more targeted, complex and damaging, social engineering attacks are also becoming more common. In fact, Webroot's Mid-Year Threat Report released in October found that phishing attempts increased by 400 percent from January to July 2019.

Emotet Will Remain the Nastiest Malware for the Third Year in a Row
Webroot found that the Emotet botnet was the most prevalent and persistent strain of malware in 2018 and 2019, despite being shut down from June to September 2019. It held onto this notorious title by continuing to evolve and wreak havoc in different ways, whether by delivering cryptomining payloads or ransomware infections via Trickbot/Ryuk or Dridex/Bitpaymer.

As the AI Cat-and-Mouse Game Continues, Organizations Will Need Capable AI-Powered Solutions - Not Just AI Components and Claims
"There will be a bifurcation in AI providers with attacks highlighting which systems are vulnerable to sophisticated attackers. It will become clear that there are fundamentally two types of AI in cybersecurity: AI which acts like a smarter conventional signature, and AI which is built into every facet of an intelligent, cloud-based platform capable of cross-referencing and defending itself against adversarial attacks."

Cyber Insurance Will Gain Adoption, Especially in Government and Eventually for the Automotive Sector
Cyber insurance is booming, with the U.S. market reaching $1.8 billion in 2018, three times what it was in 2015. But still, only 51 percent of organizations are leveraging cyber insurance. This number will rise substantially as the costs of cybercrime continue growing and organizations realize that the benefits of taking preventative measures far outweigh the cost of doing nothing - particularly for government institutions. securitymanagzine.com

New regulatory enforcement makes 2020 big year for biometrics, execs say
Regulations for authenticating transactions and protecting privacy will continue to evolve in 2020, with companies are gearing up for PSD2's Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirement, and Veridium is expecting standards such as the FIDO 2.0 protocol to play a major role in ensuring firms achieve compliance.

Recent releases from Equifax and TypingDNA show a range of stakeholders from different areas of the industry are thinking along similar lines.

"Our FIDO 2.0 certification is part of a strategy to put compliance rigour at the centre of our value proposition to companies operating in a range of sectors, delivering a strong, passwordless authentication experience without compromising convenience," says Veridium CPO John Spencer. "Conducting suitable and efficient risk assessments as part of this is crucial to ensure we provide the highest level of safety to both our employees and end-users."

Regulations like SCA could also represent an opportunity to meet that need by leveraging biometrics, according to Spencer.

Keith McGill, head of Fraud & ID at Equifax, also notes the impending enforcement of SCA in 2021 as a major factor in biometrics adoption, and notes that research by Cifas suggests an increase in ID fraud last year. biometricupdate.com

Banning the Sale of Commercial Hacking Tools - Spyware

"It's become a free-for-all, and anyone can acquire [these tools] now"

An alleged Saudi hacking campaign that compromised the cellphone of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos is a chilling example of how even the world's richest person can be hacked with tools that were likely bought off the shelf.

It marks a significant escalation in the way nations use commercial hacking tools -- and is fueling calls from officials and experts to ban the international sale of spyware.

"This should be a wake-up call for the international community," Agnes Callamard, a U.N. investigator who urged such a moratorium in light of the Bezos hack, told me. "We need to take action before we are completely unable to control this technology." 

The breach underscores how the spread of commercial spyware is allowing a new generation of nations to engage in the sort of high-stakes hacking and espionage that was once the exclusive domain of a handful of countries including the United States, Russia and China. washingtonpost.com

Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained
Apple dropped plans to let iPhone users fully encrypt backups of their devices in the company's iCloud service after the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The tech giant's reversal, about two years ago, has not previously been reported. It shows how much Apple has been willing to help U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, despite taking a harder line in high-profile legal disputes with the government and casting itself as a defender of its customers' information.

That person told Reuters the company did not want to risk being attacked by public officials for protecting criminals, sued for moving previously accessible data out of reach of government agencies or used as an excuse for new legislation against encryption. reuters.com

U.S. Facing Threats to AI Tech Leadership
The AI race is inextricably linked with immigration policies and government investment, MIT researchers say.

The U.S. will need to step up investment and reduce immigration barriers if it is to maintain its lead in developing AI and machine learning technologies, according to two MIT researchers.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee noted how the AI race is inextricably linked with immigration policies and government investment.

Also in the running for AI leadership are China and the European Union. "As developments in AI accelerate, some in the U.S. fear that the ability of China's powerful central government to marshal data and pour resources into the field will push it ahead," BBC News reported.

"If our president is on board, let's get these people here," he added. cfo.com

Weathering the Privacy Storm from GDPR to CCPA & PDPA