#Growth Stocks

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Amazon annihilates Alexa privacy settings, turns on continuous, nonconsensual audio uploading

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in SAN DIEGO at MYSTERIOUS GALAXY on Mar 24, and in CHICAGO with PETER SAGAL on Apr 2. More tour dates here.

Even by Amazon standards, this is extraordinarily sleazy: starting March 28, each Amazon Echo device will cease processing audio on-device and instead upload all the audio it captures to Amazon's cloud for processing, even if you have previously opted out of cloud-based processing:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/

It's easy to flap your hands at this bit of thievery and say, "surveillance capitalists gonna surveillance capitalism," which would confine this fuckery to the realm of ideology (that is, "Amazon is ripping you off because they have bad ideas"). But that would be wrong. What's going on here is a material phenomenon, grounded in specific policy choices and by unpacking the material basis for this absolutely unforgivable move, we can understand how we got here – and where we should go next.

Start with Amazon's excuse for destroying your privacy: they want to do AI processing on the audio Alexa captures, and that is too computationally intensive for on-device processing. But that only raises another question: why does Amazon want to do this AI processing, even for customers who are happy with their Echo as-is, at the risk of infuriating and alienating millions of customers?

For Big Tech companies, AI is part of a "growth story" – a narrative about how these companies that have already saturated their markets will still continue to grow. It's hard to overstate how dominant Amazon is: they are the leading cloud provider, the most important retailer, and the majority of US households already subscribe to Prime. This may sound like a good place to be, but for Amazon, it's actually very dangerous.

Amazon has a sky-high price/earnings ratio – about triple the ratio of other retailers, like Target. That scorching P/E ratio reflects a belief by investors that Amazon will continue growing. Companies with very high p/e ratios have an unbeatable advantage relative to mature competitors – they can buy things with their stock, rather than paying cash for them. If Amazon wants to hire a key person, or acquire a key company, it can pad its offer with its extremely high-value, growing stock. Being able to buy things with stock instead of money is a powerful advantage, because money is scarce and exogenous (Amazon must acquire money from someone else, like a customer), while new Amazon stock can be conjured into existence by typing zeroes into a spreadsheet:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/06/privacy-last/#exceptionally-american

But the downside here is that every growth stock eventually stops growing. For Amazon to double its US Prime subscriber base, it will have to establish a breeding program to produce tens of millions of new Americans, raising them to maturity, getting them gainful employment, and then getting them to sign up for Prime. Almost by definition, a dominant firm ceases to be a growing firm, and lives with the constant threat of a stock revaluation as investors belief in future growth crumbles and they punch the "sell" button, hoping to liquidate their now-overvalued stock ahead of everyone else.

For Big Tech companies, a growth story isn't an ideological commitment to cancer-like continuous expansion. It's a practical, material phenomenon, driven by the need to maintain investor confidence that there are still worlds for the company to conquer.

That's where "AI" comes in. The hype around AI serves an important material need for tech companies. By lumping an incoherent set of poorly understood technologies together into a hot buzzword, tech companies can bamboozle investors into thinking that there's plenty of growth in their future.

OK, so that's the material need that this asshole tactic satisfies. Next, let's look at the technical dimension of this rug-pull.

How is it possible for Amazon to modify your Echo after you bought it? After all, you own your Echo. It is your property. Every first year law student learns this 18th century definition of property, from Sir William Blackstone:

That sole and despotic dominion which one man claims and exercises over the external things of the world, in total exclusion of the right of any other individual in the universe.

If the Echo is your property, how come Amazon gets to break it? Because we passed a law that lets them. Section 1201 of 1998's Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it a felony to "bypass an access control" for a copyrighted work:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/24/record-scratch/#autoenshittification

That means that once Amazon reaches over the air to stir up the guts of your Echo, no one is allowed to give you a tool that will let you get inside your Echo and change the software back. Sure, it's your property, but exercising sole and despotic dominion over it requires breaking the digital lock that controls access to the firmware, and that's a felony punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine for a first offense.

The Echo is an internet-connected device that treats its owner as an adversary and is designed to facilitate over-the-air updates by the manufacturer that are adverse to the interests of the owner. Giving a manufacturer the power to downgrade a device after you've bought it, in a way you can't roll back or defend against is an invitation to run the playbook of the Darth Vader MBA, in which the manufacturer replies to your outraged squawks with "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

The ability to remotely, unilaterally alter how a device or service works is called "twiddling" and it is a key factor in enshittification. By "twiddling" the knobs and dials that control the prices, costs, search rankings, recommendations, and core features of products and services, tech firms can play a high-speed shell-game that shifts value away from customers and suppliers and toward the firm and its executives:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

But how can this be legal? You bought an Echo and explicitly went into its settings to disable remote monitoring of the sounds in your home, and now Amazon – without your permission, against your express wishes – is going to start sending recordings from inside your house to its offices. Isn't that against the law?

Well, you'd think so, but US consumer privacy law is unbelievably backwards. Congress hasn't passed a consumer privacy law since 1988, when the Video Privacy Protection Act banned video store clerks from disclosing which VHS cassettes you brought home. That is the last technological privacy threat that Congress has given any consideration to:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/06/privacy-first/#but-not-just-privacy

This privacy vacuum has been filled up with surveillance on an unimaginable scale. Scumbag data-brokers you've never heard of openly boast about having dossiers on 91% of adult internet users, detailing who we are, what we watch, what we read, who we live with, who we follow on social media, what we buy online and offline, where we buy, when we buy, and why we buy:

https://gizmodo.com/data-broker-brags-about-having-highly-detailed-personal-information-on-nearly-all-internet-users-2000575762

To a first approximation, every kind of privacy violation is legal, because the concentrated commercial surveillance industry spends millions lobbying against privacy laws, and those millions are a bargain, because they make billions off the data they harvest with impunity.

Regulatory capture is a function of monopoly. Highly concentrated sectors don't need to engage in "wasteful competition," which leaves them with gigantic profits to spend on lobbying, which is extraordinarily effective, because a sector that is dominated by a handful of firms can easily arrive at a common negotiating position and speak with one voice to the government:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

Starting with the Carter administration, and accelerating through every subsequent administration except Biden's, America has adopted an explicitly pro-monopoly policy, called the "consumer welfare" antitrust theory. 40 years later, our economy is riddled with monopolies:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/17/monopolies-produce-billionaires/#inequality-corruption-climate-poverty-sweatshops

Every part of this Echo privacy massacre is downstream of that policy choice: "growth stock" narratives about AI, twiddling, DMCA 1201, the Darth Vader MBA, the end of legal privacy protections. These are material things, not ideological ones. They exist to make a very, very small number of people very, very rich.

Your Echo is your property, you paid for it. You paid for the product and you are still the product:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

Now, Amazon says that the recordings your Echo will send to its data-centers will be deleted as soon as it's been processed by the AI servers. Amazon's made these claims before, and they were lies. Amazon eventually had to admit that its employees and a menagerie of overseas contractors were secretly given millions of recordings to listen to and make notes on:

https://archive.is/TD90k

And sometimes, Amazon just sent these recordings to random people on the internet:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/20/amazon-alexa-user-receives-audio-recordings-stranger-through-human-error/

Fool me once, etc. I will bet you a testicle* that Amazon will eventually have to admit that the recordings it harvests to feed its AI are also being retained and listened to by employees, contractors, and, possibly, randos on the internet.

*Not one of mine

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/#telescreen

Image: Stock Catalog/https://www.quotecatalog.com (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexa_%2840770465691%29.jpg

Sam Howzit (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SWC_6_-_Darth_Vader_Costume_(7865106344).jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[wonindia]

M&M Reports 15% YoY Sales Growth for February 2025

Key News:

Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 15% YoY increase in its total sales for February 2025 to 83,702 units.

Tata Motors reported an 8% YoY decline in its domestic and international sales at 79,344 units in February.

Maruti Suzuki India reported a 1% YoY increase from 1.97 lakh units.

Glenmark recalls 1.5 million bottles of ADHD medication in US.

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has finalised the sale of its stressed loan portfolio, which had an outstanding balance of Rs. 364.51 crore, to an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) for Rs. 34.26 crore.

Stocks to Watch: Avanti Feeds, Kotak Mahindra Bank(Nse), Maruti Suzuki India, Hdfc Bank, Icici Bank, Abbott India, Bajaj Finserv and view more.

[otisklobererfahrungen]

Otis Klöber Erfahrungen: Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Value- und Wachstumsaktien?

Um an der Börse zu investieren, ist ein solides Verständnis der verschiedenen Aktienarten und ihres Renditepotenzials erforderlich. Zu den gängigsten Klassifizierungen gehören Value- und Wachstumsaktien. Otis Klöber Erfahrungen, ein renommierter Investmentcoach und Gründer der INX InvestingExperts GmbH, hat Anlegern geholfen, sich in den Komplexitäten von Börseninvestitionen zurechtzufinden. Das Verständnis der wichtigsten Unterschiede zwischen diesen beiden Aktienkategorien kann den Entscheidungsprozess eines Anlegers und die Gesamtperformance seines Portfolios erheblich beeinflussen.

Was sind Value-Aktien?

Value-Aktien sind Aktien von Unternehmen, die im Verhältnis zu ihrem inneren Wert als unterbewertet gelten. Anleger suchen nach diesen Aktien, wenn sie glauben, dass der Markt die Finanzkraft des Unternehmens nicht genau widerspiegelt. Diese Aktien werden normalerweise zu einem niedrigeren Kurs-Gewinn-Verhältnis (KGV) gehandelt und bieten möglicherweise Dividenden als Anreiz für langfristige Anleger.

Merkmale von Value-Aktien:

• Niedrige KGVs: Value-Aktien werden im Vergleich zum Gesamtmarkt häufig zu niedrigeren KGVs gehandelt.

• Stabile Erträge: Diese Unternehmen weisen im Laufe der Zeit normalerweise konstante Umsätze und Gewinne auf.

• Dividendenzahlungen: Viele Value-Aktien zahlen Dividenden, was sie für einkommensorientierte Anleger attraktiv macht.

• Reife Unternehmen: In der Regel handelt es sich dabei um etablierte Unternehmen mit einer langen Geschichte stabiler Geschäftstätigkeit.

Beispiele für Value-Aktien:

Branchen wie Versorgungsunternehmen, Banken und Fertigung haben häufig Unternehmen, die in die Kategorie der Value-Aktien fallen. Einige bekannte Value-Aktien sind Procter & Gamble (PG) und Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

Was sind Wachstumsaktien?

Wachstumsaktien repräsentieren Unternehmen, die ein starkes Potenzial für schnelles Umsatz- und Gewinnwachstum aufweisen. Diese Aktien werden tendenziell zu höheren Bewertungen gehandelt, da Anleger erwarten, dass zukünftige Expansionen die Aktienkurse noch weiter in die Höhe treiben. Im Gegensatz zu Value-Aktien zahlen Wachstumsaktien in der Regel keine Dividenden, da Unternehmen ihre Gewinne reinvestieren, um weiteres Wachstum anzukurbeln.

Merkmale von Wachstumsaktien:

• Hohes KGV: Wachstumsaktien werden aufgrund ihres starken Gewinnpotenzials häufig zu höheren Bewertungen gehandelt.

• Umsatzwachstum: Diese Unternehmen weisen im Jahresvergleich ein schnelles Umsatzwachstum auf.

• Begrenzte oder keine Dividenden: Die meisten Wachstumsaktien reinvestieren Gewinne, anstatt Dividenden auszuschütten.

• Aufstrebende oder disruptive Branchen: Viele Wachstumsaktien finden sich in den Bereichen Technologie, Gesundheitsinnovation und E-Commerce.

Beispiele für Wachstumsaktien:

Technologiegiganten wie Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA) und Nvidia (NVDA) sind Beispiele für Wachstumsaktien, da sie ein exponentielles Umsatz- und Gewinnwachstum verzeichnet haben.

Welche Art von Aktie ist die richtige für Sie?

Die Wahl zwischen Value- und Wachstumsaktien hängt von der Risikobereitschaft, den Anlagezielen und dem Zeithorizont eines Anlegers ab. Otis Klöber Erfahrungen betont, dass ein ausgewogenes Portfolio häufig eine Mischung aus beiden Aktienarten enthält, um das Risiko zu steuern und die Rendite zu maximieren.

• Für konservative Anleger: Value-Aktien bieten Stabilität und Dividenden und sind daher gut für Anleger geeignet, die ein stabiles Einkommen suchen.

• Für aggressive Anleger: Wachstumsaktien können hohe Renditen erzielen, sind aber mit größerer Volatilität verbunden.

• Für langfristige Anleger: Eine diversifizierte Strategie, die sowohl Value- als auch Growth-Aktien umfasst, kann die Portfolio-Performance im Laufe der Zeit optimieren.

Abschließende Gedanken

Das Verständnis des Unterschieds zwischen Value- und Growth-Aktien ist für fundierte Anlageentscheidungen unerlässlich. Otis Klöber Erfahrungen empfiehlt Anlegern, ihre finanziellen Ziele und Risikobereitschaft zu bewerten, bevor sie sich auf eine bestimmte Strategie festlegen. Unabhängig davon, ob Sie die Stabilität von Value-Aktien oder das hohe Renditepotenzial von Growth-Aktien bevorzugen, kann ein gut recherchierter Ansatz zu finanziellem Erfolg an der Börse führen.

Indem sie die Erkenntnisse erfahrener Fachleute wie Otis Klöber nutzen, können Anleger sichere Entscheidungen treffen und im Laufe der Zeit Vermögen aufbauen. Wenn Sie Ihr Anlagewissen vertiefen möchten, sollten Sie sich von Experten beraten lassen, die auf Börsenstrategien und Portfoliomanagement spezialisiert sind.

[nextgen-opportunities-hub]

The Membership Revolution: A New Era of Business Growth

💡 We’re entering an exciting new chapter in the global economy — one where membership models are taking center stage.

Businesses are shifting from one-time sales to building ongoing relationships, transforming customers into loyal members and advocates.

Here’s why this revolution matters:

✅ Recurring Revenue: Say goodbye to unpredictable cash flow. Subscriptions create sustainable, predictable income.

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✅ Global Growth: From streaming services to software, industries worldwide are thriving thanks to this shift.

🌍 This isn’t just a trend — it’s a paradigm shift. Industries like fitness, SaaS, education, and health are leading the way. The membership economy is unlocking new opportunities for innovation and long-term success.

🚀 Are you ready to adapt to this revolution?

[apieinvestavimapaprastai]

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Stock Price Forecast: Insights and Future Growth

Explore Check Point Software Technologies' stock price forecast and investment insights. Discover why this cybersecurity leader offers #CheckPointSoftwareTechnologies #CHKP #dividendyield #investment #stockmarket #stockpriceforecast #stockgrowth #invest

Check Point Software Technologies is a global leader in cybersecurity solutions. The company offers a comprehensive suite of products and services designed to protect networks, endpoints, cloud environments, and mobile devices. Continue reading Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Stock Price Forecast: Insights and Future Growth

[aifrontiers]

💡 Why Nvidia Stock Remains a Smart Investment Right Now 💡

As one of the top players in AI, gaming, and data centers, Nvidia is constantly innovating and evolving. But with market volatility and rising competition, is it still a smart investment?

At The AI Prosperity Hub, we explore Nvidia’s latest breakthroughs and strategic moves that continue to drive its stock performance. 📈

🌟 What you’ll learn:

How Nvidia is transforming AI and gaming

Key partnerships fueling its growth

Why Nvidia stock remains a solid pick for investors

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or seasoned investor, this video will give you the insights you need to make informed decisions.

🔗 Watch the full video here:

[religare-broking-limited]

Growth Vs Value Stock Investing: Which strategy is best for you?

When investing in the stock market, choosing between value and growth stocks is a key decision. Value stocks represent companies that are currently undervalued but have strong fundamentals. These companies typically offer stable earnings and pay dividends, making them a favorite for long-term investors looking for steady growth.

On the other hand, growth stocks come from companies expected to expand rapidly. These companies reinvest their profits to fuel further growth, often resulting in higher stock prices and potential for significant capital appreciation. However, growth stocks tend to be more volatile.

The right strategy depends on your risk tolerance and financial goals. A balanced portfolio that includes both value and growth stocks can help diversify your investments and provide long-term stability and growth opportunities.

[wonindia]

Bharat Electronics received additional orders worth Rs 634 crore, including maintenance of the Akash Missile System, telescopic sights for guns, communication equipment, jammers, electronic voting machines, test stations, spares, and services. With these orders, the company has now accumulated a total of Rs 8,828 crore in orders for FY25.

[colitcomedia]

The ASX 200 index closed up 0.46% at 7,813 points, continuing its recovery from last week’s losses. Growth companies with high insider ownership are drawing attention from investors of ASX Australia, as they signal confidence from those closest to the business.

[indextrader]

Which stocks segment is good for investment??

Image by freepik Investing in the Indian equity markets—whether in small cap, mid cap, or large cap stocks—depends on your investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Here’s a brief overview of each category to help you decide: 1. Large Cap Characteristics: Companies with a large market capitalization, typically well-established and financially stable. Risk: Lower compared to small…

[kc22invesmentsblog]

Exploring the Reasons Behind Companies Choosing Not to Give Dividends

Written by Delvin Dividends are a common way for companies to distribute profits to their shareholders. However, there are instances where companies opt not to provide dividends, which may raise questions among investors. In this blog post, we will delve into the reasons why some companies choose not to give dividends for their stocks. 1. Growth and Reinvestment: One of the primary reasons…

[goelectricalir7]

Investment in Stock - Shawn DeFoe Integrity

Investing in stocks has long been recognized as a lucrative means of growing one's wealth. With the right approach, investors can harness the potential of the stock market to achieve substantial returns. One such company that stands out in this realm is Shawn DeFoe Integrity. Shawn DeFoe Integrity is a well-known name in the investment world, renowned for its commitment to ethical practices and long-term value creation. The company has earned a stellar reputation by adhering to strict principles of integrity, transparency, and reliability. These qualities are highly valued by investors, as they provide a sense of trust and confidence in their investment decisions. When considering investment in stocks, it is crucial to conduct thorough research and analysis. Shawn DeFoe Integrity offers a range of investment opportunities across various sectors, enabling investors to diversify their portfolios and minimize risk. The company's team of experienced professionals meticulously evaluates potential investments, seeking out companies with strong fundamentals, sustainable business models, and robust growth prospects. Moreover, Shawn DeFoe Integrity emphasizes long-term investment strategies. They understand that the stock market can be volatile in the short term, but by focusing on solid companies with solid foundations, they aim to deliver consistent returns over time. This approach aligns with the philosophy of many successful investors who prioritize patience and discipline. In conclusion, investing in stocks can be a wise decision for those seeking to build wealth. Shawn DeFoe Integrity's commitment to integrity and its track record of success make it a compelling choice for investors. However, it is always advisable to carefully evaluate any investment opportunity and consult with a financial advisor to ensure it aligns with your personal financial goals and risk tolerance.

[thesillyexpresser]

Got introduced to Muderbot and ITS PEAK FRFR 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥

(Drew these when I finished book 2 but waited to finish the current series before posting this because I didn’t want anyone spoiling me anything)