Good morning readers. It look like shoppers had a strong message for inflation this weekend: hold my wallet. Black Friday sales soared to a record $9.8 billion, defying sluggish retail growth and economic uncertainty. A mix of steep discounts and flexible 'buy now, pay later' options fueled the frenzy, with mobile commerce stealing the spotlight at a whopping 79% of all traffic. With inflation cooling from last year, the appetite for deals surged, making the day a holiday bonanza for retailers. But if you’re still in the shopping mood, here’s a list of some of the best deals you’ll find on Cyber Monday. Go ahead, we won’t judge.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• Watch out for those online reviews

• Headline Hustle: Oscar Pistorius is granted parole, Former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo is accused of sexual assault, 3 Palestinian students shot in hate crime

• The rise of music marketplaces

• The Week Ahead: What to Expect

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

RETAIL

Verified Frauds: The Illusion of Excellence in Online Shopping Reviews

Remember those fro-yo shops that popped up like daisies and then wilted just as quickly? Well, the e-commerce world has its own version of flash-in-the-pan deception: fake reviews. As if online shopping wasn't already a digital wild west, researchers are pulling back the curtain on how these faux accolades are not just common, but can seriously mess with your shopping cart.

The velvet curtain of verification

A team of researchers from top-tier universities found that these cunning sellers and their accomplices are herding positive, yet phony, feedback onto platforms like Facebook. The bait? Freebies in exchange for a glowing review on Amazon, slapped with a "verified" badge no less. This trick may temporarily jack up product ratings and search rankings, making them the Belle of the Ball on Amazon’s algorithmic dance floor.

But like biting into a shiny apple only to find it's rotten, fake reviews lure shoppers into choosing lower-quality goods. This comes from a tag-team study showing that savvy online shoppers—those of us clicking 'Add to Cart' more often than we care to admit—are the prime targets. We're suckers for those little stars and the number of reviews, not the nitty-gritty written in them. Despite the U.K. crying foul over a hefty chunk of reviews being counterfeit, and the Federal Trade Commission sharpening its regulatory swords, this battle is far from won. Amazon's legal eagles are swooping down on these review rackets too, but it's a bit like playing Whac-A-Mole.

Looking ahead…it's clear we need all hands on deck—consumers, marketplace titans, and the law—to keep the digital shopping streets clean. Until then, keep your wits about you and your eyes peeled for the fakes. Don't let them sweet-talk you into a purchase; it might just leave a sour taste.

Headline Hustle

🏃‍♂️ Oscar Pistorius is granted parole 10 years after killing girlfriend. Oscar Pistorius, the famed "Blade Runner," will stride out of prison confines come January 5^th , the South African Department of Correctional Services announced, marking the end of his time behind bars for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. After serving half of his recalculated 15-year sentence, a contentious legal back-and-forth crowned him eligible for parole as a first-time offender. His 2013 conviction flipped from manslaughter to murder upon appeal, reflecting the severity of his Valentine's Day actions. Yet, the tale of Pistorius—a double-amputee Olympian turned convict—remains a complex blend of disability, celebrity, and a life tragically cut short.

👨‍⚖️ Former NY Governor, Andrew Cuomo, is sued for sexual harassment by former assistant. Brittany Commisso is suing Andrew Cuomo, the embattled ex-governor of New York, over allegations of sexual harassment that she claims pervaded her tenure as his executive assistant. This lawsuit echoes the sentiments of a damning 2021 report that accused Cuomo of harassing 11 women, triggering his resignation amid looming impeachment. Cuomo's legal team is striking back, labeling Commisso's lawsuit a "cash grab" and citing the dismissal of previous criminal charges. Meanwhile, Cuomo, undeterred by legal battles and with whispers of a potential mayoral run, continues to challenge the accusations, even as he faces similar federal lawsuits from other alleged victims.

🏫 3 Palestinian students shot near University of Vermont in suspected hate crime. In Burlington, VT, a chilling attack has shaken the community: three Palestinian-descended students, just 20 years old, fell victim to a shooting now under investigation as a potential hate crime. The men, each sustaining serious injuries, were apparently targeted while wearing kaffiyehs. The unspoken violence of the unidentified white male assailant speaks volumes, prompting high-level briefings to President Biden and urgent calls from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee for a hate-crime probe. As the young men, with futures as students at prestigious colleges at stake, fight for their lives, the FBI joins a fervent manhunt and a community grapples with the specter of bigotry.

MUSIC

The online upstarts outplaying traditional record labels

Just like the indie coffee shops that started grinding against the Starbucks empire, independent musicians are now strumming a new tune of financial freedom, and platforms like Indify are amping up the volume. In the digital age's latest riff, these online marketplaces are to artists what venture capital is to startups—a financial backing gig without selling their soul.

Since December 2020, Indify's been hitting high notes by picking out chart-toppers like Billie Eilish and Post Malone before they were household names. And get this: over half of their backing deals are cranking out profits, with investors nearly tripling their bets. That's like finding a golden vinyl in a bargain bin.

What's the catch? None, really. Artists keep the reins on their music and their artistic vision—no surrendering rights for a shot at the limelight. Counter to the old-school label deals that often left artists empty-handed, companies like Indify, Sound Royalties, and beatBread are doling out advances on future royalties without snagging ownership. With streaming services and social media remixing the whole scene, Midia Research reports that this DIY release strategy is the fastest-growing slice of the music money pie. On platforms like Indify, artists can cut a deal on just a track or two, and investors get to pocket a share of the streaming royalties. It's a bit like crowdfunding meets Spotify.

Big picture: This indie uprising isn't without its risks—the stage is new, and the lights can be blinding. But with backers like Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, these artist-centric platforms are cranking up to eleven, promising a new era where musicians hold the mic and the money.

WEEK AHEAD

What to expect

• COP28 climate conference to start in Dubai, with a focus on health and pressure on the UAE to deliver substantive outcomes. High-profile attendees include world leaders like the Pope and King Charles III.

• Economic releases this week include GDP figures for India, Germany, and the US; inflation data for the eurozone, Australia, and Brazil; and G7 PMI data.

• Earnings season is winding down with key reports expected from easyJet and various retailers, signaling consumer confidence levels, notably IKEA owner Ingka Group, Pets at Home, Foot Locker and Farfetch.

What else is happening…

• Thursday is the annual national Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Washington.

• Saturday is the final draw ceremony to decide groups for the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament.

• Kiss conclude their latest tour at Madison Square Garden with their last ever show, 50 years after the American rock band formed.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• Meta Platforms allegedly designed its social-media products to exploit vulnerabilities in young users' brains, as revealed by newly unredacted legal filings referencing internal documents.

• Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who pleaded guilty to violating George Floyd’s civil rights, was stabbed in an Arizona prison.

• Neuralink has secured an additional $43 million in venture capital for its brain wave-reading implantable chips, as per an SEC filing.

• Trans Mountain, owned by Canada and operating a crude-oil pipeline in western Canada, announced a $651M write-down on the asset due to rising interest rates.

• Tech investor Brad Gerstner proposes corporate America to match funds in potential government-funded investment accounts for children.

• Amazon workers in Europe went on strike at various locations to protest the company's working practices during Black Friday weekend.

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