FINANCIAL TIMES – Apr 25 – There is one month to go until the EU's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force, governing all data that companies hold on individuals. Fines for breaches are as high as 4% of annual global revenue. The UK information commissioner's office (ICO) has said there will be no "grace period". Here is the ICO 12-step guide that lays out how to document data, know the rights of individuals, deal with subject access requests, obtain consent, lawfully process data – and what to do in case of a breach.
Month: April 2018
In China, Unmarried Sons And Daughters Bring Social And Financial Burdens
Hornet Partners With Planned Parenthood
HORNET BLOG – Apr 20 – Hornet Gay Social Network is partnering with Planned Parenthood Federation of America as well as the LA LGBT Center to build a culture of consent and respect within the LGBTQ community. Together they'll be creating and sharing social media and editorial content to educate users on why and how to talk about consent.
Spark Networks Financial Results: SilverSingles Launch, More M&A Expected
SEEKING ALPHA – Apr 25 – Spark Networks full year revenue increased 16.5% to €85.6M due to the 20% growth in paying subscribers as well as marketing efforts in North America and the Affinitas-Spark merger in Nov 2017. For the full year 2017 adjusted EBITDA was €6.6M, a YOY increase from €5.9M. It includes €509K of post merger adjusted EBITDA from Spark. The company ended the year with ~465K paying subscribers. (158K in North America and 307K international). Here a few key points from Spark Networks earning call:
- Spark Networks is expecting future M&A to accelerate growth
- EliteSingles is the largest and fastest growing brand (20% growth in 2017); ~60% of Spark Networks revenue comes from EliteSingles.
- Elite Singles is expanding in North America
- Jdate and Christian Mingle stable and expected to grow in 2018, marketing focus in North America for now, although new languages were introduced in April
- The company launched a new matchmaking site SilverSingles in Dec 2017 in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany and Australia. The site targets serious daters who are 50+. 15% of Spark registrations coming already from this brand.
See full article at Seeking Alpha
Match Group’s Long Term Sustainable Competitive Advantage
OPW – Apr 25 – I came across this great article on sustainable competitive advantage by the V.C. company Greylock Partners. It got me thinking about Match Group. They're the clear leader in the dating industry now, of course. But what aspects of their business are contributing to their long term sustainable competitive advantage?
Let's look down the list that Greylock Partners' article lists…
- Network Effects – NO
- Scale – YES, ABSOLUTELY!
(i) Negotiated Leverage – YES
(ii) Amortization of Fixed Costs – YES
(iii) Product Density – YES, VERY SUBSTANTIALLY YES - Brand – YES
- Non-Network Switching Costs – YES
- Regulatory – NO
- Technical Advantage – YES
- Cornered Access to Limited Supply – NO
Read the full article on IDEA blog
Post by Mark Brooks, CEO IDEA
POF Study: Great Conversation & Grammar Are The Sexiest & Most Sought After Elements In Dating
PR NEWSWIRE – Apr 24 – The Plenty of Fish Conversation Nation 2018 survey reveals singles are more turned off by bad grammar than bad sex. The study, which surveyed 2K US singles 18+, revealed conversation as the benchmark for chemistry and compatibility. 74% of singles say conversation is the #1 indicator of chemistry, even over physical attraction. 58% of singles say bad grammar is a bigger turn off. 59% won't start talking to someone whose dating profile promotes a political opinion opposite of theirs. Across party lines, 52 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats won't start a conversation with a political opposite.
Homeland Security: Top Cyber Risks Are Mobile Apps & Users
FOX BUSINESS – Apr 24 – Most mobile app users trust that the apps they download from app stores are safe and secure. But that isn’t the case, according to Douglas Maughan, who heads up the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology division. “Most mobile apps aren’t vetted,” he says. Percy Tucker, senior manager of systems engineering at RSA, showed us how exposed user data is when connected to a Wi-Fi network. Everything done on an app can be seen – if that app doesn’t have proper security. “If a user is on their laptop and they are doing something under an unencrypted protocol we can actually visually reconstruct exactly what they are seeing.”
A Large Percentage Of Millennials Are Willing To Date Someone Older
ASKMEN – Apr 25 – Badoo surveyed 10k of its users and found that 32% of 18 to 24-year-olds would date someone over the age of 35. 27% of women have dated someone a decade older than themselves and 15% of Badoo users are interested in the 50-plus category. As many as 13% of men reported they would date someone 20 years older than them.
Jdate And ChristianMingle To Expand Globally
SPARK.NET – Apr 24 – Jdate and Christian Mingle have both expanded services, languages, and local market support throughout Europe. Originally available in English, Hebrew and French, Jdate is now also available in German and Spanish. Christian Mingle is now available in French, German and Spanish, in addition to English. Both Jdate and Christian Mingle will be rolling out Russian and Polish language and local support in the coming months.
Bumble Donates To Planned Parenthood
