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The SolarWinds Hack Was More Humiliating for the Government Than We Thought The SolarWinds attack in 2020 was a humiliating all-out assault on U.S. government cybersecurity, and it’s likely that one key reason it’s not more famous is that we still know very little about what the hackers achieved. But we now have a few more crumbs to work with, because new revelations from Bloomberg have revealed that the hackers were in Treasury Department email accounts, essentially doing whatever they wanted. Bloomberg’s reporting comes from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which resulted in the release of a redacted investigation report from the Treasury’s inspector general. To refresh your memory, SolarWinds is a Texas-based information management company that is both a little-known part of the software supply chain, but it’s also ubiquitous and essential. In early 2020 SolarWinds was targeted by an elite, possibly Russia-affiliated entity, and infiltrated through a combination of social engineering and hacking—essentially turning a key piece of its software called Orion Platform into a malware dispenser, spreading its spying tools all over systems belonging to SolarWinds’ clients. That client list included sensitive organizations at the very highest levels like the White House and the NSA, exposing the hackers to communications networks that process classified information. The key piece of shocking information reported shortly after the hack was discovered was the duration of the exposure: about nine months—most of 2020. We now know a little bit about four of those nine months. Bloomberg says the infiltration of the Treasury Department’s SolarWinds account occurred on July 6, 2020 when the highest level administrator account for Treasury’s SolarWinds software was compromised. The hackers apparently used that account to change an application hilariously called Secure Mail, which in turn “potentially allowed access to all e-mail addresses ending in ‘treasury.gov’,” per the inspector general’s report. The infiltration of the treasury email system apparently lasted until October 12, 2020, when Treasury—apparently accidentally—ended the hackers’ party with some kind of system change. The user of the compromised admin account claims in the report not to know which specific emails were targeted, or whether or not anything was actually stolen. #SolarWinds #Hack #Humiliating #Government #ThoughtHacking,Russia,SOLARWINDS

The SolarWinds Hack Was More Humiliating for the Government Than We ThoughtThe SolarWinds Hack Was More Humiliating for the Government Than We Thought The SolarWinds attack in 2020 was a humiliating all-out assault on U.S. government cybersecurity, and it’s likely that one key reason it’s not more famous is that we still know very little about what the hackers achieved. But we now have a few more crumbs to work with, because new revelations from Bloomberg have revealed that the hackers were in Treasury Department email accounts, essentially doing whatever they wanted. Bloomberg’s reporting comes from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which resulted in the release of a redacted investigation report from the Treasury’s inspector general. To refresh your memory, SolarWinds is a Texas-based information management company that is both a little-known part of the software supply chain, but it’s also ubiquitous and essential. In early 2020 SolarWinds was targeted by an elite, possibly Russia-affiliated entity, and infiltrated through a combination of social engineering and hacking—essentially turning a key piece of its software called Orion Platform into a malware dispenser, spreading its spying tools all over systems belonging to SolarWinds’ clients. That client list included sensitive organizations at the very highest levels like the White House and the NSA, exposing the hackers to communications networks that process classified information. The key piece of shocking information reported shortly after the hack was discovered was the duration of the exposure: about nine months—most of 2020. We now know a little bit about four of those nine months. Bloomberg says the infiltration of the Treasury Department’s SolarWinds account occurred on July 6, 2020 when the highest level administrator account for Treasury’s SolarWinds software was compromised. The hackers apparently used that account to change an application hilariously called Secure Mail, which in turn “potentially allowed access to all e-mail addresses ending in ‘treasury.gov’,” per the inspector general’s report. The infiltration of the treasury email system apparently lasted until October 12, 2020, when Treasury—apparently accidentally—ended the hackers’ party with some kind of system change. The user of the compromised admin account claims in the report not to know which specific emails were targeted, or whether or not anything was actually stolen. #SolarWinds #Hack #Humiliating #Government #ThoughtHacking,Russia,SOLARWINDS

The SolarWinds attack in 2020 was a humiliating all-out assault on U.S. government cybersecurity, and it’s likely that one key reason it’s not more famous is that we still know very little about what the hackers achieved. But we now have a few more crumbs to work with, because new revelations from Bloomberg have revealed that the hackers were in Treasury Department email accounts, essentially doing whatever they wanted.

Bloomberg’s reporting comes from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which resulted in the release of a redacted investigation report from the Treasury’s inspector general.

To refresh your memory, SolarWinds is a Texas-based information management company that is both a little-known part of the software supply chain, but it’s also ubiquitous and essential. In early 2020 SolarWinds was targeted by an elite, possibly Russia-affiliated entity, and infiltrated through a combination of social engineering and hacking—essentially turning a key piece of its software called Orion Platform into a malware dispenser, spreading its spying tools all over systems belonging to SolarWinds’ clients. That client list included sensitive organizations at the very highest levels like the White House and the NSA, exposing the hackers to communications networks that process classified information.

The key piece of shocking information reported shortly after the hack was discovered was the duration of the exposure: about nine months—most of 2020. We now know a little bit about four of those nine months.

Bloomberg says the infiltration of the Treasury Department’s SolarWinds account occurred on July 6, 2020 when the highest level administrator account for Treasury’s SolarWinds software was compromised. The hackers apparently used that account to change an application hilariously called Secure Mail, which in turn “potentially allowed access to all e-mail addresses ending in ‘treasury.gov’,” per the inspector general’s report.

The infiltration of the treasury email system apparently lasted until October 12, 2020, when Treasury—apparently accidentally—ended the hackers’ party with some kind of system change. The user of the compromised admin account claims in the report not to know which specific emails were targeted, or whether or not anything was actually stolen.

#SolarWinds #Hack #Humiliating #Government #ThoughtHacking,Russia,SOLARWINDS

Tech-news , ,

The SolarWinds attack in 2020 was a humiliating all-out assault on U.S. government cybersecurity, and it’s likely that one key reason it’s not more famous is that we still know very little about what the hackers achieved. But we now have a few more crumbs to work with, because new revelations from Bloomberg have revealed that the hackers were in Treasury Department email accounts, essentially doing whatever they wanted.

Bloomberg’s reporting comes from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which resulted in the release of a redacted investigation report from the Treasury’s inspector general.

To refresh your memory, SolarWinds is a Texas-based information management company that is both a little-known part of the software supply chain, but it’s also ubiquitous and essential. In early 2020 SolarWinds was targeted by an elite, possibly Russia-affiliated entity, and infiltrated through a combination of social engineering and hacking—essentially turning a key piece of its software called Orion Platform into a malware dispenser, spreading its spying tools all over systems belonging to SolarWinds’ clients. That client list included sensitive organizations at the very highest levels like the White House and the NSA, exposing the hackers to communications networks that process classified information.

The key piece of shocking information reported shortly after the hack was discovered was the duration of the exposure: about nine months—most of 2020. We now know a little bit about four of those nine months.

Bloomberg says the infiltration of the Treasury Department’s SolarWinds account occurred on July 6, 2020 when the highest level administrator account for Treasury’s SolarWinds software was compromised. The hackers apparently used that account to change an application hilariously called Secure Mail, which in turn “potentially allowed access to all e-mail addresses ending in ‘treasury.gov’,” per the inspector general’s report.

The infiltration of the treasury email system apparently lasted until October 12, 2020, when Treasury—apparently accidentally—ended the hackers’ party with some kind of system change. The user of the compromised admin account claims in the report not to know which specific emails were targeted, or whether or not anything was actually stolen.

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#SolarWinds #Hack #Humiliating #Government #Thought

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What ProxyWing Offers Beyond Standard Residential Plans

One thing many residential proxy providers do is provide access to IP addresses. In a broader sense, ProxyWing is building a platform to address real-world business and study needs. The big residential IP pool is one of the best things about it. When a network is bigger, people can connect to more unique IP addresses from different places. This makes it easier to access location-sensitive information and reduces the number of restrictions that come with it.

One more benefit is that sessions can be changed. For some projects, IP addresses need to change all the time. Others need a connection that remains stable for longer. ProxyWing lets users choose between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, so they can use the feature that best fits their workflow. 

Real Use Cases We Tested for Marketers

Often, marketing professionals need accurate information about the region to make decisions. We looked at several real-world examples to assess how well ProxyWing works in an everyday marketing environment. 

1. Local Search Engine Result Tracking

In different towns and countries, we looked at how search results looked. With the residential IPs, it was easier to show correct localized search results. 

2. Watching the prices of competitors

Marketing teams often keep an eye on their competitors. Location-specific pricing research was possible thanks to the network, which didn’t cause many problems. 

3. Verification of Ad

We looked at different places or locations to see if online ads were showing up properly. Proxy servers let us see ads as people in our area would. 

4. SEO Campaign Analysis

We looked at search results from several different areas. Results were more accurate at reflecting local search conditions than standard connections. 

5. Tracking Affiliate Campaigns

Affiliate marketers must verify landing pages and tracking cnnections. Residential IPs offered dependable insights across various regions. 

Real Use Cases We Tested for Researchers

Researchers often need knowledge that is both unbiased and relevant to the area. We put ProxyWing to the test in a number of research-related situations. 

1. Getting information from schools

Researchers who are gathering public information from different places could more easily use statistics that are specific to those places. 

2. News Monitoring

Headlines in different places are often different. The network lets people see news from an area’s perspective. 

3. Studies of consumer behavior

Online behavior researchers could get a better picture of how people in different places interact with localized content. 

4. Search Engine Research

Differences in search results across areas could be clearly seen and recorded. 

5. Travel Data Collection

Travel prices vary widely depending on where you are, so residential IPs were useful for comparing how prices work across different areas. 

6. Monitoring of digital policies

Researchers examining differences in internet rules and content could access web experiences specific to their location. 

These examples showed how useful residential IP addresses are for gathering information important to a specific area. 

Configuration and Integration Experience

ProxyWing Residential Proxy: A Practical Review for Marketers and Researchers Many websites will show you different prices, contents, ads, and search results depending on where you are. When marketers and academics see only one version of the internet, they might miss important information and draw the wrong conclusions. Now is the time when residential proxies are useful. You can see websites from various places and get a better idea of what people all over the world see by routing internet data through real residential IP addresses. What ProxyWing Offers Beyond Standard Residential Plans One thing many residential proxy providers do is provide access to IP addresses. In a broader sense, ProxyWing is building a platform to address real-world business and study needs. The big residential IP pool is one of the best things about it. When a network is bigger, people can connect to more unique IP addresses from different places. This makes it easier to access location-sensitive information and reduces the number of restrictions that come with it. One more benefit is that sessions can be changed. For some projects, IP addresses need to change all the time. Others need a connection that remains stable for longer. ProxyWing lets users choose between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, so they can use the feature that best fits their workflow.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Marketers Often, marketing professionals need accurate information about the region to make decisions. We looked at several real-world examples to assess how well ProxyWing works in an everyday marketing environment.  1. Local Search Engine Result Tracking In different towns and countries, we looked at how search results looked. With the residential IPs, it was easier to show correct localized search results.  2. Watching the prices of competitors Marketing teams often keep an eye on their competitors. Location-specific pricing research was possible thanks to the network, which didn’t cause many problems.  3. Verification of Ad We looked at different places or locations to see if online ads were showing up properly. Proxy servers let us see ads as people in our area would.  4. SEO Campaign Analysis We looked at search results from several different areas. Results were more accurate at reflecting local search conditions than standard connections.  5. Tracking Affiliate Campaigns Affiliate marketers must verify landing pages and tracking cnnections. Residential IPs offered dependable insights across various regions.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Researchers Researchers often need knowledge that is both unbiased and relevant to the area. We put ProxyWing to the test in a number of research-related situations.  1. Getting information from schools Researchers who are gathering public information from different places could more easily use statistics that are specific to those places.  2. News Monitoring Headlines in different places are often different. The network lets people see news from an area’s perspective.  3. Studies of consumer behavior Online behavior researchers could get a better picture of how people in different places interact with localized content.  4. Search Engine Research Differences in search results across areas could be clearly seen and recorded.  5. Travel Data Collection Travel prices vary widely depending on where you are, so residential IPs were useful for comparing how prices work across different areas.  6. Monitoring of digital policies Researchers examining differences in internet rules and content could access web experiences specific to their location.  These examples showed how useful residential IP addresses are for gathering information important to a specific area.  Configuration and Integration Experience Setting up is one of the things that worries beginners the most. Thanks to ProxyWing, the process is pretty easy to understand. Users can easily manage their credentials, select locations, and set up sessions on the dashboard thanks to its well-organized layout. We tested how well the integration worked in several common ways. Configurations performed in a browser took only minutes to complete. Most users can simply enter proxy credentials and begin routing traffic through the residential network. Standard proxy integration steps were used to set up automatic tools. The documentation was clear enough to help connect browser automation platforms, scraping tools, and data collection systems. Common proxy standards will be useful for developers building custom software. Integration didn’t require many changes to the way things were done before. The choices for managing sessions were especially helpful. Users could choose between rotating and sticky sessions based on the project’s needs. Performance remained stable throughout extended testing periods, and connection reliability was suitable for ongoing data collection and monitoring. Overall, the setting process felt easy enough for beginners to handle while still giving advanced users enough options.  Pricing and Plan Selection Guidance The project’s goals, traffic needs, and projected usage levels will help you choose the best residential proxy plan. Long-term studies may require higher-volume plans so researchers can continue collecting data across multiple sites. It’s more important to choose a plan based on how much you will actually use it than to pick the biggest package that’s offered. Estimating how much traffic you will use each month can help you make the most cost-effective choice. A well-functioning network can save hours of work, ensure data accuracy, and reduce gaps that slow down important projects. ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices.  Wrap Up These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences. The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results. Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions. Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information.  #ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy

Setting up is one of the things that worries beginners the most. Thanks to ProxyWing, the process is pretty easy to understand.

Users can easily manage their credentials, select locations, and set up sessions on the dashboard thanks to its well-organized layout.

We tested how well the integration worked in several common ways.

Configurations performed in a browser took only minutes to complete. Most users can simply enter proxy credentials and begin routing traffic through the residential network.

Standard proxy integration steps were used to set up automatic tools. The documentation was clear enough to help connect browser automation platforms, scraping tools, and data collection systems.

Common proxy standards will be useful for developers building custom software. Integration didn’t require many changes to the way things were done before.

The choices for managing sessions were especially helpful. Users could choose between rotating and sticky sessions based on the project’s needs.

Performance remained stable throughout extended testing periods, and connection reliability was suitable for ongoing data collection and monitoring.

Overall, the setting process felt easy enough for beginners to handle while still giving advanced users enough options. 

Pricing and Plan Selection Guidance

The project’s goals, traffic needs, and projected usage levels will help you choose the best residential proxy plan. Long-term studies may require higher-volume plans so researchers can continue collecting data across multiple sites.

It’s more important to choose a plan based on how much you will actually use it than to pick the biggest package that’s offered. Estimating how much traffic you will use each month can help you make the most cost-effective choice.

A well-functioning network can save hours of work, ensure data accuracy, and reduce gaps that slow down important projects. ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices. 

Wrap Up

These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences.

The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results.

Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions.

Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information. 

#ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy">ProxyWing Residential Proxy: A Practical Review for Marketers and Researchers Many websites will show you different prices, contents, ads, and search results depending on where you are. When marketers and academics see only one version of the internet, they might miss important information and draw the wrong conclusions. Now is the time when residential proxies are useful. You can see websites from various places and get a better idea of what people all over the world see by routing internet data through real residential IP addresses. What ProxyWing Offers Beyond Standard Residential Plans One thing many residential proxy providers do is provide access to IP addresses. In a broader sense, ProxyWing is building a platform to address real-world business and study needs. The big residential IP pool is one of the best things about it. When a network is bigger, people can connect to more unique IP addresses from different places. This makes it easier to access location-sensitive information and reduces the number of restrictions that come with it. One more benefit is that sessions can be changed. For some projects, IP addresses need to change all the time. Others need a connection that remains stable for longer. ProxyWing lets users choose between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, so they can use the feature that best fits their workflow.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Marketers Often, marketing professionals need accurate information about the region to make decisions. We looked at several real-world examples to assess how well ProxyWing works in an everyday marketing environment.  1. Local Search Engine Result Tracking In different towns and countries, we looked at how search results looked. With the residential IPs, it was easier to show correct localized search results.  2. Watching the prices of competitors Marketing teams often keep an eye on their competitors. Location-specific pricing research was possible thanks to the network, which didn’t cause many problems.  3. Verification of Ad We looked at different places or locations to see if online ads were showing up properly. Proxy servers let us see ads as people in our area would.  4. SEO Campaign Analysis We looked at search results from several different areas. Results were more accurate at reflecting local search conditions than standard connections.  5. Tracking Affiliate Campaigns Affiliate marketers must verify landing pages and tracking cnnections. Residential IPs offered dependable insights across various regions.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Researchers Researchers often need knowledge that is both unbiased and relevant to the area. We put ProxyWing to the test in a number of research-related situations.  1. Getting information from schools Researchers who are gathering public information from different places could more easily use statistics that are specific to those places.  2. News Monitoring Headlines in different places are often different. The network lets people see news from an area’s perspective.  3. Studies of consumer behavior Online behavior researchers could get a better picture of how people in different places interact with localized content.  4. Search Engine Research Differences in search results across areas could be clearly seen and recorded.  5. Travel Data Collection Travel prices vary widely depending on where you are, so residential IPs were useful for comparing how prices work across different areas.  6. Monitoring of digital policies Researchers examining differences in internet rules and content could access web experiences specific to their location.  These examples showed how useful residential IP addresses are for gathering information important to a specific area.  Configuration and Integration Experience Setting up is one of the things that worries beginners the most. Thanks to ProxyWing, the process is pretty easy to understand. Users can easily manage their credentials, select locations, and set up sessions on the dashboard thanks to its well-organized layout. We tested how well the integration worked in several common ways. Configurations performed in a browser took only minutes to complete. Most users can simply enter proxy credentials and begin routing traffic through the residential network. Standard proxy integration steps were used to set up automatic tools. The documentation was clear enough to help connect browser automation platforms, scraping tools, and data collection systems. Common proxy standards will be useful for developers building custom software. Integration didn’t require many changes to the way things were done before. The choices for managing sessions were especially helpful. Users could choose between rotating and sticky sessions based on the project’s needs. Performance remained stable throughout extended testing periods, and connection reliability was suitable for ongoing data collection and monitoring. Overall, the setting process felt easy enough for beginners to handle while still giving advanced users enough options.  Pricing and Plan Selection Guidance The project’s goals, traffic needs, and projected usage levels will help you choose the best residential proxy plan. Long-term studies may require higher-volume plans so researchers can continue collecting data across multiple sites. It’s more important to choose a plan based on how much you will actually use it than to pick the biggest package that’s offered. Estimating how much traffic you will use each month can help you make the most cost-effective choice. A well-functioning network can save hours of work, ensure data accuracy, and reduce gaps that slow down important projects. ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices.  Wrap Up These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences. The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results. Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions. Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information.  #ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy

ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices. 

Wrap Up

These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences.

The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results.

Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions.

Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information. 

#ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy">ProxyWing Residential Proxy: A Practical Review for Marketers and Researchers

Many websites will show you different prices, contents, ads, and search results depending on where you are. When marketers and academics see only one version of the internet, they might miss important information and draw the wrong conclusions.

Now is the time when residential proxies are useful. You can see websites from various places and get a better idea of what people all over the world see by routing internet data through real residential IP addresses.

What ProxyWing Offers Beyond Standard Residential Plans

One thing many residential proxy providers do is provide access to IP addresses. In a broader sense, ProxyWing is building a platform to address real-world business and study needs. The big residential IP pool is one of the best things about it. When a network is bigger, people can connect to more unique IP addresses from different places. This makes it easier to access location-sensitive information and reduces the number of restrictions that come with it.

One more benefit is that sessions can be changed. For some projects, IP addresses need to change all the time. Others need a connection that remains stable for longer. ProxyWing lets users choose between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, so they can use the feature that best fits their workflow. 

Real Use Cases We Tested for Marketers

Often, marketing professionals need accurate information about the region to make decisions. We looked at several real-world examples to assess how well ProxyWing works in an everyday marketing environment. 

1. Local Search Engine Result Tracking

In different towns and countries, we looked at how search results looked. With the residential IPs, it was easier to show correct localized search results. 

2. Watching the prices of competitors

Marketing teams often keep an eye on their competitors. Location-specific pricing research was possible thanks to the network, which didn’t cause many problems. 

3. Verification of Ad

We looked at different places or locations to see if online ads were showing up properly. Proxy servers let us see ads as people in our area would. 

4. SEO Campaign Analysis

We looked at search results from several different areas. Results were more accurate at reflecting local search conditions than standard connections. 

5. Tracking Affiliate Campaigns

Affiliate marketers must verify landing pages and tracking cnnections. Residential IPs offered dependable insights across various regions. 

Real Use Cases We Tested for Researchers

Researchers often need knowledge that is both unbiased and relevant to the area. We put ProxyWing to the test in a number of research-related situations. 

1. Getting information from schools

Researchers who are gathering public information from different places could more easily use statistics that are specific to those places. 

2. News Monitoring

Headlines in different places are often different. The network lets people see news from an area’s perspective. 

3. Studies of consumer behavior

Online behavior researchers could get a better picture of how people in different places interact with localized content. 

4. Search Engine Research

Differences in search results across areas could be clearly seen and recorded. 

5. Travel Data Collection

Travel prices vary widely depending on where you are, so residential IPs were useful for comparing how prices work across different areas. 

6. Monitoring of digital policies

Researchers examining differences in internet rules and content could access web experiences specific to their location. 

These examples showed how useful residential IP addresses are for gathering information important to a specific area. 

Configuration and Integration Experience

ProxyWing Residential Proxy: A Practical Review for Marketers and Researchers Many websites will show you different prices, contents, ads, and search results depending on where you are. When marketers and academics see only one version of the internet, they might miss important information and draw the wrong conclusions. Now is the time when residential proxies are useful. You can see websites from various places and get a better idea of what people all over the world see by routing internet data through real residential IP addresses. What ProxyWing Offers Beyond Standard Residential Plans One thing many residential proxy providers do is provide access to IP addresses. In a broader sense, ProxyWing is building a platform to address real-world business and study needs. The big residential IP pool is one of the best things about it. When a network is bigger, people can connect to more unique IP addresses from different places. This makes it easier to access location-sensitive information and reduces the number of restrictions that come with it. One more benefit is that sessions can be changed. For some projects, IP addresses need to change all the time. Others need a connection that remains stable for longer. ProxyWing lets users choose between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, so they can use the feature that best fits their workflow.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Marketers Often, marketing professionals need accurate information about the region to make decisions. We looked at several real-world examples to assess how well ProxyWing works in an everyday marketing environment.  1. Local Search Engine Result Tracking In different towns and countries, we looked at how search results looked. With the residential IPs, it was easier to show correct localized search results.  2. Watching the prices of competitors Marketing teams often keep an eye on their competitors. Location-specific pricing research was possible thanks to the network, which didn’t cause many problems.  3. Verification of Ad We looked at different places or locations to see if online ads were showing up properly. Proxy servers let us see ads as people in our area would.  4. SEO Campaign Analysis We looked at search results from several different areas. Results were more accurate at reflecting local search conditions than standard connections.  5. Tracking Affiliate Campaigns Affiliate marketers must verify landing pages and tracking cnnections. Residential IPs offered dependable insights across various regions.  Real Use Cases We Tested for Researchers Researchers often need knowledge that is both unbiased and relevant to the area. We put ProxyWing to the test in a number of research-related situations.  1. Getting information from schools Researchers who are gathering public information from different places could more easily use statistics that are specific to those places.  2. News Monitoring Headlines in different places are often different. The network lets people see news from an area’s perspective.  3. Studies of consumer behavior Online behavior researchers could get a better picture of how people in different places interact with localized content.  4. Search Engine Research Differences in search results across areas could be clearly seen and recorded.  5. Travel Data Collection Travel prices vary widely depending on where you are, so residential IPs were useful for comparing how prices work across different areas.  6. Monitoring of digital policies Researchers examining differences in internet rules and content could access web experiences specific to their location.  These examples showed how useful residential IP addresses are for gathering information important to a specific area.  Configuration and Integration Experience Setting up is one of the things that worries beginners the most. Thanks to ProxyWing, the process is pretty easy to understand. Users can easily manage their credentials, select locations, and set up sessions on the dashboard thanks to its well-organized layout. We tested how well the integration worked in several common ways. Configurations performed in a browser took only minutes to complete. Most users can simply enter proxy credentials and begin routing traffic through the residential network. Standard proxy integration steps were used to set up automatic tools. The documentation was clear enough to help connect browser automation platforms, scraping tools, and data collection systems. Common proxy standards will be useful for developers building custom software. Integration didn’t require many changes to the way things were done before. The choices for managing sessions were especially helpful. Users could choose between rotating and sticky sessions based on the project’s needs. Performance remained stable throughout extended testing periods, and connection reliability was suitable for ongoing data collection and monitoring. Overall, the setting process felt easy enough for beginners to handle while still giving advanced users enough options.  Pricing and Plan Selection Guidance The project’s goals, traffic needs, and projected usage levels will help you choose the best residential proxy plan. Long-term studies may require higher-volume plans so researchers can continue collecting data across multiple sites. It’s more important to choose a plan based on how much you will actually use it than to pick the biggest package that’s offered. Estimating how much traffic you will use each month can help you make the most cost-effective choice. A well-functioning network can save hours of work, ensure data accuracy, and reduce gaps that slow down important projects. ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices.  Wrap Up These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences. The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results. Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions. Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information.  #ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy

Setting up is one of the things that worries beginners the most. Thanks to ProxyWing, the process is pretty easy to understand.

Users can easily manage their credentials, select locations, and set up sessions on the dashboard thanks to its well-organized layout.

We tested how well the integration worked in several common ways.

Configurations performed in a browser took only minutes to complete. Most users can simply enter proxy credentials and begin routing traffic through the residential network.

Standard proxy integration steps were used to set up automatic tools. The documentation was clear enough to help connect browser automation platforms, scraping tools, and data collection systems.

Common proxy standards will be useful for developers building custom software. Integration didn’t require many changes to the way things were done before.

The choices for managing sessions were especially helpful. Users could choose between rotating and sticky sessions based on the project’s needs.

Performance remained stable throughout extended testing periods, and connection reliability was suitable for ongoing data collection and monitoring.

Overall, the setting process felt easy enough for beginners to handle while still giving advanced users enough options. 

Pricing and Plan Selection Guidance

The project’s goals, traffic needs, and projected usage levels will help you choose the best residential proxy plan. Long-term studies may require higher-volume plans so researchers can continue collecting data across multiple sites.

It’s more important to choose a plan based on how much you will actually use it than to pick the biggest package that’s offered. Estimating how much traffic you will use each month can help you make the most cost-effective choice.

A well-functioning network can save hours of work, ensure data accuracy, and reduce gaps that slow down important projects. ProxyWing’s residential proxy network is a good option if you want a solution with flexible plans, reliable performance, and extensive coverage. ProxyWing has plans for people with a range of needs and budgets, such as marketers who want to keep an eye on their competitors, researchers who want to collect location-specific data, or marketers who want to monitor their own local search rankings. Look more closely at your options and see how the right residential proxy plan can help you learn more, get more done, and feel more confident about your choices. 

Wrap Up

These days, the internet is becoming increasingly tailored to each person’s location. In different parts of the world, search results, ads, prices, information, and user experiences can vary widely. It is very important for marketers and academics to understand these differences.

The ProxyWing Residential Proxy provides access to a large residential IP network configured to deliver location-based visibility. It’s useful in many situations because it can target people by location, adapt to different session types, integrate with many systems, and consistently deliver results.

Whether you are monitoring SEO performance, advertising campaigns, customer behavior, academic research, or gathering data on a specific area, residential proxies can provide the information you need to make better decisions.

Based on our review, ProxyWing offers the key features researchers and marketers need, and its setup process is easy enough for both new and experienced users. It is a useful and effective residential proxy option for professionals who need location-specific information. 

#ProxyWing #Residential #Proxy #Practical #Review #Marketers #ResearchersProxy

The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’ The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.” Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’ The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.” Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy BearsA TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at . As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over 0 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.The winner was pissed. “I just paid 7 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about . “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy Bears

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

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