The intermediary companies also want to attract clients, whom to sell more detailed data. It isn't unusual for them to release basic data like total number of users per domain, for free. For further segmentation, like interests, keywords, geolocation, client's system properties, etc. they do require subscribing.

I'm not speculating, I've had a chance to work at server maintenance (where basic data comes from), website design and maintenance (where 3rd part user trackers go), and both offering ad space and contracting ad services (dealing with these companies, ad networks, and website owners).

You asked where do they get the data from... well, that's the answer 🤷

The numbers could be fictitious (you didn't ask whether they get "reliable data"), or they could be doctoring them themselves... but there is a number of companies whose work is to let sites put trackers that gather user data, so they can in turn use it as a point when luring advertisers.

It isn't "highly guarded confidential" information, websites would happily submit their access logs if that could make them look more appealing to advertisers... but they don't, because: a) they could be sending fake data, which would make the aggregating company lose face, meaning they won't accept self-reported data, and b) site logs contain a lot of users' personal information, sharing which could fall afoul of privacy legislation.

They may still have to pay for access to parse that data, or extract it from the data made publicly available (...which could still be doctored, but 🤷)

Right, that one! I forgot the name. So, I wonder if it could be something like that going on.

Ah... I didn't catch on that. Nvm then.

Keep in mind that "having a plan", doesn't say when that plan is to be executed.

If you asked me, every object launched into orbit, should have a safe de-orbit plan beforehand. Chances are, as more private entities get onboard launching space stations, there might be regulations put in place to require a de-orbit plan for the launch to get approved.

Getting a de-orbit plan for the ISS now, might be just a preemptive plan for when those regulations get enacted.

There is no Lagrange point "North".

L1 is sunwards, L2 is counter-sunwards, L3 is on the other side of the Sun, L4 is Eastwards, and L5 is Westwards.

Going from LEO to L1/L2, requires a ∆v of 7.5km/s, which is comparable to the 9.4km/s ∆v required to go from Earth surface to LEO.

Meanwhile, the ISS keeps getting slowed down by Earth's atmosphere, and it only takes a ∆v of 1km/s or less, to plunge it into denser atmosphere for reentry.

Right. I remember there was a game about "controlling" areas, virtual but based on IRL geocaching. These monoliths that people place in somewhat remote places, then dismantle them after a few days, got me thinking it could be part of a "find it while it's there" or something.

It's interesting to see they're still going after at least 4 years.

The US, has a history of slavery.

China has a history of suicide prevention nets, docking pay for not finishing your lunch, millions of undocumented illegal migrant workers, houses full of camgirls "because they're young and need to be controlled", closed apartment complexes with thousands of catfishing "remote workers", and so on. AKA: outsourced slavery.

But you're right, it's the capitalist way.

Didn't Cicada 3301 have a geocaching component? Or that was a different game... hm.

You can see the source of the data in the table:

https://therighting.com/traffic-reports/news-websites-endure-traffic-tailspin-in-may/

They publish monthly traffic reports:

https://therighting.com/traffic-reports/

mainstream news websites based on Comscore data

https://www.comscore.com/

...whether you trust their methodology, is a separate matter.

Would be quite a plot twist if it resulted that the whole "seizures cure" spiel from electroshock therapy, resulted in it being "electrical waves help the brain to clean itself", and have nothing to do with brain-destroying seizures.

As someone who's never been into sexting... what's the difference between "leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate", and "actual sextimg"?