GDPR Compliance for Email Marketing
Sotheby’s International Realty is a company owned brokerage of Realogy’s NRT holding company. The firm uses Rezora for digital marketing and they have done an exquisite job of adopting GDPR – Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation. As you can plainly recognize from the name of the company which contains “international,” Sotheby’s International Realty is a brand that markets properties to people who live in the GDPR nations. Sotheby’s even translates currency into Euros and properties into multiple languages. These activities are the criteria that distinguish which businesses need to be GDPR compliant. Moreover, I am certain that the company regularly does transactions with European citizens who purchase homes here in America. If you are a brokerage that sells properties to Europeans, are a member of a sales network that takes referrals for Europeans, or markets property in Europe through a network that displays homes for sale on European websites in European currencies, you need to be GDPR compliant. Becoming GDPR Compliant is a process. There are two key prongs of becoming compliant. The first is notifying consumers that they have the right to be forgotten from all of your systems. The second prong is to make sure that you can deliver on that right. WAV Group provides GDPR consulting services. If you need help, please contact Victor Lund at [email protected]. GDPR Compliance in this Email Footer One of the greatest risks that face medium and small firms today is compliance with laws like GDPR. The minimum fine is about $12 million and up to 4% of your revenue. That is a penalty that has teeth. Consumer privacy trolls are already actively looking for failures by American businesses to comply. But GDPR is part of a trend that is also finding its way into US laws. The California 2020 Privacy Act is pretty similar in protecting consumer privacy with the right of people to be forgotten. Brokers need to take consumer privacy seriously. As this image illustrates, Sotheby’s is notifying consumers of their rights under GDPR and providing a link to their GDPR compliance. It is worth noting that they have not updated their copyright, © 2016. Another compliance service offered by WAV Group is to audit all of your systems to look for issues like this. Brokers need to have their copyright claims up to date, review terms of use, review privacy policy, and ensure that your technology vendors or in house technology teams are following MLS rules and regulations. These types of audits are not expensive; it's mostly an administrative task. Failure to ensure your compliance is very expensive, not only in its charge to your treasury, but to your firm’s reputation. The last thing you want to read in the newspaper is an article about how your firm violated privacy laws. Contact Victor Lund if you want to talk about it. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

eXp Realty Activates New Safety Check Feature for Workplace
Helps Company Quickly Locate Agents, Brokers and Staff, and Provide Assistance in a Crisis NEW ORLEANS — Oct. 24, 2018 — eXp Realty, the largest residential real estate brokerage by geography in North America and a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings (NASDAQ: EXPI), today announced at its annual EXPCON conference that it has implemented Safety Check for Workplace by Facebook. Safety Check will make it easier for eXp Realty agents, brokers and staff across North America to connect with each other and help in a crisis. With Safety Check for Workplace, eXp Realty can send notifications and reminders to quickly confirm who is safe and connect agents, brokers and staff who need help with people who can provide assistance. The tool also allows practice drills to check crisis response performance. "We hope the need for Safety Check is limited. But we're committed to making sure eXp Realty agents, brokers and staff are more connected and stronger when we need each other the most," said eXp Realty Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications Mitch Robinson. eXp Realty launched Workplace in January and now its more than 14,000 agents, brokers and staff use it to communicate and collaborate in addition to with its virtual office environment, eXp World. About eXp Realty eXp Realty, LLC, the largest residential real estate brokerage by geography in North America and a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI), is changing the way that agents, brokers and consumers work together in an adaptive, sustainable environment. As the leading, national, cloud-based real estate brokerage, eXp Realty provides 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training and socialization for real estate brokers and agents through its virtual campus environment. It is one of the fastest growing real estate brokerage firms in North America operating in 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings, Inc. uniquely offers real estate professionals within its ranks opportunities to earn company stock for production and contributions to overall company growth. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.eXpRealty.com.

Trust Stamp Announces Free Safety Tool for All Realtors
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2017 -- At the National Association of Realtors®' Conference & Expo in Chicago, Trust Stamp announced that its safety tool will now be free for all Realtors®. Trust Stamp is an identity authentication startup company that leverages artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies to verify strangers' identities and provide a trust score. NAR announced recently that it had made a second investment in Trust Stamp; the first was in November 2016. The startup was one of eight companies last year to participate in the vertical tech accelerator program, REach®, operated by NAR's strategic investment arm Second Century Investments. "I'm pleased that this innovate identification verification tool will now be free to all 1.3 million Realtors®," said NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall, a sixth-generation Realtor® from Columbia, Missouri and CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty. "Safety for our members is a top concern, and this is another great tool that Realtors® can use to protect themselves when meeting strangers and new clients." Andrew Gowasack, one of the cofounders of Trust Stamp said, "We are thrilled to offer Trust Stamp as a free benefit to NAR members and to empower them to keep themselves and their clients safe. Both Realtors® and consumers should have assurance that everyone they meet during the real estate transaction is verified and trustworthy." Trust Stamp develops and deploys proprietary artificial intelligence software to authenticate identity and also analyzes public records and social media to provide a unique color-coded Trust Score. After creating the Trust Score, users can improve it by sharing additional information. While personal details behind a Trust Score remain private and under the user's control, the score can easily be shared through the company's unique Trust Stamp. It's a powerful tool for helping improve the safety of real estate professionals, who frequently meet new clients or unknown individuals. NAR's 2017 Member Safety Report found that more than one in three agents experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information. "My vision for the Realtor® organization is to partner with companies that are offering great products and services that will help change the real estate industry," said NAR CEO Bob Goldberg in a video announcing the new member tool. "Trust Stamp is an innovative company, and this tool will bring great value to our members and improve their safety, which is so important for what they do." Trust Stamp cofounder Gareth Genner said, "There is no issue of greater importance than the safety of real estate professionals and their clients. Perhaps even more concerning than an absence of safe practices, are products that create an illusion of safety. While there is nothing that can displace sensible precautions, we hope that NAR's investment, and our making Trust Stamp free for Realtors®, will reinforce the need to us a thoughtfully designed process and remove any financial disincentive." About Trust Stamp Trust Stamp has clients across multiple industries, including a major U.S. bank, and has launched an app to improve the safety of peer-to-peer marketplaces like Airbnb, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and Uber. Through its relationship with NAR, the company has also partnered with the National Association of Estate Agents in the United Kingdom to provide real estate agents with risk based tools to meet European Union and UK anti-money laundering obligations. The company has created a real estate-specific webpage and mobile app for agents. For more information about the Trust Stamp real estate tool, visit truststamp.re. About National Association of Realtors® The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. About Second Century Ventures Second Century Ventures (SCV) is an early-stage technology fund, backed by the National Association of Realtors®, which leverages the association's 1.3 million members and an unparalleled network of executives within real estate and adjacent industries. SCV systematically launches its portfolio companies into the world's largest industries including real estate, financial services, banking, home services and insurance. SCV seeks to define and deliver the future of the world's largest industries by being a catalyst for new technologies, new opportunities, and new talent. Learn more at www.secondcenturyventures.com.

REALTOR Safety Month and 3 Years Since We Lost Beverly
It's REALTOR® Safety Month! Hard to believe that the Beverly Carter Foundation is nine months old. We've been hard at work to raise safety awareness, and we're so thankful for your support! To date, we've facilitated 25 instructor-led training classes in 10 states for over 4000 real estate professionals! In all we do, we strive to honor the life of Beverly Carter. May we learn from the tragic events that took her from us, and may we live our lives with the love and compassion she demonstrated every day. Listen to this recent podcast with Bill Risser about the Foundation. Thank you Nobu Hata of the National Association of REALTORS® for this podcast! We need your continued support! We'd love you to contribute your ideas for agent safety training and best practices. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we're reliant upon your support to keep making a positive impact. Please consider making a donation at BeverlyCarterFoundation.org. We hope to see you in Chicago!

IDX Broker Announces Social Logins and SSL (HTTPS) Compatibility
EUGENE, OR (JUNE 22, 2017) - IDX, LLC, a leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) tools for real estate websites, recently announced the newest feature in their suite of home search tools – SSL (HTTPS) compatibility. This update immediately follows the release of Social Logins last month. This set of updates will not only protect the security of clients' IDX pages, but also the lead information captured through the Listing Manager Signup form. Enabling SSL provides an additional layer of security for home seekers, while Social Logins further enhances the credibility of lead information for IDX Broker clients. "Some real estate professionals maintain that because social media logins don't include contact information such as phone numbers, it weakens the quality of the leads... but it is quite the opposite." said Chris Sjoblom, Product Manager for IDX Broker. "Because it comes straight from Google or Facebook, prospective homebuyers are unable to fill in capture information incorrectly. With social logins, lead capture is not only quick, it's authentic." These new features will facilitate trust between agents and potential clients across all IDX Broker sites: Reliable lead data: Since most visitors only have one social profile on each network, agents and brokers do not need to be concerned about spam, false leads, or the authenticity of the personal information they are gathering. Advanced security: By implementing HTTPS, real estate professionals can further protect the integrity of their website, as well as data they are collecting. Clients of IDX Broker will gain an immeasurable advantage over competing real estate websites by providing visitors with peace of mind. Improved user experience: The addition of visual cues, such as a lock icon*, will instill trust in home seekers. According to the National Association of REALTORS® Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends, homebuyers rated honesty and trustworthiness as the most important factors when choosing an agent. Since 44% of home searches start online, this sense of security begins with an agent's website. "Prospective homebuyers aren't the only ones to care about a website's security, so does Google. Eventually, Google Chrome will display a ‘Not secure' warning for all HTTP pages." Said Sjoblom. "Keeping visitors coming to your real estate site is our number one objective, and we understand that they are more likely to leave if they encounter any roadblocks. By enabling HTTPS and Social Logins, clients of IDX Broker will increase the amount of time users spend on their site, resulting in more lead capture opportunities." SSL functionality and Social Logins ensure that IDX Broker remains at the leading edge of SEO functionality and Google's Chrome browser updates. These new features are driven by customer feedback and are part of IDX, LLC's commitment to deliver the most customizable, integrated IDX solution on the market today. About IDX, LLC Based in Eugene, Ore., IDX, LLC is nationally known as a leading provider of real estate search applications. IDX, LLC actively manages more than $2 trillion worth of active listing data from more than 660 individual Multiple Listings Services (MLS). IDX, LLC provides integrated IDX software, customizable listing search utilities and lead management tools for real estate based websites. In addition to the primary web-based software, IDX also provides an integrated WordPress widget for use in WordPress based blogs and websites (IDX Broker WordPress Plugin), as well as HTML Mobile Optimized Pages for all mobile devices. The entire suite of real estate software available from IDX is easy to manage and maintain and helps real estate professionals display real estate data from their MLS regardless of their technical ability. For more information on all the services provided by IDX, LLC, please visit http://www.idxbroker.com. *Lock icon appears in markets and on websites where mixed content is not present. For more details regarding exceptions to this functionality, visit the IDX Broker Knowledgebase.

Toronto Real Estate Board Signs Multi-Year Agreement with Clareity to Secure its 53,000+ Members and Their Valuable Data
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – June 1, 2017 – Clareity is excited to announce the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has signed a new multi-year agreement for Clareity’s SAFEACCESS Plus suite of products. TREB, in conjunction with Clareity, will deploy new two-factor authentication (2FA) tools to all of the TREB members in 2017 and also implement Clareity’s industry leading RISK analytics solution. “Data security is one of our most important responsibilities and we continue to recognize Clareity as a strategic partner in providing easy to use, secure solutions for our members and our staff,” stated John DiMichele, CEO of the Toronto Real Estate Board, Gregg Larson, CEO of Clareity, offered, “Of course we are delighted TREB puts their trust in Clareity as we continually evolve the SAFEACCESS Plus platform and offer new services and choices to our ultimate end user, the TREB member. This new agreement will extend our relationship to over a decade working together to solve the data security issues facing the Real Estate Industry.” If you’d like to learn more about Clareity’s solutions for Real Estate Boards/Associations, Real Estate Brokers, and other practitioners, meet with Clareity at the 2017 AE Seminar in Winnipeg June 5-7, or email troy.rech (at) clareity.com for more information. About Clareity:Clareity is the leading provider of authentication, identity management, and single sign-on services for the real estate industry and currently serves over 850,000 real estate professionals in North America. Clareity is dedicated to innovating real estate technology solutions and creating the most convenient, secure and reliable products available. Our product suite offers multiple solutions including online security and revenue assurance, single sign-on dashboards/intranets, content management systems, inter-company communications and messaging, the vendor network Discover, and more. About Toronto Real Estate Board:The TORONTO REAL ESTATE BOARD is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1920 by a small group of real estate practitioners. Today, as Canada’s largest real estate board, TREB serves more than 53,000 licensed real estate Brokers and Salespersons in and about the Greater Toronto Area. TREB is the collective voice for both its commercial and residential REALTOR® Members and operates under the direction of an elected voluntary Board of 16 Directors.

New CRMLS Marketplace Product 'Trust Stamp' Offers Security for Agents
SAN DIMAS, Calif., May 1, 2017 -- Today, CRMLS Marketplace has begun offering identity verification tool "Trust Stamp" to its members at an exclusive discounted rate through CRMLS Marketplace. Trust Stamp uses sophisticated algorithms & artificial intelligence, combining information from authentic photo ID, public records, and social media sites to verify the identity and establish the trustworthiness of strangers before agents bring them to a client's home. With a fully integrated mobile app and desktop interface, the software makes it easier than ever before to cultivate safe open house and property showing environments for agents, their clients, and potential buyers. In just two minutes, Trust Stamp searches and compares a vast array of records, and provides the agent with a report complete with an easy-to-read color-coded "Trust Level" and photo ID to verify identity upon meeting. "We want our agents to feel safe and secure when they are out in the field doing their jobs," said CRMLS CEO Art Carter. "Trust Stamp makes great use of current search technology to add an extra level of security for agents meeting with potential buyers for the first time. It potentially saves a lot of time, too, by eliminating the need to meet with someone in office before a property showing." Trust Stamp is the 7th product made available for individual agent purchase through the CRMLS Marketplace, which will continue to expand its offerings as more products are vetted for potential value to CRMLS subscribers. The CRMLS Marketplace is a platform for CRMLS to offer more individual choice for subscribers to customize their MLS experience. Products are available for purchase by individual agents at wholesale prices secured by CRMLS. About California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS)California Regional MLS is the nation's largest and most recognized subscriber-based MLS, dedicated to servicing over 81,000 real estate professionals from 32 Associations, 3 Boards of REALTORS® and 1 MLS. CRMLS is the industry powerhouse and thrives on providing the most relevant products and services to its subscribers. For more information on CRMLS visit www.crmls.org.

Announcing the Beverly Carter Foundation for Real Estate Safety
Little Rock, Ark. (February 8, 2017) – Since losing his mother, REALTOR® Beverly Carter, to a horrific crime, Carl Carter, Jr. has spoken throughout the country about the need for safety within the real estate community. Taking his mission a step further, Carter has created a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting real estate professionals. The mission of the Beverly Carter Foundation is to create a lasting, substantive, positive impact on safety that every agent needs and deserves. The Beverly Carter Foundation envisions multiple, nationwide programs to address the current state of safety in the real estate industry. All of the safety programs developed and delivered by the Beverly Carter Foundation are grounded in research around behavioral science, predator profiling, and real-world tools to prevent and deter crime. The organization's efforts will focus on providing the following programs at no cost to real estate agents: Educational resources Instructor-led training and certification program Safety seminars and certification events Technology support and endorsement Victim support and advocacy Agent safety legislation In order to develop these much-needed programs and keep safety at the forefront of the real estate industry, the Beverly Carter Foundation is seeking help. Donations can be made online at https://www.BeverlyCarterFoundation.org. For more information on the Beverly Carter Foundation, feel free to email Carl Carter at Carl(at)BeverlyCarterFoundation.org.

Clareity Trumps Other SSO Libraries with Two New Additions
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Clareity Security announced the addition of two new Single Sign-On integrations: Boston Logic and TourFactory. These two companies are popular within the brokerage community and are becoming frequently used connections in Broker Dashboards, which is Clareity's newest product. Broker Dashboards are an extension of Clareity MLS and Association SSO Dashboards nationwide. Agents can now access Boston Logic, TourFactory and other products offered by their brokerage with a single click. "We are excited to partner with Clareity to provide Single Sign-On services to our mutual customers in the Greater Boise area. This service will provide a smooth, convenient experience to both existing as well as new TourFactory users," said Bill Haney, executive director of enterprise sales of TourFactory. Clareity's Single Sign-On (SSO) library consists of over 150 single sign-on connections and integration partners. Boston Logic and TourFactory are joining Clareity's list of popular enterprise apps like Google Apps, Outlook 365 and Evernote. Other popular real estate focused companies in the library include CoreLogic, Black Knight, BoomTown, Cloud CMA, RPR, and ShowingTime.

Online Trust Alliance and National Association of Realtors Create Smart Home Security and Privacy Checklist
  BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 21, 2015 — In support of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Online Trust Alliance (OTA) and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) have partnered to create a Smart Home Checklist that offers guidance to help home buyers, renters and sellers manage the privacy and security of their smart homes and devices. Today's homes are being built and retrofitted with smart apps and devices to monitor things like security, temperature and lighting. Homeowners and renters should be cognizant that these devices may be collecting personal information, or have unpatched vulnerabilities or passwords set by previous homeowners, vendors or maintenance personnel. As evidenced by some of the largest data breaches, access through one device can compromise an entire network. While home buyers are increasingly embracing an "always on" lifestyle, they may not be aware of the potential privacy or security risks. "As smart technology becomes more prevalent in our homes, it's important that we all take precautions to protect our data and privacy," said NAR President Chris Polychron. "The Online Trust Alliance's Smart Home Checklist takes a common-sense approach to protecting sensitive information and offers sound advice for anyone who uses smart technology in their day-to-day lives." "Although we enjoy the benefits of a connected lifestyle, we must not lose sight of the risks a smart home may pose to our privacy and physical safety. As evidenced by some privacy practices and recent vulnerabilities with smart cars, TVs and baby monitors, consumers need to be aware of and manage smart devices in their homes," said Craig Spiezle, President and Executive Director of the Online Trust Alliance. "Following these recommendations will help consumers better protect their privacy and identity and prevent their personal data from falling into the hands of cybercriminals and being sold to the highest bidder." Not unlike turning over all keys and remote controls, the home buyer and renter should ensure that the seller, previous tenants and unauthorized third parties no longer have access to the home's or apartment's critical systems and devices. Recently the OTA released a draft of its Internet of Things (IoT) Trust Framework, providing guidance to device manufacturers, retailers and application developers to address the top security, privacy and sustainability risks for connected devices, smart homes and wearable technologies. The Framework is the result of input from industry, government and non-profits including NAR's Center for REALTOR® Technology. Details are posted at https://otalliance.org/IoT. The Center for REALTOR® Technology, NAR's Technology Research & Development group, is leading the IoT initiatives for NAR. Aside from educating its membership, CRT is also working closely with universities, vendors, NGOs and government agencies in the name of homeownership and the role of NAR's 1.1 million members in improving quality of life for homeowners using IoT devices. THE SMART HOME CHECKLIST Maximizing security & privacy in your connected home Prior to Occupancy / Closing Obtain inventory and documentation of all connected devices including but not limited to manuals, vendor / manufacturer contacts and websites. Examples of connected devices include: Modems, gateways, hubs, access points Connected access for garage, locks, gates External keypads for garage, locks, gates Thermostats, HVAC, energy systems Smart lighting systems Smoke, carbon monoxide, etc. detectors Sprinkler / irrigation systems Appliances (TV, refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc.) Auto controls linked to home systems Security alarms, video monitoring systems Review privacy and data sharing policies of all devices and services. Obtain confirmation from previous occupants and vendors they no longer have administrative or user access. All Smart Home Devices & Applications Submit change of ownership and contact information to device manufacturers and service providers (email addresses, cell phone numbers, etc.) to ensure you receive security updates and related notifications to maximize your security and privacy. Review devices' warranty and support policies. Occupants should consider disabling devices or specific features that are no longer supported by a vendor. Review the configuration settings for remote access, encryption and update cycles and adjust where needed. Reset privacy and data sharing settings to reflect your preferences. For example – data collection and sharing, camera and microphone settings and other device functions. Modems, Gateways & Hubs Review home Internet routers and devices to ensure they support the latest security protocols and standards and disable older insecure protocols. Update and modify all system passwords and user names upon taking possession of your new home or rental unit. Where possible create unique passwords and usernames for administrative accounts. Run updates and contact manufacturers to confirm devices are patched with the latest software and firmware. Security Alarms, Keyless Entry, Gate Systems, etc. Reset access and guest codes for gates and garage door openers. Home Thermostats, HVAC Systems, Smart TVs, Lighting & Other Devices Disable connectivity for devices no longer supported by the manufacturer or replace these devices. Review the privacy practices of the connected devices including data collection and sharing with third parties and reset permissions as appropriate. For more information visit https://otalliance.org/smarthome. About OTA The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) is a non-profit with the mission to enhance online trust and user empowerment while promoting innovation and the vitality of the Internet. Its goal is to help educate businesses, policy makers and stakeholders while developing and advancing best practices and tools to enhance the protection of users' security, privacy and identity. OTA supports collaborative public-private partnerships, benchmark reporting, and meaningful self-regulation and data stewardship. Its members and supporters include leaders spanning the public policy, technology, ecommerce, social networking, mobile, email and interactive marketing, financial, service provider, government agency and industry organization sectors. About the National Association of Realtors The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

NAR Unveils New Realtor® Safety Resources
  WASHINGTON, May 13, 2015 -- To aid members and Realtor® associations in developing safety protocols, the National Association of Realtors® has expanded its Realtor® Safety Program resources with new classes and materials. "NAR works constantly to promote the core components of Realtor® safety: knowledge, awareness and empowerment," said NAR President Chris Polychron, executive broker with 1st Choice Realty in Hot Springs, Ark. "As with most jobs that require interacting with the public, selling real estate involves some risk. But ensuring the personal safety of members is a top priority of mine, and the association remains committed to providing ongoing education about potential threats and the resources Realtors® need to protect themselves." NAR introduced a new course this week for Realtor® associations to host locally for their members called "Real Estate Safety Matters." The three-hour course is a critical primer on how real estate professionals can reduce and limit risk to preserve safety and deliver positive business outcomes. The Realtor® University-sponsored course and its associated course materials are provided at no cost to associations or brokerages. A few of the topics covered during the "Real Estate Safety Matters" course include safety protocols for showing properties, understanding physical and instinctual responses to threats and attacks, and the various safety tools and systems currently available. NAR's Realtor® Safety Program has also expanded its distribution of safety tips. Every Monday, NAR now shares safety tips via its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. The image-based tips offer safety information on an assortment of topics, including open house safety, garage safety, cyber security, home security and more. These tips can easily be shared with and by associations, members and clients. These new and expanded safety resources for members and associations - including materials to share in the office, online or for safety presentations; videos; articles; and archived webinars - are available online at www.realtor.org/safety. Information on safety smartphone apps and safety products are also available as well as a list of safety experts. The safety of its members is a top priority for NAR, and the association will continue to roll out new materials for the Realtor® Safety Program throughout the year. NAR established the Realtor® Safety Program more than a decade ago to empower and inform members of the potential risks they face in this profession and how to navigate them safely. The entire month of September is designated Realtor® Safety Month and is dedicated to bringing more awareness to Realtor® safety among members. The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the "News, Blogs and Videos" tab on the website.

IRES LLC Drives MLS Data Protection with Distil Networks
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 21, 2015 -- Distil Networks, Inc., the global leader in bot detection and mitigation, today announced that IRES LLC (ColoProperty®), the regional Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for Northern Colorado, is using Distil Networks' technology to protect online MLS information. "Each MLS must take the first step to protect its listing data at the source before it can require its partners, brokers and brands to provide similar protection from web scraping," stated Charlie Minesinger, Director of Sales from Distil Networks. "By using Distil Networks, IRES is preserving the full value of MLS information for its subscribers because the reason MLS information is scraped and stolen is because up-to-date MLS listings are valuable for many use cases in addition to selling a home." As real estate portals and MLS syndication continue to gain traction, there is a growing need to ensure the information brokers provide is protected from web scraping and malicious bots. IRES LLC is meeting these security demands, providing a trusted environment for its key constituents, with Distil Network's cloud-based, automated bot blocking solution. "Data security is critical for online marketplaces, such as real estate portals and MLS listings. With Distil Networks IRES is able to proactively protect the data entrusted to us by subscribers," stated Lauren Hansen, CEO of IRES. "Distil's technology protects the integrity of listings, eliminating inaccurate copies of listings and minimizing bad data online." Distil Networks provides the first ever cloud-based bot detection and mitigation solution, incorporating the world's largest bot-tracking database with technology to identify, track and mitigate bots in real time. Distil uniquely tracks each bot via a unique identifier algorithm with over 40 variables, and then applies multiple layers of detection technologies to identify bots and web scrapers with 99.99% accuracy in real time. To date, the company has blocked more than 28 billion bad bots across their global network. Hansen added, "In addition to protecting our listing data, Distil Networks has the potential to decrease hosting and bandwidth costs, prevent fraudulent lead forms and spam, and dramatically increase website speed. Not to mention, drive positive brand awareness for IRES as a trusted source. A clear 'no brainer'." About IRES IRES was formed in 1996 as a regional Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Colorado by five Boards and Associations of REALTORS®. IRES is a regional MLS provider in Colorado and has a known reputation of providing an innovative and robust database for real estate professionals. Their office is centrally located in Loveland, Colorado. Additional information about IRES can be found on their company website, IRES-net.com. About Distil Networks Distil Networks, the global leader in bot detection and mitigation, offers the most automated and accurate way to identify and police malicious website traffic, blocking 99.9% of bad bots without impacting legitimate users. Distil protects against web scraping, competitive data mining, account hijacking, form spam and click fraud while slashing the high tax that bots place on your internal teams and web infrastructure. For more information on Distil Networks, visit us at distilnetworks.com.

Delta Media Group Introduces Secure Website Platform for Real Estate
Canton, Ohio, September 16, 2014 -- Delta's Secure Websites (HTTPS) incorporate Transport Layer Security or SSL certificates, offering encryption protection against hackers and spammers who leverage weak passwords to take control of websites and their back end-technology systems. The HTTPS protocol provides authentication of the website and associated web server that one is communicating with, protecting the site against attacks and eavesdropping. That is only part of the benefit. Secured websites provide a positive boost in search engine rankings. In fact, last week Google announced that secure websites will be given a higher ranking in search results. Known as a "ranking signal," HTTPS security is now rewarded and given preference over non-secure websites in Google's search results. The new Secure Website Platform makes Delta Media Group the first marketing technology provider to offer this product to the real estate industry, an industry that leans heavily on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to attract website traffic and leads. Delta's President and CEO Mike Minard explains why Delta decided to offer this product to the real estate marketplace. "At Delta we do everything we can for our customer websites to be rewarded in Google's search rankings and to place them with and above the portals in search results. This is the number one goal for many of our customers. The real estate industry is very competitive and we want to give our customers every edge possible. We are excited to be the first provider to offer secure websites to all customers and believe that this is one more competitive edge for our customers who choose to implement it." Website security for enhanced SEO is just the next step in Delta's industry-leading web platform, which operates on a structured data architecture designed with real estate SEO best practices. Delta's platform places a strong emphasis on quality website content by offering content management tools through their back-end system and integrated blogging interface. Delta is also working on another major platform upgrade which will improve their Green Rating (for customer website load speed), a ranking signal in which the real estate portals typically rank low. Real Estate companies who are interested in finding out how they can quickly and affordably migrate their non-secure website to a Delta Secure Website can contact Delta at 888-233-9833 or [email protected], or visit Delta's Secure Websites product page for more information. About Delta Media Group, Inc. Delta Media Group is the enterprise marketing and business management solution for real estate professionals, leading the industry's online marketing, website design and business technology development since 1994. Delta partners with companies and top-performing agents at the point where marketing meets technology, helping clients efficiently navigate their business pipeline from lead to close. For more information visit http://www.deltagroup.com.

Form Simplicity eSign Adds Advanced Security and Email Tool Enhancements
ORLANDO, FL, May 30, 2014 – Form Simplicity has added Knowledge Based Authentication (KBA) and password per signer features to its eSign tool, powered by GoPaperless. Real estate professionals who may have previously hesitated using electronic signatures for REO and short sale transactions now have the electronic signature security capabilities in Form Simplicity to meet strict electronic signature requirements set in place by banks and lenders. Tricia Stamper, Director of Technology Products at Florida Realtors®, states, "We are pleased to announce these new eSign enhancements available to Form Simplicity users around the country. We continue to provide users with the most advanced transaction and forms management tools they need and want." Knowledge Based Authentication (KBA) is an advanced identity validation method to authenticate a user/signer by asking random questions selected from public and commercial information related exclusively to the signer. KBA is often a requirement by major banks and lenders to accept electronically signed documents for REO and short sale transactions. KBA is an optional feature in Form Simplicity's eSign product. Password per signer - While Form Simplicity still offers an optional session password feature; it now additionally offers the option to give individual signers a password. If a signer password is chosen, it will override the session password. Form Simplicity has integrated the options to use KBA and per signer passwords into the current flow of its Ultimate Edition. Form Simplicity's eSign tool meets all of the published Bank of America electronic signature requirements. The update release also includes new HTML formatted email templates, which are more user and device friendly, in addition to various enhancements to the application and UI. About Form Simplicity Form Simplicity serves the real estate industry by providing REALTORS® with an end-to-end, online real estate transaction solution for expediting real estate transactions while eliminating the need for paper transactions. Form Simplicity gives real estate professionals the tools to create, manage, share and store transactions digitally for on-the-go, paperless transactions. Users also have the capability to create and edit transactions on mobile devices. Form Simplicity is currently available nationwide to associations, MLS systems and brokerage firms, providing a cost-effective, paperless application to help real estate agents and brokers integrate their transaction processes through online automation and paperless solutions. Form Simplicity is supported by Tech Helpline, the real estate industry's most-widely used technical support team. Form Simplicity and Tech Helpline are services provided by Florida Realtors® based in Orlando, Fla. Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 127,000 members in 63 boards/associations.

Google Chrome Error Alert
Arroyo Grande, CA (June 17, 2013) – Readers who visited RE Technology this morning using Google Chrome likely saw an error message that said, "Danger: Malware Ahead! Google Chrome has blocked access to this page." RE Technology was one of thousands of sites affected by a widespread hack attack that targeted OpenX, a popular ad serving platform. "Hackers like to target websites on holidays and weekends--times they know people are not at work," says Victor Lund, CEO of RE Technology. "It's no coincidence that this attack took place on Father's Day. Hackers knew that people would be spending time with their families and not monitoring their web servers as closely as usual." The attack was an attempt by a malicious website to inflate their page views by stealing analytical data from other sites. The hackers installed a tracking code onto the targeted websites to make it appear as if their own website received more traffic than it actually does. "The script that was uploaded was an attempt at gaining additional analytical traffic for the hackers' site based on our ad impressions," says Chris Murtagh, CTO of RE Technology. "Basically, they were using black hat tactics to steal a page view for their domain every time an ad was displayed on our site." None of RE Technology's data has been compromised, and visitors to the site are NOT at risk of being infected with malware. "We monitor daily scans of RE Technology and caught this at the same time Google did," says Murtagh. "This issue has been remedied and all affected software has been proactively patched on our end." RE Technology's technical team monitors our servers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, enabling us to diagnose and fix problems ahead of other sites. As of press time, Google's Safe Browsing List team has cleared RE Technology's website, and all error messages have been removed from Google Chrome. About RE Technology, Inc. RE Technology, Inc. (www.retechnology.com), is a comprehensive real estate technology website, reaching over 700,000 real estate agents and brokers. By embedding directly into MLS systems across North America, RETechnology.com makes it easy for agents to access clear product descriptions, read product reviews, and stay current with technology trends. Providing a rich assortment of tutorials, how-to's and technology training articles, RE Technology helps agents understand the benefits of technology and how to strategically implement technological tools. The RE Technology website is colored with user ratings and comments, creating a rich community of product feedback and user-driven endorsements.