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New DOAR Study Reveals Generational Divide in Attitudes Toward Trade Secret Protection

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Report Shows Younger Professionals More Accepting of Trade Secret Sharing, While Occupation and Gender Significantly Impact Views on Intellectual Property Rights

NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — DOAR, the nation’s leading trial consulting company, today released findings from a comprehensive study examining attitudes toward trade secret protection and intellectual property rights across major IP litigation venues. The survey revealed significant generational and demographic differences in how potential jurors view the retention and sharing of confidential and technical information, with implications for both litigation strategy and corporate policy.

The report, “A Study of Jurors’ Attitudes Toward Theft of Trade Secrets Cases,” was conducted by the DOAR Research Center and surveyed 1,631 respondents across four major IP venues: the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas, the Waco Division of the Western District of Texas, the Central District of California, and the District of Delaware.

“The landscape of trade secret litigation has transformed dramatically in recent years, driven by record-breaking jury awards and increased vulnerabilities from remote work,” said Dr. Chad Lackey, Director at DOAR and author of the study. “Our research challenges traditional assumptions about who supports strong trade secret protections, with surprising variations across occupations and demographics.”

Key findings from the study include:

Young and Old Split on IP Rights: While 76% of those 65 or older found it completely unacceptable for employees to take technical plans from former employers, the majority of 18-24-year-olds found this conduct acceptable.
 Women Take Harder Line on IP Protection: Women consistently showed stricter ethical boundaries, with 63% finding it completely unacceptable to retain an employer’s technical plans, compared to less than half of men.
 Occupation Influences IP Attitudes: Workers in banking and finance were consistently more accepting of sharing confidential information. In contrast, office and clerical workers were significantly more likely to find such conduct unacceptable.
 Tech Workers More Lenient Than Expected: Engineers were more likely than others to find it acceptable to share technical documents with new employers, with 38% approving of such conduct. Computer science and IT workers also showed greater acceptance of sharing technical information from previous employers, challenging assumptions about technical workers’ attitudes toward IP protection.
 Venue Less Important Than Demographics: Individual characteristics and occupational background had a greater impact on attitudes than venue location, with age, gender, and occupation proving more significant predictors than jurisdiction.

“The data reveals complex attitudes about ownership of work product,” said Dr. Lackey. “With 59% of respondents believing it’s acceptable for employees to retain technical plans they helped develop, regardless of contractual obligations, combined with significant demographic and occupational differences in attitudes, companies face new challenges in protecting their intellectual property.”

Download the full report of our findings, including a detailed analysis of demographic factors and specific recommendations for trial strategy and corporate policy.

About DOAR

DOAR is the nation’s leading trial consulting company, providing critical insight and strategic advice to lawyers at top-tier law firms and major corporations involved in high-stakes, complex legal disputes.

For more information about DOAR, visit DOAR.com and follow us at @DOARlitigation.

Media Inquiries:
Cindy Siegel
Vice President of Marketing
media@DOAR.com

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SOURCE DOAR, Inc.

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SMASHIFY LAUNCHES BETA PLATFORM TO REWRITE THE STREAMING EXPERIENCE FOR ARTIST AND FANS

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The Way the World Streams Music Is About to Change

LOS ANGELES, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Smashify announced today the launch of its beta music platform, introducing a new approach to streaming designed to create stronger alignment between artists, fans, and platform activity.

Built as a music technology platform, Smashify is focused on developing a more transparent and participatory streaming ecosystem. At the center of the platform is a model designed to better support artists while also recognizing the importance of listeners and fans in driving discovery, engagement, and long-term music value.

According to the company’s model, artists on Smashify are positioned to earn on average up to ten times more than they typically would through conventional streaming platforms. Smashify says this reflects its broader effort to create a more favorable economic structure for music creators in an industry where many artists have long expressed concern over limited payout models.

Smashify also places special emphasis on fans and listeners, which the company considers the most important part of its platform ecosystem. Through its participation model, Smashify is building a system intended to share a portion of company-generated revenue with listeners, recognizing the role fans play in supporting music discovery, engagement, and platform growth.

Rather than limiting value creation to the platform level alone, Smashify is building an ecosystem intended to broaden participation across artists, fans, and digital communities. The company says its beta launch marks the next step in rethinking how music is experienced, supported, and monetized in the digital era.

The platform incorporates blockchain infrastructure as part of its long-term technology framework, with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and future utility across the Smashify ecosystem. As the company expands, Smashify plans to introduce additional features designed to support platform activity, artist promotion, fan engagement, marketplace functionality, and advertiser participation.

“The next wave of innovation in music will come not only from discovery, but from building stronger economic alignment across the ecosystem,” said 7 Ghosts, the team behind Smashify. “We believe artists deserve better economics, and we also believe fans deserve to be recognized as an essential part of the value chain. Smashify is being built to support both.”

Currently in beta, Smashify is focused on platform rollout, user growth, product development, and strategic expansion. The company says its mission is to build a next-generation music platform that reflects the changing expectations of both artists and audiences in a digitally native economy.

ABOUT SMASHIFY
Smashify is a music technology company developing a streaming ecosystem designed to deepen participation between artists, fans, and digital communities. With a focus on transparency, engagement, and long-term platform innovation, Smashify is building tools and infrastructure intended to support music discovery, artist visibility, user participation, and new forms of value creation within the streaming experience. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, Smashify is focused on global platform growth and continued product development.

KEEP UP WITH SMASHIFY
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For All Press & Media Inquiries Contact:
The Formula
info@theformulaent.com

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SOURCE Smashify

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TCL Launches its First UltraThin Designer Series Soundbar

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Big Cinematic Sound in a Small Elegant Form

IRVINE, Calif., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TCL®, one of the world’s best‑selling consumer electronics brands, is redefining how great sound looks at home with the launch of its first UltraThin Designer Series Soundbar, the TCL A65K. A perfect match for TCL slimmest TVs, the A65K delivers room‑filling 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos® sound in a low-profile design that blends seamlessly into any space.

At just 50mm (less than 2-inches) thin, the TCL A65K was designed alongside TCL UltraThin TVs, to deliver a punch from a sleek, minimalist aesthetic. It sits flush beneath the screen, creating a clean, modern look that enhances your décor instead of competing with it. No visual clutter, just a perfectly matched pairing of picture and sound.

“To address the growing demand for sound systems that combine harmonized aesthetics with immersive sound, TCL created the new Designer Series A65K Soundbar,” said Scott Ramirez, Vice President of Product Marketing and Development, TCL North America. “TVs are meant to be seen, while soundbars are meant to be heard. So, the A65K is designed to put you in the movie with room-filling sound, yet you’ll forget it’s even there.”

Don’t let the UltraThin design fool you. Inside the A65K is a powerful 3.1.2‑channel Dolby Atmos system with nine speakers, including up‑firing drivers that push sound above and around you for a truly immersive experience. From explosive action scenes to quiet dialogue, the A65K fills the room with rich, detailed audio while keeping your living space open and stylish. Acoustically tuned with Audio by Bang & Olufsen, the A65K delivers premium sound quality, clarity, and balance typically found in much larger systems. With its wireless subwoofer and auto room calibration, you get cinematic sound without sacrificing simplicity.

With the A65K, TCL brings together bold audio performance and minimized décor-oriented design – creating a soundbar that looks as good as it sounds.

TCL A65K Designer Series Dolby Atmos Soundbar – “The Art of Sound”

NEW 3.1.2 Channel System with 9 speakers and 240W peak powerNEW UltraThin Depth DesignBuilt-in Center Channel SpeakerUp-Firing Atmos DriversWireless SubwooferChorusSoundDolby Atmos & DTS:XAi Sonic Auto Room CalibrationDialog EnhancerHDMI 2.0TCL TV ReadyCustom three-way acoustic architecture with racetrack drivers and honeycomb diaphragm technologyAudio by Bang & Olufsen

The TCL A65K Designer Series Soundbar is available now for $699.99 MSRP on Amazon and at Best Buy.

About TCL
TCL Electronics specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics including TVs, mobile phones, audio devices, smart home products and appliances. Combining thoughtful design and innovative technology to inspire greatness, our lineup delivers must-have features and meaningful experiences. As one of the world’s largest consumer electronics brands, our vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art display panel factory help TCL deliver innovation for all.

For additional product information, please visit www.tcl.com for the full portfolio.

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE TCL North America

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Johnny Lieberman of Harbor IT named Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 New York finalist by EY US

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NEW YORK, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Johnny Lieberman, founder and CEO of Harbor IT, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 New York Award by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and uplifting communities. The program honors entrepreneurs whose innovations drive economic growth and help shape the future of business.

An independent panel of judges selected Johnny among 33 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

“We set out to build Harbor differently than everyone else building at our scale – one fully integrated company, with real specialization and technical depth that most MSPs weren’t willing to build. Cyber-first, focused on the customers that are hardest to serve: multi-site healthcare providers who can’t afford a clinical system going down; manufacturers dealing with OT and CMMC; PE-backed companies going through rapid change. These customers need specialists who’ve actually done the hard work and understand these complex environments. Most MSPs have shied away. We’ve leaned in. And none of it is possible without the almost 400 people who show up every day – the engineers, the founders who joined us and never left, and every person who chose Harbor and helped us build something none of us could have built alone. Our mission hasn’t changed: go where it’s hardest. If we can solve those problems, we can solve anything,” said Johnny Lieberman, founder and CEO of Harbor IT.

Harbor IT is a cyber-first managed services provider delivering integrated IT, cybersecurity, AI, and cloud solutions for organizations with complex, critical, and compliance-driven technology environments. Founded and led by CEO Johnny Lieberman, Harbor was built through a differentiated approach: raising $50 million from a curated network of entrepreneurs and business owners to create an operator-led alternative to traditional private equity rollups. Through nine strategic acquisitions, Harbor has been fully integrated into a single operating platform with a unified product line, including its own US-based SOC and proprietary MXDR platform. Harbor serves midmarket customers predominantly through three specialized vertical practices: private equity portfolio companies, critical infrastructure, and healthcare, each defined by complex operational, regulatory, or security requirements. With nearly 400 employees across 40 states, Harbor supports customers nationwide as their trusted technology partner.

For more information about Harbor IT, visit harborit.com.

Entrepreneur Of The Year honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory, and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.

This year’s New York finalists represent New York and Connecticut across all industries, including technology, consumer products, manufacturing, finance life, sciences and more.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 16 during a special celebration in Manhattan and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®, where high-growth CEOs, Fortune 1000 executives and investors converge to shape the future of business.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, SAP, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In New York, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN), regional Gold sponsors ADP and DLA Piper, and regional Silver sponsor Stagedge.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

About Harbor IT
Harbor IT is a cyber-first managed service provider delivering integrated IT, cybersecurity, AI and cloud solutions for complex, critical, and compliance-driven organizations nationwide.

Media Contact 
Maya Adelstein
Maya.Adelstein@HarborIT.com

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SOURCE Harbor IT

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