Street Fight Daily: FTC Goes After Nomi, ClassPass Buys Fitmob

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FTC Exteriors

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology…

Mobile Tracking Firm Nomi Gets FTC Wrist-Slap (AdAge)
The Federal Trade Commission has gone after a mobile tracking firm that it says gathered information on 9 million consumers’ mobile devices in the first nine months of 2013. The agency alleges that Nomi misled people when it said they could opt out from its tracking technology in stores.

Here’s How Reserve Plans to Make the Dinner Bill Disappear (Street Fight)
We’ve become used to the ability to make restaurant reservations with the click of a mouse or the tap of a screen, but what if the service didn’t stop there? What if it was extended to ensuring that every aspect of your dining experience was just as smooth and simple as making the reservation?

ClassPass Works Out a Deal for Competitor Fitmob (Recode)
ClassPass, the app that gives you access to different fitness classes around your city for a monthly rate, just made its first acquisition. Fitmob, a competitor with $14.8 million of its own funding, will be joining the ClassPass family to increase its network of gyms and studios.

Openings and New Hires at Dex, Block Communications and Verve (Street Fight)
Every two weeks, Kelly Benish — who knows practically everyone in hyperlocal — covers some of the latest job changes taking place in this dynamic industry. In this week’s edition, new jobs and hires at Medallia, MultiView, Tiger Pistol, Degreed, and many more.

Google ‘More Reviews’ Links Removed From Knowledge Panel (LocalU)
Google has confirmed that the link to reviews from around the web, labeled “More Reviews,” has been removed from the Knowledge Panel in local search results. The feature was present in one form or another for many years and included links to most review sites.

Chipotle Signs Deal With Food Delivery Start-Up Postmates (New York Times)
In the age of the on-demand economy, sooner or later everything is just a few taps of a smartphone app away. Chipotle, the popular chain known for its “fast-casual” burritos, said this week it has begun offering food delivery through Postmates, a San Francisco-based delivery start-up that is growing quickly.

Why Foursquare Is a Must-Buy for Yahoo (Drum)
Barry Duddley: If I understand Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer’s thinking correctly, Foursquare ticks a lot of her boxes: mobile, social, eCommerce, targeted ad data and so on. Integrating the two Foursquare apps into Yahoo’s news, sports and messaging apps could provide the fillip the company needs.

LivingSocial CEO: We’ve Got the Capital to Make This Work (Washington Business Journal)
The company has had to disclose a truncated financial statement each quarter, in accordance with Amazon’s 31 percent ownership stake. Though that requirement no longer stands as of the first quarter, the last snapshot of the company’s balance sheet showed the company at an interesting crossroads.

Uber to Replace Pizza Deliverers? CEO Takes Sides (CNBC)
More options exist for delivery than ever before, but don’t expect pizza delivery giant Domino’s Pizza to partner with a company like Uber anytime soon. Domino’s CEO Patrick Doyle said the pizza chain also has “the best real-time delivery system around” during an earnings conference call.

Facebook’s Hello App Another Incremental Step Toward Local Search (Search Engine Land)
Greg Sterling: The new app will identify callers connected to you on Facebook and allows users to block calls. It’s a logical app for Facebook to build as part of its “portfolio” strategy. The most interesting part (to me) however is the local search component of the app.

LBMA Podcast: Foursquare’s PinPoint, RetailNext, and Urban Airship (Street Fight)
On the show: WatchQuest for your AppleWatch; Foursquare’s PinPoint + Yahoo! rumors; Pay with your Jawbone if you have an American Express; John Moose gives away their music if you are in the woods; Planet Labs’ constellation of satellites for humanity closes $118M.

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