IZEA Worldwide, Inc.

Previous wording

You should carefully consider the factors discussed under this item regarding the numerous and varied risks, known and unknown, that may prevent us from achieving our goals. If any of these risks occur, our business, financial condition, or results of operation may be materially and adversely affected. In such a case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and investors could lose all or part of their investment. These risk factors may not identify all risks that we face, and our operations could also be affected by factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently consider to be immaterial to our operations.

Current wording

You should carefully consider the factors discussed under this item regarding the numerous and varied risks, known and unknown, that may prevent us from achieving our goals. If any of these risks occur, our business, financial condition, or results of operation may be materially and adversely affected. In such a case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and investors could lose all or part of their investment. These risk factors may not identify all risks that we face, and our operations could also be affected by factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial to our operations.

Previous wording

We have incurred significant net losses and negative cash flow from operations for most periods since our inception, which has resulted in a total accumulated deficit of $85.4 million as of December 31, 2023. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, we had a comprehensive loss of $6.8 million, including a $9.9 million loss from operations. We have not achieved profitability and cannot be certain that we will be able to realize sufficient revenue to achieve profitability. If we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it. Therefore, we may need to raise capital through new financings, which could include equity financing, such as additional issuances of common stock under our “at the market offering” program, which may be dilutive to stockholders, or debt financing, which would likely restrict our ability to borrow from other sources. In addition, securities we issue may contain rights, preferences, or privileges senior to those of the rights of our current stockholders. There can be no assurance that additional funds will be available on terms attractive to us, or at all. If adequate funds are unavailable, we may be required to curtail or reduce our operations or be forced to sell or dispose of our rights or assets. An inability to raise adequate funds on commercially reasonable terms would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation, and financial condition, including the possibility that a lack of funds could cause our business to fail and liquidate with little or no return to investors.

Current wording

We have incurred significant net losses and negative cash flow from operations for most periods since our inception, which has resulted in a total accumulated deficit of $104.3 million as of December 31, 2024. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, we had a comprehensive loss of $18.7 million, including a $19.5 million loss from operations. We have not achieved profitability and cannot be certain that we will be able to realize sufficient revenue to achieve profitability. If we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it. Therefore, we may need to raise capital through new financings, which could include equity financing, such as additional issuances of common stock under our “at the market offering” program, which may be dilutive to stockholders, or debt financing, which would likely restrict our ability to borrow from other sources. In addition, securities we issue may contain rights, preferences, or privileges senior to those of the rights of our current stockholders. There can be no assurance that additional funds will be available on terms attractive to us or at all. If adequate funds are unavailable, we may be required to curtail or reduce our operations or be forced to sell or dispose of our rights or assets. An inability to raise adequate funds on commercially reasonable terms would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation, and financial condition, including the possibility that a lack of funds could cause our business to fail and liquidate with little or no return to investors.

Previous wording

A significant portion of our gross billings and accounts receivable are attributable to a small number of customers. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, one customer accounted for more than 10% of gross billings, and one customer accounted for more than 10% of total accounts receivable. During the three months ended December 31, 2022, two customers each accounted for more than 10% of gross billings, and three customers each accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable. In January 2023, we announced that we began the process of parting ways with the customer accounting for a large portion of our gross billings and accounts receivable for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The concentration of our sales with a relatively small number of customers makes us particularly dependent on factors, both positive and negative, affecting those customers. If demand for our services from these customers increases, our results are favorably impacted, while if their demand for our services decreases, they may reduce their purchases of, or stop purchasing, our services, and our operating results would suffer. The Company does not typically engage in contracts that are longer than one year, and so most of our customers can reduce or cease business with us on a relatively short basis. The loss of a large customer and failure to add new customers to replace lost revenue would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Current wording

A significant portion of our gross billings and accounts receivable are attributable to a small number of customers. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, one customer accounted for more than 10% of gross billings, and two customers each accounted for more than 10% of total accounts receivable as of December 31, 2024. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, one customer accounted for more than 10% of gross billings, and one customer accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable. The concentration of our sales with a relatively small number of customers makes us particularly dependent on positive and negative factors affecting those customers. If demand for our services from these customers increases, our results may be favorably impacted, while if their demand for our services decreases, they may reduce their purchases of or stop purchasing our services, and our operating results might suffer. The Company does not typically engage in contracts that are longer than one year, so most of our customers can reduce or cease business with us on a relatively short basis. The loss of a large customer and failure to add new customers to replace lost revenue would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Previous wording

We have recently engaged, and may in the future engage, in acquisitions that could be difficult to integrate, divert the attention of key personnel, cause dilution to our shareholders and harm our financial condition and operating results.

Current wording

We may engage in acquisitions that could be difficult to integrate, divert the attention of key personnel, cause dilution to our shareholders and harm our financial condition and operating results.

Previous wording

We may in the future make additional acquisitions of, or investments in, companies that we believe have products or

Current wording

We may make acquisitions of, or investments in, companies that we believe have products or capabilities that are a strategic or commercial fit with our current business or otherwise offer opportunities for our Company. In connection with these acquisitions or investments, we may issue common stock or other forms of equity that would dilute our existing shareholders’ percentage of ownership, incur debt and assume liabilities, and incur amortization expenses related to intangible assets or incur associated write-offs.

Previous wording

We may not be able to complete acquisitions on favorable terms, or at all. Even if we successfully integrate an acquired business, such as Hoozu or Zuberance, into our operations, there can be no assurance that we will realize the anticipated benefits. We acquired Hoozu, and may in the future seek to acquire other businesses, with the expectation that the acquisition would result in various benefits for the combined company including, among others, business and growth opportunities and significant synergies from increased efficiency in client conversion and corporate support. Increased competition and/or deterioration in business conditions may limit our ability to expand the acquired business. As such, we may not be able to realize the synergies, goodwill, business opportunities and growth prospects anticipated in connection with any acquisition.

Current wording

We may not be able to complete acquisitions on favorable terms. Even if we successfully integrate an acquired business, into our operations, there can be no assurance that we will realize the anticipated benefits. In the future, we may seek to acquire other businesses, with the expectation that the acquisition would result in various benefits for the combined Company, including, among others, business and growth opportunities and significant synergies from increased efficiency in client conversion and corporate support. Increased competition and/or deterioration in business conditions may limit our ability to expand the acquired business. As such, we may not realize the synergies, goodwill, business opportunities, and growth prospects anticipated with any acquisition.

Previous wording

Acquisitions may also have unanticipated tax, legal, regulatory and accounting ramifications, including recording

Current wording

Acquisitions may also have unanticipated tax, legal, regulatory, and accounting ramifications, including recording goodwill and non-amortizable intangible assets subject to impairment testing and potential periodic impairment charges and incurring amortization expenses related to certain intangible assets. For instance, if the acquired company has significant customer relationships or proprietary technology, these assets may be recorded as intangible assets and amortized over their estimated useful lives. Additionally, if the purchase price exceeds the fair value of the net assets acquired, the excess amount is recorded as goodwill, which must be tested for impairment at least annually. Unexpected changes in market conditions, financial performance, or synergies from the acquisition not materializing as expected could lead to impairment charges, impacting financial results. See Part II, Note 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Business Acquisitions and Divestitures for a related discussion of our acquisition and subsequent divestiture of Hoozu Holdings PTY, Ltd.

Previous wording

We are a remote workforce, which subjects us to certain operational challenges, risks, and potential harm to our business.

Current wording

We are a remote workforce, which subjects us to certain operational challenges, costs, risks, and potential harm to our business.

Previous wording

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 our workforce shifted from in-person to remote work, and we are subject to the challenges and risks of having a remote workforce. For example, certain security systems in homes or other remote workplaces may be less secure than those previously used in our offices, which may subject us to increased security risks, including cybersecurity-related events, and expose us to data or financial loss risks associated with disruptions to our business operations. Members of our workforce who access company data and systems remotely may not have access to robust technology, which could cause the networks, information systems, applications, and other tools available to those workers to be more limited or less reliable. We may also be exposed to risks associated with the locations of remote workers, including compliance with local laws and regulations or exposure to compromised internet infrastructure. Allowing members of our workforce to work remotely may create intellectual property risk if employees create intellectual property on our behalf while residing in a jurisdiction with unenforced or uncertain intellectual property laws. Further, if employees fail to inform us of changes in their work location, we may be exposed to additional risks without our knowledge. Remote working may also subject us to other operational challenges and risks. For example, remote working may adversely affect our ability to recruit and retain personnel who prefer an in-person work environment. Operating our business remotely could have a negative impact on our corporate culture, decrease the ability of our workforce to collaborate and communicate effectively, decrease innovation and productivity, or negatively affect workforce morale. If we are unable to effectively maintain a fully remote workforce, manage the cybersecurity and other risks of remote work, and maintain our corporate culture and workforce morale, our business could be harmed or otherwise negatively impacted.

Current wording

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, our workforce shifted from in-person to remote work, and we have since maintained this operating structure. We are therefore subject to the challenges, costs, and risks of having a remote workforce. For example, certain security systems in homes or other remote workplaces may be less secure than those previously used in our offices, which may subject us to increased security risks, including cybersecurity-related events, and expose us to data or financial loss risks associated with disruptions to our business operations. Members of our workforce who access Company data and systems remotely may not have access to robust technology, which could cause the networks, information systems, applications, and other tools available to those workers to be more limited or less reliable. We may also be exposed to risks associated with the locations of remote workers, including compliance with local laws and regulations or exposure to compromised internet infrastructure. Pursuant to various state laws, we are required to reimburse reasonable connectivity expenses for certain remote workers. Additionally, allowing members of our workforce to work remotely may create intellectual property risk if employees create intellectual property on our behalf while residing in a jurisdiction with unenforced or uncertain intellectual property laws. Further, if employees fail to inform us of changes in their work location, we may be exposed to additional risks without our knowledge. Remote working may also subject us to other operational challenges and risks. For example, remote working may adversely affect our ability to recruit and retain personnel who prefer an in-person work environment. If we cannot effectively maintain an entirely remote workforce, manage the cybersecurity and other risks of remote work, and maintain our corporate culture and workforce morale, our business could be harmed or otherwise negatively impacted.

Previous wording

Various factors contribute to complexity in our accounting. For example, the recognition of our revenue is governed by certain criteria that determine whether we report revenue either on a gross basis, as a principal, or net basis, as an agent, depending upon the nature of the sales transaction. Changes in how we control and manage our platforms, our contractual terms, our business practices, or other changes in accounting standards or interpretations, may change the reporting of our revenue on a gross to net or net to gross basis. As a result, we may experience significant fluctuations in our revenue depending on the nature of our sales and our reporting of such revenue and related accounting treatment, without any change in our underlying business or net income. Our guidance or estimates about the combination of gross or net revenue are based upon the volumes and characteristics that we believe will be the mix of revenue during the period. Those estimates and assumptions may be inaccurate when made or may be rendered inaccurate by subsequent changes in circumstances, such as changing the characteristics of our offerings or particular transactions in response to client demands, market developments, regulatory pressures, acquisitions, and other factors. In addition, we may incorrectly extrapolate from revenue recognition treatment of prior transactions to future transactions that we believe are similar, but that ultimately are determined to have different characteristics that dictate different revenue reporting treatment. These factors may make our financial reporting more complex and difficult for investors to understand, may make a comparison of our results of operations to prior periods or other companies more difficult, may make it more difficult for us to give accurate guidance, and could increase the potential for reporting errors.

Current wording

Various factors contribute to the complexity of our accounting. For example, the recognition of our revenue is governed by certain criteria that determine whether we report revenue either on a gross basis, as a principal, or on a net basis, as an agent, depending upon the nature of the sales transaction. Changes in how we control and manage our platforms, contractual terms, our business practices, or other changes in accounting standards or interpretations may change the reporting of our revenue on a gross-to-net or net-to-gross basis. As a result, we may experience significant fluctuations in our revenue depending on the nature of our sales and our reporting of such revenue and related accounting treatment without any change in our underlying business or net income. Our guidance or estimates about the combination of gross or net revenue are based upon the volumes and characteristics of the revenue mix during the period. Those estimates and assumptions may be inaccurate when made or rendered incorrect by subsequent changes in circumstances, such as changing the characteristics of our offerings or particular transactions in response to client demands, market developments, regulatory pressures, acquisitions, and other factors. In addition, we may incorrectly extrapolate from the revenue recognition treatment of prior transactions to future transactions that we believe are similar but that ultimately are determined to have different characteristics that dictate different revenue reporting treatment. These factors may make our financial reporting more complex and challenging for investors to understand, may make a comparison of our results of operations to prior periods or other companies more difficult, may make it more difficult for us to give accurate guidance, and could increase the potential for reporting errors.

Previous wording

Further, our acquisitions have imposed purchase accounting requirements, required us to integrate accounting personnel, systems, and processes, necessitated various consolidation and elimination adjustments, and imposed additional filing and audit requirements. An ongoing evolution of our business, changes in underlying GAAP, and any future acquisitions will compound these complexities. Our operating results may be adversely affected if we make accounting errors or our judgments prove to be wrong, assumptions change or actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our operating results to fall below investor expectations or guidance we may have provided, resulting in a decline in our stock price and potential legal claims.

Current wording

Further, our acquisitions have imposed purchase accounting requirements, required us to integrate accounting personnel, systems, and processes, necessitated various consolidation and elimination adjustments, and imposed additional filing and audit requirements. Our business's ongoing evolution, underlying GAAP changes, and any future acquisitions will compound these complexities. Our operating results may be adversely affected if we make accounting errors or our judgments prove to be wrong, assumptions change, or actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our operating results to fall below investor expectations or guidance we may have provided, resulting in a decline in our stock price and potential legal claims.

Previous wording

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that any existing material weaknesses have been identified, or that we will not in the future identify material weaknesses. Any failure to maintain effective disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations and could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Current wording

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that any existing material weaknesses have been identified or that we will not identify material weaknesses in the future. Any failure to maintain adequate disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our business and results of operations and adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Previous wording

Our success depends upon our proprietary technology. We do not have registered patents on any of our current platforms because we have determined that the costs of patent prosecution outweigh the benefits given the alternative of reliance upon copyright law to protect our computer code and other proprietary technology and properties. In addition to copyright laws, we rely upon service mark and trade secret laws, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to establish and protect our proprietary rights. As part of our confidentiality procedures, we enter into non-disclosure agreements with our employees and consultants. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products or to obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary or develop similar technology independently. Policing unauthorized use of our products is difficult, and while we are unable to determine the extent to which piracy of our software products exists, software piracy can be expected to be a persistent problem. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect proprietary rights to as great an extent as do the laws of the U.S., and effective copyright, trademark, trade secret, and patent protection may not be available in those jurisdictions. Our means of protecting our proprietary rights may not be adequate to protect us from the infringement or misappropriation of such rights by others, and we cannot assure you that our competitors will not independently develop similar technology, duplicate our products and services, or design around any intellectual property rights we hold.

Current wording

Our success depends upon our proprietary technology. We do not have registered patents on any of our current platforms because we have determined that the costs of patent prosecution outweigh the benefits given the alternative of reliance upon copyright law to protect our computer code and other proprietary technology and properties. In addition to copyright laws, we rely upon service mark and trade secret laws, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to establish and protect our proprietary rights. We enter into non-disclosure agreements with our employees and consultants as part of our confidentiality procedures. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products to obtain and use information that consider proprietary or develop similar technology independently. Policing unauthorized use of our products is complex. While we cannot determine the extent to which piracy of our software products exists, software piracy can be expected to be a persistent problem. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect proprietary rights to as great an extent as do the laws of the U.S., and effective copyright, trademark, trade secret, and patent protection may not be available in those jurisdictions. Our means of protecting our proprietary rights may not be adequate to protect us from the infringement or misappropriation of such rights by others, and we cannot assure you that our competitors will not independently develop similar technology, duplicate our products and services, or design around any intellectual property rights we hold.

Previous wording

Further, in recent years, there has been significant litigation in the U.S. involving patents and other intellectual property rights, particularly in the software and Internet-related industries. If we become liable to third parties for infringing their intellectual property rights, we could be required to pay a substantial award of damages and to develop non-infringing technology, obtain a license or cease selling the products that contain the infringing intellectual property. We may be unable to develop non-infringing technology or obtain a license on commercially reasonable terms, if at all.

Current wording

Further, in recent years, there has been significant litigation in the U.S. involving patents and other intellectual property rights, particularly in the software and Internet-related industries. If we become liable to third parties for infringing their intellectual property rights, we could be required to pay a substantial award of damages and develop non-infringing technology, obtain a license or cease selling the products that contain the infringing intellectual property. We may not be able to develop non-infringing technology or obtain a license, on commercially reasonable terms.

Previous wording

The market for influencer and content marketing is highly competitive. We expect this competition to continue to increase, in part because there are no significant barriers to entry to our industry for those that operate in a Managed Services or an agency-type model. Increased competition may result in reduced pricing for managed campaigns, reduced margins, and reduced revenue as a result of lost market share. Our principal competitors include other companies that provide marketers with Internet advertising solutions and companies that offer pay-per-click search services.

Current wording

The market for influencer and content marketing is highly competitive. We expect this competition to continue to increase, partly because there are no significant barriers to entry to our industry for operating in a Managed Services or an agency-type model. Increased competition may result in reduced pricing for managed campaigns, reduced margins, and reduced revenue due to lost market share. Our principal competitors include other companies that provide marketers with Internet advertising solutions and companies that offer pay-per-click search services.

Previous wording

Our total number of user accounts in our platforms may be higher than the number of our actual individual marketers and creators because some may have created multiple accounts for different purposes, including different user connections. We define a user connection as a social account or blog that has been added to our platforms under a user account. One user can add as many user connections as they like, and it is common for talent managers and large publishers to add several connections under a single account. Given the challenges inherent in identifying these creators, we do not have a reliable system to accurately identify the number of actual individual creators, and thus we rely on the number of total user connections and user accounts as our measure of the size of our user base. In addition, the number of user accounts includes the total number of individuals that have completed registration through a specific date, minus those individuals who have unsubscribed, and should not be considered as representative of the number of persons who continue to actively create to fulfill the sponsorships offered through our platforms. Many users may create an account but may not actively participate in marketplace activities.

Current wording

Our total number of user accounts on our platforms may be higher than the number of our actual individual marketers and creators because some may have created multiple accounts for different purposes, including other user connections. We define a user connection as a social account or blog added to our platforms under a user account. One user can add as many user connections as they like, and it is common for talent managers and large publishers to add several connections under a single account. Given the inherent challenges in identifying these creators, we do not have a reliable system to accurately determine the number of actual individual creators. Thus, we rely on the number of total user connections and user accounts to measure the size of our user base. In addition, the number of user accounts includes the total number of individuals who have completed registration through a specific date, minus those who have unsubscribed, and should not be considered representative of the number of persons who continue create to fulfill the sponsorships offered through our platforms actively. Many users may create an account but not actively participate in marketplace activities.

Previous wording

As part of our strategy, we expect to periodically release enhanced versions of our platforms and related services. Even if our new versions contain the features and functionality our customers want, in the event we are unable to timely introduce these new product releases, our competitive position may be harmed. We cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the development of currently planned or future products in a timely and efficient manner. Due to the complexity of these products, internal quality assurance testing and customer testing of pre-commercial releases may reveal product performance issues, undesirable feature enhancements, or additional desirable feature enhancements that could lead us to postpone the release of these new versions. In addition, the reallocation of resources associated with any postponement would likely cause delays in the development and release of other future products or enhancements to our currently available products. Any delay in releasing other future products or enhancements of our products could cause our financial results to be adversely impacted.

Current wording

As part of our strategy, we expect to periodically release enhanced versions of our platforms and related services. Even if our new versions contain the features and functionality our customers want, in the event we are unable to timely introduce these new product releases, our competitive position may be harmed. We cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the development of currently planned or future products in a timely and efficient manner. Due to the complexity of these products, internal quality assurance testing and customer testing of pre-commercial releases may reveal product performance issues, undesirable feature enhancements, or additional desirable feature enhancements that could lead us to postpone the release of these new versions. In addition, the reallocation of resources associated with any postponement would likely cause delays in the development and release of other future products or enhancements to our currently available products. Any delay in releasing other future products or enhancements of our products could adversely impact our financial results.

Previous wording

We rely on third-party social media platforms such as Facebook/Meta, TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube for core aspects of influencer data. These platforms include technologies that provide some of the functionality required to operate the influencer marketing portion of our platform, as well as functionalities such as user traffic reporting, ad-serving, content delivery services, discovering services, and metrics. There can be no assurance that these providers will continue to make all or any of their technologies available to us on reasonable terms, or at all. Many of the social platforms offer their own competing marketplaces or services. Third-party social media platforms may start charging fees or otherwise change their business models in a manner that impedes our ability to use their technologies. In any event, we have no control over these companies or their decision-making for granting us access to their social media platforms or providing us with analytical data, and any material change in the current terms, costs, availability, or use of their social media platforms or analytical data could adversely affect our business.

Current wording

We rely on third-party social media platforms such as Facebook/Instagram (collectively known as Meta), TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube for core aspects of influencer data. These platforms include technologies that provide some of the functionality required to operate the influencer marketing portion of our platform, as well as functionalities such as user traffic reporting, ad-serving, content delivery services, discovering services, and metrics. There can be no assurance that these providers will continue to make all or any of their technologies available to us on reasonable terms, or at all. Many of the social platforms offer their own competing marketplaces or services. Third-party social media platforms may start charging fees or otherwise change their business models in a manner that impedes our ability to use their technologies. In any event, we have no control over these companies or their decision-making for granting us access to their social media platforms or providing us with analytical data, and any material change in the current terms, costs, availability, or use of their social media platforms or analytical data could adversely affect our business.

Previous wording

Products and services such as ours depend on our ability and the ability of our customers’ users to access the Internet. Currently, this access is provided by companies that have, or in the future may have, significant market power in the broadband and Internet access marketplace, including incumbent telephone companies, cable companies, mobile communications companies, and government-owned service providers. Some of these providers may take or have stated that they may take, measures that could degrade, disrupt, or increase the cost of user access to products or services such as ours by restricting or prohibiting the use of their infrastructure to support or facilitate product or service offerings such as ours, or by charging increased fees to businesses such as ours to provide content or to have users access that content. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released an order, commonly referred to as net neutrality, that, among other things, prohibited (i) the impairment or degradation of lawful Internet traffic based on content, application, or service and (ii) the practice of favoring some Internet traffic over other Internet traffic based on the payment of higher fees. In December 2017, the FCC voted to overturn the net neutrality regulations imposed by the 2015 order. Internet service providers in the U.S. may now be able to impair or degrade the use of or increase the cost of using our products or services. Such interference could result in a loss of existing viewers, subscribers, and advertisers, and increased costs, and could impair our ability to attract new viewers, subscribers, and advertisers, thereby harming our revenues and growth.

Current wording

Products and services such as ours depend on our ability and the ability of our customers’ users to access the Internet. Currently, this access is provided by companies that have, or may have in the future, significant market power in the broadband and Internet access marketplace, including incumbent telephone companies, cable companies, mobile communications companies, and government-owned service providers. Some of these providers may take or have stated that they may take measures that could degrade, disrupt, or increase the cost of user access to products or services such as ours by restricting or prohibiting the use of their infrastructure to support or facilitate product or service offerings such as ours, or by charging increased fees to businesses such as ours to provide content or to have users access that content. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released an order, commonly referred to as net neutrality, that, among other things, prohibited (i) the impairment or degradation of lawful Internet traffic based on content, application, or service and (ii) the practice of favoring some Internet traffic over other Internet traffic based on the payment of higher fees. In December 2017, the FCC voted to overturn the net neutrality regulations imposed by the 2015 order. In April 2024, the FCC voted to reinstate the net neutrality regulations, but the reinstated rules were temporarily blocked by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in August 2024 pending the resolution of legal challenges brought by internet service providers. This area of the law remains uncertain, and we cannot predict the final outcome of the challenges to legal protections of net neutrality at the state and federal level. In this regulatory environment, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices that could impede our growth, cause us to incur additional expense or otherwise negatively affect our business.

Previous wording

Due to the global nature of social media and our services, various states or foreign countries might attempt to regulate our transmissions or levy sales, income, or other taxes relating to our activities. Tax authorities at the international, federal, state, and local levels are currently reviewing the appropriate treatment of companies engaged in Internet commerce. New or revised international, federal, state, or local tax regulations may subject us or our creators to additional sales, income, and other taxes. We cannot predict the effect of current attempts to impose sales, income, or other taxes on commerce over social media. New or revised taxes and, in particular, sales taxes, VAT, and similar taxes would likely increase the cost of doing business online and decrease the attractiveness of advertising and selling goods and services over social media. New taxes could also create significant increases in internal costs necessary to capture data and collect and remit taxes. Any of these events could have an adverse effect on our business and the results of operations.

Current wording

Due to the global nature of social media and our services, various states or foreign countries might attempt to regulate our transmissions or levy sales, income, or other taxes relating to our activities. Tax authorities at the international, federal, state, and local levels are reviewing the appropriate treatment of companies engaged in Internet commerce. New or revised international, federal, state, or local tax regulations may subject us or our creators to additional sales, income, and other taxes. We cannot predict the effect of current attempts to impose sales, income, or other taxes on commerce over social media. New or revised taxes, specifically sales taxes, VAT, and similar taxes would likely increase the cost of doing business online and decrease the attractiveness of advertising and selling goods and services over social media. New taxes could also increase the internal costs necessary to capture data and collect and remit taxes. Any of these events could have an adverse effect on our business and the results of operations.

Previous wording

The applicability of existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, copyrights, and other intellectual property, encryption, taxation, libel, and export or import matters to social media platforms is uncertain. The vast majority of these laws were adopted before the broad commercial use of social media platforms and related technologies. As a result, they do not contemplate or address the unique issues of social media and related technologies. Changes to these laws intended to address these issues, including some recently proposed changes, could create uncertainty in the social media marketplace. Such uncertainty could reduce demand for our services or increase the cost of doing business due to increased costs of litigation or increased service delivery costs.

Current wording

The applicability of laws governing property ownership, copyrights, and other intellectual property, encryption, taxation, libel, and export or import matters to social media platforms is uncertain. Most of these laws were adopted before the broad commercial use of social media platforms and related technologies. As a result, they do not contemplate or address the unique issues of social media and associated technologies. Changes to these laws intended to address these issues, including recently proposed changes, could create uncertainty in the social media marketplace. Such uncertainty could reduce demand for our services or increase the cost of doing business due to increased litigation or service delivery costs.

Previous wording

As the practice of targeted advertising is increasingly scrutinized by both regulators and the industry alike, a greater emphasis has been placed on educating consumers about their privacy choices on the Internet and providing them with the right to opt-in or opt-out of targeted advertising. The common thread throughout both targeted advertising and the FTC requirements described in detail in the section “Business - Government Regulation” is the increased importance placed on transparency between the marketer and the consumer to ensure that consumers know the difference between “information” and “advertising” on the Internet and are allowed to decide how their personal information will be used in the manner to which they are marketed. There is a risk regarding negative consumer perception of the practice of “undisclosed compensation” of social media users to endorse specific products. As described in the section “Business - Government Regulation,” we undertake various measures through controls across our platforms and by monitoring and enforcing our code of ethics to ensure that marketers and creators comply with the FTC's Endorsement Guide (and analogous laws and guidance in other countries) when utilizing our websites, but if competitors and other companies do not, it could create a negative overall perception for the industry. Not only will readers stop relying on social media and blogs for useful, timely, and insightful information that enrich their lives by having access to up-to-the-minute information that often bears different perspectives and philosophies, but a lack of compliance will almost inevitably result in greater governmental oversight and involvement in an already-highly regulated marketplace. A pervasive overall negative perception caused by a failure of our preventative measures or by others not complying with the FTC’s Endorsement Guide (among the FTC’s other acts, regulations, and policies, and among analogous laws and guidance in other countries,) could result in reduced revenue and results of operations and higher compliance costs for us.

Current wording

As targeted advertising is increasingly scrutinized by regulators and the industry alike, a greater emphasis has been placed on educating consumers about their privacy choices on the Internet and providing them with the right to opt in or out of targeted advertising. The common thread throughout both targeted advertising and the FTC requirements described in detail in the section “Business - Government Regulation” is the increased importance placed on transparency between the marketer and the consumer to ensure that consumers know the difference between “information” and “advertising” on the Internet and are allowed to decide how their personal information will be used in the manner to which they are marketed. There is a risk regarding negative consumer perception of the practice of “undisclosed compensation” of social media users to endorse specific products. As described in the section “Business - Government Regulation,” we undertake various measures through controls across our platforms and by monitoring and enforcing our code of ethics to ensure that marketers and creators comply with the FTC's Endorsement Guide (and analogous laws and guidance in other countries) when utilizing our websites, but if competitors and other companies do not, it could create a negative overall perception for the industry. Not only will readers stop relying on social media and blogs for useful, timely, and insightful information that enriches their lives by having access to up-to-the-minute information that often bears different perspectives and philosophies, but a lack of compliance will almost inevitably result in greater governmental oversight and involvement in an already-highly regulated marketplace. A pervasive overall negative perception caused by a failure of our preventative measures or by others not complying with the FTC’s Endorsement Guide (among the FTC’s other acts, regulations, and policies, and analogous laws and guidance in different countries) could result in reduced revenue and results of operations and higher compliance costs for us.

Previous wording

A variety of federal, state, and international laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing, and security of personal information (“Privacy Laws”), as described in the section “Business - Government Regulation.” Privacy Laws are evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations. The EU adopted the GDPR, which went into effect in May 2018 and requires companies to satisfy stricter requirements regarding the handling of personal and sensitive data, including its collection, use, protection, and the ability of persons whose data is stored to correct or delete such data about themselves. EU Member States also are enacting national GDPR-implementing laws that are in some cases stricter or different from GDPR. In 2018, Brazil enacted a law similar to GDPR and other countries are expanding or considering their Privacy Laws to follow suit. Complying with these new and expanded Privacy Laws will cause us to incur substantial operational costs or may require us to change our business practices. For example, noncompliance with the GDPR could result in proceedings against us by governmental entities or others and fines up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues as well as damage to our reputation and brand. We also may find it necessary to establish systems to effectuate cross-border personal data transfers of personal information originating from the European Economic Area, Australia, Japan, and other non-U.S. jurisdictions, which may involve substantial expense and distraction from other aspects of our business.

Current wording

A variety of federal, state, and international laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing, and security of personal information (“Privacy Laws”), as described in the section “Business - Government Regulation.” Privacy Laws are evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations. The EU’s GDPR requires companies to satisfy stricter requirements regarding the handling of personal and sensitive data, including its collection, use, protection, and the ability of persons whose data is stored to correct or delete such data about themselves. Other countries have or are expanding their Privacy Laws to follow suit, such as India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act and China’s Personal Information Protection Law. Complying with these new and expanded Privacy Laws will cause us to incur substantial operational costs or may require us to change our business practices. For example, noncompliance with the GDPR could result in proceedings against us by governmental entities or others, fines up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues, and damage to our reputation and brand. We also may find it necessary to establish systems to effectuate cross-border personal data transfers of personal information originating from the European Economic Area, Australia, Japan, and other non-U.S. jurisdictions, which may involve substantial expense and distraction from other aspects of our business.

Previous wording

We have made public certain statements about our privacy practices concerning the collection, use, and disclosure of creators’ personal information on our websites and platforms. Several Internet companies have incurred penalties for failing to abide by the representations made in their public-facing privacy notices. In addition, several states have adopted legislation that requires businesses to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to protect sensitive personal information and to provide notice to consumers in the event of a security breach. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with our public-facing privacy notices, FTC requirements or orders or other federal, state, or international privacy or consumer protection-related laws, regulations, or industry self-regulatory principles could result in claims, proceedings, or actions against us by governmental or other entities or the incurring by us of other liabilities, which could adversely affect our business. In addition, a failure or perceived failure to comply with industry standards or with our privacy policies and practices could result in a loss of creators or marketers and adversely affect our business. Federal, state, and international governmental authorities continue to evaluate the privacy implications of targeted advertising, such as the use of cookies and other tracking technology. The regulation of these cookies and other current online advertising practices could adversely affect our business.

Current wording

We have made certain public statements about our privacy practices concerning collecting, using, and disclosing creators’ personal information on our websites and platforms. Several Internet companies have incurred penalties for failing to abide by the representations made in their public-facing privacy notices. In addition, several states have adopted legislation that requires businesses to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to protect sensitive personal information and to provide notice to consumers in the event of a security breach. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with our public-facing privacy notices, FTC requirements or orders, or other federal, state, or international privacy or consumer protection-related laws, regulations, or industry self-regulatory principles could result in claims, proceedings, or actions against us by governmental or other entities or the incurring by us of other liabilities, which could adversely affect our business. In addition, a failure or perceived failure to comply with industry standards or our privacy policies and practices could result in losing creators or marketers and adversely affect our business. Federal, state, and international governmental authorities continue to evaluate the privacy implications of targeted advertising, such as cookies and other tracking technology. The regulation of these cookies and other current online advertising practices could adversely affect our business.

Previous wording

We believe that the brand identity that we have developed has significantly contributed to the success of our business. We also believe that maintaining and enhancing the “IZEA” brand is critical to expanding our base of creators and marketers. Maintaining and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments and these investments may not be successful. If we fail to promote, maintain, and protect the “IZEA” brand, or if we incur excessive expenses in this effort, our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition will be materially and adversely affected. We anticipate that, as our market becomes increasingly competitive, maintaining and enhancing our brand may become increasingly difficult and expensive. Unfavorable publicity or consumer perception of our platforms, applications, practices or service offerings, or the offerings of our marketers, could adversely affect our reputation, resulting in difficulties in recruiting, decreased revenue, and a negative impact on the number of marketers and the size of our creator base, the loyalty of our creators and the number and variety of sponsorships we offer each day. As a result, our business, prospects, results of operation, and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Current wording

The brand identity that we have developed has significantly contributed to the success of our business. We also believe that maintaining and enhancing the “IZEA” brand is critical to expanding our base of creators and marketers. Maintaining and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments, and these investments may not be successful. If we fail to promote, maintain, and protect the “IZEA” brand or incur excessive expenses in this effort, our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition will be materially and adversely affected. We anticipate that, as our market becomes increasingly competitive, maintaining and enhancing our brand may become increasingly complex and expensive. Unfavorable publicity or consumer perception of our platforms, applications, practices or service offerings, or the offerings of our marketers, could adversely affect our reputation, resulting in difficulties in recruiting, decreased revenue, and a negative impact on the number of marketers and the size of our creator base, the loyalty of our creators and the number and variety of sponsorships we offer each day. As a result, our business, prospects, results of operation, and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Previous wording

Creators and marketers access our services through our platforms and applications. Our reputation and ability to acquire, retain, and serve our creators and marketers are dependent upon the reliable performance of our platforms and applications and the underlying network infrastructure. If our creator base continues to grow, we will need an increasing amount of network capacity and computing power. We have spent and expect to continue to spend substantial amounts for cloud storage and computing power to handle the traffic on our platforms and data processing capabilities of our applications. The operation of these systems is expensive and complex and could result in operational failures. If our creator base or the amount of traffic on our platforms and applications grows more quickly than anticipated, we may be required to incur significant additional costs. Interruptions in these systems, whether due to system failures, computer viruses, or physical or electronic break-ins, could affect the security or availability of our platforms and applications, and prevent our creators and marketers from accessing our services. Our entire network infrastructure is hosted by third-party providers. Any disruption in these services or any failure of these providers to handle existing or increased traffic could significantly harm our business. Any financial or other difficulties these providers face may adversely affect our business, and we exercise little control over these providers, which increases our vulnerability to problems with the services they provide. If we do not maintain or expand our network infrastructure successfully or if we experience operational failures, we could lose current and potential creators and marketers or transactions between the two groups, which could harm our operating results and financial condition.

Current wording

Creators and marketers access our services through our platforms and applications. Our reputation and ability to acquire, retain, and serve our creators and marketers depend on the reliable performance of our platforms and applications and the underlying network infrastructure. If our creator base continues to grow, we will need increasing network capacity and computing power. We have and will continue to spend substantial amounts for cloud storage and computing power to handle the traffic on our platforms and data processing capabilities of our applications. The operation of these systems is expensive and complex and could result in operational failures. If our creator base or the amount of traffic on our platforms and applications grows more quickly than anticipated, we may incur significant additional costs. Interruptions in these systems, whether due to system failures, computer viruses, or physical or electronic break-ins, could affect the security or availability of our platforms and applications and prevent our creators and marketers from accessing our services. Third-party providers host our entire network infrastructure. Any disruption in these services or any failure of these providers to handle existing or increased traffic could significantly harm our business. Any financial or other difficulties these providers face may adversely affect our business, and we exercise little control over these providers, which increases our vulnerability to problems with the services they provide. If we do not maintain or expand our network infrastructure successfully or experience operational failures, we could lose current and potential creators and marketers or transactions between the two groups, which could harm our operating results and financial condition.

Previous wording

Our platforms and applications and the network infrastructure that is hosted by third-party providers involve the storage and transmission of marketer and creator proprietary information, and security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss of this information, litigation, and potential liability. Our security measures may be breached due to the actions of outside parties, employee error, malfeasance, security flaws in the third-party hosting service that we rely upon, or any number of other reasons and, as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to our data or our marketers’ or creators’ data. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees, marketers, or creators to disclose sensitive information to gain access to our data or our marketers’ or creators’ data. Although we do have security measures in place, we have had instances where some customers have used fraudulent credit cards to pay for our services. While these breaches of our security did not result in material harm to our business, any future breach or unauthorized access could result in significant legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation, and a loss of confidence in the security of our platforms and applications that could potentially have an adverse effect on our business. Because the techniques used to obtain and use unauthorized credit cards, obtain unauthorized access, disable, or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and often are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures on a timely basis. If an actual or perceived breach of our security occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and we could lose marketers, creators, and vendors and have difficulty obtaining merchant processors or insurance coverage essential for our operations.

Current wording

Our platforms and applications and the network infrastructure that third-party providers host involve the storage and transmission of marketer and creator proprietary information, and security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss of this information, litigation, and potential liability. Our security measures may be breached due to the actions of outside parties, employee error, malfeasance, security flaws in the third-party hosting service that we rely upon, or any number of other reasons, and, as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to our data or our marketers’ or creators’ data. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees, marketers, or creators to disclose sensitive information to gain access to our data or our marketers’ or creators’ data. Although we do have security measures in place, we have had instances where some customers have used fraudulent credit cards to pay for our services. While these breaches of our security did not result in material harm to our business, any future breach or unauthorized access could result in significant legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation, and a loss of confidence in the security of our platforms and applications that could potentially hurt our business. Because the techniques used to obtain and use unauthorized credit cards, obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and often are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures on a timely basis. If an actual or perceived breach of our security occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed, and we could lose marketers, creators, and vendors and have difficulty obtaining merchant processors or insurance coverage essential for our operations.

Previous wording

Platforms as complex as ours often contain unknown and undetected defects or performance problems. Many serious defects are frequently found during the period immediately following the introduction and initial release of new platforms or enhancements to existing platforms. Although we attempt to resolve all defects that we believe would be considered serious by our customers before making our platforms available to them, our products are not defect-free. We may not be able to detect and correct defects before releasing our product commercially. We cannot ensure that undetected defects or performance problems in our existing or future products will not be discovered in the future or that known defects, considered minor by us, will not result in serious issues for our customers. Any such defects or performance problems may be considered serious by our customers, resulting in a decrease in our revenues.

Current wording

Platforms as complex as ours often contain unknown and undetected defects or performance problems. Many serious defects are frequently found immediately following the introduction and initial release of new platforms or enhancements to existing platforms. Although we attempt to resolve all defects that our customers believe would be considered serious before making our platforms available to them, our products are not defect-free. We may be unable to detect and correct defects before releasing our product commercially. We cannot ensure that undetected defects or performance problems in our existing or future products will not be discovered in the future or that known defects, considered minor by us, will not result in serious issues for our customers. Any such defects or performance problems may be considered serious by our customers, resulting in a decrease in our revenues.

Previous wording

We incorporate open-source software into processes supporting our business and anticipate using open-source software in the future. Such open-source software may include software covered by licenses like the GNU General Public License, CreativeML, and Open RAIL-M. Certain aspects of various open-source licenses to which we are subject, as well as third party services that make use of these licenses, have not been interpreted by U.S. courts, and there is a risk that such licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to operate certain features of our systems, limits our use of the software, inhibits certain aspects of our systems and negatively affects our business operations.

Current wording

We incorporate open-source software into processes supporting our business and anticipate using open-source software in the future. Such open-source software may include software covered by licenses like the GNU General Public License, CreativeML, and Open RAIL-M. Certain aspects of various open-source licenses to which we are subject, as well as third-party services that use these licenses, have not been interpreted by U.S. courts. There is a risk that such licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to operate certain features of our systems, limits our use of the software, inhibits certain aspects of our systems, and negatively affects our business operations.

Previous wording

Some open-source licenses contain requirements that we make source code modifications or derivative works we create publicly available or make them available on unfavorable terms or at no cost, based upon the type of open-source software we use.

Current wording

Some open-source licenses contain requirements that we make source code modifications or derivative works we create publicly available or available on unfavorable terms or at no cost, based upon the type of open-source software we use.

Previous wording

While we monitor our use of open-source software and try to ensure that none is used in a manner that would require us to disclose our proprietary source code or that would otherwise breach the terms of an open-source license, such use could inadvertently occur, or could be claimed to have occurred, in part because open-source license terms are often ambiguous. We may face claims from third parties claiming ownership of, or demanding the release or license of, modifications or derivative works that we have developed using such open-source software (which could include our proprietary source code or models), or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of the applicable open-source license. These claims could result in litigation and if portions of our proprietary AI models or software are determined to be subject to an open-source license, or if the license terms for the open-source software that we incorporate change, we could be required to publicly release all or affected portions of our source code, purchase a costly license, cease offering the implicated products or services unless and until we can re-engineer such source code in a manner that avoids infringement, discontinue or delay the provision of our offerings if re-engineering could not be accomplished on a timely basis or change our business activities, any of which could negatively affect our business operations and potentially our intellectual property rights. In addition, the re-engineering process could require us to expend significant additional research and development resources, and we may not be able to complete the re-engineering process successfully. If we were required to publicly disclose any portion of our proprietary models, it is possible we could lose the benefit of trade secret protection for our models.

Current wording

While we monitor our use of open-source software and try to ensure that none is used in a manner that would require us to disclose our proprietary source code or that would otherwise breach the terms of an open-source license, such use could inadvertently occur or could be claimed to have occurred, in part because open-source license terms are often ambiguous. We may face claims from third parties claiming ownership of, or demanding the release or license of, modifications or derivative works that we have developed using such open-source software (which could include our proprietary source code or models) or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of the applicable open-source license. These claims could result in litigation, and if portions of our proprietary AI models or software are determined to be subject to an open-source license, or if the license terms for the open-source software that we incorporate change, we could be required to publicly release all or affected portions of our source code, purchase a costly license, cease offering the implicated products or services unless and until we can re-engineer such source code in a manner that avoids infringement, discontinue or delay the provision of our offerings if re-engineering could not be accomplished on a timely basis or change our business activities, any of which could negatively affect our business operations and potentially our intellectual property rights. In addition, the re-engineering process could require us to expend significant additional research and development resources, and we may not be able to complete the re-engineering process successfully. If we were required to disclose any portion of our proprietary models publicly, we could lose the benefit of trade secret protection for our models.

Previous wording

In addition to risks related to license requirements, the use of certain open-source software can lead to greater risks than the use of third-party commercial software, as open-source licensors generally do not provide support, warranties, indemnification, controls or other contractual protections regarding infringement claims or the quality of the origin of the software. There is little legal precedent in this area, and any actual or claimed requirement to disclose our proprietary source code or pay damages for breach of contract could harm our business and could help third parties, including our competitors, develop products and services that are similar to or better than ours. Use of open-source software may also present additional security risks because the public availability of such software may make it easier for hackers and other third parties to determine how to breach our website and systems that rely on open-source software. Any of these risks associated with the use of open-source software could be difficult to eliminate or manage, and if not addressed, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Current wording

In addition to risks related to license requirements, the use of certain open-source software can lead to more significant risks than the use of third-party commercial software, as open-source licensors generally do not provide support, warranties, indemnification, controls, or other contractual protections regarding infringement claims or the quality of the origin of the software. There is little legal precedent in this area, and any actual or claimed requirement to disclose our proprietary source code or pay damages for breach of contract could harm our business and could help third parties, including our competitors, develop products and services similar to or better than ours. The use of open-source software may also present additional security risks because the public availability of such software may make it easier for hackers and other third parties to determine how to breach our website and systems that rely on open-source software. Any of these risks associated with the use of open-source software could be challenging to eliminate or manage and, if not addressed, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Previous wording

Laws relating to the liability of providers of online services for the activities of their marketers or their social media creators and the content of their marketers’ listings are currently unsettled. It is unclear whether we could be subject to claims for defamation, negligence, copyright or trademark infringement, or claims based on other theories relating to the information we publish on our websites, or the information published across our platforms. These types of claims have been brought, sometimes successfully, against online services and print publications in the past. We may not successfully avoid civil or criminal liability for unlawful activities carried out by our marketers or our creators. Our potential liability for unlawful activities of our marketers or our creators or the content of our marketers’ listings could require us to implement measures to reduce our exposure to such liability, which may require us, among other things, to spend substantial resources or to discontinue certain service offerings. Our insurance may not adequately protect us against these types of claims and the defense of such claims may divert the attention of our management from our operations. If we are subject to such lawsuits, it may adversely affect our business.

Current wording

Laws relating to the liability of providers of online services for the activities of their marketers or their social media creators and the content of their marketers’ listings are currently unsettled. It is unclear whether we could be subject to claims for defamation, negligence, copyright or trademark infringement, or claims based on other theories relating to the information we publish on our websites, or the information published across our platforms. These claims have been brought, sometimes successfully, against online services and print publications. We may not successfully avoid civil or criminal liability for unlawful activities carried out by our marketers or our creators. Our potential liability for illegal activities of our marketers or our creators or the content of our marketers’ listings could require us to implement measures to reduce our exposure to such liability, which may require us, among other things, to spend substantial resources or to discontinue certain service offerings. Our insurance may not adequately protect us against these types of claims, and the defense of such claims may divert our management's attention from our operations. If we are subject to such lawsuits, it may adversely affect our business.

Previous wording

“Click-fraud” is a form of online fraud when a person or computer program imitates a legitimate user by intentionally clicking on an advertisement to generate a charge per click without having actual interest in the target of the advertisement's link. We are exposed to the risk of fraudulent or illegitimate clicks on our sponsored listings. The security measures we have in place, which are designed to reduce the likelihood of click-fraud, detect click-fraud from time to time. Although we do not charge customers on a cost per click basis, and the instances of click-fraud that we have detected to date have not had a material effect on our business, click-fraud could result in a marketer experiencing a reduced return on their investment in our advertising programs because the fraudulent clicks will not lead to revenue for the marketers. As a result, our marketers and advertising partners may become dissatisfied with our advertising programs, which could lead to the loss of marketers, advertising partners, and revenue. In addition, anyone who can circumvent our security measures could misappropriate proprietary and confidential information or could cause interruptions in our operations. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against such security breaches or to address problems caused by such breaches. Concerns over the security of the Internet and other online transactions and the privacy of users may also deter people from using the Internet to conduct transactions that involve transmitting confidential information.

Current wording

“Click-fraud” is a form of online fraud when a person or computer program imitates a legitimate user by intentionally clicking on an advertisement to generate a charge per click without having actual interest in the target of the advertisement's link. We are exposed to the risk of fraudulent or illegitimate clicks on our sponsored listings. The security measures we have in place, designed to reduce the likelihood of click-fraud, detect click-fraud from occasionally. Although we do not charge customers on a cost-per-click basis, and the instances of click-fraud that we have detected to date have not had a material effect on our business, click-fraud could result in a marketer experiencing a reduced return on their investment in our advertising programs because the fraudulent clicks will not lead to revenue for the marketers. As a result, our marketers and advertising partners may become dissatisfied with our advertising programs, leading to losing marketers, advertising partners, and revenue. In addition, anyone who can circumvent our security measures could misappropriate proprietary and confidential information or cause interruptions in our operations. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against such security breaches or to address problems caused by such breaches. Concerns over the security of the Internet and other online transactions and users' privacy may also deter people from using the Internet to conduct transactions that involve transmitting confidential information.

Previous wording

We must continue to enhance and improve the performance, functionality, and reliability of our products and services. The influencer and content marketing industry is characterized by rapid technological change, changes in user requirements and preferences, frequent new product and service introductions embodying new technologies, and the emergence of new industry standards and practices that could render our products and services obsolete. In the past, we have discovered that some of our customers desire additional performance and functionality not currently offered by our products. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to develop new products and services that address the increasingly sophisticated and varied needs of our customers and respond to technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices on a cost-effective and timely basis. The development of our technology and other proprietary technology involves significant technical and business risks.

Current wording

We must continue enhancing and improving our products and services' performance, functionality, and reliability. The influencer and content marketing industry is characterized by rapid technological change, changes in user requirements and preferences, frequent new product and service introductions embodying new technologies, and the emergence of new industry standards and practices that could render our products and services obsolete. In the past, we discovered that some of our customers desired additional performance and functionality not currently offered by our products. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to develop new products and services that address our customers' increasingly sophisticated and varied needs and respond to technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices on a cost-effective and timely basis. Developing our technology and other proprietary technology involves significant technical and business risks. We may fail to use new technologies effectively or to adapt our proprietary technology and systems to customer requirements or emerging industry standards. If we cannot adapt to changing market conditions, customer requirements, or emerging industry standards, we may not be able to increase our revenue and expand our business.

Previous wording

If we lose key personnel or are unable to attract and retain additional qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully manage our business and achieve our objectives.

Current wording

If we are unable to attract and retain qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully manage our business and achieve our objectives.

Previous wording

Our future success and our ability to expand our operations will also depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain additional qualified engineers, sales and marketing, and senior management personnel. Competition for these types of employees is intense due to the limited number of qualified professionals and the high demand for them. We have in the past experienced difficulty in recruiting qualified personnel. Failure to attract, assimilate and retain personnel, including key management, technical, sales, and marketing personnel, would have a material adverse effect on our business and potential growth.

Current wording

Our future success and our ability to expand our operations depends in large part on our ability to attract and retain qualified engineers, sales and marketing, and senior management personnel. Competition for these types of employees is intense due to the limited number of qualified professionals and the high demand for them. We have in the past experienced difficulty in recruiting qualified personnel. In addition, current or future immigration laws may make it more difficult to hire or retain qualified engineers, further limiting the pool of available talent. Failure to attract, assimilate and retain personnel, including key management, technical, sales, and marketing personnel, would have a material adverse effect on our business and potential growth.

Previous wording

Our common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “IZEA.” To maintain this listing, we must satisfy Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, including, among other things, a minimum closing bid price requirement of $1.00 per share for continued inclusion on the Nasdaq Capital Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Rule”).

Current wording

Our common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “IZEA.” To maintain this listing, we must satisfy Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, including, among other things, a minimum closing bid price requirement of $1.00 per share for continued inclusion on the Nasdaq Capital Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Rule”). In 2022, we fell out of compliance with the Bid Price Rule and regained compliance in 2023 by enacting a reverse stock split of our common stock at a ratio of 4 for 1.

Previous wording

Although we are currently in compliance with the Bid Price Rule, if we fail to meet this or any of the other continued listing requirements in the future, our common stock may be delisted from Nasdaq, which could reduce the liquidity of our common stock materially and result in a corresponding material reduction in the price of our common stock. In addition, delisting could harm our ability to raise capital through alternative financing sources on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and may result in the potential loss of confidence by investors, employees, and business development opportunities. Such a delisting likely would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. Further, if we were to be delisted from Nasdaq, our common stock may no longer be recognized as a “covered security” and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities. Thus, delisting from Nasdaq could adversely affect our ability to raise additional financing through the public or private sale of equity securities, would significantly impact the ability of investors to trade our securities, and would negatively impact the value and liquidity of our common stock.

Current wording

Although we are currently in compliance with the Bid Price Rule, if we fail to meet this or any of the other continued listing requirements in the future, our common stock may be delisted from Nasdaq, which could reduce the liquidity of our common stock materially and result in a corresponding material reduction in the price of our common stock. In addition, delisting could harm our ability to raise capital through alternative financing sources on terms acceptable to us or at all and may result in the potential loss of confidence by investors, employees, and business development opportunities. Such a delisting likely would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. Further, if we were to be delisted from Nasdaq, our common stock may no longer be recognized as a “covered security,” we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities. Thus, delisting from Nasdaq could adversely affect our ability to raise additional financing through the public or private sale of equity securities, significantly impact the ability of investors to trade our securities, and negatively impact the value and liquidity of our common stock.

Previous wording

The terms of any securities issued by us in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new investors and may include preferences, superior voting rights, and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have a further dilutive effect on the holders of any of our securities then outstanding. In addition, we may incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital financing, including investment banking fees, legal fees, accounting fees, securities law compliance fees, printing and distribution expenses, and other costs. We may be required to bear the costs even if we are unable to complete any such capital financing. We may also be required to recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities we issue, such as convertible promissory notes and warrants, which may adversely impact our financial results.

Current wording

The terms of any securities issued by us in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new investors and may include preferences, superior voting rights, and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have a further dilutive effect on the holders of any of our securities then outstanding. In addition, we may incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital financing, including investment banking, legal, accounting, securities law compliance fees, printing and distribution expenses, and other costs. We may be required to bear the costs even if we are unable to complete any such capital financing. We may also be required to recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities we issue, such as convertible promissory notes and warrants, which may adversely impact our financial results.