More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise. Incomplete list of U.S. internet/high-tech/communications job destruction announcements in February 2018:

Republic of China (Taiwan) based smartphone maker HTC laid off an undisclosed number of people across the United States. Unconfirmed reports say it was as many as 1-hundred people.

Online based loan company SoFi suddenly laid off 65 people in California and Utah, despite claiming a “record-breaking 2017”.   At the same time SoFi continues to advertise that it has open positions to fill.

California: Critical Content suddenly laid off 35% of its employees, saying “Our industry is rapidly evolving where TV, digital, and branded platforms are interchangeable…..we will be best positioned to capitalize on the significant opportunities in the non-scripted space.”   NBC Universal eliminated about 30 advertising jobs, due to lack of ad sales.    3D software maker Autodesk eliminated 157 California jobs as part of a plan to kill more than 1-thousand jobs!  Video game maker Hanger 13 suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of people. Korea based video game maker Nexon eliminating an undisclosed number of jobs, possibly due to its take-over of Mountain View based Pixelberry Studios.  Oakland based internet radio Pandora eliminating 5% of its human jobs as it shifts to more automation.  Symantec laying off at least seven people by the end of March.  Marvell Semiconductor laying off at least 12 people by mid-April. Circuit protection device maker Littelfuse issued a layoff WARN for its Orange County ops, 54 jobs gone by mid-May.  Online shoe seller EBuys issued a shutdown WARN for its Shoe Metro in San Diego, 57 jobs gone by April.  Taxpayer funded InfoTech solutions company ASM Research eliminating jobs in Long Beach. EMP protection company Laird Technologies issued a shutdown WARN for its Milpitas ops.  NetApp issued a layoff WARN, 70 Sunnyvale jobs gone by the end of April.  Los Angeles based Alcon Entertainment (Blade Runner 2049) warned that the entertainment industry is so unstable they will begin eliminating jobs through consolidation operations.

Colorado: Electronic card maker CPI Card Group shutting down its factory in Littleton, 79 jobs gone by the end of June.

Florida: Publisher Meredith eliminating 5-hundred Time customer service jobs in Tampa, as part of a plan to outsource ‘fulfillment’ ops!

Georgia: Turner (Turner Broadcasting System) laid off 30 advertising employees, and a reported 50 jobs eliminated at CNN.

Illinois: In Oglesby, iCall eliminating 75 jobs starting in April.

Kansas: Tech company SNT Media chapter 7 bankrupt and being liquidated, more than 1-hundred jobs gone!

Kentucky: Singapore based Flex (formerly known as Flextronics) eliminating 314 Louisville jobs by September! In Louisville, online retailer of on-demand customized products CafePress eliminated an additional 15% of jobs and even cut the pay of its executives.

Louisiana: France based video game maker Gameloft shutdown its New Orleans office, 40 jobs suddenly gone.

Massachusetts: Advertiser Hill Holiday suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of employees after losing several accounts, including Chili’s, and troubles with its  Dunkin’ Donuts account.  Boston and London (British empire) based advertiser MullenLowe suddenly laid off ten people due to crashing ad sales.  Cloud company Akamai Technologies suddenly laid off 4-hundred people in an attempt to reduce operating costs, investors loved it and drove up the price of the company’s stock!

Minnesota:  In Mankato, Verizon eliminating 6-hundred call center jobs!

Montana: Lee Enterprises-Billings Gazette laid off an additional seven people, a newsroom receptionist posted on facebook “I didn’t make a lot of money at the Gazette, but I made a lot of lifelong friends. I love you, all.”

Nebraska: Warren Buffett’s BH Media Group (31 U.S. newspapers, with their own websites) eliminating more jobs, this time 148 people laid off and 101 vacant positions eliminated! Don’t forget BH Media Group eliminated at least 248 jobs in 2017.

New York: Vox Media laid off 50 people in its fashion, real estate and sports publications. Condé Nast just can’t stop killing jobs, this time ten people at Glamour laid off, as well as an undisclosed number of layoffs at Vanity Fair.  Newsday outsourcing 225 in-house jobs, plus issued Phase 1, 2 and Phase 3 shutdown WARNs as part of its plan to halt ops in Melville, which will affect 1-thousand-431 employees by October!    For the first time in its 12 years history Droga5 suddenly laid off 40 people in NYC. NYC based Viacom reportedly eliminated 1-hundred jobs!  The Weinstein Company bankrupt busted after refusing an offer from a potential buyer.  Call center operator Sitel eliminating 71 jobs in Erwin/Painted Post, by May.

Oregon: The Oregonian suddenly laid off 11 people: “You’re probably asking yourself, when will these cuts end? I wish I could answer that.”-Mark Katches, editor

Pennsylvania:  At last count Hearst has eliminated 185 jobs with publisher Rodale, since the beginning of the year!  Sykes shutting down its Upper Macungie Township call center, 96 jobs gone by the end of March.  Colorado based Arrow Electronics issued a shutdown WARN for its Bensalem location, 13 jobs gone by May.

Texas: Multi-level marketer Harte Hanks eliminating 460 contact center jobs starting in May, due to “changes in the services”!  Cloud company Rackspace Hosting suddenly laid off about 1-hundred employees, possibly in connection with being taken over by vulture capitalist Apollo Global Management.  Academy Sports + Outdoors suddenly laid off 140 in-house InfoTech workers as part of a plan to outsource InfoTech work!

Virginia: Electric car company GreenTech now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and blaming it on ‘conservative’ news media reports.   Never mind that many of the investors are immigrants who took advantage of a government program that allowed them to settle in the United States in exchange for money, and the fact that an automotive parts maker is suing GreenTech.

Washington: Amazon suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of HQ employees, and began killing ‘hundreds’ of jobs globally, despite claiming increased online sales!  Taxpayer funded InfoTech solutions company ASM Research eliminating jobs in Lakewood.

Wisconsin: Gannett issued a shutdown WARN for its ops in Appleton, 137 jobs gone by May!

U.S. Tech/Communications breakdown, January 2018: “TOUGH CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE”