Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
RISK FACTORS
RISKS RELATED
TO JERRICK MEDIA’S BUSINESS
Our
independent auditors have expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, which may hinder our ability
to obtain future financing.
As reflected in the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements, the Company had a net loss
of approximately $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, and a working capital deficit and accumulated deficit of approximately
$4.0 million and approximately $22.2 respectively, at December 31, 2017. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s
ability to continue as a going concern.
The ability of the Company to continue
its operations is dependent on management’s plans, which include the raising of capital through debt and/or equity markets
with some additional funding from other traditional financing sources, including term notes, until such time that funds provided
by operations are sufficient to fund working capital requirements. The Company may need to incur liabilities with certain related
parties to sustain the Company’s existence.
The Company will require additional funding
to finance the growth of its current and expected future operations as well as to achieve its strategic objectives. The Company
believes its current available cash, along with anticipated revenues, may be insufficient to meet its cash needs for the near future.
There can be no assurance that financing will be available in amounts or terms acceptable to the Company, if at all.
In response to these problems, management
has taken the following actions:
●
seeking additional third party debt and/or equity financing;
●
execute a plan to recapitalize the company;
●
continue with the implementation of the business plan;
●
generate new sales from international customers; and
●
allocate sufficient resources to continue with advertising and marketing efforts.
In their report dated May 17, 2018, our independent auditors stated that our financial statements for
the period ended December 31, 2017, were prepared assuming that we would continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization
of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. These financial statements do not include any adjustments
relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary should the Company
be unable to continue as a going concern.
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We are not profitable
and may never be profitable.
From inception through the present, we
have been dependent on raising capital to support our working capital needs. During this same period, we have recorded net accumulated
losses and are yet to achieve profitability. Our ability to achieve profitability depends upon many factors, including our ability
to develop and commercialize our websites. There can be no assurance that we will ever achieve any significant revenues or profitable
operations.
Our
operating expenses exceed our revenues and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
We are in the early stage of our development
and we have not generated sufficient revenues to offset our operating expenses. Our operating expenses will likely continue to
exceed our operating income for the foreseeable future, until such time as we are able to monetize our brands and generate substantial
revenues, particularly as we undertake payment of the increased costs of operating as a public company.
Our
Operating subsidiary has a limited operating history.
Our operating subsidiary has been in existence
for approximately three years. Our limited operating history means that there is a high degree of uncertainty in our ability to:
(i) develop and commercialize our products; (ii) achieve market acceptance; or (iii) respond to competition. Additionally, even
if we do implement our business plan, we may not be successful. No assurances can be given as to exactly when, if at all, we will
be able to recognize profits high enough to sustain our business. We face all the risks inherent in a new business, including the
expenses, difficulties, complications, and delays frequently encountered in connection with conducting operations, including capital
requirements. Given our limited operating history, we may be unable to effectively implement our business plan, which would result
in a loss of your investment.
WE
have assumed A significant amount of debt and our operations may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows to meet our debt
obligations, which could reduce our financial flexibility and adversely impact our operations.
Currently the Company has considerable
convertible notes, related party notes and lines of credit outstanding with various debtors. Our ability to make payments on such
indebtedness will depend on our ability to generate cash flow. The Company may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations
to enable us to repay this indebtedness and to fund other liquidity needs, including capital expenditure requirements. Such indebtedness
could affect our operations in several ways, including:
●
a significant portion of our cash flows could be required to be used to service such indebtedness;
●
a high level of debt could increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
●
any covenants contained in the agreements governing such outstanding indebtedness could limit our ability to borrow additional funds, dispose of assets, pay dividends and make certain investments;
●
a high level of debt may place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that are less leveraged and, therefore, our competitors may be able to take advantage of opportunities that our indebtedness may prevent us from pursuing; and
●
debt covenants to which we may agree may affect our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in the economy and in our industry.
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A high level of indebtedness increases
the risk that we may default on our debt obligations. We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows to pay the principal
or interest on our debt. If we cannot service or refinance our indebtedness, we may have to take actions such as selling significant
assets, seeking additional equity financing (which will result in additional dilution to stockholders) or reducing or delaying
capital expenditures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition. If we do not
have sufficient funds and are otherwise unable to arrange financing, our assets may be foreclosed upon which could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We
will need additional capital, which may be difficult to raise as a result of our limited operating history or any number of other
reasons.
We expect that we will have adequate financing
for the next 6 months. However, in the event that we exceed our expected growth, we would need to raise additional capital. There
is no assurance that additional equity or debt financing will be available to us when needed, on acceptable terms or even at all.
Our limited operating history makes investor evaluation and an estimation of our future performance substantially more difficult.
As a result, investors may be unwilling to invest in us or such investment may be on terms or conditions which are not acceptable.
In the event that we are not able to secure financing, we may have to scale back our growth plans or cease operations.
We
depend on our key management personnel and the loss of their services could adversely affect our business.
We place substantial reliance upon the
efforts and abilities of Jeremy Frommer, our Chief Executive Officer, and our other executive officers and directors. Though no
individual is indispensable, the loss of the services of these executive officers could have a material adverse effect on our business,
operations, revenues or prospects. We do not currently maintain key man life insurance on the lives of these individuals.
We
have not adopted various corporate governance measures, and as a result stockholders may have limited protections against interested
director transactions, conflicts of interest and similar matters.
Recent Federal legislation, including the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, has resulted in the adoption of various corporate governance measures designed to promote the integrity
of corporate management and the securities markets. Because our securities are not yet listed on a national securities exchange,
we are not required to adopt these corporate governance measures and have not done so voluntarily in order to avoid incurring the
additional costs associated with such measures. Among these measures is the establishment of independent committees of the Board
of Directors. However, to the extent a public market develops for our securities, such legislation will require us to make changes
to our current corporate governance practices. Those changes may be costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, the absence of the
governance measures referred to above with respect to our Company may leave our shareholders with more limited protection in connection
with interested director transactions, conflicts of interest and similar matters.
We
face intense competition. If we do not provide digital content that is useful to users, we may not remain competitive, and our
potential revenues and operating results could be adversely affected.
Our business is rapidly evolving and intensely
competitive, and is subject to changing technologies, shifting user needs, and frequent introductions of new products and services.
Our ability to compete successfully depends heavily on providing digital content that is useful and enjoyable for our users and
delivering our content through innovative technologies in the marketplace.
We have many competitors in the digital
content creation industry and media companies. Our current and potential competitors range from large and established companies
to emerging start-ups. Established companies have longer operating histories and more established relationships with customers
and users, and they can use their experience and resources in ways that could affect our competitive position, including by making
acquisitions, investing aggressively in research and development, aggressively initiating intellectual property claims (whether
or not meritorious) and competing aggressively for advertisers and websites. Emerging start-ups may be able to innovate and provide
products and services faster than we can.
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Additionally, our operating results would
suffer if our digital content is not appropriately timed with market opportunities, or if our digital content is not effectively
brought to market. As technology continues to develop, our competitors may be able to offer user experiences that are, or that
are seen to be, substantially similar to or better than ours. This may force us to compete in different ways and expend significant
resources in order to remain competitive. If our competitors are more successful than we are in developing compelling content or
in attracting and retaining users and advertisers, our revenues and operating results could be adversely affected.
We
face competition from traditional media companies, and we may not be included in the advertising budgets of large advertisers,
which could harm our operating results.
In addition to internet companies, we face
competition from companies that offer traditional media advertising opportunities. Most large advertisers have set advertising
budgets, a very small portion of which is allocated to internet advertising. We expect that large advertisers will continue to
focus most of their advertising efforts on traditional media. If we fail to convince these companies to spend a portion of their
advertising budgets with us, or if our existing advertisers reduce the amount they spend on our programs, our operating results
would be harmed.
Our
business depends on strong brands and relationships, and if we are not able to maintain our relationships and enhance our brands,
our ability to expand our base of users, advertisers and affiliates will be impaired and our business and operating results could
be harmed.
We believe that maintaining and enhancing
the “Filthy Media”, “OMNI”, “Geeks”, “Longevity”, and “Potent” brands
is critical to expanding our base of users, advertisers and affiliates. Maintaining and enhancing our brands’ profiles may require
us to make substantial investments and these investments may not be successful. If we fail to promote and maintain the “Filthy
Media”, “OMNI”, “Geeks”, “Longevity”, and “Potent” brands’ profiles, or if
we incur excessive expenses in this effort, our business and operating results could be harmed. We anticipate that, as our market
becomes increasingly competitive, maintaining and enhancing our brands’ profiles may become increasingly difficult and expensive.
Maintaining and enhancing our brands will depend largely on our ability to be a technology leader and to continue to provide attractive
products and services, which we may not do successfully.
We
need to manage growth in operations to maximize our potential growth and achieve our expected revenues and our failure to manage
growth will cause a disruption of our operations, resulting in the failure to generate revenue.
In order to maximize potential growth in
our current and potential markets, we believe that we must expand our marketing operations. This expansion will place a significant
strain on our management and our operational, accounting, and information systems. We expect that we will need to continue to improve
our financial controls, operating procedures, and management information systems. We will also need to effectively train, motivate,
and manage our employees. Our failure to manage our growth could disrupt our operations and ultimately prevent us from generating
the revenues we expect.
In order to achieve the general strategies
of our company we need to maintain and search for hard-working employees who have innovative initiatives, while at the same time,
keep a close eye on any and all expanding opportunities in our marketplace.
We
plan to generate a significant portion of our revenues from advertising and affiliate sales relationships, and a reduction in spending
by or loss of advertisers and general decrease in online spending could adversely harm our business.
We plan to generate a substantial portion
of our revenues from advertisers. Our advertisers may be able to terminate prospective contracts with us at any time. Advertisers
will not continue to do business with us if their investment in advertising with us does not generate sales leads, and ultimately
customers, or if we do not deliver their advertisements in an appropriate and effective manner. If we are unable to remain competitive
and provide value to our advertisers, they may stop placing ads with us, which would adversely affect our revenues and business.
In addition, expenditures by advertisers tend to be cyclical, reflecting overall economic conditions and budgeting and buying patterns.
Our advertising and e-commerce revenues may be affected by the strength of advertising markets and general economic conditions
and may fluctuate depending on the success of our content, as measured by the number of people visiting our websites at any given
time. Adverse macroeconomic conditions can also have a material negative impact on the demand for advertising and cause our
advertisers to reduce the amounts they spend on advertising, which could adversely affect our revenues and business.
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Security
breaches could harm our business.
Security breaches have become more prevalent
in the technology industry. We believe that we take reasonable steps to protect the security, integrity and confidentiality of
the information we collect, use, store and disclose, but there is no guarantee that inadvertent (e.g., software bugs or other technical
malfunctions, employee error or malfeasance, or other factors) or unauthorized data access or use will not occur despite our efforts.
Although we have not experienced any material security breaches to date, we may in the future experience attempts to disable our
systems or to breach the security of our systems. Techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to personal information, confidential
information and/or the systems on which such information is stored and/or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally are
not recognized until launched against a target. As a result, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate
preventative measures.
If an actual or perceived security breach
occurs, the market perception of our security measures could be harmed and we could lose sales and customers and/or suffer other
negative consequences to our business. A security breach could adversely affect the digital content experience and cause the loss
or corruption of data, which could harm our business, financial condition and operating results. Any failure to maintain the security
of our infrastructure could result in loss of personal information and/or other confidential information, damage to our reputation
and customer relationships, early termination of our contracts and other business losses, indemnification of our customers, financial
penalties, litigation, regulatory investigations and other significant liabilities. In the event of a major third-party security
incident, we may incur losses in excess of their insurance coverage.
Moreover, if a high profile security breach
occurs with respect to us or another digital entertainment company, our customers and potential customers may lose trust in the
security of our business model generally, which could adversely impact our ability to retain existing customers or attract new
ones.
The
laws and regulations concerning data privacy and data security are continually evolving; our or our platform providers’ actual
or perceived failure to comply with these laws and regulations could harm our business.
Customers view our content online, using
third-party platforms and networks and on mobile devices. We collect and store significant amounts of information about our customers—both
personally identifying and non-personally identifying information. We are subject to laws from a variety of jurisdictions regarding
privacy and the protection of this player information. For example, the European Union (EU) has traditionally taken a broader view
than the United States and certain other jurisdictions as to what is considered personal information and has imposed greater obligations
under data privacy regulations. The U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) also regulates the collection,
use and disclosure of personal information from children under 13 years of age. While none of our content is directed at children
under 13 years of age, if COPPA were to apply to us, failure to comply with COPPA may increase our costs, subject us to expensive
and distracting government investigations and could result in substantial fines.
Data privacy protection laws are rapidly
changing and likely will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The U.S. government, including the Federal Trade Commission
and the Department of Commerce, is continuing to review the need for greater regulation over the collection of personal information
and information about consumer behavior on the Internet and on mobile devices and the EU has proposed reforms to its existing data
protection legal framework. Various government and consumer agencies worldwide have also called for new regulation and changes
in industry practices. In addition, in some cases, we are dependent upon our platform providers to solicit, collect and provide
us with information regarding our players that is necessary for compliance with these various types of regulations.
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Customer interaction with our content is
subject to our privacy policy and terms of service. If we fail to comply with our posted privacy policy or terms of service or
if we fail to comply with existing privacy-related or data protection laws and regulations, it could result in proceedings or litigation
against us by governmental authorities or others, which could result in fines or judgments against us, damage our reputation, impact
our financial condition and harm our business. If regulators, the media or consumers raise any concerns about our privacy and data
protection or consumer protection practices, even if unfounded, this could also result in fines or judgments against us, damage
our reputation, and negatively impact our financial condition and damage our business.
In the area of information security and
data protection, many jurisdictions have passed laws requiring notification when there is a security breach for personal data or
requiring the adoption of minimum information security standards that are often vaguely defined and difficult to implement. Our
security measures and standards may not be sufficient to protect personal information and we cannot guarantee that our security
measures will prevent security breaches. A security breach that compromises personal information could harm our reputation and
result in a loss of confidence in our products and ultimately in a loss of customers, which could adversely affect our business
and impact our financial condition. This could also subject us to liability under applicable security breach-related laws and regulations
and could result in additional compliance costs, costs related to regulatory inquiries and investigations, and an inability to
conduct our business.
If
any of our relationships with internet search websites terminate, if such websites’ methodologies are modified or if we are outbid
by competitors, traffic to our websites could decline.
We depend in part on various internet search
websites, such as Google.com, Bing.com, Yahoo.com and other websites to direct a significant amount of traffic to our websites.
Search websites typically provide two types of search results, algorithmic and purchased listings. Algorithmic listings generally
are determined and displayed as a result of a set of unpublished formulas designed by search engine companies in their discretion.
Purchased listings generally are displayed if particular word searches are performed on a search engine. We rely on both algorithmic
and purchased search results, as well as advertising on other internet websites, to direct a substantial share of visitors to our
websites and to direct traffic to the advertiser customers we serve. If these internet search websites modify or terminate their
relationship with us or we are outbid by our competitors for purchased listings, meaning that our competitors pay a higher price
to be listed above us in a list of search results, traffic to our websites could decline. Such a decline in traffic could affect
our ability to generate advertising revenue and could reduce the desirability of advertising on our websites.
Our
business involves risks of liability claims arising from our media content, which could adversely affect our ability to generate
revenue and could increase our operating expenses.
As a distributor of media content, we face
potential liability for defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, copyright or trademark infringement, obscenity, violation
of rights of publicity and/or obscenity laws and other claims based on the nature and content of the materials distributed. These
types of claims have been brought, sometimes successfully, against broadcasters, publishers, online services and other disseminators
of media content. Any imposition of liability that is not covered by insurance or is in excess of our insurance coverage could
have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, measures to reduce our exposure to liability in connection with content available
through our internet websites could require us to take steps that would substantially limit the aesthetic of our internet websites
and/or their availability in certain geographic areas, which could adversely affect our ability to generate revenue and could increase
our operating expenses.
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Intellectual
property litigation could expose us to significant costs and liabilities and thus negatively affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations.
We may be subject to claims of infringement
of third party patents and trademarks and other violations of third party intellectual property rights. Intellectual property disputes
are generally time-consuming and expensive to litigate or settle, and the outcome of such disputes is uncertain and difficult to
predict. The existence of such disputes may require us to set-aside substantial reserves, and has the potential to significantly
affect our overall financial standing. To the extent that claims against us are successful, they may subject us to substantial
liability, and we may have to pay substantial monetary damages, change aspects of our business model, and/or discontinue any of
our services or practices that are found to be in violation of another party’s rights. Such outcomes may severely restrict or hinder
ongoing business operations and impact the value of our business. Successful claims against us could also result in us having to
seek a license to continue our practices. Under such conditions, a license may or may not be offered or otherwise made available
to us. If a license is made available to us, the cost of the license may significantly increase our operating burden and expenses,
potentially resulting in a negative effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Although we have been and are currently
involved in multiple areas of commerce, internet services, and high technology where there is a substantial risk of future patent
litigation, we have not obtained insurance for patent infringement losses. If we are unsuccessful in resolving pending and future
patent litigation in a reasonable and affordable manner, it could disrupt our business and operations, including by negatively
impacting areas of commerce or putting us at a competitive disadvantage.
If
we are unable to obtain or maintain key website addresses, our ability to operate and grow our business may be impaired.
Our website addresses, or domain
names, are critical to our business. We currently own more than 388 domain names. However, the regulation of domain names is
subject to change, and it may be difficult for us to prevent third parties from acquiring domain names that are similar to
ours, that infringe our trademarks or that otherwise decrease the value of our brands. If we are unable to obtain or maintain
key domain names for the various areas of our business, our ability to operate and grow our business may be impaired.
We
may have difficulty scaling and adapting our existing network infrastructure to accommodate increased traffic and technology advances
or changing business requirements, which could cause us to incur significant expenses and lead to the loss of users and advertisers.
To be successful, our network infrastructure
has to perform well and be reliable. The greater the user traffic and the greater the complexity of our products and services,
the more computer power we will need. We could incur substantial costs if we need to modify our websites or our infrastructure
to adapt to technological changes. If we do not maintain our network infrastructure successfully, or if we experience inefficiencies
and operational failures, the quality of our products and services and our users’ experience could decline. Maintaining an efficient
and technologically advanced network infrastructure is particularly critical to our business because of the pictorial nature of
the products and services provided on our websites. A decline in quality could damage our reputation and lead us to lose current
and potential users and advertisers. Cost increases, loss of traffic or failure to accommodate new technologies or changing business
requirements could harm our operating results and financial condition.
Because
some of our brands contain adult content, companies providing products and services on which we rely may refuse to do business
with us.
Many companies that provide products and
services we need are concerned that associating with us could lead to their becoming the target of negative publicity campaigns
by public interest groups and boycotts of their products and services. As a result of these concerns, these companies may be reluctant
to enter into or continue business relationships with us. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain our existing
business relationships with the companies, domestic or international, that currently provide us with services and products. Our
inability to maintain such business relationships, or to find replacement service providers, would materially adversely affect
our business, financial condition and results of operations. We could be forced to enter into business arrangements on terms less
favorable to us than we might otherwise obtain, which could lead to our doing business with less competitive terms, higher transaction
costs and more inefficient operations than if we were able to maintain such business relationships or find replacement service
providers.
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Our
business is exposed to risks associated with online commerce security and credit card fraud.
Consumer concerns over the security of
transactions conducted on the internet or the privacy of users may inhibit the growth of the internet and online commerce. To transmit
confidential information such as customer credit card numbers securely, we rely on encryption and authentication technology. Unanticipated
events or developments could result in a compromise or breach of the systems we use to protect customer transaction data. Furthermore,
our servers may also be vulnerable to viruses and other attacks transmitted via the internet. As a payment processor,
we are required to comply with PCI DSS and a credit card information breach could subject us to penalties or fines, litigation,
regulatory investigation or regulatory action. While we proactively check for intrusions into our infrastructure, a new and undetected
virus could cause a service disruption. Under current credit card practices, we may be held liable for fraudulent credit card transactions
and other payment disputes with customers. A failure to control fraudulent credit card transactions adequately would adversely
affect our business.
Risk Factors Related to our Potent Media
Brand
Cannabis
remains illegal under Federal law.
Our
Potent Media brand is a website devoted to exploring the history of marijuana, the cannabis culture and its effect on pop culture
today. The site keeps its user base informed on all things involving cannabis culture including movies, tv and books and festivals,
conventions and politics. However, despite the development of a legal cannabis industry under the laws of certain states, these
state laws legalizing medical and adult cannabis use are in conflict with the Federal Controlled Substances Act, which classifies
cannabis as a schedule-I controlled substance and makes cannabis use and possession illegal on a national level. The United States
Supreme Court has ruled that the Federal government has the right to regulate and criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes,
and thus Federal law criminalizing the use of cannabis preempts state laws that legalize its use. Although the Obama Administration
determined that it is not an efficient use of resources to direct Federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute those lawfully
abiding by state laws allowing the use and distribution of medical and recreational cannabis. The Trump administration has made
statements implying that it could change this policy and decide to enforce the federal laws strongly, though no specific measures
have yet been implemented other than revocation of the Cole Memo and two others. Any negative material change in the Federal government’s
policy on enforcement of these laws could potentially cause damage to the Potent brand, but should not cause significant financial
damage to the Company and/or our shareholders.
As
the possession and use of cannabis is illegal under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, we may be deemed to be aiding and abetting
illegal activities through the services that we provide to users. As a result, we may be subject to enforcement actions by law
enforcement authorities, which would materially and adversely affect our business.
Under Federal law, and more specifically
the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis is illegal. Our business provides
services to customers that are engaged in the business of possession, use, cultivation, and/or transfer of cannabis. As a result,
law enforcement authorities, in their attempt to regulate the illegal use of cannabis, may seek to bring an action or actions against
us, including, but not limited, to a claim of aiding and abetting another’s criminal activities. The Federal aiding and abetting
statute provides that anyone who “commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces
or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal.” 18 U.S.C. §2(a). As a result of such an action, we may be
forced to cease operation of our Potent Media brand. Such an action could have a material negative effect on our business and operations.
Federal
enforcement practices could change with respect to services provided to participants in the cannabis industry, which could adversely
impact us. If the Federal government were to change its practices, or were to expend its resources on enforcement actions against
service providers in the cannabis industry, such actions could have a materially adverse effect on our operations, our customers,
or the sales of our products.
It is possible that additional Federal
or state legislation could be enacted in the future that would prohibit our advertisers from selling cannabis and cannabis related
products, and, if such legislation were enacted, such advertisers may discontinue the use of our services, our potential source
of customers would be reduced, and our revenues would decline. Further, additional government disruption in the cannabis industry
could cause potential customers and users to be reluctant use and advertise on our products, which would be detrimental to the
Company. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can we determine what
effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our
business.
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Operating
a network open to all internet users may result in legal consequences.
Our Terms and Conditions clearly state
that our network and services are only to be used by users who are over 13 years old. However, it is impractical to independently
verify that all activity occurring on our network fits into this description. As such, we run the risk of federal and state law
enforcement prosecution.
Although the Obama Administration has
determined that it is not an efficient use of resources to direct Federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute those
following certain state laws allowing for the use and distribution of medical and recreational cannabis, there can be no
assurance that the administration, or future administrations, will not change its stated policy and begin enforcement of the
Federal laws against us or users of our website. Additionally, there can be no assurance that we will not face
criminal prosecution from states where the use of cannabis is permitted for the use of cannabis in ways which do not fall
under the state law. Finally, even if we attempt to prevent the use of our website or digital communities in states where
cannabis use is not permitted under state law, use of our websites by those in such states may still occur and state
authorities may still bring an action against us for the promotion of cannabis related material by those residing in such
states.
Risks
Related to FILTHY MEDIA
Changes
in laws regulating adult content could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our brand, Filthy Media, presents content
related to culture of erotic art. Regulation, investigations and prosecutions of adult content could prevent us from making such
content available in certain jurisdictions and may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and results of operations. Government officials may also place additional restrictions on adult content affecting the way people
interact on the internet. The governments of some countries, such as China and India, have sought to limit the influence of other
cultures by restricting the distribution of products deemed to represent foreign or “immoral” influences. Regulation
aimed at limiting minors’ access to adult content both in the United States and abroad could also increase our cost of operations
and introduce technological challenges by requiring development and implementation of age verification systems. U.S. government
officials could amend or construe and seek to enforce more broadly or aggressively the adult content recordkeeping and labeling
requirements set forth in 18 U.S.C. Section 2257 and its implementing regulations in a manner that is unfavorable to our business.
Court rulings may place additional restrictions on adult content affecting how people interact on the internet, such as mandatory
web labeling.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK
The
price of our Common Stock may be subject to wide fluctuations .
Even though we have our shares quoted on
the OTCQB, a consistently active trading market for our Common Stock may not exist. You may not be able to sell your
shares quickly or at the current market price if trading in our stock is not active. You may lose all or a part of your
investment. The market price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response
to a variety of factors and risks, many of which are beyond our control. In addition to the risks noted elsewhere in
this prospectus, some of the other factors affecting our stock price may include:
●
variations in our operating results;
●
the level and quality of securities analysts’ coverage of our Common Stock;
●
announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
●
announcements by third parties of significant claims or proceedings against us; and
●
future sales of our Common Stock.
For these reasons, comparing our operating
results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful, and you should not rely on past results as an indication of future performance. In
the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a public company’s securities, securities class action litigation
has often been instituted against the public company. Regardless of its outcome, this type of litigation could result
in substantial costs to us and a likely diversion of our management’s attention. You may not receive a positive return on
your investment when you sell your shares and you may lose the entire amount of your investment.
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We
may, in the future, issue additional SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, which would reduce investors’ percent of ownership and dilute
our share value.
Our Articles of Incorporation
authorize the issuance of 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Currently the Company
has issued 31,581 shares of Series A Preferred, 8,063 shares of Series B Preferred and 0 of Series D Convertible Preferred
Stock (the “Series D Preferred”). Additionally, the Company has issued warrants to purchase 46,211,279 shares of
our common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $0.25. As of May 15, 2018, the Series A Preferred, Series B
Preferred and Series D Preferred, are convertible into 233,496 shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to
adjustment. In addition, the Company has convertible notes outstanding that convert into 23,282,046 shares of the
Company’s common stock at conversion rates between $0.20 - $0.30. Assuming all of the Company’s currently
outstanding preferred stock be converted and all outstanding warrants be exercised, the Company would have to issue an
additional 190,769,997 shares of common stock representing 175% of our current issued and outstanding common stock. The
future issuance of this Common Stock would result in substantial dilution in the percentage of our Common Stock held by our
then existing shareholders. We may value any Common Stock issued in the future on an arbitrary basis. The issuance of Common
Stock for future services or acquisitions or other corporate actions may have the effect of diluting the value of the shares
held by our investors, and might have an adverse effect on any trading market for our Common Stock.
OUR COMMON SHARES ARE SUBJECT TO
THE “PENNY STOCK” RULES OF THE SEC AND THE TRADING MARKET IN OUR SECURITIES IS LIMITED, WHICH MAKES TRANSACTIONS IN
OUR STOCK CUMBERSOME AND MAY REDUCE THE VALUE OF AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STOCK.
The Securities and Exchange Commission
has adopted Rule 15g-9 which establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant to us, as any
equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject
to certain exceptions.
For any transaction involving a penny stock,
unless exempt, the rules require:
(a)
that a broker or dealer approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks; and
(b)
the broker or dealer receive from the investor a written agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased.
In order to approve a person’s account
for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must: (a) obtain financial information and investment experience objectives
of the person; and (b) make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny stocks are suitable for that person and the
person has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of transactions in penny
stocks.
The broker or dealer must also deliver,
prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the Commission relating to the penny stock market,
which, in highlight form: (a) sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination, and (b) that
the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. Generally, brokers may be
less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult
for investors to dispose of our Common shares and cause a decline in the market value of our stock.
Disclosure also has to be made about the
risks of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and about the commissions payable to both
the broker-dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available
to an investor in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements have to be sent disclosing recent price
information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.
12
LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS FOR BREACH
OF DUTY OF CARE IS LIMITED.
According to Nevada law (NRS 78.138(7)),
all Nevada corporations limit the liability of directors and officers, including acts not in good faith. Our stockholders’
ability to recover damages for fiduciary breaches may be reduced by this statute. In addition, we are obligated to indemnify our
directors and officers regarding stockholder suits which they successfully defend (NRS 78.7502).
BECAUSE WE DO NOT INTEND TO PAY ANY
CASH DIVIDENDS ON OUR COMMON STOCK, OUR STOCKHOLDERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A RETURN ON THEIR SHARES UNLESS THEY SELL THEM.
We intend to retain any future earnings
to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Common Stock in
the foreseeable future. Unless we pay dividends, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they
sell them. There is no assurance that stockholders will be able to sell shares when desired.
WE MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL SHARES OF
PREFERRED STOCK IN THE FUTURE THAT MAY ADVERSELY IMPACT YOUR RIGHTS AS HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK.
Our articles of incorporation authorize
us to issue up to issue up to 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock in various classes. As of December 31, 2017 there are 39,520,682
outstanding shares of common stock. Currently, the Company has issued 31,581 shares of Series A Preferred, 8,063 shares of Series
B Preferred and 0 shares of Series D Preferred stock outstanding. As of May 15, 2018, our outstanding preferred stock is convertible
into 233,496 shares of the Company’s Common Stock. Our board of directors will have the authority to fix and determine the
relative rights and preferences of preferred shares, as well as the authority to issue additional shares, without further stockholder
approval. As a result, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders
preferred rights to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividends before dividends are declared to holders of our
Common Stock, and the right to the redemption of such preferred shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of the
Common Stock. To the extent that we do issue such additional shares of preferred stock, your rights as holders of Common Stock
could be impaired thereby, including, without limitation, dilution of your ownership interests in us. In addition, shares of preferred
stock could be issued with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control or make removal of management more difficult,
which may not be in your interest as a holder of Common Stock.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.