Instagram and Facebook introduce features to combat fake news and bullying

Instagram and Facebook have announced the introduction of new features to help combat fake news and bullying.

In 2019, Instagram introduced a feature that filtered comments. This new AI-powered feature is an extension of the earlier one which alerts users with a warning that their caption looks similar to others that have been previously reported based on the words that are used in the caption.

The Instagram team wrote on Facebook: “Today, when someone writes a caption...

17 December 2019 | Advertising

On Black Friday, try showcasing your values instead of slashing your prices

This Black Friday, French cosmetics startup Typology won’t make a single euro cent in profit. That’s because instead of slashing prices and scrambling for customers, the company is launching a campaign called “#BlackForGood”, donating its profits to environmental charities. “This campaign is intended to be a positive and encouraging call to action for those who agree that Black Friday could be better,” says founder Ning Li.

27 November 2019 | Advertising

Like for like? Why the traditional tool of social media affirmation needed to shift

The ‘like’ was unassuming. Few anticipated that a miniature, good-willed icon of a thumbs-up could dictate corporate and cognitive wellbeing. At its best, the like has been massively generative to individual and industry alike. It’s turned people into brands, spawning influencer culture, and has reshaped global marketing.

But the like isn’t always at its best. People have died chasing them (think selfies on railroad tracks) and taken their lives for not...

26 November 2019 | Attribution

Instagram confirms it is hiding likes in the US: The agency and analyst perspective

Instagram has been dabbling in the waters of hiding likes, but with the news last week that the US was being tested the company jumped right in – and certainly made a splash in the process.

Speaking at the Wired 25 event in San Francisco, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri confirmed the rollout. The system, which has seen test initiatives take place in seven countries this year including Australia, Canada and Ireland, will mean some users, while being able to still personally see how...

18 November 2019 | Attribution

For cybersecurity marketers, a sense of clarity is desperately needed

Security marketers are all battling to differentiate the problem they are solving and how the solution or service they provide helps to solve that problem better than anyone else. Driving home this latter point isn’t always easy given how crowded the enterprise security stack is today.

According to CSO, the average enterprise organisation has 75 security products deployed on their network and even more alarming is that 20% of global employees would sell their credentials,...

15 November 2019 | Best Practice

It’s finally time to ditch the vanity metrics – and focus on these measurements instead

Today’s marketers have oceans of data at their disposal that they can use to track a nearly endless array of metrics to measure performance. Being able to eliminate assumptions and objectively evaluate campaigns is something marketers have always wanted. If they’re going to use data effectively, however, they need to acknowledge that not all metrics are created equal.

Vanity metrics are exactly what their name implies: indicators that flatter marketers rather than...

21 October 2019 | Advertising

Why it’s good to get obsessed about your customer service

Digital channels have become more pervasive for personal communications. Businesses realise they can use them in different ways to influence buyer behaviour, and marketing departments have slowly begun to add digital platforms to their technology stacks.  But with so many choices, the power has shifted to the customer, allowing them to control how, when, and where they want to interact with you.

Look at how many ways younger generations communicate with friends, family and...

24 September 2019 | Customer Experience

We are in a tech distraction epidemic: Leadership, teamwork and coaching will help fix it

For anyone struggling with workplace distraction; believe me, I’ve been there. For anyone who doesn’t think they are struggling with workplace distraction; believe me, you are.

As a digital anthropologist in Silicon Valley, I have studied this topic for years and should have known better, but a few years ago I was so mired in distraction that I missed deadlines and couldn’t finish an important book proposal. Concentrating for five minutes was an achievement.

11 September 2019 | Attribution

Social media users say they can spot fake news – but is their confidence misplaced?

Are you confident when it comes to spotting fake news? According to a new study, almost everyone is – and this confidence means they have no problems in changing their social media activity as the 2020 elections loom.

Data from B2B marketing and research firm Clutch has found that 97% of the more than 500 US-based social media users polled said they were confident in their ability to recognise fake news on social media.

Facebook is the most frequent platform for...

9 September 2019 | Attribution

Deepfakes and distortions, scare tactics and suppression: NYU report examines social and the 2020 US elections

A new report from the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights has explored the various forms of disinformation which could predicate the 2020 US presidential election – and how social media companies need to react to it.

Allegations around interference from Russia in the 2016 elections continue to be prevalent. As the Mueller report put it – and as reported by CNN – Russian hackers compromised local election systems of two Florida counties in 2016....

4 September 2019 | Attribution