Posts

threads

Threads Reaches 100 Million Sign-Ups As Twitter’s Traffic Falls

/in , /by

In just five days, 100 million users have signed up for Twitter’s rival app, Threads. Meanwhile, Twitter’s user traffic has dropped as the platform continues to battle outages and controversies over its lax moderation policies.

The new platform’s rapid expansion has already outpaced that of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s viral chatbot, which had reached 10 million users in 40 days.

Due to Europe’s intricate regulatory systems, the app has not yet been released there. If it does launch there, it can potentially pose a serious threat to Twitter, which has 238 million daily active users.

Threads’s success can largely be traced to its integration with Meta’s Instagram service. New users can sign up using their already established Instagram handle.

In a post on the platform, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, shared his excitement for the speed of the app’s growth.

“Threads reached 100 million sign-ups over the weekend. That’s mostly organic demand and we haven’t even turned on many promotions yet. Can’t believe it’s only been 5 days!”

Embed from Getty Images

Similarweb, a data company specializing in web analytics, found that in the first two full days Threads was generally available, web traffic to Twitter was down 5 percent compared to the previous week. According to the company, Twitter has seen an 11% drop in website traffic compared to the same period in 2022.

A letter from Elon Musk’s longtime attorney Alex Spiro to Meta alleging “unlawful misappropriation” of trade secrets shows that Musk, Twitter’s owner, is already concerned about Threads.

The letter accuses Threads of hiring former Twitter employees to build a “copycat” platform using confidential information. In a tweet, Elon Musk acknowledged the letter, stating, “Competition is fine, cheating is not.”

Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a Threads post that Meta’s purpose is not to replace Twitter but rather “to create a public square for communities on Instagram that never really embraced Twitter.”

Embed from Getty Images

“The goal isn’t to replace Twitter. The goal is to create a public square for communities on Instagram that never really embraced Twitter and for communities on Twitter (and other platforms) that are interested in a less angry place for conversations, but not all of Twitter. Politics and hard news are inevitably going to show up on Threads – they have on Instagram as well to some extent – but we’re not going to do anything to encourage those verticals.”

Messages posted on Threads will have a 500-character limit. Like on Twitter, users can reply to, repost and quote other user posts. The app has a similar aesthetic to Instagram and also allows users to share posts from Threads directly to their Instagram stories.

Accounts can be public or private, and verification on Instagram carries over to Threads. Mark Zuckerberg also called the app a “public space” in a Threads post after its launch.

“The vision for Threads is to create an option and friendly public space for conversation. We hope to take what Instagram does best and create a new experience around text, ideas, and discussing what’s on your mind.”

meta

Meta To Launch Paid Subscription Services For Facebook And Instagram 

/in , /by

Mark Zuckerberg announced on Instagram this weekend that Meta is currently testing a subscription service in which users of Instagram and Facebook can pay to get verified; similar to Twitter’s recent launch of its paid Twitter Blue services where users can pay for verification. 

Meta will be releasing “Meta Verified” in Australia and New Zealand this week, in which users will have the option to pay either $11.99 a month for web service or $14.99 a month on iOS devices. 

Embed from Getty Images

The service will also include extra protection from impersonation accounts and direct access to customer support services. 

To avoid an increase in fake accounts, users who want the paid service will need to provide proof through a government ID which matches their profile name and picture; users must also be 18 to be eligible for the service. 

“This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services.”

A Meta spokesperson also stated that there will be “no changes to accounts that are already verified,” as verification was previously given to users who are “authentic and notable.”

Embed from Getty Images

“We are evolving the meaning of the blue badge to focus on authenticity so we can expand verification access to more people. We will display the follower count in more places so people can distinguish which accounts are notable public figures among accounts that share the same name.”

Twitter recently launched its own version of this paid verification subscription service with Twitter Blue; launched in December. 

This move came from Twitter after an influx in fake “verified” accounts began to take over the platform. 

For Twitter, each checkmark is a different color to differentiate what type of account is verified: gold check marks for companies, gray for government entities and other government organizations, and blue for the average individual.

Twitter Blue currently costs $11 a month for iOS and Android users.

mobile

GLAAD Report Shows Social Media Giants Aren’t Doing Enough To Protect LGBTQ Users

/in , /by

When it comes to protecting groups that are vulnerable to slurs and harassment, a new report shows major social media platforms are falling short.

According to advocate group GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index (SMSI), which assesses and provides recommendations for the five major platforms (TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter), all platforms scored below 50% out of a possible 100%.

The SMSI grades platforms on 12 LGBTQ-specific factors, which include gender pronouns on user profiles, third-party advertisers, content moderator training, actions to restrict harmful content, and stopping the removal of or demonetizing legitimate LGBTQ content.

Embed from Getty Images

Coming in the highest was Instagram (48%), while TikTok came in last with 43%. Twitter scored the most zeros across the 12 categories with five. How LGBTQ members are received on social media plays a big role in the real world, GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis explained.

“This type of rhetoric and “content” that dehumanizes LGBTQ people has real-world impact. These malicious and false narratives, relentlessly perpetuated by right-wing media and politicians, continue to negatively impact public understanding of LGBTQ people — driving hatred, and violence, against our community,” Ellis said in a letter.

Ellis noted that the strategy of using misunderstanding and hate to help support legislation by politicians, which have proposed 325 anti-LGBTQ bills since the start of 2022, is something “we’ve seen across history.”

The SMSI grades line up with how users feel. A survey by GLAAD found that 84% of LGBTQ adults agree there aren’t enough protections on social media to prevent discrimination, harassment, or disinformation, while 40% of LGBTQ adults and 49% of transgender and nonbinary people don’t feel safe on social media.

The five platforms did excel in certain areas. Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) was just one of two that disclosed information on the training of content moderators while having a clear policy on prohibiting LGBTQ-offensive advertising.

GLAAD also highlighted TikTok and Twitter’s feature of preventing users from misgendering or deadnaming nonbinary and transgender people and recommended all platforms follow that innovative lead.

Embed from Getty Images

“This recommendation remains an especially high priority in our current landscape where anti-trans rhetoric and attacks are so prevalent, vicious, and harmful,” GLAAD’s senior director of social media safety, Jenni Olson, said.

However, those positives were overshadowed by a sea of negatives that ultimately resulted in failing grades. Most were docked for their policies’ limitations and enforcement, while GLAAD explained TikTok was lacking “adequate transparency” in several areas.

“The company currently does not disclose options for users to control the company’s collection of information related to their sexual orientation and gender identity,” the report said, recommending it should give users control over their own data and diversify their workforce.

“Notably, TikTok was the only company that did not disclose any information on steps it takes to diversify its workforce.”

Ellis called the companies’ performances “unacceptable.” “At this point, after their years of empty apologies and hollow promises, we must also confront the knowledge that social media platforms and companies are prioritizing profit over LGBTQ safety and lives.”

The safety of social media is particularly important when considering the vulnerable states of young LGBTQ users. According to The Trevor Project, 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered committing suicide in the last year, while 73% reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety.

Instagram Now Allowing All Users To Tag Products As Ads In Posts

/in , /by

Instagram is now allowing all users to tag products in the posts they upload to their feeds, enabling any photo to act as an advertisement for whatever product is tagged.

Instagram initially announced their plans to give everyone the ability to tag products in their photos last month. The feature is now currently available for all users. Originally this feature was only available for content creators who make their income by selling products through their Instagram posts.

Users can now tag products in their images as long as the business is registered and set up with Instagram Shopping. The company made a statement regarding the update to the app and their hopes for the future.

Embed from Getty Images

“From supporting brands you love to helping your friends and family discover new products they may like, sharing products on Instagram just got easier.”

Full instructions on how users can tag a brand and specific product are posted on the company’s blog, but it essentially works the same way as when you would tag a person in your picture.

Like when another individual is tagged in a post, users will be able to see when an image has product tags, and can easily click the image to have the link appear. Users can then purchase the tagged product directly in the app or through the brand’s product page.

With this new feature any Instagram post can be an advertisement, something that is likely very exciting for brands, however, it’s not clear what the benefits are to the average user, who’s essentially providing free advertising through their posts. Instagram, however, believes that this is a feature many users will utilize.

Embed from Getty Images

Business owners will receive a notification whenever someone tags a product of theirs in a photo and they can manage and view all tagged content on their profile. Businesses can also manage who can tag their products in their preference settings.

Instagram claims that this is just the beginning for product tagging for the average user, and they’re currently working on more ways to bring this feature to other aspects of the app as well. For the past couple of years Instagram has pivoted to become more of a platform for shopping, and the company has been transparent about the ways in which they’re trying to monetize every aspect of the app.

The company even said they no longer want to be viewed as just a photo-sharing app, unless it’s referring to their goals of expanding shopping and video features on the app.

In December, Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri said that it” is prioritizing Reels as well as shopping in 2022,” so time will tell what other features will be implemented to further support the app’s goals.

Facebook Postpones “Instagram For Kids”

/in , /by

Following sharp backlash from parents, users, and lawmakers, Facebook has announced that it is pausing their latest venture: “Instagram Kids,” a spin-off of the photo-sharing app that would target tweens between the ages of 10-12.

In a statement published on their blog, Facebook explained that while the need to continue building their project remains, they will be working with those who were most vocal about Facebook’s planned platform:

“While we stand by the need to develop this experience, we’ve decided to pause this project. This will give us time to work with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators, to listen to their concerns, and to demonstrate the value and importance of this project for younger teens online today.”

Embed from Getty Images

The app had been in development since March and was set to be led by the head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and Facebook vice president Pavni Diwanji. Diwanji had previously been influential in Google’s launch of Youtube Kids back in 2015.

However, the titan of industry, which acquired Instagram in 2012, did not back down from the vast amount of criticism and admit failure. Instead, they defended their attempts at targeting a group that some might argue are the most vulnerable to the dangers and pressures of the online world:

“Critics of “Instagram Kids” will see this as an acknowledgement that the project is a bad idea. That’s not the case. The reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today.”

While the app may not be going forward at the moment, there is plenty of merit to creating a safe social platform space for younger audiences who, one way or another, will inevitably make their way online.

When you hear the words “middle school” and “social media,” cyberbullying is probably the first thought to your mind. Thanks to Instagram’s popularity among teens and it’s plethora of features, which include direct and group messaging, stories, tagging, posting, and multiple account creations, it has become a breeding ground for aggressive virtual assaults.

According to the Pew Research Center, 59% of teenagers have experienced at least one method of harassment online across all platforms of social media. These can include name-calling, negative rumors, and receiving unrequested explicit images.

Embed from Getty Images

Ditch the Label, a U.K. based anti-bullying charity, conducted a survey in 2017 that showed that out of the 78% of young users on Instagram, 42% experienced some form of cyberbullying. That was the highest bullying rate of all young users on any platform, beating out Facebook by 6%:

The Pew Research Center also found that 66% of teens felt social media platforms were not doing a good enough job of addressing online harassment. Facebook has stated their plans to continue enhancing safety on Instagram, implementing changes such as AI detection technology, restrictions, hidden words and the ability to make accounts private.

Facebook has also started using cross-checking technology in order to confirm user ages. Up until a couple years ago, Instagram had only required a new user to input their birth date in order to confirm they were 13 or older- something that was unbelievably easy for young tweens to lie about.

Despite Facebook’s continued safety measures, a recent Wall Street Journal report has revealed that the company is aware of the potential dangers their apps hold to their younger target audience, specifically to teen girls. However, the company has downplayed these concerns publicly.

This new information has led politicians to cast doubt on Facebook and Instagram’s ability to correctly adapt a system that prioritizes the safety of young users while also maintaining their key aspects that allow cyberbullying to consist.

Facebook Whistleblower To Testify In Front Of Senate Regarding Company’s Impact On Kids

/in , /by

Frances Haugen is a former Facebook product manager, who was recently identified as the Facebook whistleblower who released tens of thousands of pages of research and documents that indicate the company was more than aware of the various negative impacts its platforms have, particularly on young girls. 

Haugen worked on civic integrity issues within the company. Now, Haugen will be questioned by a Senate Commerce subcommittee about what Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, knew regarding its effects on young users and a multitude of other issues. 

Embed from Getty Images

“I believe what I did was right and necessary for the common good — but I know Facebook has infinite resources, which it could use to destroy me. I came forward because I recognized a frightening truth: almost no one outside of Facebook knows what happens inside Facebook.”

Haugen previously shared a series of documents with regulators at the Wall Street Journal, which published a multi-part investigation on Facebook, showing the platform was aware of the problems within its apps, including the negative effects of misinformation’s and the harm caused by Instagram on young users. 

“When we realized tobacco companies were hiding the harm it caused, the government took action. When we figured out cars were safer with seat belts, the government took action. And today, the government is taking action against companies that hid evidence on opioids. I implore you to do the same here. Facebook’s leadership won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their immense profits before people,” she explained. 

This is not the first time Facebook will be subject to Congressional hearings regarding its power and influence over its users. Haugen’s upcoming testimony will speak to the overall issue of social media platforms and the amount of power they have in regards to personal data and privacy practices. 

Embed from Getty Images

Haugen discussed how her goal isn’t to bring down Facebook, but to reform it from the toxic traits that continue to exist today. Around a month ago Haugen filed at least eight complaints to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The complaints alleged that the company is hiding research about its shortcomings from investors, and of course, the public. 

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection, released a statement this Sunday after Haugen’s appearance on “60 Minutes” where she identified herself as the whistleblower.

“From her [Haugen’s] first visit to my office, I have admired her backbone and bravery in revealing terrible truths about one of the world’s most powerful, implacable corporate giants. We now know about Facebook’s destructive harms to kids … because of documents Frances revealed.”

Following the Wall Street Journal’s investigative piece on Facebook, Antigone Davis, the company’s global head of safety, was questioned by members of the same Senate subcommittee, specifically in regards to Facebook’s impact on young users. Davis tried to downplay the idea that these reports are being seen as a “bombshell” by the public, and didn’t commit to releasing a fully detailed research report, to defend Facebook’s side of the argument, due to “privacy considerations.”

“Facebook’s actions make clear that we cannot trust it to police itself. We must consider stronger oversight, effective protections for children, and tools for parents, among the needed reforms,” Senator Blumenthal added.

Instagram

Head Of Instagram Says App Is ‘No Longer For Sharing Photos’

/in , /by

Adam Mosseri, head of popular social media app Instagram, claimed recently that the platform is shifting its focus to compete more directly with TikTok. This means Instagram will begin prioritizing putting entertainment, videos, and shopping at the center of the apps experience. 

“We are no longer a photo-sharing app. The number one reason people say they use Instagram, based on research, is to be entertained.” 

Embed from Getty Images

He went on to explain how he recently “told the company that because of this data, Instagram will lean into the entertainment trend and video. TikTok and YouTube are huge competitors to Instagram, so in order to stay relevant, the app must evolve.”

“People are looking to Instagram to be entertained, and there’s stiff competition, and there is more to do and we have to embrace that, and that means change.”

Mosseri discussed how the app is currently experimenting with a change that involves showing users more recommended posts in their feeds that directly relate to the accounts that they already follow. 

Media reports on this shift stated that the changes would “make Instagram theoretically function similarly to how YouTube manages its home page.” TikTok has a similar function that shows users recommended videos and users based on the other posts that they’ve liked. 

Embed from Getty Images

Mosseri claims beyond just posts and users, however, Instagram will be working to make the recommendations more topical, so users can tell the app what kind of content they want to see more or less of. 

Mosseri says that “Instagram’s goals moving forward are to embrace video more broadly beyond its IGTV, Reels, and Stories integrations. Instagram wants to focus on more full-screen, immersive, mobile-first video experiences over the square photo-sharing app that it has been.”

The rise of recommended content has been growing exponentially among all social media platforms. Some users love it, and some hate it, which is why Apple recently implemented an update that lets users decide which apps can track what the user is doing. 

It’ll be interesting to see how much Instagram shifts to be more like TikTok or YouTube, and if that shift will help it gain more popularity, or cause a decrease in user engagement due to the fact that many people complain about missing when Instagram was just for uploading one photo at a time. 

Britney Spears Star

Britney Spears Speaks Out After Request To End Conservatorship 

/in , /by

Britney Spears spoke for the first time in front of a judge to request an end to her conservatorship. After the pop star made headlines with the shocking revelations of what her team and family have put her through, she took to social media to speak to her fans directly who have been so supportive and outspoken about the abuse Spears has faced over the past two decades. 

“I just want to tell you guys a little secret, I believe as people we all want the fairy tale life and by the way I’ve posted … my life seems to look and be pretty amazing … I think that’s what we all strive for !!!!” Spears posted on her Instagram.

Embed from Getty Images

“I’m bringing this to people’s attention because I don’t want people to think my life is perfect because IT’S DEFINITELY NOT AT ALL … and if you have read anything about me in the news this week … you obviously really know now it’s not !!!!”

“I apologize for pretending like I’ve been ok the past two years … I did it because of my pride and I was embarrassed to share what happened to me … but honestly who doesn’t want to capture their Instagram in a fun light !!!!” 

“Believe it or not, pretending that I’m ok has actually helped … so I decided to post this quote today because by golly if you’re going through hell … I feel like Instagram has helped me have a cool outlet to share my presence … existence … and to simply feel like I matter despite what I was going through and hey it worked … so I’ve decided to start reading more fairy tales,” Spears concluded her post.

While the Instagram caption seemed to make sense in terms of the week Spears’ has had, many of her fans who have led the #FREEBRITNEY movement have exposed multiple times that the singer is not in control of her own social media as a part of her conservatorship. 

Embed from Getty Images

This became especially apparent with the release of the “Framing Britney Spears” documentary and numerous press conferences her father and his attorney have held in which they claimed Britney was fine and liked the conservatorship. Many fans said if she really felt like that why has she never said anything herself? Why is it always through other people or a screen and never from her voice directly? 

Well, during the virtual hearing in a Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Spears finally was able to speak for herself, and she didn’t hold back with how much she despised her conservatorship.

“I want changes and I want changes going forward. I don’t want to be evaluated to determine if I’ve regained my mental capacity. I just want my life back. All I want is to own my money and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. I want to sue my family.”

Spears must now file a formal petition to end the conservatorship, something she always had the ability to do, but was never told she could. After the petition is filed an investigator will be appointed by the court to the case, and they will speak to everyone involved in the current arrangement. 

Future court proceedings may be sealed moving forward until an actual solution is met, however, one thing is now for sure, the world truly knows what Britney Spears has been enduring throughout her whole career, and a change will be made.

How ‘Instagrammable’ Immersive Experiences Are Shaping Commercial Real Estate

/in , /by

Ari Rastegar is the CEO of Rastegar Property Company, a real estate company focused on value-oriented properties. Rastegar recently wrote about how these types of “instagrammable” locations will likely be a major player in rebuilding the industry as the pandemic comes to an end within the next year or so. 

Read more
Facebook App on Wood Background

US Government Files Major Lawsuit Against Facebook

/in , /by

Dozens of state and federal government bodies have sued Facebook in twin antitrust lawsuits that allege the social media platform has “abused its dominance in the digital marketplace and engaged in anticompetitive behavior.” The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is specifically seeking a permanent injunction to be made in federal court that would require Facebook to divest its assets, which includes popular social media apps Instagram and WhatsApp.

“Personal social networking is central to the lives of millions of Americans. Facebook‘s actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition. Our aim is to roll back Facebook’s anticompetitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive,” said Ian Conner, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, in a statement to the press. 

Embed from Getty Images

The multiple lawsuits have been months in the making and reflect a major point of contention that has existed in the tech industry for awhile now. Facebook acquired Instagram back in 2012 in a deal worth $1 billion. Two years later it announced that it was buying WhatsApp in a deal that was worth $19 billion. 

New York Attorney General Letita James made an announcement around 14 months ago that claimed her office was leading a group of attorneys in investigating Facebook for alleged anti competitive practices. More than 40 attorneys general signed onto the complaint that was filed against the platform this week. The FTC investigation has been completely separate from what James has been working on, however, the two legal complaints essentially regard the same issues. 

“For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition.”

Embed from Getty Images

James continues to claim that “by using its vast troves of data and money, Facebook has squashed or hindered what the company perceived to be potential threats.” The New York state suit involves a court order that demands Facebook notify state officials of any future business deals and acquisitions worth $10 million or more. 

Facebook has over 3 billion users worldwide across its portfolio of apps. The dominance has raised a lot of concerns for competing platforms and brands in the industry, especially with the way that Facebook has been involved in the elections and with Trump’s administration in general. Google was involved in a similar federal suit this year after it was alleged that the company had “stifled its competition” in order to maintain its power as the most popular search engine. 

The issue of having “too much power” has existed within the tech industry since the dawn of its creation. Potential anticompetitive behavior is the most prominent in that industry in particular, and is one of the greatest threats to the way our economy works, according to the lawsuits. For Facebook, government officials will now work to prove that the company’s misconduct led to real-world harms to its competitors, and users. 

In another allegation, state officials claim that Facebook has opened up its platform to third-party app developers, however, once the multi-billion dollar company perceives those developers as a threat, it cuts off its services and funding as a means of killing it before it grows too large.