Social media is a necessary evil of the 21st century. Without having at least one profile on the Internet, it’s almost impossible to keep track of what your friends and family are up to. Some people may argue that they can do without it – and maybe they can – but social media companies are growing more powerful each and every day.
This past week was a great example of how social media is influencing our culture and how it’s shaping our future. Important questions about freedom of speech, insights into how we’re all advertising targets, and reasons why startups are trying to compete with the big players were all major topics of conversation. In case you missed it, here are five articles across the Web you need to read:
1. Tragedy on Twitter: James Foley Case Raises Hard Social Media Questions
by Keith Wagstaff at NBC News
Twitter doesn’t actively monitor user content. Instead, it has a short list of rules that, among other things, bans “direct, specific threats of violence against others.” It’s a statement that Twitter uses to ban some violent images, but not others. Like any newspaper, Twitter has to make a moral judgment with the sensibilities of its users in mind. (It does not, however, have to worry about getting sued for libel, since it’s not legally considered the publisher of what shows up in people’s feeds).
2. Thinking About Snapchat Advertising? Snap Out of It
by Adam Kleinberg at Advertising Age
If you are a brand marketer thinking, “I’d better get on this Snapchat train before it leaves the station,” please slow down a second and make sure you know what you’re getting into. With news of Snapchat’s $10 billion valuation, it’s easy to come down with a case of “Shiny Object Syndrome.” But it’s important to have a clear picture of where you’re putting your brand – after all, there’s a reason brands pay a premium to be adjacent to quality content. You are the company you keep.
3. Instagram Rolls Out Deeper Analytics for Advertisers
by Todd Wasserman at Mashable
The desktop-based dashboard leverages Facebook’s demographic information to let advertisers see an age- and sex-based breakdown of users who are interacting with branded messages. In a staging area, marketers can also see how an ad will look on Instagram on a mobile phone. The metrics are not only for advertising, but for organic posts as well. Advertisers can get a detailed view of all the ads and posts they have previously filed, which they can sort by impressions, likes and chronology. Another option lets marketers see a raw data feed, which they can use with custom data-sorting systems.
4. Meet Sobrr, the Anti-Facebook App
by Doug Gross at CNN
The app’s co-founder, Bruce Yang, says that in an era when your third-grade teacher can find you on Facebook and anyone you’ve ever met at work wants to network on Linkedin, people are craving an app like Sobrr. It lets them share without worrying their actions will go down on their permanent record. The app’s name reflects the moment the idea first dawned on Yang – the morning after a Las Vegas bachelor party. He says he noticed all of his fellow partyers rushing onto their social media accounts to make sure they hadn’t shared any incriminating info about the previous night.
5. Taxi Drivers are Using Apps to Disrupt the Disruptors
by Katy Steinmetz at TIME
San Francisco has been transformed into a city full of smartphone-wielding guinea pigs, willing beta testers who try out new services and shovel feedback to engineers. But while many transportation startups are busy dreaming up new and unfamiliar offerings, Flywheel and similar companies like Curb and Hailo are trying to breathe high-tech life into the old taxis that have been around for decades. That business model comes with limitations as well as certain advantages – the biggest of which may be that the city of San Francisco is proving a willing ally, and that could in turn prove a model for other metros. (Lyft did not respond to an interview request for this article, and Uber declined.)
The Internet is no longer a new phenomenon; many people have been actively using it for two decades now. And as of January 2014, 74% of online adults claim to use social networking websites as part of online activities. Everywhere you look people are checking in, updating their statuses, or taking selfies. Whether you are one of these individuals or not, there’s no denying that social media plays a major part in your life. The only question you have to ask yourself is: Is this a good or bad thing?
