TikTok isn’t solely driven by its famous algorithm: ByteDance employees can make posts go viral without any disclosures.
Discord doubles down on youth with Gas acquisition: The app is huge with teens, and the deal shows the acquirer’s interest in moving beyond its gaming roots.
Gen Z will represent 20% of the US population in 2023, and nearly 40 million of these Gen Zers are adults. This is the data you need to understand how to reach them—and tap their growing buying power.
TikTok’s recommendation oversight could usher in a new era for social media: The embattled app promised regulators access to its algorithm, which could mean similar changes for competitors.
Twitter takes a creator economy cue from Reddit and Twitch: Its new “coins” feature isn’t a terrible idea, but it’s coming at a challenging time for the creative class.
‘T2’ is part of a growing trend to topple Twitter: Platforms are racing to replace Twitter’s status as digital town square. A carbon copy of the site isn’t a prerequisite.
Pinterest was seen as the safest social media platform in the US last year, though the percentage of users who held that view declined from 2020 (51% versus 41%), according to our “US Digital Trust Benchmark 2022” report. Meanwhile, Facebook was where the lowest percentage of users felt safe, down to just 26% in 2022.
Content creation is changing as platforms share ad revenues with creators and all content becomes monetizable. “That’s going to send a wave of quick-hit, low-value content across social media as creators scramble to get more content out,” said our analyst Jasmine Enberg. Enberg predicts smaller creators will shift strategies as they try to earn more from their content.
YouTube Shorts courts creators with new payment scheme: The video leader is aiming to remain competitive with TikTok’s pursuit of highly influential users.
Though Meta’s sheer size makes it a platform that advertisers can’t afford to ignore, the titan of advertising’s throne has never sat on shakier ground.
2023 layoffs expose Big Tech’s dirty laundry: Tone deafness, overexpansion, and lack of focus on security are the industry’s pressing problems that need to be resolved before the economy recovers.
Reddit and Pinterest are here to prove that brand safety is king: At CES, the two platforms touted their safety and moderation policies while major competitors flounder.
TikTok deal with IMDb enables discovery feature: Users can link to TV and movie content in their videos.
CES delves into the creator economy: Sessions included topics such as data accessibility and influence of AI, underscoring the rising power of the booming creative class.
Tesla losing momentum in China: Faced with increasing competition, Teslas are being discounted in its biggest growth market. Shares continue to spiral while CEO Elon Musk hangs out at Twitter.
Twitter hack could have serious consequences: Fallout from last year’s Twitter breach is emerging as millions of user email addresses are circulated online. Prepare for phishing and more Twitter scrutiny.
Meta’s latest EU fine is more than a minor shakeup: The ruling, which Meta will appeal, could markedly limit its ability to target advertisements.
A quarter of US adults pay the most attention to TV commercials, making them the top ad format, followed closely by online ads, per CivicScience. Magazine and newspaper ads rank near the bottom, with only 4% and 5% paying them the most attention, respectively.
TikTok’s new teen controls should improve its own brand image: With lawmakers and regulators scrutinizing the platform on other fronts, strong moderation is a must-have.