1.Instagram is adding some new in-app 'nudges' to help minimize harmful impacts on younger users. The new nudges will come in two forms, with the main one being an entirely new notification designed to re-direct users away from potentially harmful topics. The second form of nudge will
be less intrusive, and will simply offer a pop-up message with suggestions for other activities if the app detects that a user is spending an extended period of time on a particular topic. Both features are designed to encourage users to take a break from scrolling through their feeds, and to instead focus on other activities. The move comes in response to concerns around overuse, and the mental health impacts of comparison in the app. Instagram has stated that the goal is to "create a healthier
environment" for its users, and that it will be monitoring the effects of the nudges over time.
2. Fortnite continues to be a cultural phenomenon, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In an effort to tap into this vast and engaged audience, Axe has teamed up with one of the leading content creators in the game, Atlas Creative Studios, to design a custom island. The island, which goes live today (June 15), will feature a number of challenges for players to complete, as well as a host of branded Axe
products. This is just the latest example of how brands are looking to capitalize on Fortnite's massive popularity, and it certainly won't be the last. Whether or not this partnership will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Fortnite shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
3. Chief marketers are feeling the pressure, with 57% admitting they would 'save their ass' rather than 'take a bullet' for the chief executive. The high-pressure environment may explain why just 49% of chief marketers can count on the personal trust of their chief executives, according to a report from Forrester. The study, which surveyed 117 chief marketing officers (CMOs) in North America and Europe,
found that CMOs are struggling to prove their worth to the CEOs. Just over half (51%) of CMOs said they have a good understanding of what drives business value in their organizations, and less than half (48%) said they have a clear picture of how their activities contribute to business outcomes. Chief executives are also becoming more involved in marketing decisions, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of CMOs saying that CEOs are more involved in marketing than they were three years ago. As a result,
CMOs are feeling the need to show tangible results for their efforts. More than three-quarters (76%) said they are under pressure to prove the ROI of marketing, and nearly two-thirds (64%) said they are under pressure to show how marketing contributes to business growth. However, the high
4. Google has agreed to pay $100 million to Illinois residents to settle a class-action lawsuit over one of its facial recognition features in Google Photos. The complaint alleges Google’s face grouping tool, which automatically identifies your face in photos and videos uploaded to Photos, violates Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act. Under the settlement, each of the 1.5 million Illinois residents who filed a claim will receive $333.
Google will also destroy all the facial recognition data it collected through the feature. The settlement is the largest ever under the Biometric Information Privacy Act and is likely to have a significant impact on how tech companies use facial recognition technology in the future. (via Gizmodo)
5. A few days ago, a Google software engineer and artificial intelligence (AI) researcher made a startling claim: the tech company's latest system for generating chatbots was sentient. This claim quickly generated controversy, with leading AI researchers dismissing it as false. The debate highlights the ongoing difficulty of creating truly sentient AI, and the challenges of determining whether or not AI systems have attained sentience. While the Google researcher's claim may ultimately
be proven incorrect, it serves as a reminder of the importance of continued research in this area.
6. In a letter sent to Twitter’s Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde, Musk’s team has asserted that Twitter has breached the terms of the takeover deal by refusing to provide more insight into the number of fake profiles on its platform, which Twitter pegs at 5% of its active user count. Musk himself has publicly questioned this figure, and now, he appears to be looking to use this as a means to back out of the deal. This could potentially spell
trouble for Twitter, which is already facing increased scrutiny over its handling of fake accounts and bots. If Musk is successful in backing out of the deal, it could set a precedent for other users who may feel deceived by the platform’s inflated user numbers.
7. A new survey has found that over 73% of Americans have experienced passive aggression at work. The majority of those experiences occur via email, with the average professional receiving more than 120 emails a day. According to the research, workers are most likely to be annoyed by references to "the team," "let's touch base," and "per my last email." In addition, they are also likely to be irked by
solicitations for help that are phrased as questions, such as "Can you hop on a call with me for two minutes?" and "Could you take a look at this real quick?" While it may seem like a harmless way to communicate, these phrases can come across as condescending or even aggressive. As a result, it's important to be mindful of how your emails might be interpreted by your coworkers. With a little bit of effort, you can avoid causing annoyance or frustration - and maintain good working relationships
with your colleagues.
8. Businesses worldwide are planning to spend more money on digital marketing over the next 18 months, according to The State of Martech 2022, a study released Tuesday by Clevertouch in partnership with the UK’s Southampton Business School. Of the companies polled, 77% will allocate more budget to their digital marketing initiatives. And 70% are focusing on being a digital-first business, with U.S. companies leading the way at 87%. The study
also found that businesses are becoming more sophisticated in their use of martech, with 43% using 10 or more solutions and 19% using more than 20. However, they are still facing challenges when it comes to integrating these solutions and extracting value from them. Just over half (51%) of respondents said they were able to effectively integrate their martech stack, while only 38% said they were able to fully capitalize on their data.
9. Republican Senator John Thune said Tuesday that he will introduce legislation that would prohibit large tech companies from “censoring” political emails. In remarks made to the press and posted to Twitter, the South Dakota lawmaker said the Republicans say that some platforms, including Google, “have been discriminating against some of the content put out in the 2020 election.” The proposed bill would make it illegal for tech companies to
“censor” political speech, and would impose fines of up to $1 million per day for violators. It is not clear how the bill would define “censorship,” or how it would be enforced. However, the proposal is likely to face opposition from free speech advocates, who argue that private companies have a right to regulate the content on their platforms.
10. Most consumers believe that text messages are effective for reminders about appointments, emergency notifications, and delivery confirmations. Email is seen as more effective for order confirmation, payment support, and promotional offers. These findings come from a recent study, which asked consumers to rate the effectiveness of various communication channels for a variety of purposes. The study found that text messaging was rated most
highly for appointment reminders (75%), emergency notifications (67%), and delivery confirmations (65%). Email was rated more highly for order confirmation (52%), flash sales (43%), event invitations (49%), customer support (38%), payment support (60%), and promotional offers (53%). The study shows that different communication channels are seen as more or less effective depending on the purpose. As a result, businesses should carefully consider which channel to use for each type of communication
in order to maximize its effectiveness.
