social media

Actor Adam Scott and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s social media team are in a Twitter fight

The actor responded unfavorably to a tweet by McConnell's campaign, and the beef didn't stop there.




social media

Scamming You Through Social Media

You may be aware that cyber attacks will try to trick you over the phone or through email using phishing attacks, but do you realize they may try to attack you also over Social Media, such as through Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn? Just like in email, if you get any Social Media messages that are highly urgent or too good to be true, it may be an attack.




social media

Numbers never lie…unless you’re talking social media

Back in college, I took a class on statistics and never forgot the first lesson my professor taught us, which was, “Anyone can manipulate numbers to make them mean whatever they want.” I see this point magnified today by the …




social media

Social media and the visibility of horrific violence

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

Constance Duncombe

Images are central to social media communication. Billions of images are shared across different social media platforms every day: photos, cartoons, GIFs and short video clips are exchanged by users, facilitating or framing discourse on participatory sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Many of these images depict events of extreme violence, which circulate uninhibited by the conventional constraints associated with traditional news media censorship. A question arises here as to how such images mobilize public and policy-making responses to atrocities. This article examines the political dynamics of violent social media images. I argue that the particular qualities of social media can play an important role in how the digital visibility of horrific violence influences policy-making as a response to such atrocities. There is an important connection between the properties of social media platforms that allow user images to reach a global audience in real time and the emotional responses that this level of circulation generates. In turn, the pressure created by events made globally visible through the circulation of violent images and the audience responses to those images puts governments in a position where they are forced to act, which has significant implications for policy-making.




social media

Social media and the visibility of horrific violence

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

Constance Duncombe

Images are central to social media communication. Billions of images are shared across different social media platforms every day: photos, cartoons, GIFs and short video clips are exchanged by users, facilitating or framing discourse on participatory sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Many of these images depict events of extreme violence, which circulate uninhibited by the conventional constraints associated with traditional news media censorship. A question arises here as to how such images mobilize public and policy-making responses to atrocities. This article examines the political dynamics of violent social media images. I argue that the particular qualities of social media can play an important role in how the digital visibility of horrific violence influences policy-making as a response to such atrocities. There is an important connection between the properties of social media platforms that allow user images to reach a global audience in real time and the emotional responses that this level of circulation generates. In turn, the pressure created by events made globally visible through the circulation of violent images and the audience responses to those images puts governments in a position where they are forced to act, which has significant implications for policy-making.




social media

What's Your Favorite Social Media Platform?




social media

Useful social media tips for startups




social media

Software flaws often first reported on social media networks, PNNL researchers find

(DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Software vulnerabilities are more likely to be discussed on social media before they're revealed on a government reporting site, a practice that could pose a national security threat, according to computer scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.




social media

African Agency Holds Power to Account in a Social Media Age

18 December 2019

Yusuf Hassan

Parliamentary and Media Outreach Assistant, Africa Programme

Waihiga Mwaura

News Anchor, Citizen TV Kenya
Structures to support more in-depth investigative journalism are vital in Africa because that seems to be the only thing those in power still truly fear.

2019-12-17-Africa-Ivory-Coast-Media.jpg

Broadcast technicians work in a control room during the official launch of the Digital Terrestrial Television (TNT) in February 2019 near Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images.

Africa’s media landscape has undergone a significant change over the last decade as digitalization and new forms of media consumption have weakened state control of information. Social media has provided an opportunity for African citizens and journalists to take agency over how the continent is presented to the wider world, and many emerging African voices bring clarity to this digitally disrupted marketplace. But significant external support is required to make these efforts sustainable.  

There is no one ‘African’ story. African media remains as diverse as the 55 states in the African Union, with each national media ecosystem dependent on patterns of culture and governance - most importantly the power gap between those in leadership and their voters.

Journalists from Egypt, Eritrea and Cameroon - states in the 2019 global top 10 for putting their colleagues in prison - have different perspectives from those in other more liberal African countries.

This is most visible in traditional media where a business model based on advertising revenue has allowed African media houses to grow. But it is susceptible to manipulation from state and business actors holding outlets to ransom in exchange for editorial influence or control – a particularly acute problem in states where business and political elites are closely intertwined, and a middle-class consumer base to fund market-driven advertising has yet to develop.

Those African countries with relatively open borders, stronger passports and a more vibrant civil society also tend to have a more diverse and vibrant media environment. Open borders allow for easier movement, granting journalists the opportunity to travel, benchmark and participate in exchange programs.

The power of online networking

The advent of the social media age has begun to disrupt the links between governance and media health, as the large operations required by ‘serious’ media organizations have been replaced by mobile phone cameras and social media timelines.

Many African journalists are at the forefront of this innovation, unrestricted by historical perceptions of how journalism should be presented, and free to disrupt and change the established narratives to better engage with their ever-growing audiences.

And, far from replacing journalism, social media has actively empowered African journalists and media professionals. Instead of acting as sources for international media outlets as in the past, African journalists can publish their work on their own platforms, enabling greater ownership of how issues in their localities are globally framed. This local voice is often the key to avoiding the endemic oversimplifications and generalisations that have coloured much external coverage of the continent.

Obviously, these changes bring risks. Individual uploaders are largely free to publish what they like, and misinformation can - and often has - lead to devastating consequences, evident in recent violence across central Mali, South Africa and the middle belt of Nigeria.

But journalists on the African continent have an increasingly important role in preventing the spread of misinformation, not only as purveyors of news but also as fact-checkers, able to discern the difference between valid opinion and dubious rhetoric on social media, while new pan-African digital networks and discussion groups enable journalists to share knowledge, expertise, and story ideas, or quickly verify information from across the continent.

It is now possible to quickly find authentic voices for TV, radio or online commentary through digital platforms, present on the ground and able to speak with real authority. Many online networks also include Africa-focused journalists from outside the continent, and any biased or incorrect coverage of the African continent can be ‘called out’ and heavily critiqued, with challenges shared and solutions generated. While journalists remain independent, their working practices and professional standards are being shaped by the discourse in the groups like never before.

Online networking has also exposed the existence of lingering cultural differences between journalists of different national backgrounds, such as a hesitancy to discuss sensitive issues – the health of leaders for instance – for fear of being targeted by the authorities, or the level to which government statements are uncritically accepted.

While journalists search for truth, how they go about it is still very dependent on the state of democracy in their country. Though the cross-fertilisation of best practices and critical scrutiny can only improve the quality of journalism on the continent, in many places there remains a long way to go.

Drive for better resources

Across the world, digital media has struggled to create models which can provide news free at the point of access while also successfully monetizing content. This is even more palpable on the African continent, as the subscription-based models employed as a remedy elsewhere are not feasible on such a large scale in countries without a well-established middle-class.

African media needs resources to keep operating at a time when revenue is dwindling, and talented journalists are decamping to join the marketing, communication and sales sectors in search of better wages. Structures to support more in-depth investigative journalism are vital in Africa because that seems to be the only thing those in power still truly fear.

This means more training opportunities, fellowships, and exchange programs to allow the exchange of ideas and expertise. And, as social media has given a platform to talented local voices from across Africa, then an international community which truly wants to understand the nuances of the continent must hire them.   




social media

'Public servants should get off social media': warning after Islamic State hack

Terrorists and criminals are looking for people to blackmail or seduce into stealing data.




social media

Social media and the visibility of horrific violence

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

Constance Duncombe

Images are central to social media communication. Billions of images are shared across different social media platforms every day: photos, cartoons, GIFs and short video clips are exchanged by users, facilitating or framing discourse on participatory sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Many of these images depict events of extreme violence, which circulate uninhibited by the conventional constraints associated with traditional news media censorship. A question arises here as to how such images mobilize public and policy-making responses to atrocities. This article examines the political dynamics of violent social media images. I argue that the particular qualities of social media can play an important role in how the digital visibility of horrific violence influences policy-making as a response to such atrocities. There is an important connection between the properties of social media platforms that allow user images to reach a global audience in real time and the emotional responses that this level of circulation generates. In turn, the pressure created by events made globally visible through the circulation of violent images and the audience responses to those images puts governments in a position where they are forced to act, which has significant implications for policy-making.




social media

Free ADA webinar to help dentists with social media marketing

The ADA is hosting a free webinar in March on how to effectively advertise and market services and dental practices on Facebook and Instagram.




social media

Teacher's Facebook Post on Students' Social Media Secrets Goes Viral

Utah science teacher Skipper Coates asked her students to complete the following sentence: "What my parents don't know about social media is..."




social media

Four Tips for District Leaders Dealing With Social Media Impersonators

Several incidents have popped up across the country in recent years: fake district accounts in Arkansas, California, Minnesota, and Ohio, and fake superintendent accounts in Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, among others.




social media

Four Tips for District Leaders Dealing With Social Media Impersonators

Several incidents have popped up across the country in recent years: fake district accounts in Arkansas, California, Minnesota, and Ohio, and fake superintendent accounts in Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, among others.




social media

Social Media and Promoting Your Law Practice.




social media

Shuttered Museums Use Social Media to Share Bouquets of Floral Artwork

Hundreds of museums are participating in an online attempt to spread joy as COVID-19 keeps their galleries empty




social media

Young, achingly hip and social media savvy: welcome to the world of Scotland's fashion influencers

Founded by Wendy H Gilmour in 2011, Thankfifi began as a fashion blog and has since grown to cover lifestyle, travel and interiors.




social media

Graphic design students bring senior showcase to social media

Unable to host their senior capstone showcase as an on-campus celebration of their work with family and friends in attendance, graduating students in the Graphic Design undergraduate program in the Stuckeman School at Penn State are turning to Instagram to highlight their design work in a creative way to an even larger potential audience during the week of May 4-8.




social media

Fish, wine, and social media: Hazleton virtual research fair winners announced

Wine, fish, and excessive use of social media were a few of the topics that earned students top honors in Penn State Hazleton's first-ever virtual Undergraduate Research Fair.




social media

Penn State Brandywine offers social media workshop for entrepreneurs

Penn State Brandywine is offering a complimentary virtual seminar on Practical Social Media Tactics for the Busy Entrepreneur from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 18, through Zoom video conferencing.




social media

Privacy worries prevent use of social media account for signing up for apps

People find it convenient to use Facebook or other social media accounts to sign up for most new apps and services, but they prefer to use their e-mail address or open a new account if they feel the information in the app is too sensitive, according to a team of researchers.




social media

Social media: Why brands are telling ‘Stories’

Short-lived content is the new go-to strategy for brands to engage with consumers and turn them into content creators




social media

3 Indians In UAE Lose Jobs Over Controversial Social Media Posts: Report

Three more Indians based in the UAE have either been fired or suspended from their jobs over controversial posts on social media, days after the Indian ambassador to the Gulf nation warned the...




social media

How to become a social media star

  Break-up diva Taylor Swift has over 52 million Twitter followers – a world record – with pop icon (for lack of a better word) Justin Bieber coming in at No.2 with just over 51 million Twit...




social media

Tips to help you improve your social media game




social media

J&K ends curbs on social media

By late evening, Internet was restored on majority mobile phones across Kashmir.




social media

Social media detox in times of virtual violence

Nothing happened, and later it was discovered the panic was a result of rumours, mostly spread via messaging apps in the aftermath of the riots in north-east Delhi, which saw unprecedented hate spewed online.




social media

Survival hashtags: How some creative hashtags on social media have come to the rescue of netizens

Some creative hashtags on social media have come to the rescue of netizens, offering distraction as well as solace in these trying times.




social media

BJP's Social Media "Beta" Tajinder Bagga Makes His Election Debut

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, who debuts as a BJP candidate for the February Delhi election, is one of the ruling party's most prominent faces on social media. On the flip-side, he has been accused by his...




social media

RBI Debuts on Social Media

The Evolution of Social Media in Banking - RBI Debuts on Twitter




social media

Instant money transfer through social media channels

Axis Bank's Ping Pay - Instant money transfer through social media channels




social media

Woah! Reliance, Facebook Making A Super-App For Shopping, Gaming, Social Media, Tickets!

Reliance Industries and Facebook are exploring the possibility of creating a multipurpose app, said four people in the know of the matter. Read to know more… What is the Fuss About? As per reports on March 24, Facebook was eyeing a multibillion-dollar stake in Reliance Jio. The report said Facebook could pick up 10% in […]

The post Woah! Reliance, Facebook Making A Super-App For Shopping, Gaming, Social Media, Tickets! first appeared on Trak.in . Trak.in Mobile Apps: Android | iOS.










social media

How Libraries Use Social Media

https://blog.techsoup.org/posts/how-libraries-use-social-media

Eighty-one percent of Americans have social media accounts, and that number is expected to grow each year. Nearly all brands have a social presence, and libraries are no different. Libraries are using social platforms now more than ever before.

The New York Public Library has 2.2 million followers on Twitter, more followers than the celebrity Kathy Griffin. Social media is playing a significant role in helping libraries stay relevant in our ever-growing digital society.

TechSoup recently teamed up with WebJunction to find out the details on how libraries are using social media. We wanted to know how often libraries are using platforms and what some of their biggest challenges are. We surveyed 311 libraries throughout the country and found out some interesting things.

In our survey, we found that 55 percent of respondents serve fewer than 25,000 patrons, so nearly half of the respondents were smaller libraries, probably mostly in rural areas. We found that libraries are using social, and they are eager to grow their channels.

More than half (55.7 percent) of libraries spend less than 5 hours per week on social media, and 28 percent spend only 6 to 10 hours a week.

Libraries use Facebook more than any other social platform. Twitter is the next most popular platform, and then Instagram.

Forty-four percent of libraries post daily on Facebook, and 25 percent also post daily on Twitter.

Libraries are using social media to share events and pictures, educate people about services, highlight their collections, and support other libraries.

Growing followers and finding staff support are some of libraries' biggest social media challenges.

Learn How to Grow Your Library's Social Media Channels with Our WebJunction Webinars

Registration is now open for the Social Media and Libraries Webinar Series, hosted by WebJunction and TechSoup for Libraries in collaboration. We'll help you build a social media strategy, including how to select platforms that work with different types of library content to create brand awareness, increase traffic, and meet community goals. This series will highlight social media best practices to keep patrons and library staff engaged, develop measurable goals, and cultivate new readers and learners in your community.

On October 24, join us to learn how libraries can effectively use social media tools, even with limited staff and time. Learn how to identify the appropriate social media platforms to market library services and events, and how to integrate best social media practices in your library's marketing plan. We'll help you build a foundation for your social media strategy and provide practical ideas and tactics for immediate use in your library.

Register for October 24

On November 30, join us to learn all about social media analytics. Now that you are using social media to engage with your community, how do you know if it's working? If you don't know where to start when planning your social media metrics, join us to learn the best methods to measure your library's social media outcomes. During this event, you will learn how to establish measurable goals, identify key performance indicators (KPIs), and evaluate your social media results

Register for November 30

On December 19, join us to learn how to take the next steps toward amplifying your library's social media program. During this third webinar in our social media series, we'll discuss best practices in growing your library's social media program and managing user engagement. You'll learn tips on assessing the members of your library's audience based on their preferred platforms, and ideas for converting your in-person library community into an online community.

Register for December 19

How Is Your Library Using Social Media?

Our survey is still going on! Take our survey and tell us how your library is using social media.




social media

Insight – Marketing to India’s millions? Make social media a priority

India’s consumers have embraced online retail, creating a market worth A$52 billion that is expected to reach over A$100 billion by 2026. With a fast-growing ecommerce sector, India is creating major new market opportunities for Australian companies.




social media

EWC's Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellows Discuss Digital Strategy with White House Social Media Experts

APLP fellows gather with the White House social media team.On the first day of their Washington, D.C. field study, EWC’s Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) fellows met with the White House Office of Digital Strategy (a.k.a. the Twitter Team). They discussed how for the first time, a U.S. President is using social media platforms to amplify the Administration’s message and directly interact with the American public. “Being from Indonesia, this is very new for me,” remarked Ismail Sulaiman, APLP fellow and head lecturer of communications at the State Islamic College Cot Kala in Aceh.  “Of course we are online, but this is actively exchanging information with the U.S.




social media

Most popular Turkish pilot on social media changes job

Ebru Ünsal, who has been described as the most popular Turkish pilot on social media, has switched jobs. Click through for the story in photos...




social media

Turkish doctors become social media influencers

A recent trend on social media in Turkey is the increasing influence of a group of good-looking Turkish doctors. Click through for the photo story by Hürriyet reporter Kübra Genç...




social media

Journalism is Not a Crime…and Fake News on Social Media is Not Journalism

This year’s World Press Freedom Day on 3 May falls during COVID-19 lockdowns in many of our countries. Restriction on movement means journalists all over the world are facing obstacles in getting interviews and data, and verifying stories before publishing. In addition, the global pandemic has been used by many governments to control not just […]

The post Journalism is Not a Crime…and Fake News on Social Media is Not Journalism appeared first on Inter Press Service.




social media

Kate Middleton, Prince William make sweet change to their social media accounts

The profile photo on the Kensington Royal Twitter and Instagram pages was changed to an image of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children




social media

Social media's newest stars: Dr. Birx's scarves

U.S. coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx is best-known for her calm, authoritative briefings at the daily White House press conferences. But she has also become a pop culture phenomenon for her scarves.




social media

All That Social Media Hasn't Hurt Kids' Social Skills, Study Finds

Title: All That Social Media Hasn't Hurt Kids' Social Skills, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 4/17/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/17/2020 12:00:00 AM




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Unplugging From Social Media on Vacation? It's Tough at First

Title: Unplugging From Social Media on Vacation? It's Tough at First
Category: Health News
Created: 8/14/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/14/2019 12:00:00 AM




social media

The Londoner: How social media whizz polished Rishi Sunak's brand

In today's Diary: Rishi Sunak's secret weapon / A question setter's worst nightmare / Billy Porter on the piece of art he wants most / Liberal Tories hope for immigration change