Joe Rogan, Alex Jones and Spotify’s illusion of neutrality https://ift.tt/2Tz3uM4 Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have taken a messy beating from critics unhappy with how they handle questionable content on their platform, with some complaining they don’t do enough to rein in misinformation, and others decrying censorship. But what about Spotify? The company is never mentioned in this context, and with its traditional business couched in streaming recorded music, you might understand why its biggest controversies over the last few years have been over how little musicians get paid. That position, however, is being jolted into quite different territory now with its move into podcasting, which is raising lots of questions over what role Spotify should and could play in overseeing the content on its platform. Now people are in an uproar of who, essentially, gets a platform on its platform. That issue was highlighted in the last day, when Joe Rogan — the highly paid podcaster with a libertarian bent — brought on Alex Jones (of InfoWars fame, whose own podcast was removed from Spotify, along with YouTube and others, in 2018) on to his show for a meandering three hours, leading to an uproar over how Spotify is giving a spotlight and microphone to an infamous purveyor of misinformation. The conversation, which also featured comedian Tim Dillon, covered a pretty wide range of topics, with the common themes being today’s most controversial topics, unproven (or disproven) stories behind them presented as fact, and of course the dastardly Dems. Rogan made a few attempts at refuting or standing up some of the stories and claims that they covered. Early on, for example, when Jones started to talk about how the Democrats are in the pocket of the lobbyists (while Trump was not, according to him), Rogan called up web links in real time, showing that this isn’t quite so clear, with AT&T admitting to paying Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen fees, to help advance its own position with Trump and his administration. “I was just trying to give you a Gestalt analysis,” Jones growled in response… He then went into a defense of Jared Kushner. “Everything he touches he turns to gold.” (Except, it seems, this, this, and well, maybe many other things, actually.) The conversation veered on to a number of other topics, such as how the Democrats were intentionally trying to crash the economy to make Trump look bad, and a discussion, very the foggy on details, of the effectiveness of vaccines (foggy, but probably enough strands of which, in the hands of a person already skeptical, may well be the tipping point to dismissing Covid-19 public health initiatives altogether).
For now, Spotify is not saying anything in response to this publicly. We’ve tried to reach out to the company to get a response to questions about the show, and we will update if we hear back. We’ve had nothing for hours, and a colleague who asked the same questions months ago never heard back either. So we’re not holding our breath. Notably, while Spotify has detailed how to report illegal musical tracks or explicit lyrics on its platform, it has never outlined its content policies when it comes to podcasting. And from the looks of it, the company has been using some delaying tactics in facing up to the problem more directly. BuzzFeed today has published a leaked memo from the company’s legal officer Horacio Gutierrez, from today, which appears to defend the company’s position on publishing controversial podcasts (not this one in particular), giving hosts the freedom to have whichever guests they want, and not responding to public outcry but to refer issues to Trust & Safety to investigate. “If a team member has concerns about any piece of content on our platform, you should encourage them to report it to Trust & Safety because they are the experts on our team charged with reviewing content,” he wrote. “However, it’s important that they aren’t simply flagging a piece of content just because of something they’ve read online. It’s all too common that things are taken out of context.” Bulleted talking points about controversial content seem to underscore how Spotify is sticking to a position of being a neutral platform, not a proactive curator: “Spotify has always been a place for creative expressions,” Gutierrez wrote. “It’s important to have diverse voices and points of view on our platform.” He then noted that if a podcast complies with Spotify’s content policies — it doesn’t make clear what those are — then guests are not banned: “We are not going to ban specific individuals from being guests on other people’s shows, as the episode/show complies with our content policies.” He noted in closing that “we appreciate that not all of you will agree with every piece of content on our platform. However, we do expect you to help your teams understand our role as a platform and the care we take in making decisions.” People were upset back when Rogan came to Spotify in an exclusive, reportedly $100 million, deal earlier this summer — an event that first introduced the question of how Spotify would handle content controversies. No surprise there, since Rogan was already courting controversy over, for example, how he uses slurs considered to be transphobic by members of the LGBQT community (an issue that has not gone away). Now those questions are coming up again, along with boycotting threats.
Whether this actually makes a dent in its user base, it does raise lots of questions about how the profile of the company is changing, and that Spotify has been given a relatively easy break when it comes to content on its platform up to now. It’s been optimising for exclusive names and speed to market in getting them (and paying big bucks for the bragging rights), over considering what those names are actually doing, and what impact that could have. One interesting angle to ponder is whether other high-profile hosts might bail if they feel strongly about Spotify’s editorial position. Another is whether (or when) this will catch the eye of the Powers That Be. Just today, executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google are being brought before the Senate with questions about bias on their platform and how their staff approaches content moderation, and whether they are liable for that content. I don’t know how effective or impactful today’s testimony will be, but for a start, maybe it’s time they start including Spotify in that list, too. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com October 28, 2020 at 05:01PM
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3 Business Strategies to Help Companies Move Forward in 2021 https://ift.tt/2HEIotd When Covid-19 hit, businesses had to react quickly and with limited foresight. Immediate considerations dominated decision-making. For 2021, that reactive stance needs to change. Businesses have to focus on creating deliberate, but flexible, long-term plans. Here are three strategies that will help businesses go on the offense in 2021:
Lack of cash flow is one of the top reasons businesses close. Under normal circumstances, only half of all businesses last five years or more. This past year resulted in closures at a much higher rate. In 2021, cash flow management will be critical. Look to cut expenses where it makes sense. If you are using less office space, consider ending your lease to save rent and utilities. Shut down cell phone accounts you no longer need. You may benefit from joining a group purchasing organization to leverage price breaks on the office supplies you do still need. Businesses should also pare down subscription services. Order fewer magazines and other publications, or get online-only access. Cancel memberships that aren’t actively growing sales and revenue. On the revenue side, look for easy ways to increase sales. Online retailers should follow up on abandoned carts to encourage customers to return and complete their purchase. Social media offers numerous ways to do this. If you’re dealing with a distracted shopper, a Facebook ad with a helpful infographic, useful tips or even a joke might be enough to nudge them back to their cart. If the shopper seems to be suffering from sticker shock, posting a coupon code could nudge them over the line. To discourage shoppers from throwing something back to offset shipping costs, a flash shipping sale could both seal the deal and increase your average order value. Finally, analyze sales on all your products and services. Apply the Pareto Principle forward and backward: Drop your bottom 20% of performers and focus on your top 20% of sales.
Executives often consider marketing a cost center. And when recessions hit, marketing budgets get slashed. Past recessions show this is counterproductive. Brands that continue (or grow) their marketing see better performance. Prior to the Great Depression, for example, Post was the leading company in dry cereals. But when the Depression hit, it cut its marketing budgets. In contrast, Kellogg’s increased its marketing budget and launched a new product, Rice Krispies. The company’s profits grew by 30%, and it took over the leading position in the dry cereal market. This pattern plays out time and again. Researchers have reviewed the impact of advertising during the 1981-82 recession and recovery, for instance. They found that in 1985, sales for companies that aggressively marketed through the downturn had risen 256%. The conclusion couldn’t be clearer: Sticking with — or even adding to — your marketing efforts during a downturn is the way to go. It’s vital to continue email campaigns and social media activity to stay connected with customers and the community. In light of the current crisis, consumers want to hear how brands are helping out in daily life (77%) and how they are responding to the pandemic (75%). Seventy percent of consumers want brands to be a reassuring voice. Social media is the ideal platform for telling your brand’s coronavirus story and comforting your audience. Here’s why it’s worth the effort: Brands that continue marketing through recessions increase their visibility when competitors stop. It’s estimated that brands that stop marketing now will see a 39% decline in brand awareness after Covid-19 passes. It proves the old maxim: “Out of sight, out of mind.”
It’s no secret that the pandemic upended the U.S. economy. A labor market that was experiencing record low unemployment turned into a landscape of layoffs and furloughs. While Covid-19 may have put a damper on rising wages, labor remains a company’s highest expense — and most valuable asset. This is not the time to neglect your people, so work to improve your human resource programs in the following areas.
When coronavirus struck, many office workforces shifted to remote work overnight. While a recent Gallup survey found that 33% of U.S. employees are “always” working remotely (down from 51% in April), an additional 25% do “sometimes.” Clearly, remote work is here to stay in some form for the foreseeable future. Many companies will permanently move to working from home, while others will create hybrid models. Some companies moved to remote work temporarily but plan to return to office attendance as soon as it’s safe. Going into 2021, be deliberate about deciding your course of action and update your written policies accordingly. If you do intend to return to on-premises work, review and execute long-term health and safety policies. Use your social media to keep both your internal and external audiences aware of the steps you are taking. Businesses with employees in the workplace must establish safe social distancing practices. Desks should be spaced at least 6 feet apart and plastic barriers installed to separate customer service representatives from customers. Make mask-wearing mandatory, and instruct employees to call in sick (or send them home) if they show any symptoms. Social distancing won’t be permanent, but everyone will be more aware of how contagious diseases, like the flu and common cold, spread. Now is the time to update policies for handling communicable diseases in the workplace.
The pandemic has been a stressful time for employees, and the lack of in-person workplace camaraderie has made matters worse. To keep up your team’s morale, recognize high performers publicly. LinkedIn is a great platform for this, but Facebook, Twitter and Instagram work as well. Posting accolades on social media builds up your employees and boosts your company’s brand. Employees love sharing posts like these with their network, which will further increase your social media reach.
Not long after Covid-19 hit, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others forced a national racial reckoning. With racism and discrimination dominating public awareness, many employers are reviewing their inclusion, diversity and equity programs. Likewise, many companies are looking at diversity in their workforce and senior leadership to identify gaps. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 35% of Black workers say discrimination exists in the workplace. While one-fifth (21%) of all HR professionals admit seeing discrimination in the workplace, that number goes up to 49% for Black HR professionals. To address this issue, businesses will need to assess their workplace and hiring practices, talent development programs and promotion opportunities. Most people consider racial and gender diversity first. However, discrimination awareness and training should include age, disability, cultural and LGBTQ status as well. Use your social media to highlight your efforts, going beyond corporate statements of support for racial justice. Spotlight diverse employees, give shoutouts to minority-led business partners and note any financial contributions you make to organizations working toward racial equality. Uncertainty rules during a “normal” recession, and that’s unquestionably the case during the pandemic. Over the last year, businesses have had to make major decisions to answer immediate needs based on imperfect forecasts. Refocusing on the future will be key for 2021. It’s time to create long-term plans that are flexible enough both to handle changing public health concerns and drive recovery. The post 3 Business Strategies to Help Companies Move Forward in 2021 appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog October 28, 2020 at 08:28AM With the Help of LiDAR Technology Pierina Merino Ushers In a New Generation of Social With FlickPlay10/28/2020 With the Help of LiDAR Technology, Pierina Merino Ushers In a New Generation of Social With FlickPlay https://ift.tt/2Tte1Zk Over the course of the past two years, Pierina Merino, founder and CEO of FlickPlay, a unique platform that seeks to combine augmented reality (AR), gaming and social into a single, engaging offering, has been in stealth mode … How, exactly? Well, quietly, but confidently, the company’s been building the consumer platform that will power the future of spatial AR and communal gaming — all while ushering in a new generation of social media. Making the undertaking even more timely, the support of LiDAR technology in Apple’s new iPhone 12 Pro camera will not only enable more immersive AR experiences to seamlessly overlay onto the real world, but will help FlickPlay accelerate their plans to build a new creative canvas for social storytelling on a global scale. Diverse Sources of InspirationFor Merino, the ingredients for FlickPlay were already present in other platforms. “Pokémon Go gave to the world an interactive game that shifts the way we interact with our cities. TikTok showed us the power that a great distribution engine has to create virality of content. Snap created innovative solutions that fuel our natural, creative instinct to communicate with friends,” Merino explains. “With FlickPlay, we seek to combine all of these elements to create a unique social media space filled with competition and interaction.” This is clearly a solid foundation for Merino’s vision to build upon. Pokémon Go may no longer be the viral sensation it was when it launched in 2016, but the game recently passed $3.6 billion in lifetime revenue, with analysts expecting 2020 to be its biggest year, revenue-wise, to date. Despite privacy concerns, TikTok has amassed over 800 million worldwide users, 41 percent of whom are between age 16 and 24. Similarly, Snap sees high usage among younger demographics. “While each of these platforms are quite distinct from one another, all three have loosely embraced augmented reality to a certain degree,” Merino notes. “AR presents more than a fun way to communicate, which is how current social media platforms are embracing the technology. It gives us the opportunity to enhance the experiences we already have every day with physical spaces in our cities. The merging of gaming and social is already present in the tech and consumer ecosystem. The next big social media platform will be, whether directly or indirectly, a game.” Using AR and Gaming to Create New ExperiencesFlickPlay’s map game powers the connection between the location for an AR experience and the actual game. Users create and interact with video content within the platform, competing with community members through video challenges for leaderboard status, rewards and exclusive access. The platform also rewards brand interactions. Even though FlickPlay encourages users to seek out physical locations with “social relevance” within their city, users can also unlock experiences through the in-app game that they can access from any location, adding additional incentives for users to stay active with video creation. “We wanted to get users involved in a content game within their own city, where they could gain relevance through distinct AR experiences,” Merino explains. “We view this as a ‘3D era’ of social media. We’re going beyond text and images — beyond images and video. Combining immersive video with gaming tools allows us to unlock a whole new creative canvas for users to interact with.” The focus on AR is understandably important for Merino and her team. The Mindshare Layered Report reveals that AR achieves attention levels 45 percent higher than TV or online browsing. AR experiences are viewed as highly desirable among users, both for practical activities like exercise or interior design, as well as for creating fun social experiences. “By focusing on AR, we can move away from the ‘selfie mode’ that dominates platforms like Instagram, and instead focus on engaging with the users’ physical space and relevant locations,” Merino says. “Pairing this with game mechanics makes the creation and consumption of content more exciting. By offering the flexibility where some can just produce creative videos outside the game dynamics, we can create a platform where creators can tell great stories starring their favorite places.” As part of its gamification strategy, FlickPlay’s launch will see the social platform use brand partnerships, influencers and celebrities to generate new experiences. “Our partners will be able to create their ideal worlds within FlickPlay,” says Pierina. With a combination of in-game rewards and real-life incentives, the platform takes the blended-reality model even further. The end result is a combination between the digital and physical worlds before, during and after users interact with participating brands and each other. A More Creative FutureAs Merino and the FlickPlay app demonstrate, there is still plenty of room for innovation in social media. As augmented reality becomes more widely used, and as more brands and consumers become involved with this highly engaging form of media, expect more social platforms to follow suit. “I believe that in the future, we’re going to see AR experiences become even more widespread, and in ways that we can’t even imagine right now,” Merino says. “Just like with early adopters of other social media platforms, the brands that are the first to innovate and start reaching out to customers in this space are going to have a big advantage in reaching young, tech-savvy audiences.” Indeed, some analysts expect AR marketing spend to reach $2.6 billion by 2022. With AR and virtual reality becoming ever more popular, the brands that make early inroads in this space are poised to experience significant growth.
The post With the Help of LiDAR Technology, Pierina Merino Ushers In a New Generation of Social With FlickPlay appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog October 28, 2020 at 06:23AM
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How to Optimize Your YouTube Videos for Google Search Visibility https://ift.tt/3jF9DAR Are you using YouTube to grow your business? Wondering how to get your videos in front of more people? In this article, you’ll discover how to optimize your YouTube videos for more visibility in Google search results. Why Optimize YouTube Videos for Google and YouTube Search? YouTube is the world’s most popular video sharing site […] The post How to Optimize Your YouTube Videos for Google Search Visibility appeared first on Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing. Social Media via Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing https://ift.tt/1LtH18p October 28, 2020 at 05:01AM Can Logo Design Affect User-Experience? Read this to discover more. https://ift.tt/3kC7JCq Logo design over the years has had to adapt as interaction between clients and brands have evolved. In the past, the only real place a business’s logo would be seen was above a brick-and-mortar store. However, the emergence of technology and its continued prevalence has meant that logo design now has to be able to cut across numerous platforms, digital and otherwise. In order to really create a memorable logo design, it’s best to taper down your ideas and focus on the primary message that you want to get to your clients. Take your idea and narrow it down to its most basic and natural from. An uncomplicated and scalable design is a sure-fire way for you to increase user experience. A straightforward design means that the logo can be utilized not only in print, but also on screens and any merchandise that you’d like your business to have. The design should still inspire brand recognition in viewers, no matter the format. How have logos had to adapt to screens?Most people interact with brands using their smartphones, and on small screens, some scaled logos became warped. This plays havoc with user experience and turns clients away from your business. It’s vital that your logo suits various screen sizes and numerous platforms. How does logo design add to user experience?According to Forbes’s list on The World’s Most Valuable Brands, Google is the second most valuable brand in the world. In 2014, they redesigned their logo and went further than most other companies in their design. They designed two extra extra logos depending on the device where the search is being conducted. Their original logo is a redesigned sans-serif flat design which is representative of the fun nature of the company itself. The second logo is the Google “G” which is a scalable mark which represents the feeling of the full logotype even when it’s being viewed on limited spaces. The final logo consists of the colored dots which are shown in moments of transition. Google led the pack in flat logo design and have reported “Focus on the user and all else will follow. With this in mind, we seek to design experiences that inspire and enlighten our users.” Why use flat design?Seeing as user-experience is exceptionally important, flat design has become exceedingly popular. It started around the early 2000s and is based off of minimal and Swiss Style topography. It’s become more popular in recent years, especially since Apple used it in their iOS7 launch. Flat design is essentially a minimalistic design style which quite often utilizes simple, two-dimensional features and bright colors, and there are no three-dimensional effects (such as drop shadows) Such a straightforward logo increases the load time of your site which is beneficial to sales and strengthening user experience. Flat design takes away patterns, shadows, and gradients and this means that logos can be easily identified across platforms no matter the size of the screen. The reason for its usefulness is because it’s ideal for fast loading and easy scaling which makes it perfect for a user base which uses screens more than ever before. Seeing as it allows for quick loading, customer satisfaction is increased exponentially. While some may believe that this is a minor improvement, it has been seen that a decrease in load time by a mere one second can lessen sales by 7%. Here’s a good place to start designing a great logo:TRUiC (The Really Useful Information Company) is a site started by a couple of entrepreneurs who understood the importance of education in the journey of success. As such, the website is filled to the brim with uncomplicated how-to-guides which makes entrepreneurship available to the average-joe. More than 250,000 Americans have found the site exceedingly useful in starting their own businesses. This speaks to the easy-to-understand and effectual nature of the guides that they share freely. The post Can Logo Design Affect User-Experience? Read this to discover more. appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog October 28, 2020 at 12:39AM Watch Facebook Google and Twitters CEOs defend the law that created social media to Congress10/27/2020
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Watch Facebook, Google, and Twitter’s CEOs defend the law that created social media to Congress https://ift.tt/31QhdCS The CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google will appear before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday in big tech’s latest showdown with Congress. The Senate hearing will have a narrower, more policy-centric scope than other recent high profile tech hearings, focusing specifically on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. That short law might sound obscure, but it’s the key legal shield that protects internet companies from liability for the user-generated content they host, from Facebook posts and tweets to Yelp reviews and comments sections. Recent big tech hearings have meandered, seldom forcing the leaders of some of the world’s most powerful companies into revealing much. But the cumulative pressure of federal antitrust action, a high-stakes election less than a week away and a number of legislative proposals that could dismantle the law that made their businesses possible will likely set a different tone — and hopefully offer more substance. You can follow a livestream of the hearing here (above) starting at 10:00 AM ET on Wednesday, October 28. We’ll be following the testimony and all things Section 230, so check back for our coverage of the day’s key takeaways. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com October 27, 2020 at 11:27PM
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Daily Crunch: Facebook launches cloud gaming service https://ift.tt/3kwkgY1 Facebook gets into cloud gaming while continuing its public dispute with Apple, Ant Group prepares for a massive IPO and Pinterest embraces iOS widgets. This is your Daily Crunch for October 26, 2020. The big story: Facebook launches cloud gaming service Facebook is launching a cloud gaming service of its very own, although the focus is different from Google’s Stadia or Microsoft’s xCloud. Rather than trying to recreate the console experience on other devices, the social network’s gaming service is limited to mobile games, particularly on reducing the friction between seeing an ad for a game and playing the game. The service is launching on the web and on Android, but it’s not available on iOS. Facebook blamed Apple’s App Store terms and conditions for the absence. Facebook’s Jason Rubin told TechCrunch that Apple’s rules for cloud gaming service present “a sequence of hurdles that altogether make a bad consumer experience.” The tech giants Twitter will show all U.S. users warnings about voting misinfo and delayed election results — Starting today, Twitter users in the U.S. will see two large notices at the top of their feeds that aim to “preemptively debunk” misinformation related to voting. Ant Group could raise as much as $34.5B in IPO in what would be world’s largest IPO — The long-anticipated IPO of Alibaba-affiliated Chinese fintech giant Ant Group could raise tens of billions of dollars in a dual-listing on both the Shanghai and Hong Kong exchanges. Pinterest’s new widget brings photos from favorite boards to your iOS 14 home screen — As iPhone owners began customizing their iOS 14 home screens with new widgets and custom icons, Pinterest iOS downloads and searches surged. Startups, funding and venture capital Tencent leads $100M Series B funding round into China-based esport provider VSPN — Founded in 2016, VSPN was one of the early pioneers in esports tournament organization and content creation out of Asia. Linktree raises $10.7M for its lightweight, link-centric user profiles — The Melbourne startup says that 8 million users, including celebrities like Selena Gomez and brands like Red Bull, have created profiles on the platform. This startup wants to fix the broken structure of internships — Symba created white-label software to help companies communicate and collaborate with their now-distributed interns. Advice and analysis from Extra Crunch Good and bad board members (and what to do about them) — The CircleUp saga brings up questions about what happens behind the scenes at startups and about board composition specifically. What would Databricks be worth in a 2021 IPO? — We’ve described Databricks as “an obvious IPO candidate,” and now it sounds like an offering is indeed in the works. (Reminder: Extra Crunch is our membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.) Everything else NASA discovers water on the surface of the sunlit portion of the moon — Previously, we knew that water was present as ice on the dark part of the moon, but this is still a groundbreaking discovery. Human Capital: Court ruling could mean trouble for Uber and Lyft as gig workers may finally become employees — Megan Rose Dickey has officially launched her newsletter focused on labor, diversity and inclusion in tech. Original Content podcast: ‘Lovecraft Country’ is gloriously bonkers — Bonkers! The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com October 27, 2020 at 06:55PM 5 Standout Benefits Of Using Microsoft Teams https://ift.tt/2G2xigW There are many technology solutions out there that businesses would be smart to make use of if they want to truly set their business up for success. A lot of companies have converted to using integrated communications applications such as Microsoft Teams, part of the Office 365 family of products. This is a suite which offers you the ability to talk and work together as a team, even remotely. It is particularly useful at this time during the pandemic, of course, but what are the unique benefits of Microsoft Teams, regardless of social climate? Let’s take a look at some of them right now.
Regardless of what industry you work in, it’s essential that you can communicate with other people on your team clearly and easily. Software like Microsoft Teams is a really helpful way of speeding up that process. With Teams, the communications process is expedited to make a difference in how you talk to others. You can achieve a great deal by chatting over Teams rather than sending thousands of emails back and forth. The chat is searchable, which makes retrieving information easier, and the email inbox is saved solely for important communications from clients. All of this is great for promoting better teamwork and a sense of collaboration.
With some software options, they are only usable on certain devices that you or your team might or might not have. One of the benefits of using Teams is that you can use it across all of your devices; you can access it on pretty much any device you can think of. This helps to keep your whole team on board no matter what, and means that not a single person is left out, regardless of what device they choose to use. It also improves the communication between your own devices should you need more than one.
When you are talking through messaging systems like Teams,, you need to make sure that your data is not being taken advantage of or that the software’s security is generally lacking. One of the standout things about Teams is that it is extremely secure. Whether you are using it for internal communications or external, or a mixture of both, all communications are secured, so you don’t have to worry about the privacy of your information.
Most business owners know how important it is to streamline communications, and with Teams that is exactly what you are doing. By using Teams, you can organize your workplace communication and all of your activities in one place. That includes meetings and similar things, and you can even use Teams to organize your creative thoughts and processes both individually and as a group.
Microsoft is a world leader in the area of bots, and Teams is a perfect example of this in action. Teams have around 24 bots with a variety of functions which are designed to make the whole process easier and user friendly. They are smart enough to answer your questions and assist you in your work duties. As you can see, Teams is a hugely useful tool, and one that you should be considering for your own teams in the near future. The post 5 Standout Benefits Of Using Microsoft Teams appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog October 27, 2020 at 04:33PM
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How to Increase Cybersecurity at Your Company https://ift.tt/34vXKsK Cybersecurity is an ever-present threat, and it’s become more difficult to keep large amounts of sensitive information secure since the pandemic hit and businesses of all sizes shifted their operations online. Cybercriminals do their best work by taking advantage of uncertainty and inefficiency, which is why the numbers have soared since the lockdown restriction began and many companies sent their employees to work at home with little notice or time to prepare. One way to safeguard against cybercrime is by using a managed IT Service, or managed service provider (MSP). An MSP will monitor and audit your IT infrastructure on a regular basis and test it against the latest criminal methods. They will also identify weaknesses in your website and network, implement preventative safety features like multi-factor identification, and offer regular advice and safety tips. MSPs do all this and more to keep their clients secure. Up-to-date and affordable tech toolsWith so much valuable data online these days, it’s no wonder cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to steal information. To protect your valuable data, revenue streams, and reputation, it’s best to keep up to date with the latest cybersecurity measures. These include VPNs, password managers, darknet scanners, firewalls, virus scanners, and disk encryption. Using a VPN, or virtual private network, will allow you to interact safely with employees and clients, ensuring that data is transferred securely. A password manager for your business is another simple security solution, meaning you only have one master password to keep track of while still keeping your other passwords secure. Centralized SecurityThe shift to online digital environments has been unprecedented. It has come with many advantages and a few drawbacks. The downside is the security issues, in part caused by new methods of cybercrime but also caused by the increase in digital tools and software. There are now multiple networks and machines sharing loads, which can be difficult to manage. Centralized security, another benefit of using an MSP, can act as an all-in-one administrator for your digital enterprise. It will manage your network, security, protocol, and applications all from a centralized, integrated platform that’s easy for you to access. Effective Backup SolutionsOne worry some businesses have deals with the idea that everything is in one location. This means that their data is vulnerable if there is some kind of crash or disturbance in that specific spot. MSPs have a variety of solutions for this major problem. There are several ways an MSP can back up your data, using anything from cloud storage to local access networks. All good MSPs will have a mainframe facility where you can store business or industry data, such as company files and customer information. This will also be backed up by your MSP and fully secured. Technology AssessmentOne of the first and most important things an MSP will do for your business is carry out a technological assessment. They will assess the capabilities of your network and systems and identify any security issues. As it’s an integrated service, any changes need to your systems should be covered under your agreement. The post How to Increase Cybersecurity at Your Company appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog October 27, 2020 at 02:21PM
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How Jack Dorsey will defend Twitter in tomorrow’s Senate hearing on Section 230 https://ift.tt/2Hy6rua Three of tech’s most prominent CEOs tomorrow will face the Senate Commerce Committee during a virtual hearing tomorrow and their opening statements are beginning to trickle out. The hearing, scheduled for 10 AM ET Wednesday, will see Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai of Alphabet in the hot seat for what’s sure to be a long and winding session on how to rein in big tech’s “bad behavior.” Specifically, the hearing will delve into a law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a key legal provision that shields online businesses from content their users create. With the tide of public opinion turning against social networks in light of algorithmically-amplified societal woes, lawmakers are keen to do something about big tech’s unregulated power — they just can’t quite agree on what yet. A number of competing pieces of legislation have recently proposed changes to Section 230 but it’s not yet clear what set of changes, if any, will prevail in Congress. While both political parties can agree that big tech needs a check on its power, they arrive at that conclusion from very different paths. Republicans remain occupied with claims of anti-conservative political bias in tech, while Democrats are focused on the failure of platforms to remove misinformation and other dangerous content. Tech companies see any interest in altering Section 230 as an existential threat — and rightly so. The law is critical to growing any kind of online platform with user-made content (social networks, comments sections, even Amazon reviews) without being sued into oblivion. In his opening statement, Dorsey calls Section 230 “the Internet’s most important law for free speech and safety” and focuses on the kind of cascading effects that could arise if tech’s key legal shield comes undone. “We must ensure that all voices can be heard, and we continue to make improvements to our service so that everyone feels safe participating in the public conversation—whether they are speaking or simply listening,” Dorsey writes. “The protections offered by Section 230 help us achieve this important objective.” Dorsey makes the argument that dismantling Section 230 would result in much more content being removed — a line of reasoning aimed at Republicans’ ongoing accusations of political censorship. He makes the timely choice to defend Section 230 from an antitrust perspective, arguing that the law made it possible for small internet companies to establish themselves. Dorsey warns that changes to 230 would leave “only a small number of giant and well-funded technology companies,” resulting in an even more winner-take-all environment. Dorsey’s full opening statement is embedded below. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com October 27, 2020 at 02:02PM |
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