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Close US election results plunge social media into nightmare misinformation scenario https://ift.tt/3oSUIqV When Trump spoke early Wednesday morning, it became clear which long-dreaded election scenario an anxious nation was on the cusp of. “This is a fraud on the American public,” Trump said in remarks delivered from the White House, mixing his campaign with the presidency. “We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election.” Trump’s claim of victory is false — votes are still being counted in a close race — but they heralded his campaign’s intention to work the misinformation ecosystem he’s cultivated over the last four years. His strategy so far is what he’s long signaled: seize on the late tallies for vote-by-mail ballots, which were expected to favor Democrats, to manufacture a conspiracy. On Wednesday, Twitter hid three of Trump’s five recent tweets behind warning labels stating that their content was “disputed and might be misleading.” Most recently, the president tweeted “They are working hard to make up 500,000 vote advantage in Pennsylvania disappear — ASAP. Likewise, Michigan and others!” In another recent missive, he circumvented a restricted tweet’s engagement limits, amplifying it to his own follower base where it was retweeted 32,000 times. The tweet’s author issued a correction on his original conspiratorial claims about Michigan’s Democratic vote count, but by then the horse had already left the barn.
The Trump campaign’s baseless fear mongering about the integrity of vote-by-mail ballots began well before the election. In September, a campaign video showed Donald Trump Jr. rail against Democrats, who he accused of planning to “add millions of fraudulent ballots that can cancel your vote and overturn the election.” There was no evidence of that then, nor is there now. The video, and its calls for an “army for Trump” promoted Facebook to change its rules around voter intimidation. In the months preceding the election, Trump repeatedly declined to commit to conceding the election in the event that he loses, a stance that Americans may watch play out in realtime in the coming hours and days. Democrats have been hit with misinformation labels too, though none of their offenders are actively in a contested race (so far). Twitter labeled Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden’s tweet claiming that Biden had reached 270 electoral votes with a warning saying it was “disputed.”
Other warnings popped up as some states were called early last night. After Fox News struck out alone in calling Arizona for Biden, some political reporters tweeting about those results had their tweets paired with a label stating that the race had not yet been called. Facebook and Twitter’s philosophies differ on how to handle a president prone to sowing political misinformation. Twitter gives rule-breaking election tweets a warning label flagging them as potentially “misleading.” It screens them behind that message and restricts replies, retweets and likes, severely limiting their viral potential. Twitter also ditched political advertising outright a year ago. While Facebook still allows them, the company implemented a blackout on those ads after polls closed that remains in effect now. Facebook adds its own set of “labels” to election posts that break the rules, though they are designed to mostly point users to contextual, factual information rather than to offer explicit warnings about false claims. As a direct response to Trump’s premature claims of victory, Facebook also rolled out an eye-catching set of messages across Facebook and Instagram reminding users that votes were still being counted
Of course, misinformation also thrives beyond Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube in places it’s more difficult to track, moving from obscure chans to mainstream social media and back again, mutating as it goes. Early Wednesday, Trump was happy to make his dangerous claim of unearned victory on live television — and so far, many news networks obliged by broadcasting them. That’s cause for concern too. Both Facebook and Twitter prepared special policies for a close, ambiguous election night, but their rules will be put to the real test in the coming days as fears of political violence and challenges to the election outcome escalate. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 4, 2020 at 12:51PM
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How to Repost Instagram Feed Posts, Stories, IGTV, and Reels https://ift.tt/32bxrqo Want to repost and reshare your Instagram content? Wondering how to reshare (regram) Instagram posts without using third-party tools? In this article, you’ll discover in-app features that let you reshare Instagram feed posts, stories, IGTV, and reels. You’ll also find tips to obtain permission to reshare Instagram content legally. To learn how to repost images […] The post How to Repost Instagram Feed Posts, Stories, IGTV, and Reels appeared first on Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing. Social Media via Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing https://ift.tt/1LtH18p November 4, 2020 at 05:06AM
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These are The Teen Entrepeneurs Taking on the World https://ift.tt/3kWkAzF The old saying that reads “it’s never too late to start,” is something many people truly live by. Whether it be traveling, starting a business, or perhaps heading off to university, there is no time limit to when you can start. In the same breath, there is no age limit to when you can start your own business – and for the following teens who have been leading the entrepreneurial world, we can perhaps take some inspiration from what they have done to become so successful. Running and owning your own business, especially as a teenager can have its flaws and breakthroughs, but as many are looking to venture into the world of business in their mid-20s or 30s, starting sooner, rather than later might just give you the needed motivation to do so. Teen entrepreneurs taking over the worldLogan GullefHe might’ve won season 2 of MasterChef Junior back in 2016, but this now 18-year old started his line of spice blends back when he was only 14-years old. Today, “Logan’s Rub” has expanded to offer a wide variety of different spices for steaks, fish, chicken, and even specially designed for eggs. Not only does the young chef enjoy blending and mixing new herbs or spices, but he operates and underground support club, cooking up specialized dishes for small and intimate parties. Isabella DymalovskiAt 14-years old, the now 18-year old Dymalovski started Luv Ur Skin. Her company is aiming at offering teenage girls a different alternative to harsh and commercialized skin-care products. The Luv Ur Skin range is all developed and produced with natural botanical ingredients and includes body lotions, moisturizers, and facial wash products to even make up. Cory NievesThis young and extremely ambitious teen saw his homemade cookies becoming a neighborhood and now a more local favorite. At age 12, the now 16-year old founded and established his homemade cookie business names Mr. Cory’s Cookies. So what’s his secret ingredient you might think? All of his cookies are made preservative-free, and obviously with lots of love. Some of his leading clients include Macy’s Citibank and Aetna. Bella TippingIf you’re a kid who got stuck with your parents in a small hotel room or perhaps an uptight restaurant because there wasn’t anything for you to do, then you might enjoy Kidzactionz.com. Tipping found Kidzactionz.com back in 2016 when she was just 13-years old. The website is focused on how children can experience or enjoyed a certain restaurant, hotel, and other attractions based on how well it supports their needs. Think of it as the TripAdvisor for kids. Shubham BanerjeeThe impossible can be done, and when he was just 14-years old, Banerjee founded Braigo Labs. His company designs manufacture and distribute low-cost Braille printers. This means that visually impaired users can now download and automatically print text or content from the internet and have the printer translate it into Braille. Banerjee is now 18-years old. Mikaila UlmerUlmer might’ve thought that the traditional lemonade stand would just not do it for her. When Ulmer was 11-years old she created Me & the Bees a lemonade company that uses flaxseed and local raw honey. Her business has in the meantime grown and even retailers like Wholefoods and Wegmans now stock Me & the Bees lemonade. It’s good to know that a portion of her profits goes to NGO’s and NPO’S who dedicate efforts to save honeybees and honeybee production in the U.S.A. Moziah “Mo” BridgesIf you think that there are limits to what a teenager can do, think again. Moziah Bridges or more well-known as Mo started Mo’s Bows back in 2016 when he was just 14-years old. Today the young adult has alone of colorful handmade ties and men’s accessories that are available in a variety of retail stores across the U.S.A. Even more, Mo’s Bows have become such a prominent fashion and accessories brand, that the young entrepreneur has partnered up with major retailers Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus. What are small business ideas for teens?The sky is the limit, and there are no restrictions on the type of small business a teenager can start. It might not become a national sensation overnight, or it might not be the next big cookie or bow tie business the market needs. There are loads of great business ideas for teens, and if you put your mind, effort, and most importantly time into it, you can see your small business grow from being an idea to becoming a lucrative establishment. Some business ideas for teens include music and language tutoring, swimming and sports lessons, soap making, jam business, social media marketing, live streaming business, or establishing an online Etsy store. To read more business ideas for teens, visit our informative guide. The post These are The Teen Entrepeneurs Taking on the World appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 4, 2020 at 03:02AM
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Twitter restricts Trump’s tweet raising fears that foes would ‘steal’ the election https://ift.tt/3jVdVoa With key wins notched in a few states, Trump didn’t declare victory prematurely on election night as social media companies feared — but he did baselessly raise the specter of voter fraud. “We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election,” Trump tweeted. “We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!” Twitter took action against the tweet quickly, placing it behind a warning and adding a misinformation label. The company explained its actions in a tweet, stating that the president’s message contained a “potentially misleading claim about an election.”
Social media companies began crafting new policies for the unusual circumstances of the 2020 election and its worrisome misinformation ecosystem in the months leading up to November. Due to a huge spike in mail-in voting related to the pandemic, results were expected to be more ambiguous on election night in 2020 than in past years and so far that’s proven true. Twitter also said in a September policy announcement that it would remove or label any tweets that incite unlawful activity in order to “prevent a peaceful transfer of power or orderly succession.” While tweets that Twitter restricts remain online, they’re placed behind a warning message that users must first click through in order to view their content. Restricted tweets also have their retweets, likes and comments disabled, reducing their reach. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 4, 2020 at 12:18AM
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Green Technology for Manufacturers https://ift.tt/3emhUsu Today’s manufacturing industry is in continuous development for new ways to streamline the production lines, synchronize plant-wide production, reduce costs, and enhance productivity. And, as technology is crucial in this industry, automated systems play a significant role in improving the precision in a manufacturing process. MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and Andon systems are the vanguards of manufacturing technologies, and they can be efficiently leveraged to increase the sustainability of a business—both in terms of production and environmental impact. Here’s how. MES Systems for the Manufacturing IndustryMES systems refer to the communication, monitoring, and streamlining technology implemented by the manufacturing industry to increase productivity, reduce waste, and improve cost efficiency. While they were once hand-operated, today MES technology is entirely automated—eliminating human error and expanding to meet company demand. It can be leveraged to optimize the production process and reduce waste across several worldwide locations. When linked to the company’s workforce, the system can also craft a tailored work schedule to help free personnel, and optimize the whole company’s schedule. These systems have a range of features designed to me your system needs, depending on your business. Andon Systems for the Manufacturing IndustryAndon systems, derived from the Japanese term for “paper lantern,” are a communication and alarm system used by manufacturers to send a facility-wide communication. In the instance of an issue or accident, these systems help managers troubleshoot the problem before it escalates and impacts the manufacturing process further. Depending on how your Andon system is set up, it can either be fully automated, or require a level of manual activation. Andon systems are ideal for tighter control over the production line, and identifying processing or quality issues before the chance of further significant damage. Not only do these systems enhance productivity, but they also reduce waste and scrap. Execution Systems and Sustainability in ManufacturingAs well as the Andon system, MES technologies can increase productivity while reducing energy use to a minimum. Additionally, these control systems can be used to reduce the amount of wastage and scrap produced by each plant, which, as well as lowering your production costs, can also increase the overall business sustainability. Indeed, business waste not disposed of correctly represents one of the main pollutants worldwide. It leads to compromised ecosystems, harmed wildlife, and contributes to air pollution. Additional side benefits of introducing an execution system in your business includes being paperless, and saving money and time on completing production reports. Overall, such systems can be extremely beneficial for any business, especially from a financial perspective. However, when introducing them, it is possible to make your business and production line even greener and more sustainable—without having to dedicate an extra portion of your business’s budget to that goal. Ultimately, as the current climate change emergency calls for stricter worldwide production and operating regulations, introducing these systems now will prevent you from having to face disruptions down the line. The post Green Technology for Manufacturers appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 3, 2020 at 03:01PM
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Which Do You Need?: a Disaster Recovery Plan vs. a Business Continuity Plan https://ift.tt/386dEMD The fact is that people often use the terms “business continuity plan” and “disaster recovery plan” interchangeably, which can cause some confusion between the two. While these two types of plans are similar in how they work, they actually offer two different approaches to dealing with a business issue. So, what is the difference between the two, and why does it matter? A business continuity plan—also referred to as a BCP—is a selection of steps put in place to ensure that should a disruptive event occur, the business is able to continue to operate. Whereas, a disaster recovery plan—also called a DRP—is more focused on the steps and key technology that can be used to recover from a disruptive event, and looks specifically at restoring lost data, managing infrastructure failures, and dealing with other technological components. An easy way to differentiate between the two is to think of them like this: a BCP is about how a business can continue operating with minimal disruption after a disaster or difficult event occurs. Whereas, a DRP tends to be more specific; it’s a plan that focuses on restoring key data and repairing damaged tech. To provide greater insight into each of these plan types, we have discussed them further below. How Do These Two Plans Overlap?Both plan types—DRP and BCP—are designed to aid a business’s preparedness for dealing with a disaster or an unexpected situation, such as a serious hacking attack. It’s also important to be aware that these two plan types overlap because a fully comprehensive BCP will naturally have a DRP built into it as part of the strategy. A BCP is a broad plan designed to keep the business running as a whole in the event of an unexpected situation, whereas the DRP is a more niche plan that looks at one specific section of the business. What does a Business Continuity Plan include?Your BCP should act as a general plan that manages each aspect of preparing for a disaster or unexpected event and allows your business to continue running despite that. What should be included in that? A prevention plan should be included that focuses on steps that can be taken to mitigate certain disasters occurring in the first place. There should also be processes in place that allow you to limit the impact of a disaster, should one occur. Finally, there should be protocols in place that allow you to quickly restore operations and limit downtime. What does a Disaster Recovery Plan include?Think of your DRP as the response element of your BCP. It should encompass all of the procedures and protocols required to help your business’s technology and IT systems recover quickly after a disaster. You need to think about how you would gain access to lost data, how damaged hardware would be fixed, how technological failures could be dealt with, and how network outages could be managed. The best source for experience in these types of plans is a managed IT services in Texas in San Angelo which can help you construct your plan, or deal with these kinds of issues. That’s how both DRPs and BCPs work, but how can you determine which option is best for your business? The key is to think about which option would offer the highest level of support and best the best fit for your business’s needs. The post Which Do You Need?: a Disaster Recovery Plan vs. a Business Continuity Plan appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog November 3, 2020 at 12:51PM
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Website Statistics and Facts: A 2020 Study https://ift.tt/2TPdO2D It’s easy to get whiplash from how fast the Internet changes. Just think: Merely 8.2% of US households owned a computer in 1984. Now, five billion people across the world own a mobile device. In just three decades, we went from almost nobody owning a computer to nearly the entire world being connected via the Internet. That’s mind-boggling. With how quickly and often the Internet changes, it’s more important than ever for bloggers, website managers, and digital marketers to keep up. Doing so gives you crucial context for your digital strategies and goals. We want to help. Below are more than 100 of the most important statistics and facts about the Internet. Use them to help guide your digital marketing efforts this year. What we’ll cover
General Internet Statistics and FactsThese numbers and takeaways are high-level overviews of the Internet and websites as a whole. More people are using the Internet than ever before
When it comes to users, Asia wins big…and by a lot
Internet usage grows every day (but a lot of it comes from robots)
Mobile Usage Statistics and FactsWhen it comes to Internet usage, mobile is king. That’s why it’s so important that digital marketers and website managers optimize for mobile. Below are a few numbers and stats you should keep in mind to help guide your decisions: Smartphones are more popular than ever (and water is wet!)
People use mobile devices to do the majority of their web browsing
Mobile users love to shop (and they like different ways to do it)
Optimize your site for mobile, and do it yesterday
Blogging Statistics and FactsBlogging is one of the best ways you can draw in traffic to your website and business. Make sure you’re prepared to do it the right way with these facts and numbers: People still love to read (and write) blogs
Blogs are still a great way to gain leads
Aim for longer blog posts
Ecommerce Statistics and FactsTo create (and maintain) a good ecommerce website, you’ll need to keep up with the trends and data that reflect your users’ purchasing decisions. Here are a few that might help: Business is booming…online
It’s Amazon’s world and we’re all living in it
Optimize your ecommerce site—or die! (okay, that’s only a little dramatic)
Web Hosting and CMS Statistics and FactsYour web host and CMS are the bedrock of your website and, therefore, your business. Here is the data to help you out: There are a lot of websites, but most aren’t doing anything
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) by far
The United States dominates the web hosting industry
Social Media Statistics and FactsSocial media is more popular and powerful than ever. Make sure that your brand knows the right moves to make with these facts and numbers: Mostly everyone is on social media
We spend a TON of time on social media
It’s Facebook’s world and we’re all living in it.
Most popular social networks worldwide as of October 2020 (in millions)
SEO Statistics and FactsSearch engine optimization (SEO) is a fantastic way to build an organic traffic engine and increase your brand’s awareness. Here are a few numbers and facts to keep in mind when you’re doing so: It’s Google’s world and we’re all living in it.
Worldwide desktop market share of search enginesIf you’re not first (page), you’re last.
Domains Statistics and FactsA good domain name is memorable and reflective of your brand. Domains are also a booming industry you can take advantage of. Here are the numbers and facts you should know to get started: All the good domains are taken–but people still register domains by the millions.
Domain names can go for a lot of money
ConclusionThere you have it! More than 100 website statistics and facts to help guide your decision making process this year. With all this said, it’s important to remember a crucial tenet: The map is not the territory. That means that, as helpful as these numbers and pieces of data are, it’s not going to give you a full picture and understanding of reality. It’s also not going to give you a good idea of what is necessarily best for your brand and business. To understand those details, well…you’re just going to have to do the work and dig into the numbers yourself. No matter what though, we’ll be here to help you out every step of the way. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr November 3, 2020 at 11:03AM
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How to Promote Your Content via Social Media https://ift.tt/3oRH4US Do you create written content? Wondering how to drive more traffic to your articles, eBooks, or white papers with less effort? In this article, you’ll discover a system for easily promoting each piece of content you produce. #1: Start With an Optimized Title You’ve written an article, eBook, or white paper so you’ve done the […] The post How to Promote Your Content via Social Media appeared first on Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing. Social Media via Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing https://ift.tt/1LtH18p November 3, 2020 at 05:05AM
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Twitter hides Trump tweet attacking Supreme Court’s decision on Pennsylvania ballots https://ift.tt/3eiYNzL In an election eve preview of what to expect in the coming days, President Trump pushed the limits on Twitter’s election-specific policies Monday night. In a tweet, Trump railed against the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Pennsylvania officials to count ballots postmarked by Election Day. The Republican party has waged a brazen legal onslaught against voting rights throughout key states in recent weeks, a cynical effort designed to better the sitting president’s reelection chances. Twitter pushed back on the president’s false claim about Pennsylvania mail-in ballots, hiding it behind a misinformation warning that calls the tweet “disputed.” Twitter also disabled non-quote retweets, likes and replies for the hidden tweet, which remains viewable but restricted.
“The Supreme Court decision on voting in Pennsylvania is a VERY dangerous one,” Trump tweeted. “It will allow rampant and unchecked cheating and will undermine our entire systems of laws. It will also induce violence in the streets. Something must be done!” Facebook did not remove the reposted message, but did add a label emphasizing the trustworthiness of voting systems. Three hours after it was published, Trump’s Facebook post had collected 63,000 likes and 13,000 comments. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 2, 2020 at 11:37PM
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What social networks have learned since the 2016 election https://ift.tt/2HYsrxQ On the eve on the 2020 U.S. election, tensions are running high. The good news? 2020 isn’t 2016. Social networks are way better prepared to handle a wide array of complex, dangerous or otherwise ambiguous Election Day scenarios. The bad news: 2020 is its own beast, one that’s unleashed a nightmare health scenario on a divided nation that’s even more susceptible now to misinformation, hyper-partisanship and dangerous ideas moving from the fringe to the center than it was four years ago. The U.S. was caught off guard by foreign interference in the 2016 election, but shocking a nation that’s spent the last eight months expecting a convergence of worst-case scenarios won’t be so easy. Social platforms have braced for the 2020 election in a way they didn’t in 2016. Here’s what they’re worried about and the critical lessons from the last four years that they’ll bring to bear. Contested election resultsPresident Trump has repeatedly signaled that he won’t accept the results of the election in the case that he loses — a shocking threat that could imperil American democracy, but one social platforms have been tracking closely. Trump’s erratic, often rule-bending behavior on social networks in recent months has served as a kind of stress test, allowing those platforms to game out different scenarios for the election. Facebook and Twitter in particular have laid out detailed plans about what happens if the results of the election aren’t immediately clear or if a candidate refuses to accept official results once they’re tallied. On election night, Facebook will pin a message to the top of both Facebook and Instagram telling users that vote counting is still underway. When authoritative results are in, Facebook will change those messages to reflect the official results. Importantly, U.S. election results might not be clear on election night or for some days afterward, a potential outcome that Facebook and other social networks are bracing for. If a candidate declared victory prematurely, Facebook doesn’t say it will remove those claims, but it will pair them with its message that there’s no official result and voting is still underway. Twitter released its plans for handling election results two months ago, explaining that it will either remove or attach a warning label to premature claims of victory before authoritative election results are in. The company also explicitly stated that it will act against any tweets “inciting unlawful conduct to prevent a peaceful transfer of power or orderly succession,” a shocking rule to have to articulate, but a necessary one in 2020. On Monday, Twitter elaborated on its policy, saying that it would focus on labeling misleading tweets about the presidential election and other contested races. The company released a sample image of a label it would append, showing a warning stating that “this tweet is sharing inaccurate information.”
Last week, the company also began showing users large misinformation warnings at the top of their feeds. The messages told users that they “might encounter misleading information” about mail-in voting and also cautioned them that election results may not be immediately known. According to Twitter, users who try to share tweets with misleading election-related misinformation will see a pop-up pointing them to vetted information and forcing them to click through a warning before sharing. Twitter also says it will act on any “disputed claims” that might cast doubt on voting, including “unverified information about election rigging, ballot tampering, vote tallying, or certification of election results.” One other major change that many users probably already noticed is Twitter’s decision to disable retweets. Users can still retweet by clicking through a pop-up page, but Twitter made the change to encourage people to quote retweet instead. The effort to slow down the spread of misinformation was striking, and Twitter said it will stay in place through the end of election week, at least. YouTube didn’t go into similar detail about its decision making, but the company previously said it will put an “informational” label on search results related to the election and below election-related videos. The label warns users that “results may not be final” and points them to the company’s election info hub. Foreign disinformationThis is one area where social networks have made big strides. After Russian disinformation took root on social platforms four years ago, those companies now coordinate with one another and the government about the threats they’re seeing. In the aftermath of 2016, Facebook eventually woke up to the idea that its platform could be leveraged to scale social ills like hate and misinformation. Its scorecard is uneven, but its actions against foreign disinformation have been robust, reducing that threat considerably. A repeat of the same concerns from 2016 is unlikely. Facebook made aggressive efforts to find foreign coordinated disinformation campaigns across its platforms, and it publishes what it finds regularly and with little delay. But in 2020, the biggest concerns are coming from within the country — not without. Most foreign information operations have been small so far, failing to gain much traction. Last month, Facebook removed a network of fake accounts connected to Iran. The operation was small and failed to generate much traction, but it shows that U.S. adversaries are still interested in trying out the tactic. Misleading political adsTo address concerns around election misinformation in ads, Facebook opted for a temporary political ad blackout, starting at 12AM PT on November 4 and continuing until the company deems it safe to toggle them back on. Facebook hasn’t accepted any new political ads since October 27 and previously said it won’t accept any ads that delegitimize the results of the election. Google will also pause election-related ads after polls close Tuesday. Facebook has made a number of big changes to political ads since 2016, when Russia bought Facebook ads to meddle with U.S. politics. Political ads on the platform are subject to more scrutiny and much more transparency now and Facebook’s ad library emerged as an exemplary tool that allows anyone to see what ads have been published, who bought them and how much they spent. Unlike Facebook, Twitter’s way of dealing with political advertising was cutting it off entirely. The company announced the change a year ago and hasn’t looked back since. TikTok also opted to disallow political ads.
Political violencePolitically-motivated violence is a big worry this week in the U.S. — a concern that shows just how tense the situation has grown under four years of Trump. Leading into Tuesday, the president has repeatedly made false claims of voter fraud and encouraged his followers to engage in voter intimidation, a threat Facebook was clued into enough that it made a policy prohibiting “militarized” language around poll watching. Facebook made a number of other meaningful recent changes like banning the dangerous pro-Trump conspiracy theory QAnon and militias that use the platform to organize, though those efforts have come very late in the game. Facebook was widely criticized for its inaction around a Trump post warning “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” during racial justice protests earlier this year, but its recent posture suggests similar posts might be taken more seriously now. We’ll be watching how Facebook handles emerging threats of violence this week. Its recent decisive moves against extremism are important, but the platform has long incubated groups that use the company’s networking and event tools to come together for potential real-world violence. Even if they aren’t allowed on the platform any longer, many of those groups got organized and then moved their networks onto alternative social networks and private channels. Still, making it more difficult to organize violence on mainstream social networks is a big step in the right direction. Twitter also addressed the potential threat of election-related violence in advance, noting that it may add warnings or require users to remove any tweets “inciting interference with the election” or encouraging violence. Platform policy shifts in 2020Facebook is the biggest online arena where U.S. political life plays out. While a similar number of Americans watch videos on YouTube, Facebook is where they go to duke it over candidates, share news stories (some legitimate, some not) and generally express themselves politically. And as we’ve learned the hard way, that makes it a tinderbox, especially during elections. Still, there are reasons to be hopeful, particularly given some very recent decisions. While Facebook acted against foreign threats quickly after 2016, the company dragged its feet on platform changes that could be perceived as politically motivated — a hesitation that backfired by incubating dangerous extremists and allowing many kinds of misinformation, particularly on the far-right, to survive and thrive. But in the last few months, whether it was inspired by the threat of a contested election, federal antitrust action or a possible Biden presidency, Facebook has signaled a shift to more aggressive moderation with a flurry of positive policy changes. An accompanying flurry of election-focused podcast and television ads suggests Facebook is worried about public perception too — and that’s a good thing. Twitter’s plan for the election has been well-communicated and detailed. In 2020, the company treats its policy decisions with more transparency, communicates them in real-time and isn’t afraid to admit to mistakes. The relatively small social network plays an outsized role in publishing political content that’s amplified elsewhere so the choices it makes are critical for countering misinformation and extremism. The companies that host and amplify online political conversation have learned some major lessons since 2016 — mostly the hard way. Let’s just hope it was enough to help them guide their roiling platforms through one of the most fraught moments in modern U.S. history. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com November 2, 2020 at 03:20PM |
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