In Other News…

Image by: Facebook

Over the past few weeks Facebook users in Canada have received a notification saying that, “In response to Canadian legislation, news won’t be available to view or share soon.” The legislation they are referring to is Bill C-18, which essentially says that tech companies will have to pay news outlets to use their content. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has released a statement explaining that the sharing of news makes up only 3% of what people are sharing on Facebook, and that the decision to outright block the sharing of news in Canada will not make much of an impact on the traffic it sees.  

Go With the Flow

In the same statement, Meta describes how much the platform drives traffic from its site to the media outlets. “We estimate that Facebook Feed sent registered news publishers in Canada more than 1.9 billion clicks in the 12 months to April 2022. This amounts to free marketing we estimate is worth more than $230 million.” They go on to explain how it is the publishers themselves who have been sharing the content onto the platform in hopes to get more attention.  

It isn’t just Meta who will be blocking all links to Canadian news. Google has stated that they would also “block all links to Canadian news articles for people using its search engine and other services in the country in response to a new law that would compel tech companies to pay publishers for content.” This is a concern for a generation who has come to rely on search engines and social media for their news. Newspapers and the nightly news have slowly become a thing of the past. Of course, we can always purchase a subscription, and that will most likely be the next step.  

In the Dark  

I can’t help but be a little concerned over this seemingly sneaky way to further separate Canadians from the truth of the world around them. I realize that I may sound a little conspiratorial here, but people are a lot easier to persuade when they don’t get to see more than one side. One of the things that I liked about having news on sites such as Facebook, was the option to leave a comment and engage in a conversation with other people around a topic. We obviously don’t all have the same view, nor should we always, but what we should be open to is hearing other opinions. Before this push to block news all together, I noticed that a lot of major news outlets had started turning off the comment sections right away. This wasn’t just on Facebook either, this was even on their own sites. I just feel like there is more at play here than we are led to believe.  

Of course, as usual, it all boils down to money. 

What are your thoughts on social media sites blocking Canadian news? Do you see any positives? 

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An X-traordinarily Bold Move

By now, I am sure that you have heard the news that Elon Musk has decided to change the name of Twitter to X. This move seemingly came out of nowhere, over the course of a weekend, and has completely changed the platform formally known as Twitter. What is going through this man’s head? With the iconic term tweeting being completely wiped off the table, we have to ask ourselves, “What is going through this man’s head?”  

A Brand of its Own 

Founded in 2006, Twitter has built itself up to be one of the most well-known social media networks. With around 450 million monthly users tweeting and retweeting, Twitter has become a trusted brand worldwide. In October 2022, Elon Musk purchased Twitter after announcing, “I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy.” (Zahn, 2022.) This push for free speech appeared to be connected to the silencing of such personalities as Trump in the past.  

Image from http://www.techdigest.tv/tag/twitter-logo

Actually… 

With all the back and forth that took place while Elon was purchasing Twitter, people started to question how serious he really was about his purchase. Eventually in an interview with BBC reporter James Clayton, the truth came out; 

(Image taken from techcrunch.com)  

So not only did Musk not want to buy Twitter in the first place, but he has also been sitting on http://www.x.com since merging the original project with Confinity Inc. back in 1999 to became PayPal.

Next Moves

There are several thoughts that go through my head at this point. For one, Musk feels like he was pushed into buying something that he didn’t want – for a whopping 44 billion dollars. Since purchasing Elon has disclosed that Twitter has lost over half of its ad revenue. This is a huge loss for someone, and some wonder if he is purposefully sabotaging the platform to watch it burn. Others wonder if this whole thing is just a ploy to push X.com and to ride in on Twitters – wingtips? This idea seems very counterintuitive to the very well-known branding that Twitter has built for so long. Elon has already changed the logo of X.com at least twice since announcing the changeover. This just seems like a marketing nightmare. However, it has garnered a huge amount of media attention, and that could give Elon the spotlight he needs to pull this off. It will be interesting to see where this goes. 

Twitter- #Twitter is #nomore!!😲😲😲What is going on?? https://tinyurl.com/msmxmxvp
Facebook – Elon Musk has pulled an unheard of move, and has completely changed the face of Twitter. Check out my blog to see what he’s thinking! https://tinyurl.com/msmxmxvp

Influence-ugh..

Social media influencers are emerging as some of the top earners in the entertainment industry these days. With the newer generations turning away from the old ways of sitting around watching television with the family it is no surprise that their attention has landed on the internet, and the celebrities that come with it. With that comes some new challenges in the way that these influencers market products, in attempts to generate more money.  

Rise of the Treats 

Working in the education system for some time now, I tend to notice little fads pop up regarding food choices in kid’s lunches. Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not judging anyone’s nutritional choices here, I’m just saying that even lunchboxes follow trends.

My last year was mainly spent in a grade 4/5 split class, and it was here that I was introduced to two social media treats. The first one is a variety of healthier chocolate bars called Feastables, by Jimmy Donaldson, better known as Mr. Beast. Currently there are cases of these bars on Amazon.ca going for about $200. The second treat, which is more widely available in my area, is PRIME Energy Drink by Logan Paul and KSI. I’ve personally seen kids use these as currency at school to get something they want, and the disappointment that other kids seem to have when they see their classmates with these items that they don’t have. Recently, schools across the globe have been cracking down and outright banning these energy drinks as they are not suitable for children.
Image by Racool_studio on Freepik

Won’t Somebody Think of the Children? 

The Food and Drug Administration has been asked by US Senators to investigate PRIME Energy Drink to determine whether or not the product is being marketed to children. In a recent video posted by Internet Today, the topic of the amount of caffeine in the product comes up. Hosts Ricky and Elliot discuss the issue stating, “Apparently you would need to drink 6 cans of Coca-Cola to reach the equivalent of what’s in one can of PRIME Energy Drink.” Adding, “Clearly if you look at the marketing, it’s used toward a younger audience.” In another article, Sarah Bregel explains that the energy drinks are not specifically branded towards kids, “but with PRIME’s promotion on social media by two influencers who have more than 40 million followers combined – many of them in the Gen Z cohort – you better believe that underaged kids and teens are salivating for the drink.” 

It’s easy for anyone who spends a lot of time with kids today to see the influence that social media has on them, not just through advertising, but just through relatable content. Especially if it is presented by somebody who is cool, loud, fun, and exciting. While kids have always been the target of influence, I believe that in today’s culture, social media is the new form of entertainment. The kids are going to find people they can relate to and want to emulate. I think the responsibility of advertising does fall on the people who are promoting it, but it needs to be shared with the adults in that child’s life as well. We have graduated from the babysitter known as TV to the new one known as the internet. Will you be vigilant as to what your child consumes?

If for some reason you still don’t see the influence that these entertainers have on our kids, I have just one question for you – ??

Twitter post – Could Logan Paul be in 🚨#trouble🚨with the FDA?😱 Click here to find out more! https://tinyurl.com/yc23wbka
Facebook post – Are your kids put at risk every time they watch a YouTube video? Find out why the FDA is paying extra attention to social media influencers, and why you as a parent should be paying attention! https://tinyurl.com/yc23wbka

Fundraising and Social Media

Image by Freepik

Social media has become a way for people to raise money for causes that are near and dear to them. Sometimes these causes are large and have lots of coverage. More often, however, the campaigns that we see circling platforms like Facebook are pleas for help from people who could be our friends, neighbours, or coworkers. Recently, I came across such a post.  

Instant Recognition 

As I sat mindlessly scrolling the other day, an image popped up on my screen that made me stop instantly. You see, I knew that hair anywhere! That hair belonged to a wonderful lady that I had the pleasure of working along-side at least 15 years ago. This woman made such an impression on me, with her positive outlook, sassy attitude, and a heart as large as the sea. She made going to work better, for everyone. This time she sat with her shoulders slumped, head in her hands, and she appeared so worn. I had to click the link to see what was going on! 

A Call to Action 

The link brought me to a video by YouTuber Cjay011 entitled, “HOMELESS WITH KIDS!!! WE ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE THEIR LIFE!!!” There sat my old coworker, and her husband looking very broken. They spoke of multiple life-altering illnesses, and the need to sell their house to continue to support their kids, one of which struggles with mental health issues. They mention that they’ve tried to keep their struggles to themselves, but how they feel they are failing their children, and don’t know what to do. Upon hearing what they’ve endured, Cjay011 tells them that all the money earned from this video will go directly to them. He states that we, as the audience, need only to watch and share the video. “If we get a million views just on this video, that’s what, 20? 10-20K in their pocket.” says CJay011.

Spreading the Word 

While a million views may sound like a major feat, only 5 days have passed since this video was posted, and they are already sitting at 63000 views as I write this. You see, with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, getting your message out there has never been easier. With sites like GoFundMe, you can even take a more direct approach to asking for help. Have you ever used social media to raise money for a cause? Or perhaps, you’ve donated to someone in need. I’d love to hear all about it in the comments.   

References:

Close up hands holding heart. (n.d.). https://www.freepik.com. https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/close-up-hands-holding-heart_20825540.htm

[Cjay011]. (2023, July 8). HOMELESS WITH KIDS!!! WE ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE THEIR ENTIRE LIFE!!! [Video]. http://Www.Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywp316oqXrk