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In east Ukraine, people turn to Telegram for war news

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Bogdan Novak, a journalist at Pro100 media, speaks with AFP in Kramatorsk

Bogdan Novak, a journalist at Pro100 media, speaks with AFP in Kramatorsk – Copyright AFP Genya SAVILOV

Anna MALPAS

Making coffee for a soldier outside a shopping centre in eastern Ukraine, 24-year-old Nina said she gets news on the war with Russia that has rocked her country from social media.

She lives in Kramatorsk, a city about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the frontline that has been regularly hit by Moscow’s forces.

Like many Ukrainians, she has not relied on traditional media to stay informed on the dragged-out conflict since it began last February and has instead turned to Instagram, TikTok and Telegram.

“The news is on Kramatorsk Instagram accounts and on Telegram channels,” she said outside her mobile coffee truck.

The local Telegram channels she reads — called “Typical Kramatorsk” and “I love (heart) Kramatorsk” — have 107,000 and 57,000 followers respectively.

She is not alone in swiping through posts to stay up to date.

People living in the industrial city said they mostly get updates on the war from social media and personal contacts.

The frontline hub, where many speak primarily Russian, has been hit by missile attacks in recent weeks. Its supermarkets and cafes are busy with soldiers resting from the front line.

“My TV is turned off. I don’t switch it on,” Nina said as she poured a latte for a soldier. She also does not go to news websites.

As for print media, she looked blank.

“I don’t read newspapers,” she said. “It’s all electronic now.”

– ‘TV is irrelevant’ –

Older Ukrainians have increasingly also turned to social media for updates.

The 56-year-old driver of a truck collecting shattered roof tiles after a recent missile strike, Petro, said he mostly relies on YouTube.

“TV is irrelevant,” he told AFP.

“I believe Ukrainian news: about the most recent strikes, about those floods (in southern Ukraine).”

But, in a region where many do not trust authorities, 16-year-old waiter Dmytro said he also turns to Russian-language channels such as Kramatorsk 24, which has 29,000 subscribers on Telegram.

“I’ve only seen the truth about Kramatorsk on those channels, that’s why I trust them,” he said.

And while most locals mainly consume news online, some who work close to the frontline — like volunteer Bogdan — prefer to see things for themselves.

“I trust my own eyes. I don’t like reading Telegram,” the 24-year-old, who was supervising the unloading of humanitarian aid in Kramatorsk told AFP.

“As far as the Donetsk region goes… I know the situation better than the media,” he said.

“I know exactly where the front line is. Where’s dangerous and where’s not,” he added. “All only with my own eyes.”

Telegram has a simple format making it easy to see the latest developments and watch video.

But it often has little information on its authors and images are uncredited.

– ‘Not black-and-white’ –

“I Love Kramatorsk” runs regular updates on the sounds of explosions and lost pets, but is also home to posts with a clear political bias.

On Monday it described the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which has declared independence from Russian clergy, as “fake”, claiming it plans a “corporate raid” on a monastery linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.

The administrator of “I Love Kramatorsk”, who gave his name as Nikita, sent AFP a message saying he is “for freedom of speech and democracy, which does not exist in Ukraine”.

He has lived in Europe “for many years.”

Kramatorsk residents “send me the content, I just publish it”, he said.

Nikita calls himself an ethnic Russian, saying he “supports the rights of (ethnic) Russians in Kramatorsk”.

“But I distinguish ethnic Russians from Russian citizens,” he said, adding: “I don’t support what Russia is doing in Ukraine!”

“Nothing’s black and white,” Nikita said. “That’s why people read me.”

– ‘They don’t believe me’ –

Bogdan Novak, a Kramatorsk-based journalist who works for a local news site called Pro100 (Prosto) Media, said many in Donbas “don’t believe Russian or Ukrainian news.”

“I try to convey truthful information to them, but all the same, they don’t believe me,” said the 33-year-old.

He combines work as a journalist with a second job as a press secretary for a volunteer group, saying it’s “very hard to survive” as a local reporter.

But he believes freedom of speech has increased.

“We try to give information objectively,” he said.

Novak’s news site reported the same monastery story as “I Love Kramatorsk” — quoting the regional governor claiming the monks cooperated with Russian special services.

But the report also mentioned that hundreds sheltered there from Russian shelling.

Novak says he understands why people prefer brief news updates on social media to longer stories.

“They need urgent information,” he said.

“It is more convenient for them to watch videos with short text stories.”

During the war, he said there is primarily demand for information on day-to-day issues

“There will be no electricity here, no water there, humanitarian aid will be handed out here,” he said.

“That’s it. People don’t need any more information.”

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TikTok announces $1.5 bn deal to restart Indonesia online shopping business

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TikTok has around a billion montly users and its growth among young people far outstrips its competitors

TikTok has around a billion montly users and its growth among young people far outstrips its competitors – Copyright AFP/File SEBASTIEN BOZON

Chinese-owned short video app TikTok on Monday announced a $1.5 billion investment in GoTo group in a deal that would allow it to restart its online shop in Indonesia, the companies said in a statement.

Under the deal, TikTok Shop will be merged into GoTo’s Tokopedia, and TikTok will have a controlling stake in that entity.

“TikTok has committed to invest over US$1.5 billion in the enlarged entity over time, to provide future funding required by the business, without additional dilution to GoTo,” the Indonesian firm said.

“TikTok, Tokopedia and GoTo will transform Indonesia’s e-commerce sector, creating millions of new job opportunities over the next five years.”

“The strategic partnership will commence with a pilot period carried out in close consultation with and supervision by the relevant regulators,” GoTo said, adding that it expected the deal to close in 2024.

TikTok in October shut down its online shop in Indonesia, one of its biggest markets.

That came days after Southeast Asia’s largest economy banned sales on social media to protect millions of small businesses.

The regulation means social media firms cannot conduct direct transactions but only promote products on their platforms in Indonesia, the first country in the region to act against TikTok’s growing popularity as an e-commerce site.

Indonesia’s e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021.

Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok’s second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures.

The Indonesian ban came after calls grew for regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms.

The regulation was yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users’ data security and the company’s alleged ties to the Chinese government.

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TikTok spends $1.5B on Tokopedia JV to get around Jakarta social e-commerce ban

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TikTok spends $1.5B on Tokopedia JV to get around Jakarta social e-commerce ban

Just two months ago, ByteDance-owned TikTok abruptly closed its shopping platform in Indonesia to comply with surprise regulations from the Southeast Asian country’s government. Jakarta ordered social media companies like TikTok and Facebook to stop selling goods on their platforms, demanding a separation of social media and e-commerce services.

TikTok now seems to have found a way to revive its e-commerce dreams in Indonesia by spending billions to start a joint venture with Indonesian tech giant GoTo. On Monday, the two companies announced that TikTok Shop will now be available on GoTo’s Tokopedia platform.

“Tokopedia and TikTok Shop Indonesia’s businesses will be combined under the existing PT Tokopedia entity in which TikTok will take a controlling stake. The shopping features within the TikTok app in Indonesia will be operated and maintained by the enlarged entity,” TikTok said in a statement Monday.

TikTok will invest over $1.5 billion into Tokopedia, taking a 75% stake in the platform. GoTo will remain an ecosystem partner to Tokopedia and receive an “ongoing revenue stream from Tokopedia commensurate with its scale and growth,” but will not be required to continue funding the platform. Further funding from TikTok also won’t reduce GoTo’s remaining 25% stake.

Getting back into the Indonesian ecommerce market will be a win for TikTok. Indonesia, which is the platform’s largest market outside of the U.S., is key to Tiktok’s online shopping aspirations. In June, CEO Shou Zi Chew pledged to “invest billions in Indonesia and Southeast Asia over the next few years.”

ByteDance wants to replicate its Chinese e-commerce successaround the globe. Last year, consumers spent in China 1.41 trillion yuan ($196 billion) on products sold on Douyin, the version of TikTok for the Chinese market, The Information reported in January. ByteDance, through TikTok, is expanding its online shopping services in both Southeast Asia and the U.S. Yet the company is struggling to win over American consumers: The Information reported in August that U.S. shoppers are spending just $4 million a day, equivalent to $1.4 billion over a whole year, on goods sold on the social media platform. (TikTok officially launched TikTok Shop in the U.S. in September, though sellers have complained about a flood of low-quality products on the platform).

Before Indonesia imposed its ban in September, the country’s president, Joko Widodo, complained that social media platforms were threatening local micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. Government officials also accused TikTok of engaging in predatory pricing.

GoTo’s deal with TikTok means the Indonesian tech giant is giving up its majority ownership of Tokopedia . Tokopedia started in 2008 and grew to be one of Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platforms. The company merged with ride-hailing startup GoJek in 2021, becoming GoTo Group. The company debuted on Jakarta’s stock exchange in April last year.

Yet the company has struggled to wow investors since then. GoTo has yet to make a profit since becoming a public company. The tech firm reported 2.4 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($147 million) in net losses last quarter, significantly less than the 6.7 trillion rupiah ($428 million) it lost this time last year.

Investors do not appear to be thrilled by the news of GoTo’s TikTok partnership. Shares fell by over 19% by 2:30pm Indonesia time on Monday, erasing gains made late last week as rumors began to build of the new partnership.

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How to Train ChatGPT to Write in Your Brand’s Tone of Voice [Infographic]

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How to Train ChatGPT to Write in Your Brand’s Tone of Voice [Infographic]

Are you looking for ways to improve your ChatGPT output? Want to train it to write in a more unique tone of voice, in order to better suit your branding?

The Creative Marketer shares his ChatGPT prompt tips in this infographic. To enact these, add “Write like [INSERT CHARACTER]” at the start of your ChatGPT instructions.

TCM breaks things down into the following categories:

  • Innocent
  • Sage
  • Explorer
  • Ruler
  • Creator
  • Caregiver
  • Lover
  • Hero
  • Everyman
  • Magician
  • Jester
  • Outlaw

Check out the infographic for more information.

A version of this post was first published on the Red Website Design blog.

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