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Op-Ed: Seattle schools vs Big Tech, but how do you make a case?

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Facebook owner Meta was fined for a data breach

Facebook owner Meta was fined for a data breach – Copyright AFP Justin TALLIS

The lawsuit filed by Seattle schools against a virtual Who’s Who of major social media companies is getting a lot of coverage. This is an extremely ambitious case. The problem is that it’s also an extremely difficult case for the schools. This is a true landmark lawsuit.

The schools are suing on the allegation of mental harm to students. A lot of people would agree with them. The brutal social media environment is leaving a very long trail of news stories, most of them pretty grim. There’s no doubt that rampant bullying and a truly vicious culture are a huge load on kids.

…But how do you prove it to the point of winning such a huge court case? The terms of the suit claim social media causes anxiety, depression, and mental harm. How do you prove that to the extent of getting meaningful legal results, and solving the problems?

The law is not in a good position here:

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  • There are some precedents regarding specific cases. There are no precedents regarding an entire class of social media.
  • This case applies nationwide, not just Seattle.
  • You need to prove the companies were negligent, and/or legally at fault, causing harm.
  • Are social media companies legally responsible for user actions? To what extent? (If only this was a rhetorical question.)
  • The court’s finding must either provide a solution, or dismiss the lawsuit.
  • A solution would be difficult to put it mildly. Dismissal of the lawsuit would be a step backwards, and definitely not the end of such lawsuits.

Those are just the basics. The situation now gets a lot deeper and far more difficult:

  • The schools are without a doubt acting very much in the public interest to the best of their ability. They’re doing what they can to manage a gigantic problem.
  • Social media companies know all too well they have a problem. The fixes are likely to be laborious and expensive, and may not work.
  • Any number of civil cases may be generated by a finding for the plaintiffs in this case. Existing civil cases may also be affected.
  • There are extraordinary degrees of difficulty in even the terminology of the case. Try defining “mental harm”, for example. Even a psychologist would think twice about any glib definition.
  • There are also serious cases of suicide and massive harassment which have civil law ramifications beyond the case.

The argument for the schools’ case suffers from being so general. The scope of the lawsuit is truly vast. Nobody would deny kids frequently do have problems on social media. A lot of people would dispute the efforts of social media to manage the many known issues, too.

That, however, doesn’t quite add up to a simple court finding. What’s the court supposed to do? Can it simply order a remedy to all these things? How? When? What sort of oversight should be in place to make sure the order is enforced?

Solutions – Algorithms aren’t people

There’s a further problem here, whatever the court finds regarding the lawsuit. The mindless faith in algorithms on social media monitoring is already bad enough. It’s inefficient. It often doesn’t get context or even syntax in statements.

For example – I referred to Russian riot police as pigs on Facebook. I got a 3 day penalty for “bullying”. Bullying whom, you may ask? To this day, I don’t know. Nobody even replied to the comment. Only the Russian riot police were targeted by the statement. Yet someone was “bullied”. Any human would understand the context, but the algorithm didn’t.

The point is that this is how algorithms work and don’t work, and they’re likely to be the default solution in this case. Auto-monitoring can’t, won’t, and doesn’t, work. It simply can’t do the job. That means you need human oversight, and that’s expensive.

Any finding, in this case, has to deliver a practical solution. That may well be tougher than the lawsuit.

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Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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