Connect with us

SOCIAL

Reddit Looks to Expand the Use of its ‘Reddit Talks’ Audio Rooms Option

Published

on

Reddit Looks to Expand the Use of its 'Reddit Talks' Audio Rooms Option

While audio social has lost some momentum after the sudden rise of Clubhouse early last year, the capacity to tune in and connect with people in a less intrusive, more relaxed live format still holds significant appeal, and significant potential in various forms, and in various apps.

And while Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces are the most prominent platforms in this respect, Reddit, too, has been seeing success with its own ‘Reddit Talk’ option, which it first launched last April, and has since been quietly expanding to more of its highly engaged communities, offering another way to extend Reddit chats to another medium.

Indeed, Reddit says that more than 1,000 subreddits now have access to the option, which has lead to more than 250% growth in daily active listeners of Reddit Talk sessions over the last three months.

That’s significant, and given the rising interest, Reddit’s now looking to put more focus on Reddit Talk chats, as it works to expand its user engagement options, and the overall utility of the app.

First off, Reddit’s making Reddit Talk chats more prominent, with a new, Twitter Spaces-like feed of live chats in progress, within the subreddits that you follow, along the top bar of the app.

That’s a big shift, and Reddit users will definitely have ‘feelings’ about it. Reddit’s highly engaged communities are generally resistant to change, especially anything that dilutes the focus of the app, and that will likely see some backlash to this update, which will change user home screens.

But it could also get more people tuning in to relevant chats, which could be a big step for the app.

The advantage Reddit has in this respect is that in launching Reddit Talk within specific communities, it can highlight in-progress chats to the followers of each, ensuring optimal discovery, without users having to sort through a massive list of in-progress chats for themselves (ala Twitter and Clubhouse) to find something potentially of interest.

That’s more specifically a problem on Twitter Spaces – if you tap on the Spaces tab in the app right now, you better be into NFTs, because virtually every live chat at any given time is focused on NFTs and/or crypto, with few alternative conversations weaved in-between.

Discovery remains the bugbear of both Spaces and Clubhouse, and Reddit’s approach, much like Facebook rolling its audio rooms out to specific influencers and groups, could actually be a much better way to maximize user discovery, and interest in the option.

This new top-of-feed display could be an annoyance to some, but it could also be a great way to maximize Reddit Talk engagement.

Reddit’s also launching Talk recordings, enabling users to tune into chats after the fact.

Starting today, when a redditor visits a Reddit Talk post from a past live session, they’ll be able to listen to a recording of the conversation. The new feature includes a playback bar that enables redditors to skip to any timestamp, pause or unpause, and fast-forward or rewind 10 seconds at a time.

Reddit Talk update

That’s another key step, helping to boost the utility of Reddit audio chats, which could also provide more incentive for users to broadcast in the app, as a means to build their profile and following on the platform.

Reddit’s also adding text and emojis to help users participate in a Talk.

“Previously, redditors who were listening to a Talk were able to raise their hand to join the stage, but couldn’t comment in real time. Enabling comments and emojis makes Talks easier to engage with, even without speaking.

Reddit Talk update

And finally, it’s also bringing Reddit Talk to the web, providing more ways for listeners to tune in.

Reddit Talk update

Again, while some of the air has been let out of the social audio hype bubble, for many users, it’s now become a habitual, regular option, which, while not being as big a deal as it once was, has provided more utility, and more options for connection in each app.

On Reddit, that could actually be significant, providing an alternative way for Redditors to connect beyond clever comment replies and awards allocated by other users. Which could lead to new communities forming, stronger bonds in each group, and more opportunities for Reddit to play a bigger connective role in the broader social media space.

Really, it’s a logical progression for Reddit communication, and while it’s a little different to other social audio options, those differences may actually be of benefit to Reddit’s specific use case, and boosting utility in the app.


Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address

SOCIAL

US Judge Blocks Montana’s Effort to Ban TikTok

Published

on

U.S. Judge Blocks Montana’s Effort to Ban TikTok in the State

TikTok has won another reprieve in the U.S., with a district judge blocking Montana’s effort to ban the app for all users in the state.

Back in May, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation to ban TikTok outright from operating in the state, in order to protect residents from alleged intelligence gathering by China. There’s no definitive evidence that TikTok is, or has participated in such, but Gianforte opted to move to a full ban, going further than the government device bans issued in other regions.

As explained by Gianforte at the time:

The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented. Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party.”

In response, a collection of TikTok users challenged the proposed ban, arguing that it violated their first amendment rights, which led to this latest court challenge, and District Court Judge Donald Molloy’s decision to stop Montana’s ban effort.

Montana’s TikTok ban had been set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

In issuing a preliminary injunction to stop Montana from imposing a full ban on the app, Molloy said that Montana’s legislation does indeed violate the Constitution and “oversteps state power.”

Molloy’s judgment is primarily centered on the fact that Montana has essentially sought to exercise foreign policy authority in enacting a TikTok ban, which is only enforceable by federal authorities. Molloy also noted that there was apervasive undertone of anti-Chinese sentiment” within Montana’s proposed legislation.

TikTok has welcomed the ruling, issuing a brief statement in response:

Montana attorney general, meanwhile, has said that it’s considering next steps to advance its proposed TikTok ban.

The news is a win for TikTok, though the Biden Administration is still weighing a full TikTok ban in the U.S., which may still happen, even though the process has been delayed by legal and legislative challenges.

As I’ve noted previously, my sense here would be that TikTok won’t be banned in the U.S. unless there’s a significant shift in U.S.-China relations, and that relationship is always somewhat tense, and volatile to a degree.

If the U.S. government has new reason to be concerned, it may well move to ban the app. But doing so would be a significant step, and would prompt further response from the C.C.P.

Which is why I suspect that the U.S. government won’t act, unless it feels that it has to. And right now, there’s no clear impetus to implement a ban, and stop a Chinese-owned company from operating in the region, purely because of its origin.

Which is the real crux of the issue here. A TikTok ban is not just banning a social media company, it’s blocking cross-border commerce, because the company is owned by China, which will remain the logic unless clear evidence arises that TikTok has been used as a vector for gathering information on U.S. citizens.

Banning a Chinese-owned app because it is Chinese-owned is a statement, beyond concerns about a social app, and the U.S. is right to tread carefully in considering how such a move might impact other industries.

So right now, TikTok is not going to be banned, in Montana, or anywhere else in the U.S. But that could still change, very quickly.



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

SOCIAL

EU wants to know how Meta tackles child sex abuse

Published

on

The investigation is the first step in procedures launched under the EU's new online content law known as the Digital Services Act

The investigation is the first step in procedures launched under the EU’s new online content law known as the Digital Services Act – Copyright AFP Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV

The EU on Friday demanded Instagram-owner Meta provide more information about measures taken by the company to address child sexual abuse online.

The request for information focuses on Meta’s risk assessment and mitigation measures “linked to the protection of minors, including regarding the circulation of self-generated child sexual abuse material (SG-CSAM) on Instagram”, the European Commission said.

Meta must also give information about “Instagram’s recommender system and amplification of potentially harmful content”, it added.

The investigation is the first step in procedures launched under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), but does not itself constitute an indication of legal violations or a move towards punishment.

Meta must respond by December 22.

A report by Stanford University and the Wall Street Journal in June this year said Instagram is the main platform used by paedophile networks to promote and sell content showing child sexual abuse.

Meta at the time said it worked “aggressively” to fight child exploitation.

The commission has already started a series of investigations against large digital platforms seeking information about how they are complying with the DSA.

It has sought more information from Meta in October about the spread of disinformation as well as a request for information last month about how the company protects children online.

The DSA is part of the European Union’s powerful regulatory armoury to bring big tech to heel, and requires digital giants take more aggressive action to counter the spread of illegal and harmful content as well as disinformation.

Platforms face fines that can go up to six percent of global turnover for violations.

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

SOCIAL

The North Face Delivered Jacket Via Helicopter After Viral TikTok Complaint

Published

on

The North Face Delivered Jacket Via Helicopter After Viral TikTok Complaint

  • Popular apparel brand The North Face posted a crazy marketing stunt on TikTok recently. 
  • In a video, they delivered a rain jacket to a woman at the top of a mountain in New Zealand via helicopter. 
  • The woman had complained in a viral TikTok that her waterproof jacket got soaked in the rain. 

The North Face pulled an elaborate marketing stunt on TikTok and delivered some rain gear via helicopter to a woman in New Zealand, whose complaint about the brand went viral on the platform. 

Jenn Jensen posted a TikTok video on November 17 showing herself on a hiking trail in the rain where she’s soaked whilst wearing a rain jacket sporting The North Face logo. 

“I’ve got a bone to pick with North Face,” Jensen says in the video which has racked up over 11 million views. “I bought this ‘rain jacket’ a couple of days ago and the tag for the advertising said that it’s waterproof. Well listen, I’m 100% sure that it’s raining outside and I’m soaking wet.” 

She added: “Listen… I don’t want a refund. I want you to redesign this rain coat to make it waterproof and express deliver it to the top of Hooker Valley Lake in New Zealand where I will be waiting.” 

She tagged The North Face’s TikTok page in her caption. In one comment a user named @timbrodini wrote: “*Northface has left the conversation.” 

The popular outdoor clothes brand made their own TikTok video in response to @timbrodini’s comment in which they said: “We were busy express delivering @Jenn her jacket at the top of mountain.”

In the TikTok video, a North Face employee can be seen grabbing a red jacket from one of its physical stores and then hopping onto a helicopter where he’s flown out to New Zealand. The man then jumps out of the helicopter at the top of the mountain and runs out to throw the jacket to Jensen who is waiting. 

She says “thank you” at the end of the video, which has also gone viral and gained 4.1 million views. 

Jensen then made a follow up video on her page explaining that The North Face’s marketing team saw her video and wanted to make “amends.” She said they flew her out by helicopter to the top of a mountain in New Zealand to give her new rain gear. 

“At this point the ultimate test will be if the new rain gear they gave me at the top of that mountain will hold up to the very high bar that North Face has now set for themselves,” she concluded at the end of the video. 

Some users speculated whether her original video was also a part of the marketing stunt but Jensen responded that she “turned down” the opportunity to be paid for the company’s follow up video. 

“I’m not an influencer, I was just a disappointed customer.” 

The marketing strategy appears to be a new way for brands to connect with customers by showing their care whilst also providing an entertaining video on social media. 

The North Face seems to be following the steps of the Stanley cup brand which recently went viral after gifting a woman a new car. The woman’s own car had burnt down, but in a TikTok video she showed that her insulated Stanley cup had survived the car fire and that the ice inside hadn’t even melted. 



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

Trending