SOCIAL
Twitter’s Rules Around Speech are Focused on Avoiding Harm, Not Maintaining Control
An inevitable element of the Elon Musk takeover at Twitter is political division, with Elon essentially using left and right-wing antagonism to stoke debate, and boost engagement in the app.
Musk is a vocal proponent of free speech, and of social platforms in particular allowing users to say whatever they want, within the bounds of local laws. Which makes sense, but at the same time, social platforms, which can effectively provide reach to billions of people, also have some responsibility to manage that capacity, and ensure that it’s not misused to amplify messages that could potentially cause real world harm.
Like, for example, when the President tweets this:
Free speech proponents will say that he’s the President, and he should be allowed to say what he wants as the nation’s democratically elected leader. But at the same time, there’s a very real possibility that the President effectively saying that people are allowed to shoot looters, or that protesters will be shot, could lead to direct, real world harm.
“No it won’t, only snowflakes think that, real people don’t take these things literally.”
But the thing is, some people do, and it’s generally only in retrospect that we assess such and determine the causes of angst, confusion, and indeed harm that can be caused by such messaging.
Social platforms know this. For years, in various nations, social media apps have been used to spread messaging that’s lead to violence, civil unrest, and even revolts and riots. In many instances, this has been because social apps have allowed messaging to be spread which is not technically illegal, but is potentially harmful.
There have been ethnic tensions in Myanmar, fueled by Facebook posts, the mobilization of violent groups in Zimbabwe, the targeting of Sikhs in India, Zika chaos in South Africa. All of these have been traced back to social media posts as early, incendiary elements.
And then there was this:
The final series of tweets that finally saw Trump banned from Twitter effectively called on his millions of supporters to storm the Capitol building, in a misguided effort to overturn the result of the 2020 election.
Politicians were cornered in their offices, fearing for their lives (especially those that Trump had called out by name, including former VP Mike Pence), while several people were killed in the ensuing confusion, as Trump supporters entered the Capitol building and looted, vandalized and terrorized all in their path.
That action had essentially been endorsed, even goaded, by Trump, with Twitter providing the means to amplify his messaging. Twitter recognized this, and decided that it did not want to play a part in a political coup, so it banned Trump for this and his repeated violations of its rules.
Many disagreed with Twitter’s decision (note: Facebook also banned Trump). but again, this wasn’t the first time that Twitter had seen its platform used to fuel political unrest. It’s just that now, it was in the US, on the biggest stage possible, and in the midst of what many still view as a ‘culture war’ between the woke left, who want to restrict speech in line with their own agenda, and the freedom-loving right, who want to be able to say whatever they like, without fear of consequence.
Musk himself was opposed to Twitter’s decision.
Elon, of course, has his own history of issues based on his tweets, including his infamous ‘taking Tesla private at $420’ comment, which resulted in the FCC effectively forcing him to step down as chairman of Tesla, and his 2018 tweet which accused a cave diver of being a pedophile, despite having no basis at all to make such a claim. Musk saw no problem with either, even in retrospect – and he even went as far as hiring a private investigator to dig up dirt on the cave diver to dilute the man’s defamation suit.
Free speech, as Musk sees it, should enable him to say such, and people should be able to judge for themselves what that means. Even if it impacts investors or harms an innocent person’s reputation, Musk sees no harm in making such statements.
As such, it’s unsurprising that Musk has now overseen Trump’s account being reinstated, as part of his broader push to overturn Twitter’s years of perceived suppression of free speech.
And as noted, Elon is using this ‘culture war’ as a pretense to maximize his following, and ideally monetize such through his soon to be re-released $8 subscription scheme.
If enough people sign up, he can reduce the platform’s reliance on ads, and make the rules around speech in the app whatever he wants, and get a win for his army of dedicated supporters – but the thing is, the ‘war’ that Elon’s pushing here doesn’t actually exist.
The majority of Twitter users don’t see there being a divide between the ‘elite’ blue checkmark accounts and the ‘regular’ users. The majority don’t have some fundamental opposition to people posting whatever they like, and there’s no broader push from on-high to control what can and cannot be shared, and who or what you can talk about. The only significant action that Twitter’s taken in the past on this front has been specifically to avoid harm, and to limit the potential for dangerous actions that might be inspired by tweets.
Which, in amongst all the ‘free speech’, ‘culture war’ propaganda, is what could eventually end up being overlooked.
Again, it’s only in retrospect that we can clearly see the connections between what’s shared online and real world harm, it’s only after years of seeing the anger bubbles swell on Facebook and Twitter that things truly started to boil over. The risk now is that we’re about to see these bubbles get bigger once again, and despite the lessons of past, despite seeing what can happen when we allow dangerous movements to grow via every borderline tweet and comment, Musk is leading a new charge to fan the flames of division once again.
Which is really the only thing that journalists and commentators are warning against. It’s not driven by corporate leanings or government control, it’s not some ‘woke agenda’ that’s being infused throughout the mainstream media, in order to stop people from learning ‘the truth’. It’s because we’ve seen what happens when regulations are loosened, and when social platforms with huge reach potential allow the worst elements to propagate. We know what happens when speech that may not be illegal, but can cause harm, is amplified to many, many more people.
The ideal of true free speech is that it allows us to address even the most sensitive of topics, and make progress on the key issues of the day, by hearing all sides, no matter how disagreeable we personally may find them. But we know, from very recent history, that this is not the most likely outcome of loosening the safeguards online.
Which is the misnomer of Musk’s ‘culture wars’ push. On the face of it, there’s a battle to be won, there’s a side to choose, there an ‘us’ and a ‘them’ – but in reality, there’s not.
In reality, there’s risk and there’s harm. And while there are extremes of cultural sensitivity, on either side of the debate, the risk is that by getting caught up in a fictional conflict, we end up overlooking, or worse, ignoring the markers of the next violent surge.
That could lead to even more significant harm than we’ve seen this far, and the only beneficiaries will be those stoking the flames.
SOCIAL
Who is HRH Collection founder and YouTuber, Alexandra Peirce?
ALEXANDRA Peirce proves there’s no such thing as bad publicity, garnering more fans and subscribers every time she posts one of her infamous video rants.
Peirce, known better by her social media pseudonym HRH Collection, has been an internet mainstay for years, and her fame only continues to grow after sharing more of her contentious takes online.
Who is Alexandra Peirce?
Alexandra Peirce is a social media personality, influencer, and jewelry designer.
Peirce was born on May 13, 1984, in the US.
She currently resides near Los Angeles, California.
Before launching her famous YouTube channel, Peirce graduated from college in 2007 with a degree in political science.
In 2009, she earned a master’s degree in international business.
While in graduate school, Peirce studied abroad in Shanghai, China, where she says she “fell in love with all things Asian.”
Peirce returned to the US during the peak of the 2008 economic recession, forcing her to move in with her parents.
Despite applying for countless jobs, she couldn’t land a position, leading her to create her YouTube channel.
Peirce post her first video, a “What’s in my bag” vlog where she walked viewers through everyday items she carried in her purse.
Peirce kept the channel going even after landing a job in accounting, posting videos and designing jewelry pieces during lunch breaks and after hours.
Fueled by her growing subscriber count, her design hobby would eventually turn into a full-fledged company, HRH Collection.
While Peirce now runs her jewelry line full-time, she is even better known on the internet for her viral videos, which typically show Peirce sitting in her car, ranting about anything from current events and pop culture trends to hairstyles and holidays.
Her videos are often cut up and reposted on TikTok, where select sound clips go viral.
Some of Peirce’s most well-known tirades include her take on beachy waves – “it’s not the vibe, stop!” – and her controversial views on Women’s Day – ““I think it’s stupid. I really do.”
Nevertheless, Peirce has amassed a legion of hardcore fans and haters who can’t help but watch her scream and shout her opinion on just about everything.
Peirce’s controversial videos (and views) have been compared to other un-cancellable influencers, like Trisha Paytas and Theo Von.
Who else could get away with yelling: “Shut up! Stop being fat! Stop being ugly!” at her viewers, who keep coming back for more?
It seems like no matter what she posts, or how many people disagree with her, viewers can’t help but leave her videos wanting more.
One TikTok user commented: “This woman is actually problematic but my brain is itched by the way she complains because it’s exactly how I think when I’m annoyed.”
Despite – or maybe because of – the controversies, Peirce has continued to grow her social media following.
Her Instagram account boasts 118,000 followers, despite several of her past accounts being banned or deleted.
Peirce’s X account is currently suspended, but that hasn’t stopped the internet icon from sharing her views online.
Her YouTube channel, which hosts over 600 videos, has 449,000 subscribers.
The hashtag #hrhcollection has also garnered nearly 1 billion views on TikTok, from reposted videos to sound bites.
Peirce has also garnered fame via interviews with BuzzFeed News and Interview Magazine, and appeared on podcasts like The Spillover With Alex Clark.
What is HRH Collection?
HRH Collection is a jewelry line created by Alexandra Peirce.
Besides rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, the website also sells bag chains, keychains, ankle socks, t-shirts, and a windbreaker.
On the company’s about page, Peirce explains that the e-commerce site “started as a hobby and has now grown into a company that I’m so proud to call my own.”
Peirce first designed “a Japanese style frosting cupcake ring and key fob,” sharing the pieces on her YouTube channel.
Viewers were interested in purchasing the items, leading Peirce to create La Lumiere, mixing chain metals with assorted crystals to create bracelets and necklaces.
Peirce wore her jewelry to work and showcased her pieces on her social media, leading to steady stream of customers and orders.
From there, Peirce launched an Etsy shop, juggling her full time job alongside designing new pieces and fulfilling online orders.
Peirce states that she is “so thankful” for everyone who helped her along the way, but also offers some practical advice for anyone who hopes to turn their hobby into a viable career, saying she was “strategic” in developing HRH.
She writes: “Many of you guys ask me if you should quit your jobs to pursue YouTube or your other hobbies.”
“To be completely honest, I do not think you should quit your job for any hobby, until you have grown your company into one that can reasonably replace your job – this is very important.”
HRH collection features hundreds of items, with most priced between $50 and $150.
Shoppers can also select items from “Alex’s Musts,” which includes products like a $190 sterling silver tennis necklace, a trio of mixed metal rings for $87, and $59 diet soda hoops, resembling soda can tops.
Consumers looking for unique pieces are in luck, as there is a limited amount of inventory available per item, with many pieces already sold out.
2
Is Alexandra Peirce married?
Peirce came under fire from both her fans and haters after getting married on June 16, 2023, to her second husband, Jason Locke.
The influencer was mocked for her dress, venue, food, and overall wedding aesthetic.
She was also trolled on social media for live-streaming the event, charging users $25 to watch the party.
Peirce chose to wear a short, white, recycled Zara dress for the reception, while the groom chose to don a camouflaged Trump/Pence hat.
After a small ceremony at Bethania Lutheran Church, a reception was held in the parking lot of the Hitching Post, a BBQ joint in Buellton, California.
The eatery’s website says it is known for its wines and West Coast barbecue, and guests dined on veggies, garlic bread, and quesadillas, among other items.
Decorations were minimal, with few flowers adorning the white tent erected in the parking lot.
Each table did come with a cherry-scented ashtray candle, personalized with ‘Mr. & Mrs. Locke’ in a gothic font.
Peirce then changed into yoga pants before heading off to a local casino with her new beau and a few close friends, keeping the party going well into the morning hours.
Many users took to X to share their thoughts.
Some users called the wedding trashy, while others lamented the party’s seemingly low budget.
One user tweeted: “You had a trailer park wedding” along with a crying and skull emojis.
Another wrote: “how can hrh collection talk about anyone when her dress looks like it came out of a Zara clearance section?”
One influencer even branded the event as “the tackiest wedding ever.”
Peirce fought back, going after her online haters and critics in another one of her infamous video rants.
In a video titled Addressing The Devils, Peirce asks her viewers: “Do you think I didn’t know what my wedding was gonna be like? Like, I didn’t plan my wedding?”
“I don’t like big to-dos. I’m the least to-do person ever.”
She added: “B***h, I could fly to the f**king Maldives with every damn f**king person in my damn family and pay for everyone and not have it impact me at all, you f**king idiots.”
Peirce then stressed that her and Locke wanted to keep the wedding “casual and mellow.”
She said: “I did exactly what I wanted to do for my wedding and I would do it all exactly over again.”
Peirce ended the video by saying: “I’m happy, I’m in a really loving relationship. I basically have everything I want.”
“I have my own business, a beautiful house, I have a husband. I’m really happy right now and you guys are so vicious and mean.”
Then, in her signature fashion, she addressed her haters head-on, explaining: “I get it, because you’re miserable and ugly.”
“And you’re a loser, I understand. Life isn’t fair.”
SOCIAL
New Guide Highlights Key Considerations for Effective TikTok Ads
Looking to make TikTok a bigger focus of your marketing effort in 2024?
This will help. TikTok recently partnered with creator intelligence platform CreatorIQ to conduct an analysis of the key factors that make for a resonant TikTok promotion, culminating in a 26-page report which covers a range of key notes and tips for your planning.
You can download CreatorIQ’s full TikTok ads guide here, but in this post, we’ll look at some of the key notes.
The report is broken up into five key pillars of TikTok ads creation, which echo much of the best advice that’s been shared for the platform over time.
CreatorIQ’s five key TikTok marketing notes are:
- Grab attention from the start
- Foster a personal connection
- Show your product in action
- Use high-impact creative elements
- Close with a clear call to action
For each of these elements, the guide digs deeper into how to enact them, and the critical considerations of each, including stats on effectiveness:
Tips on TikTok-specific trends and tools:
As well as case study examples to underline each point:
It’s a handy overview, with a range of valuable notes, though the main finding, above all of the creative pointers and advice, is that established creators perform better for TikTok promotions.
As per CreatorIQ:
“The report found that creators overwhelmingly make the best-performing TikTok ads, with recommendations carrying more weight than traditional brand advertisements and celebrity spokespeople. In fact, after watching a creator-driven Spark Ad, 57% of TikTok community members say the creator is trustworthy, 56% say they can trust the brand because the creator shared it, and 71% say creator authenticity led them to buy a product.”
So while there are a heap of practical notes and pointers for increasing the resonance of your in-app promotions – like this:
The key point of emphasis is that creators make better TikToks, and thus, better ads, so partnering with relevant influencers in your niche is still likely a better way to go.
Some good considerations, and some valuable, data-backed tips, which could help to get your TikTok promotion plan on the right track in the new year.
You can download CreatorIQ’s full TikTok marketing report here.
SOCIAL
Adobe Highlights Rising Visual Trends in 2024 Creative Trends Report
Looking for creative inspiration for your 2024 strategic planning?
This will help. Today, Adobe has published its annual Creative Trends Report, which incorporates insights from Adobe’s 30 million+ Creative Cloud users, in order to determine rising visual styles of interest, which look set to resonate with audiences in the new year.
Based on its research, the Adobe team has established four creative trends that are worthy of note:
- Calming Rhythms – Fluid and flowing forms that soothe the senses and support emotional balance
- Wonder and Joy – Visuals that inspire a sense of awe, joy, and enchantment
- Dynamic Dimensions – Where all dimensions and types of content seamlessly merge
- The New Nostalgia – Contemporary interpretations of vintage styles
Adobe’s 22-page report, which you can download here (with email sign-up), provides more insight into each of these trends, along with various examples, and data that explains why they’re set to gain more momentum.
There are handy notes and insights for each, which help to illustrate how to use them in your process.
Interestingly, a lot of the images used by Adobe in the report look like they’ve been created by generative AI. I don’t know that they have, but it is worth noting the composition in this regard, as another potential means to tap into these trends.
The report provides some interesting perspective on rising visual trends, which could help in your planning. Maybe one of these resonates especially well with your branding, or aligns with what your target audience has been sharing.
Either way, some additional, data-backed considerations, which could be helpful in your process.
You can download Adobe’s “2024 Creative Trends Report” here.
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