SOCIAL
LinkedIn Outlines New Process to Detect and Hide Inappropriate InMail Messages
Unsolicited advances are a problem on all social platforms, but they seem especially out of place on LinkedIn, due to the platform’s professional and career focus.
And yet, many people – many women in particular – do indeed experience harassment on LinkedIn.
Last year, former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner addressed the problem publicly, and said that they were looking to take more action to stamp InMail harassment out, yet Weiner also declined to provide numbers on how often such harassment was occurring. But there are various accounts online of serious issues with LinkedIn harassment. And now, LinkedIn has a new system to detect and reduce the impact of such for its users.
In a new post on the LinkedIn Engineering Blog, LinkedIn outlines its new detection system which has been trained on examples of past reports of harassment via LinkedIn messages.
LinkedIn has found that the most common harassing messages it sees are:
- Romance Scams – Members who carry out financial scams through fake or hacked accounts using romantic messaging to defraud a member.
- Inappropriate Advances – LinkedIn is not a dating website, but some members choose to inappropriately solicit other members for romantic purposes. These members send multiple messages soliciting relationships to members they often don’t know.
- Targeted Harassment – This includes bringing an off-platform conversation or dispute onto LinkedIn, such as stalking or trolling. These violations are less common and may originate from fake accounts or real members.
Taking these examples into account, LinkedIn has built an algorithm that can now detect harassing messages based on a three-step process:
- First, sender behavior (e.g., site usage, invitations sent) is scored by a behavior model. This model is trained using members that were confirmed to have conducted harassment (surfaced via member reports).
- Second, content from the message is scored by a message model. This model is trained using messages that have been reported as and confirmed to be harassment.
- Finally, the interaction between the two members in the conversation (e.g., how often do they respond to one another, are most of the messages predicted to be harassment by the message model) is scored by an interaction model. This model is trained using signals from the conversations resulting in harassment.
When a potential problem is detected, based on these parameters, LinkedIn will now hide the incoming message, and provide an option for the recipient to either read it or not – or submit a harassment report.
The process will reduce instances of harassing behavior on the platform, and should help to make all LinkedIn members feel safer on the platform.
Again, any type of harassment is not welcome, but on LinkedIn, where people are working to build professional connections, it seems overly inappropriate. If you’re thinking of sending a romantic proposal via InMail, don’t. Just don’t do it. That’s not what people are on LinkedIn for.
You can read more about LinkedIn’s new harassment detection process here.
SOCIAL
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.
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.
SOCIAL
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.”Â
“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.
“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.
SOCIAL
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.
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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