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TikTok Outlines its Preparations for the Upcoming US Midterms

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TikTok Outlines its Preparations for the Upcoming US Midterms

With the US midterms coming up, every major social network is working to get ahead of an expected rush of misinformation, division, angst and hate, with each app deploying a range of new tactics and tools to better detect concerns, and clarify official updates.

Which, this time around, also includes TikTok, which now has a hugely influential presence in the US.

Today, TikTok has outlined its election security measures, including a new Election Center to host official updates and information, new labels on candidate accounts, and updated guidance on political ads and endorsements.

First off, TikTok’s rolling out an updated Election Center to help provide trusted information on the polling process.

As per TikTok:

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Providing access to authoritative information is an important part of our overall strategy to counter election misinformation. That’s why we’re rolling out an Elections Center to connect people who engage with election content to authoritative information and sources in more than 45 languages, including English and Spanish.

As you can see in these example screens, TikTok’s Election Center will provide information on how to vote in your region, while it will also include additional voting information resources for people in special categories, including deaf voters, overseas citizens, service members, etc.

All of this information will be sourced from official providers to help maximize voter participation.

TikTok’s Election Center will also keep track of official poll results as they come in, providing another means to help alleviate misinformation.

Which has become a major concern in the US. Last year, a ‘far right Twitter troll’ was charged with spreading disinformation online that tricked almost 5,000 Democratic voters into casting their ballots by phone, instead of going to the polls. This is just one example of the lengths that political supporters have gone to in an effort to limit civic participation, in the hopes that this will improve their chosen candidates’ potential of winning.

As such, simple prompts and official reminders like the Election Center can serve an important purpose in providing official information, at scale, in the apps and tools that people are already familiar with (and in the case of TikTok, spending all of their free time using).

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In addition to this, TikTok’s also adding new labels to content that’s been identified as relating to the 2022 midterm elections, as well as all content from accounts belonging to governments, politicians, and political parties in the US.

“These labels will allow viewers to click through to our center and get information about the elections in their state. We’ll also provide access on popular elections hashtags, like #elections2022 and #midtermelections, so that anyone searching for that content will be able to easily access the center.”

TikTok has also underlined its fact-checking efforts, with the platform collaborating with accredited fact-checking organizations across 30 languages, in order to enforce its rules around misinformation and false reports.

That includes labels on questioned posts.

“Out of an abundance of caution, while content is being fact checked or when content can’t be substantiated through fact-checking, it becomes ineligible for recommendation into For You feeds. We also inform viewers of unsubstantiated content and prompt them to reconsider before sharing potential misleading information.

TikTok Election Center

Small prompts like this can have a big impact, with Twitter reporting that its similar alerts potentially offensive tweet replies lead to a 30% reduction in negative interactions as a result.

TikTok finally notes that it doesn’t allow paid political ads, and that it has strict rules in place for paid collaborations with influencers.

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“We work to educate creators about the responsibilities they have to abide by our Community Guidelines and Advertising policies as well as FTC guidelines. Over the next few weeks we’ll publish a series of educational content on our Creator Portal and TikTok, and host briefings with creators and agencies so the rules of the road are abundantly clear when it comes to paid content around elections. If we discover political content was paid for and not properly disclosed, it is promptly removed from the platform.

As noted, whether you like it or not – whether you personally use it or not – TikTok has become a hugely influential platform, with hundreds of millions of Americans now engaging with TikTok clips every day, which inevitably means that it will also be a target for political campaigners looking to influence voters, and swing the results in their favor. As such, it’s important that TikTok does make an effort to combat election misinformation, and to keep its users informed where it can – while we’ve already seen the app become a target for various types of political misinformation campaigns around global events.

Indeed, earlier this year, TikTok has forced to take action against accounts posting fake videos from Ukraine, which purported to depict scenes from the Russian invasion, while the platform has also been questioned over alleged censorship of anti-China sentiment, and potentially working with the CCP to seed more positive stories about the Chinese regime.

Definitive evidence on the latter has been difficult to pin down, due to variances in algorithmic sorting, but as TikTok continues to grow, this will remain a key concern – because is it now a key platform for information sharing and news content dissemination.

Whether you like it or not, whether it should be trusted with such or not. Meta, too, has had to face the same, as a result of its massive audience reach, and while global political tensions remain high, you can bet that Chinese-owned TikTok will remain a keen focus for political analysts in this respect.  

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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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