WhatsApp ‘Carts’ could seriously harm e-commerce start-ups
WhatsApp’s new in-app feature ‘Carts’ is set to make online shopping easier for its 2 billion user base. Small e-commerce start-ups are real concerned. Just in time for the holiday season, WhatsApp has this week announced plans to roll out a new in-app shopping feature called Carts which allows buyers...
Current in Social
TikTok is finally investigating pro-eating disorder content
The social media giant is cracking down on videos that promote starvation and anorexia following reports that potentially harmful pro-weight-loss accounts are still available in search results. It’s a day of reckoning for Gen Z’s app du jour. TikTok, the viral video-sharing platform wildly popular among teens, has announced plans...
Students are up in arms against anti-cheating surveillance tech
As colleges continue to rely on ‘anti-cheating’ exam monitoring tech in lockdown, pupils claim they’re being treated more like criminals than students. If you’re something of a nervy student you’ll know that settling down and feeling comfortable plays a big part in overcoming the whole exam process. The quicker you’re...
Snapchat boosts creative toolset with Spotlight and Voisey
2020 has become a good year to make a buck in the creative industry, and Snapchat is using the current landscape to forge a strong comeback in the social media arena. Social distancing regulations imposed by Covid-19 continue to usher in a burgeoning DIY culture, and Snapchat is taking full...
Twitter strives for inclusivity with new stories feature ‘Fleets’
Twitter is encouraging people back on its platform with timed, disappearing tweets called ‘Fleets.’ It’s hard to stay relevant if you don’t roll with the times - and Twitter appears to have finally realised it may be lagging behind the competition. The platform has always been the place to go for...
Snapchat’s new astrology update fosters Gen Z lockdown connections
All is written in the stars, and as of Thursday, also on Snapchat. Whether you’re a horoscope devotee who believes destiny is written in the stars, or just looking for an excuse to break the ice with a crush in lockdown, Snapchat has developed a full-fledged astrology feature to serve...
How AI-based app WYSA is helping Gen Z’s mental health
Offering pragmatic solutions to mental health struggles, WYSA is using AI chat algorithms and questionnaires to tailor emotional support for Gen Z users. It seems AI is everywhere these days. Whether it’s used to help artists create paintings from scratch, or to quicken disaster response times via satellites, we’re finding more innovative ways to use algorithms and automated systems every day. You can now add mental health support to...
Gen Z help location apps flourish but is our privacy at risk?
Dating apps and COVID-19 tracking services have seen huge growth this year - particularly with Gen Z and Millennials - but should we be concerned about the privacy risks? It’s official - a second wave of COVID-19 is here in full swing. With no real end to the pandemic restrictions in sight, more of us are turning to online platforms and new location-based apps to connect with others than ever...
The rise of ‘dark social’ is changing brand marketing
Gen Z is one of the biggest drivers of dark social traffic, often blurring the line between private and public social media activity - it’s only set to increase. Dark social is commonly used to describe any online interaction or click that can’t be traced by third parties or marketers. This applies to WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger chats, private emails, or Snapchat photo sending, for example. It means that web...
Quibi shuts down following lockdown marketing misstep
Launching in lockdown has proved a fatal miscalculation for mobile centric streaming service Quibi. Six months ago, at the height of the first COVID-19 lockdown, veteran execs Jaffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman boldly opted to launch a mobile-centric streaming service called Quibi. Spurred by a clear consumer demand for short-bite TikTok-esque content, the pair rapidly sunk a whopping $1.8 billion into both capital and star power including $63 million on advertising...
