Who are the most effective influencers on social media? How can humour help people talk about tough topics? What can tech brands do to help people break free of their echo chambers? And how are digital interactions being made to feel more intimate?
Trump’s Presidential win left half the world aghast, and the other half saying ‘I told you so’, raising all kinds of questions about the flow of information online. And it's led to a call for social platforms and media outlets to take some responsibility. But is it too little, too late?
The Facebook Journalism Project is fighting fake news
signal·
16 Jan 2017
Facebook is stepping up to combat its fake news problem. With corporate responsibility stretching beyond a brand’s own actions to encompass the actions of those it encourages and facilitates, the social network is acknowledging that it can be held accountable for its indirect influence on the world.
From politicians to vloggers, digitally captured faux pas have become the fodder of much debate across media. But what makes cringe-worthy moments – which inspire feelings of embarrassment, awkwardness, and even pity – so captivating amid the stream of content fighting for our attention?
Memes are part of the fabric of internet culture. But at a time when there’s such a disparity between reality and social media perfection, the subversion of the classic meme format reflects a shift in how people express themselves digitally. How do nihilist memes show the silver lining of sadness?
Girls’ Night in is a members-only Facebook group for LA’s hottest and coolest women, who whisper and giggle between themselves. And while its ranks are small by internet metrics, these women are highly engaged. So what’s got them sharing their deepest secrets with 1,500 friends they’ve never met?
Why more followers doesn’t always mean more influence
report·
8 Feb 2017
Online influencers have shaped the way people interact with brands since the advent of social media, adding context to products outside of typical advertising channels. But the idea that more followers equate to more consumer sway is not always true. How exactly is influencer marketing evolving?
Airtime: injecting intimacy into the virtual world
case study·
6 Dec 2016
From live-streaming platforms to messenger apps, social media connects people with thousands of ‘friends’ on a daily basis. But while a scroll and a ‘like’ might satisfy some, Airtime is gearing up multi-party live video. Is this the return to intimacy that the connected generation is hungry for?
Around 200 million people in China have a live-streaming account. For some, watching others’ daily existence has become a way of life, whether that’s seeing someone eat noodles or witnessing a prankster set his car alight. What’s behind this social media sensation? And why is it so addictive?