TheNewsGuru

Tag: Social Media

Social Media

  • Twitter new web interface rolls out to users globally

    Twitter is rolling out its new web interface to users globally, including several key features, like a newly designed emoji button.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) observed the most important changes are tiny shortcuts the micro-blogging platform made to enable tweeting easier.

    “Some of you got an opt-in to try it now. Check out the emoji button, quick keyboard shortcuts, upgraded trends, advanced search, and more. Let us know your thoughts,” Twitter tweeted of the new web interface.

    A large, dedicated button in the tweet box makes it easier to add an emoji, an updated trending section appears on the right-hand side of the page, and little aesthetic updates make it easier to see who’s involved in a conversation.

    The changes, alongside the way Twitter’s desktop version has condensed from three columns into two, should make it easier to both read and send tweets.

    “Tried it yesterday – definitely an improvement,” a Twitter user said of the new web interface.

    However, some users have expressed disappointment the update did not come with the much-awaited edit button.

    Twitter chief executive officer (CEO), Jack Dorsey had said the micro-blogging platform was considering an option for users to be able to edit tweets.

    On why the micro-blogging site lacks the feature, Dorsey said the platform was built on the SMS format of text messaging

    “Maybe we introduce a 5-30 seconds delay in the sending of tweet and within that window, you can edit because the issue with going longer than that is it takes that real-time nature of the conversational flow out of it.

    “Once you send a text, you can’t take it back. When you send a tweet, it goes to the world instantaneously. You can’t take it back,” Dorsey said.

    “When are you planning to have an edit button @jack for the posts? You know people make mistakes sometimes when they tweet,” a user queried.

    However, Twitter did not immediately reply the query.

     

     

  • Twitter records better-than-expected revenue despite drop in users

    Twitter records better-than-expected revenue despite drop in users

    Twitter recorded a better-than-expected increase in revenue, according to fourth-quarter report released on Thursday, despite drop in monthly active users in the same period.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Twitter attributed the drop in monthly active users, in part, to its campaign of deleting millions of abusive accounts.

    Twitter’s overall revenue rose to $909 million in the quarter, and total advertising revenue rose 23 percent to $791 million.

    The micro-blogging firm said more than half of total advertising revenue came from video ads placed by corporate clients.

    Revenue from data licensing and other non-advertising businesses rose 35 percent from a year earlier to $117 million, the firm reported.

    The number of average daily active users exposed to Twitter ads, a new figure disclosed by the company, rose to 126 million in the fourth quarter from 115 million a year ago and 124 million in the previous quarter.

    Monthly active users totaled 321 million. That was in line with analysts’ forecasts, but down from 330 million a year earlier and 326 million in the third quarter.

    Twitter said that after the current quarter it would stop disclosing monthly active users, a statistic that has become standard among internet companies over the last decade.

    For the current quarter, Twitter said it expected total revenue to be between $715 million and $775 million. Analysts are expecting about $765 million, on average.

    Twitter said it expects operating expenses to rise about 20 percent year-on-year in 2019 due to efforts to improve its service, above analysts’ average estimate of 12 percent.

    It expects capital expenditures to be between $550 million and $600 million, well above analysts’ average estimate of $415 million for 2019.

     

  • Facebook launches hub, invites users to take a checkup

    As the world marks Data Privacy Day, social media giant, Facebook has launched a Privacy and Data Use Hub.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the social media giant is also inviting users on the platform to take a Privacy Checkup.

    “Starting today and continuing over the next two weeks, we’ll invite people on Facebook to take a Privacy Checkup.

    “We’re also launching a Privacy and Data Use Hub to make our data and privacy resources easier for businesses to find,” Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan announced.

    It is important for people to periodically review their privacy choices to be sure they are still the right ones.

    Facebook will be showing users a reminder in News Feed inviting them to take the Privacy Checkup.

    “We’ll roll this out around the world over the next two weeks to help people review who can see their Facebook posts, the information on their profile and who can see it, and the apps and websites they log into with Facebook,” Egan stated.

    The new Facebook’s Privacy and Data Use Business Hub centralizes resources that businesses can use to understand how they can protect people’s information when using Facebook.

    This new hub contains information on topics like our Ads and Privacy Principles, how data is used in ad products, and guidance to help companies understand rules like GDPR.

    “While Data Privacy Day is a good time to think about protecting your information, we’re continuing to work throughout the year to improve the privacy controls we offer on Facebook and better communicate about how we protect people’s information.

    “Last year we made our privacy settings easier to find, improved our tools for accessing and deleting your information, and published our Privacy Principles.

    “This year we’ll do more to explain how Facebook uses people’s data and provide people with more transparency and control.

    “For example, in the coming months we will launch Clear History, a new control to let you see the information we get about your activity on other apps and websites, and disconnect that information from your account,” Egan said.

     

  • NITDA unveils guidelines for use of social media platforms in public institutions

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has
    unveiled five Information Technology (IT) guidelines and regulatory frameworks to ensure ease of doing business in the sector.

    The Director General of the agency, Dr Isa Pantami, unveiled the guidelines at a public presentation in Abuja and urged the public, institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to adhere to the provisions of the guidelines.

    Pantami said that the public presentation of the guidelines was necessary following the agency’s mandate to develop the IT sector and ensure promotion of locally made products.

    The guidelines are: “Rulemaking Process of NITDA, Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, Guidelines for the Use of Social Media Platforms in Public Institutions, Guidelines for Clearance of Information Technology Projects by Public Institutions and Guidelines for Public Internet Access.

    The NITDA boss said “as a country, it is good to produce what we need and consume what we produce to build our economy.

    “This is the first time NITDA is rolling out Rulemaking Process to allow the public to know the steps for guidelines and regulatory framework.

    “It will also allow engagement to help the public to understand all processes involved in the issuance of regulatory documents by the agency.

    “NITDA from now will be generally bound by the Rulemaking Process as an integral part of the operations of the agency.”

    Pantami said that the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation was in accordance with Section 6 of NITDA Act 2007.

    He added that there had been circulars on Guidelines for Clearance of Information Technology Projects but the enforcement was the challenge.

    “This guideline is for public institutions which include MDAs, federal institutions, Federal Government-owned companies
    and it is to guide federal institutions in procuring IT goods and services.

    “It will ensure that government money is not mismanaged in the execution of IT projects, harmonisation in the execution of projects and also ensure that institutions carrying out IT projects have the capacity,” he said.

    The third guideline on Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, Pantami said, was to empower the agency to regulate, monitor
    the use of electronic data interchange and other forms of electronic communications on governance, commerce, private and public sector.

    “These guidelines will form the basis for which personal data of Nigerian citizens will be protected and managed.

    “The Frameworks and Guidelines for Public Internet Access (PIA) provides guidelines for providers of public internet access
    services to maintain appropriate systems and policies to protect Nigerians who use these services.

    “Free Wi-Fi is commendable but there will be abuse if not regulated because of security reasons. We don’t want the security of
    the nation to be compromised.”

    On the Framework and Guidelines for the Use of Social Media Platforms in Public Institutions, he said it would ensure public
    institutions had processes in the creation of social media accounts.

    According to him, important information and records are lost when handlers of platforms are changed due to the absence of clear policies by federal institutions.

    He said that such situation constituted risks to information management and public accountability, adding that the agency
    would continue to monitor social media platforms of federal and public institutions for consistency.

    The director general said that in 2019, NITDA focused on enforcement of guidelines and frameworks to ensure the country’s cyber space was not compromised.

    He stressed that the IT sector cannot be effectively developed without relevant regulations and guidelines which create
    uniformity, consistency and careful investment in the right technology systems.

    Mr Lazarus Ikoti, the Chairman, Standards Review Committee in the agency, said that some of the guidelines had to undergo
    review to suit the needed processes in IT regulation.

    Mr Kasim Sodangi, the National Coordinator, Office for Nigeria Content Development in ICT (ONC) said that the guidelines
    became operational upon the signing by the director general.

    Sodangi added that the guidelines were full legal documents and its violation was punishable by law.

    He further said that the agency was working with critical stakeholders, active enforcement team to facilitate compliance.

    According to him, NITDA encourages self compliance before the agency can deploy enforcement which is the extreme measure.

     

  • Study links social media use to higher risk of depression

    Study links social media use to higher risk of depression

    A study has shown that teenage girls are twice as likely as boys to show depressive symptoms linked to social media use – mainly due to online harassment and disturbed sleep, as well as poor body image and lower self-esteem.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the study analysed data from nearly 11,000 young people in Britain and found that 14-year-old girls were heavier users of social media, with two-fifths of them using it for more than three hours a day, compared with a fifth of boys.

    The study also found that 12 percent of light social media users and 38 percent of heavy social media users (five-plus hours a day) showed signs of having more severe depression.

    When the researchers looked at underlying processes that might be linked with social media use and depression, they found 40 percent of girls and 25 percent of boys had experience of online harassment or cyberbullying.

    Disrupted sleep was reported by 40 percent of girls compared with 28 percent of boys. Anxiety and poor sleep are both linked to depression.

    Girls were also more affected when it came to social media use and concerns about body image, self-esteem and appearance, the researchers found, but here the gap with boys was smaller.

    Yvonne Kelly, a professor at University College London’s Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care who co-led the research, urged parents and policymakers to note its results.

    “These findings are highly relevant to current policy development on guidelines for the safe use of social media and calls on industry to more tightly regulate hours of social media use for young people,” she said in a statement.

    She said families may also “want to reflect on when and where it’s ok to be on social media” and consider restrictions on teenagers having mobile devices in their bedrooms.

    The study, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), was published online in the journal EClinicalMedicine on Friday.

     

  • I used to think I wasn’t good looking- Waje

    I used to think I wasn’t good looking- Waje

    AWARD-winning Nigerian singer, Waje, recently took a trip down memory lane, sharing the touching story of how she struggled with seeking validation and how social media didn’t give her the validation she was expecting.

    The ‘I wish’ crooner spoke about having a not-so-good performance one time and she began trending on social media. And in her hotel room, she read comments on social media fat-shaming her and criticizing the performance.

     

    Waje noted that this made her angry and depressed, subsequently affecting her relationship

    Waje made this known in a chat with Dang.

    Hear her: “I never used to think that I was good looking. I needed validation, so when social media came, it was a no-brainer, great pictures, comments, I felt like I had hit a jackpot.

    Then the bubble burst and I realise that some people follow you just to point out everything wrong with you They hated my performance, I was fat shamed. Someone actually said I looked like a DSTV remote control.

    “I cried and if you passed outside my hotel room that day, you would think somebody had died. People were wondering what was going on. I screamed at everybody, yelled at my manager. My boyfriend at that time tried to persuade me. I remembered he broke up with me later because I was becoming this angry lady.

    The summary of my story is I allowed social media take a hold of me. I trusted it to give me something it had no ability to offer”.

  • Facebook transparency report shows data request from Nigeria

    Facebook recorded two data requests from Nigeria in the first six months of 2018, according to the transparency report the social media giant published on Thursday.

    Facebook received one request from Nigeria for legal process, and the other was an emergency request.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Nigeria also requested Facebook for four users/accounts on the platform.

    According to the report, which covers January to June 2018, Facebook provided 100 percent data for the legal process.

    Although the social networking giant did not reveal the kind of data it released.

    “Facebook responds to government requests for data in accordance with applicable law and our terms of service.

    “Each and every request we receive is carefully reviewed for legal sufficiency and we may reject or require greater specificity on requests that appear overly broad or vague,” the company said.

    The social media giant also received request to preserve account information pending receipt of formal legal process for one user/account.

    “When we receive a preservation request, we will preserve a temporary snapshot of the relevant account information but will not disclose any of the preserved records unless and until we receive formal and valid legal process,” Facebook said.

    Globally, governments request for account data increased by around 26 percent compared to the second half of 2017, increasing from 82,341 to 103,815 requests.

    In the US, government requests increased by about 30 percent, of which 56 percent included a non-disclosure order prohibiting Facebook from notifying the user.

    “During the first half of 2018, the number of pieces of content we restricted based on local law increased 7 percent, from 14,280 to 15,337,” said Facebook.

    It also identified 48 disruptions of Facebook services in eight countries in the new reporting period, compared to 46 disruptions in 12 countries in the second half of 2017.

    During this period, Facebook and Instagram took down 2,999,278 pieces of content based on 466,810 copyright reports, 203,375 pieces of content based on 69,756 trademark reports, and 641,059 pieces of content based on 29,828 counterfeit reports.

     

  • Stop using social media to spread fake news about kidnapping incidents – Police warn

    The Police Command in Enugu State has warned residents of the state against using social media to spread fake news about kidnapping in the state.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Command, SP Ebere Amaraizu, gave the warning in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday.

    Amaraizu said that the command had started investigating such fake online posts in collaboration with telecommunication service providers to track the mischief-makers.

    “The attention of the command has been drawn to some online tweets and postings in the new media (social media), undermining efforts of security operatives, “he said.

    According to the police image maker, such tweets and postings have created wrong impression of non-existing and unconfirmed kidnapping activities in some parts of the state.

    “Such online report/tweet is false and misleading and it is viewed as a calculated attempt by mischief makers to create in the mind of law abiding and good people of the state.’’

    Amaraizu restated the commitment of the command toward ensuring sustenance of peace, security and safety through partnership with relevant stakeholders and other sister security agencies.

    “The command, through support of the government and good people of the state, will stop at nothing at ensuring that the existing peace, security and safety is sustained, to keep maintaining the state as the safest in the country.’’

    The command, in partnership with sister security agencies, has intensified crime prevention activities such as joint patrols and intelligence sharing according to Amaraizu.

  • Facebook removes alarming number of terrorist content

    Facebook has removed over 14 million pieces of terrorist content that was related to the Islamic State (IS), Al Qaeda and their affiliates over the course of the year.

    The social media giants said 9.4 million pieces of terror content was removed in the second quarter of April-June 2018,

    In the third quarter of July-September, Facebook said overall takedowns of terrorist content declined to 3 million, of which 800,000 pieces of content were old.

    “In both Q2 and Q3, we found more than 99 per cent of the IS and Al Qaeda content ultimately removed ourselves, before it was reported by anyone in our community,” said Monika Bickert, Facebook Global Head of Policy Management.

    “These figures represent significant increases from Q1 2018, when we took action on 1.9 million pieces of content, 640,000 of which was identified using specialized tools to find older content,” she added.

    Brian Fishman, Head of Counterterrorism Policy at Facebook, said the platform “now use machine learning to assess Facebook posts that may signal support for IS or Al Qaeda.

    “In some cases, we will automatically remove posts when the machine learning tool indicates with very high confidence that the post contains support for terrorism”.

    According to Facebook, the new machine learning tools have reduced the amount of time terrorist content – reported by its users stays on the platform – from 43 hours in Q1 2018 to 18 hours in Q3 2018.

    “Our experiments to algorithmically identify violating text posts (what we refer to as language understanding) now work across 19 languages. We now also use audio- and text-hashing techniques for detecting terrorist content,” Bickert stated.

    In Q2 2018, the median time on Facebook for newly uploaded content surfaced with its standard tools was about 14 hours – a significant increase from Q1 2018 – when the median time was less than 1 minute.

    “The increase was prompted by multiple factors, including fixing a bug that prevented us from removing some content that violated our policies, and rolling out new detection and enforcement systems,” said Facebook

    By Q3 2018, the median time on platform decreased to less than two minutes, “illustrating that the new detection systems had matured”.

    User-reported terror content removals grew around 16,000 in Q3 – from 10,000 in Q1. According to Facebook, it removed 99 per cent of it “proactively”.

     

  • Facebook blocks more accounts linked to foreign entity

    Facebook blocks more accounts linked to foreign entity

    Facebook on Tuesday said it blocked more accounts, in addition to the about 115 accounts it blocked over the weekend, in the run-up to the US midterm elections that saw Democrats capture US House majority.

    The company said a website claiming to be associated with Russia-based Internet Research agency published a list of Instagram accounts they claimed to have created.

    “We had already blocked most of these accounts yesterday, and have now blocked the rest,” Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cyber-security policy said in a statement, without disclosing the number of additional accounts blocked.

    The social network had blocked accounts on the eve of the US midterm elections after authorities tipped it off to suspicious behaviour that may be linked to a foreign entity, the company said in a blog post on Monday.

    Eighty-five of the removed accounts were posting in English on Facebook’s Instagram service, while 30 others were on Facebook and associated with pages in French and Russian, the post said.

    The company said it needed to do further analysis to decide if the accounts are linked to Russia’s Internet Research Agency or any other group.

    Both Facebook and Twitter have taken down millions of posts and shuttered accounts linked to influence operations by Russia, Iran and other actors in the run-up to Tuesday’s US elections.

    US intelligence agencies concluded a Russian-state operation carried out a campaign of hacking and misinformation to undermine the 2016 presidential election.

    Russian agents believed to be connected to the government had been active in spreading divisive content and promoting extreme themes ahead of US midterm elections, but they were working hard to cover their tracks, according to government investigators, academics and security firms.

    Social media companies say they are now more vigilant against foreign and other potential election interference after finding themselves unprepared to tackle such activity in the US presidential election.