Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending Jun 8, 2018)

In this week's Marketing in the Digital Age, several subjects of A.I. have come up and Facebook has a breach of data, again.  With A.I. rapidly progressing and coming into the forefront of media, what type of regulation needs to be in place to keep humanity protected? 

Facebook Breaches Data of its Users

Summary: New York Times reported this week that Facebook gave 60 device makers access to users' data and that of their friends without express permission.  Facebook denies this.  However, they have confirmed that a data-sharing partnership with Chinese firms including Huawei (a company flagged by US intelligence as a security threat).  Apparently the information transferred was stored only on a user's device, not Chinese company servers.  

Opinion: A lot of what has been happening in the social media space has gone unchecked, largely because it's a new arena and the implications from it haven't been planned for or  contemplated.  I imagine that will quickly change with the massive breaches Facebook has undergone the past several months.  

Google Won't Use A.I. for Evil

Summary:  Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced yesterday an emphasis of Alphabet's philosophy of "don't be evil" when he confirmed that Google won't use its A.I. tools for weapons or surveillance.- with some caveats.  It will work with the government and military on cybersecurity and surveillance but nothing that violates "internationally accepted norms".   

Opinion: What is one woman's/man's evil is not necessarily the other's.  A.I. is coming, but as you see from the Facebook breaches, a level of regulation also needs to be set here to ensure humanity's safety.  Using a vague avoidance of what violates "internationally accepted norms" could likely vary on more subtle points from one person to the next (or one country to the next country).

A.I. Training in the Dark Corners of Reddit

Summary: Researchers at MIT trained an artificial intelligence psychopath machine, Norman (as in Norman Bates), using Reddit.  The purpose was to show that the data used to train machine learning algorithms influences its behaviors.  “Norman suffered from extended exposure to the darkest corners of Reddit,” the researchers state, “and represents a case study on the dangers of artificial intelligence gone wrong when biased data is used in machine learning algorithms.” Example of what Norman responded with: 

Opinion: See opinion above.  Don't let it get to be a problem before potential solutions and regulations are explored! 

@tinycarebot vs. @infinite_scream

Summary: Two Twitter bots have been stuck on a seemingly endless loop of "conversation" for hours on Twitter.  @infinite_screeam will respond to any tweet with a poignant "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH" while @tinycarebot sends out uplifting, emoji-filled messages. So every uplifting tweet is met with virtual screams.  

Opinion:  Hah, just a stupid and fun way to go into the weekend before A.I. takes over writing these blogs for me.  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending Jun 1, 2018)

Mary Meeker keeps PPT slides alive!  The highly anticipated internet trends report was released this week.  Given the depth of her knowledge and report, this Marketing in the Digital Age edition is solely dedicated to its findings.  

Highlights: 

• The smartphone penetration rate has slowed. (This comes as no surprise to me given the penetration rate of cell phones globally.  Literally, I was in Petra, Jordan, with kiosk vendors ready to sell me items using Square or its equivalent from their smartphones.)  
• Messaging services (like WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger) are growing exponentially.  (I sometimes forget even that I can call a person to make plans instead of trading confusing messages over messaging platforms.)
• New content types are emerging: Twitch (where you watch people play video games) has increased hours viewed YOY by millions
• Social media is driving product discovery.  Facebook 78%, Instagram 59%, Pinterest 59%, Twitter 34%, Snap 22%.
• Ad costs are increasing faster than reach on Facebook  (because of the volume of advertisers on the platform, you are paying more to reach less people)
• Commerce driver went from utility to personalization of a curated product discovery
• Many are moving from buying to subscribing (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
• Many Americans view YouTube before purchasing products 
• Freelance workforce is growing 3x faster than total workforce (I am available for freelance projects 😉)
• There are 33M global lifelong learners, increasing YOY.  (I am elated to see this.  Continual education is important and not often emphasized in North American culture.)
• 56% of the most valued companies were founded by 1st or 2nd generation companies (Remember that when voting on immigration policies)  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending May 11, 2018)

What isn't Google going to be able to do for us?  Adding to what it already does in our everyday lives, it can soon book appointments for you and automatically take pics of your baby's first steps. 

Google AI Assistant Makes Calls

Summary: Google Duplex, Google's new AI assistant, will make calls for you.  It can help you book appointments and more with its lifelike voice, equipped with the ums and hms typical in normal conversation.  The demo into a hair salon to book an appointment did not indicate that the voice booking the appointment was a robot, which creeped some of the demo attendees out.  Google CEO Pichai is welcoming and collecting feedback on the product in light of the awesome responsibility of tech in our daily lives.

Opinion: Remember that Will Smith movie I, Robot?  I feel like there may be a prophecy built in there somewhere.  With this technology evolving so rapidly, and like with any technology, it's hard to predict all of the outmodes, both good and bad.  Technology will, and should, progress.  That Google is aware of ethical responsibilities around that is a good accompaniment.  

TaTaTu Will Reward Users for Watching Content

Summary: TaTaTu is a blockchain-based platform co-mingling social media activity with entertainment viewing.  The platform rewards users with tokens to watch content like movies, TV, and more while also earning tokens for views by their friends as well.  The token will reward users and allow advertisers to pay for advertising on the platform.  The platform will be free to users.  

Opinion: There are other platforms that started out as free with ad-supported content and have evolved into other paid models.  Advertising based revenue is hard to sustain, so it's hard to imagine how TaTaTu will gain followers.  

Google Clips Getting Better at Capturing Candid Moments, like Hugs and Kisses

Summary: Google Clips' AI smart camera will automatically capture specific spontaneous moments for you directly to the camera's memory card (not uploaded automatically to the cloud).   So no need to run and grab a phone to capture your baby's first steps, Google Clips AI camera can do it for you.  

Opinion: Although this article is mainly rooted in opinion from its author, and I agree with a lot of what she says.  Society is pressing upon us that all moments need to be captured.  Personally, I rarely go back to old photos and videos and feel the mere presence of it during our personal moments act as a filter in enjoying what is actually happening.   That being said, perhaps this is background technology that privately captures our moments can free up headspace to be in the moment more.  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending May 4, 2018)

f8 buzz

Highlights from the F8 Developer Conference

Summary: (1) Facebook will introduce a dating service on its platform, (2) launching a $199 virtual reality headset (which includes experience in an experiential theater for concerts, (3) Oculus TV to stream content from ESPN, Netflix, and more), (4) Messenger is getting a makeover to simplicity, going all-in on Instagram Stories (third parties can create AR filters), (5) WhatsApp gets a few additions like stickers and group video calls. 

Opinion: Snap, Facebook is eating your lunch... and dinner.  Tinder, they are coming for you next.  

LiveNation Announces Facial Recognition at Concerts

Summary: LiveNation has partnered with a company so that your face is associated with your ticket.  No scanning of the ticket (or your face) needed.  You also be able to buy refreshments at venues using this technology if you have a valid credit card attached to your user profile.  It will roll out at several LiveNation venues and its corporate office.  

Opinion: I'm conflicted but leaning towards a feeling of violation.  How will this work if you sell your tickets or buy for friends? What if I don't want LiveNation to have all this data on me?  How do I, or can I even, opt out of it?  If it's mandatory for all, will this help from a crime perspective to avoid horrible tragedies like at Ariana Grande and Eagles of Death Metal?  

Facebook Will Be Losing Money on Political Ads

Summary: Facebook will be hiring thousands of people to monitor political ads on Facebook.  The added cost will cost the company more money than it makes to run the ads.  

Opinion: With this platform being a relatively new advent into our everyday lives, it's hard to know what and how it will affect it.  Nevertheless, with the amount of profit the company garners, it is the duty of the company to address the issue even if it is at its own expense.  I see this is an obligation more than something warranting praise. 

YouTube Brings in Will Smith to Show How Safe it Is for Brands

Summary: YouTube brought in actors like Will Smith at its annual Brandcast pitch to advertisers to show that they are safe for advertisers.  The platform has attracted scrutiny because of questions of quality.  With 1.8 billion logged in viewers on the platform monthly, the platform is still a very relevant hub of activity.  They are devoting tremendous resources to help ensure quality.  

Opinion: Like Facebook losing money on political ads in the coming future, YouTube has an obligation to its advertisers to allow them to associate with people and brands that align with their particular values.   Again, I see it as an obligation more than something warranting praise.  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending Apr 27, 2018)

This week is focused on using data and viral social media stunts for human benefit over profit.  

UN Refugee Agency Using Big Data to Find Smarter Solutions

Summary: The UN announced a partnership between its United Nations Refugee Agency (under UNHCR, UN Human Rights Council) and World Bank to establish a new agency centered around collecting, analyzing, and disseminating better info around refugees.  Anonymized data will be collected to improve the lives of affected refugees.  

Opinion: Even I was getting sick of hearing how many companies were willing to exploit my personal data through Facebook.  If the data is going to be collected, I would be proud as a marketer (and human) to see data being used to help people who have already undergone so much. 

Lemon Face Challenge

Summary: Much like the ice bucket challenge to raise money for ALS research, the lemon face challenge challenges people to eat a slice of lemon and record their reaction to raise donations for an organization that aims to cure a terminal brain cancer that affects young children known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).  

Opinion:  With so many viral videos focused on negative/voyeuristic aspects of the world, raising awareness in a positive light is a viral sensation I welcome.  Pucker up!  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending 4.20.18)

Jet skiing + seeing Kimmel live, all for charity of course... 

Donate-to-Win: Oscars' Jet Ski + Seeing Kimmel Live  

Summary/opinion: Remember the jet ski from the Oscars?  I thought Kimmel was kidding when he said he would award it to the person with the shortest acceptance speech.   Well, he wasn't kidding, and it was generously donated by costume designer Mark Bridges to MPTF (Motion Picture & Television Fund), an organization for which I am on the board.  It's just $10 to enter and it all benefits current and retired members of the entertainment committee.  

YouTube Ads on Extremist Channels

Summary: CNN uncovered ads from prominent brands like Under Armour, Nordstrom, Amazon, Adidas, and even tax-funded ads from the government, ran on hundreds of extremist sites without advertiser knowledge. 

Opinion: I agree with eMarketer's Nicole Perrin's comment that the most effective way for this to stop is for brands to pull out advertising on YouTube.  Once their bottom line is hit, the changes will come swiftly to prevent unwanted associations of this kind.  

What Zuckerberg Didn't Say About What Facebook Knows About You

Summary: Facebook does track data on website you visit that use your Facebook login info and is converted into a set of "ad interests".  Even when you opt out of interest based ads, Facebook still continues to track you only just without using your own data.  Regulators are coming to the conclusion that our personal data is too sensitive, and too lucrative, to be left unchecked. 

Opinion: It's like an episode of Black Mirrors, our personal data being used and exploited for profit and political manipulation.   Sadly, it's real life and a level of regulation should be set forth.  The challenge will be creating that regulation since this is a new space and this amount of information harvesting hasn't been seen in the past.  Regulators also don't have experience with this area of business, so that in and of itself is another challenge.  Maybe this is a job for, ahem, consultants to work with them on creating sound pieces of regulation.

Twitter Doesn't Care People are Building Bot Armies in SE Asia

Summary: A number of Twitter users have reported an influx of bot follower requests.  Bot followers tend to have no profile pic and few to zero tweets.  They have been coming out of Southeast Asia and have been following influential voices in regions.  Particularly with Southeast Asia, Facebook has been beset with controversies from inciting ethnic hatred in Myanmar to allegedly assisting censors in Vietnam.  

Twitter has issued no comments on the behavior. 

Opinion: I almost forgot about you, Twitter.  If you have learned nothing else from the problems of YouTube and Facebook, learn that you need to get on this issue before it becomes a bigger problem.  

Marketing In The Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending Apr 13, 2018)

Technology has become so integrated into our everyday lives that I have stopped paying attention to how and where my data is collected.  In the seemingly simple act of ordering/picking up pizza and a movie, a staggering 53+ points of data can be collected. 

How Pizza Can Cost More in Data Than Dollars

Summary: The article tracks what and how much data of your is collected as you do a simple task like ordering pizza.  From texting your friend to join, ordering through Amazon's Alexa, picking it up and using Google Maps, taking the obligatory pizza selfie, and then ordering a movie on AppleTV, your data is collected every step of the way.  At least 53 points of data to be exact. 

Opinion: I feel like my pizza should be provided for free given the amount of data being collected!  

Biggest Black Lives Matter Facebook Page is Fake

Summary: With almost 700k followers (more than double the amount of followers than the official Black Lives Matter Account, it was discovered the account was a fake one run by a middle-aged white man in Australia.  The account brought in at least $100k to support the cause but was routed to Australian bank accounts. 

Opinion: This leads perfectly into our next story on Facebook verification of large pages.

Facebook Verification For Large Pages

Summary: Facebook will now require large Pages to verify identities and locations of people and businesses managing them, which is largely meant to ward off fraudulent posts like domestic politics. 

Opinion: Although the threshold of being a "large" Page is not currently defined, the step is a positive one to curtail misuse of the platform like the Black Lives Matter account above. 

U.S. iPhone Users Spent 23% More in Apps

Summary: U.S. iPhone users spent 23% more in apps in 2017 than 2016, mostly in gaming followed by entertainment apps and music.  

Opinion: As many apps as there are, they are still a consumer hit.  The key is having a utility function for your apps to drive repeat use.  Many companies make the mistake of releasing an app just to release an app without thinking how or why the consumer would use it.  

Marketing in the Digital Age: News Round-Up (week ending 4.6.18)

Targeted ads: coming soon to your video-on-demand... 

Targeted Ads Coming to Your TV

Summary: A cable company that owns NCC announced it will launch a division dedicated to selling targeted ads to cable systems nationwide. The ads will appear on video-on-demand services. 

Opinion: While I like the idea of seeing ads that would pertain to me more so, my concern is that it leads to more information bias.  Now when watching ads on tv or ads online, I can come across info that may not be part of my current belief system-- for instance, an opposing political view ad.  What I find important is to see how another side views issues and to learn from them hopefully to make more informed decisions.  Being served ads that only cater to my likes could block opportunities to learn about opposing viewpoints. 

Media Ratings Council Gives Facebook Accreditation for Ad Impressions

Summary: The Media Ratings Council has given approval of Facebook and Instagram ad impressions. What this means is that it has been accredited for whether an ad is served.  That's it, not something more like viewability or invalid metrics though this is a positive step.  

Opinion: Well, it's a positive first step.  As marketers, having validity of more meaningful metrics, like viewability, are helpful in creating more meaningful content and targeting for consumers to meet business needs.  

Facebook Scans Messages for Abuse

Summary: Facebook does not listen in on your calls.  What it does monitor is "sensational messages" sent via Messenger, which came about because of some messaging taking place in Myanmar serving up incorrect information to people about Rohingya, the Muslim minority group in Myanmar.  

Opinion: As Congressional hearings progress around Facebook and Zuckerberg, it will be interesting to see where regulation nets out in regards to the social media giant.  Social media has served as a platform and communication tool for many political movements, both good and bad.  A level of regulation seems necessary. 

Snapchat Augmented Reality Lens for iPhone X Only

Summary: Snapchat released iPhone X specific lenses.  The three mask lenses truly do make it look like the masks are painted on you.  

Opinion: Although it's not going to get me to spend $1000 on an iPhone X or use Snapchat more, if you already have them the lenses do look pretty cool.