Sunday

Fleets Pivot Twitter Toward Privacy: SMC 1(8)

Social Media Communication in the News: 
Real-Time Discussion Starters

Twitter Fleets are Its Version of Disappearing Stories
Success of Facebook and Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours, much like Snapchat Snaps, prompted Twitter to test a planned launch of its Stories called Fleets. TechCrunch reports that a Twitter trial in Brazil happened before a U.S. start.

"Unlike Tweets, Twitter’s new Fleets can’t receive Likes, Replies or Retweets. And they’ll disappear entirely after 24 hours," TechCrunch reports. "You could visit someone’s public Twitter profile and tap to view their Fleets even if you don’t follow them. But their Fleet won’t circulate Twitter’s network, show up in Search or Moments, and it can’t be embedded on an external website (para. 2).

Twitter is among the last social media sites to add disappearing Stories. Twitter research shows users do not tweet, if they want to avoid public communication. Among the changes ahead, Twitter will create privacy controls for followers only.

"The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls 'fleets,' the AP reports, "because of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new users who might be turned off by the public and permanent nature of normal tweets" (para. 2).

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/04/twitter-starts-testing-its-own-version-of-stories-called-fleets-which-disappear-after-24-hours/

https://apnews.com/afc211cfd5fb653140f1ff6e5a091870

Question: Why are many people worried that public tweets should not be permanent?

TikTok Hype House Trademark Dispute
A Los Angeles home to TikTok stars, the Hype House, is the site of a trademark fight over its name. Insider reports that Daisey Keech, 20, and Thomas Petrou, 21, dispute their roles in the launch of the creative content site. Petrou had collaborated with social media icon Jake Paul.

"Petrou is widely credited with co-founding the Hype House in December with the help of 17-year-old resident e-boy Chase Hudson," Insider reports. "But, in recent months, Keech — who no longer lives in the house — has been vying for a title change and a more collaborative decision-making process in the group" (paras. 2-3).


Question: Why do you think so many creative media people struggle with securing intellectual property rights?

In Brief: Trump's Media Lawsuits are About the Campaign, Not the Law
A Washington Examiner commentary suggests that President Trump's campaign defamation lawsuits against CNN, The New York Times, and the Washington Post cannot survive First Amendment libel standards for public officials. "But the campaign doesn't care about that. It cares about how these lawsuits burnish a key narrative for mobilizing the base — namely, that President Trump is a Washington outsider taking the fight to unfair enemies," Tom Rogan wrote. "And it's now abundantly clear that the Trump campaign views these lawsuits as a key reelection tool."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/trumps-media-lawsuits-are-about-the-campaign-not-the-law

Question: Do you think political defamation lawsuits will have any impact on the election?

In Brief: Site Bans and Suspensions Become Common
TikTok has banned a viral "skull-breaker challenge" that  "involves two people kicking the legs from under a third, making them fall over," The BBC reports. "US prosecutors have charged two youngsters with aggravated assault over the prank and warned parents to stop their children taking part" (para. 2). Meanwhile, Twitch suspended a user for accidentally firing a gun.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51742854

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51768454

In Case You Missed It: World Health Organization TikTok Coronavirus Posts
One response to the growing Coronavirus threat is WHO public service announcement-style posts on TikTok. Gizmodo reported that the agency is correcting misinformation about the growing threat and spread of the virus to 4,300 cases in 48 countries.

“We are on the highest level of alert or highest level of risk assessment in terms of spread and in terms of impact,” said Dr. Mike Ryan. “This is a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up. Get ready. This virus may be on its way and you need to be ready. You have a duty to your citizens, you have a duty to the world to be ready” (para. 2). 

Engadget added that WHO is targeting #Covid19 safeguards: "...the WHO stresses that you don't need a mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms" (para. 1).

Meanwhile, Corona beer "coming ashore soon" Twitter advertising tasted flat. Amid criticism, the brand responded that the ads were "consistent" over three decades. Maggie Bowman told The Star, “While we empathize with those who have been impacted by this virus and continue to monitor the situation, our consumers, by and large, understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business” (paras. 5-6).

At the same time, on Facebook ads were banned that created a run on face masks. AP reported that, "Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned" (para. 2).

https://gizmodo.com/the-world-health-organizations-making-tiktoks-to-tackle-1841987951

https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/01/who-joins-tiktok-to-fight-coronavirus-misinformation/ 

https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/02/28/corona-beer-faces-backlash-for-coming-ashore-soon-ad-campaign.html 

https://apnews.com/5218eebf3b0564cb4574f4ffdfe2960c

Question: How could the WHO gain more viewers to their TikToks?

SMC news is curated for Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics, third edition (2021).
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