WeChat ‘censored coronavirus-related messages’ since January 1st
WeChat, one of China’s most popular social media apps, started to censor messages about the coronavirus a week before officials acknowledged the virus, according to new research.
Twitter fail: Snickers sparks outrage for Welsh language joke
Chocolate bar brand Snickers has apologised after sending out a tweet this week comparing Welsh place names to ‘someone sitting on a keyboard’.
Highest paid YouTube influencers: The 7 year old earning over $70,000 per day
As YouTube influencers get more popular, new research reveals the highest paid social media stars on the platform.
TikTok ‘to reach 10 million users in the UK by next year’
Social video app TikTok is forecast to surpass 10 million users in the UK by 2021, representing more than 1 in 5 Brits, according to new research.
Global mobile trends: YouTube leads with over 25% of all mobile traffic volume
Streaming video rules mobile, with YouTube accounting for more than 25% of total worldwide mobile traffic by volume, followed by Facebook Video with 17%, according to new research.
Twitter plans to fight misinformation with new label
Twitter is considering new labels for identified misinformation, with large tags on ‘harmfully misleading’ reports, and links to reference material to cross-check.
Ad of the week: Burger King serves up ‘mouldy Whopper’
Burger King’s latest ad campaign takes the bold step of showing its signature burger decaying in a time-lapse video to showcase its removal of artificial preservatives.
Half of WhatsApp usage used for work (despite breaking rules)
Over two-fifths (41%) of UK workers admit to using WhatsApp for work purposes despite it being against WhatsApp’s legal terms of service to use it in ways that involve any non-personal use.
TikTok ramps up parental controls as popularity soars with teens
TikTok is introducing new safety features letting parents link their account to their child’s and control the content they see.
Fashion and beauty retail trends: Reviews, discounts and photos most likely to drive online purchases
Customers of leading direct-to-consumer brands in sectors such as fashion and beauty say reviews (76%), discounts (70%) and photos (61%) are among the top factors that make it easier for them to make purchase decisions according to new research.
Klarna teams up with Lady Gaga in social media promo
Online payments firm Klarna is working with pop star Lady Gaga to promote ‘The Knight Finger’ ring, a fashion item used to symobolise female empowerment to coincide with leap year.
Facebook rules influencer memes ‘are not political ads’
Facebook is to allow paid political messages that sidestep ads loophole, as the upcoming US presidiental election this year puts more scrutiny on digital ad campaigns.
Unmasked: Google forced to reveal author of bad dentist review
Sometimes the customer isn’t always right, especially when it comes to leaving fake reviews. In a landmark ruling, an Australian court has granted a Melbourne dentist an order which forces tech giant Google to reveal the identification of an anonymous online reviewer.
Ofcom’s powers expanded to regulate harmful social media content
UK broadcast media watchdog Ofcom is being given new powers to enforce a legal ‘duty of care’ over social media, the government has announced.
Instagram ‘now attracts a larger audience than Facebook among top brands’
Among top 50 brand profiles, Instagram has a larger audience and nearly 20X more interactions than Facebook, according to Socialbakers’ new Q4 2019 Trends Report.
Oscars 2020: Who got the most social media buzz in the UK?
This year’s Oscars saw history made, as South Korean film Parasite became the first non-English film to win Best Picture. New data looks at the films, stars and issues that got social media buzz this year.
Wilkinson Sword partners Evening Standard and Independent for newsjacking creative campaign
The Independent and The Evening Standard have partnered with Wilkinson Sword for a three-month campaign targeting key moments in the news agenda.
Pinterest beats expectations as user count increases 26%
Pinterest has beaten analysts’ estimates for fourth-quarter earnings, as the social media scrapbooking site has enhanced user interaction and expanded internationally.
Snapchat fails to meet expectations despite user growth
Snap stock fell more than 11% Tuesday evening after the company posted fourth-quarter results that failed to meet analyst expectations.
Oscars marketing: Brands should engage with “filmspired” consumers post- awards show
As Hollywood continues to roll out the red carpet, new insights from The Trade Desk highlight the power of film to inspire consumer behaviour, creating exciting engagement opportunities for brands that extend well beyond awards season.
