Private Text Message Exchange Between Jack Dorsey And Elon Musk Reveal Shocking Findings

A new set of revelations are being put forward to the public. And this time around, it involves Twitter’s former CEO Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk.

Dorsey was seen reaching out to Musk, exactly one year before the Twitter takeover deal began. And that’s where he told the world’s richest person how he had full trust in him and wished he make some financial investments in the firm.

Screenshot Via: The Chancery Daily
Dorsey who also happens to be the company’s co-founder started off the chat first on March 26 and this was a part of a recent text log that had been filed as a component of Twitter’s case against Elon Musk.

The text spoke about how strongly Dorsey believed that a new app was required and that’s one of the reasons why he left because this current situation wasn’t for any company.

To that, the billionaire was quick to respond and he inquired about what Dorsey felt was lacking or what the firm should appear like. To that, Dorsey says that it needed to be a much more open-sourced protocol. It’s quite similar to the way Signal has behaved. Similarly, Dorsey revealed how Twitter was not the type to benefit from any advertising model. This is the famous model for firms on social media.

Musk was very polite and added that he would be more than willing to help if he could. And Dorsey adds that he worked hard in convincing Twitter’s board to include Musk but they were hesitant. He continued about how the board at Twitter witnessed the billionaire as a huge risk and Dorsey felt that was wrong and in fact, a very backward thought.

On that note, Dorsey felt his time was up and it was time to leave, even though the decision didn’t come easy. During this time period, famous time activist Elliott Management paved the way to become involved in the platform, asking for a series of changes that he felt would assist the firm reach new heights of growth and success.

More details on the high-profile text exchanges are yet to be seen and even messages sent out at a later date weren’t mentioned. Then, more details went on to state how Musk requested Dorsey that he’d like to meet him privately and hence wanted a one-on-one meeting.

Just a few hours after that, the duo spoke to one another and made reference to a call. Dorsey was really happy and couldn’t believe Elon Musk was actually going to go through with it. It was a dream come true and something Dorsey wanted for a while. Hence, this is why the former Twitter CEO got emotional when he figured out it was all possible at last.

Musk always felt he needed encouragement and reassurance from Dorsey and asked if his decision was dumb or not. Later, Musk points to the former CEO how he intends on going private with the platform so that it could be fixed.

He adds that although it’s quite an impossible task as so many fake users are seen on the app and it makes things look terrible, he needed to make it private so that a proper restructuring was possible. And Jack did agree to that.

Jack Dorsey knew that such major changes done to any public firm wouldn’t be possible and so the best way forward was privatization.

Seeing these conversations pop up during the filing of the case in the court of law is very interesting. Hence, experts are waiting to see what role they can play in the final pending decision as the trial begins in October.

Read next: Videos On Twitter Will Appear Like TikTok As App Switches To Full-Screen Immersive Content
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

YouTube Will Help Users Gain Insight On Medical Disorders By Sharing Patients’ Personal Stories

When it comes to acquiring knowledge on health conditions, people love turning to the internet for help. Be it a minor inconvenience or a serious disorder, everyone is out to get information that’s reliable and accurate.

On Wednesday, YouTube was seen making an announcement of plans to help users gain more insight into serious disorders. And they intend on doing that by providing a first-hand perspective, straight from patients who have suffered from such conditions. After all, who better to give input than this?

The rollout is all set to begin this week and it will come under the section that’s named Personal Stories. After adding queries related to your health in the search results, people will see a new panel pop up in regards to similar health conditions across the app. This will comprise videos of those people who were diagnosed with the same condition.

YouTube went on to shed light on how so many people arrive on this platform to nail the understanding linked to complex matters on the theme of health like human biology or complex conditions.

Some of the app’s findings saw how users tend to ask queries that are human-centric. This includes answers to queries like how they would be able to survive something like this or how are people living in this way. And that’s why a firsthand experience is definitely what they require as satisfactory responses.

Speaking at the launch, YouTube shed more like on how the section reserved for Personal Stories will also feature tales of cancer survivors and those battling or have battled depression and anxiety. With time, the firm will plan on expanding the ordeal so as to cover various topics and areas outside the US.

Meanwhile, content that would be declared as eligible in this respect must be those that focus on authentic experiences of living through either mental or physical disorders.

Content that’s promotional isn’t eligible for the functionality. So as you can see, YouTube has set up a series of stringent guidelines that it wants people to follow so as to enable the spread of correct information and prevent misinformation rates.

This functionality isn’t meant for those seeking medical advice. Yet, we’re seeing YouTube be criticized immensely as health misinformation rates on the app are skyrocketing.

During the start of the year, around 80 different fact-checkers were seen writing to the app about keeping strict control on videos promoting incorrect information about the pandemic.

As you can imagine, releasing another venture related to health means criticism is bound to come the app’s way. For it to be successful, YouTube will need to be transparent about how it plans to moderate such content being presented.

The last thing anyone wants is to see people suffering from disorders be provided with advice that’s misleading or fake. So keeping a check or moderating such situations is going to be a huge challenge.

Read next: YouTube Is Adding Surround Sound And Other Social Features To Its TV App
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Videos On Twitter Will Appear Like TikTok As App Switches To Full-Screen Immersive Content

Another day means another chance for a leading digital app to switch over and take inspiration from TikTok. And we can’t blame them because that’s how popular the platform has become.

The recent news is linked to Twitter making changes to its video content and that allows for a more immersive style to be adopted. Think along the lines of full-screen immersive video players that we see with TikTok for viewing different clips.

And embracing this style means videos will look just like they do on the archrival app.

The news was confirmed by the company on Thursday and there is also talk about it borrowing another swipe-up feature through which users can scroll across more video content on Twitter.

This new update is going to make viewing videos through the app a much more familiar experience. And it’s just like what we see when we go through Reels on Instagram or TikTok.

For now, we know that the changes are restricted to Twitter’s iOS users but the company’s similar update would be arriving in time for Android in a few weeks.

Twitter has strongly gone public with the promotion of content featuring live videos across various parts of the platform. This change is said to be one that belongs to the company’s aggressive decision to provide more videos to fans of the app. However, it’s a risk as some might think of the change as one that’s a little controversial.

The firm says users can move back and forth to their original tweet when they like with the help of the back arrow that’s found on the top left-hand side of a clip. On the other hand, there is also talk about the app testing a new change that drives people to view more videos on the app.

This arises in the form of a new test for video recommendations and can be found on the app’s Explore page. All of these suggestions would be up for grabs to users in different countries that use Twitter in the English language through either iOS or Android.

As you can imagine, this isn’t the first time that we’re heard about such news taking center stage in terms of TikTok’s user interface being copied. But we do hope the risk proves to be in the app’s best interest and doesn’t backfire.

Read next: Reddit’s New Report Highlights Major Engagement Trends for Brands
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Popular Game Streaming Service Stadia Comes To An End As Google Announces Shut Down

The last time we heard about the launch of Stadia was nearly 2.5 years ago. This is when the popular game streaming service was launched. But now, Google has opted to pull the plug on the venture, marking the official end.

Therefore, subscribers won’t be having access to the library after January of 2023 because it’s shutting down forever. As mentioned in a recent blog post of the firm, Google says it hopes to have all of its refunds for consumers done and dusted with by this time too.

In case you happen to be following closely, Google is yet to be acknowledging the struggles of the past regarding the project. We just saw a tweet in July of this year where it answered curious users’ queries on if the app was shutting down or not. And they didn’t quite say yes or no but spoke about how they’re keen on getting the best games for the platform.

They continued to carry out trials for months to create their audience and they did a great job, we believe.

Now, Google has shifted gears and is speaking about some rather interesting reasons as to why it has come to the decision. According to them, Stadia may have had strong support or foundation but it just didn’t pick up the pace as expected with users. So now, they’re winding down the service as stated in the post.

The firm was seen putting out a type of silver lining in its infrastructure and we saw game streaming of a low latency arise. Moreover, we’re also seeing some great chances to put forward this technology through other leading apps like Google’s YouTube, Play Store, and even AR ventures.

There is a great chance seen for the industry’s partners to make use of this type of technology and build on the future of gaming. Google adds how it’s always been committed to games and will surely invest more in the future. Be it tools, platforms, or technology- they’re going to use help from developers to make things better and arise with a bang.

Google adds that the service got plenty of great reviews overall. And the company was facing a huge battle in terms of its surrounding competition through the likes of Microsoft and even Sony, and Luna as well. The latter belongs to Amazon. But in February of last year, we saw a shutdown occur of its studio for internal development.

But things just didn’t do well in Stadia making the mark it needed to succeed in the competitive market and that’s why the tech giant isn’t keen on making more investments. As far as the employees who used to work there, well, they’re going to be shifted to several other positions around the firm. And we think that’s great as compared to laying them off as a whole. With times of economic uncertainty, that would be really bad for such individuals.

Read next: Manifest V3 Is Chrome’s Next Best Extension And Here's Google's Timeline For Its Transition
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Meta Will Make History As It Plans Hiring Freeze, Reduced Headcount, And Team Reorganization For Facebook

Facebook’s famous parent firm, Meta is planning a series of changes that will reportedly make history for the app. This includes a freeze in the hiring process, a complete reorganization of teams, and lowered headcount.

The news comes to us thanks to Bloomberg who mentioned how the social media firm is unleashing a series of warnings to all workers about a downsize and a complete reorganization. They will stop hiring as confirmed by the company’s CEO via an internal call.

Meta which is the owner of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram appears to be on a mission to cut budgets seen around most teams. And it’s interesting how this particular announcement arises just 7 days after the WSJ said Facebook's employees were told to find other roles in the corporation as it undergoes the process of downsizing.

As mentioned in this particular report, workers seen on this 30-day list were left with no choice but to search for a new role or else face the drawback of being terminated.

This is the firm’s first huge cut in budget ever since Facebook was founded. And hence it appears to be a huge end to the era observed during the peak growth of social media.

For a while now, Mark Zuckerberg has been pointing fingers at how the current economic uncertainty issue has been the major driving factor for such decisions. They say the cuts are not a personal choice but one made in line with the current situation.

By now, they hoped the market would be stable and while many experts feel it has become more stable now, Meta is being very cautious on what to do next. They’re on the rise to making conservative decisions and Zuckerberg reiterated that during his recent question and answer session, as revealed by Bloomberg.

During the early part of this year, Meta elaborated more on its initial decline in revenue from ads. And this was the first time ever it had experienced this after Apple’s famous ad tracking policy came into play.

In this way, iPhone users were given the chance to opt out of having data be tracked through several apps. In addition to that, the firm’s growth has been massively affected by the great competition on display, thanks to apps like TikTok and takeaway screentime once owned by Meta’s apps.

But remember, the news isn’t entirely new. We’ve seen Meta talk about how it’s been busy preparing fur such cuts in jobs for a while now. And the first time we saw it was actually July as the firm started to brace itself for some major cuts. Moreover, seeing it miss out on its earnings for the quarter was another major hint of how things weren’t going in its favor. There would also be a slower pace for the company in terms of making investments.

The CEO for Meta also shed light on how teams would be made smaller in response to the fall in revenue targets as it indicated a downturn for the firm. This was outlined as the initial year in the app’s history when it failed to grow.

If this bad news wasn’t enough, there’s talk about how Meta has been facing a lot of downturn like other firms who generate most of their income through advertising and hence need to brace for this economic challenge. This came with a recent fall in the interest rate for the Federal Reserve.

Twitter mentioned how a hiring freeze was also going to take center stage in its own firm in May and that’s when workers were requested to limit spending where feasible. Then came Snapchat which reduced its workforce by a staggering 20% too. Last but not least, Google was also forced to make some amendments keeping in light the current situation.

Its parent firm called Alphabet reduced the hiring rate to nearly half this year.

Read next: TikTok’s Latest Review Depicts Mega 62% Rise In Fake Accounts On The App
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Whatsapp is improving its preexisting features with its newest update

Whatsapp is now working on launching two new versions of preexisting features including the online status and the camera feature, reports WBI.

Whatsapp has changed the placement of the camera from the community tab to somewhere more accessible. This new feature came forward only recently and is available for only Beta users. It is still under development so we do not know when it will be out for all of its users however we believe it will be a part of the next update.

The app is also going to have a major change in the camera button settings. Users will now have separate buttons for photos and videos. In the current version, there is only a single button that users need to press and hold to record videos. However, in the new update, users will have a video button on the left and a photo button on the right.

Along with this, Whatsapp is also finally fixing the bug that has annoyed thousands of Whatsapp by now. Have you ever scrolled through a chat and landed on a very old conversation instead? This was happening to thousands of users and regardless of complaints, Whatsapp was not addressing the issue. However, with the announcement of its latest update, Whatsapp also promised to fix this particular issue.

Whatsapp has also been giving time to our favorite feature, the ability to control who can see you online. This feature was already out for some Beta users, however, Whatsapp is now rolling this out to even more users. Hopefully, it will reach us soon as well!

The feature works peculiarly. Whatsapp gives users options to choose who can see their last seen. This includes everyone, no one, contacts, and all contacts except the selected individuals. The new option to choose who you're shown online works the same way. It gives you the option to choose between nobody and the same as last seen.

To check whether you are one of the lucky ones who have been blessed with this feature, check your privacy settings in this instance! If you can't find it, unfortunately, you will have to wait for the next update.

We are really happy with Whatsapp's updates this time around and hope to see similar ones shortly as well.

Read next: WhatsApp Adds A New Do Not Disturb Notification To Its Chat Messages Via A Recent Beta Release
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

TikTok’s Latest Review Depicts Mega 62% Rise In Fake Accounts On The App

While many may have spoken about how positive of a year TikTok has had and how its dominant market share has resulted in so many top platforms losing screen time against the archrival, well, there is some bad news too.

The company was seen publishing its latest review of Q2 this year in terms of responses linked to Community Guidelines. And that entails all forms of videos and profiles that were either deleted or taken action against.

And as the famous saying goes, the more users, the greater the problems. And that seems to have taken place right now.

TikTok is being extra stringent in terms of action taken by its board against those violating the community guidelines. This could include those breaking rules or those coming up with fake accounts. Either way, they’re removed from the platform but to see a mega 62% rise in the number is appalling, to say the least.

For starters, let’s begin with the amount of video content that made its way off of the platform. Think along the lines of 113 million that took place between the months of April to June. This was an 11% rise from the previous quarter. But the trend does make some sense as it came with steady growth in viewers as well.

As can be witnessed in a recent chat of the overview put up by the app, there is plenty of misuse, and how this particular challenge manages to increase with time on the app.

What we love is how the app manages to get rid of content that breaks violations, right before anyone gets a peek so this fast action behavior is always recommended.

TikTok is really doing plenty to have its users be safeguarded against harmful exposures but critics aren’t too happy with the way it’s handling misinformation.

A new study put up by NewsGuard says 1 in 5 search results on the app is definitely misleading, including one topic linked to an mRNA vaccine.

This is super interesting because it doesn’t seem to be getting better with time and it’s causing a concern as seen with other platforms.

According to a recent study conducted by NewsGuard, up to 1 in 5 search results in the app contains misinformation, including searches for ‘2022 election’ to ‘mRNA vaccine’. Which is an interesting counter to TikTok’s own data, which would suggest, in isolation, that TikTok’s getting much, much better on this front.

There was also plenty of talk about how one of the app’s most important concerns is linked to the safety of minors. The fact that the platform has so many users means there are allegations that it might be putting up more content belonging to young females so as to try and lure people to continue scrolling on the feed.

As we get deeper into the matter, it was revealed by TikTok how explicit content and nudity were one of the major reasons for content removal on the app. And this continues to be an area of growing concern for so many people. TikTok says it’s trying hard to get rid of such content but experts feel its algorithms do promote such content too.

But the biggest for eliminating accounts has to do with fake profiles and seeing the 62% rise is just mind-blowing as stats are compared with the previous quarter.

The mere fact that we’re seeing such fake profiles come into existence makes one realize the great value that today’s content creator industry holds and how the market filled with fake users is on the rise.

TikTok also revealed how it’s testing a new program for fact-checking so false content is flagged immediately on the web.

Read next: TikTok is the Least Trusted News Source According to This Survey
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Manifest V3 Is Chrome’s Next Best Extension And Here's Google's Timeline For Its Transition

Google is shedding more light on its latest extension called the Manifest V3 and that includes a new update on when users can expect the transition to occur.

Right now, it’s Manifest V2 that’s taking center stage but users can expect Manifest V3 to arrive with a bang by next year. For those that may not be aware, there is already plenty of criticism surrounding it.

It’s facing hatred for affecting ad blockers. But the tech giant says it's been left with no better decision than this because user privacy is definitely the key goal right now in terms of its design. But wait, in 2021, the firm predicted that the V2 extension would be eliminated by the year 2023. So as you can see, we’re close.

But right before that, we’re hearing more details on how Google is shedding light on the slow experimental approach related to switching off V2. This will entail a smoother transition into V3 during the process.

We should see the transition roll out by early 2023. This will also be the time period that Chrome carries out trials to remove support for V2 extensions across Beta channels and even Canary Dev. By this time, Manifest V2 will carry the smoothest phasing-out maneuver.

This is also when we might be seeing a new Featured Badge that’s located across the Chrome Web Store. The trials should carry on to the Stable Channel via Chrome 115 across the month of June. And that’s also when V2 might be unlisted publicly. So now such items would be published.

The end result will be enterprise domains and giving them more time. However, an exemption like that would be removed by 2024’s start when we’ll see Manifest V2 deleted from the Google Store.

But what guidance is Google really giving its developers in this regard? Well, it’s mostly related to switching to Manifest V3, much before the release occurs. And that’s because such extensions could be prevented from working at any given moment in time after the dates outlined.

There has been a lot of talk about work taking place with the company’s developers regarding the extension and how the new V3 could be enhanced via community feedback. And Google says it’s always open for criticism and has used that to include new APIs and various platform changes.

Read next: Google Chrome is getting its own root certificate stores
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Facebook Experiments With New Option That Restricts Posts To Subscribers Only

Facebook is busy experimenting with a new feature that could restrict access to creator posts. Hence, this way, only those who are subscribers would end up taking a glimpse of the post while the others are barred from doing so.

We find the feature to be rather interesting and it is said to be limited to only the initial period after a post gets published. So that could vary between as short as one day or as long as a week.

An example of the feature was put up and shared by social media expert Matt Navarra (via Jonah Manzano). He showed how some users could gain early access to a feature that’s limited to Subscribers only by clicking on the toggle option. This limits access to that particular post for a fixed period of time.

Obviously, you’ll be required to have a few subscribers but we do see how it may end up turning into a handy feature. Remember, Meta is keen on having an expansion of the appeal of its creators. This is just so they can get a lot more of these individuals to post across more apps on a frequent basis, not to mention always having fans come back for more.

Instagram says one of its top priorities is marketing creators and it's on a mission to add a series of posts based on its AI recommendations to users’ feeds. This is being done to produce more exposure when it comes to rising talent on the app.

In the same way, we’re seeing Facebook add in a series of tools for its creators and that entails updates on the Facebook page and even ad alerts that show support for fellow creators, assist top fans, and more such features.

On the other hand, there is also some news about how Meta is previewing a better option that allows its creators to share certain posts only with those they deem to be top fans and even those that are subscribers to the app. So as you can see, it’s quite similar to the new option that’s up for grabs in terms of ‘new subscriber’ selections.

We can see how the ability to keep certain posts restricted for a short period of time can enhance this particular feature, proving a better way to boost subscribers’ value. Moreover, it would also end up attracting greater interest.

Imagine a visitor lands on your profile and sees there’s a post that’s exclusively solely for subscribers. When they try to view it, they’re locked out from doing so and can’t witness the content immediately. Hence, it’s definitely great at adding value and proving to subscribers that their loyalty is being appreciated.

Who knows, you might end up getting more people to release funds to witness your newest updates. See, it's all about how great or intriguing the post is and whether or not the viewer is willing to splurge a little extra to see what's in store for them.

Read next: Meta Is Working On A New Profile ‘Switching Tool’ That Allows Users To Jump Between Instagram And Facebook
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

TikTok is the Least Trusted News Source According to This Survey

Social media can be useful place to gather news, but in spite of the fact that this is the case most people don’t seem to trust tech platforms for news. These platforms have become notorious due to the high quantity of misinformation and fake news that is present on them, although Google seems to be more trustworthy than most other platforms that are out there. A survey recently conducted by Reuters shed some light on which platforms are trusted and which aren’t with all things having been considered and taken into account.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that trust in news in general is on the decline. Around 46% of British respondents to this survey stated that they don’t like to read the news anymore. 52% said that they trusted Google as a source of news, but only 20% said the same for TikTok.

Meta’s platforms including Facebook and Instagram also performed really poorly based on this survey. Only 27% of the people that responded to this survey said that they trusted news that they got from Facebook, and only 24% said the same for Instagram.

In the US, only 49% of people trust the overall news cycle, but they tended to trust news more than might have been the case otherwise if they got it from Google. 53% of American respondents to this survey said that they trusted news from Google, which suggests that Google is a far more trustworthy outlet than the wider news industry.

There is also quite a bit of disparity based on the ages of the people who were interviewed and surveyed. For example, only 3% of people aged over 55 trusted news from TikTok, but for people under the age of 35 this number jumped to around 40%. Hence, younger people are more trusting of social media platforms likely due to their ability to navigate the landscape of fake news and their higher degree of knowledge that helps them spot misinformation and avoid giving it any credence while they consume news.

Read next: Users Don’t Trust Social Media Platforms Anymore According to New Study
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Google Announces Exciting Plans To Revamp Its Classic Search Experience

If you’re getting tired of the same old Google Search experience, well, the company has some great news for users like you.

Google says it’s revamping the age-old search experience so that its users can explore more data on the leading search engine through a natural flow.

To get this up and running, the firm is putting forward a set of new features that entail different tools that are going to be used to dig deeper into a topic. There will also be some more changes related to making the overall search experience a pleasurable one. From more visually appealing snippets to better imagery and more videos, there’s a lot in store. And we’re excited just thinking of it.

This new update comes at a time when the tech giant mentioned during the early part of this year how internal research showed that so many of its users were now resorting to apps like TikTok and even Instagram to get answers to common queries. So as you can imagine, there’s more competition and that means the firm has to up its game somehow before things began slipping away.

So by the looks of it, Google may have begun taking inspiration from the younger generation to use the internet. This allows for easy access and visually appealing content, including more guidance as they start to ask questions.

For starters, there’s a new feature that entails shortcuts for some of the search engine’s useful tools. These will be seen in the search box for easier access and be allowed to perform quick actions like translation, screenshots, identifying a song, or solutions to math-based homework.

Some of the changes seem to be hinted at the younger lot or those who adore the new technology of today such as Google Lens. And remember, the shortcuts won’t be having any links to innovative features but they’ll be getting the attention they deserve.

Secondly, Google is on a mission to better refine its search through tools that allow text queries to be solved via the expansion of a list of suggestions. These will arise through buttons seen on the search box. You can drill into various sub-topics while taking part in your search.

So it’s like searching for one thing but being recommended a few others, in case you’re interested.

But one of the mightiest changes of them all is the emphasis on visual search. While we aren’t saying you’re no longer going to see the classic blue links, you’ll be provided with a new form of visual makeover where boxes of Knowledge Panels will be seen.

This is where Google plans to pull in an entire array of different information across so many sources in all sorts of formats.



There will be scenarios where visual searches will be highlighting content from different apps too, the company confirmed.

We’re hearing about the tech giant showcasing content for a while now and it appears the time has finally come for the grand makeover.

Content belonging to leading apps like TikTok and YouTube are indexable and they rank videos from all across the board. Hence, when needed for purposes like a search, you get it, and when not, it’s returned.

So the goal is to be more modern and appealing like platforms such as TikTok. There’s no limit to content creation there and in case you weren’t already aware, there’s plenty of good information out there.

Remember, the platform says that the new visual display isn’t going to change all results of Google Search. But it will surely show up on your results page where you can find the visual content to be more accommodating such as the travel niche.

The changes went public today at Google’s famous Search On event today where a lot of new great projects were discussed.

Read next: Google Launches New Shopping Tools That Links Buyers To Shops Selling Their Favorite Products
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Reddit’s New Report Highlights Major Engagement Trends for Brands

Brands need to diversify the social media platforms that they are visible on because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up getting them into as many users’ heads as possible. Reddit has been a popular choice, but it has historically underperformed when compared to larger rivals such as Facebook and Twitter. The social media platform recently conducted a survey of 2,000 randomly selected users to tell brands what engagement trend they can leverage to boost their renown.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that community is a big part of its overall appeal. People that prefer Reddit tend to feel a lack of sense of community on other major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok as well as Twitter. Snapchat and Pinterest offer a bit of emotional security that is comparable to Reddit, but even they fall well short of Reddit when it comes to community building.

Reddit is also unique in that it is one of the only platforms that gives users visible negative engagement options in the form of the downvote. This might seem risky to some brands, but it also makes Reddit a much more honest place for opinions and discourse than might have been the case otherwise.

There is also a lot of value in the self moderation of most communities both large and small. Reddit users can be studied more easily because their behaviors, moderation and preferences are not hidden behind complex algorithms and protocols.

According to this report, it appears that Reddit may be one of the only social media platforms that don’t have a negative impact on user mental health. The sense of inclusion that the platform creates is quite useful on that front, but it should also be mentioned that this report was created by Reddit itself. Its findings would have to be vetted by independent third parties before a consensus can be reached regarding their veracity, so this data should be taken with a grain of salt until that finally occurs.

Read next: New Infographic Shares The Mind-Blowing Amount of Data Swirling On The Internet In One Minute
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

New Study Proves Voice Assistants Like Alexa And Siri Can Have Negative Effects On A Child’s Development

Voice assistants have really made so many of our lives easier. Be it, Alexa or Siri, the race is on for the best smart device to take a controlling approach to our routine.

But you’ll be amazed at the results of a new study that proves the dramatic side-effects that come with the endeavor.

Think along the lines of such smart technology negatively impacting a child’s growth. Be it physical or emotional, the research says voice assistants can stunt their growth.

Remember, most of the phones that kids utilize today have voice apps. Whether it's the breakthrough technology from Apple or Amazon, it’s definitely in there somewhere. But now, scientists are ringing the alarm on how these features can prevent the development of skills like empathy, compassion, and even critical thinking. Overall, it impedes their learning too.

This lack of ability to take part in non-verbal forms of communication really affects the social interactions of young kids. The news comes to us through the University of Cambridge’s latest media release.

In terms of normal interactions, a young kid would end up getting constructive feedback in cases when they didn’t behave properly. But that can’t be done through this smart device. It’s just beyond the scope of it.

The research is preliminary in regards to these voice assistants that serve as social companions for adults that are mostly lonely. They’ve been proven to be great for them but we’re not sure if that implies the same for kids too, especially those that are still young and growing.

Researchers claim such incidents are important if a child has been through COVID-19 and due to the lockdown, they’ve been spending more time at home and in isolation with such devices.

Authors of such research claim that so many gadgets can serve as friends for younger people and older ones too. They boost both the reading and interactive skills of such people, thanks to AI technology. But the long-term effects these have on young minds at this pivotal time in growth are definitely alarming.

The leading areas that need to be evaluated that have shown to have detrimental effects include social development, learning, and producing inappropriate responses. To help better shed light on the seriousness of the matter, well, one device even went as far as telling the child to touch the plug of their lamp. So as you can see, parental control over such products is needed to prevent such negative outcomes.

Other than that, researchers are outlining how such products aren’t teaching kids manners. Then there’s the matter pertaining to privacy matters. Think along the lines of having your most intimate or private chats recorded.

There are zero expectations of being polite from the device so kids are allowed to talk in whichever manner they wish. It’s almost as if please and thank you have been omitted from the child’s vocabulary. Also, there’s no consideration given to the tone of voice being used.

Voice assistants are ultimately there to help provide users with the information that they’ve requested. They’re supposed to be there for short and to-the-point answers. But the way kids pick up things and absorb information through such means is definitely not recommended to have good effects on their development.

It also prevents kids from thinking logically, added a few researchers.

More research is definitely required to assess the long-term effects of kids interacting with such products. So it’s best to act now before it’s too late.

Read next: The World Of AR Technology Is Years Away From Mass Consumer Adoption, Confirms IDC
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google Tests Card-Style Pop-Ups For Its Discover And Search Instead Of Fullscreen Previews

The digital world that we live in today is all about experimenting and staying in line with trends. It’s no wonder why big tech giants like Google are conducting more tests to see what really works best.

It’s the ultimate way to ensure your users get the best and that’s why you’ll often find YouTube, Gmail, and even Google Discover undergoing scores of changes.

As a part of its latest trial, the company has opted to make use of card-style views in a pop-up form whenever an article pops up. Hence, it’s like shunning the classic fullscreen preview that many of us have been used to over time.

The change, if approved, will be applied to Google Discover and also to Google’s Search results.

The news comes to us thanks to 9to5Google. Their report says the test will now allow Google Discover and Search to open up like a card on the upper part of your screen. These changes were seen on the pixel phone’s home screen and also across the feed for the Discover app. And it’s definitely a new and happening interface that’s very different from what we’re usually accustomed to.

To open up the articles, you still need Google Chrome and many famous icons are still seen in the same locations, as noted by the testers. When you swipe in a downward direction, it shuts and you’re taken back to the Discover feed or your results for Search. And in case you wish to enter the full-screen mode, the app will allow you to do that with a simple swipe.

One interesting point noted by users is how the app continues to use the fullscreen method for previewing in certain scenarios like when you open up a particular video.

There is definitely plenty of ambiguity regarding the whole situation as to why Google is switching in the first place. But we do feel it’s so much more convenient now to get back to your search results in a more seamless manner.

In the end, you do lose up a bit on vertical space, thanks to the feed seen in the background. But we do feel the change is very welcoming in terms of an overall user experience.

9to5Google claims this new design may be rolling out soon as a test for users but there are rumors that it’s a widespread beta test across the company’s app as many people can see it running across their devices.

We do hope a wider rollout comes about sooner than later.

Read next: App Developers Are Scrambling To Find New Avenues For Monetization After The Discontinuation Of IDFAs And Cookies
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

YouTube Shorts Adds Many New Features That Are Popular On TikTok To Better Compete With The App

The race to become the world’s most popular social media app is on and YouTube is doing a pretty decent job at that.

YouTube Shorts was recently seen adding plenty of new features that you would call popular on TikTok. And that includes the launch of a new narration voiceover for iOS, commonly seen and loved on the app.

Creators can utilize the narration in cases where they feel commentary could add more value to the content that’s already been recorded. This might be in the form of cooking tutorials that comes with instructions, live reactions to content, or any form of narration that might be needed. Commonly sought-after examples include the likes of videos that surround the ‘day in the life’ theme.

To utilize the voiceovers across the Shorts app, simply click on the button with a checkmark that’s located on the bottom right-hand side of the camera screen. Then press on the button for voiceovers and start wherever you’d like to begin the narration. Don’t forget to click on the record button and be sure to adjust the volume to your liking afterward too.

Creators will be given the chance to redo and even undo so that their overall editing process is made easier.

YouTube Shorts was seen adding a new feature for iOS, other than the one described above. This includes the capability for creators to reply to comments using new videos. This feature was first launched by TikTok in the year 2020 and then we saw Instagram pick up the pace and launch its own version in December.

But one of the biggest news coming out from the app has to be its expansion for Shorts’ partner program. This is the first time ever that the app is giving creators who make short content the chance to earn funds via ad revenue on their content. And if things do go as planned, creators are going to be ecstatic.

Yes, YouTube does get a share but seeing these mighty developments is definitely a major and a new threat to TikTok.

By now, TikTok must be used to seeing all leading apps follow in its footsteps and this is no exception. But YouTube has been called out as one of the best ways through which creators can earn a decent living and that’s why such initiatives are being appreciated more than others.

Read next: YouTube Begins Testing New Creator Donation Feature ‘Super Thanks’ In Shorts
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Twitter Is Adding A New Communities Section For Users To Embellish Upon In Their Professional Profiles

Twitter’s adding in a new Professional Profile option via which users can feature any Community that they are a part of.

As an individual who’s not all that active on Twitter, coming back to the platform once or twice a month, I’m always just a little taken aback by just how many new things are added to the interface. I just got used to Professional Profiles being a (sort of) thing, and now we have Spaces and Communities to boot. As far as I can comprehend, Communities are just the equivalent of Facebook groups on Twitter; a common ground via which individuals with overlapping interests can communicate with each other. Professional profiles, as I’m sure most Twitter users are aware, refer to a profile model that users can sign up for to make their accounts come off as professional businesses and such. This sort of business account method is something that Meta, Twitter, and even Snapchat have adopted to some extent, which goes to show just how much our professional and personal lives have managed to bleed into each other. Personally, not a fan of this happening, but hustle culture will either work us to death or drown us in the process.

Professional profiles allow users to feature a myriad of information about either themselves or their small businesses and startups, and this new Twitter feature that we’re discussing adds something new to the mix. Now, users can add Communities to their professional profiles, allowing users the ability to share a single space where they can discuss the business at hand. This can be especially useful to the likes of influencers or online personalities since such individuals have already amassed mass followings that would love to cohabit in an online dedicated space. If subreddits aren’t enough, maybe an officially created or endorsed Twitter Community is what everyone was looking out for.

H/T: Alessandro Paluzzi

Read next: Twitter Intends To Collaborate with Top Researchers To Curb Its Misinformation Struggles
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Instagram Releases New Version Of A Parents’ Guide For Better Support Of Kids On The App

It’s back-to-school time and to help keep kids in line with that theme in the digital world, Instagram is going public with its ‘back to school’ guide.

The app just released the new version of its parents’ guide that entails a full overview of the platform’s features linked to greater control and privacy. In the same way, there are plenty of notes that give parents the guidance they require for young users on the app. And yes, that’s super important, the company adds.

The news was recently announced by Instagram where they revealed how adults commonly assume their teenagers’ real lives and those witnessed on social media are very different. You might be appalled to learn how they’re both so well linked. This is where most teens love expressing their thoughts and emotions on the matter. Similarly, you’ll find them hanging out with friends while exploring some great ideas across this app.

And yes, it’s a mixed bag of emotions. Some you’ll love, others, not so much. But all forms of interactions are a part of life, be it drama, romance, or anxiety. Be it on the web or not, that’s the reality and the app wants parents to understand that it's not only linked to technology. However, the app does feel it might be exacerbated through this means.

It’s true that so many researchers are coming forward and talking about the great dangers linked to this app. And when you’ve got the added pressure of going back to school at hand, we can see why quite a few people are worried.

Social media can take a toll on mental health as people begin to compare their lives with so many others. It’s the dangers that such consequences have that experts worry about. So that’s exactly where the Guide from Instagram steps in. We do recommend grabbing a hold of it and going through it deeply. And there are around 40 different variations available, according to various regions and languages.

The guide entails a complete overview of the app’s options for both privacy and safety, including how each of these added features works. The most important one is how users can limit who sees what on the app and how sharing things with a limited audience is the key to success here.

Meanwhile, a separate section has been reserved linked to DM safety which many critics feel is a major area of concern for the younger generation. There are some notes that are a great way that parents can guide their kids and talk to them about how important online safety is in today’s day and age.

Instagram reiterates how there’s no better time than now to really put some great information out there. Now is the time we’re seeing kids get adjusted to new rules and regulations, not to mention new surroundings at school. Hence, making them aware at this critical time is important.

Read next: Instagram Begins New Test Of Replacing Its Shop Tab With A New Notifications Tab
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Microsoft Launches New Tool That Keeps Users Safe From Losing Their Passwords

There’s a new update for Windows 11 users and it arises in the form of a tool that keeps users safe from losing their passwords.

The tool is a part of the most recently put out Windows 11 update and is referred to as an Enhanced Phishing Protection functionality. It’s sending out a warning whenever users go about typing their passwords on a particular app or webpage that might be insecure. And that could entail Microsoft’s own applications such as Microsoft Word.

See, the company wants its users to stay protected all of the time. And that’s why the update has come about in the first place.

The company was quick to go public with the news by publishing it through a blog post. Moreover, it boldly declares how this new feature will alarm users when they’re writing out sensitive details like passwords and they’re in plan view. Hence, this will ensure it’s covered and safely kept away from both scammers and those trying to hack into their accounts.

For this to work, the tool will make use of a SmartScreen. This is another name reserved for saved passcodes that can be entered at any time. It usually comes up with a warning that states how it's not safe to store passwords on the app. They also send another alert that mentions how it’s important to remove passwords seen across this file.

Users that wish to utilize this will have to have the new feature toggled. Remember, those that do end up installing the update will notice how this feature is disabled and hence needs to be switched on.

If you wish to have it enabled, simply enter the Start menu, click on Settings and then enter your privacy and security. There will be a button for Windows Security so click on that, which will lead you to your app and browser control. And that’s where you can find the section for Phishing Protection in the reputation settings.

You’ll need to click on the option that says you’d like to be warned about the storage of unsafe passwords and passwords being reused.

In the same way, Microsoft mentioned how IT admins have the ability to customize alerts with their mobile devices through solutions such as MDM. This includes the likes of Microsoft Intune.

This new launch is a major one in the new security update seen for Windows 11 this year and one of the most talked about ones on the platform to occur for months.

There is another new update that makes use of AI-powered technology that halts users from having malicious apps run across Windows 11. This is known as the Control For Smart Apps. After getting refreshed on a daily basis, this will evaluate the types of threat at hand and in case it’s high, it’s not going to be given the chance to run.

In the same way, we’ll be seeing a new series of updates soon that separately work to shield the app from vulnerable drivers.

Read next: New Microsoft Index Shows the Dangers of Productivity Paranoia
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Instagram Begins New Test Of Replacing Its Shop Tab With A New Notifications Tab

Instagram is one app that we’ve seen evolve quite a bit in recent months. While some changes have been appreciated, others have not so much. And now, we’re hearing more news on how the app is busy making another change that’s being tested.

The test replaces the Shop Tab with a Notifications tab. This is seen on the app’s navigation bar and some users have stated that their Shop tab is missing and has been replaced.

As of now, the company has failed to announce the test publicly but one spokesperson from Meta did speak to a media outlet called The Verge. They confirmed the change and stated that it was a part of a significant test that was designed to further simplify the workings of the app.

Moreover, now that the test has gone live, the change is being seen by a few people but the exact numbers aren’t specific right now.

The Shop tab was first seen being included around two years back. At that time, the pandemic was in full swing and people were really shopping online. This way, the tab served as the ultimate for people to connect with one another on the app.

Be it a creator, brand, or tiny business- many were able to put up their goods and services for sale. That is what gave users the chance to instantly buy products that were marketed on their feeds.

In the same way, we saw the tab also provide a number of recommendations for products, a handful of picks from editors, and live streams of businesses, among others.

While we’re not quite sure how successful the Shop Tab was on the app for the thousands of creators as well as for the app, one thing is for sure. It’s quite clear now how the firm is searching for a way to move in the right direction through new means.

The changes may be seen coming forward, despite the company offering better shopping features over the last two years. We even saw Instagram debut its ability for users and sellers to allow for direct sales and purchases via their DMs.

Hence, we don’t see how the removal of a Shop tab could make much of a difference if any. See, now it’s been given the importance of being a sub-section located in the app’s Settings.

As mentioned by Meta’s spokesperson on the change to The Verge, commerce has always been an integral factor that makes it so much simpler for people to explore and purchase new goods found on apps through their newsfeeds, Reels, Stories, and other forms of innovations like drops or through live shopping streams.

For now, the current removal is limited simply to a few users but if reports from The Information come out to be true, we could see it removed completely by next year. Hence, that makes the whole user shopping experience less of a personalized venture.

Just like any other update on the app when a feature comes out, Instagram will evolve with time and with the number of its fantastic offerings. Hence, we’ll just need to search some more to see how the change rolls out to other users soon.

Read next: Meta Is Working On A New Profile ‘Switching Tool’ That Allows Users To Jump Between Instagram And Facebook
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Why Coaching Call Center Agents Is Important

When your call center employees don't feel like they are progressing, there is a higher chance that they leave their employment. Lack of opportunity for career progress or promotion is a factor in 32% of employees leaving their jobs.

However, agent retention rises in call centers with a coaching culture. Additionally, they benefit from increased efficacy in creating stronger client relationships and offering top-notch customer service. You must adhere to certain practices if you want to train your agents properly. In this article, let’s explore why coaching call center agents are important and tips to improve coaching efficiency.

What Is Coaching for Call Centers?

Call center coaching gives agents feedback, real-world cases, and performance evaluations to help them perform better and be productive. Agents can develop their skills and provide excellent customer service when they are aware of best practices to adhere to.

It's critical to distinguish between call center coaching and agent evaluations on their performance. The purpose of coaching must be to improve performance going forward and support continuing reviews.

Additionally, coaching gives agents the tailored feedback they require to function at their highest level. Employees should, in other words, be aware of the many jobs they must complete, their importance, and the specific tasks required to complete them. In the end, a significant portion of what makes consumers satisfied is an agent's improved performance.

Why Is Coaching More Crucial Than Ever?

You may use coaching to retain top people, tap into the tremendous human resource potential, and develop the next generation of leaders for your organization. If you are still unsure about the value of teaching call center agents, take a brief look at some major coaching benefits.

The greatest outcomes are frequently viewed by managers coaching their agents as a quality management method. Now is the moment to fix any problems you may have found after listening to call records or receiving consumer complaints. Providing excellent customer service must be developed through practice. Coaching is the method to assist in teaching that ability and provide guidance on what to do in certain circumstances.

Additionally, you have the chance to identify your best employees and recognize them while also motivating those with lower KPIs. Recognize agent abilities and capitalize on them to maximize everyone's potential. This is one method agents can work toward achieving their objective of moving ahead in the company as time goes on. Through coaching, you can identify employees who may not be the greatest candidates for this position and could be better off performing another task.

Tips for Effective Call Center Coaching

Call center coaching can be challenging, time-consuming, and sometimes emotionally taxing. The success of these sessions can significantly increase by following these tips.

Maintain Confidentiality

Giving direct criticism in a confidential, one-on-one context is beneficial. This makes it possible for agents to interact with your advice in a meaningful way, asking questions and providing justifications for why they find some parts difficult. While one-on-one training is the norm at most contact centers, group sessions have a place as well.

Positive Comments Should Be Shared Before Critical Ones

Starting with a positive attitude is the best approach to persuade your agents to take your recommendations and constructive criticism into account. Share the things that they have recently gotten better at or that they perform consistently well. They will feel appreciated and are more likely to be open to what follows if you do this.

End the discussion on a positive note by highlighting their strength after sharing the negative criticism. This guarantees that the agent is motivated and prepared to advance.

Create a Wallboard and Set Goals

Set goals that your agents can concentrate on and strive toward together. Particularly if they want to advance in their career or hope for a raise, this gives them motivation and a way to track their progress. Try to assist them in generating ideas and creating timetables that are reasonable for achieving these objectives.

A visual board is a fantastic addition to help your team remember their objectives and have something concrete to refer to. Wallboard with a large screen shows real-time project activities and setting it up in a communal area for everyone to observe is one approach to accomplish this.

Work Together to Develop a Strategy

Ad hoc programs are the weakest and least productive forms of coaching. Even for the most seasoned agents, coaching should be a continuous endeavor. This is particularly valid for the rising number of call center agents who operate from their homes.

Goals and activities for the following sessions should be discussed at the end of each session. Collaboration is important in achieving this. Agents are much more likely to internalize the objectives that they helped create.

Hold Private Tutoring Sessions

Some agents are reluctant to disclose their flaws in front of others. In your capacity as the owner or manager of a call center, you ought to limit your use of critical feedback in your one-on-one coaching sessions. Then, hold one-on-one meetings where you subtly highlight the drawbacks. It will boost their self-esteem and inspire them to improve.

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

Snapchat Forms Internal Team To Improve The App’s Lagging Performance

There is a lot of competition in the digital world and every app is searching for ways on how it can better its performance against all others in the industry.

This is why Snapchat is on a mission to develop an internal team that can better gauge where the platform is lacking and how it can return to normal views.

Remember, Snap has really been at the top of its game but that’s when TikTok started stealing the overall market share and screen time. The immense popularity of the short form video app can’t be denied and we feel Snap isn’t going to give up without putting up with a fight.

But where is the lacking and why have user habits changed? These are just some of the many questions on Snapchat’s mind.

The new initiative is called Project Sunshine and it entails a few engineers from the app that are reportedly a part of its growing team. They are trying to diagnose the problem and help get the app back on track. And by that, we mean growing the number of users that are seen engaging on Stories and also posting them too.

The news comes to us thanks to those familiar with the ordeal. They spoke to Insider and said that TikTok has really risen in recent times and something needs to be done before it's too late. The app is working to up its game and combat all the dragging down that has occurred.

People used to post frequently in the past and even engage in stories of those they didn’t know personally. But now, it’s very different. People are returning to the app to see those on their contact lists like friends or loved ones. And as you can imagine, it’s affecting the viewership greatly.

This habit of hopping in and out of the platform after taking a sneak peek of what certain users have posted is not helping Snap. And since increased usage and engagement are the app’s biggest priority at the moment, they’re making leading efforts to get it back.

• Also read: The World Of AR Technology Is Years Away From Mass Consumer Adoption, Confirms IDC

This new project Sunshine may have witnessed a few ups like perhaps getting more views on Stories belonging to close friends but it’s just not been peaking like before. Meanwhile, one spokesman for the firm says the company is constantly evolving and it’s their Stories product that really has the greatest viewership.

This past summer proved how many people were interested in metrics and also usage. And in this year’s Q2 results, the screentime for stories peaked and achieved more success than the previous year.

Q2 proves how daily active users on the app have risen by a staggering 18% but that’s not as great as the previous year which showed a growth of 23%. So as you can see, it’s a YoY decrease in terms of time spent by users watching the app’s stories. And this was directly linked to a fall in the volume of daily Story posts.

Snapchat’s biggest archrival is definitely TikTok. But there is the growing influence of apps like Instagram and Facebook as well. The app that’s owned by Byte-Dance is exactly where people tend to go to get the most entertaining forms of content.

In case you didn’t know, Snap decided to roll out its first-ever revenue stream that came in the form of Snapchat+. This was a monthly subscription that provided users with the best features that weren’t relying on the growth of users or even on engagement. It was linked to ads directly.

But internally, the situation is bad. We’re talking about a huge reorganization of the firm where priorities are getting reconsidered. And recently, Insider shed light on a really sticky mess that had more than 1200 employees laid off.

Read next: 30% of US Adults Now Use Visual Search for Shopping
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

What Country Creates the Most Space Debris?

The space race ended after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but it is now starting to rise up again because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up achieving a space travel related goal can bring a lot of prestige to countries. In spite of the fact that this is the case, the quest to conquer space is creating a unique new problem, namely that of space junk or space debris.

Every object that is launched into space and left there is coming together to create a massive debris field that might collide with active satellites and potentially trap humanity on earth for the foreseeable future. However, what country is most responsible for this debris? It turns out that there are three main culprits behind the massive increase in space debris, namely the US, Russia and China with all things having been considered and taken into account.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Russia is responsible for well over 7,000 spent rocket bodies and other types of junk that is now orbiting the planet. The number for the USA is around 5,216, and China is currently sitting at around the 3,850 mark.

This problem will become increasingly pertinent in the future as major corporations start trying to launch consumer oriented space travel in low orbit. These shuttles will be at risk of getting crashed into by orbiting debris. One might assume that the solution is to slowly bring these pieces of junk down, but that runs the risk of depleting the ozone layer, generating a lot of heat as well as whatever the damage at the crash site was look like.

This is an issue that has no easy fix, and major world leaders would need to come together in order to figure out how to handle it. Humanity is starting to look to the stars once again, but we will only reach them if we approach this new era of space travel in a responsible way with all factors having been considered.

Read next: The World Of AR Technology Is Years Away From Mass Consumer Adoption, Confirms IDC
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World