YouTube has added two new features to help its creators get better user engagement on the platform

YouTube, the global online video sharing platform, is back with two new updates to help content creators get more engaged with their viewers. These updates were highlighted by Creator Insider, an informal YouTube channel that provides insight on the latest Creator technical team updates.

Starting off with the first update, according to Conor, the platform has introduced a new comment filter. The filter includes responses with new replies, which has been highly requested by the creators. The main idea behind this new filter is to let content creators find comments that were previously responded to by the creator and have received new responses. As a result, they will be able to carry on their conversations with the audience and build their community by actively engaging with them.

The filter has been added under the Response Status section in Studio along with the Haven’t responded and Responded filters. The feature will soon be available globally to all creators on both desktop and mobile, anytime in the upcoming weeks.

Moving on to the second update, the platform is introducing a new visualization for studio mobile creators. The feature is named “horizontal stacked bar chart.” According to the screen shared by Conor, differences can be seen in the before and after changes of “How viewers find you,” also known as the traffic sources.

The company is planning to update more metrics in the future. The purpose of such changes is to help creators instantly visualize the data of their YouTube channel and relate it with each other.

YouTube is actively working on different projects to help its creators grow. The platform has been working continuously to provide resources in order to connect audiences more with their favorite creators. Furthermore, the platform has been focusing on areas such as monetization to retain its content creators.

In a previous video uploaded by the channel, Conor gave answers to some frequently asked questions regarding the YouTube Partner Program, which enables creators to have access to resources as well as monetization. And if they want support from the creator team, they can get in touch through the project.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Google Unveils Exciting New Features For Its Maps, Search And Translate Services

Google hosted a new live stream today from the French city of Paris where the tech giant could be seen talking about an array of new features powered by AI technology.

The company says it hopes to include these as a part of its Maps, Search and Translate endeavors. It’s quite interesting how the news comes at a time when it only recently went public with reports of its new chatbot called Bard.

The tech giant says the tool would be an archrival for OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Similarly, it mentioned how it would be testing it internally right before a release is made to the public in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, there’s more news on the Translation side of things where the tech giant is launching another feature that provides context to terms having several different meanings. For now, the feature is up for grabs in several languages like Spanish, German, French, and even English. But it does hope to conduct an expansion soon in a few more languages by the next few months. Similarly, those having Android devices fitted with RAM of 6MB or even greater than that would be able to benefit from translating the text into pictures.

Meanwhile, while talking about pictures, the search engine giant mentioned how it plans on adding new features to its Lens that would be rolled out in a few months.

This would enable phone owners to search the screen and take on images and video content through the likes of websites and other apps while Lens can be utilized to get more data from such pictures and videos. In the same way, Google is conducting an expansion for another feature that’s dubbed multi-search. This allows them to look for text and images simultaneously.

Google mentioned some more updates about another immersive view offering in its Maps that’s present in several destinations. This entails the likes of New York, London. Tokyo, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

This offering gives users the chance to look at such places from the top in a complete 3D view. Moreover, the effect is so photorealistic that it goes down toward the level of the streets.

Hence, users in such cities including Paris can benefit from it through their Search by entering Maps and clicking on the Live View. Similarly, this offering would be using AI features to display places of interest while walking outside with your device.

Google mentioned more on another release called the immersive view for its Maps which gives people more details about those possessing electric vehicles. They also hope to incorporate places for EV charging stations depending on where the user’s car is located based on what the car’s current charging displays and how much traffic the user may be surrounded with and the current status of the battery too.

This particular live stream from Google also shed light on how the company has no plans to release its AI chatbot to wider audiences right now. It’s very different from the approach taken by fellow arch-rival Microsoft and its respective Bing chatbot.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Breaking the Cycle: Investigation Unveils Secrets of Digital Media Anxiety

The underlying psychological factors connected to digital media tiredness have recently come under further scrutiny according to a study recently posted in the Computers in Human Behavior Journal.

The purpose of the study is to comprehend why individuals are becoming more and more worn out and overburdened by social media. According to an investigation that polled adults and teenagers, those who utilize social media more frequently are more likely to feel anxious, worried out, and depressed. According to the study's findings, one of the major contributing elements to the emergence of social media weariness is the ongoing pressure to maintain an impeccable online persona.

The complicated phenomenon of social media tiredness is influenced by several psychological and societal aspects. The study shows that maintaining a favorable online reputation can be stressful, especially for those who are extremely sensitive to social comparison and evaluation.

According to the study, those who feel social media exhaustion are more prone to use unhealthy coping strategies, such as binge eating, consuming alcohol, or buying excessively. The researchers think that these coping strategies help people cope with the stress and fear that comes from using social media.

Cyberbullying and solitariness problems are two more significant variables linked with social media tiredness. These concerns could lead to emotional fatigue, a crucial factor in social media weariness. In line with past examinations on the topic, the indirect effects of overload and unpleasant backgrounds on social media fatigue were both refereed by the variable of emotional weariness.

The corpus of information on the use of social media in contemporary culture is developing thanks to this reflection. Despite the benefits, there are certain disadvantages to be mindful of. One of these drawbacks is the study's use of a single self-report survey, which is prone to desirability bias and may miss effects that would be better grasped by longitudinal investigation.

However, the study also discovered that social media use has some advantageous effects, such as boosted feelings of closeness, enhanced self-esteem, and a sense of belonging. The significance of striking a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of social media use was underlined by the researchers.

For the millions of individuals who use social media every day, the findings of this study have important ramifications. The results imply that it is crucial to acknowledge and take action to manage the psychological harm that social media use can cause. You can lessen the impacts of social media weariness by, for instance, limiting your usage of social media, practicing frequent self-care, and getting support from friends and family.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Tech CEOs Are Declared Incompetent in Their Fields and the Employees Are Paying the Price of the Mistakes

The recent earnings reports by Meta, Alphabet, Apple, and Amazon reveal just how much the world economy conditions right now have affected Silicon Valley. The tech CEOs have publicly expressed their regret over over-hiring during the pandemic and have taken steps to address efficiency and streamline operations, often resulting in layoffs for many employees.

However, the question remains, who is really to blame for the current state of the tech industry? Is it the workers who are losing their livelihoods, or is it the CEOs who were in charge of decision-making that led to these layoffs?

Crictics argue that the CEOs should be blamed for the consequences many tech workers are facing right now. He states that any executive who participated in the decision-making process that resulted in employees losing their jobs should be responsible, and should be the one going out of the door first.

The tech industry is facing a challenging time and the industry leaders and experts are likely to have many conversations about how the tech industry can get stable and improve. One thing is for sure, the next few months are likely to be difficult for the future of the tech industry.

The CEO of Alphabet, Sundar Pichai, has faced criticism for firing 12,000 employees from the company. Pichai, who made $280 million in compensation in 2019, claimed the layoffs were a result of a discipline for the company's internal structure, but failed to acknowledge the factors which actually lead them to this. The impact of antitrust fines and the company's failure to stay ahead in AI, actually contributed to the decision. Many tech CEOs are blaming the economy for firing off employees at their companies, but the real problem lies in bad decisions made by CEOs. Studies have shown that firing employees from big companies has negative effects on productivity, innovation, and profits. CEOs should avoid this at all costs, and companies like Apple have managed to do exactly that by reducing the CEO's salary. It is important for CEOs to take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions and lead by example.

Yes, CEO pay has significantly increased over the years while the pay of average workers has not kept pace, leading to a widening pay gap between CEOs and other employees. This has resulted in criticism with some arguing that the high pay packages are not justified.

The high salaries and lack of accountability of CEOs in corporate America has led to systemic issues but no one is there to take responsibility for their actions. The CEO is often seen as a leader who doesn’t have the same standards as other employees, which results in a lack of responsibility and accountability. The current system in corporate America allows top executives, like CEO's, to not be held responsible for their actions and decisions. Some of them are not even competent enough to take the position of a CEO. They are paid high salaries, but are not held responsible if things go downhill. This can lead to them making decisions that prioritize quick profits instead of long-term success for the company. To fix this, the role of the CEO needs to change. They should focus on managing and leading the company, and be held accountable for their actions. This way, they will be able to make decisions that will benefit the company in the long-term, instead of just seeking quick rewards and recognition. By doing this, companies will become more sustainable and successful.

Illustration macrovector/freepik
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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

43% of Workers Say Flexible Hours Boost Productivity

Boosting worker productivity has been the name of the game, and the coronavirus pandemic revealed that there is a very straightforward way to make people work more efficiently than might have been the case otherwise. We’re talking about flexible working hours of course, and a survey that was recently conducted by the World Economic Forum revealed that 43% of workers feel like flexible hours make them more productive.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that avoiding commutes was also highlighted by workers as a useful way to help them attain a higher level of productivity. 30% of workers said that less time commuting helped out, but interestingly 27% also stated that working more hours could allow them to get more work done on a given day.

26% of workers also said that being able to access new forms of tech aided them in boosting productivity, and a similar proportion, 26% to be precise, said the same for changing up the physical location in which they work. That shows that there are a number of things that can be done to make things easier for workers with all things having been considered and taken into account.

What’s more, meetings might be hurting productivity because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up taking time away from necessary tasks. 19% of workers said that having to go to fewer meetings was something that could enable them to reach their goals within the given time frame.

One thing is for sure, workers want flexible hours but that’s not necessarily due to them wanting to work fewer hours on a given day. Rather, it seems like they want the option to work the precise number of hours that they need in order to get things done.

That is something that could prove very relevant in the long run, since rigid working hours have been a long standing norm. It will be interesting to see if the findings of this study have any impact on how businesses ask their workers to operate.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Demand for autonomous cars is speeding up

In light of the insight report shared by Statista Mobility Market, demand for non-autonomous, or as some would say, “manual,” or “Semi Automatic” cars are going down. The global production of cars without driver assistance systems is decreasing with every passing year.

8 years ago, in 2015, non-autonomous vehicles were leading the chart, with almost 51.4% of the registered cars falling under the non-autonomous category. Five years later, the demand came down to 14.4 percent as autonomous cars started to take over.

According to the standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers, a U.S.-based association, cars fall into six different categories based on their autonomous capabilities. Starting with level 0, which includes cars having no autonomous system at all, until level 5, which includes a highly autonomous system, level 4 and level 5 cars are yet to come. It is expected that by 2025, level 4 cars will make their debut. Self-driving cars such as Tesla, which is a level 3 car, can make anyone wonder what level 4 and 5 cars will offer.

People driving cars at autonomous levels 1 or 2 can never take their eyes off the road. While their car’s system can assist them in certain areas, such as steering or applying the brakes, the car itself would require the driver’s concentration. Whereas level 3 cars can offer autopilot, the feature is time-limited, and the driver would later take over upon the system’s prior notice.

According to Statista’s share evaluation chart from 2015 through 2025, level 0 dominated the market in 2015 and went down to 14.4 percent in 2020. And by 2025, the figures are expected to go further down, to 1.6 percent. Levels 1 and 2 took the lead in 2020, going from 37 percent and 11.7 percent in 2015 to 55.7 percent and 29.9 percent, respectively, in 2020. Their projection for 2025 predicts that both of these levels will keep their dominance, whereas level 3 cars will have a share of 0.7 percent.

It can be expected that level 3 cars will take over other levels in the future, with technology getting more advanced with every passing year.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Cameras from Early 2000s Are Slowly Becoming a Trend as Some People Are Using Them For Aesthetic Grainy Photos

Hashtag about digital cameras (#digitalcamera) is trending as it got about 220 million views on TikTok in 2022 and now people want to buy the cameras from ebay and etsy. The trend is seen as being related to the revival of early 21st century fashion styles as they are coming back in the year 2023.

Scott Ewart, a 32-year-old from the Isle of Arran, has become popular on TikTok for his retro gear collection and has received more than 5 million likes on his account. According to Scott, many people find these vintage items nostalgic and comforting, reminding them of their childhood and simpler times. He also said that he finds it quite refreshing to go back to something so simple and easy to use. Older cameras require more effort to get the best results, whereas with today's smartphones, it's almost impossible to take a bad picture. He also said that he started collecting the items with his parents' old cameras, but now his collection has rapidly grown to include more than 30 pieces of equipment.

He continued that people often ask him about how he edits his pictures. But his answer is that he doesn’t because he wants to show the real beauty captured by vintage cameras. According to eBay UK, the final quarter of 2022 saw a growth in people searching for these devices. This included a 13% increase in searches for "vintage digital camera" and a 52% surge in searches for "refurbished camera".

Etsy, a platform that specializes in handmade and vintage items, has also observed a growing interest from shoppers in the past six months. Currently, it has over 19,000 digital camera-related items listed online.

Katie Glasgow, who lives in New York, is using her parents' old cameras to take photos and videos. She likes how the pictures look old and imperfect, like memories. Younger people who never used these cameras find it interesting because it gives them a glimpse into the past. With smartphones, you can take lots of pictures and videos, but with older cameras, you have to be careful about what moments you want to keep.

Paul Greenwood says that people seek comfort during times of uncertainty and discomfort in the world, such as the pandemic and other calamities. The grainy, imperfect look of photos taken with old cameras is seen as more authentic, and this is what younger generations, like Generation Z, are looking for.

H/T: BBC

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World