More Bad News For Twitter Employees As Company Abruptly Fires Another 50 Workers

The firing spree at Twitter is not coming to a rest as the company has started to lay off 50 members of its workforce.

The news was confirmed today by The Information while other posts on social media showcased this as well. Clearly, it’s a surprising decision as many did not see this one coming.

Interestingly, not even the company’s head of payments, Esther Crawford was spared. He was responsible for overlooking the much-talked-about Blue Verification Subscription plan. Another report by The Verge spoke about how Crawford and the rest of the product team were fired on the weekend. And now, the hottest news regarding this aspect has to do with Elon Musk making new plans to clean the house and carry on redecorating using a new regime.

Esther was a Musk loyalist who parroted his talking points. She also famously encouraged sleeping at the office https://t.co/SdPvi4oI9J pic.twitter.com/dfyCudLc2H

— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) February 26, 2023

Hearing that the Twitter layoffs last night were well above 50 and hit multiple departments including engineering. If you know more, get in touch.

— Zoë Schiffer (@ZoeSchiffer) February 26, 2023

Last year, after Elon Musk took over, Crawford was heard speaking about how he was forced to sleep at the office because only that would overcome the new demands set forward by the latest Twitter chief.

It’s actually very interesting to see how the news of the layoffs took place on the weekend when employees of the company found out that they were no longer allowed to use Slack. Some thought that may have to do with the fact that the company failed to pay the bill on time. Soon enough, the truth eventually came out.

Meanwhile, one person reported at the company how they ended up getting shut out manually from gaining access. And that is what struck fear in more members of the workforce how this is the first sign of many layoffs to arrive.

The strategy being used by Elon Musk to cut off employees from the main source of communication before firing them was a unique one. The firings started to drop like huge bombs and it rendered a very panicky situation across the board.

Another post by an employee spoke about how Slack was gone but no one had any clue about what in the world was going on. Meanwhile, another post stated how many individuals got an email on Saturday and that led to immediate access cut-offs. And then others called it a very confusing situation and that’s the most extreme one to take place in the firm’s history.

Meanwhile, another posting detailed more about the great extent of firings that arose including 50% at the HR department, 60% having to do with sales and marketing, and then another 35% in engineering. Finance took a 40% hit but the biggest was Project management where 80% were shown the door.

The affected workers would be getting a 30-day severance, the company went on to mention.

For now, the company is opting to stay hush on the matter and isn’t even releasing any public statement regarding the layoff that has recently occurred.

Twitter began this layoff round by releasing ad sales employees last week but little did anyone know that this would soon turn into something major. Moreover, one product manager set out his reservations by adding how he found out about this shocking news by getting locked out from his own email account.

Ever since Elon Musk took charge of the firm in October of last year, we’re hearing a lot about the headcount falling by nearly 70%. And this one is a real shocker because Musk promised that there would be no more.

After seeing what took place today, it can be said without any doubt that Elon Musk is keen on breaking promises and would have trouble with people trusting him in the future after this news went viral.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Here Are The Most Popular Authenticator App Options From A Security Standpoint

Social media giant Twitter made a lot of its users upset when it decided to introduce billing for the app’s two-factor authentication (2FA) security system.

Many were confused why a leading platform would even think about comprising the security of its users. But that’s when they justified the claims by mentioning how it might end up doing some harm than good.

Malicious actors are targeting this technology and taking part in identity theft that puts your data at risk. So it’s confusing as to which direction should one even go in. And while we do feel the company could have delivered the news in a smoother manner, it is what it is. But wait, there is no reason to lose hope.

You can carry on protecting your app in more ways than one, thanks to the authenticator app tool. This is actually more convenient as it allows you to log into your account instead of taking on some problem-based texting system.

But with so many apps of this sort in the industry, which one should a user really trust? Remember, the competition is stiff and the options are plenty, making anyone confused.

Thanks to insights provided by App Intelligence, we’ve got some great answers for you. And for starters, it’s the Microsoft Authenticator that seems to be leading the pack. To get a better idea of what exactly is going on on this front, we rounded up the top 10 most installed authenticator apps to have arisen in the year 2022. And here are the interesting findings from just that.

Tech giants Google and Microsoft are at the head of the pack. The duo saw a staggering 105 million downloads taking place last year through both the Play Store and the App Store. As per estimates, Microsoft had 58% of the total share from that. Google was next but the real shocker was for the third position. This went to Twilio. Most people didn’t even know the latter was an app authenticator, to begin with.

In 2022, it saw a staggering 5 million downloads on the App Store and Play Store. Yes, it’s not as massive as Google and Microsoft but it’s doing a pretty decent job considering many people don’t know about its existence for this purpose.

The rest of the list consisted of generic names other than Salesforce. And among those names, we had LastPass too who made headlines for its massive leak despite being a password manager.

When all the installations of these generic names were added all together, the answer was not even close to the likes of Google and Microsoft. But how are they even competing then? The answer is Search!

To be a little more specific in the talk, they’re getting fame through optimization on the App Store and Apple’s Search ads too. And to add a little more drama to this, all of them, except for one are paying for the advertisements on the App Store. They’re making use of their archrivals as keywords for better ranking.

Read next: This Survey Shows 65% of Americans Have Faced Credit Card Fraud
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Using Excess Social Media Causes Mental Illness In Teenage Girls As Per This Study

For a while now, we’ve been hearing a lot of news about how mental health and social media usage are directly linked. But at that time, there was no evidence of any causal link. Moreover, even if a direct link was found, it was outlined to be minimal and not something of too much concern.

Now, a new study is providing otherwise, leaving many to think twice about how social media can really play with young people’s minds without them even realizing it. This study by a psychology professor at NYU is really making many of us realize that the problem is growing as we speak. And there needs to be an alarm raised against it.

The CDC’s new survey is really showcasing how 57% of young females spoke in detail about how depressed and helpless they felt on most occasions. Some 30% claim to have had suicidal thoughts too. But it’s not just the females that are suffering from such negative thoughts. Males are feeling the same way as well and their respective rates for anxiety and depression may not be as great as their female counterparts but it’s definitely there.

In the past, it was revealed how things have been super difficult to show how there was a cause-and-effect relationship. There could be many causes of females feeling negative or bad about themselves. So to prove that it was directly related to smartphones or social media was a little hard for obvious reasons. Let’s not forget how there have been hundreds of studies linked to the same subject and mostly all have shown little to no effects.

But with this particular new study, things are definitely changing. The amount of details and evidence on display shows how social media is the main cause of the mental effects that young women display and with the dangers of self-harm linked to it, this is major.

The study had enrolled a huge sample size and there were a lot of interesting findings highlighted. The research further spoke about all types of digital media sources being the culprit and Netflix was a part of the list as well. But when you do isolate some apps from the world of social media, that’s when you see how the data is able to pass statistic tests and directly show a causal relationship.

Many argued in the past that correlation is there but not causal. This is different as it provides the latter with strong sources of evidence, with the authors concluding social media to be a leading detrimental factor for mental illness in young teens.

This might be one of the many reasons why we’re seeing apps like TikTok be deleted from the likes of all official devices across the United Kingdom. They claim the reason to be data protection issues and a similar stance was taken by the US recently too.

Read next: 70% of Gen Z Say They’ll Never Use Android
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

WhatsApp to Get Group Call Scheduling and More in Next Update

It’s always exciting to find out what’s around the corner for WhatsApp because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up indicating the path that the company plans on taking in the future. The TestFlight beta program is a great way to find out what features might be coming to the app in the next update, and there are two features in particular that we would like to address.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that WhatsApp users might be able to schedule group calls at some point, as per WBI. Emphasizing groups was a big part of WhatsApp’s strategy these past few years, similar to what Facebook has been doing with Facebook groups.

Beta testers that saw this feature said that it can be accessed by tapping on the phone icon that is on the upper right corner of the screen. If you are tapping the icon in a group, you will see a drop down menu that will give you two options. The first will let you call the group immediately, whereas the second will bring up another menu that’ll allow them to set a time and a date for a group call.

This will make it a lot easier for groups to function in a professional capacity than might have been the case otherwise. It could also expand group usage, which is something that WhatsApp has desired for quite a long time.

As for the second feature that many are predicting in an upcoming update for WhatsApp, it focuses more on Status Updates. Users will now be able to report Status Updates if they violate WhatsApp’s terms of usage, similar to what they can already do with messages that they receive through the app.

This could potentially improve the quality of content on WhatsApp statuses. They are WhatsApp’s answer to Snapchat Stories, but they have not been all that successful yet due to their odd placement. This feature suggests that WhatsApp is not willing to give up on them.

Read next: WhatsApp Might Start Allowing You to Edit Messages After Sending
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Chief Marketing Officers Are Starting to Embrace ChatGPT

ChatGPT has the potential to do all sorts of things, and it seems like the Chief Marketing Officers of various companies are already starting to consider the various ways in which they can utilize the AI chatbot. A study from Chief Outsiders revealed what CMOs are planning to start using ChatGPT for in the near future, and it turns out that there are several areas in which the AI chatbot could very well end up coming in handy with all things having been considered and taken into account.

According to the CMOs that were asked questions in the survey, content creation and management was the area in which it could prove most useful. It received a score of 7.37 out of 10 on that front. Another area where ChatGPT could get used is for market research as well as getting insights on the competition, with the chatbot getting scores of 6.1 for each of them.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the needs of CMOs can vary greatly based on whether they are working in B2B or B2C businesses. They will both use ChatGPT to obtain first party data through automation as well as by analyzing consumer behavior, however.

CMOs are being tasked to set growth agendas by their bosses, namely CEOs, and using ChatGPT for a few tasks could make that somewhat easier than might have been the case otherwise. In spite of the fact that this is the case, ChatGPT might not be the silver bullet that they are hoping for, although it would certainly help to automate a few processes that would have otherwise had to be done manually.

It will be interesting to see if the use of ChatGPT ends up helping CMOs to obtain better results. If that ends up occurring, we could see the use of AI for such purposes becoming commonplace, similar to how people call each other instead of writing letters or get their news from a website instead of a newspaper. AI is looking to be the wave of the future.

Read next: 70% of Gen Z Say They’ll Never Use Android
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

93% of consumers desire brands to demonstrate their responsiveness

A recent study shows that most consumers want brands to show they are listening to them.

About 1,000 people were surveyed for the Ruder Finn and Full Spectrum Insights study, which revealed that 78% of respondents had left an online review, 56% had been in touch with a brand, and 22% had boycotted a business. Nevertheless, only 12.4% of individuals got unfavorable feedback after engaging with a brand compared to 48.7% who did so. While all generations valued brand connection, only 38% of Gen Z respondents said it was simple. 93% of participants wanted brands to demonstrate their interest in their feedback. Consumers are more willing to interact with a business when they believe their views are being heard. It makes sense for companies to make sure they are actively listening to their consumers to increase customer satisfaction and retention rates.

Brands must be proactive as well as reactive in the eyes of the consumer. According to Ruder Finn and Full Spec, 49% of consumers prefer it when a company solicits feedback or engages in conversation about a problem, 38% would support a charitable cause supported by the brand, 36% value direct statements from leadership on important topics - frequently with open platforms for opposing viewpoints - and only 7% are absolutely against it. Also, according to 43%, 41%, 36%, and 19% of respondents, it matters more how brands react than just establishing positions that may be at odds with customer opinion without giving them adequate justification or considering their viewpoints.

Their technology adoption further demonstrates the importance of being responsive to consumer conversations and driving brand loyalty. Recent studies show that 63% of consumers trust brands more if they use AI, 60% prefer automated customer support, and 56% appreciate when the brand uses chatbots or voice assistants. It indicates a strong affinity for technologically responsive and proactive brands in engaging customers.

By remaining engaged with customers, brands can create highly personalized messages that cater to their needs. It could be through creative campaigns or providing exclusive offers for loyal followers. Additionally, brand loyalty can be driven by offering rewards for engaging or referring friends and encouraging people to return. By proactively responding to customer feedback, brands can boost their loyalty and create a highly engaged customer base.

Finally, brands must invest in technology to stay ahead of the competition and maximize customer loyalty. It could include implementing online chat systems, voice recognition software, or artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. AI can help personalize interactions and provide useful insights into customer behavior. Using these technologies, brands can build stronger customer relationships and increase brand loyalty.

By leveraging customer loyalty strategies, brands can create long-lasting customer relationships that lead to repeat purchases and ultimately increased profits. With the right marketing techniques and technological advancements, brands can foster customer loyalty and create a positive customer experience. Through this, companies can build long-term customer relationships that keep customers returning.

94% of businesses polled use publicly available web data in their day-to-day operations. By gathering information on customers, such as purchase history, preferences, and recent activities, companies can better understand the needs of their customers and tailor their services accordingly. Gathering customer data also allows brands to track customer trends over time which helps them stay ahead of the competition.

Read next: New Survey Shows the Challenges Businesses Face When Confronting Political Polarization
by Unknown via Digital Information World

Big Changes Are Coming to Instagram Reels and Group Chats, Here’s What You Should Know

Meta has started to appear like a sinking ship, which has led the tech juggernaut to start making some quick decisions to keep things going with all things having been considered and taken into account. The company is bringing major change to Instagram which will boost privacy along with providing some much needed extra sources of revenue. Let’s dive in to find out what these changes have to offer!

First things first, one of the biggest upcoming changes has to do with Instagram Reels. The social media platform has seen a lot of success with Reels, making it more competitive during the rise of TikTok than might have been the case otherwise. In spite of the fact that this is the case, many users had complained about a lack of transparency when it came to Reels, and it turns out that this is something Meta is going to focusing on moving forward

As per Salman Memon's finding, Instagram Reels will now list the location of the account that is posting the Reels because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up preventing them from spreading misinformation. This can also provide some context to viewers, since if they are watching a Reel about the invasion of Ukraine that was created by an account in Russia, this would reveal that the information can’t really be trusted.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the second big update coming to Instagram has more to do with revenue than transparency. Essentially, Meta is going to be incorporating product promotions into group chats, as spotted by Sachin Shah. Businesses will be able to use group chats to highlight products that might be relevant to the subject to the chat.

It is not currently clear what businesses will have to do in order to qualify for this form of advertising, but Meta will need to work hard in order to make it safe. Users are being offered a prompt that can allow them to take advantage of promotional opportunities within group chats, but they will still need to put a lot of effort into ensuring that things work out in a way that does not compromise on user safety.

Some might criticize this move since it will flood even more advertising onto an already saturated platform. However, Meta might argue that it has no choice. Amidst a crashing stock price as well as Apple’s transparency protocol single-handedly dismantling its business model, Meta is being forced to pull out all the stops. Whether or not this helps to save the company remains to be seen.

Read next: Instagram is About to Implement Two Important Changes
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World