Tuesday, April 18, 2023

47% of British People Still Get Their News From Publisher Websites

The internet has allowed people to diversify the manner in which they get their news. If you want to stay up to date on all of the current events that are occurring, you might go to YouTube or TikTok if you are a member of the younger generations. However, social media platforms are also quite popular, and radio, TV and print media are also still prevalent with all things having been considered and taken into account.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, a recent survey conducted by Find Out Now revealed that news publisher sites are still the most popular source of news. Around 47% of the people that responded to this survey stated that they go directly to websites owned by news publishers in order to get a glimpse of the news that they might need. Such a method for getting the news is preferable because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up getting you updates straight from the source.

35% of survey respondents said that TV was one of the many ways in which they got the news, making it the second most popular method of all. Coming in third place was social media with 33%, even though the prevalence of misinformation on social media platforms may make the news less trustworthy than might have been the case otherwise.

Radio came in fourth place with 24%, followed by print media with 15% and 8% went to other forms of news platforms. One thing to note here is that younger generations are becoming increasingly unlikely to use offline platforms to get the news that they require.

Among people older than 65, 38% said that they still read print news, and 58% said that they watch TV for all of their current updates related needs. However, just 7% of the people between the ages of 18 and 24 said that they read the newspaper, and just 32% said the same about watching news channels on TV which just goes to show that online news consumption is quite clearly on the rise.

While social media might not be the most popular news source overall, it was still preferred by as many as 58% of people who were between the ages of 18 and 24. Interestingly, people in this age bracket prefer TV as a news source far more than people who were between 25 and 34. 32% of 18 to 24 year olds said that they watch TV for the news, whereas just 13% of 25 to 34 year olds said the same.

Indeed, a larger proportion of 18 to 24 year olds said that they get their news from TV than 45 to 54 year olds. 30% of people in the latter age bracket said they watch TV for the news, as compared to 32% who were in the former age bracket.

All in all, news consumption is quite diverse, and seemingly obvious trends don’t always play out the way we were expecting them to. Social media sites are by and large the future of news, at least if the current trends that Gen Z are taking part in continue to hold true.



H/T: Pressgazette

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World
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Monday, April 17, 2023

YouTube, TikTok or Instagram? This Study Revealed Which Short Video Platform is The Best

The rise of TikTok made it clear that short form video was the future of the entire social media industry, and its unique algorithm allowed it to skyrocket in terms of its popularity. This obviously led to other companies trying to follow suit because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing them to compete with TikTok. YouTube launched its Shorts feature, and Instagram brought Reels for its users which served similar purposes.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Social Insider recently put out a report that revealed which of these short form video platforms is winning out. It turns out that TikTok provides a higher return on investment for brands that are marketing on it, at least as far as Gen Z is concerned.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, Instagram Reels proved to be far more effective for the Millennial crowd, so brands might have to choose based on the demographic that they are targeting. YouTube Shorts was relatively late to the party, but the platform has still managed to rack up an impressive 15 billion daily views which suggests that it might be on the rise. Its monthly active users currently amount to 1.5 billion as well.

Another way to determine the superiority of various short form video services is to take a look at the engagement that they receive. Simple put, TikTok videos tend to get 44% more than the number of comments one Reels and Shorts.

What’s more, TikTok wins out in the overall number of posts that users add to the platform. Twice as many videos are posted on TikTok than on Reels and YouTube Shorts, and this volume of content definitely gives TikTok a real edge with all things having been considered and taken into account.

However, Instagram Reels is also seeing a fair amount of success. With a watch rate of about 13.08%, Instagram Reels is far superior to TikTok’s 9.06% watch rate. This just goes to show that TikTok’s dominance is by no means absolute. TikTok might offer more quantity, but Reels is surpassing it at least in terms of quality.

YouTube actually falls behind quite a bit here, with an average watch rate around 2.85%. This reveals that both TikTok and Instagram surpass YouTube considerably, although this might change in the near future as YouTube Shorts continue to grow as a platform.

A few things become apparent thanks to the findings of this analysis. Firstly, brands that are looking for higher watch rates but are not all that concerned with engagement will likely want to prioritize Instagram Reels as much as they can

However, any brand that prioritizes engagement above all else will be far better served by TikTok. The enormous volume of content that is being posted there notwithstanding, and regardless of the lower watch rate as compared to Reels, TikTok videos have undeniable edge in terms of engagement. Driving engagement can be a primary concern for brands that are attempting to maximize their reach on any given platform, which makes TikTok the clear winner for a number of reasons.

One thing that marketers should keep in mind is that each of these platforms require a different approach. If you are focusing on TikTok, you should post around ten to fifteen videos per month, which would come up to three to four videos every week.

On Instagram, a posting frequency of about 10 Reels per month should do the trick. As for YouTube, this platform will work best for you if you post around 2 shorts a week, which would total approximately 8 shorts on a monthly basis. Posting frequency can be critical to the success of a marketing campaign.




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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World
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Is AI Really A Threat To Job Availability In The US? This New Study Says It All

A recently conducted poll by YouGov is shedding light on whether or not Americans feel threatened by the growing presence of AI technology.

Today, chatbots are doing everything. From marketing and writing to producing graphics too. It’s no wonder why many people including freelancers are feeling threatened that their livelihoods could be at stake as technology has no plans of slowing down.

Thanks to this poll, Americans were questioned about their thoughts on the effect of AI on jobs. Would it show a rise or a decline, or simply have no effect on the availability of jobs in the country.

A total of 20 different occupations were questioned and AI was proven to show a decline in job availability. So while it might seem to be a helpful endeavor, the drawbacks are there. Moreover, most respondents generally feel that this type of revolution in technology is going to cause jobs to fall in sectors like manufacturing, retail sales, and even customer service.

AI might cause a rise in the number of jobs seen across the computer programming industry, and the same goes for engineering and data science. But the general consensus is that even in such fields, AI is more likely to remove jobs than add them.

As far as how much AI advances could affect the industry they’re currently inside is concerned, Americans were definitely divided here. But as a whole, the overall feeling was more downbeat instead of upbeat.

A lot of people say it would cause a decline in jobs instead of increasing it. But a huge share of people felt the effect would be nullified. It’s the younger lot and those with postgraduate degrees who are more likely than others to see a rise in jobs in this line.

Those claiming to make use of AI tools at work frequently are more liable than others to mention that AI would benefit them and cause a rise in jobs in the industry.

Americans claim this is like a two-way sword. You’ve got some great points and some not-so-great ones supporting the advancement of AI on the subject of job availability.





A lot of people feel AI would increase productivity, innovation, as well as the number of routine tasks being conducted. On the other hand, they feel that AI would decrease the satisfaction of workers and consumers. Americans also see AI decreasing costs related to operations.

Americans making use of these AI tools feel workplaces should include AI and watch the benefits unfold. While those not using them are more skeptical. Both citizens that work full-time and part-time say AI needs to be regulated to keep a check on what’s being done.

Sectors like education are less fearful of technology replacing them but graphic designers on the other hand are more worried, which does make sense.

The poll went on to mention if Americans were worried about AI causing the human race to end. And the results showed how 27% were somewhat concerned and 23% weren’t concerned. 19% were very concerned and 17% weren’t concerned at all. 13% stated they were not sure.


Lastly, an extended poll by YouGov America asked respondents how they felt about AI being more intelligent than people. And a whopping majority felt that it could very much happen as they voted for somewhat likely.


27% feared this would be the end consequence and similarly expressed great worry and concern. 15% were not sure about the matter while 14% stated it was not very likely that this would happen.

Interestingly 9% of respondents felt it was out of the question while 6% claimed it has already happened.

Read next: New Recruitment Trend: Employers Prioritize AI Skills and Aptitude Over Traditional Qualifications
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
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TikTok’s Influence On eCommerce Is Growing Among Young People, New Reports Confirm

TikTok is an app unheard of by none and as we speak, the platform’s impact on shopping continues to grow among so many younger individuals.

The news comes to us thanks to data from several reports and we’re delineating the key findings regarding them for you below.

As explained by a survey conducted by IZEA in 2022, both Gen Z and millennials thought of the app as one that they could most relate to and trust in terms of product promotions thanks to influencers, right ahead of both YouTube and Instagram.

Then in November, a survey by CouponFollow was conducted in the US, where 1,000 individuals claimed to have more trust in TikTok for shopping than all other platforms combined.

These developments come at a time when the leading social media app in America began allowing creators to generate a commission to enhance sales via the platform.

The report by IZEA proves how brands are really looking forward to attracting younger individuals including those on the TikTok app. It's nothing new to make such types of influencer marketing a part of its goals as confirmed by the founder and CEO of the firm.

Ted Murphy mentioned how this is not something that is considered an afterthought. Instead, they make up branding strategies in the market and provide meaningful investments when moving ahead.

The findings of the survey conducted late last year showed how 31% of individuals between the age of 18 and 29 claimed TikTok was the best app as far as influencers were concerned to market products. It was a huge jump from the 19% of people that felt this in 2021


Meanwhile, both Instagram and YouTube declined YoY as 24% of people taking part in the survey felt Instagram was their preferred while only 26% voted in favor of YouTube. When we look at things in terms of a breakdown of surveys conducted, TikTok was third as the most-used app among the 18 to 29-year age bracket. Instagram was second while YouTube took the lead.

More than half of the people taking part in the survey admitted to buying something that they saw being marketed online thanks to a leading social media influencer.

The second most interesting finding from the report is how younger audiences were more influenced by TikTok than others. But YouTube is also holding its ground in terms of enticing users and keeping them glued to shop more among all age groups.

Nearly 25% of those taking part in this survey said they would be keen on asking loved ones and acquaintances when purchasing something big. But then 42% outlined how they would search the TikTok app before buying something and then 40% turned to YouTube for help.


Lastly, users of the TikTok app claim they were already busy purchasing products that they witnessed on the platform recently.

They seemed to feel a unique type of connection with the platform than all others. And to be more mindful of the figures, those who saw at least 4 different things on the app ended up buying it all while spending an average of $150.

Read next: According to This Survey, 75% of Consumers Have Serious Concerns About AI
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
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Insights on the most downloaded social media apps in March 2023

App Figures is back with another report on the social media progress in March 2023. The data shared by the site highlighted last month’s most downloaded applications worldwide. While TikTok topped the top ten list on Apple’s App Store with seventeen million downloads, on the other hand, Instagram ruled the top ten list on Google Play with thirty-nine million downloads and eventually became the most downloaded application with fifty million downloads collectively.

Though Instagram was right ahead of TikTok, its rival app, it is expected that the results of the ongoing month might be different from the previous one. While TikTok secured the second spot on the combined total list with forty-seven million downloads, other Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, got the third and fourth spots with forty-one million and thirty-four million downloads, respectively.

However, what seems to be interesting is that Facebook couldn’t make it on the top ten list on the App Store, while it got the second spot on Google Play with 34 million downloads. It wasn’t the first time that Facebook couldn’t make it. The trend started in the final quarter of 2022. While Facebook was able to get itself back on the list last time, based on the current progress, the social media giant might not be able to return to the list.

Facebook’s spot was taken by Google, as five out of ten of the most downloaded applications belonged to the tech giant. Apps including Google, Google Maps, and YouTube got ten million downloads each, whereas Gmail and Google got eight million and seven million downloads, respectively.

Another ByteDance-owned application, CapCut, is expected to keep growing. Last month, the app received fourteen million more downloads from the App Store and thirteen million from Google Play. Collectively, the app received around twenty-eight million downloads and earned itself the fifth spot on the combined total list.

Other apps, including SHEIN and Spotify, also made it into the top 10 after receiving twenty million downloads from both platforms. While Facebook’s messaging app, Messenger, entered the list as the tenth most downloaded app with nineteen million global downloads.

Where Did Facebook Go? The Most Downloaded Apps in the World

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World
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Sunday, April 16, 2023

Twitter Blocks Numerous Public Information Services As It Switches To Elon Musk’s Pricey API System

Ever since tech billionaire Elon Musk purchased Twitter, we saw him repeating how his ultimate goal was to get rid of bots on the platform.

During the later hours of last night, that seems to be taking place as countless public service accounts were given the boot.

So many accounts on the app have lost their chance to put out breaking news and events as the app eliminates their API access. This had so many accounts put up posts in an authorized manner through the app. But now, the actions seem to be in line with Elon Musk’s new pricey paid API system.

Moreover, multiple accounts end up receiving automated updates but they aren’t the kind of bot accounts that you’d assume.

For instance, so many of those affected including the famous National Weather Service account set out a consistent update both through manual as well as automated means by humans. Hence, they can’t provide the latest or life-saving alerts that they’re famous for.

Now, the app is limiting such tweets being generated by automated means, and therefore, accounts can’t set out post warnings like they used to do in the past.

Put the account did reveal how it is trying its best to give general updates on the matter and is on a mission to make sure there are several means of getting the latest happenings in the world of data and notifications.

Twitter is on a mission to limit such automated tweets and that means subjects like warnings for drastic conditions like tsunamis and other advisory watches are no longer possible. But still, there is a constant urge to set out notifications through the likes of manual posts.

Other important services worth a watch include official accounts for MTA which is a public transit for NYC and services like BART from San Francisco. They are all sharing a list of issues with access to the API of Twitter.

Meanwhile, some automated accounts to look out for that aren’t quintessential for public safety would also be a part of this decision by Twitter. So in case you’re expecting them to generate useful and entertaining posts after losing Twitter access, that won’t be the case.

Most of these accounts may cause the app’s basic $100 monthly plan to come forward. But as expected, it’s quite limited and couldn’t set out needy services that are required in real-time. The fact that these accounts were putting out alerts for free for so long means they’re not willing to do the same at a price tag.

The app’s new range of API tiers begins at a startling $42,000 cost each month. And so many developers are bound to get affected by it in the next couple of weeks. Many people were forced to close down the app due to the entry price for the Enterprise API access coming at just $42,000 each month.

Even such services that stated a keen interest in paying lost the chance to serve clients as the app got rid of API access without any warning given to them beforehand.


Read next: Twitter Is Still Struggling With Its Ad Revenue Recovery Despite Elon Musk’s Claims
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
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Changing ChatGPTs Persona Might Make It Malicious

ChatGPT has become the single biggest force for AI in the world, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, there have still been some controversies surrounding it. The Allen Institute for AI recently conducted research that revealed the extent to which changing ChatGPT’s persona can have a truly adverse impact on how the chatbot behaves. The responses can start to become increasingly toxic, and consumers must be made aware of what is at stake so that they can use it more safely than might have been the case otherwise.

According to this study, there is a level of toxicity that is inherent to ChatGPT due to its database. Changing its personality can make it six times more problematic, and with all of that having been said and now out of the way it is important to note that this can be a serious issue with the chatbot moving forward. Many malicious actors have already begun using it to spread their campaigns, and certain personas might make that even easier down the line.

When we are referring to personas, we are essentially talking about fictional characters, public figures as well as historical figures. Around five hundred thousand ChatGPT outputs were generated that were based on a hundred different personas that were derived from a versatile array of backgrounds. These included news anchors, athletes, along with individuals that came from several different cultural and ethnic origins.

The responses generated by ChatGPT could diverge wildly from the norm based on the persona that was used. This just goes to show that all of the information that is obtained by ChatGPT should be taken with a grain of salt.

While the AI chatbot does have a reputation for being quite accurate, it can also become a source of misinformation if it is not used in the correct way. More effort needs to be put into allowing ChatGPT to become independent of outside influence. Unless serious steps are taken, ChatGPT could turn into a decidedly toxic presence in the world. Consumer awareness also needs to be increased so that they can remain cognizant of the pitfalls of ChatGPT.


Read next: According to This Survey, 75% of Consumers Have Serious Concerns About AI
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World
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