Will Meta's New Social Media Platform Threads Be a Success? The App's Revenue Challenges and Opportunities

Threads, Mark Zuckerberg's new app has seen tremendous success since its launch in early July. It has gained over 92 million signups and attracted a wide audience, including users from Instagram and those who are dissatisfied with Twitter. The ongoing rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk has taken an intriguing turn with the introduction of Threads. The app offers a diverse range of features that have the potential to make it one of the most beloved platforms of all time.

Currently, Meta claims that Threads is ad-free. However, since Instagram and Facebook heavily rely on advertising for revenue, it is likely that Threads will eventually incorporate ads. While an ad-free experience allows for uninterrupted scrolling, it may not be ideal for those seeking to monetize their presence on the platform.

Meta's other apps, such as Facebook and Instagram, have reaped significant benefits from advertisements, generating $117 billion in sales last year. In contrast, Elon Musk takes a different approach to advertising and continuously explores alternative funding methods for his companies.

According to Justin Patterson, a research analyst at KeyBancCapital Markets, even if Meta decides to introduce advertisements in Threads, the revenue generated could contribute 1% to 5% of Meta's overall revenue. While this may not initially seem like a substantial amount, it becomes significant considering the challenges Meta faces due to Apple's privacy rules. Additionally, it comes as no surprise that Threads has performed well without ads, as its potential revenue is comparable to Twitter's ad revenue of $4.5 billion in 2021, prior to Elon Musk's involvement.

The future success of Threads will depend on its continued development. However, Elon Musk's legal action concerning stolen trade secrets adds a layer of complexity. It is worth noting that both Zuckerberg and Musk have encountered challenges related to transparency, privacy issues, and data handling. Nevertheless, Threads' promise of providing a superior ecosystem has already attracted popular celebrities and dissatisfied Twitter users to the platform.

Summing up, this ongoing quarrel between Meta and Twitter suggests that both platforms have the potential to coexist or serve as a wake-up call for Elon Musk and Twitter. If Threads remains ad-free for a certain period, it may offer Twitter an opportunity to address its own challenges.

Read next: The New Threads App By Meta Is Blowing Up By Nearing 100 Million Downloads And Here’s Why People Can't Get Enough
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

The Role of Tech Corporations in Carbon Emissions

As the world hurtles towards an impending catastrophe, a few major players start to emerge that might have a higher impact at making global warming a larger problem than might have been the case otherwise. The aviation industry is often blamed for contributing a larger portion of carbon emissions that are increasing the rate at which the climate of the planet happens to degrade, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, tech corporations contribute just as much.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the tech industry contributes anywhere from two to three percent of the world’s carbon emissions. This is actually comparable to the emissions that come from the aviation industry, so curbing the tech sector’s contribution can be crucial to keeping global warming under the catastrophic 1.5 Celsius degree increase that is on the horizon.

Major tech companies such as Google as well as Meta signed a pledge wherein they promised to contribute nearly a billion dollars to reducing their carbon footprint. To be more specific, these companies pledged to invest $925 million into this endeavor with all things having been considered and taken into account.

However, it bears mentioning that neither of these companies hold the title of highest carbon emitter in the entire tech space. That dubious honor belongs to Samsung, which puts out an estimated 20 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each and every year. This is equivalent to 4.3 million cars driving on the road. Fortunately, the company has spent an estimated $5 billion on becoming carbon neutral by 2060.

The Korean electronics manufacture is not traditionally considered to be a part of the Big Five in tech, so its role needs to be factored in for the purposes of maintaining the planet for future generations. If we were to zero in solely on the Big Five, Amazon emerges as the biggest offender in this regard.

Amazon produces an annual 16.2 million metric tons of CO2, and while this is 20% less than what Samsung contributes, it is still an enormous portion of the total emissions that are speeding up climate change. The multi-trillion dollar company should therefore be held accountable. Jeff Bezos has signed another pledge in 2019 claiming that his company will be carbon neutral by 2040, yet the company’s carbon footprint grew by 18% in 2021 alone.

As for companies that produce the most carbon emissions per employee, the Taiwan based semiconductor creator named TSMC came out on top. Each worker at this corporation puts out an estimated 206 metric tons of CO2 per year, yet the importance of semiconductors to global trade often helps corporations like this fly under the radar.

Another way to look at this is in terms of carbon emissions relative to revenue. In this respect, yet another semiconductor manufacturer comes to the fore. This time around, it is the US based Onsemi that holds the title of highest carbon emitter relative to revenue. This company emit around 405 metric tons of CO2 for every million dollars of income that they bring in.

Semiconductor firms are often the worst offenders in terms of the carbon emissions that they put out, at least when you look at it in the context of a per employee or relative to revenue basis. The lack of feasible renewable energy in Asia continues to hamper any attempts to achieve carbon neutrality within the next few decades. A major shift will have to occur, otherwise there will simply be no way to stop the catastrophe that seems to be right at our doorstep. Every tech company needs to play its part in helping to keep climate change and global warming at bay.

H/T: Electronics Hub
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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Study Shows How Beauty Videos TikTok Can Give Young Women Self Esteem Issues

The time of content and media that we consume online can have an enormous impact on our self esteem and mental health, and TikTok can have a decidedly negative effect in that regard. According to a recent study that was released in the Body Image journal, a negative correlation could be seen between watching beauty videos on TikTok and a young woman’s self esteem.

What this basically means is that young women that watch videos like this are more likely to experience anxiety about their self worth than might have been the case otherwise. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that this is not the only type of impact that TikTok videos can have.

The type of video that you watch can change the effect, with self esteem and self love themed videos not causing the same kinds of problems with all things having been considered and taken into account. In spite of the fact that this is the case, much of the content that can be seen on TikTok is beauty oriented, and this can create unreasonable expectations for how people should look.

The study was conducted with a set of female participants who were between the ages of 17 and 25, all of whom are based in Australia. Three sets of seven minute TikTok compilations were created, one of which was in the beauty niche, the other being in the travel niche, and the final one being self compassion focused.

The participants were then assigned these clips at random, and they were asked to rate their mood after watching them. Watching beauty videos on TikTok led to increased feelings of shame and anxiety, whereas the women that watched the self compassion videos reported an increased sense of wellbeing.

While this study is by no means definitive, it does point to a glaring problem in the world of social media, namely in how it changes people’s self perception. More research must be done to uncover the true effects and how long they might last.

Read next: STEM Hashtags See 30% Uptick After TikTok’s New Feed
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

25% of Gen Z Want Finance Careers Amid Cost of Living Crisis

Gen Z is growing up fast, and as this generation’s college graduates enter the work force, a noticeable trend has started to emerge. The CFA Institute recently conducted a survey which revealed that as many as a quarter of Gen Z respondents said that they are looking to start a career in finance. The cost of living crisis might be behind this, because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up forcing Gen Z to find the most lucrative career paths.

This makes finance the single most prominent career sector for Gen Z to focus on 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 it was in 5th place only recently in 2021, but the economic shockwaves that have started overcoming the planet are making finance seem like a much more viable choice than might have been the case otherwise.

After all, 62% of recent graduates said that getting a good salary is their single biggest priority when it comes to selecting the career that they will follow through with. A similar survey conducted by Deloitte revealed that the cost of living crisis is weighing heavily on members of Gen Z. That makes it understandable that so many of them would want to start a career in an industry that deals with financial investments.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, 52% of Gen Z are still of the opinion that they have it easier then their parents ever did. This is a 6 point increase from the 48% that said the same in 2021, so there is a clear upward trajectory that can be seen on this front.

Over half of the people that responded to the CFA Institute’s survey said that they are basing their career decisions on the rising cost of living. This may very well lead to fewer people applying for tech jobs, especially after the massive layoffs that occurred last year.

Read next: STEM Might Not Be Male Dominated Anymore, New Study Shows
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Balancing Privacy and Advertising Efficiency: A Framework for Mobile Location Data

Mobile technologies, like smartphones, collect and analyse data about where people are located. This has created a big business where consumers can share their location data for economic benefits. However, there are privacy risks involved. When people use their smartphones, companies track their location to deliver personalised ads and services. This system is worth billions of dollars and benefits both consumers and businesses. But it also raises concerns about privacy. The large-scale collection and analysis of location data can reveal sensitive information about routines and personal lives. This data can be misused or accessed by unauthorized people, leading to risks like stalking or identity theft.

In a recent study, researchers used machine learning to develop a framework that measures and reduces personalised privacy risks. It also protects data privacy and considers different levels of risks and benefits. Compared to previous models, this framework performed better by reducing privacy threats for consumers while still benefiting advertising companies.

The research was carried out by researchers from different universities. According to Beibei Li, one of the core research members, it is believed that by 2027, the advertising market will make more than twenty-five billion dollars. The report revealed that certain applications that work on the basis of location, such as booking rides or ordering food, are actually contributing to sharing users data with advertisers. Based on the information collected, advertisers can learn about consumers’ likes and dislikes when it comes to food, restaurants, or online shopping. The system has become so advanced that now they can even foretell what place the user will be visiting and at what time they will reach their destination.

While it may benefit advertisers, on the other hand, users become vulnerable as their personal data, including their full name and residential address, gets leaked. The information can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands.

In order to analyse the framework, the researchers collaborated with a well-known data collector that gathers location data from popular mobile apps used by a large portion of the United States population. The collected data, which followed privacy regulations, represented a significant sample of the American population and focused on a major city. The researchers tested their framework using one million movement patterns from forty thousand individuals in that particular area.

According to Meghanath Macha, the lead researcher, location-based marketing is quickly becoming a key method for planning marketing campaigns and reaching consumers. This approach enhances both traditional and digital marketing strategies. Mobiletechnology has revolutionised with time, but it’s essential to be mindful of the potential privacy risks that come with it. By understanding how data is collected, securing personal information, and staying informed about privacy-focused practises, users can take control of their privacy in the digital age.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Good News For Threads Users As Meta Will Soon Give Option For Profile Deletion

If you happen to be using Threads and regret being an active user on it and having your own account, you must have had trouble getting rid of it too.

But that is no longer going to be an issue because Meta says that it is searching for ways to delete profiles but still, there is an option to deactivate them without nuking accounts on the Instagram app.

The head of the Instagram app says that the possibility of this change coming forward would be very soon. It’s important that Meta solves this issue as soon as possible because users complained that they could not delete the account on the new app until and unless they remove the account on the Instagram app.

Adam Mosseri says Threads is run by Meta’s Instagram platform. At the moment, it only happens to be a single account but they are trying their best to get rid of the Threads account in a separate manner, he added.

As of right now, no serious details were provided in terms of the timeframe related to when we might be seeing the change taking place. But if you are really keen on deleting the account, Adam Mosseri claims that users need to keep on seeing the option for deactivation. For that, press on the opinion of profile that’s located on the bottom left and then click on the settings menu, after which you press account again.

After deactivation, you can disguise Threads and the content. Similarly, you can change the profile’s settings to private and then get rid of separate posts and threads. And this too, you can benefit from without any form of Instagram account deletion.

After deactivation of the profile, you can remove the account from appearing on the app. Hence, those making efforts to visit profiles after this change would notice the error pop up with the statement that says, Such a Page is not Available.

The only catch in this situation is that options for getting rid of a profile would simply hide all of the activity. But in all reality, the firm continues to save posts, likes, and then the responses seen across Meta’s database.

If you make the decision for account reactivation, there is a benefit because Threads would easily be able to get the data back. However, if you want to delete all the Threads activity, then that would be an issue. And that’s because you would be required to get rid of activity on your Instagram app.

Not being able to delete accounts is one of the many reasons why the tech giant is staying hush in terms of not allowing the launch of its Threads app to take place in the EU.

The region has some very strict laws in place in terms of giving users the freedom to delete their activity on platforms. Nevertheless, the popularity is still soaring as today, registrations reached up to 30 million for the app.

Read next: Twitter Threatens Meta With Lawsuit Over Its Threads App Amid Accusations Of Copying And Poaching Ex-Employees For Trade Secrets
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Twitter Threatens Meta With Lawsuit Over Its Threads App Amid Accusations Of Copying And Poaching Ex-Employees For Trade Secrets

Elon Musk is not happy with Meta’s launch of its rival app called Threads.

The platform has seen a huge amount of success in less than 24 hours. We’re talking about more than 30 million people signing up to use Threads, which surpassed the company’s own expectations regarding the response it would generate.

But now, it seems that Musk is on a mission to create a tense environment after threatening to file a lawsuit against Facebook’s parent firm. The news comes amid allegations put out by the world’s richest person that Meta not only copied Twitter but also poached its former employees into sharing trade secrets.

And when Musk was called out for being jealous and threatened by the new Threads platform, he rubbished the news and says that competition of all kinds is welcomed but cheating is not going to be tolerated.

Without a doubt, Threads is definitely similar to Twitter in so many aspects including how the posts are very similar to how Tweets are put out. Moreover, it’s all based on text and linked to users’ Instagram too but to use it, you’ll need to first download it through the Play Store or App Store.

The lawsuit was generated during the evening hours of yesterday and that’s when a top lawyer from Twitter sent the letter to Meta’s CEO over the allegations and how Twitter would now be pursuing legal action.

Both copying and unlawful misappropriation were boldly delineated as the main reasons for taking on this behavior as Twitter says both its secrets and intellectual property should never be shared as it’s a clear violation.

The company hopes Meta would take the necessary measures required to prevent some behavior from taking place now and in the future and would also stop the exchange of confidential data from being made public.

It says that the app has the right to all of its data and property and this sort of behavior has no room, the letter went on to add. In the same way, the company accused Meta of taking on board dozens of employees that used to work at Twitter, and hence the main purpose was to share the firm’s own secrets and other kinds of sensitive data.

The letter further continues to mention how Meta’s main goal was to copy Twitter’s platform and this was a clear violation of the country as well as the state’s law.

Meta has decided to provide a response to Twitter’s allegations and threat of a lawsuit. The firm’s communications director mentioned in a new letter how no employee from Twitter was ever a part or is a part of the current team working on Threads so this was absolutely baseless.

Threads have really picked up in terms of popularity as a top competitor for the famous microblogging platform, ever since we saw Musk take on the responsibility of leading the firm. But when you compare all others, Threads is definitely being called out as the most notable competitor that is a serious threat to Twitter’s downfall.

Up until now, Elon Musk has chosen to remain hush on the matter linked to the rollout of the Threads app. The CEO of Tesla has chosen to reiterate their comments on how he has zero issues linked to competition but in terms of cheating, there would be no acceptance of this behavior.

If that was not enough drama for today, we know that the company’s CEO is also not happy with the launch of Threads and was seen throwing shade at those who try to imitate the app.

H/T: Semafor

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World