Tech musings - 02
Kangana and Trumps freedom of speech, and news from IAB NewFronts
Speaking freely
Ignoring the fact that we are racing in the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide, the biggest news for me this week was Twitter banning Kangana Ranaut from its platform. In a tweet Monday, the actor called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his “Viraat roop” from the early 2000s to “tame” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. We all know what happened in 2000.
Commenting on Twitter’s suspension of her account Tuesday, Kangana said,
“Twitter has only proved my point they’re Americans & by birth, a white person feels entitled to enslave a brown person, they want to tell you what to think, speak or do. I have many platforms I can use to raise my voice, including my own art in the form of cinema.”
Meanwhile, she is active on Instagram and I am sure she will be more active on Koo app - India’s homegrown clone for Twitter. The founder has already sent an invitation.
“Kangana ji, yeh aapka ghar hai. Yahaan aap swabhimaan se apne vichaar sabke saamne rakhein (this is your home. Express your opinions here with pride).”
Even our Indian government is supporting Koo to voice your opinions. I am confused is it your opinions or opinions that only fancy a certain sector or institution.
Freedom of speech has always been a tricky subject and Jack Dorsey had shared similar fears when the platform had banned Donald Trump.
Talking about the ex-president Donald Trump - the man is back as a blogger now. Guardian puts it in a hilarious manner: “Banned by Facebook and Twitter, Donald Trump has gone back to the future with an online communication tool that might be described as a glorified blog.
His retro webpage, billed “From the Desk of Donald J Trump”, appears at DonaldJTrump.com/desk and features a small photo of the 45th president writing in a book on his desk.”
“In a time of silence and lies, a beacon of freedom arises. A place to speak freely and safely. Straight from the desk of Donald J Trump.”
Everyone wants to speak freely but should it come at the cost of someone’s life?
Signal Vs Facebook
A series of Instagram ads run by the privacy-positive platform Signal got the messaging app booted from the former’s ad platform, according to a blog post by Signal.
The ads were meant to show users the bevvy of data that Instagram and its parent company Facebook collects on users, by... targeting those users using Instagram’s own ad tech tools.
Based on the minute data, Signal was able to create some super-targeted ads that were branded with the exact targeting specs that Signal used. If an ad was targeted towards K-pop fans, the ad said so. If the ad was targeted towards a single person, the ad said so.
Facebook was not a fan of such transparency and blocked the ads. It has denied the allegations of Singal and called it a PR stunt.
Signal, in turn, refuted Facebook’s claims, saying on Twitter, “We absolutely did try to run these. The ads were rejected, and Facebook disabled our ad account. These are real screenshots, as Facebook should know.”
Facebook is silent now.
YouTube builds on CTV momentum
According to MarketingDive: “YouTube now represents 40% of watch time among ad-supported streamers, according to Comscore data cited by the video giant.” At the all virtual NewFronts event, the company reported more than 120 million U.S. consumers streamed YouTube or YouTube TV through TV screens last December.
YouTube also previewed a feature called "brand extensions" that lets viewers request that an ad send a URL to their smartphone or another second screen to learn more about the company or product.
“In an announcement, YouTube said brand extensions are the first of "many" interactive TV features coming down the pike. The platform will also soon allow advertisers to integrate browsable product images in direct-response video ads to drive more direct sales on their apps and websites.”
CTV is among the fastest-growing channels in digital advertising. “We estimate CTV investments in the US grew by 40.6% year over year in 2020, to more than $9 billion,” says US Digital Ad Spending 2021 report.
Snap, Twitter and TikTok talk about video and creators
Snap announced plans to open a Creator Marketplace that seeks to connect creators on the platform with advertisers at the IAB NewFronts. Later this month, a select group of AR creators will be available to advertisers through 2021, with the marketplace expanding in early 2022 to include all Snap creators.
Twitter announced a slate of video content from NBCUniversal, Billboard and Riot Games, among others. The company also highlighted a new pre-roll offering called Curated Categories that lets advertisers run ads before health and wellness, esports, gaming, and women in sports and gaming categories.
At NewFronts TikTok showcased soft stats like how happy it makes users, how much less content they consume elsewhere and how many more brands are engaging with its 31,000 vetted content creators. The platform said advertisers running campaigns in the U.S. have increased 500% in the past year.
After 8 months TikTok also has a new CEO in place Shou Zi Chew. Now there is no Trump and numerous lawsuits.
Unfortunately, Indians have no such joy they have to manage with Reels - clone of TikTok.