When viral fame fades: From Binley Mega Chippy to the Spudman October 1, 2024 In March 2022, I visited fish and chip takeaway Binley Mega Chippy in my hometown of Coventry 10 minutes after it had opened for dinner, joining a growing queue of people snaking out across a tarmac car park on the side of a busy A road. A line of cars waiting for a parking spot [...]
Has Linkedin lost the plot? September 27, 2024 Over on Linkedin, people are exposing their nether-region-nasties purely for engagement, and that cannot be an expression of a healthy society
England captain Knight ‘sorry’ for blackface social media post September 23, 2024 England captain Heather Knight has been punished by the Cricket Regulator for a historic photo of the batter in blackface. The 33-year-old reportedly appeared in blackface in 2012 when a photo of her “at a sports stars themed party” was posted on a Facebook account. Knight: Truly sorry “I’m truly sorry for the mistake I [...]
Ofcom launches review as online news overtakes TV for first time September 10, 2024 Ofcom’s annual study shows that 71 per cent of adults in the UK now get their news online, just pipping the 70 per cent that get it on the box.
X-odus: Musk platform ‘distinctly not well received’ by marketers September 5, 2024 Marketers’ trust in Elon Musk’s X as an effective platform for advertising has plummeted since 2022, with advertisers anxious about the “brand safety” that the controversial social media channel offers. Approval ratings for the social media channel have plummeted to minus 21 per cent, down from plus 15 per cent just two years ago, according [...]
Telegram boss Pavel Durov charged: What next for social media moguls like Musk and Zuckerberg? August 29, 2024 Like his recent collection of topless Instagram photos, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, is probably feeling slightly exposed right now under the scrutiny of global powers. He has just been charged by French authorities for allegedly allowing criminal activity to flourish on his platform. Durov has avoided jail time for now, out on a [...]
Pavel Durov: Telegram founder arrested over app’s alleged child protection failings August 26, 2024 Telegram has said its chief executive has "nothing to hide" after his arrest in France over the platform's alleged failings in moderating criminal activity, including the spread of child sexual abuse material.
Bluesky: Social media site eyes politicians after ‘quite the influx’ of UK accounts August 24, 2024 Chiefs at social media site Bluesky have suggested they are eyeing politicians for their platform after X owner Elon Musk’s commentary on UK current affairs.
Let’s be honest, Elon Musk is right to defend free speech August 15, 2024 Blaming communications for unrest has a long and unhappy history. We repeat it at our peril, writes Matthew Lesh
Social media has shown there is a little piece of the devil in us all August 14, 2024 What role does social media play in the rising tide of social unrest and the seemingly ever-growing levels of hatred and division? I used to think that it took a lot to scare me; I’m not talking about the anxiety that often afflicts me, but real fear – the kind I’m experiencing right now. It’s [...]