Here are some web trends for 2020:
Responsive web design in 2020 should be a given because every serious project that you create should look good and be completely usable on all devices. But there’s no need to over-complicate things.
Web Development in 2020: What Coding Tools You Should Learn article gives an overview of recommendations what you learn to become a web developer in 2020.
You might have seen Web 3.0 on some slides. What is the definition of web 3 we are talking about here?
There seems to be many different to choose from… Some claim that you need to blockchain the cloud IOT otherwise you’ll just get a stack overflow in the mainframe but I don’t agree on that.
Information on the web address bar will be reduced on some web browsers. With the release of Chrome 79, Google completes its goal of erasing www from the browser by no longer allowing Chrome users to automatically show the www trivial subdomain in the address bar.
You still should target to build quality web site and avoid the signs of a low-quality web site. Get good inspiration for your web site design.
Still a clear and logical structure is the first thing that needs to be turned over in mind before the work on the website gears up. The website structure for search robots is its internal links. The more links go to a page, the higher its priority within the website, and the more times the search engine crawls it.
You should upgrade your web site, but you need to do it sensibly and well. Remember that a site upgrade can ruin your search engine visibility if you do it badly. The biggest risk to your site getting free search engine visibility is site redesign. Bad technology selection can ruin the visibility of a new site months before launch. Many new sites built on JavaScript application frameworks do not benefit in any way from the new technologies. Before you go into this bandwagon, you should think critically about whether your site will benefit from the dynamic capabilities of these technologies more than they can damage your search engine visibility. Well built redirects can help you keep the most outbound links after site changes.
If you go to the JavaScript framework route on your web site, keep in mind that there are many to choose, and you need to choose carefully to find one that fits for your needs and is actively developed also in the future.
JavaScript survey: Devs love a bit of React, but Angular and Cordova declining. And you’re not alone… a chunk of pros also feel JS is ‘overly complex’
Keep in mind the recent changes on the video players and Google analytics. And for animated content keep in mind that GIF animations exists still as a potential tool to use.
Keep in mind the the security. There is a skill gap in security for many. I’m not going to say anything that anyone who runs a public-facing web server doesn’t already know: the majority of these automated blind requests are for WordPress directories and files. PHP exploits are a distant second. And there are many other things that are automatically attacked. Test your site with security scanners.
APIs now account for 40% of the attack surface for all web-enabled apps. OWASP has identified 10 areas where enterprises can lower that risk. There are many vulnerability scanning tools available. Check also How to prepare and use Docker for web pentest . Mozilla has a nice on-line tool for web site security scanning.
The slow death of Flash continues. If you still use Flash, say goodbye to it. Google says goodbye to Flash, will stop indexing Flash content in search.
Use HTTPS on your site because without it your site rating will drop on search engines visibility. It is nowadays easy to get HTTPS certificates.
Write good content and avoid publishing fake news on your site. Finland is winning the war on fake news. What it’s learned may be crucial to Western democracy,
Think to who you are aiming to your business web site to. Analyze who is your “true visitor” or “power user”. A true visitor is a visitor to a website who shows a genuine interest in the content of the site. True visitors are the people who should get more of your site and have the potential to increase the sales and impact of your business. The content that your business offers is intended to attract visitors who are interested in it. When they show their interest, they are also very likely to be the target group of the company.
Should you think of your content management system (CMS) choice? Flexibility, efficiency, better content creation: these are just some of the promised benefits of a new CMS. Here is How to convince your developers to change CMS.
Here are some fun for the end:
Did you know that if a spider creates a web at a place?
The place is called a website
Confession: How JavaScript was made.
2,214 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Advertising trends: how to keep the audience engaged in 2023
https://www.infomir.eu/eng/blog/articles/56-advertising-trends-howto-keep-audience/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unicorn social app IRL to shut down after admitting 95% of its users were fake
https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/26/irl-shut-down-fake-users/
Tomi Engdahl says:
World’s oldest national newspaper prints final edition after 320 years
Austria’s Wiener Zeitung to publish online only after recent law change makes it unprofitable as print product
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/01/worlds-oldest-newspaper-prints-final-edition-after-320-years
Tomi Engdahl says:
Miten voin luoda julkaisun Facebook-sivulleni useammalla kuin yhdellä kielellä?
https://fi-fi.facebook.com/help/181155025579876
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://medium.com/@allypetitt/5-ways-i-bypassed-your-web-application-firewall-waf-43852a43a1c2
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google: Poistamme kaikki uutissivustot Kanadan hakutuloksista
https://dawn.fi/uutiset/2023/07/03/google-poistamme-kaikki-uutissivustot-kanadan-hakutuloksista
Poliitikkojen ja perinteisen median lempilapsi viimeisen vuosikymmenen ajan on ollut idea siitä, että Googlen ja Facebookin pitäisi maksaa uutissivustoille, mikäli Googlen hakutuloksissa tai Facebookin syötteessä näkyy linkkejä uutissivustoille.
Idea on kaikessa hähmäisyydessään erikoinen, sillä useimpien uutissivustojen rahoitusmalli pohjautuu mainontaan
Ensimmäisenä asiaa kokeili Espanja. Siellä kohteena oli Googlen uutispalvelu, Google News
Googlen olisi pitänyt siis maksaa uutismedioille, jos se näyttää linkkejä uutissivustoille Espanjan Google News -palvelussa. Googlen vastaus oli se, että yhtiö lopetti Espanjan Google Newsin kokonaan – ja lopputuloksena espanjalaisten uutissivustojen liikenne romahti.
Seuraavaksi asiaa päätti kokeilla Australia. Siellä laki jäi torsoksi, mutta Google suostui kuitenkin maksamaan korvauksia osalle uutissivustoista. Lopputulos oli kuitenkin isojen mediatalojen kannalta hykerryttävän hyvä: ainoastaan isot mediatalot saivat Googlelta rahaa ja itsenäiset mediat eivät lanttiakaan.
Seuraavaksi jonossa oli Tanska, jossa ehdotettiin vastaavaa “linkkiveroa”. Asia ei ilmeisesti ole edennyt parin vuoden aikana eteenpäin.
Tanska odottanee asiassa sitä, että koko Eurooppaa koskeva linkkivero etenisi. Sen idea on täsmälleen sama kuin kaikissa muissakin: kaikkein isoimmille uutismedioille pitäisi maksaa siitä, että niiden linkit näkyvät Googlen hakutuloksissa.
Kyllä, idea on vuosien mittaan laajentunut pelkän Google Newsin piiristä siihen, että perinteisen uutismediat haluavat rahaa myös siitä, että niiden linkit ylipäätään näkyvät Googlen hakutuloksissa.
Uusimpana jonotuslistalle on nyt liittynyt Kanada. Google on jo kertonut kantansa asiaan: jos Kanada haluaa Googlelta “linkkiveroa” uutissivustojen näkymisestä, Google poistaa uutissivustot Kanadan hakutuloksistaan kokonaan.
Myös Facebookin emoyhtiö Meta on kertonut, että mikäli laki menee läpi, yhtiö estää kanadalaisten uutissivustojen linkit Facebookissa pysyvästi.
Uhittelujen lopputulokset voivat kuitenkin olla hyvinkin ristiriitaisia, sillä, kuten mainittua, Google maksaa joillekin uutismedioille Australiassa – ja on taipunut samaan myös Ranskassa.
Ranskassa Google taipui lakiin siksi, että paikallinen kilpailuvirasto katsoi Googlella olevan määräävä markkina-asema hakutuloksissa – ja uutismedioiden estäminen olisi määräävän markkina-aseman väärinkäyttöä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:
Meta plans to launch Instagram’s standalone Twitter competitor Threads on July 6, per the pre-order App Store listing, which offers screenshots of some features — Instagram’s rumored Twitter competitor just dropped on the iOS App Store in the US. The app will be called Threads
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/03/threads-instagrams-twitter-competitor-is-expected-july-6/
Dave Lee / Bloomberg:
Elon Musk offering no timeline for Twitter’s “temporary” reading limits, and CEO Linda Yaccarino keeping mum, may give Meta a perfectly timed launch for Threads
Twitter’s Troubles Are Perfectly Timed for Meta
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-07-03/twitter-s-troubles-come-at-the-perfect-time-for-meta
Technical problems plaguing Elon Musk’s social platform pave the way for rivals, especially one with deep pockets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Twitter employees say that removing support for legacy APIs is what broke TweetDeck, and the company will be moving users to the “new” version of TweetDeck — Twitter is officially launching its “new” version of TweetDeck to everyone, according to a tweet from Twitter’s support account …
Twitter’s ‘new’ Tweetdeck lives behind a verified paywall
/ Twitter is rolling out the new TweetDeck and making it a Twitter Blue-exclusive feature.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/3/23783092/twitter-tweetdeck-new-preview-force-legacy-apis
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Pierce / The Verge:
The social web is changing: Twitter set up limits, Reddit alienated its users, TikTok could get banned, and Instagram has turned into an entertainment platform — An era of the internet is ending, and we’re watching it happen practically in real time. Twitter has been on a steep …
So where are we all supposed to go now?
https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/3/23782607/social-web-public-apps-end-reddit-twitter-mastodon
/ It’s the end of a social era on the web. That’s probably a good thing. But I already miss the places that felt like everyone was there.
An era of the internet is ending, and we’re watching it happen practically in real time. Twitter has been on a steep and seemingly inexorable decline for, well, years, but especially since Elon Musk bought the company last fall and made a mess of the place. Reddit has spent the last couple of months self-immolating in similar ways, alienating its developers and users and hoping it can survive by sticking its head in the sand until the battle’s over. (I thought for a while that Reddit would eventually be the last good place left, but… nope.) TikTok remains ascendent — and looks ever more likely to be banned in some meaningful way. Instagram has turned into an entertainment platform; nobody’s on Facebook anymore.
You could argue, I suppose, that this is just the natural end of a specific part of the internet. We spent the last two decades answering a question — what would happen if you put everyone on the planet into a room and let them all talk to each other? — and now we’re moving onto the next one. It might be better this way. But the way it has all changed, and the speed with which it has happened, has left an everybody-sized hole in the internet. For all these years, we all hung out together on the internet. And now that’s just gone.
Why is this all happening right now? Lots of reasons, actually, most of them at least somewhat defensible. The economy has gone sour, and after more than a decade of low interest rates and access to nearly unlimited and nearly free money, companies are finding their funding sources to be fewer and more finicky than ever. Those investors are also asking for real returns on that funding, so all these companies have had to switch from “growth at all costs” to “actually make some money.” Few social networking companies have ever made real money, and so they’re scrambling for new features and pivoting to whatever smells like quarterly results.
The rise of AI is also sending all these companies into a tizzy. Large language models from companies like OpenAI and Google are built on top of data collected from the open web. Suddenly, having all your users and content publicly available and easily found has gone from a growth hack to capitalistic suicide; companies around the industry are closing their walls, because they’re hoping to sell their data to AI providers rather than have it all scraped for free. Much of Reddit’s current chaos started with CEO Steve Huffman saying that the company realized that the platform is filled with good information, and “we don’t need to give all of that value to some of the largest companies in the world for free.” On Saturday, Elon Musk introduced Twitter’s new login gate and view count restrictions “to address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation.”
Add it all up, and the social web is changing in three crucial ways: It’s going from public to private; it’s shifting from growth and engagement, which broadly involves building good products that people like, to increasing revenue no matter the tradeoff; and it’s turning into an entertainment business. It turns out there’s no money in connecting people to each other, but there’s a fortune in putting ads between vertically scrolling videos that lots of people watch. So the “social media” era is giving way to the “media with a comments section” era, and everything is an entertainment platform now. Or, I guess, trying to do payments. Sometimes both. It gets weird.
What’s next appears to be group chats and private messaging and forums
Tomi Engdahl says:
Twitter alternatives for the Musk-averse
/ If you’re among those who are thinking of dropping Twitter — or who are already gone — here are some social networks to try.
https://www.theverge.com/23429095/twitter-social-network-alternatives-mastodon-reddit-tumblr-cohost
Tomi Engdahl says:
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
Sweden’s privacy watchdog says that “companies must stop using Google Analytics” and fines local online retailer CDON less than $30K and telco Tele2 over $1.1M — Sweden’s data protection watchdog has issued a couple of fines in relation to exports of European users’ data via Google Analytics …
Stop using Google Analytics, warns Sweden’s privacy watchdog, as it issues over $1M in fines
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/03/google-analytics-sweden-gdpr-fines/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Thierry Breton says Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft notified the EU that they meet the DMA’s gatekeeper status of 45M+ MAUs and a €75B+ market cap — Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google, Amazon (AMZN.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Meta Platforms (META.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) …
https://www.reuters.com/technology/amazon-google-apple-meta-microsoft-say-they-meet-eu-gatekeeper-status-2023-07-04/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tatum Hunter / Washington Post:
Post-pandemic loneliness is driving young US adults to use apps like Discord to make real-life friends; users say seeking friends as adults still carries stigma
Loneliness is taking friend-making apps mainstream
American adults are lonely — and done waiting on friendship to find them IRL
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/03/adult-friendship-online-bumble-meetup/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Mastodon refreshes its official Android app with Material You support and adds 294K users over the weekend; the network has 1.4M MAUs, well below its 2.5M peak
As Twitter flounders, Mastodon refreshes its official app for Android users
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/03/as-twitter-flounders-mastodon-refreshes-its-official-app-for-android-users/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/03/twitter-competitors-soar-after-yet-another-bad-musk-move/?tpcc=tcplusfacebook&fbclid=IwAR2XgD2ebmsgnVna1vLCWCEoHAllYumjmP0iY__2PgHQuruqZurqt_3wOAk
Tomi Engdahl says:
@twittersupport:
Twitter says that in 30 days users must pay for Blue to use TweetDeck, the new version of which supports full composer functionality, Spaces, polls, and more — We have just launched a new, improved version of TweetDeck. All users can continue to access their saved searches & workflows via https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/ by selecting “Try the new TweetDeck” in the bottom left menu. Some notes on getting started and the future of the product… https://twitter.com/…
https://twitter.com/twittersupport/status/1675990712297443330
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg:
The CJEU rules that Germany’s Federal Cartel Office didn’t overstep by demanding Meta overhaul its ad business in 2019; Meta says it is “evaluating” the ruling — Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook lost its European Union court fight over a German antitrust order that homed …
Meta Loses EU Court Fight Over Antitrust Crackdown on Data
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-04/meta-loses-eu-court-fight-over-german-attack-on-facebook
EU top court rules on scope of German watchdog’s investigation
Meta accused nation’s cartel office of overstepping its powers
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/no-instagram-threads-app-in-the-eu-irish-dpc-says-metas-new-twitter-rival-wont-be-launched-here/a1927220337.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
(New) List of Predatory Journals – 2023
https://www.openacessjournal.com/blog/predatory-journals-list/#I_%E2%80%93_predatory_journals
The predatory journal is a publication, which actively asks researchers for the manuscripts. Moreover, they have no peer review system and also they have no true editorial board as well as are often found to publish mediocre or may worthless papers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Adrian Weckler / Independent.ie:
The Irish DPC says Instagram’s Threads, which faces stricter data privacy rules in the EU than in the US or the UK, cannot launch in the EU “at this point” — Meta’s new Twitter rival wants to suck Instagram users’ data, including health, location, search history and sensitive information, into the new Threads service.
No Instagram Threads app in the EU: Irish DPC says Meta’s new Twitter rival won’t be launched here
https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/no-instagram-threads-app-in-the-eu-irish-dpc-says-metas-new-twitter-rival-wont-be-launched-here/a1927220337.html
Meta’s new Twitter rival wants to suck Instagram users’ data, including health, location, search history and sensitive information, into the new Threads service. Under EU data privacy rules, it faces higher hurdles than in the US or UK, where it is launching on Thursday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta to launch rival ‘town square’ platform as Elon Musk’s Twitter struggles with rate limits and bot problems. https://ie.social/V5Xdg
Tomi Engdahl says:
EU Court Deals Blow to Meta in German Data Case
https://www.securityweek.com/eu-court-deals-blow-to-meta-in-german-data-case/
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp may need to overhaul how they collect the data of users in Europe after the top EU court ruled against Meta
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook will have to get your consent before it shows some personalized ads in the EU.
Facebook will need permission to show personalized ads in the EU
The EU is limiting how Meta can use your data.
https://www.engadget.com/facebook-will-need-permission-to-show-personalized-ads-in-the-eu-140106138.html?fbclid=IwAR0TRWN3xtZl04-fM0S8-DWP0qZ15aixN-yDnxEWV-AJ6V558mielz8LBA4&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cDovL20uZmFjZWJvb2suY29tLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM17bqvY-pKu-rhRE1nCLyTdNliw5-CRdab8vvXz7P_da0VOwhx2qEK1AhjnIUDihqZ2xYH6Pz55LC_ubSge_OeY9KEa2Ab4XlWDXpBE2nzl4YAkznRU3UGpFuNC_WtBRGMfV7ItP8MpftV-puWhDY5hthKMnEZlYuR-6HoF7sp6
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apparently this was a short term tactic to fight scrapers and leechers…
But anything muskie does, even removing the restrictions y’all still get so mad…
Twitter silently removes login requirement for viewing tweets
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/twitter-silently-removes-login-requirement-for-viewing-tweets/?tpcc=tcplusfacebook&fbclid=IwAR2mGAvGTEU1Hs4D0aKNdobFOZHWJ5PcU4qAW8xVMbNeLGXozGCFOXhD4GY&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sbS5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFAzPNSI5hLcqms3jy3w0p2E0OANU3G-HyFgNvf0_7XZL2LbIJ2PsEJ_ayjM4S-6QkCuhTQNSmEzsjbdQtgIAWLKRDf0i8CdBrk-Ncf5LYSCmDr44YSkJKGwkFlzFWQdas-c3JchOvnubjy7ldHKgKopcLVcxbvUeDktfcpQfdPL
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Meta launches Instagram’s Threads, available on the App Store and Google Play in 100+ countries; users log in via Instagram and can follow the same accounts — – Threads is a text-based messaging app that looks very similar to Twitter. — People will be able to use their Instagram usernames …
Meta launches Instagram Threads in a direct challenge to Twitter
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/05/meta-launches-instagram-threads-messaging-app-challenging-twitter.html
Threads is a text-based messaging app that looks very similar to Twitter.
People will be able to use their Instagram usernames on Threads and follow the same accounts on Threads as they do on Meta’s photo-sharing app.
The release of Threads is noteworthy considering that Twitter has suffered a wave of mishaps under the ownership of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, leaving the popular social messaging app vulnerable to competing apps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tim Bradshaw / Financial Times:
Instagram Threads feels like Twitter’s early days, offering users an insta-network underpinned by Meta’s infrastructure that helped surpass smaller rivals
Meta’s Threads is a throwback to the giddy early days of Twitter
https://www.ft.com/content/ae7dd329-990a-41e0-8e3c-2dc54b443b78
Tomi Engdahl says:
Casey Newton / Platformer:
Hands-on with Threads: fairly basic text-based messaging app, log in via Instagram, no hashtags, can’t search for anything other than user handles, and more — Programming note: I really was trying to take a vacation, but this felt like it was worth the one-day interruption.
Meta unspools Threads
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on the company’s big new swing at Twitter
https://www.platformer.news/p/meta-unspools-threads
Tomi Engdahl says:
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Meta’s Supplemental Privacy Policy for Threads says “your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account”, surprising some users — Threads, Meta’s Twitter rival, is drawing users at an astounding pace, amassing 10 million signups in just seven hours …
Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting Instagram account, Meta says
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/06/threads-delete-profile-instagram-meta/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eugen Rochko / Mastodon Blog:
Mastodon CEO says the launch of Instagram’s Threads, which intends to adopt ActivityPub, “is a clear victory for our cause, hopefully one of many to come” — Today, Meta is launching its new microblogging platform called Threads. What is noteworthy about this launch …
What to know about Threads
https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2023/07/what-to-know-about-threads/
Today, Meta is launching its new microblogging platform called Threads. What is noteworthy about this launch is that Threads intends to become part of the decentralized social web by using the same standard protocol as Mastodon, ActivityPub. There’s been a lot of speculation around what Threads will be and what it means for Mastodon. We’ve put together some of the most common questions and our responses based on what was launched today.
What we know
Threads is a separate app from Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. This means Threads’ user base will be separate from their existing platforms. Instagram users however can sign-in using their Instagram accounts. It will not be available in the EU and will not support federation at launch.
What you may be asking
Will Meta get my data or be able to track me?
Mastodon does not broadcast private data like e-mail or IP address outside of the server your account is hosted on. Our software is built on the reasonable assumption that third party servers cannot be trusted. For example, we cache and reprocess images and videos for you to view, so that the originating server cannot get your IP address, browser name, or time of access. A server you are not signed up with and logged into cannot get your private data or track you across the web. What it can get are your public profile and public posts, which are publicly accessible.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Taylor Hatmaker / TechCrunch:
Mark Zuckerberg says Threads passed 10M signups within seven hours of launch, up from 5M within four hours and 2M in two hours — Update July 6, 11:45 AM IST: Zuckerberg noted that Threads crossed the milestone of 10 million signups within seven hours of launch.
Threads passes 10M sign-ups in 7 hours
https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/threads-passes-2-million-downloads-in-2-hours/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Standard protocol: In a post-Twitter world, Mastodon and Bluesky need to get on the same page
Shared goals, but no shared infrastructure yet
https://www.epanorama.net/newepa/2020/01/26/web-development-trends-2020/comment-page-40/#comment-1807890
In a week that has seen Twitter’s continued decimation with read-limits and TweetDeck trundling behind the Great Blue Paywall™, there has been renewed interest in alternatives, as those still clinging to the sinking social network seek salvation in something a little more seaworthy.
It’s also why Meta’s new Threads app seems all the more timely, formally launching just yesterday amid all the Twitter hullaballoo.
For the most part, there is nothing new here. It has been clear since last October that Elon Musk has been hellbent on moulding Twitter into whatever ill-conceived vision he has for the platform, aided of late by new CEO Linda Yaccarino. As such, alternatives like Mastodon have been thrust into the limelight with record downloads, while more recently Jack Dorsey-backed Bluesky has been vying for our affection too.
There have been others of course, such as Post and Spill, but Mastodon and Bluesky have emerged as the go-to favorites for many, due in large part to their promise of decentralization and interoperability — that is, their inherent abilities to allow users to converse with users on other social networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Q&A with Adam Mosseri on how Threads began, why the service is a “risky endeavor”, creating a standalone app off of Instagram, ActivityPub, Elon Musk, and more — The ‘volatility’ of Twitter under Elon Musk has given Instagram an opening to compete.
Why Instagram is taking on Twitter with Threads
https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/5/23784870/instagram-threads-adam-mosseri-interview-twitter-competitor
The ‘volatility’ of Twitter under Elon Musk has opened a window to compete. It’s a ‘risky’ bet worth trying, says Instagram boss Adam Mosseri.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Twitter quietly backtracks on requiring users to log in to see individual tweets, ending Elon Musk’s “temporary emergency measure”; profiles remain blocked
Twitter quietly backtracks on requiring users to log in to see tweets
The platform is becoming slightly more usable just as Meta opens up its Twitter competitor.
https://www.engadget.com/twitter-quietly-backtracks-on-requiring-users-to-log-in-to-see-tweets-135230558.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fortune:
Twitter subsidiary Twitter Payments secured its first US money transmitter licenses over the last week from Michigan, Missouri, and New Hampshire
Elon Musk needs payments to make Twitter an ‘everything app’—and the first 3 U.S. states just got on board
https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/07/05/elon-musk-payments-twitter-everything-app-crypto/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meta’s Threads swiftly signs up 30 mln users, in clear threat to Musk-owned Twitter
https://www.reuters.com/technology/metas-threads-is-true-threat-musk-owned-twitter-analysts-say-2023-07-06/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2XtMu2nI5fQcikO7hEpIfzVqoEYVxkpVLidI43aPGYJQkCRnR-RS4fuqY
Twitter threatens to sue Meta over Threads – Semafor
Numerous competitors to Twitter exist already
Meta’s Zuckerberg says monetization path is unclear
July 6 (Reuters) – Meta’s Threads racked up more than 30 million sign-ups within about 18 hours of its launch, emerging as the first real threat to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, as it took advantage of its access to billions of Instagram users and a similar look to that of its rival.
Dubbed as the “Twitter-Killer”, Threads was the top free app on Apple’s App Store in the UK and the U.S. on Thursday. Its arrival comes after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Musk have traded barbs for months, even threatening to fight each other in a real-life mixed martial arts cage match in Las Vegas.
Tomi Engdahl says:
People cannot leave Instagram’s Threads app without deleting their whole account, rules warn
Users can choose whether to link their account to new app – but not whether to leave again
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/instagram-threads-delete-account-meta-twitter-b2370698.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2GjyPacK23LRqB4uwUunWVa778kTSwEyJqMD5RFqP7ZYlwAYaz30X04bQ#Echobox=1688673141
Meta’s new Threads app will not let people leave without deleting their whole Instagram account, its rules warn.
The app launched just hours ago and appears to have already received tens of millions of signups. It came at a particularly difficult time for Twitter – which has been limiting how many posts people can see – and has tight integration with Instagram, which makes it easy to sign up.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Max Tani / Semafor:
Twitter threatens to sue Meta over Threads, saying Meta “engaged in systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets” and other IP — Twitter is threatening legal action against Meta over its new text-based “Twitter killer” platform …
Twitter is threatening to sue Meta over Threads
https://www.semafor.com/article/07/06/2023/twitter-is-threatening-to-sue-meta-over-threads
Twitter is threatening legal action against Meta over its new text-based “Twitter killer” platform, accusing the social media giant of poaching former employees to create a “copycat” application.
On Wednesday, Instagram parent company Meta introduced Threads, a text-based companion to Instagram that resembles Twitter and other text-based social platforms. Just hours later, a lawyer for Twitter, Alex Spiro, sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accusing the company of engaging in “systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property.”
“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,” Spiro wrote in a letter obtained exclusively by Semafor. “Twitter reserves all rights, including, but not limited to, the right to seek both civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice to prevent any further retention, disclosure, or use of its intellectual property by Meta.”
Spiro accused Meta of hiring dozens of former Twitter employees who “had and continue to have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other highly confidential information.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sean Keeley / Awful Announcing:
G/O Media’s outlets start posting AI-generated content despite staff pushback; a Gizmodo editor calls an AI-generated Star Wars list with errors “embarrassing”
G/O Media has started incorporating bad AI-generated content across their sites, including Deadspin
https://awfulannouncing.com/online-outlets/go-media-ai-content-deadspin-bot-gizmodo.html
“This is unethical and unacceptable. If you see a byline ending in ‘Bot,’ don’t click it.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMAs are the latest casualty in Reddit’s API war
“Will this undermine most of what makes IAmA special? Probably.”
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/fed-up-with-reddit-mods-of-popular-amas-quit-organizing-high-profile-interviews/?utm_medium=social&utm_brand=ars&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1L8Z2XvF1COfSmV53Rqd7iOqWXlR-98DdWtJIB9MwlFb100b6izKJ4QLc
Ask Me Anything (AMA) has been a Reddit staple that helped popularize the social media platform. It delivered some unique, personal, and, at times, fiery interviews between public figures and people who submitted questions. The Q&A format became so popular that many people host so-called AMAs these days, but the main subreddit has been r/IAmA, where the likes of then-US President Barack Obama and Bill Gates have sat in the virtual hot seat. But that subreddit, which has been called its own “juggernaut of a media brand,” is about to look a lot different and likely less reputable.
On July 1, Reddit moved forward with changes to its API pricing that has infuriated a large and influential portion of its user base. High pricing and a 30-day adjustment period resulted in many third-party Reddit apps closing and others moving to paid-for models that developers are unsure are sustainable.
The latest casualty in the Reddit battle has a profound impact on one of the most famous forms of Reddit content and signals a potential trend in Reddit content changing for the worse.
On Saturday, the r/IAmA moderators announced that they will no longer perform these duties
The subreddit, which has 22.5 million subscribers as of this writing, will still exist, but its moderators contend that most of what makes it special will be undermined.
The op-ed said Reddit “made critical changes” to the site “without any apparent care for how those changes might affect their biggest resource: the community and the moderators that help tend the subreddits that constitute the site.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jatkuvat muutokset aiheuttivat sekasotkun – Vieläkö viranomaiset voivat viestiä Twitterin kautta?
https://www.tivi.fi/uutiset/tv/7ae158fb-7e40-4bd2-a6c5-17a6620c0865
Uudistuksia uudistusten perään saanut Twitter ei välttämättä ole enää sopiva viestintäkanava viranomaisille. Viranomaisten neuvot ja varoitukset Twitterissä jäisivät mahdollisesti näkemättä niiltä, jotka tarvitsevat kyseistä tietoa.
Suomessa Yle uutisoi maanantaina Twitteriin liittyvistä kysymyksistä, joita se oli esittänyt poliisilaitokselle, pelastuslaitokselle, VR:lle ja HSL:lle.
Poliisi- ja pelastuslaitokset suhtautuivat uudistettuun Twitteriin kaikkein kriittisimmin.
Alankomaissa asia nousi pintaan keskiviikkona, kun maahan iski voimakas kesämyrsky, jossa kuoli yksi ihminen. Reutersin mukaan viranomaiset opastivat tuolloin kansalaisia seuraamaan viimeisimpiä tietoja Twitterin kautta, mitä useat tahot pitivät sopimattomana, koska viranomaisilla on myös omat viestikanavansa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Threads—Exactly How Private Is Meta’s New Twitter Challenger?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/07/07/threads-exactly-how-private-is-metas-new-twitter-challenger/
A week ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Threads, Meta’s new Twitter rival. Fast-forward to now and Threads is the most rapidly downloaded app ever, having reached 30 million users just 16 hours after launch.
But as Threads launched and shot into the mainstream, lots of people have voiced concerns about privacy. After all, Threads is owned by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg—and everyone knows how much data Meta collects and uses to profile people. It’s also interesting that Threads has not launched into the EU, apparently due to concerns over data protection rules.
Here’s everything you need to know about data collection and privacy on Threads, including what happens to your Instagram account if you decide to delete the new app.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yet another reason to ditch Musk’s Twitter: You can play a crowdsourced Dungeons & Dragons campaign over on Mastodon
https://www.pcgamer.com/yet-another-reason-to-ditch-musks-twitter-you-can-play-a-crowdsourced-dungeons-and-dragons-campaign-over-on-mastodon/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR2q3f6DVMzoR9NpvySlXrDhN1JamCz6vGPTgXaF7-_rtzA6J3-oFOu0b-A
Tomi Engdahl says:
MARK ZUCKERBERG’S TWITTER KILLER CRUSHES 100 MILLION USERS IN JUST 5 DAYS
https://futurism.com/the-byte/zuckerberg-twitter-killer-100-million-users?fbclid=IwAR1butLZJ3sxyTVxr6FEf8DsEcQjTK4g28o5k8jXELge8Tp2PQfIcNUBXZs
The popularity of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “Twitter Killer” app Threads continues to skyrocket.
As The Verge reports, as of this morning, the text-based Instagram spin-off has officially surpassed 100 million users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Threads users bouncing after finding their feeds infested with brands, random celebs and other garbage they don’t follow
https://boingboing.net/2023/07/08/threads-users-bouncing-after-finding-their-feeds-infested-with-brands-random-celebs.html?utm_content=bufferef1a6&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR31aFWg1o9Nn-GzA2RTIGh5LTgLMbFXUJtAL_wOdF02sxc_uVXPGlsg0dc
If it succeeds, one phenomenon we’re not ready for, but is inevitable, will be all the right-wingers on Twitter becoming dissatisfied with Twitter and turning their attention to Threads. It’s never about free speech, it’s about being where the corporate and media center of gravity is, about “owning the libs”, FOBLO, etc.
Tomi Engdahl says:
$44 billion and eight months later. It’s finally all over for Elon Musk
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/elon-musk-twitter-threads-mark-zuckerberg-b2372800.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2JR2uGgCYxy2673jG66SxoGvUiqjpgfl8PcFldK17xQWWvlHo3yMYCFas#Echobox=1689023141
No wonder Elon Musk wants to fight Mark Zuckerberg in a cage match.
In just five days, Threads, Meta’s competitor to Twitter, has gained over 100 million users and become the fastest-growing app ever. Threads already has about a quarter of Twitter’s total monthly active user base. I was among Threads’ first 500,000 users and have been using it more than Twitter these past few days. It’s clear this platform has the potential to be the Twitter killer, and it seems Elon Musk isn’t coping well with his rival’s success.
Twitter is now threatening to sue Meta and Elon Musk is resorting to personal attacks, tweeting “Zuck is a cuck” and literally challenging Zuckerberg to a d*** measuring contest. I wish I was kidding, but it’s real. While Musk may be furious with Zuckerberg, he only has himself to blame for Twitter’s downfall.
Elon Musk has done the impossible. His behavior was so openly depraved and Twitter became so insufferable, that he made a Zuckerberg platform look good in comparison. Since Musk bought Twitter eight months ago, he spent that time personally spreading far-right conspiracy theories, tweaking the algorithm to favor himself, and condescending his own users. Musk removed the legacy verification system, taking away blue checks from journalists, like myself, and giving them to anyone who pays $8.
These changes caused a whirlpool of disinformation as brands and politicians were impersonated. No one could tell who was who, and Twitter’s For You algorithmic feed began to push a sea of unhinged far-right content down all our timelines from $8 blue checks. Instead of being a useful tool for sharing and reading real-time information, Twitter turned into an outrage and radicalization machine.
As Twitter cultivated an even more toxic vibe, Musk’s changes negatively impacted Twitter creators who made the platform great in the first place. In the blink of an eye, an egomaniacal billionaire came along and seemingly made all that work creators put in feel worthless.
It didn’t take long after Musk’s October 2022 purchase of Twitter for users to begin calling out, essentially begging, for alternative platforms. Over the past year, many have popped up and some did very well, earning hundreds of thousands of users. Bluesky, Spoutible, Spill, and Post.News are a few of the prominent alternatives. These alternatives have thriving niche communities, but it’s a difficult climb to reach the hundreds of millions of users needed to become the primary Twitter alternative. Before Threads, it appeared we would go down the path of a more slow, prolonged migration from Twitter into dozens of alternatives that each serve different Twitter niches. But Threads appears to be able to do what other alternatives haven’t been able to.
Threads integrates directly with Instagram’s user base of two billion people.
Twitter’s value proposition was always the people on it. So once Musk’s extremism started scaring people off, an opportunity emerged. But these new alternatives only ended up carving out fragmented niches of Twitter depending on the market they targeted, and couldn’t quickly capture the entire mainstream market. It’s clear in hindsight that the biggest Twitter competitor would only come from a platform that already integrates with a larger social network.
Threads is also interesting due to its promise to build on top of the decentralized ActivityPub protocol, which competitors like Mastodon use, enabling people to transfer their followings over to other social networks. This decentralized approach also can give users the ability to manage their own communities, potentially leading to a more hands-off moderation which can let companies off the hook. I’m sure Meta likes the sound of that.
Threads is of course still missing key features – like a following feed, DMs, and searching of posts. Users just have one algorithmic feed that serves them content from both people they follow and recommendations of those who don’t. So far, it hasn’t been serving me far-right extremist content
With the 2024 election looming, how Threads handles news will be important. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, who is leading the Threads project, said that this new platform is not intended to replace Twitter and he doesn’t want the app to encourage news and politics content
Some key questions remain: Will Threads actually kill Twitter, or can they co-exist? At what user number will Threads start integrating advertising – which they have promised to do? How will advertising impact the user experience? Did Meta learn from their democracy-eroding mistakes? Or will they repeat history and allow their desire to maximize ad revenue at all costs to win out and enable disinformation and hate to thrive?
Whether Threads will truly kill Twitter is unclear, but what is clear is the fact Elon Musk already killed what Twitter once was and we’re now left with a shell of the platform we all once had a love-hate relationship with. Musk went into debt to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Its valuation had already been slashed to $15 billion earlier this year, well before Threads came along. This will likely further cut its valuation.
Elon Musk lit $44 billion on fire to push a clear political agenda. Business leaders should stop following his lead.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Threads, Meta’s Twitter competitor, is not yet available in the EU due to regulatory concerns
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/06/metas-threads-not-available-in-the-eu-due-to-legal-complexity.html
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri told The Verge that its new Threads product is not yet available in the European Union.
Mosseri cited “complexities with complying with some of the laws coming into effect next year.”
His comment seems to reference the Digital Markets Act, a set of competition rules for the largest digital gatekeepers, including many U.S. tech giants such as Meta.
While Meta’s
debut of its Twitter competitor, Threads, is making a splash in the U.S., consumers in the European Union are not yet able to join the platform.
That’s because the more than 100 countries in which Threads initially launched does not include EU member states, due to “complexities with complying with some of the laws coming into effect next year,” Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri told The Verge.
Mosseri’s comment appears to reference the Digital Markets Act, or DMA.
“We don’t want to launch anything that isn’t forward-compatible with what we know and what we think is coming,” Mosseri told The Verge. “It’s just going to take longer to make sure not only that it’s compliant but that any claims we make about how we’ve implemented compliance stand up to our very high set of documentation and testing centers internally.”
The DMA establishes a set of competition rules for the largest digital gatekeepers, including many U.S. tech giants such as Meta. Under the rules, digital gatekeepers must not preference their own services on their platforms and must ensure their instant messaging services are functional with those of competitors.
Meta’s decision to hold off on launching the platform in the EU is a direct example of how the complexities of new regulation can affect product launches. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many tech companies have pushed back on the DMA, saying it unfairly targets U.S. firms and could stymie innovation. Apple
has worried the legislation could result in “unnecessary privacy and security vulnerabilities” and “prohibit us from charging for intellectual property.”
But policymakers in Europe believe new rules of the road are necessary to allow smaller and newer players to flourish in the digital marketplace.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Higgins: Can Threads siphon away the community aspect Twitter has built around cultural events?
Wall Street Journal tech reporter Tim Higgins discusses Meta’s motivation for launching the new Threads app, and whether it can a meaningful dent in Twitter’s user numbers.
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/07/06/higgins-can-threads-siphon-away-the-community-aspect-twitter-has-built-around-cultural-events.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Axios:
Source: Instagram plans to add branded content tools to Threads, offering marketers paid promotion; Threads won’t introduce ads before reaching a critical mass
Scoop: Branded content tools coming to Threads
https://www.axios.com/2023/07/11/threads-instagram-branded-content-tools
Instagram is planning to bring its branded content tools to Threads, a source told Axios, giving marketers a way to get involved with paid promotion on the app while advertising is still off limits.
Why it matters: Companies see a clear advantage in being a first-mover on Threads, but with the rules around paid promotion in flux, it’s unclear the best way to get involved beyond creating organic posts.
State of play: Instagram’s terms of service, which includes guidance around sponsored content, applies to Threads.
That means brands that work with influencers to post sponsored content are technically required you to use Instagram’s branded content tools.
Instagram’s branded content tools, which allow companies to add paid partnership labels to their posts, are only made available to eligible brands.
Instagram’s branded content tools aren’t currently available on Threads. But a source told Axios that Instagram is working to quickly make them available, which would give marketers an opportunity to begin experimenting with paid promotion, while advertising is still unavailable.
(Threads wont’ introduce ads until its’ user base reaches a critical mass, a Meta source told Axios.)
In the interim, the guidance being offered to brands is to clearly disclose any paid partnerships through text or hashtags until Threads gets its branded content tools up and running.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qianer Liu / Financial Times:
Sources: China plans to force companies to gain a license before releasing generative AI tools, tightening April’s draft rules and seeking to control content
https://www.ft.com/content/1938b7b6-baf9-46bb-9eb7-70e9d32f4af0
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Story of Blocking 2 High-Ranking Pages With Robots.txt
https://ahrefs.com/blog/blocked-robots-test/