Democracy secures PRCA accreditation for the third time
The big news from Democracy is that we’ve once again secured the communication management standard from the Public Relations Consultancy Association for our communication management standard.
We were commended for our leadership, diversity and financial management. The evaluator’s comments can be reviewed in full here.
TikTok trials automatic product identification to drive sales
TikTok is trialling a feature that identifies the product being used within a video and directs you to similar products available on TikTok shop, where users can then purchase it.
Product recognition accuracy needs improvement, but this tech follows similar applications in Pinterest and will allow browsers to shop without leaving the platform.
Read more here
Threads returns to growth
Downloads of Threads have returned to growth since December last year, with the app now appearing in the top 10 of all downloaded apps and users tripling month on month.
Threads boom and bust of 2023 has been well documented, but investment in awareness by Meta, coupled with expanding knowledge of how the algorithm works and the opening of third party platform integrations is believed to be the reason behind the growth.
Read more here
TikTok and Universal Music Group in major dispute
As a preexisting agreement between the social media platform and the music company explores TikTok and UMG are battling over the use of music in videos across the platform.
UMG said that it had been pressing TikTok on three issues: “appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”
Meanwhile, TikTok claims that UMG are not representing the best interests of the songwriters or the fans.
As part of the heavyweight negotiations, TikTok stripped the music from some of the UMG artists who use the platform to connect with audiences. More to come.
Read more here
Instagram previews placement on feed
Instagram is currently testing a new feature that will allow users to view how their feed posts will look on their profile grid to ensure it fits their aesthetic. The intention is to make sure the overall theme of the profile aligns with a brand or user’s Instagram presence.
Although not the most elaborate change, this simple functional feature may make the process of uploading and maintaining a specific image on social media more manageable and help to maximise your profile engagement.
Read more here.
YouTube increases discovery of live stream content within shorts app
Previews of in-progress live broadcasts will now be displayed within the Shorts feed in the app. Encouraging the discovery of new content creators by tapping on the “Watch Live” button.
This appears to be another TikTok led inspiration for YouTube Shorts and feeds into their ambition to grow live streaming within the platform.
Read more here