Facebook, Google, Twitter and others have taken steps to ensure fake news purveyors can’t buy ads on the platform to drive clicks to their misleading content. Facebook in particular, after long washing its hands of any responsibility to weed out fake news, is now working on ways to differentiate between legitimate news and other types of content.
Forrester expects social networks will
not limit users’ ability to share whatever content they please, so instead of platform-led censorship, the ill effects of fake news will more likely be mitigated as:
Education: the rigorous fact-checking involved in real news outlets alone can separate conjecture from news. As the lines south africa cell phone database between fake news, controversies triggered by tweets and actual journalism continue to blur, more news outlets will find their bottom lines under pressure. In the US, The News Guild, a union representing 25,000 journalists and media workers, will take up the PR fight educating consumers what makes journalists different from bloggers. Simply put, if consumers know the difference between fake and real news, they’ll stop clicking on fake news links.
Mainstream media companies create new business models: a fall in readership and ad revenue for traditional news sites has led to a trend in click-bait style headlines, which does nothing to help the distinctions between journalism and fiction.
Social networks optimise for their communities; some become unrecognisable: Given that social networks make their own choices about what to allow and what not to, distinctions among them will sharpen. Facebook, as an example, can afford to welcome all points of view because its sheer size insulates it from negative effects of vehement disagreements popping up on its platform.
Redballoon appoints first CMO, Rapthi Thanapalasingam
Redballoon has appointed Rapthi Thanapalasingam as its chief marketing officer.
Online experience retailer Redballoon has appointed Rapthi Thanapalasingam as its first CMO, as well as new chief technology officer Brett Raven.
“The relationship between CMO and CTO at RedBalloon is a vital one as we are both a marketing and technology company, poised for some exciting new initiatives that will heavily impact both areas” says Redballoon CEO Nick Baker.
“Specifically, we were looking for a CMO with strong commercial and ecommerce experience, a pedigree in travel and tourism and a natural affinity for fast paced and progressive environments,” he says of Rapthi, who has more than 15 years’ experience in tourism, telecommunications and finance.
Related: 2017, the year of the hybrid marketer »
Her most recent role saw her lead MasterCard’s Australian and New Zealand digital and social strategy, working with the company’s key partners through the ‘priceless’ platform.
“I’m really looking forward to applying my extensive travel and digital experience in an ecommerce environment and leading the RedBalloon marketing team, particularly as the business enters a new growth chapter,” she says.
Related: Australian CEOs don’t think CMOs can drive disruptive growth – here’s how to change their mind »