
Educated but easily fooled? Who falls for misinformation – and why
The rapid spread of online misinformation has become a significant risk for businesses, brands and wider society. Why do people fall for it?
SOCIAL MEDIA
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram platform grew its downloads by 20% last year, versus only a 4% increase for TikTok, report says.
Instagram is fighting back against TikTok’s rising dominance in short-form video with its own Reels short-form offering – so much so that Instagram overtook TikTok in new app downloads in 2023. It is the first time this has happened since 2020.
Photo by Cottonbro Studio from Pexels
According to a report in London’s Financial Times newspaper, which quotes research market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, Instagram downloads grew by 20% last year. In comparison, TikTok’s downloads grew by 4%.
“Instagram has outperformed TikTok in adoption over the past few years, driven by the popularity of its Reels feature along with legacy social media features and functions,” said Abraham Yousef, Senior Insights Manager at Sensor Tower.
The Reels feature on Instagram is said by some social media experts to be a “copycat” of what TikTok offers for short video clips, but has taken some time to gain traction with audiences.
TikTok momentum slow for first time since 2016
There are now signs TikTok’s growth has begun to plateau for the first time since it was launched in 2016, the Financial Times notes.
“Instagram’s monthly active users reached 1.47-billion, with a rise of 13-million in the final quarter of 2023, according to Sensor Tower. TikTok’s active users reached 1.12-billion, with a decline of 12-million in the final three months of last year.
“However, TikTok continues to gain better engagement from its more than 1-billion active users worldwide. Users spent an average of 95 minutes on TikTok in the fourth quarter of last year, compared with 62 minutes on Instagram, 30 minutes on X and 19 minutes on Snapchat,” the newspaper states.
According to the news website Mashable, which reports on digital culture, “TikTok is becoming increasingly less fun and more focused on e-commerce. With the emergence of TikTok shop, it feels like every other video on the For You Page is a promoted or sponsored post. The TikTok experience is changing, and it might not be for the better”.
You can read the full Financial Times article here.
The rapid spread of online misinformation has become a significant risk for businesses, brands and wider society. Why do people fall for it?
Issue 4 2024 of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine for deep-thinking industry professionals, provides latest in-depth insights.
Last year MTN gifted a vehicle to a single mother of five to replace her ‘death trap’ pickup. This year, they again came to the rescue.
Ricci Birchfield has more than 18 years’ experience in the auto industry, specialising in marketing, digital strategy and business transformation.
Busy intersection swapped the roar of traffic for the clip-clop of Zebra hooves on International Zebra Day. Or so it seemed.
Specialist digital marketing services agency may resonate in a region that has of one of the youngest consumer audiences in the world.
IMM Institute’s glamorous gala dinner and excellence awards evening in March promises to be a highlight on the local calendar.
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Decision in 2023 to discontinue operations in its homecare and skin-cleansing categories helps local subsidiary’s performance in 2024.
Confederation has fast-paced online Express Courses you can complete in a week, to in-depth studies taking up to 10 months.
African marketer and business leader to present a webinar on Leadership and Creativity for the Ethiopian Marketing Professionals’ Association.
Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.