
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 News Team | 2023
Latest figures show significant drops in daily active users and time spent on Mark Zuckerberg’s new Twitter-rival app.
Threads, the new social media app launched by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta as a rival to Twitter, is seeing a significant decline in user engagement – something which may turn away advertisers.
This is according to a blog post by research house, Insider Intelligence, which cites figures from two companies that specialise in digital analytics. These indicate significant drops in daily active users and time spent on the app.
Photo by Fauxels from Pexels
Jeremy Goldman, Senior Director of Marketing, Retail and Tech Briefings at Insider Intelligence, says Threads has struggled to maintain daily active users after a burst of sign-ups that saw it reach 100-million users in its first five days of operation.
“Sensor Tower data revealed a 20% drop in daily active users and a 50% decline in time spent on the app one week post-launch. Similarweb reported a 25% drop in daily active users and a more than 50% decrease in app usage time,” Goldman writes.
Threads unable to sign up new users in the EU
He adds that Threads’ situation is being exacerbated by it being unable to sign up users in the European Union – an area with more than 700-million people – because of data-protection laws.
“This change in user behaviour emphasises the difficulties new platforms face in retaining interest once the initial curiosity subsides,” Goldman says.
“Threads faces a challenging journey to become an integral part of users’ social media – which Meta needs if it’s going to turn its new app into its latest advertising platform.”
This highlights the critical challenge of user retention in the fast-paced world of social media.
But Goldman notes that Threads seems to have lured some engagement from Twitter, with a 5% decrease in Twitter’s web traffic during Threads’ initial peak-activity period.
“That reduction in traffic could cost Twitter nearly US$75-million in worldwide advertising revenues this year and $140-million in 2024, based on our latest forecast,” he notes.
You can read the full 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?
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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.