social media round up
Social Media Round Up – Growing Up With Fake News In The Real World & Youtube’s Viral Champs Of 2017
The buzzword(s) in media over the last two years is without doubt “Fake News”. The ease with which click-baiting fake headlines and unfounded news stories have been shared on social media has taken its toll on public discourse and faith in the accuracy of traditional media. Its influence in the US elections was so strong that it has prompted whole scale reviews of sharing models by the social media big beasts. In response to a very busy and sometimes confusing media landscape, the BBC has launched a scheme to help young people identify fake news. Following a study by Newsround and the University of Salford, results have shown young people understand what fake news is but don’t necessarily know how to spot it. The Beeb’s schools-based programme intends to equip a younger generation with the skills to determine what’s fact and what’s fiction. The BBC’s media editor, Amol Rajan, explains that the aim of the initiative is to develop “news literacy” in a world where news consumption is moving from a traditional bundled form (like a newspaper or new bulletin), to one where your news is curated by the feeds of your friends and those of digital influencers. We’ve entered the time of year when it’s all about looking back and summing up the 12 months that have passed. This week it’s the biggest films and TV shows of 2017, not according to box office takings or viewing figures, but what we were tweeting about most. So, for every Wonder Woman, Thor Ragnarok, Stranger Things 2 and The Handmaid’s Tale there was a Justice League, The Dark Tower, Emoji Movie or Daddy’s Home 2. There’s no skulking off into the shadows when a film or show doesn’t quite hit the spot anymore because it’s not just the huge successes that get us talking, the real stinkers get us just as animated, if not more so. We’re looking forward to seeing what the hits and misses of 2018 bring us in the online world. This week we saw the new emojis we’ll be able to fill our social posts with in 2018and sadly, we’re still flamingoless. We will, however, have ginger, curly and bald emoji options as well as superheroes, bagels and lacrosse (?!). Fabulous feathered additions include a swan and peacock but flamingo fans will have to wait and see if the wonderful pink bird is added in the next anticipated update. We’ve posted about many a viral video this last year (we still can’t forget the Pizza Hut winter jacket), but YouTube has revealed the top 10 trending videos of 2017. The big hitters include Lady Gaga’s outstanding Super Bowl half-time show, a crazily cool ping pong trick-shot video and an amazing child ventriloquist on America’s Got Talent. The video sharing platform based the viral top-10 on a number of factors, including time spent watching, sharing, liking and commenting among other metrics. Pipping all others to the top spot, though, is a clip from a Thai singing competition. Not unlike The Voice, the show focuses on vocals by disguising the performer in a mask. Dressed as a Marie Antoinette inspired glam-rock oyster (yes you read that right), the singer croons a romantic ballad before breaking into a full on pop track and blowing the audience away. We’ve found our Christmas party outfit!GROWING UP WITH FAKE NEWS IN THE REAL WORLD_
IF I DON’T TWEET IT, DID I REALLY SEE IT?_
STILL NO FLAMINGO_
YOUTUBE’S VIRAL CHAMPS OF 2017_
