Welcome back to The Weekly Download!
On the hot sheet today:
Dentsu’s trend report for 2021 and what it means for brands, highlights from CES 2021, Twitter’s ‘dangerous’ precedent, TikTok’s new policy to protect vulnerable users, YouTube’s new hashtag showcase pages, and as always, we’re wrapping things up with Friday Fun.
Dentsu’s 2021 Trend Report Reveals Themes of Trust and Trauma
Dentsu’s 2021 trend report reveals two consistent themes as the world continues to battle COVID-19: trust and trauma.
As shared by StrategyOnline.ca, “These two core issues that the pandemic has brought to the forefront, can be partly ameliorated through tech, provided brands keep consumer mental health top-of-mind.”
Dentsu says 62% of consumers will switch to brands that show higher levels of product safety, even after the pandemic is over, and as a result, more companies are looking into tech-based features to address these safety concerns.
Also prominent is the recognition of social media’s impact on mental health. Brands must continue to be cognizant of their content, keeping mindful of tone, imagery and the current social climate.
CES 2021 Goes Virtual: This Year’s Highlights
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show was virtual, but there was no shortage of gadgets, apps, smart appliances, and more.
Some highlights:
- High-tech sanitizing devices
- A tool that that analyzes the risk of indoor virus spread
- A domestic recycling appliance
- A new way to help save the bees
- An aesthetically pleasing doggy door
And so much more! Check out WIRED’s full recap here.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Discusses “Dangerous Precedent” of Platform Ban
It’s been a week since the platform revoked one of its most outspoken users’ access, and now Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is speaking out about the ‘dangerous’ precedent it sets.
I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter, or how we got here. After a clear warning we’d take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter. Was this correct?
— jack (@jack) January 14, 2021
Dorsey went on to discuss the move, claiming the ban was “a failure of ours ultimately to promote healthy conversation,” adding: “Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us.”
Twitter’s move marks a momentous and major shift in online content moderation, and above all, Dorsey noted that he believes Twitter made the right move following the use of the platform which led to a violent insurrection at the U.S. capitol on January 6.
TikTok’s New Policy Aims to Better Protect Young Users
TikTok announced new changes to its default privacy settings for younger users in an effort to protect vulnerable members of its audience. The most significant change is that all accounts created by users between ages 13-15 are now set to ‘Private’ by default. People under 13 are technically not allowed to register for a regular TikTok account.
TikTok is also implementing new restrictions on comments, engagement and download capabilities for videos created by younger users.
Will the new policy work? That remains to be seen. There are still ways to subvert the sign-in process, and get around restrictions based on user age.
YouTube’s New Hashtag Showcase Pages to Help Boost Content Discovery
If you’re a brand or creator considering a content strategy for YouTube, this is an update you won’t want to miss!
This week, YouTube launched a new hashtag search option. The search tool provides users with a results page full of YouTube videos including the tag along with usage insights.
Here’s YouTube’s take on the update:
“Previously if you searched for a hashtag or clicked on a hashtag on YouTube, you’d see a combination of content using the hashtag in the video as well as other related content. Starting today, anyone searching for a specific hashtag on YouTube, either the desktop or mobile app, will see a new dedicated page that only contains videos with the hashtag, which are sorted to keep the best videos at the top.”
The update can serve as both a content discovery tool, as well as a research option for brands and creators.
Friday Fun
Verifying That You’re Not a Robot
We’ve all been there… How relatable is this hilarious video?!
