Welcome back to the Weekly Buzz! This week, we have a jam-packed post full of digital news to catch you up before you head out of the office for the August long weekend.
First, we’ll discuss the lawsuit against Lizzo, emphasizing the importance of living your workplace values. Then, we’ll delve into the heated battle between Threads and X for dominance in the social media realm. Lastly, we’ll explore Google’s latest update, simplifying the removal of personal data from search results, and Friday Fun.
Let’s get buzzing!
Lawsuit against Lizzo emphasizes the importance of upholding workplace values
At first glance, this story may not seem relevant for the Weekly Buzz but stay with us here. We promise it’s a story about crisis management in the digital age and the importance of living your corporate values.
This week, three of Lizzo’s former dancers filed a lawsuit against her, alleging that the Grammy-winning singer and her dance team captain created a hostile work environment during the Special Tour. The lawsuit claims the dancers were exposed to a sexually charged atmosphere and accuses Lizzo of sexual harassment and weight shaming.
The claims contradict Lizzo’s public image of promoting body positivity and inclusivity, potentially impacting her reputation.
After much public discussion, Lizzo finally addressed the suit’s claims. Still, the statement was lacklustre, with many commenters sharing that her response diminished the victims’ allegations and blamed them for her actions.
So, in brief, what can we learn from it all?
In a crisis, keep your response short and to the point, avoid defensiveness and blame shifting. And if you choose to build your brand based on a set of values, those values should dictate how you live your life even when you’re not “on the clock,” so to speak.
Threads vs. X: The battle for dominance heats up as users shift allegiance
As you may recall from last week’s roundup, Threads, the Twitter-like app launched by Meta, faced a steep decline in active users after a strong start with over 100 million signups in the first week.
Many users reported that they found it challenging to switch from Twitter due to the need for a simple reverse-chronological timeline and a web-based version of the platform.
But new updates show Threads hears the feedback and is evolving rapidly, introducing a much-requested “Following” tab, among other changes that provide a familiar Twitter-like experience.
Meanwhile, X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing user dissatisfaction due to changes made by its owner, Elon Musk. Conditions are ripe for potential mass migration from X to Threads, except in Europe, where Threads has not launched due to strict tech privacy laws.
And what’s the latest on X?
According to several reports, Musk is wielding control over account handles, undermining his chosen CEO, and recently launched a peculiar lawsuit against a hate speech tracking organization.
Advertising revenue has taken a nosedive, and Musk is now using verification removal as a threat against advertisers who don’t purchase sufficient ads. Moreover, he’s reportedly altering paid posts to appear less conspicuous, potentially eroding trust and irritating users that advertisers aim to engage.
Google streamlines the removal of personal data from search results
Google has unveiled a significant update that simplifies locating and erasing personal contact information from its search results.
Through the “results about you” dashboard on mobile and web, users now receive notifications when their address, phone number, or email is found online, allowing them to review and request removal directly from Search. Previously, users had to search for their information manually and request its deletion.
With this enhancement, Google’s dashboard automatically identifies websites containing matches, streamlining the removal process. Users can also enable push notifications to monitor any future appearances of their information and track the progress of their requests. Though it doesn’t entirely erase data from the web, the update provides faster and more efficient control over personal information, especially vital for doxxing victims.
Currently available in the US in English, Google plans to expand its availability to other regions soon.
Friday Fun
Oops!
