ReportWire

Tag: Social networking

  • 21 years later, Meta still hasn’t given up on the Facebook ‘poke’

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    Meta currently has lots of priorities Mark Zuckerberg likely never would have imagined back in the early days of Facebook. The company has pivoted from social networking to the metaverse and, most recently, to AI. But somehow, one of its earliest — and most useless — features has not only survived but is apparently getting a revamp. I’m talking, of course, about the poke, which Meta is once again trying to revive. 

    The company is making the storied feature easier to find by adding pokes back to user profiles in the Facebook app, according to a post it shared on Instagram. And you can track all poking-related activity between you and your friends at facebook.com/pokes. It even looks like there’s a Snapchat-streak like aspect where different emojis appear based on how many pokes have been exchanged. 

    Just in case you weren’t on Facebook two decades ago, “poking” was something of a novelty in the early days of the social network. At the time, there weren’t that many features for interacting with your friends. You could leave comments on their profile and … you could “poke.” The feature never really did anything, but depending on who it came from it was considered something between creepy or flirty.  As Meta notes in its Instagram post, poking never really went away, but it was de-emphasized over the years and has been largely forgotten by users.

    But the company has for some reason been trying to get poking to make a comeback for a while now. Meta said last year the feature was “having a moment” and that there had been a 13x spike in pokes after the company began surfacing the feature in the Facebook search bar. Now, it seems Meta is trying to build even more momentum for it, presumably for the current generation of younger Facebook users. 

    Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this year he wants to bring back more “OG” Facebook features like… being able to find content posted by your actual friends. And it’s hard to get more “OG Facebook” than poking. Meta has also been on a years-long mission to win over “young adults,”  so it might see the jokey feature as a way to appeal to a generation used to taking their Snap streak extremely seriously. 

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  • I Made a Wholesome OnlyFans to Try to Make Ends Meet

    I Made a Wholesome OnlyFans to Try to Make Ends Meet

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    As I leave my house on an overcast Tuesday morning to walk the dog, I’m accosted by a neighbor who cheerily calls down the street: “I hear you have an OnlyFans now!” I start to wonder if I’ve made a terrible mistake.

    OnlyFans has—how shall I put it—a reputation. Like many online platforms, it matches content creators with their audience. But OnlyFans is primarily known for one type of content: sex.

    When friends and acquaintances hear I—a 43-year-old father of two—have set up an OnlyFans account, they are intrigued. When I explain I’m only posting content that’s nonsexual and very much safe for work, their next question is “Why?” In their minds, it’s clear that “having an OnlyFans” means doing sexy stuff on the internet, for money.

    OnlyFans, a UK-based outfit that raked in $658 million in pretax profit last year, wants to shake this image. For every university student raising cash by sharing nudes, there’s a wholesome housewife uploading DIY tips or an up-and-coming musician posting his latest tracks, at least if you go by the accounts highlighted on the company’s blog.

    “Everyone’s doing a dance on the rest of social media, where it’s like, ‘Hey, you’re not supposed to show people your penis here and you’re not supposed to say crazy, wild shit,’” John Hastings, a 39-year-old Canadian comic, tells me via phone from his home in Los Angeles. On OnlyFans however, he still has people who slide into his DMs just to say “I want to see your feet, I’m not here for jokes.”

    Like all the safe-for-work creators I speak to, Hastings has a presence on many social networks, from Instagram to X to YouTube. The audience on OnlyFans will usually be smaller than on other sites, but followers are often more engaged and—importantly—must have a bank account linked to their profile, ready to be prized open.

    “It is a different world, for sure, compared to the people who are on my other social media platforms,” says Dudley Alexander, an R&B artist who releases music under the moniker Nevrmind.

    Alexander, 33, joined OnlyFans in 2019, before the site’s profile surged as the Covid-19 pandemic pushed many previously IRL activities online. As such, he’s a pioneer of the safe-for-work OnlyFans scene and has amassed more than 67,000 likes on his page. (OnlyFans only displays a user’s like count publicly; the follower count, which is usually higher, is hidden.)

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    Andrew Rummer

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  • How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile in 6 Easy Steps | Entrepreneur

    How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile in 6 Easy Steps | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    With more than 1 billion users in 200 countries worldwide, LinkedIn is currently the largest professional networking platform. So, whether for professional networking or job search purposes, it’s more important than ever to customize and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Similar to advertising, visitors to your profile page will likely spend just a few precious seconds to form an opinion, so it’s imperative that everything is clear, concise and on-message. Fortunately, LinkedIn has a robust feature set that enables a lot of customization. Unfortunately, many on the platform overlook key parts of their profile, in some cases not including them at all and often not optimizing what’s there.

    As you craft your LinkedIn profile, the fundamental objective to keep in mind is that you want to clearly articulate four things in a concise and quick-to-digest manner: who you are, what you are doing professionally, what you have done and what you are looking for — especially for those who are job hunting. You should remove anything that does not contribute to any of these points.

    Related: Learn How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile and Score Your Dream Job

    Below are six key considerations and configurations in terms of optimizing your LinkedIn profile:

    1. Your profile image

    When you see a person’s profile on LinkedIn, at the very top is a background cover image. It’s shocking how often that critical piece of real estate is left blank. It’s easy to customize, so be sure to upload a cover. Anything is better than nothing, but I strongly encourage you to make the most of that space; don’t simply put a solid image or pattern there. Take advantage of that key spot by selecting an image that provides some sense of understanding and, ideally, even validation for you (check out mine, for example, showing an interview taking place) or, at the very least, conveys some kind of feeling about something important to you.

    2. Get a verified checkmark

    Below the cover photo, you want a verification check next to your name. This is a free service from LinkedIn and ensures potential employers and partners (as well as recruiters for those job hunting) that you are who you say you are. Fraudulent profiles are frequently created, so this verification gives your visitors additional confidence that your profile is legitimate. If you don’t currently have your profile verified, find a way to verify if possible (or the next time you can, do it; it’s important for the future, even if you cannot have it now). Understandably, you may have privacy concerns, and those same privacy concerns are, in reality, relevant to everything you do online via your desktop and mobile phone. Just keep in mind this is a vital verification for your career.

    3. Craft your headline

    Almost everyone on the platform has a headline entered. Many of them badly need improvement. This is a small amount of space to communicate some highly critical information. Avoid any extra words that don’t contribute to your definition. Avoid using lots of symbols. Avoid using broad, general language. Be concise, be specific and use this spot to clearly convey what you are, do, and/or want.

    4. Showcase your work on your “personal billboard”

    LinkedIn has a featured section you can add, yet many people don’t use it at all. Featured items can include posts, newsletters, articles, links, media or spotlighted content from your profile. You also can sort the list, which is essential as visitors will typically only see the first two to four of your featured items (depending on the viewing platform) without scrolling.

    5. List your skills — and endorse your colleagues’ skills

    LinkedIn allows you to list your top skills, and others can endorse you for those individual skills. Often, people have 50-plus skills associated with their profile and endorsements on some number of them. Are you aware that visitors to your profile page only see the top two in the list (unless they click to see more, which most don’t)? And, did you know that you have the ability to sort the list? Be sure to sort your skills so that the top two reflect the most important things a business partner or potential employer would want to see.

    Related: Learn How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile and Score Your Dream Job

    6. Showcase your experiences

    Of vital importance is your experiences section, where you list out each of the companies you have worked for. The first mistake people make is using the description to describe the company. Think of this page as your CV; this space is where you should describe your role at the company. A line or two about the company is fine, of course, but consider also using bullets to highlight critical functions and accomplishments you’ve made while working there. This is especially important for your most recent experience or last couple if the most recent is a short duration. Often overlooked is that you can associate skills with each experience definition. You can also add media, such as press releases, white papers, interviews or other media related to your involvement with that company.

    Incidentally, if you happen to subscribe to LinkedIn Sales Navigator, there is a tool available on the platform called the “Social Selling Index,” which measures your social selling efforts. This tool assesses your overall brand, relationships, people and insights. The brand portion of your index relates to your profile.

    Some say LinkedIn is the CV replacement. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but it is unquestionably a vital professional tool for networking and worthwhile your time to configure and optimize. In some cases, it literally is used in place of a resume. In some cases, you’ll never make it to even being asked for your resume unless your LinkedIn page tells the right story up front. I encourage you to explore every section, try every configuration, arrange each arrangeable list to highlight what’s most important and be thoughtful with the images you use.

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    Jason Foodman

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  • At 25, Metafilter Feels Like a Time Capsule From Another Internet

    At 25, Metafilter Feels Like a Time Capsule From Another Internet

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    Jessamyn West used to describe Metafilter as a social network for non-friends, a description belied in part by the tight-knit camaraderie that emerges in an online group of only a few thousand people. West herself is an example: She met her partner on the site. She also describes the Metafilter cohort as “a community of old Web nerds.”

    This month, the venerated site celebrates its 25th anniversary. It’s amazing it has lasted that long; it made it this far in great part thanks to West, who helped stabilize it after a near-death spiral. You could say it’s the site that time forgot—certainly I’d forgotten about it until I decided to mark its big birthday. Metafilter is a kind of digital Brigadoon; visiting it is like a form of time travel. To people who have been around a while, Metafilter seems to preserve in amber the spirit of what online used to be like. The feed is strictly chronological. It’s still text-only. Some members may be influential on Metafilter, but they don’t call themselves influencers, and they don’t sell personally branded cosmetics or garments. As founder Matt Haughey, who stepped down in 2017, says, “It’s a weird throwback thing—like a cockroach that survived.”

    When Haughey started Metafilter in 1999, he envisioned a quick way for people to share cool stuff they saw in what was then a few dozen key blogs. “I never even thought about free-flowing conversations, but it quickly went there,” he says.

    For about a year the community was tiny, maybe 100 visitors a day, but in 2000 it was featured in a popular blog called Cool Site of the Day, and 5,000 people checked it out. That helped Metafilter morph from a niche link-sharing site into a community where smart people also discussed what was cool on the internet. In the early aughts, Haughey felt too many people were joining, so he cut off new membership. (People could still view the conversation as an outsider.) For years, the only way you could get in was to email him and beg. Later, when he decided to charge a $5 fee, 4,000 people signed up on the first day. The fee also helped to weed out potential trolls. That, and fairly paid moderators, maintained civility on the site. More importantly, the community itself didn’t tolerate awful behavior.

    One popular feature from early on was “Ask Metafilter,” where members seek advice and tips from the Metafilter hive mind. “When you’re pitching a question to 10,000 really smart nerds, chances are somebody has to be experienced in the thing you’re asking,” says Haughey. It became an invaluable repository of knowledge, not just to the community but those who stumbled on the answers through Google. Quora later launched with a similar idea, but with ambitions for a mega-footprint. That wasn’t Metafilter’s thing.

    “I didn’t want to be Walmart,” says Haughey. “We’re just the neighborhood corner store.” At one point he consulted with a kid named Aaron Swartz, who had an idea for a site that would be like a social-media wiki for everything. Then Swartz joined the first Y Combinator batch and hooked up with some founders starting a company called Reddit, which was basically Metafilter with limitless ambition.

    Haughey was OK with that. In the early 2010s, things were pretty cush. Metafilter’s core community was tight, and millions of tourists dropped in, drawn by Google search results. Haughey monetized them via Google ads and was able to drop his day job as a web designer, buy a house, and raise a family. But beginning in 2012, Google made a number of spam-fighting changes to its ranking algorithms, and Metafilter, for mysterious reasons, suffered collateral damage. Over the next couple of years, revenue plunged and Metafilter had to lay off some employees.

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    Steven Levy

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  • The Real Relationship Hustlers of TikTok

    The Real Relationship Hustlers of TikTok

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    Anna Kai believes in self-gaslighting. On TikTok, as @itsmaybeboth, she markets beauty products for Garnier, Nivea, and Nexxus Hair Care while dispensing relationship advice to her 1.3 million followers. “If you can gaslight yourself into believing the man that doesn’t love you actually loves you, then why can’t you gaslight yourself into believing you will find a man who actually does?”

    For Blaine Anderson, finding the right partner is all about savvy marketing, which “great guys often SUCK at,” a note on her website exclaims. She has hacks for every possible scenario that could, and will, arise during the dating process: how to text like a “high-value man,” what first-date mistakes to avoid, how to make women obsessed, and the best ways to attract them without talking. In case you were curious, it starts with good posture and grooming. “If you haven’t been shopping since the Obama administration, it’s time,” she says in a video uploaded to TikTok in May.

    “As a relationship therapist, I’ve literally spent my career studying the art of attraction and human psychology, so I know that these things work,” Kimberly Moffit, a Toronto-based psychotherapist said in a TikTok video from 2022. Maybe your crush is shy and you want to know if he is “micro-flirting” with you? One tell-tale sign: Dirty jokes. “An aggressive guy is just gonna hit on you,” she said, “but a shy guy is really gonna test the waters first.”

    If you haven’t heard, it’s boom times for dating influencers. According to a new survey of single adults ages 18 to 62 conducted by the app Flirtini, one in four people rely on TikTok as their primary source of relationship information, and almost 50 percent of people surveyed turn to social media for dating advice.

    This phenomenon has created an ecosystem of thoughtful, overzealous, trend-chasing dating influencers who think they know what’s best for you. The marketplace is now overrun with gurus offering up romantic hacks and how-tos to anyone who will listen. Everyone from credentialed therapists and life coaches to that annoying friend who just discovered bell hooks’ All About Love and wants to share everything they learned, brands themself a dating influencer these days. The effect has been seismic. On TikTok, the hashtags #datingadvice and #relationshipadvice have upwards of 16 billion views.

    And it’s not all bad advice per se. Kai’s self-gaslighting tip is actually quite clever. (Kai and the other influencers mentioned in this story did not respond to messages seeking comment.) There’s just one problem: relationship misinformation is spreading fast.

    A growing number of young adults now get their news from TikTok, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, “so it makes sense that they’d turn to the app for relationship advice too,” says Liesel Sharabi, a professor at Arizona State University who specializes in the effect technology has on interpersonal relationships. The increased reliance on the platform as a go-to source for romantic guidance has led many users to form parasocial relationships with advice-giving influencers. Unlike face-to-face, IRL relationships, these tend to be one-way. But emotionally, they feel like the real thing.

    “Someone might feel like they’re getting dating advice from a trusted friend because they’ve developed such a strong sense of familiarity and connection with that person,” Sharabi says. “The problem is that when it comes to dating, there are plenty of people who call themselves experts on TikTok without any sort of training or qualifications, which can make it difficult to separate fact from opinion.”

    Not all advice is created equal. As dating influencers gain more traction across social media, the proliferation of relationship misinformation becomes harder to contain. This, Sharabi describes, is “false or misleading information about relationships that can’t be evaluated using scientific data and which may perpetuate harmful stereotypes.”

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    Jason Parham

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  • How to Use Discord: A Beginner’s Guide

    How to Use Discord: A Beginner’s Guide

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    Looking for a new place to host your hangouts? Here’s how you can use Discord to text, play, video chat, and more.

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    Boone Ashworth

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  • The Rebirth of Queer Cruising Apps

    The Rebirth of Queer Cruising Apps

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    One night this past February, over drinks and moody bar lighting, Eric Green and his friends were swapping stories of their recent hookups when one mentioned they’d used the app Sniffies to have public sex. A 30-year-old tattoo artist who works in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Green identifies as a bottom, is a frequent user of dating apps, and has an active sex life—only, he’d never heard of Sniffies.

    It wasn’t long after that night out, Green was overtaken by “complete and total horniness” while at home, and decided to sign up himself. When he opened the app he was reminded of Google Maps, only instead of restaurants and shopping recommendations, he was inundated with nudes and suggestions for the nearest pump-and-dump. “I expected it to be like Grindr and Jack’d, but after I checked it out I realized it was super accessible,” Green says, referencing two other popular queer hookup platforms. “More accessible than any other app.”

    Access is Sniffies’ main selling point. A map-based cruising platform for men of all sexual identifications (gay, bi, DL, and straight-curious—yes, you read that right), Sniffies has become something like an adults-only Disneyland for queer men interested in sex-positive, no-strings-attached casual encounters. “We really focus on in-the-moment connections,” says Eli Martin, the company’s chief marketing officer and creative director. “On other apps, it’s not always clear what people’s intentions are—some people want to find a boyfriend, others just want to look around—but on Sniffies, we try to make it clear that people are fulfilling their sexual desires and fetishes.”

    Sniffies is not your typical dating app, or a dating app at all, really. In lieu of the standard song and dance on Tinder or Bumble, where conversations are bogged down in endless chatter that often never lead to an IRL meeting, on Sniffies you can anonymously browse a map of men searching for sex with other men. Along with web-apps BKDR (short for backdoor), Motto, and Doublelist (think a more streamlined Craigslist personals), it has reignited an appeal in cruising culture that for so long had been taboo, even among certain queer circles. More recently, however, men cruising for sex with other men in public spaces, and the need to be discreet about doing so, was no longer seen as the polarizing issue it once was thanks to a wider acceptance of LGBTQ+ rights and the popularity of hookup apps, which facilitated all manner of connection.

    “Destigmatizing casual sex has been our biggest hurdle in general,” says Martin. “It’s been ingrained in us to be monogamous, but we should have this sexual freedom. Cruising doesn’t have to be seedy or something that only happens in back alleys.” Thankfully, he says, that’s changing. “In the last couple of years, we’ve been able to enjoy it more without as much judgment, but it was still hard on day one, because I was like, how do we create an app that’s [not only cool] but going to continually push people to engage in?”

    Launched in 2018, Sniffies was the brainchild of former Seattle-based architect Blake Gallagher. A problem-solver by nature, Gallagher was fascinated by the way urban environments influence sexual interactions. He wanted to better augment natural human connection in public spaces, and decided to implement a map feature and geolocation technology as the basis for Sniffies—tapping into what author Jack Parlett calls “the democratic potential of cruising.” Gallagher first tested his idea in Seattle and, with the help of his brother Grant, a programmer, slowly built Sniffies into what it is today—a “cruising app for the curious” with an increasing global reach.

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    Jason Parham

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  • This Senator Wants to Know What Meta and TikTok Are Doing About Parent-Run Girl Influencer Accounts

    This Senator Wants to Know What Meta and TikTok Are Doing About Parent-Run Girl Influencer Accounts

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    In January, the CEOs of X, TikTok, Meta, Snap, and Discord testified in front of a congressional committee about child exploitation on their platforms. “Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” Senator Lindsey Graham said at the time.

    Despite confrontational questioning from Graham and others about how many underage users were on their platforms, and what safeguards protected them, Zuckerberg and other executives weren’t questioned about the concerning practices of some parents who manage social media accounts on behalf of their young children. A New York Times investigation the month after the hearing found that some parents, mostly of girls, were amassing tens of thousands of followers for their children by posting suggestive images that can attract predators.

    Now, Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan is demanding that tech companies account for the untold thousands of accounts that place girls as risk of exploitation on their platforms, through the actions of adult account-holders.

    “These corporations must answer for how they are allowing young women and girls to be exploited on their platforms and what steps they will take in response,” Senator Hassan, who represents New Hampshire, told WIRED. “Young women should be able to express themselves online in safe environments that do not facilitate the monetization of potentially exploitative content.”

    The Times investigation found that parents can readily bypass the age restrictions of social platforms that bar children under 13 from having accounts. Some parents use the accounts they set up for their children to essentially monetize their daughters by putting them to work as influencers, garnering discounts and sponsorship deals or pulling in advertising revenue.

    More sinisterly, some of these accounts brought in money from people seeking sexual or suggestive material about young girls, some of whom were convicted sex offenders. Some of these followers are willing to pay for extra photos beyond those shared on a girl’s social media account, or for private chats or used clothing. Times reporters examined some 5,000 accounts of young girls run by their parents.

    While the Times found that some of the parents also operated TikTok accounts, the phenomenon was most prevalent on Meta’s Instagram. (X was not mentioned in the Times investigation, and the company claims that its underage user base constitutes less than 1 percent of its usership. WIRED has previously reported that the platform may not have the age verification systems needed to accurately make such a claim.)

    “After the disturbing revelations about predators interacting with the posts of minors and even buying their worn clothing, it continues to be clear that social media companies are failing to keep our children safe,” says Senator Hassan.

    Meta, TikTok, and X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    In a statement to the Times about its earlier reporting, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that the company prevents “accounts exhibiting potentially suspicious behavior from using our monetization tools, and we plan to limit such accounts from accessing subscription content,” but that parents were ultimately responsible for the accounts.

    In the letters sent to TikTok, X, and Meta, Hassan is asking companies to disclose whether they were aware of parents circumventing their age requirements, whether accounts of young girls are monetized—or have ads placed on them—by the platforms, and what active measures the companies have in place to detect these kinds of accounts.

    The platforms have until April 8 to offer their responses.

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    Vittoria Elliott

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  • LinkedIn Tells People if You Look at Their Profile. Here’s How to Turn That Off

    LinkedIn Tells People if You Look at Their Profile. Here’s How to Turn That Off

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    LinkedIn may or may not be the perfect Twitter replacement, but one thing is for sure: It’s a profoundly weird place. Staying active on the platform is basically required for today’s knowledge workers to find employment, which is odd. Also, it’s a place where a lot of people spend time pretending recruiters and hiring managers are fun, interesting people by reacting and replying to their posts. Then there are the LinkedIn influencers, all of whom sounded like ChatGPT long before ChatGPT was a thing.

    But perhaps the oddest thing about LinkedIn is how transparent it is about its surveillance features. Where other social networks try to obfuscate how much they are tracking your activity, LinkedIn, at every step, invites you to participate in the gathering of users’ behavior data. This is a social network that sends you regular notifications regarding who looked at your profile.

    By default, every time you look at someone’s LinkedIn profile while you’re logged in, they get notified that you looked at it. I can understand why a job seeker might want this information—you might want to follow up if a potential employer is sizing you up—but I can also understand why it would drive job seekers absolutely insane to know. What are you supposed to do, email someone and say, “I noticed you looked at my LinkedIn profile. Did you like what you saw?” (The mere thought of doing this literally just killed me. You are reading the words of an actual ghost.)

    Think about how weird it would be if, every time you scrolled through someone’s Instagram grid looking at their old photos, they got a notification telling them you’d done it. On LinkedIn, the people who pay for a subscription get more complete access to data on who’s peeking; most people can only see a couple of their recent viewers, but paid users get a full list of everyone who has looked at their profile in the past year.

    I find this level of radical transparency a little disturbing. The good news is you can turn this notification feature off—it’s just a little bit hidden. Here’s how to find it.

    Change Your LinkedIn Viewing Options

    Head to LinkedIn. Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the browser window and then click Settings and Privacy. (In the LinkedIn mobile app, your profile photo appears in the upper left; click on it to access Settings and follow these same instructions below.)

    In the left sidebar click Visibility and then click Profile viewing options.

    From here you can select from three options: “Your name and headline,” “Private profile characteristics,” and “Private mode.”

    The default choice, “Your name and identity,” informs everyone whose profile page you visit that you’ve done so, showing them your photo and job description with a link to your profile page. They will then click the link, sending you a notification that they did so, a pattern that will repeat until the sun expands and engulfs the earth. You can stop this from happening by changing the setting.

    The second option, “Private profile characteristics,” just shows other users a summary—your profession and where you live—when you view their profile. This will make you sound mysterious but will mostly just annoy everyone because of its lack of specificity. The third, much better option is “Private mode,” which allows you to look at anyone’s profile page in relative secrecy.

    Note that this choice to withhold sharing permissions goes both ways: Selecting anything other than the default choice of sharing your identity will stop you from seeing when other people look at your profile. To me, this is a win because it means I get fewer LinkedIn notifications. But if you find it useful to know who is looking at your profile, you might want to keep this in mind.

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    Justin Pot

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  • Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Says She Won’t ‘Enshittify the Network With Ads’

    Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Says She Won’t ‘Enshittify the Network With Ads’

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    Our goal is to combine both approaches—to run a moderation service that tries to provide a baseline and to also have an open ecosystem where anyone who wants to innovate can come in and start building. I think this is particularly useful around cases where information is really fast moving and there’s specialized knowledge. There are organizations out there already in the business of fact-checking, or figuring out if a verified account is actually a politician or not. They can start annotating and putting that information into the network, and we can build off that collective intelligence.

    Recently there was a very high-profile incident on X where deepfake porn of Taylor Swift started spreading and the platform was not super prompt at clamping down. What’s your approach to moderating deepfakes?

    From the start we’ve been using some AI-detection services—image labeling services—but this is an area where there’s a lot of innovation and we’ve been looking at other alternatives.

    This is also where a third-party labeling system could really come into use. We can move faster as an open collective of people—she has lots of fans who could help identify content like this very proactively.

    What are the benefits of federation—where a social network is decentralized, consisting of a bunch of independent servers instead of one central hub—for the casual internet user?

    The goals here are to give developers the freedom to build, and users the right to leave. The ability for people to host their own data means that users always have other alternatives, and that their experience doesn’t have to just come from us. For example, if a user wants to try a wholly different app, or a whole different experience, or they want to move to a parallel social network.

    If someone was to use your protocol and build, say, a Taylor Swift deepfake porn community, is there anything you could do to stop that?

    With the open web model, someone can always put their own website on the internet, but it doesn’t have to be indexed. We’re also playing a role in surfacing and indexing content. For really bad stuff out there, we’re trying to make sure that it never gets shown, by de-promoting it and not connecting to it.

    Can you explain your business model?

    We really think that money follows value. There’s been skepticism that this whole model of social can work. People are even wondering what it is. So, first of all, we’re trying to prove that this ecosystem has value to users and developers, and that it can kick off an era of open innovation.

    From there, we’re going to monetize while following our values. Early on, Twitter was very open and everyone built on it. But then they shut down at some point, right? They turned into much more of a platform, and less something that looked like a protocol.

    Our whole approach is getting back to protocols, not platforms, and there are certain guarantees that we’ve built into the protocol. It’s locked open. Once we have proven out this approach, I think there’s lots of ways that money is going to flow through the ecosystem. We’re going to start exploring some of those models this year.

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    Kate Knibbs

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  • Threads tests the ability to save posts as it continues to compete with X | TechCrunch

    Threads tests the ability to save posts as it continues to compete with X | TechCrunch

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    Instagram Threads is getting a highly requested feature that puts it in closer competition with X/Twitter. The text-based social networking app is experimenting with the ability to save posts, allowing users to bookmark favorite posts to revisit them later.

    Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the feature in a Threads post on Wednesday, noting that the company just started the limited test.

    Users with the test can find the new save feature under the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of a post. We’re not sure why Threads decided to hide the feature in the “More Options” menu since Instagram has its bookmarks icon easily accessible next to the like, comment, and share buttons. X recently moved its bookmark button on iOS to make it easier to find. Threads will likely continue testing the most optimal location for its new save feature.

    Instagram has had a bookmarking capability since 2016 so it makes sense that Threads would also adopt the feature. The ability to save content for later is helpful when you want to look at a post – especially if it includes a link to a longer article – but don’t have time to read it now.

    Since the debut of Threads last year, the app has continuously rolled out new features to appeal to users and take on rivals like X, Bluesky, Mastodon, Nostr, Post and Spill. Last month, the platform confirmed it was working on a “Trends” feature to surface trending topics.

    During Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings report, Threads revealed that it has over 130 million monthly active users.

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    Lauren Forristal

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  • As a Teenager, Clinton Sparks Resorted to Street Crime in Order to Survive. Now He's a Music Producer Who Has Sold Millions of Records With Beyonce, Lil Jon and More. Here's How He Turned Personal Turmoil Into Triumph. | Entrepreneur

    As a Teenager, Clinton Sparks Resorted to Street Crime in Order to Survive. Now He's a Music Producer Who Has Sold Millions of Records With Beyonce, Lil Jon and More. Here's How He Turned Personal Turmoil Into Triumph. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    With his inspiring journey from a difficult childhood to success in the music industry, Clinton Sparks shared valuable insights and lessons learned along the way.

    One of the key takeaways from the interview was the emphasis on relationships and building relationship capital. Clinton Sparks highlighted the significance of investing in people and causes close to him. He stressed the importance of understanding one’s own capabilities and leveraging relationships to achieve success.

    Clinton’s story of success in the music industry is a testament to his determination and resilience. Growing up in the hood, he faced numerous challenges and obstacles. However, instead of succumbing to his circumstances, Clinton used his resourcefulness to set up his own DJ equipment at home, even resorting to robbing houses and stealing turntables. This early experience taught him the value of having a plan rather than just an idea.

    Related: 4 Principles to Success According to a Former Pastor Turned Business Coach

    The interview also shed light on Clinton’s experience of being signed to a major label and then begging to be dropped. This decision was driven by his desire to pursue his own vision and recognize talent in others. Clinton’s ability to combine EDM and hip hop led to his discovery and signing of DJ Snake in 2007. Six years later, he introduced DJ Snake to Jimmy Ivy, resulting in the creation of the hit song “Turn Down For What.” This success story showcases Clinton’s keen eye for talent and his willingness to take risks.

    Throughout the interview, Clinton Sparks emphasized the importance of leaving a positive mark wherever one goes. He believes in competing with oneself rather than others, constantly striving for personal growth and improvement. Clinton’s commitment to investing in people and causes close to him is a testament to his character and values.

    When challenged by Jeff Fenster to rate himself on a scale of one to ten, Clinton hesitated before eventually giving himself a 9.9. This self-assessment reflects his humility and constant pursuit of excellence.

    Related: This Why You Should Align Yourself with the Right People

    In conclusion, Clinton Sparks’ interview on the Jeff Fenster Show provided valuable insights into the importance of relationships and building relationship capital. His journey from a difficult childhood to success in the music industry serves as an inspiration to all. Clinton’s emphasis on understanding one’s capabilities, having a plan, and accepting life’s challenges resonates with anyone striving for success. By investing in people and causes close to him, recognizing talent in others, and leaving a positive mark wherever he goes, Clinton Sparks has truly mastered the art of building relationship capital.

    About The Jeff Fenster Show

    Serial entrepreneur Jeff Fenster embarks on an extraordinary journey every week, delving into the stories of exceptional individuals who have defied the norms and blazed their own trails to achieve extraordinary success.

    Subscribe to The Jeff Fenster Show: Entrepreneur | Apple | Spotify | Google | Pandora

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    Jeff Fenster

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  • How to Using Influencers, AI and Social Media to Drive Growth | Entrepreneur

    How to Using Influencers, AI and Social Media to Drive Growth | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    ‘Prime Energy Drink’ — it’s everywhere! Their striking cans are impossible to miss in supermarkets and convenience stores. What fueled their surge? The secret ingredient is the influencer duo Logan Paul and KSI.

    Despite looming concern (its caffeine has triggered calls for the FDA to investigate), Prime Energy has quickly created a space for itself in a crowded and competitive market. This curious case begs the question: If influencers can spearhead a product’s success, how does this revelation apply to your brand? How can you get the most bang for your buck when leveraging social media? My teammate, Ronan O’Callaghan, and I did the research, so you don’t have to.

    This article explores this subject by examining a series of case studies about influencers, the power of blending the digital and physical worlds and AI. By the end, you’ll have a strong understanding of how to leverage these powerful tools for all they are worth.

    Part 1: Using influencers the right way

    Influencers possess immense power to shape consumer perceptions. The previously mentioned meteoric rise of Prime Energy is only one example. Mr. Beast, the world’s most popular YouTube personality, has transformed his name into several successful consumer brands, including a chain for ghost kitchens, chocolates and athletic clothing.

    It might seem like influencers have a Midas touch: an uncanny ability to turn ventures into success stories. However, these successes only materialized after years of painstaking brand cultivation. That means your next big marketing success won’t just come from getting your product into an influencer’s hands and hoping some of their magic will rub off on you. You need to select influencers whose brand values resonate with yours and engage innovatively.

    Häagen-Dazs offers an instructive case study. Häagen-Dazs wanted to remind New Yorkers that ice cream is integral to summer. They partnered with millennial influencers living in New York to promote their product throughout the city. The campaign generated 14.3 million impressions, 4 million more than their goal. If they had tried to reach that number of people through conventional means, it would have cost them 3x as much. The lesson: working with influencers whom your target customer can relate to can create a real connection. In a deeply digital and distressingly disconnected world, this is especially important to remember.

    You can reach a broader audience by working with a diverse range of influencers. When the HISTORY channel started a TikTok account in 2021, they wanted to reach beyond their typical audience. They contacted Paralympians, cooks and hurricane chasers on TikTok to promote their wide range of educational programs — the result: 21 million views and exposure to a new audience.

    To harness the true power of influencers, businesses should aim for a more profound alignment than a mere product endorsement. This collaboration should reflect shared values, a unified vision and genuine resonance with the target audience. This deep-rooted connection has the potential to foster not just temporary engagement but long-term brand loyalty.

    Related: 5 Ways to Stop Wasting Money on Influencer Marketing

    Part 2: Blending digital and physical worlds

    Many brands focus heavily on the digital realm when considering social media. However, the recipe for substantial success lies in orchestrating a symphony between digital engagements and physical realities. Especially for brands with brick-and-mortar stores, this harmony can engage the younger generation of consumers who seamlessly navigate between the online and offline worlds.

    McDonald’s ‘Grimace Shake’ campaign is an excellent example of this philosophy. This initiative didn’t just create a buzz; it crafted an engaging narrative that allowed consumers to participate actively. Consumers posted themselves getting the shake; some even made animated parodies, giving the shake to fictional characters from media franchises.

    The genius of the Grimace Shake is that it understood that engaging with social media is not simply a matter of advertising. People don’t want to stare at ads; they want to be a part of the action. This trend created a global cultural moment anyone could engage with: the gold standard of social media engagement.

    Another brand that has effectively harnessed this strategy is Duolingo, which leveraged its mascot for user engagement and kept a keen eye on evolving trends like TikTok’s rise. By focusing on this larger trend and creating content that matches young consumers’ irreverent and self-deprecating sense of humor, Duolingo earned 6.3 million TikTok followers, making it one of the most followed accounts on the website. Duolingo has been so successful that they are now starting to forgo TV advertisements.

    McDonald’s and Duolingo also share a marketing strength: their recognizable mascots. Their simple and iconic designs make it easy for young people to create memes featuring them. Again, hooks like these allow customers to engage. These monocolored, simple mascots can easily be inserted into images, making them ‘memeable,’ a valuable asset for engaging with GenZ consumers.

    However, this approach requires a shift from traditional advertising mindsets. It’s about embracing social media not merely as a billboard but as a platform for storytelling. The best stories aren’t just read or heard—they’re experienced. Brands need to create immersive experiences that allow consumers to be a part of the narrative, leading to stronger connections and loyalty.

    Related: How to Make Social Media Marketing Effective for Your Brand

    Part 3: Seeing through the noise with AI

    So, how can your brand forge such victories? The answer lies in understanding these insights and tailoring them to your unique brand proposition. Staying ahead of trends — both ephemeral fads and lasting shifts — is key to gaining a competitive edge.

    AI-powered sensing is an invaluable tool for identifying these trends and recognizing which ones will strike a chord with your consumers. For example, BeReal is a fast-growing social media platform with 20 million daily users. Yet, no companies have been able to capitalize on this space for marketing. Despite this, one of our AI sensing partners identified it as a growing space where companies could succeed by promoting their brands.

    To make the most of these trends, brands must be agile, constantly adapting their strategies based on these insights. It’s not enough to just know what’s “in” today. Businesses should be proactive, anticipating what’s coming next and positioning themselves at the forefront of these trends. This approach boosts brand visibility and positions the brand as an innovator in consumers’ eyes.

    The realm of social media presents an unparalleled opportunity to engage consumers in ways traditional advertising could never dream of. You can revolutionize your marketing strategy by creating brand-aligned partnerships with influencers, crafting narratives that interweave digital and physical experiences and harnessing AI’s trend-predicting powers. By channeling these strategies, you can become the next big sensation.

    The question is – are you ready?

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    Francesco Fazio

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  • How to Effectively Network as an Entrepreneur in 8 Easy Steps | Entrepreneur

    How to Effectively Network as an Entrepreneur in 8 Easy Steps | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Networking is an essential part of building a successful business. It’s about establishing meaningful connections with people who can help you achieve your goals, whether finding new clients, collaborating on projects or gaining valuable advice and insights from other entrepreneurs.

    At its core, networking is about building relationships, which can provide a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. But how can you build these connections in an authentic and lasting way? Here are some tips to help you harness the power of networking as an entrepreneur.

    1. Be intentional about your networking efforts

    Networking can take many forms, from attending industry events to joining online communities. The key is to be intentional about how you approach these opportunities. Rather than simply showing up and hoping to make some connections, think about what you want to achieve from your networking efforts. Do you want to meet potential clients? Are you looking for mentors or advisors? Do you want to collaborate with other entrepreneurs on a project?

    Once you’ve identified your goals, you can focus your networking efforts on the people and events that are most likely to help you achieve them. This approach will not only save you time and energy but will also ensure that you’re building connections that are relevant and meaningful for your business.

    This means taking a genuine interest in others, listening actively to their stories and perspectives, and being open and honest about your own experiences and challenges. Authenticity builds trust, and trust is the foundation of strong, lasting relationships.

    Related: Effective Networking: The Difference Between Access, Opportunity and Being a Part of the Noise

    2. Follow up and stay in touch

    Building relationships takes time and effort, and networking is just the first step. To make these connections last, you need to be proactive about following up and staying in touch with the people you meet.

    Related: 4 Free Ways to Grow Your Social Networks

    3. Be authentic and genuine

    Networking can sometimes feel like a transactional process, where people are only interested in what you can do for them. However, building lasting relationships requires a deeper level of authenticity and genuineness. Don’t approach networking with a “what’s in it for me” attitude; instead, focus on building real connections with the people you meet.

    This can take many forms, from sending a quick email to say thank you after a meeting to regularly checking in with your contacts to see how they’re doing. Social media can also be a valuable tool for staying connected, whether liking and commenting on their posts or sending them a direct message to catch up. The key is to be consistent and genuine in your efforts to stay in touch.

    4. Look for ways to add value

    Networking is not just about what you can get from others; it’s also about what you can give. Look for ways to add value to the people you meet, whether that’s by introducing them to someone in your network, sharing valuable resources or insights, or offering to help them with a specific challenge.

    By being generous and supportive, you’ll not only build stronger relationships with the people you meet, but you’ll also position yourself as a valuable resource and connector within your industry.

    Related: Effective Networking Requires Mastering These 5 Skills

    5. Be proactive about building your network

    Building relationships requires effort and intentionality. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you; instead, be proactive about seeking out new connections and building your network. This might mean attending industry events, joining online communities, or reaching out to people you admire and respect.

    The more proactive you are about building your network, the more opportunities you’ll have to connect with the right people and build lasting relationships that can help you achieve your business goals.

    6. Focus on quality over quantity

    It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers game when it comes to networking – how many business cards can you collect, how many LinkedIn connections can you make, etc. However, it’s important to remember that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to building lasting relationships.

    Rather than trying to meet as many people as possible, focus on building deep, meaningful connections with a smaller group of people who are aligned with your goals and values. These connections will be more valuable and impactful over the long term than a large network of superficial relationships.

    7. Be patient

    Building strong, lasting relationships takes time and effort. Don’t expect to make meaningful connections overnight; instead, be patient and persistent in your networking efforts. Remember that relationships take time to develop, and it may take several interactions or meetings before you establish a meaningful connection with someone.

    Be patient and stay committed to building relationships, even if you don’t see immediate results. Over time, your efforts will pay off in the form of a strong network of connections that can provide valuable support and opportunities for your business.

    8. Embrace diversity and inclusivity

    Finally, it’s important to recognize that business relationships are not just about meeting people like you. In fact, some of the most valuable connections you can make are with people with different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

    Embracing diversity and inclusivity in your networking efforts can help you broaden your horizons, learn new things, and gain valuable insights into different markets and industries. It can also help you build a more inclusive and diverse network of connections, providing valuable support and opportunities for your business over the long term.

    With a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, you’re sure to make great connections and achieve your dreams.

    Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, and networking can be your secret weapon to reach your business goals. It’s like having a magic wand that helps you make lasting connections, and we at SnapBlooms want to cheer you on. We wish you all the best in your networking endeavors!

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    Murali Nethi

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  • Only Women in The Room? That Was Me – Until I Took These Proactive Steps. | Entrepreneur

    Only Women in The Room? That Was Me – Until I Took These Proactive Steps. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    I recently had dinner with two women I’ve known for years. They’re both accomplished leaders with decades of experience in their respective fields. I’ve learned so much from these exceptional leaders and friends: the importance of standing up for your values, being unafraid to have difficult conversations in a respectful way and having the courage to make big changes.

    One of the women was trying to decide whether she should walk away from her job at a well-established company after many successful years. She was at a crossroads and needed advice. We talked it through and by the end of the night, she had a plan.

    Our support systems can be a boundless source of strength. Having a safe space to have frank conversations — to share our experiences and learn from each other — can make all the difference.

    Many times in my career, I’ve felt like a fish out of water as the lone woman in boardroom meetings. It took time, prioritization and investment to build a supportive network. But today, I am surrounded by collaborators, mentors and allies who encourage me to take on the next big thing, challenge my thinking and catalyze new ideas — and I do the same for them.

    Here’s what I’ve learned about finding and supporting my community.

    Be open to possibilities

    Professional relationships can spring from anywhere. Take the waitress who served us dinner that night. Overhearing snippets of our conversation, she told us she was a first-year communications student at the local university. This young woman had great energy, enthusiasm and drive. I gave her my card. I’d love to hire her in a co-op position when she is ready because I know I could learn from her, too.

    Look for those bright sparks and unexpected opportunities. If we are open to these possibilities, it can lead to impact we never imagined.

    Related: Don’t Cling Too Tightly to Your Goals. The Greatest Opportunities Are Often Unexpected.

    Listen and learn

    Lean into the relationships you have already established, whether through extracurricular activities, charitable work, your career, family or friends. These are people you trust who have already invested in you. Ask them how they have overcome challenges, found mentors and built circles of trust. There are always lessons that can be gleaned.

    Be thoughtful and authentic

    In a world of endless opportunities, it’s important to define your goals. What do you aim to achieve with, and through, your network? Create objectives that can evolve as you learn and grow.

    It’s equally important to be intentional in your approach to building relationships. Reflect on the company you choose to keep, how you foster trust, as well as your willingness to be open. The most trusted people in my network have helped me through some very rough waters. If I hadn’t let them in, I would not be who I am today.

    Develop a diverse network

    Look across your circle and see who is missing. Then take steps to build a richer and more inclusive network. Participate in new activities, ask questions and be curious and open to different perspectives. If we only surround ourselves with like-minded people who share the same lived experience, we limit our growth and the opportunity to add value. Think of the impact that diverse business teams and multidisciplinary research units are having in tackling some of the greatest challenges we face as a planet. Seeking out different viewpoints is a powerful way to learn, grow and achieve results — no matter what the goal.

    For example, Invest Ottawa works with dozens of partners every year to host International Women’s “Week,” an initiative that has grown into a month of activities. Our shared goal: to empower current and future women leaders from every walk of life. It brings together allies, partners, champions, women, men and nonbinary individuals to connect, listen and learn from each other to create opportunities that advance women leaders. Everyone is welcome. We have a long way to go, but step by step, it’s driving meaningful change in our community. And that impact is a result of the collaboration among a committed and diverse mix of people.

    Related: 8 Ways To Empower the Next Generation of Women Leaders

    Pursue warm introductions

    See a gap in your own learning? Ask everyone in your circle if they know someone who can help address it and if they can provide an introduction. Very few people turn down a respectful request for virtual coffee. You might have to work with their crammed schedule, but most great leaders say yes. And when they do, be sure to do your research and be clear about what you aim to achieve. This will help ensure an effective discussion and plant the seeds for a strong relationship.

    Chart your own path

    Once you’ve created a strong network of mentors and leaders, sometimes it’s easy to become swayed by their vision and lose sight of your own. How do you want to contribute to the world? What does success mean to you? Take the time to decide if their advice makes sense for you. If not, that is OK. You can always tuck it away for future consideration or explore how it could help someone else in your circle.

    Over the years, many people have encouraged me to pursue sales. “You’re so charismatic,” they say. “You’re leaving money on the table!” I have many friends who are brilliant sales leaders; I know this isn’t the right path for me. I love to chase public and private investment that drives innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development. That passion has enabled me to help secure hundreds of millions of dollars for, and with, many great organizations.

    Don’t be afraid to chart your own path to success. If you know what drives you, you can leverage the advice that’s most relevant to you. Today, I help lead an economic development agency where I can pursue bold ideas to create economic and societal impact with a committed team and community.

    Give back

    The most powerful relationships are founded on mutual respect and values. The best mentors want to learn from you, too. They won’t shy away from sharing their struggles as you share yours.

    Career wins should always be celebrated, but I’m certain my stumbles would be far more valuable to the young woman I met at the restaurant. After chatting with me, I’m hoping she knows that pivots offer some of the greatest lessons life has to offer. And that when she encounters challenges of her own, she’ll pick herself back up — and her network will be there to support her.

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    Sonya Shorey

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  • 5 Tips To Networking at Conferences as an Introvert | Entrepreneur

    5 Tips To Networking at Conferences as an Introvert | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Let’s be honest, networking can be an awkward experience for almost anyone, but if you’re the type of person that identifies as an introvert, then you probably understand that struggle better than anyone. Just the thought of meeting new people at a networking event can be enough to trigger knots in your stomach. I can relate to that feeling of dread because I too am an introvert and have had to build a complete mental plan when I attend large networking events and tradeshows.

    However, there are so many benefits from networking and attending conferences that it is well worth the awkwardness. Networking events can help you advance relationships in hours that may take years online to develop. When I have forced myself to attend events, I was able to forge new strategic partnerships and even create lifelong friendships.

    Creating a plan of action before you attend the conference is key to a successful networking experience. Here are my top five tips I use each time I attend a conference:

    1. Create a specific goal for the number of people you want to meet at the event

    If the event is for two days, don’t be overzealous and expect to meet 50 people. As introverts, we much prefer having fewer interactions that are deep and meaningful. I usually set an intention to meet three to five amazing people each day that I think will become long-term connections. If I only connect with two that day, but they were meaningful conversations, I don’t beat myself up with a missed opportunity. On the contrary, I reward myself for having the courage to have conversations with two strangers.

    Related: 6 Ways Introverts Can Avoid Feeling Shy at Conferences

    2. Break the ice before you attend

    Once you set a specific goal to meet others at the conference, do some initial research online and send each person an introduction via email or message before you meet them in person. Generally, I will review any information on the conference’s website, including specific booth numbers.

    In addition, I research the attendees’ profiles on LinkedIn so I can understand their backgrounds and interests. To break the ice, I always create a personalized video and forward it to their email or through LinkedIn messaging.

    Here is an example of my video script “Hey Lisa, I am eager to connect with you at the National Cybersecurity Conference next week. After viewing your LinkedIn profile, I am even more impressed at your commitment to healthcare security. I would love a 15-minute chat at your booth #225 to learn more about your initiatives for 2023 and share our current cybersecurity strategy in the healthcare space. Do we need to schedule a time, or can I just stop by and introduce myself?” In most cases, cold calls, emails and messages receive very few responses. However, the video messages I send have a 70% success rate because of the personalized approach and the immediacy of the upcoming conference.

    3. Come prepared with three key points to share in the conversations

    When meeting people at networking events, make sure you come prepared with ideas for what you want to share. At times, you may only have five minutes, so you have to treat it as if was an elevator pitch. Consider the three critical points you would love for them to remember. One of those points should be a story or impactful statement that will leave them wanting to learn more about you and your company. Here is an example of a three-point approach. “Lisa, thank you for taking a few moments today at the cybersecurity conference. Two years ago, our team cracked the code on eliminating 98% of ransomware threats within 8 seconds of detection. We would love to have you test out our software and see if it can be an addition to your security process. How is your team currently navigating ransomware threats with your prospective customers? This can help set the stage for a meaningful dialogue and get the conversation off to a strong start.

    Related: Even Introverts Can Excel at Networking by Following These Steps

    4. The person that talks the most loses the deal

    The adage that most people prefer to talk about themselves or their interests is true. Therefore, I usually focus on 70% of the conversation being led by them. As they are talking, I am taking mental notes on anything that is interesting or relevant and can be used in responding with purpose. In fact, I rarely prepare a full conversation agenda because the agenda is improvised during the conversation. In this way, it allows the discussion to be authentic and spontaneous as opposed to rehearsed with canned responses. This can help you stay focused and engaged with the actual topics being discussed as opposed to the topics you assumed would be discussed.

    5. Always find your anchor

    One of my first goals at any conference is to find my anchor. An anchor is someone that you can converse with throughout the conference and they will help support introductions or make suggestions on specific conference workshops. I rarely know the anchor prior to the event. However, I always know when I have met my anchor because they are easy to connect with and able to open doors to situations that may be uncomfortable for an introvert. Finding my anchor is essential, or else I may feel so uncomfortable and I will either hide in a corner or go back to my hotel room. Honestly, I have done both many times at conferences.

    Final words

    Networking is well worth it, and it can help you open many doors in your business. For introverts connecting and networking in large crowds may always feel a bit awkward. However, with some key tips, you will find that networking can be less stressful and more fun. Good luck!

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    Kedma Ough, MBA

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  • Self-made millionaire says 90% of your success depends on this single skill: ‘Young people are terrible at it’

    Self-made millionaire says 90% of your success depends on this single skill: ‘Young people are terrible at it’

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    Before I retired early at 35, I spent 14 years working in technology. In my senior management positions, I interviewed more than 100 candidates. A surprising amount of them didn’t even make it to the second round.

    But being good at interviews isn’t just about landing jobs. Knowing how to develop a rapport with people is crucial in so many facets of your professional life, such as navigating relationships, problem-solving, getting clients, public speaking, and negotiating salaries and raises.

    Based on my experience, 90% of your early success boils down to your ability nail job interviews. Unfortunately, most young people are terrible at it.

    Here are my five rules for getting it right:

    1. There is no such thing as being overdressed.

    I’ve seen people show up to interviews in a t-shirt and jeans while I was wearing a buttoned-down shirt. Even if they were qualified in other ways, it showed poor judgement and a lack of consideration.

    I’ve never thought less of a candidate because they were overdressed. If you’re unsure how professional your attire should be, ask your HR contact about the office dress code.

    Bringing a notebook and pen will also help you look prepared and organized.

    2. Be honest about where you can improve.

    When job interviewers ask about your biggest weaknesses, what they’re really measuring is your level of self-awareness and problem-solving skills.

    Stock picks and investing trends from CNBC Pro:

    The best way to answer is to be honest about where you struggle and what you’ve done so far to improve.

    For example: “I tend to rush through projects and sometimes miss the small details, so I’m starting to move at a steadier pace and ask other team members for input.”

    3. Emphasize unique problem-solving skills.

    Two interview questions I always asked:

    1. Tell me about a time when you solved a common problem using an unconventional solution.
    2. Describe a time when you failed. How did you manage the situation?

    A lot of people got stuck on these because they didn’t want to talk about their mistakes.

    But I wasn’t worried about them getting things wrong; failure helps us get better. I was more interested in how they assessed failure and recovered from it, and how they would do the same on my team.

    4. Always ask at least two questions. 

    Never pass on the chance to ask questions at the end of an interview. I’ve hired people because they asked insightful questions rather than bailing at the earliest opportunity.

    The best questions show that you want to be immediately valuable to the team and that you have a growth mindset.

    A few examples:

    • What’s one challenge you regularly face in your job?
    • What are the most pressing projects that need attention?
    • Will there be opportunities for stretch assignments where I can learn and use new skills?
    • Does the company offer training programs to employees?

    5. Bring engaging stories with you.

    One of the best indications that someone was a right fit for my team was their ability to tell a story.

    What are your most memorable work experiences? Maybe it’s an unexpected incident that helped you land you a client. Or how you used humor to save your company from embarrassment. The best stories are engaging, unforgettable, and spark some sort of emotion.

    Having a good story also makes the interviewing process more interesting and enjoyable for everyone in the room.

    Steve Adcock is a personal finance and career expert who blogs about how to achieve success and financial independence. A former software developer, he retired early at the age of 35. Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveOnSpeed.

    Don’t miss:

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  • Balenciaga fashion house cuts ties with Ye, report says

    Balenciaga fashion house cuts ties with Ye, report says

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    PARIS — The Balenciaga fashion house has cut ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, according to a news report.

    The move came after several offensive comments from Ye, including antisemitic posts that earned him suspensions from Twitter and Instagram.

    “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” parent company Kering told Women’s Wear Daily in response to a query Friday without elaborating.

    The company did not respond to multiple emails and calls from The Associated Press requesting comment. A representative for Ye also did not respond to a request for comment.

    Ye had collaborated in several areas with Balenciaga and its artistic director, Demna Gvasalia. The label has also had an active relationship with Kim Kardashian, Ye’s ex-wife, who has appeared in their advertising campaigns and credits her former husband with introducing her to the brand.

    Ye was recently blocked from posting on Twitter and Instagram over antisemitic posts that the social networks said violated their policies. He has also suggested slavery was a choice and called the COVID-19 vaccine the “mark of the beast.”

    After getting locked out of the social media platforms, he’s offered to buy right-wing-friendly social network Parler.

    During Paris Fashion Week, the rapper walked as a model in Balenciaga’s ready-to-wear show — what designer Gvasalia at the time called an “iconic moment.” He was then seen at Givenchy’s collection wearing a Balenciaga-branded black tooth brace.

    Ye was also criticized that week for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his Yeezy collection show in Paris and the shirt made an appearance on the runway itself. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, White Lives Matter is a neo-Nazi group.

    In recent weeks, Ye has ended Yeezy’s association with Gap and has told Bloomberg that he plans to cut ties with his corporate suppliers. Adidas has placed its sneaker deal with Ye under review, and JPMorganChase and Ye have ended their business relationship — although the banking breakup was in the works even before Ye’s antisemitic comments.

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