Digital Content

[Commentary] The so-called social media revolution isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Sites like Twitter and Facebook exacerbate emotions like outrage and fear—and don’t help democracy flourish. Social media too easily bypasses the rational or at least reasonable parts of our minds, on which a democratic public sphere depends. It speaks instead to the emotional, reactive, quick-fix parts of us, that are satisfied by images and clicks that look pleasing, that feed our egos, and that make us think we are heroic.

In an effort to examine more deeply where people “draw the line” when it comes to online harassment, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey in which respondents were presented with fictional scenarios depicting different types of escalating online interactions. The survey then asked them to indicate which specific elements of the story they considered to be harassment. Their answers indicate that Americans broadly agree that certain behaviors are beyond the pale.

In recent months, Twitter has started to explain why it disagrees with calls for banning President Donald Trump’s account or deleting some of his tweets. 

What does this megadeal tell us about the future of TV?

1. Broadband Video Is The Future
2. The Future of TV is Global
3. The Future of Video is Full Stack & D2C

The future of the TV business will be a grand, global game played out over broadband and delivered via apps. The prize is direct access to the hearts, minds, and wallets of middle-class urbanites around the world. Prior to this announcement, Netflix was leaving the competition in its dust. No more. Netflix needs to take a serious look in the rear view mirror.

Here's a fun question to pose at the family dinner table: have you ever heard of Alteryx? Whether you have or not, chances are good that it has heard of you. Alteryx is a data analytics company that makes its money by repackaging data that it has collected from different sources. And it became the latest reminder of how much data little-known companies have collected on us — and how little oversight there is over the security of that data. Data collection and analysis is a strong and growing multibillion dollar business, with thousands of firms.

As 2017 grinds to a halt, two media business stories promise to have a substantial impact on streaming video. 1) The Federal Communications Commission voted on Dec. 14 to overturn Obama-era regulations on net neutrality, which, simply put, prevented internet providers from playing favorites in terms of speed and bandwidth, and 2) the impending merger of the Walt Disney Company and certain major components of 21st Century Fox. 

The Trump administration stepped up its support for protesters in Iran calling on the government to stop blocking Instagram and other social media sites while encouraging Iranians to use special software to circumvent controls. 

President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve retweeted a doctored image with the CNN logo imposed on a bloodlike splatter under his shoe, prompting an outcry — with critics deeming the picture and its timing offensive. 

On the same day the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal its 2015 network neutrality rules, the Walt Disney Company announced a deal to buy most of 21st Century Fox. The all-stock transaction is valued at roughly $52.4 billion. If approved, Disney would go from being “a juggernaut to being a megajuggernaut.” Disney hopes the acquisition of Fox’s sports and entertainment content will give it new market power in the growing online distribution market (streaming services). The FCC’s move is not unrelated.

The Bundesnetzagentur prohibited certain aspects of the "StreamOn" add-on option offered by Telekom Deutschland GmbH (Telekom) with its "MagentaMobil" mobile tariff. The decision ensures that the provisions of the European Regulation on roaming and net neutrality are being complied with. "Telekom can continue to offer StreamOn. But in the interest of consumers, adjustments have to be made to the arrangement," explained Jochen Homann, Bundesnetzagentur President.