Has Facebook Gone Too Far?!

People are curiously questioning whether Facebook is secretly eavesdropping on their personal conversations. Regardless if this is for advertising purposes... has Facebook gone too far??

Some claim that they believe Facebook can hear their private conversations because advertisements are so personally targeted towards things that they claim they haven't even searched yet. Who knows what our smartphones are actually capable of doing?

In 2016, reports revealed that Facebook generated $5.38 billion in revenue- with $5.2 billion of it being from advertising. Therefore, accuracy of advertisements is critical in targeting consumers and creating effective posts. The means they use to achieve this accuracy might be unknown to us as consumers.

However, Facebook issued a statement denying the claims and affirm that they are not listening in for advertisement or any other reasons.

They might "claim" that they aren't listening, but the real question is: do you believe it?

Regardless, it's always better to be safe than sorry, and just in case here is how to disable microphone access on the Facebook app:

1. Click on the Settings app
2. Scroll down to "Facebook"
3. Click on the Settings option 
4. Switch Microphone to off

Out With the Old...And In With the New

I find myself consistently trying to keep up with the new "slang" that seems to be updated way to often... so I thought I'd start to make a list to keep track.

Here is a list of some words that have taken on a completely new meaning thanks to social media:

1. "Poke"

• Old Definition: jab or prod (someone or something), especially with one's finger.
• New Definition: a way to attract the attention of another person on Facebook by using the ‘poke’ facility (usually randomly by someone you haven't talked to in a few years).

2.  "Feed"

• Old Definition: give food to.
• New Definition: a place to go in order to see what people in your social circle are posting/doing with their life that you in reality don't care much about. 

3. "Friend"

• Old Definition: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection in person. 
• New Definition: a person you met once at a bar and decided to add on social media in order to get a better follower ratio. 

4. "Tweet"

• Old Definition: the chirp of a small or young bird
• New Definition: a posting (usually of an irrelevant opinion or rant) made on the social media website Twitter that is limited to 140 characters- thankfully. 

5. "Tag"

• Old Definition: a children's game in which one chases the rest, and anyone who is touched then becomes the pursuer. 
• New Definition: a way to link someone to an embarrassing photo on Facebook or Instagram in order for them to be attached to it forever whether they like it or not. 

With the fast pace lifestyle of the internet, I'm sure there are even more meanings being created right now. Is there really anyone that can keep up with all these absurd new meanings??? 

Catfishing: Don't take the BAIT!

Catfish (v.): an individual who sets up a false personal profile on a social networking site for fraudulent or deceptive purposes 

With the accessibility and ease to what almost feels like an unlimited amount of social media sites, there are a variety of ways for cruel people to make fake accounts and bully online today. 

One of these ways includes catfishing.

Who are these catfishers? People that are...

• Compulsive liars 
• Addicted to fantasy
• May have a history of abuse
• Have a feeling of being unloved or unwanted
• May desire to hurt others
• Possible self-esteem issues

Possible motivations include:

• Revenge
• Loneliness
• Curiosity 
• Boredom

Over the last decade in the US, the percentage of people that know someone who has dated online has increased drastically from 11% to 42%. Also, the percentage of people that know someone who has met their partner online has increased from 15% to 29% in the last decade as well.

What does this mean? This gives a lot more opportunities for catfishing online. 

Studies show that women are 50% more likely to lie about themselves on social media. 

Another study shows that 1 out of every 10 dating profiles are fake. 

How to avoid the bait: 

• If they seem too good to be true, then they probably are!!! 
• Look out for glamorous professions
• Be cautious of the random people who start communication with you online
• Check for mutual friends

Red flags:

• Have dramatic reasons for not meeting in person
• Keep you on the hook with the promise of meeting later
• Give excuses of why they can't use webcam or send pictures

Today, Nev Schulman hosts the MTV show "Catfish" in order to help others discover the true identity of their online romances after he was personally catfished. He popularized the term "catfishing."

If you are out there on these online dating websites, be careful and don't get "hooked" or you might end up on MTV!

Nick...Fourth Time's the Charm?

Social media buzzed with comments during the Bachelor's dramatic 3-hour Finale. After making it to the finale of two previous seasons of the Bachelorette, America spent all their time wondering if Nick Viall would ever find love??? 

As we all tuned in on our televisions Monday night, we couldn't help but think: would the woman of Nick's dreams say yes as he got down on one knee, or would she leave him heartbroken and standing alone at the altar AGAIN?! Or even worse, would Nick choose nobody and voluntarily be standing at the altar alone in the end??

The possibilities are endless... 

As I promised myself I wouldn't waste three hours of my Monday night watching Nick's treacherous acting skills, I found myself still glued to the TV at 10:59PM.

Although America spent every aching moment wondering, our minds were finally put at ease when we found out Nick did in fact find love with Vanessa...well at least we thought. 

On the "After the Final Rose" episode, which premieres the newly engaged couple for the first time, viewers couldn't help but question the tension between the "happily" engaged couple. And of course, Twitter exploded with memes and tweets to acknowledge it. 

Even, past bachelors and bachelorettes were commenting on the awkwardness.

Others just made jokes about Nick's final choice.

 

As Chris Harrison would say..."It was one of the most dramatic seasons of the Bachelor YET!"

Queen B Slays Once Again

While most of us are just hoping to merely hit enough likes on Instagram so a numerical number shows up, Beyonce has just stolen the spot as the most liked Instagram photo of all time.

As Queen B announces her pregnancy with twins, she captions the Instagram photo, "We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. - The Carters." 

With 10.5 million likes and 519 thousand comments, Beyonce has far surpassed Selena Gomez, who last held the title with 6.5 million likes and 273 thousand comments. 

And of course... with Queen B's jaw dropping news, social media channels blew up with some unforgettable memes. 

This is gonna be a hard one to top, Kimye. 

How Much Do Celebrities Actually Make for Taking A Selfie, Typing #ad, and Pressing Share?

Have you ever wondered how much a celebrity gets paid to endorse a product by posting a picture on Instagram?

According to Captiv8 research, the following was discovered:

For an individual with three to seven million followers, he/she can charge (on average)...

• $187,500 for a post on YouTube
• $75,000 for a post on Instagram or Snapchat
• $30,000 for a post on Twitter. 

For a person with 50,000 to 500,000 followers, he/she can charge (on average)...

• $2,500 for a post on YouTube
• $1,000 for a post on Instagram or Snapchat
• $400 for a post on Twitter. 

Now...with that in context, take a celebrity like Kim Kardashian West who has 92 million followers.

Kim, who is far from average, definitely got paid many more zeros than that. 

The bottom line- celebrity endorsements are powerful forces for brands, but you will have to pay the big bucks for them!

Welcome back, Bieber!!

*cue the piercing teenage screams*

February 3, 2017... A day to mark down in history... A day the world was changed... A day that gave people a new purpose to live... A day that will never be forgotten... The day Justin Bieber returned to Instagram.

For all the Beliebers out there, Justin Bieber has finally reactivated his Instagram account after being absent for a whopping 22 weeks. The heartbreaking time apart has made fans anxious for the Bieb's return of his countless shirtless selfies shared on social media.

One thing is for sure...Bieber fever is at an all time high since the superstar came back on Instagram to share his T-Mobile Super Bowl ad by captioning, "Let me see your #unlimitedmoves."

The post has over 6.7 million views and 1.8 million likes with fans leaving comment after comment of heart emojis.

A Super Bowl ad commercial has been a dream of Justin's for a few years showing from a tweet he posted back in 2015. 

We're glad your dream came true Justin, but we are even more happy you're back.
Now don't try to leave us again, okay?

Has Snapchat Gone Too Far?

Just when you thought millennials couldn't put down their phones, Snapchat has gone the extra mile to ensure that they can consistently be present in cyber space. In case you are late to the party, Snapchat now sells camera-equipped sunglasses called Spectacles.

These glasses can record videos that can be sent and accessed through the Snapchat app. The Spectacles cost $130 and are available in three colors: red, teal, and black. However, the glasses are currently only being sold in limited amounts from pop-up shops around the United States. 

The video shows a 115 degree angle view to try and mimic the perspective of the human eye. Then, the footage is sent to the Snapchat app via bluetooth or Wifi, and from there can be edited and sent to friends or your story. The Spectacles come with its own case that can also conveniently charge your glasses up to four times. 

Now, all you have to do is (1) find a Spectacles pop up shop, (2) convince yourself its worth it to spend $130 on these glasses, (3) decide which color you look best in, and (4) tap the button on the top of the frames to start recording. 

Happy snapchatting to all you snapchatters!!!

Trump Trauma

As Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president last week, the people of the United States are ready to speak their minds regardless of whether they think he will "Make America Great Again" or not. They immediately turned to every social platform they could reach to express their opinions. One platform especially used to speak out was Twitter, and it has sparked waves of memes regarding the inauguration. People showed no mercy and used their 140 character tweet to roast the new POTUS. Some hashtags included #InaugurationDay, #ThankYouObamas, #DumpTrump, and #NotMyPresident.

Regardless if you are a Trump supporter or not, Twitter has become a place for strangers to connect and talk about events that are currently taking place. In a way, it has become a combination of a chat room and live blogging for users to either come together or debate current events. From funny cat videos to important breaking news, there is a ludicrous amount of information on Twitter, but if filtered in the right way, it can be a useful resource to plot trends and hear what people are demanding.

The Kardashians....might have talent???

Some say the Kardashians don't have talent, which may be true... but one thing is a fact: they know how to turn public criticism into business opportunities.  

For Kim Kardashian, she has been criticized for being talentless, dumb, and a bad role model for the countless provocative selfies she has posted to Twitter and Instagram. With this attack by critics, Kim bites back by saying “I am empowered by my body. I am empowered by my sexuality. I am empowered by feeling comfortable in my skin. I am empowered by showing the world my flaws and not being afraid of what anyone is going to say about me. And I hope that through this platform I have been given, I can encourage the same empowerment for girls and women all over the world.” Furthermore to 'stick it to her haters', Kim collaborated to publish a book called Selfish...with no words...just selfies. As bizarre as it sounds, the 352 page selfie book sold 32,000 copies in just three months.

For Khloe Kardashian, she has been labeled as "the fat sister." She has come a long way since the public eye caught wind of her family. Since the start of the family's reality show, she has lost 40 pounds and cut her dress size in half from a size 12 to a size 6. This transformation once again has been talked about continually in tabloids and relentlessly on the internet. Khloe, who has been asked about this weight loss in almost every interview, took this opportunity to start Good American which is a denim line to fit every woman's body style from sizes 0-24. Once again, another Kardashian member took advantage of the light and noise the tabloids created for them and turned it into business.

For Kylie Jenner, there have been endless hateful and criticizing remarks regarding her cosmetically enhanced lips. Due to Kylie's delay in confessing about getting lip injections and almost seemed as she was in denial about them, it quickly became headlines for every tabloid. After finally coming clean, she turned this negative light on her overly plumped lips into a way to make money in typical Kardashian fashion. The 19 year old started the cosmetic line Kylie Cosmetics that began with lip kits and has since expanded into eyeliners, eyeshadows, and brush sets. During her first release of products, the amount of traffic on her website actually 'broke' google analytics. And, during her second release, the lip kits were sold out in under ten minutes.

So if the Kardashians are so talentless, where does the real success of these business ideas come from? There is one simple answer for this: their social platform. With 49.5 million followers on Twitter, Kim Kardashian uses this platform to promote her book. Khloe Kardashian uses her Instagram profile to reach 60.3 million people about the launch and updates on her denim line. Lastly, as the number one follower on Snapchat, Kylie uses this social media stage to communicate with fans/future consumers about her current and future products and release dates. Each of them also ask fans for feedback and suggestions for new products through these social channels and respond to comments to show consumers they are listening. Overall, the products the Kardashians are providing may not be the most essential in the lives of consumers...but at the end of the day, they know how to take full advantage of their voice, platform, and social channels to get consumers to listen, react, and try their products.