Youtube is cracking down on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and has announced a total ban on content falsely claiming that the vaccine is harmful or ineffective. Youtube has terminated the accounts of several prominent anti-vaccine influencers, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joseph Mercola who have contributed to skepticism surrounding the vaccine and slowed vaccination rates in the United States. Since the ban, over 133,000 videos featuring coronavirus misinformation have been removed from the platform.
Youtube had existing policies on COVID-19 misinformation but this new ban had broadened its enforcement against content claiming the vaccine is dangerous or that vaccines are a cause of autism. The company announced, “We’re now at a point where it’s more important than ever to expand the work we started with COVID-19 to other vaccines.”
Anti-vaccine advocates have been using platforms like Youtube and Facebook for over a decade. In the past both platforms haven been reluctant to censor content arguing it challenges users’ rights to free speech. Matt Halprin, YouTube’s vice president of global trust and safety stated, “Developing robust policies takes time. We wanted to launch a policy that is comprehensive, enforceable with consistency and adequately addresses the challenge.”
Netflix’s Korean-Language suspenseful, thriller Squid Game has been the #1 show in several countries since it’s release in mid-September and might be on track to be the most watched show on the platform as a whole. According to a recent Forbes article, the current list of highest viewed Netflix shows includes titles such as Bridgerton, Stranger Things, Money Heist and Lupin, which is a French-Language series. Ted Sarandos, CEO of Netflix, recently teased that Squid Game is ranking within the range of those shows and may pass them in total viewership.
Squid Game is a dystopian, thriller series that currently has one season. It follows a group of cash-strapped Korean citizens that are brought to play a series of deadly children’s games for a cash prize of 45.6 Billion South Korean won (38.6 million U.S. dollars). Watch the Official Trailer below:
This is the first time a Korean Series has reached first place in the United States in Netflix weekly rankings. It is interesting to see foreign language media gain such a high level of popularity in the United States. I think this was bound to happen sooner rather than later, seeing the success BTS and K-pop has had with music listeners and the great success and accolades of the Korean film, Parasite. The small peninsula East Asian country of South Korea is making their mark on the 21st century Western World with entertainment and media.
Since August 31st, 2021 Hong Kong/Beijing China announced the new ban for online gaming in reference to children 18 and under. On weekdays the children will limit their play to just three hours. This new ban went into affect this past Monday and was announced by China’s National Press and Publication Administration. The restrictions were specific as ‘people under 18 will be allowed to play video games one hour a day between 8pm and 9pm, mostly on weekends or nationally celebrated holidays’.
This is a huge blow to the gaming industry in China that rely on loyal players and subscribers. But is this an attempt to regulate children’s exposure to “specific types of video games?”. On the other hand, is this an attempt to regulate children’s media exposure as a whole in China? In 2021 there over 110 million minors playing video games in China. It’s expected that this number will decline due to the reduction in time they’re allowed to play, which will also influence money spent by these players under 18. https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/31/tech/china-ban-video-games-minor-intl-hnk/index.html
In 2019, there were limits restricting play to 90 minutes a week for children. Authorities state that these new restrictions were created to attempt to prevent young people from becoming addicted to video/online games. They also stated that placing these specific restrictions will protect the healthy growth of minors in China. In reaction to this, investors such as NetEase (NTES) declined 3.4% during trading hours in New York Monday the 27th.
This may also impact the industry of eSports in China. Its the international gaming competition (Olympics) for online video gamers. If minors are limited to the amount of hours they are allowed to play, the momentum for this event could die down, impacting China’s economy. On the other hand, they are paying close attention to the potential behavior changes for children/adolescents after exposure to these games. Attempting to get ahead of the “problem” they see for their citizens. Will Chinese kids find a way around this restriction? And play video games as normal? What does the enforcement of these new restrictions look like?
” There are over 110 million minors that play video games in China today, and we expect the new limits to lead to a decline in the number of players…”
Star of 1993’s cult classic loose adaptation of the Super Mario Brothers property John Leguizamo recently expressed disapproval for the upcoming animated Super Mario Brothers film (Dick, 2021). The film in question is slated for release on December 21st of 2022. Leguizamo’s disapproval comes as a result of the notable absence of Latinx lead actors in the recently revealed voice acting lineup. The cast includes: Chris Prat as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Veteran Mario voice actor Charles Martinet will also be in the film as unspecified cameos. About this matter, the former Luigi actor posted a tweet stating:
“So glad #superMariobros is getting a reboot!” Leguizamo says in the tweet. “Obviously it’s iconic enuff. But too bad they went all white! No Latinx in the leads! Groundbreaking color-blind casting in original! Plus I’m the only one who knows how to make this movie work script wise!”
The 1993 Mario Film was directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jenkle. The film was written by Parker Bennett, Tery Runte, and Ed Solomon. Bob Hoskins played Mario in this adaptation, Dennis Hopper played King Koopa, Samantha Mathis Played Princess Daisy, and Frank Welker played Yoshi.
Chris Prat made a point of noting just how excited he is to play Mario stating “dreams really do come true” on Instagram. Prat then recounted a time during his youth when he used to steal coins from a wishing well and use them to play Mario. This was followed by Prat’s stating:
“It just dawned on me right now. The quarter I stole out of the wishing well to play Super Mario Bros. has come true, that I get to be the voice of Mario. But, I clearly stole someone else’s wish, so, just waiting for that row of karma dominoes to come crashing down on me.”
I’m interested in the upcoming Mario film for the reason that the Mario intellectual property represents the best selling video game franchise of all time. Mario had approximately 620 million copies of his various games around the world as of January of 2020 (Adler, 2020). With this being the case I feel as though it is undeniable that this film will have a major cultural impact. Regarding the casting choices, while i’m not fond of the fact that the leads aren’t being played by Latinx people I am a big fan of all of the actors that have been chosen outside of that fact.
On Monday, TikTok revealed that it has crossed a major milestone, by reaching more than 1 billion monthly active users. TikTok, which is privately held by the Chinese internet giant ByteDance, is the successor to Musical.ly and was originally a platform for lip-syncing videos. During a rapid growth in the last few years, the app has expanded to other categories and is now considered one of the most used interactive platforms, especially among teens and young adults.
“Each month, over a billion people from around the world come to TikTok to be entertained, inspired or discover something new, like sports, music, arts and culture, fashion, DIY and more.”
TikTok COO Vanessa Pappas
In my opinion, this is a relevant article because TikTok is one of the most successful apps, and therefore has an impact on further developments in social media brands, as well as user behavior. Moreover, I find the statements Sofia Hernandez made an interview last week very interesting. Talking to Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit, the head of North American business marketing at TikTok explained: “TikTok runs on a content graph so we consider us as more of an entertainment platform. What we’re finding is our users are spending a movie’s worth of time-consuming content on TikTok daily. So, while people will go check social platforms they came to watch TikTok.” I was wondering why Hernandez wants TikTok to be considered as an entertainment platform, rather than a social platform. Maybe, this definition is more profitable or honorable for TikTok.
YouTube announced the launch of their very first podcast “The Upload: The Rise of the Creator Economy”. Partnering up with National Public Media, YouTube offers a look behind the scenes of the so-called “Creators Economy”, a term to describe the growing numbers of creators who monetize their on-platform effort.
“We wanted to showcase the magic of the creator economy in an entirely new way, by taking people behind the scenes to learn what goes into the businesses of the creators whose videos they watch every day.”
– YouTube
This podcast is another way for YouTube to support creators in becoming businesses, which therefore keeps them posting on YouTube regularly. The 5-part-series will be hosted by Britanny Luse, an award-winning journalist, and co-host of For Colored Nerds podcast. In an introduction video, Luse asks her potential future audience: “How much do you really know about how YouTube works? Like how do creators go from uploading a video to running an actual business? What does it take to go from recording in your living room to scaling, hiring a team, and turning your passion into a full-time career?” She will discuss all these questions with her guests, including popular YouTubers like Lilly Singh, Caleb Marshall (The Fitness Marshall), Emmy Cho (emmymade), Leah Bolden (See Jane Drill), the Lau Family (Made with Lau), and rap artist DDG (DDG).
New episodes of “The Upload: The Rise of the Creator Economy” will be released every Wednesday, starting on September 22nd. The podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Google Podcasts, and more.
Because of YouTube’s pioneering role and enormous influence on other digital media businesses, its’ first podcast is a piece of interesting news. As I want to work in a media company someday, it might be interesting to get some background information on how this giant media business works and how creators can be successful in it.
YouTube’s first podcast is also a reaction to the growing significance of music streaming. In the last year, YouTube reported that YouTube Music itself has more than 77 million subscribers and that music video streaming is at an all-time high. The success of this new audio-offer might influence whether YouTube will dive deeper into the podcast business.
Last week TikTok announced it would be adding new mental health resources for users struggling with suicidal ideations. The resources available include crisis call and text hotlines and advice on how to engage with someone in a crisis when a users searches #suicide.
In their announcement Tiktok stated, “We care deeply about our community, and we always look for new ways in which we can nurture their well-being.That’s why we’re taking additional steps to make it easier for people to find resources when they need them on TikTok.”
The updates to the app coincide with Suicide Prevention Awareness month, which takes place in September. Many users have turned to the app to speak out about mental health and wellbeing and to connect with other users struggling with anxiety and depression. The #MentalHealth hashtag has been viewed more than 16.4 billion times and the #MentalHealthMatters hashtag has been viewed over 13.5 billion times.
Professional say this is a step in the right direction for that app as research shows social media platforms can contribute to depression and anxiety, especially among young users. However, experts warn not to replace TikTok’s new resources with professional therapeutic and psychiatric care.
Photo via The New York Times, Screenshots from the TikTok accounts of Haley Toumanian and Paris Campbell
On July 2nd, YouTuber Gabby Petito, 22, left Blue Point, New York with her fiance Brian Laundrie for a four month cross country road trip. During their trip Petito shared updates and videos of their travels to Instagram and Youtube. On September 1st, Laundrie returned home alone, 10 days later Petito’s family reported her missing. Authorities have named Laundrie as the sole person of interest in the case and have issued a warrant for his arrest.
The search for Petito has turned into a social media sensation. #GabbyPetito has more than 500 million views on TikTok. Developments in the Petito case have been investigated by internet sleuths and amateur TikTok and Instagram detectives. Posts sharing updates, evidence, and theories about the Petito case have been circulating around the internet turning up leads for police.
Travel vloggers Jenn and Kyle Bethune were one several social media users tagged in a post asking those who had visited Grand Teton park, Petito’s last know whereabouts, to share any information they may have had. After reviewing their GroPro footage from the park, the Bethunes identified the white van Petito and Laundrie were driving in one of their videos. The couple shared the footage with the FBI before posting it online.
Petito’s remains were found in Grand Teton Park, Wyoming, close to the spot where footage of the couple’s van was filmed. Authorities are now on the search for Laundrie after he was also reported missing on September 17th and believed to be on the run.
Netflix has been working swiftly to obtain some of the best content for their popular streaming platform this past year. As their largest acquisition, they have gained Roald Dahl’s works such as Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, The BFG, and Matilda. The announcement was made Wednesday, September 23rd shortly after the entire literary estate was sold.
(Image via Judy Newman at Scholastic)
Now that Netflix has creative freedom with Dahl’s work, new adaptions such as Matilda the Musical and shorter series versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are already in the works. New energy and life are being put into Dahl’s writing with possibilities of an entire universe of games, consumer products, and live-action production.
Dahl has, however, had a history of anti-Semitic remarks. Roald Dahl Story Co. released a public statement about a year ago addressing the issue.
Those prejudiced remarks are incomprehensible to us and stand in marked contrast to the man we knew and to the values at the heart of Roald Dahl’s stories, which have positively impacted young people for generations.
Despite urges from viewers including the Jewish community, Netflix is yet to comment on the controversy. Will this be seen as condemning anti-semitism?
Regardless, Netflix is focused and striving to keep up with its competitors. Disney is pulling ahead of the streaming service race with more than 116 million subscribers. However, this deal filled with classic delight suited for children and adults will surely keep Netflix on the forefront.
This past Monday, K-Pop boyband BTS attended an event at the United Nations New York headquarters preceding the 76th annual U.N. general assembly meeting the next day. As an attempt to catch the attention and raise viewership from the 15 to 25 year old demographic around the world, South Korean President Moon Jae-In invited the 7 member group as designated youth envoys.
At the event, the group premiered a pre-recorded performance video of their song “Permission to Dance” which garnered one million live viewers and later garnered millions more. The video shows the members singing throughout the aisles of the assembly hall, dancing in the building’s lobby and gathering in a flash mob with backup dancers outside the U.N. headquarters.
K-Pop group BTS performing “Permission to Dance” at the U.N. New York Headquarters
After airing the pre-recorded video, BTS then delivered a live speech to their millions of fans streaming online and to assemblymen sat in the general assembly hall. Their speech, as youth envoys, centered around “the COVID generation”, struggles of today’s youth and the importance of working toward a sustainable future to combat climate change. One of the members, J-Hope, also mentions that the entire group is vaccinated which is important in influencing their fans to get vaccinated if they have not yet. This is the 3rd time the band has spoken for the annual U.N. annual General Assembly, the first time in 2018 in person and the 2nd in 2020 virtually.
BTS’ speech at an event preceding the 76th annual U.N. General Assembly
This appearance shows how world leaders are even understanding the power of influencers on Gen Z. A boyband attending, performing and speaking at an event for the United Nations seems almost silly and out of place but their presence did exactly what it was intended to do – get Generation Z talking and watching the events of the U.N. General assembly and to “reinvigorate interest” in the U.N.’s sustainable development goals. Without the importance of parasocial relationships and digital media, we might have never seen BTS sway their hips and sing to an upbeat pop melody in the same room world leaders discuss and decide the future of climate change and other important global topics.
Current Issues In Media Management 