#Newsfeed: Spotify passes 60 million subscribers; HBO remains unmoved by Twitter campaign against forthcoming slavery drama “Confederate”; Giphy will soon test sponsored GIFs
Plus why we’re a lot worse at spotting fake photos than we’d like to admit.
Facebook has acquired Ozlo, a Palo Alto-based artificial intelligence startup, to help Messenger build out a more elaborate virtual assistant for users. Ozlo specialises in understanding text-based conversations, and claims it can understand and provide answers to questions that don’t necessarily have simple yes or no answers — what Ozlo calls “probabilistic assertions of truth.” “They’re just going to be working with [Messenger] to continue their work with artificial intelligence and machine learning,” a spokesperson said.
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Twitter has become the platform for voicing backlash regarding HBO’s planned series “Confederate”, which is set in an alternate timeline in which the Southern states successfully seceded from the Union, and where slavery still exists in modern-day America. April Reign, the woman behind last year’s #OscarsSoWhite campaign, teamed up with other organisers to get the hashtag trending, however HBO remains unmoved on the matter, stating “We have great respect for the dialogue and concern being expressed around Confederate. We have faith that [writers] Nichelle, Dan, David and Malcolm will approach the subject with care and sensitivity.”
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Millennials would rather take the luxury room that will look good on Instagram at a deeper discount than take the cheapest room, according to mobile travel app HotelTonight. “They’re really interested in spending a little bit more to get a whole lot more versus previous generations who just want to spend the absolute least amount of money as possible,” said HotelTonight CEO Sam Shank.
Read more about the study here.
Spotify has added 20 million paid subscribers in less than a year, now taking total subscribers to 60 million. This new milestone also puts the music streaming platform in the best position possible to make a direct listing, where the company intends to go public without doing an IPO. By comparison, it’s taken Apple Music more than a year and a half to make that progress, achieving 27 million subscribers as of June.
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- Updates on Video Re-Shares [via FB Newsroom]
- Facebook ‘dark ads’ can swing political opinions, research shows [via The Guardian]
- Facebook’s artificial intelligence robots shut down after they start talking to each other in their own language [via The Independent UK]
- Facebook acquired an AI startup to help Messenger build out its personal assistant [via Recode]
- Twitter Tip-Toes Line Between Politics and Social Activism With #WallForACause [via AdAge]
- HBO appears unmoved by social media campaign against forthcoming slavery drama “Confederate” [via Fast Company]
- What’s a tweet worth? Some Wall Street Twitter stars are trying to find out [via CNBC]
- Millennials want a hotel room that looks good on Instagram, rather than a cheap one, says HotelTonight CEO [via CNBC]
- Pandora Reports No User Growth, But Q2 Revenue Grew More Than Expected [via hypebot]
- Spotify preps to go public with 60M subscribers, outpacing Apple [via TechCrunch]
- Jack White is recording a new solo album [via NME]
- SESAC confirms it’s signed Adele, who leaves her deal with BMI [via Music Business Worldwide]
- SESAC strikes landmark US radio deal – for rates it claims are 50% higher than ASCAP’s [via Music Business Worldwide]
- Dave Grohl Teases Mystery Pop Star On New Foo Fighters Album, But Will Be Amazed If You Can Figure It Out [via Stereogum]
- Bruce Springsteen Signs Worldwide Deal With Universal Music Publishing [via Billboard]
- A Tribe Called Quest announce imminent breakup after final show at Bestival [via NME]
- The factory behind Jamaica’s reborn vinyl industry launches crowdfunding campaign [via FACT Magazine]
- Don’t let Pandora and SoundCloud fool you: music streaming is alive and well in Australia [via Mumbrella]
- Oh Snap! Shares Tumble After Insiders Get First Opportunity to Sell [via AdAge]
- With 200M daily users, Giphy will soon test sponsored GIFs [via TechCrunch]
- Millie Bobby Brown Has All the Back-to-School Feels in 32 Excellent GIFs From Converse [via Adweek]
- Russia bans anonymous web surfing tools [via The Verge]
- Google is testing a native ad blocker for Chrome on your phone [via Mashable]
- Why Your Ads Should Look 100 Years Old [via Kissmetrics blog]
- We’re a lot worse at spotting fake photos than we’d like to admit [via Quartz]
- ‘I’ve not been this excited about Mamamia in years’: Mia Freedman on website refresh [via Mumbrella]
- TRENDING: #Scaramucci, #SamShepard, #LesMurray
JADEN JAM: In order to keep up their recent run on parodies for their new album, Arcade Fire have just released a $109 fidget spinner.