by Erik Sass on Feb 28, 4:01 PM
A California woman has been arrested for attacking another woman with a pitchfork because of a photo she posted on an unnamed social media site, according to a report in the Vallejo Times Herald. 28-year-old Xanadu Cain, of Vallejo, CA, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday by police responding to reports of a fight, after she allegedly attempted to assault the unnamed victim with the agricultural implement as well as her automobile.
by Erik Sass on Feb 27, 10:35 AM
Social media's share of marketing budgets will more than double over the next five years, according to a survey of 468 chief marketing officers at U.S. companies conducted by Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. The CMOs see social media's share of marketing spending increase from 8.4% currently to 11.5% over the next year, and 21.6% five years from now.
by Erik Sass on Feb 26, 3:20 PM
Here's one for the "well, OBViously" file: 93% of recruiters said they have used professional social network LinkedIn to successfully fill positions in 2012, according to a study conducted by recruitment software company Bullhorn and cited by eMarketer. That number is up from 86% in 2011; according to Bullhorn the proportion of recruiters using social media of any kind increased from 94% in 2011 to 98% in 2012.
by Erik Sass on Feb 25, 5:14 PM
The Oscars were big on social media, but not as big as the Super Bowl, according to Twitter, which released figures comparing the two televised mega-events: the movie awards broadcast garnered a total of 8.98 million tweets over the course of the evening, including both the endless, mindless "red carpet" portion of the evening and the awards themselves. That compares to a total of 24 million tweets for the Super Bowl.
by Erik Sass on Feb 22, 4:06 PM
Maybe the ultimate testimony to social media's power as a force for transparency and openness is the fear it inspires in malefactors who benefit from fear and secrecy. This is certainly the case in Mexico, where drug cartels continue trying to terrorize social media users into not talking about crimes committed by violent drug gangs across the northern part of the country.
by Erik Sass on Feb 21, 5:15 PM
There's nothing like a bold prediction to force you into a humiliating walk-back later, and I am all about humiliation, so here's my forecast for the Oscars: Best Picture goes to Lincoln, based on its popularity with masses, as determined via social media, and despite the fact that the Academy generally ignores their feelings.
by Erik Sass on Feb 20, 4:41 PM
While it's too soon to talk about potential rivals to Facebook, some interesting new social networks have been gaining traction over the last couple months, and they just might give the incumbent something to think about -- or at least targets to acquire.
by Erik Sass on Feb 19, 5:39 PM
Twitter has a bit of a security problem, judging by two hack attacks on accounts maintained by big brands on the microblogging site. Yesterday Burger King was the unwilling recipient of a makeover that made it appear the fast food chain had been sold to rival McDonald's; today someone pulled a similar trick on Jeep, making it appear the carmaker had been unceremoniously merged with Cadillac."
by Erik Sass on Feb 15, 12:59 PM
The majority of online Americans used social media in 2012, according to the Pew Center's Internet & American Life Project: of 1,802 Internet users surveyed by Pew in December 2012, 67% used Facebook, 16% used Twitter, and 15% used Pinterest. According to Pew, the social media audience in general skews young, urban, educated, and affluent, and female -- although there are some significant variations between networks. So who, exactly, is using each platform?
by Erik Sass on Feb 13, 4:56 PM
No surprise here: people who are cheating on their spouses or partners are using "fake" social media accounts to help them conduct their affairs, according to a survey of almost 2,400 U.S. adults who had cheated on their partner in the past year conducted by www.couponcodes4u.com and cited in the New York Daily News. (Admittedly, it's not quite clear why philanderers would open up to a coupon Web site about their deepest, darkest secrets, but maybe there was a cool incentive like free breath mints or something.)