Everything Amazon Owns

Beyond Social Media - What Amazon Owns - Episode 275

Episode 275: BL and David discuss the astounding array of businesses Amazon owns; the Area 51 search for aliens joke that 400,000 people have signed up for; major updates to Google My Business; how Pittsburgh helped power the first US Moon Landing; Pinterest adds videos; Shoelace is Google’s latest attempt at building a social network; a hilarious parody influencer apology video; Ikea’s new Soffa Sans typeface; using text messages to solicit local reviews; dangerous dongles and much, much more.

Read More

Drake's God Plan Video

Episode 217: BL and David discuss Drake’s generous video budget; the Beyond Social Media Show’s entre on Amazon Echo; an antidote to depressing news; Amazon Echo’s ignore feature; the Olympics’ accidental P.F. Chang’s branding; Surly Brewing’s killer content marketing example; Domino’s Dom Juan Tinder chatbot; 20+ hilarious tweets by single people that will make you laugh, then cry; Bronx Zoo’s roach Valentine’s; life in social media algorithm hell; sexist Doritos; Nastygrammers; David’s love/hate relationship with The Full Monty newsletter; Olympic swarm drones; Boston Dynamics’ freaky door-opening robot; inside Facebook’s two years of hell…and much, much more.

Read More

Fake News & Its Discontents: #Pizzagate Has Real-Life Consequences

Beyond-Social Media - Fake News & Pizzagate - Episode 167

Episode 167: BL and David discuss Facebook’s blocking of a fake news detector; the real-life consequences of the fake news “Pizzagate” story; Uber’s customer tracking; Reddit’s demise at the hand of trolls; LiLou, SFO’s therapy pig (and Instagram star); Netflix’s alien-identifying algorithm; the Local Matters watchdog journalism newsletter; Amazon’s employee-free retail store; BMW’s self-policing cars; the best Christmas ads; the Reuters News Tracer breaking news algorithm; My Starbucks Barista Bot; Google’s emoji-responding Twitter account; and much, much more.

Read More

Facebook Live & Philando Castile

Beyond Social Media - Facebook Live Philando Castile - Episode 149

Episode 149: BL and David discuss the Facebook Live broadcast of Philando Castile’s death at the hands of a Minnesota police officer, its aftermath, and its implications for news coverage; Donald Trump’s Trollmaster; Microsoft’s recruitment fail; Facebook’s secret messages; Red Cross’ racist pool safety poster; the Washington Post under Jeff Bezos’ leadership; the New York Times’ call for Facebook Live political footage; the revenge of the liberal arts majors; permanent snaps; NASA’s short film contest; Patrick Stewart’s country crooning; and much, much more.

Read More

Periscope Takes The Political Stage & More Live-Streaming Updates

Beyond Social Media - Periscope House Democrats Sit-In - Episode 148

Episode 148: BL and David discuss Periscope’s moment on the national political stage during the House Democrats’ gun control sit-in; 360fly’s racist video ad; Facebook and YouTube live-streaming updates; Twitter’s new live video streaming button & 140 videos; a robot recall; Lender’s frozen bagels; Apple’s expanded Coding Camp; Pinterest’s new retargetting capabilities; Mark Zuckerberg’s paranoia; Facebook 360 photos; Twitter’s emoji targeting; and much, much more.

Read More