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The blue check thumbs-up process is changing. Here’s how social media users may be affected

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For regulars on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, the blue checkmark is a familiar icon that confirms the user displaying it is verified in some way.

But some current and coming changes to the way those badges are awarded could affect how businesses and consumers interact online, social media observers say.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently announced it’s offering verification to users  who pay for the privilege. The trial markets for Meta Verified recently expanded from Australia and New Zealand and now include the United States.

The company has not indicated when Meta Verified is coming to Canada.

In recent years on social media, verification has meant your identity has been confirmed in some way — by an employer, a governmental authority or, most often, by the social platform itself.

There’s been a shift in the verification process, to a model of paying for the badge, most notably by Twitter under the ownership of billionaire Elon Musk.

On first rollout, Musk publicly dismissed concerns that impostors would impersonate verified people or organizations by fooling readers with a paid blue checkmark. However, some companies had to deal with the fallout from impersonation or fake accounts that paid for verification.

A screenshot of a tweet from @EliLillyandCo that reads: "We are excited to announce insulin is free now." The avatar is a red logo that reads "Lilly" in a cursive font. It's accompanied by a blue checkmark. The tweet is dated Nov. 10, 2022, and shows 1,575 Retweets, 707 Quote Tweets, and 10.9K Likes.
This tweet appears to be from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. In fact, it’s from a parody account that snagged a blue verification checkmark by paying for it. Eli Lilly’s stock plunged after this went online. (Twitter )

For example, Eli Lilly’s stock plunged after false promises to offer medication for free were posted in a tweet that had a verified, blue checkmark next to the account — but that tweet was not actually from the company.

Beginning early this month, Twitter users could no longer distinguish between accounts that have been verified because they were publicly important or notable in some way, versus accounts that paid to be labelled as genuine or verified.

A screenshot from Twitter shows "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
Twitter’s verification page no longer distinguishes between paid and unpaid verification. (Screenshot/Twitter)

Profiles on Twitter’s website deliberately combine the two categories.

Instagram, Facebook moving to Twitter model

With Meta also moving toward paid blue checkmarks, social media educator Darian Kovacs believes it’s an effort to get new revenue, while giving Instagram and Facebook users better access to customer service and address complaints the company’s systems are slow to respond to impersonation and other problems.

“Meta has never had great customer service. And because of that, they are hoping people will pay to verify themselves,” he said, calling the charge for online identity verification an “Elon Musk approach” to platforms.

“[Musk] bought his way into the social media world and now he’s thinking, well, other people should be able to buy their way into coolness and verification in the same way he could buy his way into coolness and verification,” said Kovacs.

A man with a beard holds a speech bubble saying "hello" above his head.
Darian Kovacs, who runs the Jelly Digital Marketing firm and teaches about social media, calls paid verification ‘pay for play’ on social networks. (Submitted by Darian Kovacs)

Kovacs noted there have been problems with offering verification without a charge.

According to Kovacs, legitimate groups or persons couldn’t get verification at all or experienced lengthy wait times for the type of blue checkmark they wanted.

Both models aren’t perfect. But the pay to play model, I think it takes away from this whole idea that the internet is for all, social media is for all, and we are all on an equal level playing field, because all of a sudden now there’s another level. There’s a pay to play model,” said Kovacs, also a founding partner of Vancouver-based agency Jelly Digital Marketing.

According to Meta, charging for verification is part of the investment the company is making to increase support for users.

The company said validated subscribers to Meta Verified will receive a badge confirming they have been authenticated through government identification, and will get assistance from real people rather than automated or digital systems.

Meta said Facebook and Instagram users will continue to be able to report problems, including if they are being impersonated, but subscribers will have proactive and real-time monitoring for this type of problem.

‘Pay to play’ a problem for Calgary Instagram user

Blake Spence of Calgary is among those who’ve had problems with Meta support.

Spence said his accounts have been regularly impersonated by an unknown fraudster.

A white man with glasses sits in a living room.
Blake Spence’s Instagram account was hacked. The Calgary resident says he doesn’t like the idea that he’ll have to pay to protect himself from such issues. (Anis Heydari/CBC)

After running a contest on his Instagram account, which he uses to promote LBGTQ+ events at businesses across Calgary, Spence noticed multiple accounts popping up and attempting to impersonate him in messages to other Instagram users.

“A lot of followers thought they won the contest and they were asked to fill out a form which included their name, their address, personal information, including their credit card numbers.”

A screenshot of an instagram post that says "Attention! There is only one Detour YYC account. Any other account is a scam account. Please block and report any other account."
The ‘real’ Instagram account warns users someone is potentially impersonating the account. (Screenshot/Instagram)

Spence pointed out he was not, and would never, be asking for that information simply to promote events or contests.

He said hundreds of people messaged him asking for their prizes. He notified Instagram through their reporting channels, and said other friends and followers did the same.

“They didn’t do anything about it. It was reported numerous times and no action was taken.”

While Spence said he is likely to pay for the verification service once it is available in Canada, he’s not happy about it.

“It’s unfortunate. I don’t think we should have to pay for it.”

As revenue has dropped at companies such as Twitter and Meta, the motivation for pay to play has been clear for some observers.

Meta, in particular, has reported a drop in profits and several consecutive periods of declining revenue. A new product, such as verification, could bring in more money.

However, social network researcher Siva Vaidhyanathan isn’t entirely clear on Meta’s plans.

While the company’s revenues have been flattening, charging for verification may be more about reinforcing subscribers as a higher tier of customer for future Meta products, Vaidhyanathan, director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia, told CBC News

A man of south Asian descent stands in front of a bookshelf, with a microphone in front of him.
Siva Vaidhyanathan, a professor of media studies at the University of Virginia, says Meta may be able to make paid verification a success. (Anis Heydari.CBC)

“The only thing I can suspect, and I’m only guessing here, is that the people who run matter would like to start rolling out a series of financial relationships with their prime users … if you register your financial information with some new level of verification, then you’ve established yourself as essentially a financial partner or a prime member of the Facebook community.”

Can users trust blue checks anymore?

Whether someone reading posts on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter can trust that someone with a blue checkmark is who they say they are will depend on the platform’s management itself, according to Vaidhyanathan.

“If anyone is going to make paid verification actually work with some sort of trustworthiness, Meta is likely to be able to do it, especially through Instagram. Twitter will never be able to do it.”

It does create this two-tier system, which is not really in the spirit of either Facebook or Instagram.– Siva Vaidhyanathan, University of Virginia

Vaidhyanathan said Meta is run by “professionals,” in contrast to Twitter, which has let go of many employees who vetted users for verification.

But if paid checkmarks are offered for a low monthly price, without a team to engage in actual detailed verification, the researcher suspects both the social network and the public will be impacted negatively.

“It’s going to hurt people’s reputations. People are going to be accused of saying and tweeting things they never said. It’s going to be chaos,” said Vaidhyanathan.

Good for influencers, and golden retrievers

Paid verification has a prime market — social media businesses, politicians and influencers.

“To have that extra fraud protection makes doing business, promoting yourself, being an influencer that much easier,” said Vaidhyanathan, citing the example of a golden retriever popular on Instagram.

“She doesn’t sell anything. She doesn’t care to make any money. Nonetheless, every day her, mentions are filled with fake accounts. And this has been a phenomenon that has grown in the last year. So it’s clearly a problem that they’re not addressing [for unpaid accounts].”

A screen shows a man gesturing.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, shown on a screen in this file photo, may be trying to increase revenue for his company with paid verification, according to a social media observer. (Eric Risberg/The Associated Press)

Jelly Marketing’s Kovacs said it’s unclear how far Meta will push these subscriptions.

“They haven’t made it a major piece of their promotion and marketing at the moment.”

But one thing is clear — if paid verification becomes a permanent part of the social networking ecosystem, paying to play will be yet another substantial change.

“It does create this two-tier system, which is not really in the spirit of either Facebook or Instagram, but spirits are long gone in that world,” said Vaidhyanathan.

 

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Sutherland House Experts Book Publishing Launches To Empower Quiet Experts

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Sutherland House Experts is Empowering Quiet Experts through
Compelling Nonfiction in a Changing Ideas Landscape

TORONTO, ON — Almost one year after its launch, Sutherland House Experts is reshaping the publishing industry with its innovative co-publishing model for “quiet experts.” This approach, where expert authors share both costs and profits with the publisher, is bridging the gap between expertise and public discourse. Helping to drive this transformation is Neil Seeman, a renowned author, educator, and entrepreneur.

“The book publishing world is evolving rapidly,” publisher Neil Seeman explains. “There’s a growing hunger for expert voices in public dialogue, but traditional channels often fall short. Sutherland House Experts provides a platform for ‘quiet experts’ to share their knowledge with the broader book-reading audience.”

The company’s roster boasts respected thought leaders whose books are already gaining major traction:

• V. Kumar Murty, a world-renowned mathematician, and past Fields Institute director, just published “The Science of Human Possibilities” under the new press. The book has been declared a 2024 “must-read” by The Next Big Ideas Club and is receiving widespread media attention across North America.

• Eldon Sprickerhoff, co-founder of cybersecurity firm eSentire, is seeing strong pre-orders for his upcoming book, “Committed: Startup Survival Tips and Uncommon Sense for First-Time Tech Founders.”

• Dr. Tony Sanfilippo, a respected cardiologist and professor of medicine at Queen’s University, is generating significant media interest with his forthcoming book, “The Doctors We Need: Imagining a New Path for Physician Recruitment, Training, and Support.”

Seeman, whose recent and acclaimed book, “Accelerated Minds,” explores the entrepreneurial mindset, brings a unique perspective to publishing. His experience as a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, and academic affiliations with The Fields Institute and Massey College, give him deep insight into the challenges faced by people he calls “quiet experts.”

“Our goal is to empower quiet, expert authors to become entrepreneurs of actionable ideas the world needs to hear,” Seeman states. “We are blending scholarly insight with market savvy to create accessible, impactful narratives for a global readership. Quiet experts are people with decades of experience in one or more fields who seek to translate their insights into compelling non-fiction for the world,” says Seeman.

This fall, Seeman is taking his insights to the classroom. He will teach the new course, “The Writer as Entrepreneur,” at the University of Toronto, offering aspiring authors practical tools to navigate the evolving book publishing landscape. To enroll in this new weekly night course starting Tuesday, October 1st, visit:
https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/courses/4121-writer-entrepreneur

“The entrepreneurial ideas industry is changing rapidly,” Seeman notes. “Authors need new skills to thrive in this dynamic environment. My course and our publishing model provide those tools.”

About Neil Seeman:
Neil Seeman is co-founder and publisher of Sutherland House Experts, an author, educator, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate. He holds appointments at the University of Toronto, The Fields Institute, and Massey College. His work spans entrepreneurship, public health, and innovative publishing models.

Follow Neil Seeman:
https://www.neilseeman.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seeman/

Follow Sutherland House Experts:

https://sutherlandhouseexperts.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sutherlandhouseexperts/

Media Inquiries:
Sasha Stoltz | Sasha@sashastoltzpublicity.com | 416.579.4804
https://www.sashastoltzpublicity.com

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What to stream this weekend: ‘Civil War,’ Snow Patrol, ‘How to Die Alone,’ ‘Tulsa King’ and ‘Uglies’

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Hallmark launching a streaming service with two new original series, and Bill Skarsgård out for revenge in “Boy Kills World” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Alex Garland’s “Civil War” starring Kirsten Dunst, Natasha Rothwell’s heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone” and Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts.

NEW MOVIES TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15

Alex Garland’s “Civil War” is finally making its debut on MAX on Friday. The film stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist covering a violent war that’s divided America; She reluctantly allows an aspiring photographer, played by Cailee Spaeny, to tag along as she, an editor (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and a reporter (Wagner Moura) make the dangerous journey to Washington, D.C., to interview the president (Nick Offerman), a blustery, rising despot who has given himself a third term, taken to attacking his citizens and shut himself off from the press. In my review, I called it a bellowing and haunting experience; Smart and thought-provoking with great performances. It’s well worth a watch.

— Joey King stars in Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies,” about a future society in which everyone is required to have beautifying cosmetic surgery at age 16. Streaming on Friday, McG directed the film, in which King’s character inadvertently finds herself in the midst of an uprising against the status quo. “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes plays King’s best friend.

— Bill Skarsgård is out for revenge against the woman (Famke Janssen) who killed his family in “Boy Kills World,” coming to Hulu on Friday. Moritz Mohr directed the ultra-violent film, of which Variety critic Owen Gleiberman wrote: “It’s a depraved vision, yet I got caught up in its kick-ass revenge-horror pizzazz, its disreputable commitment to what it was doing.”

AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15

— The year was 2006. Snow Patrol, the Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band, released an album, “Eyes Open,” producing the biggest hit of their career: “Chasing Cars.” A lot has happened in the time since — three, soon to be four quality full-length albums, to be exact. On Friday, the band will release “The Forest Is the Path,” their first new album in seven years. Anthemic pop-rock is the name of the game across songs of love and loss, like “All,”“The Beginning” and “This Is the Sound Of Your Voice.”

— For fans of raucous guitar music, Jordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller, “NOPE,” provided a surprising, if tiny, thrill. One of the leads, Emerald “Em” Haywood portrayed by Keke Palmer, rocks a Jesus Lizard shirt. (Also featured through the film: Rage Against the Machine, Wipers, Mr Bungle, Butthole Surfers and Earth band shirts.) The Austin noise rock band are a less than obvious pick, having been signed to the legendary Touch and Go Records and having stopped releasing new albums in 1998. That changes on Friday the 13th, when “Rack” arrives. And for those curious: The Jesus Lizard’s intensity never went away.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

NEW SHOWS TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15

— Hallmark launched a streaming service called Hallmark+ on Tuesday with two new original series, the scripted drama “The Chicken Sisters” and unscripted series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert.” If you’re a Hallmark holiday movies fan, you know Chabert. She’s starred in more than 30 of their films and many are holiday themed. Off camera, Chabert has a passion for throwing parties and entertaining. In “Celebrations,” deserving people are surprised with a bash in their honor — planned with Chabert’s help. “The Chicken Sisters” stars Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick and Lea Thompson in a show about employees at rival chicken restaurants in a small town. The eight-episode series is based on a novel of the same name.

Natasha Rothwell of “Insecure” and “The White Lotus” fame created and stars in a new heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone.” She plays Mel, a broke, go-along-to-get-along, single, airport employee who, after a near-death experience, makes the conscious decision to take risks and pursue her dreams. Rothwell has been working on the series for the past eight years and described it to The AP as “the most vulnerable piece of art I’ve ever put into the world.” Like Mel, Rothwell had to learn to bet on herself to make the show she wanted to make. “In the Venn diagram of me and Mel, there’s significant overlap,” said Rothwell. It premieres Friday on Hulu.

— Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise and Betty Gilpin star in a new drama for Starz called “Three Women,” about entrepreneur Sloane, homemaker Lina and student Maggie who are each stepping into their power and making life-changing decisions. They’re interviewed by a writer named Gia (Woodley.) The series is based on a 2019 best-selling book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo. “Three Women” premieres Friday on Starz.

— Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts Sunday on Paramount+. Stallone plays Dwight Manfredi, a mafia boss who was recently released from prison after serving 25 years. He’s sent to Tulsa to set up a new crime syndicate. The series is created by Taylor Sheridan of “Yellowstone” fame.

Alicia Rancilio

NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

— One thing about the title of Focus Entertainment’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — you know exactly what you’re in for. You are Demetrian Titus, a genetically enhanced brute sent into battle against the Tyranids, an insectoid species with an insatiable craving for human flesh. You have a rocket-powered suit of armor and an arsenal of ridiculous weapons like the “Chainsword,” the “Thunderhammer” and the “Melta Rifle,” so what could go wrong? Besides the squishy single-player mode, there are cooperative missions and six-vs.-six free-for-alls. You can suit up now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.

— Likewise, Wild Bastards isn’t exactly the kind of title that’s going to attract fans of, say, Animal Crossing. It’s another sci-fi shooter, but the protagonists are a gang of 13 varmints — aliens and androids included — who are on the run from the law. Each outlaw has a distinctive set of weapons and special powers: Sarge, for example, is a robot with horse genes, while Billy the Squid is … well, you get the idea. Australian studio Blue Manchu developed the 2019 cult hit Void Bastards, and this Wild-West-in-space spinoff has the same snarky humor and vibrant, neon-drenched cartoon look. Saddle up on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch or PC.

Lou Kesten

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Trump could cash out his DJT stock within weeks. Here’s what happens if he sells

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Former President Donald Trump is on the brink of a significant financial decision that could have far-reaching implications for both his personal wealth and the future of his fledgling social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). As the lockup period on his shares in TMTG, which owns Truth Social, nears its end, Trump could soon be free to sell his substantial stake in the company. However, the potential payday, which makes up a large portion of his net worth, comes with considerable risks for Trump and his supporters.

Trump’s stake in TMTG comprises nearly 59% of the company, amounting to 114,750,000 shares. As of now, this holding is valued at approximately $2.6 billion. These shares are currently under a lockup agreement, a common feature of initial public offerings (IPOs), designed to prevent company insiders from immediately selling their shares and potentially destabilizing the stock. The lockup, which began after TMTG’s merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is set to expire on September 25, though it could end earlier if certain conditions are met.

Should Trump decide to sell his shares after the lockup expires, the market could respond in unpredictable ways. The sale of a substantial number of shares by a major stakeholder like Trump could flood the market, potentially driving down the stock price. Daniel Bradley, a finance professor at the University of South Florida, suggests that the market might react negatively to such a large sale, particularly if there aren’t enough buyers to absorb the supply. This could lead to a sharp decline in the stock’s value, impacting both Trump’s personal wealth and the company’s market standing.

Moreover, Trump’s involvement in Truth Social has been a key driver of investor interest. The platform, marketed as a free speech alternative to mainstream social media, has attracted a loyal user base largely due to Trump’s presence. If Trump were to sell his stake, it might signal a lack of confidence in the company, potentially shaking investor confidence and further depressing the stock price.

Trump’s decision is also influenced by his ongoing legal battles, which have already cost him over $100 million in legal fees. Selling his shares could provide a significant financial boost, helping him cover these mounting expenses. However, this move could also have political ramifications, especially as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race.

Trump Media’s success is closely tied to Trump’s political fortunes. The company’s stock has shown volatility in response to developments in the presidential race, with Trump’s chances of winning having a direct impact on the stock’s value. If Trump sells his stake, it could be interpreted as a lack of confidence in his own political future, potentially undermining both his campaign and the company’s prospects.

Truth Social, the flagship product of TMTG, has faced challenges in generating traffic and advertising revenue, especially compared to established social media giants like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Despite this, the company’s valuation has remained high, fueled by investor speculation on Trump’s political future. If Trump remains in the race and manages to secure the presidency, the value of his shares could increase. Conversely, any missteps on the campaign trail could have the opposite effect, further destabilizing the stock.

As the lockup period comes to an end, Trump faces a critical decision that could shape the future of both his personal finances and Truth Social. Whether he chooses to hold onto his shares or cash out, the outcome will likely have significant consequences for the company, its investors, and Trump’s political aspirations.

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