News

When Meta announced significant changes to its content moderation standards last week, it ignited the first major social media dispute of 2025. These adjustments included loosening the rules governing user posts on its platforms and doing away with fact-checking.

Many believe that this move is an effort to appease Donald Trump, the incoming US president, who has previously voiced his distaste of Meta. But why did Zuckerberg and his colleagues make the choice they did? And how will these changes affect Facebook, Instagram, and Threads users—for better or worse?

We’ll look at the main elements of Meta’s contentious policy shift and look into why the firm chose to take this particular course of action at this particular time.

What is changing?

Meta is also changing its standards to allow for more in-depth discussion on delicate topics and ending its third-party fact-checking program. Instead, it will use a crowdsourced Community Notes system, similar to what X (previously known as Twitter) uses. Additionally, Meta plans to reintroduce politically controversial content in order to buck the recent trend of lowering its prominence in users’ feeds during the previous four years.

In order to promote a wider range of viewpoints and conversations, the policy update particularly targets issues like immigration and gender identity that are regularly the focus of political controversy.

The Intercept has seen Meta’s amended moderation standards, which are currently being sent to staff members. Additionally, it has revealed instances of remarks and descriptions that were previously forbidden but are now allowed under the updated regulations.

Depending on the political issues being discussed at the time, the wording of Meta’s update raises the prospect of further revisions in the road.

In the meantime, Meta’s own data (described below) suggests that the removal of fact-checkers will likely make it more difficult for Meta to fight false content. Furthermore, the resurgence of political material may make contentious conversations more visible on Meta’s platforms.

What is the rationale for eliminating fact-checkers?

Zuckerberg asserts that Meta’s fact-checking collaborators are predisposed to a political bias.

“Some of the people whose job is to do fact-checking, a lot of their industry is focused on political fact-checking, so they’re kind of veered in that direction. We kept on trying to basically get it to be what we had originally intended, which is not to judge people’s opinions, but to provide a layer to help fact-check some of the stuff that seems the most extreme. But it was never accepted by people broadly. I think people just felt like the fact-checkers were too biased, and not necessarily even so much in what they ruled, but a lot of the time it was just what types of things they chose to even go and fact-check in the first place.”

As shoppers gear up for record-breaking holiday spending, marketing campaigns are adapting with broader media strategies and experimental uses of artificial intelligence. With Thanksgiving and Black Friday on the horizon, the 2024 holiday season is hitting its stride, fueled by high consumer spending expectations and brands doubling down on innovative approaches.

This Q4 could bring more cheer for brands than in recent years. Research indicates that consumers are ready to spend, but marketers still face hurdles. Evolving shopper behaviors and preferences require brands to strike the right tone in their campaigns while staying ahead of trends and emerging platforms. Consumers, often willing to switch loyalties for better deals, are driving a need for campaigns that balance joy with value-driven messaging. Many brands are also leaning on artificial intelligence to capture attention and secure sales.

According to Deloitte’s 2024 holiday retail survey, shoppers are expected to spend an average of $1,778 this season—an 8% increase from last year. In 2023, retail sales from November through January grew by 4.3% to $1.54 trillion, per U.S. Census Bureau data cited by Deloitte. This year’s increased spending reflects a mix of economic optimism and higher perceived prices, signaling that while financial challenges linger, consumers are ready to loosen their purse strings.

Reflecting growing economic optimism, over one-third of marketers report having larger holiday advertising budgets this year compared to last, according to research by TvScientific and Rockerbox. However, these increased investments come with added pressure—60% of marketers feel a heightened demand to deliver measurable results and strong returns on investment.

Shifting consumer behaviors in recent years have introduced a layer of uncertainty, tempering confidence in achieving desired holiday outcomes, noted Harry Guild, strategy director at BBH USA.

To stand out this season, marketers will likely need a multichannel presence, which is considered essential (“table stakes”) as consumers are shopping across a wider array of channels, according to Deloitte. At the same time, consumers report greater loyalty to retailers that provide consistent experiences both online and in-store.

True Religion has adopted a more expansive media strategy this year in an effort to attract new customers. The retailer’s campaign features collaborations with superstar Megan Thee Stallion and rapper Hunxho, spanning both in-store and online platforms. It includes out-of-home advertising and content across editorial, influencer, and paid channels such as Connected TV (CTV), YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. The push will also launch the brand’s first audio campaign, with additional tests on Pinterest and Reddit rounding out the initiative.

Maintaining a cohesive theme across all utilized channels—like repeating certain colors or messaging—is key to ensuring consistency, says True Religion CMO Kristen D’Arcy. Equally important is crafting content native to each platform to appear authentic, she adds.

“I think of it a little bit like matching luggage, but obviously there are different sizes,” D’Arcy explained. “Depending on where you interact with us, you will feel the consistency of the brand by way of tone of voice and visuals… but the content is planned differently depending on the channel to make sure it feels endemic.”

Marketing across multiple channels may also be crucial for retaining consumers as brand loyalty comes under threat. According to Deloitte, 62% of shoppers are willing to switch to lower-priced brands, and 25% are looking for “dupe” goods. Timing is also important, with 38% of consumers planning to shop during October promotional events, though the majority of spending is expected in late November.

This season, brands aiming to resonate with consumers are adopting diverse messaging strategies, often blending themes of value with traditional holiday motifs.

True Religion launched its holiday campaign, “Where Holiday Wishes Come True,” this fall, featuring Megan Thee Stallion as the star attraction. The move underscores the brand’s renewed focus on reconnecting with women, who previously accounted for 60% of its business compared to men. However, that dynamic has since reversed.

Some retailers are leveraging the holiday season to experiment with emerging technologies like AI. American Eagle, for instance, has introduced an AI-powered gift guide chatbot on WhatsApp, becoming the first North American retailer to do so. As explained by CMO Craig Brommers, WhatsApp, a Meta-owned messaging app widely used internationally and growing in popularity in the U.S., resonates particularly well with the brand’s core Gen Z audience.

As part of the initiative, American Eagle is utilizing Meta ads to direct consumers to WhatsApp for personalized gift recommendations. Clicking on the ad takes users to WhatsApp, where they can start shopping with a prompt such as “I need some gift advice.” From there, the chatbot asks clarifying questions, such as who the gift is for, their color preferences, and hobbies, before suggesting a curated selection of products.

While not as eye-catching as AI, a strong mobile presence is critical for holiday marketing. According to Deloitte, almost 60% of Generation Z and millennials intend to shop on their cellphones this year. Furthermore, 13% of buyers, mostly from younger generations, plan to buy gifts directly through social media platforms.

TikTok Shop remains a standout feature on social media, excelling at driving sales and boosting brand awareness, especially in the beauty and retail sectors, according to Brown. However, the platform has faced challenges, including concerns about its credibility and the oversaturation of content in users’ feeds. To spark interest, Brown suggests brands consider offering a product exclusively through TikTok Shop—a strategy Coke tested earlier this year.

As marketers navigate various trends and fine-tune the timing and placement of their campaigns, BBH’s Guild emphasizes the importance of viewing the holiday season as more than a singular event. Beyond the main seasonal milestones, there are numerous opportunities to engage consumers throughout the broader festive period.

Threads is launching a new feature that provides data for individual articles, giving users a better understanding of how their material performs within the app. This upgrade attempts to provide more precise feedback on what works (and what doesn’t), allowing users to fine-tune their methods and increase their visibility on Threads. https://www.threads.net/@mosseri/post/DDNNKv2y3Pz

Threads formerly only offered aggregated metrics for all posts via its analytics tab. This new test allows users to obtain more specific data and actionable insights that are directly related to their content.

According to Threads’ CEO Adam Mosseri, these insights will be critical for those trying to grow their community on the platform.

According to Mosseri:

“Now that your posts will be shown to more people who follow you, it’s especially important to understand what’s resonating with your existing audience.”

Instead of emphasizing suggested articles, Mosseri mentions a new update to the Threads algorithm that gives more weight to content from accounts that users actively follow. This change is not just about increasing user engagement by displaying material that the algorithm thinks they’ll like; it’s also about helping authors develop their audience and build a community.

Even while the recommendation-heavy strategy has been successful on Facebook and Instagram—especially with Reels—in terms of user engagement, authors on Threads want to establish a loyal following and guarantee that their audience views their postings. The goal of this change is to make creators post more often, which will boost Threads overall.

Many artists continue to emphasize this difficulty, pointing out that involvement from non-followers frequently outnumbers conversations with their own followers.

Historically, social platforms relied primarily on a small number of active users to drive interaction. For example, 80% of Twitter users do not publish or participate at all. To thrive, Threads must keep this busy group satisfied.

Bluesky’s early adopters have noted that the platform’s default “Following” feed makes it easy to build a following. Recognizing this, Threads has incorporated a similar function, realizing that appealing to this highly engaged section of users is critical to its success.

The provision of post-specific statistics is another step in this approach, aimed at strengthening Threads’ engagement with its core user base. Time will tell if this method appeals to its most engaged contributors.

Looking to improve your Facebook and Instagram marketing strategies for the upcoming year?

Meta has you covered with their newly launched “Performance Talks” hub. This resource features a series of video interviews with top brand and marketing leaders who share insights on how they’ve successfully leveraged Meta’s promotional tools to achieve impressive results.

Meta’s Performance Talks video series features interviews with professionals from various industries, highlighting their key strategies and tips for maximizing the use of Meta’s marketing tools.

The site offers a collection of videos, which can be filtered by region, and each includes links to relevant guides and resources based on the topics covered by the featured experts. These videos are concise, ranging from just a few minutes to around seven, making them quick and easy to watch while providing valuable takeaways for your marketing strategy. With about 50 videos currently available, you can easily explore and gather insights to enhance your approach.

This hub could be a great resource to bookmark for the holiday season, offering tips on automated Advantage+ ads, Reels, audience growth strategies, and more. Some videos are available in different languages or limited to specific regions, making it easier to find content relevant to your needs.

While not every video will directly apply to your approach, there are plenty of gems that could align with your goals. It’s worth checking out if you’re looking to optimize your Facebook and Instagram marketing efforts for the coming year.

Meta’s Performance Talks Hub: https://www.facebook.com/business/performance-talks/

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Did you know that nearly half of all small firms find it challenging to implement appropriate asset management practices? The most recent data shows that 43 percent of companies either report their inventories by hand or don’t register assets at all.
Nevertheless, asset management is not untouched by the revolutionary power of AI that is reshaping a lot of other sectors right now. The development of AI is having a revolutionary impact on how companies handle both physical and intangible assets. Learn about the future of asset management and how based on artificial intelligence fixed asset software is changing the game in this blog post.

A Brief Overview of AI and Fixed Asset Management
When it comes to managing, controlling, and optimizing the value of a company’s physical assets, fixed asset management is an essential component. Equipment, cars, and even personal computers can be considered assets. Manual asset management systems have traditionally relied on time-consuming and prone to human mistake report maintenance and periodic audits.

An up-to-date option is AI-powered fixed assets software, which automates several asset control variables. This ensures precision, cuts down on administrative burden, and prolongs the life of an item, all of which lead to substantial savings. The principal approach to creating intelligent, effective, and extensible asset management systems is to combine AI with the IoT, ML, and predictive analytics.

Proactive asset management is turned upside down by AI’s predictive powers. Artificial intelligence (AI) analyses data trends and patterns to forecast when hardware will fail or identify optimization opportunities. By avoiding system outages, which may severely interrupt company operations and lead to financial losses, the proactive approach not only aids in strategic planning but also guarantees the dependability of operations. Using AI, companies may expedite the adoption of new technologies, align operations with corporate goals, and maximize the productivity of their assets.

The benefits of AI in fixed asset software

Businesses can greatly benefit from AI-driven fixed asset software, especially in industries such as production, healthcare, and logistics where asset management is essential for day-to-day operations.

Automating formerly labor-intensive processes like asset tracking, control, and maintenance greatly improves efficiency. Managers can react instantly to find out how their assets are doing because AI can evaluate massive volumes of data in real time.

Operating expenses can be reduced by predictive analysis and ongoing asset utilisation. Artificial intelligence has the potential to help businesses save money by redistributing or disposing of underutilised or malfunctioning assets.

Stricter regulatory oversight makes it more difficult to be compliant, necessitating improved reporting and compliance measures. Accurate and timely compliance reports are guaranteed by AI. In addition, the program can automatically update asset records to reflect changes in regulations, making sure that businesses always follow the rules.

Managers may make better decisions on asset investments, repairs, and retirements with the use of AI’s analytics skills. Decisions are not based on speculation or hand-calculations but on data collected in real-time and analyzed using predictive models.

Issue with the accuracy of predictive portfolio management: a case study

Even for the most elite asset management firm, it was difficult to foresee market movements and optimise portfolios in real time. Lost chances and less-than-ideal outcomes ensued because conventional methods could not meet market needs.

Solution:

A predictive analytics solution driven by artificial intelligence allowed the organization to swiftly assess massive datasets. The portfolio was dynamically adjusted after the AI algorithms analyzed market patterns and risk factors. Improved portfolio performance and more accurate forecasts were the final outcomes.

What we found:

The portfolio’s returns were increased by 20%.

Better decisions were made with the use of real-time market trend data.

Unveiling the Path of AI in Asset Management

Customer happiness, operational efficiency, and decision-making will all undergo revolutionary changes in the asset management industry of the future. Listed below are the key components that will revolutionize asset management processes:

1) Skillful deliberation

The use of AI will improve decision-making for asset managers by uncovering previously unseen patterns in massive datasets. In order to enhance risk posture and portfolio construction, AI may assess the entire portfolio by gathering financial data and market news. AI will also make real-time adaptation possible, which will help managers keep ahead of market fluctuations and prepare for future projections.

2) Streamlining processes and maximizing automation

Robo-advisors, which can handle routine operations and portfolio rebalancing on their own, will soon be indispensable. Decisions will be swiftly implemented by AI’s algorithmic training, reducing the need for human intervention and associated expenses. AI will streamline and automate back-office processes by taking over repetitive tasks like data input and regulatory compliance procedures.

Thirdly, improving the client experience

Future contacts with clients will be more responsive and tailored to their specific needs. AI will sift through buyer data to make personalized funding suggestions, and chatbots powered by AI will be on hand around the clock to respond to questions. Even reporting may be made easier with this technology, which can transform complicated economic data into insights that are easy to understand and free of jargon. This helps to establish trust and transparency with customers.

Without a doubt, advancements in AI will determine the fate of asset management in the future. The optimization and automation brought about by AI-driven fixed asset software is already having an influence on risk management, predictive analytics, and asset monitoring. There will be no end to the ways asset management can be transformed by the ongoing evolution of hyper automation and the Internet of Things.

It is more important than ever to produce engaging and impactful content in the fast-paced digital landscape of today. Brands and creatives are confronted with the challenge of not only distinguishing out but also connecting with audiences, as a constant stream of information vies for attention. Crafting messages that resonate with audiences on a profound level is the essence of effective digital creativity, as it transcends mere eye-catching visuals and creative taglines, thereby fostering brand loyalty and engagement. This guide will investigate four potent strategies that can enhance the efficacy of your digital creative endeavors, enabling you to penetrate the clutter, engage with your intended audience, and generate meaningful interactions. Regardless of whether you are a content creator, designer, or marketer, these strategies will offer valuable insights to enhance your work and create an enduring impact in the digital realm.

AUDIENCE CENTRIC DESIGN – The goal of audience-centric design is to make sure that your content speaks directly to your target demographic by taking their interests, values, and problems into account at every stage of the production process. To implement this strategy, you must have an in-depth familiarity with your intended audience’s characteristics, habits, goals, and problems. You can make content that connects with your audience on a deeper level and attracts their attention by adjusting your messaging, images, and tone to reflect their interests. This relevancy is crucial in the noisy digital arena, as it boosts the credibility of your brand and inspires more interaction. Building trust and loyalty with your target audience and making the most of your digital marketing budget are both goals of audience-centric design.

With the debut of Snapchat+ gift cards exclusively through Amazon last year, the number of Snapchat subscribers skyrocketed, going from 5 million in September to 7 million by the end of Q4, a gain of 40% in just a few months. With 12 million customers, Snapchat+ is a great way for the app to diversify its business and earn more money. Snapchat+ is a useful addition to the platform as it invests in new endeavors like AR glasses, even if adverts still make up over 90% of Snapchat’s revenue.

DATA-DRIVEN CREATIVITY – Data-driven creativity brings together the creative process with data research to help you create visually appealing and strategically sound content. You may learn more about your audience’s preferences and the factors that provide the best outcomes by using data insights like engagement metrics, performance analytics, and audience behavior. Using this method, you can consistently put your creative ideas through their paces, making them better and better as time goes on. With Data-Driven Creativity, you can make sure that your campaigns are more targeted, relevant, and effective in today’s digital world, where every click and interaction gives significant information. Your brand will be set up for long-term success with this smart combination of creativity and analytics, which helps maximize engagement and return on investment.

When you write stories with a purpose, you give your business a voice and a vision that extend beyond the realm of conventional advertising. Stories with a purpose aim to share ideas, goals, or experiences that resonate with your audience rather than just selling them something. Telling stories that have depth and resonance with your audience allows you to engage them on a deeper level, which in turn increases their loyalty and trust. This method elevates your content from the level of advertising to that of a shared experience by making your audience identify with your brand. With Storytelling with Purpose, your brand becomes more memorable, relatable, and effective. This creates a lasting link that drives involvement and advocacy, which is crucial in today’s real consumer market.

INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES – Interactive and immersive experiences let your customers enter the core of your brand and turn inert viewers into active participants. Including interactive films, augmented reality, tests, or virtual events lets your audience connect with your material in a vibrant and unforgettable way. Along with piques curiosity, this active participation builds a personal connection and brand investment. In a digital environment when people have short attention spans, designing an immersive experience grabs and holds interest, therefore leaving a lasting effect. Interactive components help people to spend more time with your material, so improving engagement statistics and brand memory. Interactive and immersive experiences ultimately offer a special means to strengthen the bond between your audience and your business, therefore enabling long-term loyalty and feeling of part of your story.