Digital Buzz
Archived: Synthdicate Music Seals Distribution Deal with Tuff Gong As Covid-19 Triggers Digital Wave.
It’s still totally valid for artists who are just starting out in their music careers to say, “Well if there are free platforms available, why not just focus on those and share those links to fans, bloggers, and others I’m pitching my tunes to?”
The biggest reason artistes should be digitally distributing their music to all major streaming platforms and digital stores: ACCESS. Withholding music from listeners who prefer Spotify or Apple Music over Soundcloud doesn’t stand to benefit independent artists who are hoping to build their fan base. Whether it’s the user experience of the app or just habit, music fans can be stubborn about how they choose to consume – and with so many options available, why shouldn’t they be? When artistes make their releases available across the board, they’re making it easier to show their music off to a wider audience – whether it’s promoting links online or bumping into a potential new fan in real life.
One of the best elements of streaming’s soaring popularity is the concept of discovery. Fans who love certain artists will listen to them on their preferred streaming app, only to be recommended similar sounding artists. Within seconds, every single day, fans find their new favorites purely from listening to their old favorites! Playlisting has become an essential tool for discovery on some of these apps, too – and while getting your music on a playlist is a task in and of itself, you’ve got to start somewhere.
Some artistes may not have the resources to start touring the world, but many would be shocked by how many independent artists find followings in places they’ve never traveled to, simply because they chose to use a music distribution service.
Finally, perhaps the most simple reason artistes distribute their music digitally across new stores and streaming platforms… MONEY.
It’s not only a dream of artists to make money from their music online, it becomes a necessity. Rehearsal spaces, new instruments, touring, recording, and publicity campaigns all have one thing in common: they cost money. By signing up with music distribution services, artistes take the first step toward making money from their music.
Digital Buzz
Facebook, IG, Twitter, X Doing Harm to Kids Says Australia’s PM. Legislation to Ban Access, Coming.
Australia is stepping up its game to protect kids from the dangers of social media, with the government unveiling new legislation aimed at restricting social media use for children under 16. Describing the move as “world-leading,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticized the impact of social media use, on young users.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m putting an end to it,” Albanese said in a press conference on Thursday.
The proposed law, which will be introduced to Parliament in its final two weeks of session starting November 18th, would see social media platforms like X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook given 12 months to adjust and block access for children younger than 16. Albanese said he had spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, and relatives, who share his concern about keeping the nation’s children safe online.
This major announcement comes as governments worldwide continue to grapple with the issue of regulating kids’ access to social media and smartphones. The new Australian legislation would make social media companies accountable for enforcing the age restriction, with hefty penalties for non-compliance—but it would not penalize parents or underage users themselves. “The responsibility will fall on the platforms to prove they’re taking reasonable steps to keep kids off their sites,” Albanese said. “Parents and kids won’t be held responsible.”
The proposed law would allow for exceptions, such as for educational purposes, but Albanese made it clear that no child under 16 would be allowed to use social media, even with parental consent.
Earlier this year, the Australian government began testing age-restriction technologies, and the eSafety Commissioner will use the results to help guide social media platforms in how to comply with the new rules.
Digital Buzz
Media Influencer, Ainka Wil Says ‘It Could Happen to You.’
Ainka Williams is a media maven in Trinidad and Tobago. Her voice and personality has welcomed and energized both the entertainment and corporate landscapes, not only in T&T, but across the region. Her brand has however been threatened by a malicious digital smear that she now hopes she can protect others from experiencing.
“There is misinformation about me. An entity has crafted what appears to be a headline that alleges that the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago is suing me for letting out their secrets as to how to be a millionaire,” Ainka explained to Ebuzztt. She said it’s been six weeks since the fake story hit the internet and she has since lost earnings as a result. The situation has however given her the ammunition needed to educate others, teaching on the importance of discernment and better media engagement practices.
The defamatory piece originated on the African continent, according to information received following research done. Ainka says because it is outside of Trinidad and Tobago, legal redress, while justifiable, would be time consuming and tremendously expensive. As such, her recourse lies in effectively liaising with META, owners of Instagram and Facebook, to remove the placement of the falsified post, which appears on their sites as an advertisement. “People are reading this supposed article, which is made to look like it’s on the Newsday website. The interview that is referred to with Janine, never happened. I’ve never been interviewed by Janine. I suspect they used Chat GPT,” Williams explained.
Disclaimer Issued
In the early stages of circulation, proactive as she is, Ainka immediately issued a disclaimer, indicating that the information was false. “The entire item refers to me in the pronoun ‘He’ and they used images from my Instagram. It appears to be a move for engagement and there is no call to action,” she explained, adding that the situation has shown that many people lack the ability to discern false information from what’s accurate. “Now, as someone in the media, I think it’s my responsibility to educate people, guide them on how to identify these things and how to discern between accurate information and inaccurate information because I am not a financial advisor nor would I ever offer those sort of services,” she said. AinkaWil, a powerful feminine, Caribbean brand advocates for things of national importance; more specifically, matters that affect women and young people in particular.
The issue now shows just how dangerous artificial intelligence, if used maliciously, can be. “People have been messaging me seeking financial advice. It is misleading and it is a nuisance. The headline has nothing to do with the story; it is not a Newsday story but people are still engaging with the content,” she lamented. Ainka believes this situation can affect anyone.“I am a public figure so it makes sense for them to choose me, but it can happen to anyone.”
Amid the turmoil of this very unexpected turn of events in her professional life, Ainka Williams is making lemonade out of sour lemons, using her platform and positioning to bring awareness to others. “How we consume information is important. We can’t simply run with a headline and we shouldn’t just engage with content because of a defamatory headline. If you click on it fine – in this particular instance there was no hacking happening. People should have seen the indicators that it was not a legit story though. The desire to stop engaging with it, should have ended there,” she assessed, admitting however that this situation is a testament as to how easily people believe what they are fed on the internet. “This is why it’s very important for me to have this conversation now,” said Williams.
In a technology news feature on the subject for New Scientist, Jeremy Hsu gives valuable information on what online users can look out for, when it comes to avoiding misinformation in digital spaces.