Meta Platforms Incorporated recently announced that it will enable content creators in Nigeria and Kenya to monetize their content on Instagram and Facebook starting June 2024. Monetizing Instagram Content Spearheaded by Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta, this initiative aligns with the growing recognition of Africa’s digital potential. Meta will introduce a feature on its Instagram app in June, allowing Nigerian creators to monetize their content and earn a living using it. Creators can run ads in-stream and engage with an international audience. “Nigerian creators have global reach,” Nick Clegg, the company’s President of
US Judge Charles R. Breyer has sided with the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), dismissing a high-profile lawsuit filed by Elon Musk and his social media company, X. Musk’s Lawsuit Against CCDH Last year, Musk’s X, formerly Twitter Inc, sued the nonprofit CCDH over its report describing the extent of hate speech on the social media platform. Led by Imran Ahmed, CCDH aims to protect online human rights and civil liberties. The CCDH report said that X failed to act against 99% of 100 Blue accounts that it had
Twitch streamer and YouTuber Kai Cenat has recently committed to building a school in Lagos, Nigeria. Cenat Visits Nigeria Cenat recently visited the Makoko Children Development Foundation School and Orphanage in Lagos, where he saw the dire conditions of the students and staff. Documented on his YouTube channel, the visit highlighted the school’s sinking building, limited space, and the struggle to provide a learning environment for its 385 students. The 23-year-old principal’s plea for help to rebuild and expand the school resonated deeply with Cenat. “First of all, I want to say it’s
Google and Apple are potentially joining forces to integrate Google’s chatbot technology, Gemini, into every iPhone amid controversies surrounding its promotion of diversity. Google’s Gemini The two tech giants are discussing licensing parts of Google’s Gemini bot for the iPhone’s built-in AI tools, such as its Siri assistant. Bloomberg reported that Google’s shares surged 6.6% following the news. The move comes after Gemini was criticized for generating images of historical figures that inaccurately represented their genders and ethnicities. The backlash prompted Google to pause the image generation tool. The potential partnership also raises questions of privacy
Created by fintech professional Viola Carmona, Tussle is the new livestream platform taking on TikTok’s Live feature with better revenue terms and fewer restrictions. Carmona’s Journey To Tussle TikTok first introduced its Live feature in 2019, enabling creators to earn through virtual gifts. However, according to AFROTECH, Carmona’s friends and creators experienced the platform’s 50/50 revenue split firsthand after often conducting near 24-hour livestreams only to receive a fraction of their due earnings. “Some of my creator friends that I built a community with, they found a lot of problems with
A New York judge has ruled that Reddit and YouTube must confront lawsuits accusing them of contributing to the radicalization of an 18-year-old who perpetrated a racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, New York. The Platforms’ Part In The Racial Attack The tragic incident, which resulted in the loss of 10 Black lives in 2022, has raised concerns about the role of social media algorithms in potentially encouraging extremism. Everytown Law, a gun control advocacy group, filed the lawsuits on behalf of 25 survivors of the massacre last year. The decision by Erie County Supreme
Leigh Higginbotham Butler has a pioneering AI platform and network for Black women, Akina. Akina, which means “strong family bond” in Swahili, originated from a personal need to create a safe space for discussions and support among Black mothers. It has since evolved into a Community-as-a-Service (CaaS) app and platform that leverages culturally competent AI and machine learning technology. From A Social Network To A Movement Akina was initially started 2020 as a social media platform for Black mothers. “It came about in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmuad
BeSocial, a short-form video app that empowers Black and African creators, is carving out a space in the tech landscape. The platform aims to combine short-form content, the practicality of social shopping, and social commerce. BeSocial Founded in 2022 by Kwesi Buabeng, a former executive at Ecobank, Google, and Coinbase, and his team, BeSocial’s vision is democratizing content creation. The focus on Black and African creators is a move acknowledging their role as trendsetters in social media, often without adequate recognition or compensation. Since its beta launch, BeSocial has been a hub of creativity and
Tech companies are now offering AI-powered therapy services designed to meet the specific needs of Black individuals. The Black Female Therapist The “Black Female Therapist” (BFT), a novel AI chatbot, is part of this approach from tech companies providing accessible and tailored mental health support. BFT, developed by Youper, leverages advanced algorithms and natural language processing to offer culturally sensitive advice and empathetic responses. According to Refinery29, the chatbot addresses the emotional challenges faced by Black individuals, including systemic barriers and the need for spaces where they feel seen and
Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, has announced that Elon Musk canceled the deal for his upcoming talk show on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. What Happened? Lemon revealed that Musk’s decision came hours after interviewing him for the show’s debut episode. “Elon Musk has canceled the partnership I had with X, which they announced as part of their public commitment to amplifying more diverse voices on their platform,” Lemon shared in a statement. Despite this setback, Lemon remains optimistic, confirming that his show, “The Don Lemon Show,” will still premiere
