A new social media platform designed for the Black community is set to launch. Byio – short for By Invite Only- is the first-ever SaaS, AI-forward social platform founded and owned by Black women, according to a press release. Byio is designed to build community. “Unlike traditional platforms that alienate and mistreat certain demographics, Byio is everything that all the others are not and can never be, because we prioritize authentic interactions, privacy, and user control,” it says on their website. A social media platform for and by Black women
Global advertising agency 72andSunny is facing backlash after launching a new app that critics say mimics Spill, a Black-owned next generation social platform designed to put culture first. According to Kenya T. Parham, Spill’s Chief Growth Officer, 72andSunny’s Amsterdam office unveiled an app called SPIL*, which shares striking similarities with Spill. In a now-deleted LinkedIn post, the agency described SPIL as “a new type of news brand, made specifically for Gen Z in Europe.” Several Spill community members voiced their disappointment directly on the agency’s LinkedIn post before it was
Yale juniors Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow have raised $3.1 million in pre-seed funding for their social network platform, Series, which helps users connect with others who offer mutual value. Series, still just a few months old, secured the funding in only 14 days after a trailer posted by Johnson on LinkedIn went viral in the college entrepreneurial community. The buzz attracted strong investor interest, including from former a16z investor Anne Lee Skates, who went on to lead the pre-seed round through her venture fund Parable. Changing the way we
On March 11, 2025, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) partnered with TikTok to champion HillmanTok University for using social media to transform education and motivate the Black community. HillmanTok at Capitol Hill HillmanTok educators like Dr. Leah Barlow, Shyia Simmon, CPA Thurman Brooks, Gyllian Carter, Kyra Brown, and Denise Francis went to Capital Hill in Washington, DC, for a special reception to commemorate the educators and meet with members of Congress, according to a TikTok news release viewed by AFROTECH. “UNCF is proud to partner with TikTok to amplify the transformative
This week on Techish, Michael and Abadesi get real about success. They break down what it takes, what social media gets wrong, and why patience matters. They dive into privilege, tokenism, and the pressures young people face today, breaking down the dangers of comparison and the need for a more balanced view on success. Chapters 00:00 Anthony Mackie Says Success Is Given Not Earned11:52 Success Is A Double-Edged Sword15:11 Young Men Don’t Want To Celebrate Their Birthdays24:57 Social Media Never Tells The Full Story Listen to the episode You can
TikTok is profiting from young women and teenagers as young as 15 performing sexual livestreams, the BBC has been told. Three women in Kenya shared they started these activities as teenagers, using TikTok to publicize their business and negotiate payment for more risqué content sent on other messaging platforms. The app takes a cut of roughly 70% from all livestream transactions, according to a previous report by the BBC. Though TikTok forbids solicitation, moderators stated they are aware that it occurs on the platform. Sexual livestreams on TikTok Livestreams in
Khaby Lame, the most followed person on TikTok, has joined UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador. The announcement was made in Sengeal, where Lame was born, after a four-day day where he met children and young people leading positive change in their communities. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Lame will use his international platform as a content creator to spread awareness of children’s rights worldwide, such as empowering girls, education, protection from violence and abuse, access to health, nutrition, and a clean environment. “It’s a true honour to be appointed as
Fanbase is climbing its way through the app store as TikTok users in the US are finding alternative apps to move to. The Supreme Court is set to rule a law on 19 January for TikTok that will determine if they will sell its US operations or outline a ban for TikTok users. Users of the app are looking for new social media apps to use, and Fanbase appears to be one of them. Isaac Hayes III said that the app reached number 6 on the Apple App Store for
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan have announced the company is ending its fact-checking system in favor of a community notes model, much like the system on X. However, critics say the shift is simply an attempt to appease the incoming Trump administration and cause real-world harm to already marginalized communities through increased hate speech and misinformation. Why is Meta scrapping the fact-based system? “In recent years, we’ve developed increasingly complex systems to manage content across our platforms, partly in response to societal and political
Streamer Kai Cenat has set a new record on Twitch, hitting nearly 727,700 subscribers during his month-long “Mafiathon 2” event in November. The marathon livestream also generated over $3 million in revenue, making it one of the most successful streaming events ever on the platform. A Record-Breaking Subathon Cenat, 22, streamed nonstop for 30 days, with each new subscription extending the duration of the broadcast. The event not only shattered Twitch’s previous subscriber record of 326,250, held by virtual streamer Ironmouse, but also drew 50 million unique viewers throughout the
