Africa: News Influencers Are Reshaping the Media – Insights From Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa

Africa: News Influencers Are Reshaping the Media – Insights From Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa

News creators and influencers have become increasingly important sources of news as more people turn to social media and video networks like Facebook and YouTube to inform themselves. By news creators, we mean individuals who create and distribute content mainly through social and video networks and have some impact on public debates around news and…

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Meta gives Australian kids 2-week warning to delete accounts as world-first social media age restrictions loom

Meta gives Australian kids 2-week warning to delete accounts as world-first social media age restrictions loom

Melbourne, Australia — Technology giant Meta on Thursday began sending thousands of young Australians a two-week warning to downland their digital histories and delete their accounts from Facebook, Instagram and Threads before a world-first social media ban on accounts of children younger than 16 takes effect. The Australian government announced two weeks ago that the three…

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Social media becomes new storefront

Social media becomes new storefront

Most connected African consumers browse for products online through search engines, retailer websites, or social media platforms. Social media now rivals traditional word-of-mouth as top purchase driver, and is shaping African consumers’ buying decisions. This is according to the Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG’s) “119 million reasons for optimism: How young consumers are reshaping Africa’s retail…

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Google agrees to major funding package for South African media

Google agrees to major funding package for South African media

Carlos Barria/Reuters Google has committed R688-million to support South Africa’s under-pressure media industry, alongside a separate initiative aimed at fostering its long-term growth. This follows the release of the media and digital platforms market inquiry final report by the Competition Commission on Thursday. It marks an about-turn from earlier this year, when the US search…

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CompCom orders social media giants to invest in SA media

CompCom orders social media giants to invest in SA media

Social media platforms have enormous power to direct traffic based on their algorithms. South Africa’s Competition Commission has ordered social media platforms YouTube, Meta, TikTok and X to significantly invest in supporting South Africa’s media sector, to restore fairness, transparency and sustainability in the media ecosystem. This is one of several key remedies proposed by…

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Google, YouTube to pour R688m into SA’s media sector

Google, YouTube to pour R688m into SA’s media sector

The Competition Commission found that Google and YouTube reproduce South African news content, but provide no remuneration to local publishers. Google and YouTube have agreed to establish a combined R688 million media support package to fund national, community and vernacular media in SA. This is one of the key recommended remedies in the Competition Commission’s…

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