Key findings from Pew Research Center on "news influencers"

A new study by the Pew Research Center provides actionable insights into the emerging ecosystem of social media news influencers. This unique Pew study offers a deeper understanding of the makeup and audience of the news influencer universe.

The research reveals transformative shifts in news consumption patterns based on an analysis of 500 influencers (selected from 28,000 accounts) and a nationally representative survey.

The Pew study found significant power in news influencers, with 21% of Americans—notably 37% of those under 30—regularly consuming news through these channels.

The research exposes a stark demographic skew, with men comprising nearly two-thirds of news influencers. Most significantly, 75% of these influencers operate independently of traditional media organizations, indicating a fundamental restructuring of news creation and distribution channels.

For this study, Pew defined a news influencer as individuals who regularly post about current events and civic issues on social media and have at least 100,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), or YouTube.

The Pew Research Center's reputation for methodological rigor and nonpartisan analysis lends particular weight to these findings. As a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Research Center maintains strict independence and abstains from policy advocacy, ensuring unbiased insights. Their computational social science approach, combining large-scale account analysis with demographic research, provides executives with actionable intelligence on this emerging media and news dissemination phenomenon.

This new study deserves close attention from business leaders as it illuminates profound shifts in information dissemination channels that will impact corporate communications, marketing strategies, and public opinion formation in the years ahead.

Pew's research and analysis are peerless. They cover numerous topics important to the C-suite and are always must-reads.

Here are the top 10 highlights:

1. Scale: About one in five Americans (21%) regularly get news from social media influencers, rising to 37% among adults under 30.

2. Platform Distribution: 85% of news influencers have accounts on X (formerly Twitter), followed by Instagram (50%), YouTube (44%), Facebook (32%), and TikTok (27%).

3. Demographics: 63% of news influencers are men, 30% are women, and there is a notable gender gap across all platforms except TikTok, which maintains near parity.

4. Political Orientation: 27% of influencers explicitly identify as right-leaning versus 21% as left-leaning, with the remainder expressing other views (3%) or no clear orientation (48%).

5. Industry Background: 77% of news influencers have no traditional media background, representing a significant shift toward independent content creation.

6. Monetization: 59% of news influencers monetize their presence through subscriptions (49%), donations (29%), or merchandise sales (21%).

7. Content Focus: 55% of news-related posts focus on politics and government, followed by social issues (18%) and international affairs (14%).

8. Cross-Platform Presence: Two-thirds of influencers maintain presence on multiple platforms, with 27% active on five or more platforms.

9. Alternative Distribution: 34% host podcasts, and 22% maintain newsletters, indicating diversification beyond social platforms.

10. Audience Trust: 65% of Americans who follow news influencers say they help them better understand current events, with 70% finding their content different from traditional news sources.

You can access the complete study here.

Pro-tip: Make sure you have a professional with expertise in geopolitical communications on your team. Such a pro will help you navigate the challenges of geopolitics on your business objectives and help you confidently speak about this environment.

Caracal is here to help.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

EU's AI Act: Balancing innovation + rights

The European Union's landmark AI Act has officially come into force, marking a significant step in balancing innovation with protecting European citizens' rights.

This pioneering legislation, the first globally, sets out comprehensive rules for AI systems, particularly powerful ones like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

The AI Act aims to govern how companies develop, use, and apply AI. The urgency for these regulations grew with the rapid rise of generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Midjourney, which can produce human-like text and images from simple prompts.

The EU AI Act aims to provide clear guidelines for businesses and innovators while ensuring robust safeguards for individuals.

Key provisions include strict bans on AI for predictive policing and systems that use biometric data to infer personal attributes like race or religion.

The law adopts a risk-based approach, imposing stricter obligations on high-risk systems to protect health and rights.

Companies must comply with these rules by 2026, and specific regulations for AI models like ChatGPT will take effect within 12 months.

As reported by CNBC: "The AI Act has implications that go far beyond the EU. It applies to any organization with any operation or impact in the EU, which means the AI Act will likely apply to you no matter where you're located," Charlie Thompson, senior vice president of EMEA and LATAM for enterprise software firm Appian.

Bottom line...

Companies must proactively inform all stakeholders (employees, customers, partners, and investors) about the EU AI Act and its implications. Specifically, companies should address potential concerns about how the regulations might affect product or service delivery, innovation, or data use.

For American-based multinational companies, you must explain to relevant stakeholders how this EU regulation fits into your global AI strategy and ethics framework.

Creating an editorial calendar that provides ongoing communications about your company's progress in adapting to the new regulatory environment is an essential first step.

Caracal is here to help.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Read: World's first major AI law enters into force — here's what it means for US tech giants CNBC

AI-generated political content: A wake-up call for communications pro

A video mimicking Vice President Kamala Harris' voice to spread false information has ignited concerns about artificial intelligence's potential to distract voters and impact big-time elections. As we hustle towards the first votes in the 2024 election, this incident serves as a stark warning of the challenges that lie ahead in our increasingly AI-powered world.

The video in question, a blend of authentic visuals and AI-generated audio, presents a glimpse into the future of political communications. It's a future where the line between reality and fabrication blurs, coupled with platforms that amplify and spread the message globally.

When Elon Musk, owner of X, shared the video without initially clarifying its satirical nature or use of artificial intelligence, he demonstrated the ease with which cutting political communications can spread in our interconnected digital ecosystem.

Musk's eventual clarification that the video was a parody still highlights a growing problem: the widening gap between technological advancement and public understanding. As AI tools become ubiquitous and their outputs more convincing, our collective ability to discern truth from fiction lags dangerously behind.

The incident raises critical questions about the responsibilities of tech leaders and platform owners. Never before has a significant tech platform's CEO endorsed a political candidate and used their influential position to promote content many perceive as deceptive. This unprecedented situation demands reevaluating the ethical boundaries in the digital age.

Moreover, it underscores the urgent need for media literacy education. As generative AI programs evolve, producing increasingly lifelike audio and video of public figures, the public's "truth meters" must evolve in tandem. Without this crucial adaptation, American voters risk falling into sophisticated deceptions that could sway elections and undermine the very foundations of our democratic process.

Interestingly, the widespread deepfake apocalypse many experts predicted for the 2024 election cycle hasn't materialized – yet.

Social media platforms have largely managed to avoid outright fraud, implementing policies requiring labeling for AI-generated material. However, this latest incident proves we cannot afford to be complacent.

The challenge lies in preserving the cherished tradition of political satire while safeguarding against malicious fraud. America's public sphere has always made room for mockery and parody - from JibJab in 2004 to Sarah Cooper in 2020 in our political discourse. But as AI blurs the lines between jest and deception, we must find new ways to protect this tradition without compromising electoral integrity.

Collaboration between tech companies, policymakers, and educators is crucial as we navigate this new terrain. We need robust AI detection tools, clear guidelines for using and sharing AI-generated content, and comprehensive digital literacy programs that equip citizens to evaluate the media they consume critically.

Furthermore, we must hold tech leaders to a higher standard of responsibility. Their platforms wield immense influence over public opinion, and with that power comes an obligation to prioritize truth and transparency over engagement and controversy.

Bottom line...

Companies and platforms need to implement clear, visible labeling for AI-generated content. At a minimum, an industry-wide standard should be established, and AI detection tools should be developed and made widely available.

For global communications pros, there is a need to create cross-functional teams within organizations that can quickly identify and respond to viral AI-generated content, providing context and clarification in real time.

In addition, organizations should be encouraged to engage stakeholders through town halls, webinars, newsletters, and social media to address concerns, answer questions, and gather feedback on AI-related issues in political communications.

Caracal is here to help.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Read: A parody ad shared by Elon Musk clones Kamala Harris’ voice, raising concerns about AI in politics AP