Narrative Science’s mantra:“We Transform Data into Stories and Insights.” It sounds simple enough. But many writers are questioning the ethics behind the intentions of a company that trains computers to write news stores. It comes down to this,can algorithms become better at telling stories than journalists and should we even let them try?
TheWired article had this perspective on the company:
Had Narrative Science — a company that trains computers to write news stories—created this piece,it probably would not mention that the company’s Chicago headquarters lie only a long baseball toss from the Tribune newspaper building. Nor would it dwell on the fact that this potentially job-killing technology was incubated in part at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism,Media,Integrated Marketing Communications. Those ironies are obvious to a human. But not to a computer.
According to the blog Spin Sucks,the writing (as it were) is already on the wall:
Some niche publications,including Forbesand other media powerhouses (who are remaining private),have hired Narrative Science to write stories.
Who do you want to get your news stories from? A trusted reporter or a PC?
Posted by: Danielle Ricks Social Media Specialist Campaign Constultation,Inc
Karen went out to dinner. Joe has a case of the Mondays. Sue became an organ donor in 2004?! What? Facebook is now promoting on their timeline feature when users became organ donors. This is important for many reasons. Though you might have checked that you wanted to be an organ donor on your license,perhaps you forgot to tell your family. This will be a way to share with the important people in your life your choice. Though this will not have the same legal standing if you haven’t signed up to be an organ donor (which you can do so here) it’s a big step in promoting the organ donation as the norm. In California they have reported a more than 1,300 percent hike in online registrations the day the Facebook campaign started.
Ready to change your status? Learn how to update your timeline here.
Major retailers such as Best Buy,Gap Inc. and Starbucks are all lining up to team up with Wrapp,a brand new social gifting service. A Swedish company made up of former executives from Spotify and Groupon,Wrapp is an app that allows Facebook friends to buy each other gift cards from participating retailers. Commonly valued at $5 to $15,the gift cards can be bought individually or in a group. Retailers are betting that the app will lure customers into their stores and once inside,they will end up spending more than the gift card’s value.
“Retailers are looking for an efficient way to drive customers to their brick and mortar and online stores,and with Wrapp,they can do it in a way that continues to build their brand online and leverage friend-to-friend marketing.”
Posted by: Danielle Ricks Social Media Specialist Campaign Constultation,Inc.
Skillshare thinks everyone has something to teach and things to learn. Skillshare’s platform is a community marketplace where you can find online or in-person classes to take or post your own course. For example in Washington,DC you can take a class on writing an RFP for $25 dollars or take a crash course in CSS for $100. Courses range from arts and crafts to technology. This is a great way for individuals or companies to show their expertise and gain new clients.
Would you be interested in learning from community members in your field? Do you have something you can teach?
Big changes are happening over at Google +. On Wednesday,April 11,2012 Google’s social network,Google+ launched a totally new look,making images and videos larger and navigation customizable. The new layout is not unlike like that of social networking rival,Facebook but the interface is much more engaging. The new designed is aimed at making the user experience more visually appealing while streamlining the interface. On its official blog,Google explained way they made the changes:
A critical piece of this social layer is a design that grows alongside our aspirations. So we’re introducing a more functional and flexible version of Google+. We think you’ll find it easier to use and nicer to look at,but most importantly,it accelerates our efforts to create a simpler,more beautiful Google.
Take a look and see for yourself and click here to see the video.
Have you tried out the new Google + layout and if so,what do you think?
Posted by: Danielle Ricks Social Media Specialist Campaign Constultation,Inc
Due to multiple reports of interviewers and organizations requesting passwords for Facebook during interviews and reviews (learn More),Facebook published the following “As a user,you shouldn’t be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job. And as the friend of a user,you shouldn’t have to worry that your private information or communications will be revealed to someone you don’t know and didn’t intend to share with just because that user is looking for a job. That’s why we’ve made it a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password.”
Facebook has also promised to take legal action to protect the privacy and security of users,by engaging policymakers and/or,where appropriate,by initiating legal action,including by shutting down applications that abuse their privileges.
Do you feel better knowing Facebook is on your side?
About a third of doctors are using electronic health records or EHRs. That’s double the number since 2008,says a report in the journal Health Affairs. What we are seeing is an increase of a lot more computers,smartphones and iPads making their way into patient’s exam rooms. But as doctors move more and more toward electronic recording keeping,they face one daunting challenge:How to bring electronic devises into the exam room without losing the human connection with their patients.
EHRs are considered the future of health care for good reason — they can help prevent medical errors.
The promise of these devices to augment the delivery of clinical care is tremendous,says Stanford’s Dr. Clarence Braddock.
Dr. Braddock uses a secure app on his iPad to pull up patient charts if he’s called after hours,no matter where he is. However,doctors must now be aware of their online etiquette and not let the gadgets become a challenge in the intimate exam room. If the doctor spends too much of your 15-minute visit typing or staring at a screen,you have to wonder:What if I have a symptom that just got missed? Is my Doctor even listening to me?
Do gadgets have a place in the exam room or do you think they are a distraction?
Posted by: Danielle Ricks Social Media Specialist Campaign Constultation,Inc.
Everyone who’s looking for a job knows the importance of cleaning up their social media sites to look as professional as possible. You would normally just mark anything private that you wouldn’t want your interviewer to see. But it could now go further than that. Across the nation interviewers have been reported to ask prospective job hires and employees for their social media passwords during interviews and job reviews.
ACLU attorney Catherine Crump said in response to these reports,“ People are entitled to their private lives. You’d be appalled if your employer insisted on opening up your postal mail to see if there was anything of interest inside. It’s equally out of bounds for an employer to go on a fishing expedition through a person’s private social media account.”
Would you share your Facebook password if asked? Do you think there should be laws to ban the practice?
Groupon emailed a select group of the company’s “best customers”with an exclusive invitation for Groupon VIP access. The testing period will last three months. After its release the Groupon VIP program will cost $30 per year. VIP in the daily deals world guarantees early access to deals,first dibs on reservations,access to closed or sold-out deals,and swap-in deals for Groupon Bucks even after a package has expired
LivingSocial,the number two competitor in the daily deals industry,is testing a similar premium product called LivingSocial Plus. The plan costs $20 a month. If you are a LivingSocial frequent user,it may be a smart option since you’ll receive $25 Deal Bucks every month as a premium subscriber.
What do you think of these exclusive online deals? Would you be willing to pay a little more to be the first to hear about money saving deals? Tell us what you think.
Posted by: Danielle Ricks Social Media Specialist Campaign Constultation,Inc.
Spring is just around the corner. So,it’s even easier to eat locally,support neighborhood farms,and better your health – all at the same time. If you don’t know how to find the closest famer’s market,social media is here to help. Download the Harvest to Hand app,which will help you find local harvest festivals,farmers markets,pick-your-own,locally made products,and family-friendly farms.
Harvest to Hand promotes sustainable local agriculture across the United States. Consumers have easy access to fresh farm products,events and home-spun goods right at their fingertips.
What other apps are you using to support your community businesses?
Narrative Science’s mantra:“We Transform Data into Stories and Insights.” It sounds simple enough. But many writers are questioning the ethics behind the intentions of a company that trains computers to write news stores. It comes down to this,can algorithms become better at telling stories than journalists and should we even let them try?
