Things I’ve Learned from Lately #139
“Things I’ve Learned from Lately” is a regular compilation of articles that have made me a smarter marketer. Hopefully, they’ll help you, too.
An Open Internet for Better or For Worse - The openness of the Internet has brought about a lot of good in the world, but it’s also led to a lot of bad. This piece interviews Twitter’s Ev Williams about his new perspective. “I thought once everybody could speak freely and exchange information and ideas, the world is automatically going to be a better place. I was wrong about that.”
The Cost of Showcasing Our Best Selves - Social media has negatives and positives, and some are more negative than others. A recent study looked at the health impacts of various social networks, and Instagram was found to be the platform contributing most to anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation and body-image issues.
Trends! Trends! Trends! - Google and Facebook account for 85% of Internet ad growth from 2015 to 2016. There are 2.6 billion gamers. Smartphone shipments have slowed, but Internet use has risen. These and other insights have filled Mary Meeker’s 2017 Internet Trends Report.
Thanks for Everything, Walt - Walt Mossberg wrote his last column for Recode, which happens to be the last column he plans to write anywhere. As one of the greatest tech reporters out there, his thoughts on the future of tech are well worth a read.