A snackable summary of interesting things that have happened in and around our industry over the last month or so.
Before Cambridge Analytica imploded courtesy of a series of corporate lies and mistakes, CEO Alexander Nix was trumpeting the strengths and skills of his data-led ‘communications’ firm at some of the biggest brand gatherings on the planet. Here he is talking, in a 20-minute filmed interview with UK PR icon Matthew Freud, at the 2017 Web Summit.
For further context about what went wrong at Cambridge Analytica, check out the recently released Netflix Original documentary, The Great Hack – the first full length-feature attempt to gather all the tawdry strands of the affair into a compelling narrative.
Roger McNamee, one of the early investors in Facebook, also appears briefly in The Great Hack. The man who famously dissuaded Mark Zuckerberg from selling his company for US$1 billion, and who has subsequently become a strident critic of the company, shares his thoughts here on the downsides of digital data collection.
Closer to home, Newsroom produced this piece recently highlighting the missed regulatory opportunity for New Zealand, in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks, coupled with the increasing influence of the world’s giant tech companies on platform misuse and data privacy.
Facebook, which owns Instagram, also recently removed the like function from its app in an attempt to improve user well-being and experience, and create a safe space for its users. Although it has been described as a test, many are stating that it is too late.
New Zealand has been selected as the host country for the World Public Relations Forum. Our Managing Director Kelly Bennett is on the organising committee to develop a world-class roster of speakers and will be playing an active part in ensuring this bi-annual event is a success.
