Pebble: A New Social Network with Big Ambitions

Pebble, a new social network that aims to take on Twitter, has rebranded itself from its previous name, T2. The company says that the name change is intended to reflect its own unique identity and values.

In a message to its users, Pebble explained that the name “pebble” was chosen because it represents something small and unassuming, but with the potential to create big ripples. The company hopes that Pebble will become a place where people can come to share ideas and connect with others, regardless of their background or beliefs.

A New Social Network with Big Ambitions

Pebble has already cloned many of Twitter’s features, including the verification checkmark, quote posts, DMs, and a For You feed. This differentiates Pebble from other Twitter rivals like Mastodon and Bluesky, which do not offer the same level of functionality.

Pebble is backed by $1.1 million in funding from a group of angels that includes Bradley Horowitz, Rich Miner, and Katherine Maher. The company is still in its early stages of development, but it has the potential to become a major player in the social media space.

Here are some additional thoughts on the Pebble rebrand:

The name “Pebble” is more evocative and memorable than “T2.” It also conveys a sense of community and belonging, which is important for a social network.
Pebble’s focus on functionality is a smart move. Users want a social network that is easy to use and has the features they need.
Pebble’s funding from such high-profile investors is a sign of confidence in the company and its potential.

Overall, Pebble is a promising new social network with the potential to disrupt the status quo. It remains to be seen whether Pebble can attract and retain a large user base, but it is certainly worth watching.

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Social Tech

Meta Announces Generative AI Stickers and AI Editing Tools

by George Mensah 2023-09-28

At its Meta Connect event today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced two new AI-powered features: generative AI stickers and AI editing tools.

Generative AI stickers

Generative AI stickers are a new way to express yourself in Meta’s messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories. With generative AI stickers, you can create unique stickers by simply typing in a text prompt. For example, you could type “Hungarian sheep dog driving a 4×4” and Emu, Meta’s new foundational model for image generation, would generate a sticker that matches your prompt.

Generative AI stickers are currently in beta testing and will be available to English-language users over the next month.

AI editing tools

AI editing tools are a new way to edit your photos and videos using AI. With AI editing tools, you can change the style of your photos and videos, remove objects from the background, and even create new images and videos from scratch.

Meta demonstrated two new AI editing tools at Meta Connect: Restyle and Backdrop.

Restyle lets you reimagine the visual styles of an image by typing in prompts like “watercolor” or “collage from magazines and newspapers, torn edges.” Backdrop lets you change the scene or background of your image by using prompts.

AI editing tools will be available soon on Instagram.

Meta’s commitment to responsible AI

Meta has pledged to develop AI responsibly and ethically. The company says that it will indicate the use of AI in its images “to reduce the chances of people mistaking them for human-generated content.” Meta is also experimenting with forms of visible and invisible markers to help people identify AI-generated content.

Meta’s generative AI stickers and AI editing tools are exciting new features that have the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and express ourselves. With these tools, we can now create unique and personalized content that is tailored to our specific needs and interests.

Social Tech

X Expands Community Notes to Video Content, but Experts Question its Effectiveness

by George Mensah 2023-09-24

X, formerly known as Twitter, has expanded its crowdsourced fact-checking system, Community Notes, to support video content. This means that approved members can now attach written notes to videos that contain misleading information. The notes will be visible to all users, providing them with additional context about the content they are viewing.

The expansion of Community Notes to video content is a welcome move, as it could help to reduce the spread of misinformation on the platform. However, some experts have questioned the effectiveness of the system, due to a few fundamental flaws.

One flaw is that, for a Community Note to become visible, it must first be approved by members on both sides of the discourse. This can create a situation where harmful or misleading content can go unchecked for a while before it gets tagged with the proper disclaimer, if at all.

Another flaw is X’s disproportionate implementation of its moderation, safety, and security features. For example, X has been repeatedly called out for censoring critical voices targeting the government in markets like India and the Middle East. This raises concerns about whether Community Notes will be applied fairly and consistently across all types of content.

Finally, some experts have criticized the fact that X is indirectly passing the onus of fact-checking to its most prolific users, rather than having a dedicated trust and safety team do the job. This is especially concerning given that Elon Musk famously gutted the company’s safety team soon after he took over.

Overall, the expansion of Community Notes to video content is a positive step, but it is important to be aware of its limitations. The system is still under development, and it remains to be seen how effective it will be in reducing the spread of misinformation on the platform.

In addition to the flaws mentioned above, here are some other concerns about the Community Notes system:

It is unclear how X will ensure that Community Notes are accurate and unbiased.
The system could be used to harass or silence certain users.
It could be used to spread misinformation itself, if it is not carefully monitored.

Overall, the Community Notes system is a promising experiment, but it is important to be aware of its limitations and potential risks. X should carefully monitor the system and make adjustments as needed to ensure that it is effective and fair.

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