- Breaking the ice. No one expected that people dumping buckets of ice water over their heads for charity would become the viral phenomenon that it has. One key technical secret to the success of the “ice bucket challenge” may have been Facebook’s adoption of “autoplay” videos. Autoplay videos, which are muted by default, attract attention to video content on the social network by moving without being prompted—a great way to help spread memes.
- What happens next will shock you! “Clickbait”—provocative headlines that often lead to less-than-compelling content—has been around for quite a while, and some folks are striking back. Facebook is reportedly trying to fight clickbait by making user-friendly changes to its News Feed that promote more informative headlines. Meanwhile, Twitter user @SavedYouAClick retweets clickbait-y hyperlinks with a brief summary of the actual content. Spoiler alert, indeed.
- TMI? Should psychotherapists have social media profiles that are open for patients’ perusal? Although therapists are often reluctant to share personal details with patients IRL (in real life), that may not be the case on social media… which can blur the boundaries between personal and professional. Meanwhile, ethical rules governing the online interaction between therapists and patients are just starting to take shape. The Washington Post offers an interesting take on the role of social media in the therapist/patient relationship.
