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Shel Holtz
Communicating at the Intersection of Business and Technology
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FIR #403: Does Marketing Need a Separate Ethics Standard for AI?

  • FIR #403: Does Marketing Need a Separate Ethics Standard for AI?

The author of an AI-focused newsletter suggests that companies need to establish discrete ethics policies for using Artificial Intelligence (AI). With all the codes of ethics out there designed to address anything and everything, is this really necessary? Neville and Shel don’t see eye to eye in April’s monthly long-form FIR episode. Also in episode 403, there’s a new beauty pageant—just for AI-generated women. While critics pile on with their disdain for this idea, the Dove brand is coming at AI-generated beauty differently, which you might expect if you’ve followed the Unilever company’s 20-year-old Real Beauty campaign. TikTok needs to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned from app stores in the U.S. if the new law can survive the challenges it will surely face in terms of freedom of speech. Peter Shankman revived his free email service, Help A Reporter Out, under a new name. He had previously sold the service to what is now Cision, and Cision has essentially killed it. So Peter re-invented it as Help Every Reporter Out. Imagine an accountant who failed to use AI to review financials when the AI might have caught a fraudulent entry the accountant missed. Could that accountant be held liable for not using AI? It’s a question every profession should be pondering. And you may find yourself working alongside a synthetic employee before too long. In his Tech Report, Dan York looks at 20 years of editing Wikipedia, WordPress’s announcement of a new way to develop sites locally, Mastodon’s establishment of a U.S. nonprofit, the status of Threads’ integration with ActivityPub, and the Internet Society’s post on the internet and climate change.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Tech Report

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, May 20.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

04/28/24 | 0 Comments | FIR #403: Does Marketing Need a Separate Ethics Standard for AI?

FIR #395: Extra! Extra! Read All About It! (In Print!)

  • FIR #395: Extra! Extra! Read All About It! (In Print!)

We have expectations from our use of social media, but in two recent studies, there is evidence that the outcomes we expect aren’t necessarily what we get. Also in this episode, we look at Gini Dietrich’s latest update to her PESO model for using various media channels in integrated communication efforts, the schoolkids who are bringing back print (along with advertisers, marketers, and others), insights from the 2024 Ragan Communications Benchmark Report, the kerfuffle that ensued when Merriam-Webster posted on Instagram that it’s fine to end a sentence in a preposition, and Glassdoor’s exposure of user names without their consent. You’ll also hear a follow-up to our story a few weeks back about the resurgence of NFTs. In his Tech Report, Dan York looks at Threads’ entry into the fediverse and Reddit’s IPO, among other things.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, April 29.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Report

03/23/24 | 0 Comments | FIR #395: Extra! Extra! Read All About It! (In Print!)

FIR #388: Watch Me Get Fired

  • FIR #388: Watch Me Get Fired

GenZers are recording their firings and layoffs, and the videos are going viral on TikTok and elsewhere. This is shining a harsh spotlight on organizations’ approach to letting people go, and it’s not pretty. What’s worse is how some companies plot to avoid being subjects of these videos. Also, in this episode:

  • Bluesky has taken its first big steps into the fediverse as two protocols battle it out for supremacy in the 21st century of the VHS-Betamax wars, but there may be alternatives in play.
  • Most big legacy news organizations are blocking the crawlers OpenAI sends out onto the web to collect content to train its models. This has implications for AI’s ability to deliver news in response to prompts, but it also has implications for journalism.
  • The ethics ratings of virtually every profession have fallen in the U.S., regardless of the industries in which these professionals might work. Does this put the onus for strengthening ethical behavior on professional associations, and what, exactly, can they do about it?
  • LinkedIn offers users an “Open to Work” badge to let others know you’re seeking new employment. Does it work, and are there other consequences for showing so blatantly that you’re looking for a job?
  • The Apple Vision Pro is out, and while marketers are exploring ways to deliver their messages in mixed reality environments, a lot of people are sending their headsets back to Apple and looking for a refund.
  • In his Tech Report, Dan York shares his thoughts on the Bluesky announcement. He also discusses how Google is killing independent websites, Google’s $60-million payout to Reddit so it can train its models on Reddit’s content, Reddit’s plans to go public, and WhatsApp’s introduction of markdown-style formatting.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Report

02/24/24 | 0 Comments | FIR #388: Watch Me Get Fired

FIR #381: The State of Trust in 2024

  • FIR #381: The State of Trust in 2024

It happens every January, as surely as the Tiffany ball will drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve: Edelman has released its annual Trust Barometer with a focus on the public’s views on innovation and the pace of change, along with the usual dimensions of trust the survey tracks every year. Neville and Shel examine some of the study’s core findings and reflect on their meaning for today’s communication professionals. Also in this episode, Neville and Shel discuss a court case in the U.K. in which an employee was told she could not work remotely and had to return to the office, along with other developments in the whole remote-hybrid-return-to-the-office battle; a global advertising conglomerate did something remarkably creative with synthetic media, demonstrating some of the positives that are possible with AI-generated hyperrealistic video; and a scandal 20 years in the making has erupted in the UK thanks to a four-part docudrama. In his tech report, Dan York reports on WhatsApp’s launch of voice updates, Threads’ plans for integration with the fediverse; generative AI developments, and a couple of milestone anniversaries.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, January 29.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Tech Report:

01/27/24 | 0 Comments | FIR #381: The State of Trust in 2024

FIR #374: Getting Your News from AI

  • FIR #374: Getting Your Newes from AI

German publisher Alex Springer—which owns Politico, among other media properties—has inked a deal with OpenAI, which means ChatGPT will be able to include news in its responses to prompts. Debate over the pros and cons is robust, and there are implications for organizations trying to get their news into the mix. In the December long-form episode, Neville and Shel explore the ramifications and possible next steps. Also in the show:

  • Starbucks has suffered vandalism and other blowback based on disinformation shared online. Is the iconic coffee company handling it well?
  • The presidents of three top-tier universities gave cringeworthy testimony before a Congressional committee. Who counseled them before their appearances?
  • Researchers worked with generative AI tools to develop a strategic plan for introducing a new service to a metropolitan community. How did it go?
  • There will be a lot of elections across many countries in 2024. How will AI affect the outcomes?
  • People want media organizations to disclose when they use AI in the preparation of reports. How much does that affect their trust of the content?
  • In his tech report, Dan York dives deep into movements in the fediverse.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, January 29.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Report

12/24/23 | 0 Comments | FIR #374: Getting Your News from AI

FIR #366: DIY GPT

  • FIR #366: DIY GPT

Pundits are proclaiming social media dead (or dying), and they have data to back up their beliefs. If it’s true, what does it mean—for society, for networking, and for business? Neville and Shel examine the evidence and trends and discuss the implications in the monthly long-form episode for November. Also in this episode:

  • ChatGPT pauses new signups and other news
  • A look at ChatGPT’s GPT Builder
  • The state of news on social media
  • Generative AI and journalism
  • A high-profile executive’s fake Twitter accounts
  • In his Tech Report, Dan York talks about Twitter’s woes, WhatsApp news, Automattic backing off Tumblr growth, and the Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, November 20.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Report

11/19/23 | 0 Comments | FIR #366: DIY GPT

FIR #363: Is the Israel-Hamas War a Communications No-Win Situation?

  • FIR #363: Is the Israel-Hamas War a Communications No-Win Situation?

A review of the trove of articles about how brands have addressed the conflict in the Middle East suggests that there is no way to satisfy everybody, even for brands that opt to say nothing at all. Neville and Shel explore the peril of speaking out, even as expectations continue for companies and their CEOs to address societal issues. Also in this monthly long-form episode:

  • The closure of Pebble (formerly T2) has implications for the entire fractured social media ecosystem
  • A global PR body has ratified 10 principles for the ethical use of AI in PR and communications
  • LinkedIn influencers are becoming a force to be reckoned with
  • A poll from MIT explores key decision points for deploying AI in the enterprise
  • Silicon Valley appears to have given up on news in social networks

In his tech report, Dan York shares details about the flailing of Twitter, changes in Threads, WhatsApp channels, and Automattic’s purchase of Texts.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, October 30.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Links from this episode:

Links from Dan York’s Report:

10/29/23 | 0 Comments | FIR #363: Is the Israel-Hamas War a Communications No-Win Situation?

FIR #357: A Status Report on AI in PR

  • FIR #357: A Status Report on AI in PR

Artificial Generative Intelligence (AGI) has been widely available publicly for less than a year, but the public relations industry has moved quickly to assess its potential and begin the process of implementation. How is it going so far? A brief from the PR Academy looks at the state of AGI in PR. Also in this monthly long-form episode:

  • Acast has risen to the top of the business podcasting services heap
  • Despite political pressure, marketers continue to focus on diversity
  • Gen Z journalists are not like their predecessors. What are their values and priorities?
  • Deepfakes have been a concern for years. Deepfake scams have finally arrived.
  • Website owners are looking for ways to block AI web crawlers from vacuuming up their content.

In his tech report, Dan York looks at Mastodon 4.2 and the ActivityPub plugin for WordPress.

Links from this episode

Links from Dan York’s report

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, October 2 (but it will be the September episode).

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

10/01/23 | 0 Comments | FIR #357: A Status Report on AI in PR