Tech Inauguration, TikTok & Wildfire Influencing
5 in 5 - Brave & Heart HeartBeat #225 ❤️
This week we’re talking the tech elite getting a bit too close to the capitol, TikTok’s future and AI in the UK.
Plus, how influencers are making the wildfires work for them, and should you be yourself at work?
Let’s get into it.
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#1 - The Tech Elite Get Eliter
Trump’s inauguration made the headlines for many reasons, one of which was the abundance of tech millionaires literally in pride of place at the event itself.
The event was taken inside due to weather, and while many republican elected officials and Trump supporters had to watch from outside the building on a big screen, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Sundar Pichai had front row seats in the room itself, on the inaugural platform in front of the actual cabinet.
Plus, to add insult to injury, the tech CEOs were able to bring their wives and partners as plus ones, an option not given to the politicians invited due to a lack of space.
In a post on X one democratic senator wrote “All you need to know. The billionaires are in charge. Not you.”.
We wonder how long Trump’s bestie Elon Musk (who may or may not have done a nazi salute at the event) will allow that post to be up on HIS platform?
#2 - TikTok Got Banned…. And Then It Didn’t
TikTok went dark… for a little while, and has since come back online for some people in the US thanks to, you guessed it, Donald Trump.
TikTok’s statement, which is worth seeing in it’s entirety, thanks President Trump for making it possible to provide “TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small business to thrive” calling it “a strong stand for the First Amendment and against Arbitrary censorship” before vowing to work with him on a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the US.
Apple and Google had already taken the app out of their app stores, and Oracle cloud services had reportedly told employees to shut down servers which hosted TikTok.
Technically, the law only allows Trump to push the back the deadline to come to an agreement regarding divesting from Chinese ownership. Names like Elon Musk and Mr Beast are being thrown about, and we think Mark Zuckerberg may have a major hissy fit if he doesn’t get it.
Either way, great way for Trump to look like a hero in the first 24 hours of his presidency.
Will the UK be the next AI hot spot?
Keir Starmer has pledged to make Britain the “world leader”, yep, the WORLD leader, in AI and the announcement includes the words “unleash” and the “mainlined into the veins” of the country.
Concerning or inspiring? Who’s to say.
Starmer’s action plan aims to increase 20-fold the amount of AI computing power under government control by 2030, from everything to spotting potholes to aiding teachers.
The controversial part of this plan is that idea to unlock public data to fuel this AI growth, including anonymised NHS data. Cool!
Apparently this AI frenzy could deliver an economic boost of up to 470 billion pounds in the next decade, but will also undoubtedly become THE next big thing for politicians to fight about.
We predict fear-mongering on the horizon, especially considering that the three words most associated with AI by the public are “robot”, “scary” and “worried”.
#4 - Wildfires And Influencers
Well, the devil works hard but influencers work harder, as we can see by the immediate influx of wellness cures that landed on TikTok and Instagram in the immediate wake of the catastrophic LA forest fires.
With smoke filling the air across LA, wellness influencers have promoted detox productcs, essential oils, parasite cleanses and RAW MILK as treatments against the smoke.
One of the popular “detox” products being sold across the platforms are apple cider vinager or activated charcoal – neither of which have been medically proven to help your lungs after smoke inhalation.
Wellness influencers are often taking advantage of tragedies but usually those are more personal focused – for example people who are suffering from cancer or chronic illness – but moving onto community tragedy is the next step up.
#5 - Authenticity vs. Work Persona
Should we be our complete selves at work, or does having a work persona, much like a telephone voice, benefit us in the long run?
If we were to argue both sides, the benefits of being your authentic self at work can include positives for yourself and your team.
For yourself, being true to yourself at work can apparently make you feel more engaged and motivated, which can in turn lead to greater productivity and creativity. Taking it further, it can also make you more confident in your work as you feel able to take full responsibility for your performance, leading you to be more willing to go forward for promotions or pay rises.
For the rest of your office, especially if you’re in a leadership position, authenticity in yourself can lead people to be more comfortable being themselves too, leading to more enaged team members and a safe space for employees to take risks and be creative.
So what about a work persona?
There are benefits too. Experts say mental boundaries between your personal self and your work self can allow you to bring authority and specifitiy to your role.
By bringing your professional self to work and leaving other aspects of your identity at home, you can have more clearly definted interactions with colleagues and managers and a sense of protection for your personal identity.
Plus, apparently those who tie their personal identity so closely with their work may struggle to leave their work at work in comparison to those who keep the two separate.
What do you think? Are you a whole self or work mask kind of person?
Brave & Heart over and out.
Bonus
Lessons From TikTok
As we may or may not be saying goodbye to the platform, this article outlines all the invaluable lessons the writer learned from TikTok.
From ensuring your crisps never go stale with a hack created in prison, to always rolling lemons and limes before you cut them to ensure you get the maximum juice out…
To find out more on how you can retain your top talent, or how we can help you with digital solutions to your business and marketing challenges, check out our case studies.
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