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The Flack

The Flack™ for Friday, July 28, 2023

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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Elon Musk’s Twitter Rebrand is off to a Rocky StartIt’s been a rough road for Twitter users, employees (those who are left) and Elon Musk since the world’s richest man purchased the social media network for $44 billion last year. Advertisers have left, users are flocking to Threads and other alternatives, and recovery doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. But now the bird is gone, and the rebrand to “X” has begun. And it’s not going well. The Hill has the latest.

Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News ArticlesYou are probably getting tired of hearing about A.I. and the effects it is having (and about to have) on nearly everything we do. But can A.I. replace journalists? Google thinks so. The tech giant is testing a tool that has the potential to “help” journalists, but that may be the beginning of much more. The New York Times looks at the potential.

Let’s All Start Leaving Voicemails Again! – We know. Only telemarketers and your mother leave you voicemails, and several days pass before you even listen to them. Why do we still have voicemail?! Well, it might be coming back, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Wall Street Journal explains why.

Wikipedia’s Moment of Truth – Wikipedia has been the butt of jokes for much of its 22-year existence, but give credit where credit is due. It is still one of the most visited websites, and we all use it more than we care to admit. For many of us, it was among our first experiences with open collaboration, where anyone could add to or edit content. But here comes artificial intelligence. Could A.I. use Wikipedia’s content to destroy Wikipedia? We think you know the answer, but this article is worth a read.

The ‘Lazy-Girl’ Job Is In Right Now. Here’s Why. – Everyone wants to earn more money, get promoted and take on new responsibilities at their job, right? Not so fast. The ‘Lazy-Girl’ job is a thing, and it’s kind of a refreshing take. The Wall Street Journal explains what’s causing this very real trend.

 

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Beach Reads:

The Power of Speaking Strangely

Where High Earners Are Moving – 2023 Study

How A.I. Is Already Reshaping White Collar Work (video)

 

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.