Drew Benvie

20 years ago tomorrow, the first tweet was posted. Thanks @jack for the memories

Just come off BBC Radio interview about Twitter's 20th birthday and I called it Twix. A: it has a ring to it. B. need more covfefe

Today we’re launching Battenhall Labs — our new global innovation unit focused on applying emerging tech across marketing & communications. 🧪 From AI personas to proprietary measurement tools, Labs turns complex data into practical advantage for brands. 🤖 Find out more in our latest blog from our Chief Innovation Officer and Labs lead, Phil Sheard: btnhl.com/4c9etVY

An ineffectual social media ban for kids will be the legislation's undoing. Or worse, those who experience real harms from social media, dark social, messaging apps, the dark web or AI will be less safe as a result.

A social media ban for kids in the UK seems inevitable now, but to do it on safety grounds is fraught with problems. - There are already age restrictions, they don't work - Kids use VPNs already to for example use apps at school - Social media isn't the problem: dark social is

Working on keeping young people safe has been one of my biggest priorities over the last five years, and why I founded Raise. The reality of online safety is highly nuanced and the approach needs to be both sophisticated and progressive. I’m hopeful that the UK can achieve both.

In my role as head of the youth social media safety nonprofit @raisegeneration I commend @leicesterliz’s announcement of the government’s three month consultation on social media use for under 16s in the UK.

What I’d love to see: progressive tech reforms, education programs and a better understanding of how agile teen digital escape artists really are. If govts think banning social media for kids will make lives safer, they are sorely mistaken as to how the real world really works.

We’re about to find out what’s more harmful to teens than algorithmically shaped, moderated and peer-protected social media. It’s AI companions, dark social and fake social IDs.

Australia’s under-16 social media ban is now in force, and here’s the biggest reason it will backfire: Teens are safer on social media than on the alternative, which includes messaging apps used as social networks, dark social, and fake-age permitted adult social.

Twitch and Kick added to the list of social media that will be banned for Australia’s under-16s from December 10th. open.substack.com/pub/drewbenvie…

Can’t believe the Italy score vs South Africa just turned on to see them draw level. Scrum penalty against the Springboks too nuts

Big day today it’s the annual Battenhall social media briefing event at The British Library in London. 300 brands registered to attend this year and I need to finish learning my lines. 🙏🏼☕️💥

Proud as punch to win two agency of the year awards at PR Week last night. battenhall.com/blog/battenhal…

A primer on Sora, ChatGPT's AI social network that has hit 1m users faster than anything before it. You need invite codes, a U.S. account, and ChatGPT Pro... for now. But brands are in the mix, as are influencers, real and synthetic alike. open.substack.com/pub/drewbenvie…

Looking for followers on Sora 2. And yep I have invite codes but mainly want to follow my network on there 👋🏼 sora.chatgpt.com/profile/drewbe…

Decided to start writing my Substack again. Thoughts on the year ahead in social media… open.substack.com/pub/drewbenvie…

This is a research project by Raise, and one which has been worked on through numerous teen focus groups, volunteer planning sessions, and which I hope will be of use to media and regulators alike once it's complete.

It is fascinating seeing how, through social media, AI is becoming many users' top friend. But if you know someone with children, please ask them to read this, as it's important in shaping how we understand how kids are affected by AI and social media raisegeneration.com/post/swipe-scr….

UK Bitchat is wild. A slap involves trout. @jack I look forward to groups which users are asking for