Social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have long been a means for sharing news around the world. Bloggers have taken the opportunity to branch out, finding new outlets and means to contribute and share their opinions on what’s going on in their bubble. A new app was brought to my attention that takes that idea to another level entirely, literally putting you in the spotlight.
Headliner is an outlet for all opinions ranging from sociopolitical issues to entertainment. What news items show up on the featured page is completely dependent on how big the topic is, and how many people care to watch what you have to say. What’s that? Oh yes. I said watch. The app takes a cue from Vine here, but instead of 6 second videos, you’re alotted 25 seconds.
25 seconds may seem like a lengthy shot, but you’d be surprised how opinionated, funny, and/or eloquent some folks on the app are about certain topics. Although I can’t get my full point across in that alotted time (my name is geek-critique after all), I can get the gist of my thoughts out, which is pretty neat.
When a follower of the blog (my blog that is) mentioned that I should give the app a go, I decided I’d give it a shot. And I’m astounded how addictive it actually is. I didn’t simply watch a few videos. I felt the urge to contribute, to share my voice. And yeah, as you can imagine, I really only talk about the entertainment industry and geek culture. But that’s cool. I don’t see enough of it on the app.
The app Headliner is unique in that it offers EVERYONE the chance to be on the featured page. It uses unique algorithms to give everybody an opportunity at internet fame so that it isn’t dominated by those who are extremely popular or prolific. And so far it has helped draw some traffic to Geekritique (though admittedly not a ton).
It’s still in its early stages, and though it has some ways to go before becoming one of the premiere social media apps, it certainly has that potential. Right now it simply needs users and content more than anything else. Go check it out for yourself, follow me @Geekritique there and message me to let me know you’ve started an account!
Geekritique
Yeah, while this sounds good, it sends up red flags. I think the problem with “news” today is that it is basically opinion and lacks objective reporting. Personally, I see this as just another way that people will become misinformed.
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I can also see that happening. Whichever way one looks at news, bias does creep into it, especially in opinionated journalism – still, a fun way to keep up to date. Regardless of the opinions the users induce in their posts, I can briefly read the headlines and get abreast of what’s happening.
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