#nobody would make active effort to spread complaints about it

[diyunho]

The Joker x Reader - “Raven”

Y/N is a very unusual metahuman that can use her powerful abilities just once before being turned into a Raven forever; that’s why it’s really strange she decided to sacrifice herself in order to save The Joker’s life. But there’s a reason for everything and maybe the unbreakable curse is nothing more than a blessing in disguise.

“It doesn’t look good,” you hover over The Joker, analyzing the gunshot wound that keeps on bleeding through his green shirt.

“It’s not bad,” he growls, pressing his abdomen.

“Where are you, prick?” someone yells and the echo carries over the words around the abandoned building.

“Do you believe you can escape?” another voice resonates in the vast premises.

“Tick-Tock, Clown!” another man howls in the quietness, certain The King of Gotham has no escape.

“Fuck…,” J tries to get up but he slides back down against the wall.

“I think it’s pretty bad,” you state the obvious. “You’re injured, out of bullets and they are near: your crew won’t find you in time.”

“Shit…,” he groans in pain, the throbbing ache intensifying with each passing moment.

“I’m gonna help you,” Y/N shares her scheme and although the news should make him happy, it doesn’t.

“W-what do you mean?!” The Joker stutters even if he knows the implications of such statement. You’re quiet and he continues: “Why would you do something like that?...”

You smile at his bafflement, the affirmation completely surprising him:

“Because you’re the only one that never asked.”

“You shouldn’t use it on me!” J’s truthful reply is interrupted by the henchmen entering the desolated space where the fallen Prince of Crime has found refuge. “Who am I supposed to talk to if you’re gone?” the genuine question makes you realize there’s actually a soul in this world who’ll miss you.

“We didn’t really talk too much,” you softly chuckle and turn to confront the men halted in their tracks seeing you’re positioned in front of The Joker.

“The freak is here,” a goon whispers loud enough to be heard by the ones arriving behind him.

“Hey Y/N!” their leader detaches from the crowd. “What are you doing here?!”

The lack of an answer combined with the feral expression on your face prompts the mobster to wave his pistol as a sign for truce.

“Let’s not do anything hasty, shall we?... …. Hm?... I’m aware you had so many offers over the years; consider mine again: if you wield your powers to finish the green haired asshole, I will triple the amount of money from the highest bidder!”

You scoff at the absurd idea, describing how stupid you considered the monetary proposals suggested by numerous individuals in the past:

“And what am I supposed to do with the riches once I cease to exist?!”

A bullet shrieks by your ear, ending up in the wall behind where J collapsed a couple of minutes ago.

“Sorry I missed, boss!” the man apologizes and this is enough to set you off; you turn your head to gaze at The Joker, delivering a last warning.

“Close your eyes or you’ll go blind!”

“Don’t let her clap her hands!” the kingpin shouts but it’s too late: a deafening bang fills up the air and the strong light emanating from your body burns J’s closed eyelids. He covers his face with bloody fingers while the screams and smell of torched flesh makes him nauseated; it’s so disgusting he gags yet the insane King can’t help a smirk at the sweet victory, even if comes  with such a heavy price.

Gurgling noises and muffled cries persist for another 15 seconds before they abruptly halt.

“Meet me in dreams,” is Y/N’s final sentence and immediately after the sound of flapping wings queue The Joker to finally open his eyes.

The view is cringe worthy: puddles of steamy, boiling tar scattered all around bearing witness to the consequences of your rage: nobody’s alive anymore except J and the Raven picking at the clothes you wore earlier.

His cell phone goes off and he has difficulty searching the purple jacket for the item he has no need for.

“Sir! We’re coming! Almost on the 32nd street!” Frost reports in a frenzy and The Joker sneers, wheezing from the effort of trying to stay awake.

“Nice timing,” and he hangs up, muttering to himself: ’”Goddamned jerks…”

The bird suddenly flies in his lap, curiously checking him out.

“I think I’m gonna pass out…” the damaged Clown slowly blinks before losing conscience which is alright since he had to speak to you anyway.

Every time you meet in dreams, you are always waiting for him on this deserted, calm beach staring at the waves in the distance. Today is not different.

He takes a sit by the woman that saved his life, silently analyzing her features: The Joker knows he won’t see them again except in this place.

When you said you didn’t speak much, it was true; if he tries to remember the first instance you showed up in his life, the moment blurs out and disappears in the background of his troubled mind. You would just randomly pop up while he was alone, keeping each other company for hours and often barely uttering a sentence. The eerie Y/N preferred J’s presence simply due to his lack of interest in her unusual power and he tolerated her because she never sought any kind of reward from their awkward connection. In the matter of fact, J never even tried to touch you; it was relaxing to be with an individual that plainly didn’t want anything from you whilst the rest of the world begged for attention: how many requested you aid them and manipulate your ability in order to annihilate their enemies? How many promised compensations beyond measure in exchange of your mighty gift? Way too many.

Yet The Joker didn’t care about it; the most he would do was to share his favorite drink after a new brand of grape juice hit the market.

And now the person he shared with was gone forever.

“Your team is almost at the warehouse,” you address him, bending your knees until your chin touches them. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

“I’m not worried,” J indifferently replies. “Told you it’s not serious.”

You snicker at his stubbornness, pointing out the evident reality:

“That’s why you fainted and started to dream about me?”

Your escort huffs, struggling to confess stuff hard to articulate in these circumstances.

“Thank you for…umm…for…”

“You don’t have to thank me; it was my choice and I fulfilled my destiny. It’s over and I’m free. I’ll still visit, ok?”

“Mister Joker! Sir, can you hear me?” Frost’s voice interrupts J’s dream: the gang is searching the deserted property for their leader and the only thing he notices is The Raven flying in circles above his head.

***********

Three weeks later, 9:37pm

The Joker extends his arm and you land on it, gently digging your claws in his skin for equilibrium.

“Where were you all day?!” he scolds and you caw, evoking complaints from the man that can’t sleep without his bird. “I wish you were a nightingale, this way you can chirp some cute songs.”

You fly on his shoulder to peck at the diamond earring, annoyed at his remark.

“Ouch! Ouch!” he shrugs, but doesn’t chase you away. “I recognize crows appreciate shiny things, but it hurts.”

Poking escalates and J vaguely apologizes on his own terms:

“I meant Raven! Raven!!” he repeats and struts inside The Penthouse where your pillow awaits. “Are you hungry?” the Prince of Crime offers a bunch of crumbs and expensive seeds he ordered for the spunky pest. You hop on the nightstand and play with the food, not particularly captivated by the lavish feast.

The Joker rolls in bed, gesturing for the pillow next to him.

“My girlfriend’s out of town, you can crush on her side of bed,” the affirmation makes you float to her cushion, instantly plucking the fabric with your beak, then jump up and down, cawing some more.

The Clown laughs, entertained at the temper tantrum.

“I know you don’t like her and the feeling is mutual,” he caresses the soft, black feathers as you continue to shred Lara’s pillow. “Stoooop! These are fresh sheets!” he pleads and distracts you by showing his patched up abdomen from under the t-shirt. “Look, my lesion is healing; wanna see?” a corner of the bandage is peeled for the guest to properly inspect the stitches.

Y/N bounces on The Joker’s chest, cautiously examining his wound.

“Cool, huh?” he grins and reaches his hand for the book resting under his pillow, surprisingly enough containing your favorite poem. “The Raven. By Edgar Allan Poe,” J emphasizes and you spread your wings with delight, quickly rushing to his neck and cuddle against the playing cards tattoo.

The King of Gotham holds the book with one hand and pets you with the other, his husky tone recites the verses you love so much.

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary…” the beautiful, dark rhyme soothes a tired Y/N scarcely recalling what it means to be human.

Yet being near HIM reminds her on how much she longs for what was lost when she willingly sacrificed herself to save the one that didn’t ask to be saved.

*************

Following morning, 8:21 am

The Joker is swimming outside on the terrace and you’re having a blast in the inflatable pool he set by his lounge chair for the enchanted, feathered companion. This is a thousand times extra enjoyable when his new girlfriend is not home!

She’s a complete nutcase, totally obsessed with The Clown and certainly doesn’t understand why he’s paying so much attention to a filthy, gross creature.

Who the hell gets a crow as pet?! Apparently her boyfriend, although he didn’t tell her who you truly are. Why bother? It’s a secret you and J share; nobody has to find out, although plenty of concerned parties would spend a fortune for an update: Y/N hasn’t been spotted recently and it’s troublesome.

“Raven Queen!” J emerges from the pool since he has to take it easy; the doctor said no more than 15 minutes of physical activity every day. “I have a little present,” he yanks at the towel on the lounge chair, unraveling a box full of gold rings, Rolexes and chains under it.

Oh my God, so shiny and sparkly in the morning sun!!!

You fly from your pool straight into the container, happily tapping at the treasures. The Joker dries his body and chitchats with his bird, excited you enjoy the shimmering gems.

“You can steal them and hide them,” he winks and you sure are taking advantage of it as soon as possible. “Do you have a nest?” J inquires and teases afterwards: “Did you find yourself a Raven King?”

That’s pretty rude, you think and swiftly attack him, careful not to scratch his face in the process.

“Cut it out!” The Joker demands and gives up the fight really fast. ”OK, OK, I surrender!” he chuckles as you rise up, gliding in the wind gushing above The Penthouse. The plan is simple: charge at the toxic green locks and pull on the strands, assuring at least two or three hairs will be removed as revenge.  J takes a defensive stance, preparing to catch and keep you captive in the fluffy towel until you calm down.

BANG! the gunshot halts the fun and The Clown Prince of crime watches in horror as The Raven falls to the ground in front of his girlfriend.

“Babe, are you alright?” Lara squeals, kicking the bird at her feet. “I told you having a wild animal as pet it’s an awful idea! I saw the crazy bird attacked you, it might have rabies!!” she kicks you again and the small body convulsing on the hard concrete makes him lose his marbles. “Thank heavens I returned sooner than expected,” the woman explains, nervous to detect the angry Joker stomping towards her.

“What the fuck are you doing??!!” he screams and violently pushes her, slapping the gun out of her hand. Lara stumbles on her own steps, not comprehending why her partner is livid rather than showing gratitude.

“What do you mean?” she gulps and J bends over to pick you up when you let out a cry, the sinister noise resembling a human’s wailing. “The bird was attacking you, I was afraid!”

“It wasn’t attacking me, we were messing around!”

“Messing around?!” the woman mumbles, confused.

“Get a hold of Frost and tell him I need a veterinarian! NOW!!!” The Joker barks as he enters The Penthouse.

“Jesus…,” Lara sniffles and texts, irritated at his behavior. “Why is he so mad about?! The dumb beast is nothing but an outbreak of infection and bacteria!” she maliciously grumbles, sending the message to Jonny.

Something whooshes by her and before she has a chance to see what it is, a bunch of ravens and crows unexpectedly storm at the petrified Lara: they are answering your call, mercilessly tearing and scraping at the enemy.

“J!!! J!!!!” she runs without noticing where she’s going, panicked at the multitude of birds relentlessly chasing her; it’s a miracle she stumbles upon the tiny shed which stores pool supplies and manages to squeeze inside.  

The birds keep on bombarding her temporary hideout as she begs for assistance:

“J !!! J !!!! Please help me!!! J!!!!”

Yet The Joker can’t hear: he raced upstairs to the master bedroom and placed you on the comforter, trying to assess how severe the injuries are; one of the wings is bleeding and there are probably broken bones also.

“Don’t die…” J whispers because it sure seems Y/N is fading away: the bird can barely breathe and for the first time in ages he feels sad. “If you leave, we won’t be able to meet in dreams…”

The King of Gotham crawls in bed, unsure if he should caress you or not; what if he dislocates something else by accident? Instead he kisses the top of your head, the velvety feathers tickling his lips.

The sudden glow radiating from The Raven makes him close his eyes tight: it’s so strong it burns just like when you used your powers to rescue him. It doesn’t last longer than 10 seconds and sensing the light dimmed, J decides to open his eyes. A few black quills still drift in the air and he glares at the tearful Y/N, shocked to see her:

“Everything hurts,” you start sobbing and the bloody arm, plus the bruised torso urge him to cover your naked body with the corner of the quilt. “H-how am I h-here?!” you stammer and grab his thumb while The Joker is in a trance, speechless at the witnessed phenomenon because it’s impossible to come up with a logical reasoning.

Such a shame neither of you realize that even affection coming from a rotten heart can be pure enough to shatter an unbreakable curse.  

 Also read: MASTERLIST

You can follow me in AO3 and Wattpad under the same blog name: DiYunho. 

[momtemplative]

MASKED.

1.

In a house with two young kids, our quickest sanity-stabilizer in this COVID era was to head outside and go for a walk, or a bike ride, or to roller skate. We’d pay close attention to the proximity of passers-by, but typically the grassy fields by the bike paths were an open canvas for the kids to blow off some steam. And we’d all return home a bit winded and slightly more stable. 

Then, a little more than two weeks ago, a strong recommendation came from Governor Polis for everyone to wear masks in public. But what, pray-tell, was “public” referring to? 

Here’s what the CDC endorsed: wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

So that’s what we assumed Polis recommended as well. That night we even had a happy hour gathering with our neighbors, all at least 6-feet-away, but without masks. We didn’t feel like we were being sneaky or non-compliant, we were simply following the guidelines as we understood them. 

But then we started seeing people in their yards wearing masks, and on walks wearing masks— in addition to 6-feet! There was an eerie infiltration of mask-wearers, and, with that, the non-verbal communication of an abrupt change of protocol. Our sacred, oft-traveled, 1,000-step bike path that loops around the block started to feel unfamiliar, as if it were a movie set peppered with strangers, wearing homemade cloth curtains over their cheeks. 

We quickly felt like a minority out there with our bare faces.

2.

An afternoon walk was once a favorite time of day—quarantine or not. Quickly though, in light of the current mask situation, and before I began to wear one, my brain started to get stuck in a grinding pattern of managing everyone else’s whereabouts in accordance with my own. I noticed that I was judging those who were masked, at least in part because I was sure they were judging me. 

Their judgment and my judgment felt cut from the same cloth: judgement as a way of controlling the uncontrollable. There is so much confusion about protocols. So much fear of the radio broadcast of white noise and speculation that is to be our future. All these feelings get lumped together into just trying to do it right. I returned from one particular walk stiff as a board and deeply grumpy.

“Jesse,” I said, “I’m not going on a walk again without a mask.”

3.

I opted out of any domestic sewing of masks at first, and started with my old-lady cardigan tied around my face like a waist. I then upgraded to a bedazzled bandana that I bought to fill Opal’s Easter basket last year. I love the happy fabric, but it wouldn’t stay up over my nose for anything beyond the liquor drive-through (my singular biweekly errand). Store-bought masks are not an option. They’ve been back-ordered for weeks and if the stock is replenished, it needs to be saved for the blessed healthcare workers.

By the next weekend, Jesse and Opal wore masks that they made from a YouTube video, using mustard-yellow t-shirts and rubber bands, while on a bike ride. That ride turned out to be very brief because, according to Opal, it was so hard to breathe. 

4.

The solidarity and confidence that come from wearing a mask are helpful and significant, sure. But the act of wearing a mask changes the experience entirely. 

On a purely physical level, it muddles your peripheral vision, steams up your glasses, makes it hot and very hard to breathe. 

On a social-emotional level, the masks create a real separation between people. It feels similar to being at a costume party—even if the invite list includes most of your friends, everyone is suddenly anonymous. 

I walked behind two people (in masks) and a dog from a block away that I thought were my beloved next door neighbors. I even hollered at them. (They didn't hear me.) Then I got closer and realized it was a different dog and very much not my neighbors. It’s all very disorienting.  

5.

One week in, and Opal has taken Polis’s suggestion as gospel. Of course, I don’t blame her. Sometimes when we are out and about, so is the rest of the neighborhood. During those times, the mask feels safe and dare-I-say comforting. (Like we are good, complaint citizens. Go us.) But other times, there is nobody outside. I tell Opal, “Sweetie, we can keep our masks around our chins until we see someone (dozens of feet away!) and then put up our masks.” 

Opal’s reply: NOT A CHANCE.

I try to imagine what it would be like to experience all this at age ten. What other such details has her system become accustomed to over the last month? Zoom call playdates, online school, little sister around all-the-effing-time. Maybe some feelings come out sideways? Maybe everything seems overwhelming and busy even though very little is happening?

In the olden days, before COVID, any sort of outdoor trek was soul-nourishing for all of us. It ticks a lot of boxes: sunshine, fresh air, exercise for me and the dog and the kids, a brain reset. Now, masked, such an activity is beyond taxing. Ruth has no desire to keep her mask on and she’s a runner. We can bribe her with a lollipop to stay in the stroller, but the girth of the BOB, along with the leashed (80-pound) dog requires skill and intentional footing on an average day. Trying to juggle it all through a face-drape is the emotional equivalent of walking through tar. A guaranteed headache.

Returning to our backyard, with its creaky swingset and patchwork yard, and removing our masks (along with the associated invisible constraints) is beyond restorative.

“That’s the best part about a mask,” Opal said. “Taking it off and having the air taste so fresh and cold again.”

6.

On Sunday morning—a few days ago and two solid weeks into the mask-in-public rules of conduct—the kids were scattered on the floor watching Frozen while I folded laundry and Jesse tinkered away at the sewing machine. Project: to sew face-masks that fit each of us properly. It was a lovely scene of the times. I would imagine Norman Rockwell painting such an episode if he were alive during COVID. A family of four (plus cat, plus dog) in their natural weekend habitat. Slow to dress, sipping juice or coffee, and, sewing face masks.

“Ruth,” Jesse said, “Come on over here and try this on to see if it fits.” Ruth scurried over to him to try on her mask like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Later that day, I walked our dog wearing the mask Jesse so lovingly crafted for me (after three fittings). It was exquisite, hands-free, spacious around the mouth. He even used the sweetest yellow-petal, summer dress fabric. When I returned, I kissed him straight through the mask.

7.

In spite of a good fit, it still takes exponentially more effort to greet someone while masked—you have to yell or over-gesture to compensate for the fact that both of your faces are completely erased. Because we wear ours primarily outside, most people are in sunglasses with their masks. But if not, they are far enough away where eye-reading is not an option. It’s all a straight-up guessing game.

More often than not, for the sake of simplicity, it’s just me and the dog these days. Typically, I have my dog’s leash in my left hand, and a steamy bag of his shit in my right that gets carried for countless unpleasant blocks. This is due to the lack of public trash facilities on the neighborhood routes I find are easier to navigate within the guidelines of 6-feet-between. Bike paths are pretty tight if there isn’t open space to veer off on either side. And now I’ve got my mask on, and fogged-up sunglasses. The uniform is similar to that of someone on Halloween in a last-minute ghost-sheet costume, with just the eyes cut out, cobbling along with both hands full. This is not a “path is the journey” sort of moment. I’m lucky if I can twitch out a head-nod or an elbow-wave to a passer-by.

It feels important to counteract the separation that has become synonymous with health and life. But I’d be lying if I said I was able to muster a greeting every time.

8.

In our culture, masks (when not worn in a medical setting) often represent sinister actions—bandits or bank robbers or the KKK who want to hide defining features.

For many Asian countries, mask-wearing was a cultural norm even before the coronavirus outbreak. In East Asia, many people are used to wearing masks when they are sick or when it's hayfever season, because it's considered impolite to sneeze or cough in public.

The 2003 Sars virus outbreak, which affected several countries in the region, also drove home the importance of wearing masks, particularly in Hong Kong, where many died as a result of the virus. Says the BBC news: “One key difference between these societies and Western ones, is that they have experienced a contagion before—and the memories are still fresh and painful.”

I recently read a story about two black men who were wearing masks at Walmart—fully in compliance and trying to keep themselves safe—when they were accosted by police. It hit me like a whip how individualized each of us are experiencing this pandemic. I skoff at my mask because it’s a pain-in-the-ass. But I’ll never be faced with also having to weigh the risks of racial profiling.

Delving further, I read that to-mask-or-not-to-mask has become a way to take a political stance. Trump supporters carrying “My body, My choice” signs, with an illustration of a crossed-out mask—this is a common image to see in the media right now.

The Washington Post said: “Even as governors, mayors and the federal government urge or require Americans to wear masks in stores, transit systems and other public spaces to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the nation is divided about whether to comply. And it is divided in painfully familiar ways — by politics and by attitudes about government power and individual choice.”

So, clearly, it is about so much more than just a mask.  

9.  

This just in. 

In a press conference that took place a few days ago, April 20th, Governor Jared Polis and state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy outlined how life may change in Colorado as soon as next week, when “shelter-in-place” shifts to “safer-at-home.” They are essentially the same, just with a select few businesses opening with strict distancing rules and incremental shifts toward less physical distancing over all. Polis mentions nothing different about mask-wearing. Meaning, still wear them in public, especially if you can’t get 6-feet-between, especially if you’ve been exposed or have symptoms.

I noticed an immediate difference on my walk following his announcement. There was a family of four playing frisbee in an open space without masks! My initial feeling was wait, WTF? (And yes, I realize we are living in a strange state of affairs for my initial reaction to a beautiful family frolicking in a field to be contempt.) There was a man throwing a ball for his dog in a park that still had many visible CLOSED signs—also NO MASK. (Again, WTF??) I then gave a wide, grassy birth to a group of mask-free bike riders. 

I notice my mask feels more like a burden on my face without the unifying solidarity of everyone doing it. We all seem to be getting different memos.

There’s a huge relief that people are back to having faces, to be sure. I miss people. I love faces. But I have to admit that in spite of my hemming and hawing, I’d gotten used to feeling protected. It’s impossible to make sense of any of it. Even little Ruth came in yesterday and gave a tiny cough. “I’m sick,” she said, “Since I didn’t wear a mask today.” 

Circling back to the facts, the only thing worth grasping at right now, I am challenged to find any bit of news to suggest that our household need to be wearing masks while out on walks—under any level of regulation thus far. Neither Jesse nor myself are working outside of the house. We don’t visit with friends or family. (Big sigh.* We miss everyone terribly.) The odds of us being silent carriers are beyond slim. We are not immuno-compromised. So wearing masks these last few weeks—while still on socially distanced walks—could probably be categorized as an act of cultural alignment, an act of doing everything we can for the cause. 

As of right now, this moment, I do not see our mask-wearing as being impactful to our macro OR micro community. So, for the sake of preserving the sanity of our tiny culture for the long haul, I vote that we wear our beautifully-Jesse-crafted masks on our chins, like flattened feathers at the ready. 

“As it (the “safer-at-home” regulations) rolls off April 27, we need to figure out how to run the marathon now that we’ve run the sprint,” Governor Polis said in his most recent press conference. “I hate to break it to you, but the easy part was the sprint.”

[rosannastylist]

Attitude is the Key

Earl Nightingale stated that our perspective on life determines our perspective on life. Attitudes are just our feelings, which enable us to make decisions. The attitude we adopt every day determines our future. It is the most important factor for a full and joyful life and should be adjusted continuously. Mudra means attitude, attitude, feelings, thoughts, thoughts etc. It is our own perspective for attitude Instagram captions, our own opinion, our thoughts that determine the outcome, not the others. In life, most of us do not usually understand this simple concept - it is not a situation dictating someone else's action or reaction or our attitude. This is entirely our personal decision. Over time, I discovered my own point of view and others that I share here. How we recognize such tendencies in ourselves and how we mold them into fruitful lives is my humble endeavor.

positive attitude

Keeping a positive attitude is the most difficult of all approaches. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says: The soul is like water, it always goes down, you have to try to lift it. Get a positive attitude, make a habit with continuous study. People with a negative attitude feel uneasy and irritable when told about the importance of a positive attitude. But a person with a positive attitude is usually a person who is happy, joyful and fulfilled. In my experience, there are gradual changes in our lives when we control our thoughts and words and adopt a positive outlook in one area of ​​our life. It becomes easier when we seek God's intervention. I think that with God you can do all things comfortably, but without him it becomes too much or fruitless effort.

Grateful attitude

Jig Ziggler said that of all perspectives, gratitude is certainly the most important and the most transformative in life. We all complain, sometimes about the small things in life and sometimes about the big things. And complaints become a habit in us that we do not pay attention to what we are complaining about. On the Facebook link to the Ziegler office fee there was a video in front of the wall of Mr. Giants called the Wall of Thanks. It was very good, I thought. What a way to show your gratitude! In the video, Mr. Ziegler mentions that even people with bad lifespan attitudes, who helped change something in their lives, found a place on the wall. God seeks every day for his children who do not complain and is instead grateful to those who have. I once heard this from a speaker - God will not give you any more if you complain about what you have. And I felt that it is very important to thank God and be thankful for everything He has given, not every now and then, but every day. A grateful attitude is the safest way to progress for attitude captions for Instagram.

To be grateful, we can thank God at every opportunity and be thankful to those around us. We will change our simple approach for the better.

As I write this article, I have progressed in an area where I have held a positive outlook for a long time. Whenever I ask someone to make tea or do something for me, I will complain if it is not done completely. I will complain and be upset until the other person feels pity. One day, while I was sitting at my desk, I asked my husband to make tea. The tea I received was not hot. At first I was told to complain and get angry and leave the tea as usual, enjoying the evening tea. But this time I checked myself and decided to make a choice - this choice is not just to drink tea, but also to enjoy it because someone made a special effort to make it. So often God tests you just before your progress. And I felt that I had broken that attitude and glorified God.

Pride posture

Pride is spreading like an epidemic in our society. Pride is particularly evident in those who do not have to make an effort to get to where they are today, but inherited it from their family, who worked hard to make it. Pride is also shown by those who make money and protect it from false means. Pride can actually prevent us from being the best God for our lives. And pride appears regardless of business, whether it be the business owner, minister, politician or someone else's legacy. I have recently had experience with the successor of a very large ministry, which has offices all over the world. The preacher probably preaches on any subject, but I am proud to serve ministry staff and close family members in important positions in the ministry. God is very special in the matter of humility, which is contrary to pride. Feel proud not for material things, but for the love of God. We also need to remember that God's ways are unique - the easier he gives, the easier it makes him.

A certain attitude

Donald Walters stated that happiness is a mindset that arises from the simple determination to be happy under all circumstances. Have to be firm. There is no struggle for life that can prevent a determined person from reaching his goal. We all have a certain amount of money for something in life. But if we use determination in a positive way, we will reap the benefits in a great way. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that your relationship with God is the key to resolve. Sometimes circumstances make us negative towards life and we lose our enthusiasm. But for some, challenging situations become an important step towards a new and better life. The underlying difference between the two is judgment.

Having gone through an emotionally troubled childhood filled with fear and judgment, a physically and emotionally abusive first marriage that leads to grief and humiliation, I am determined to show everyone who told me that I am a Was out of The exact reason is a big objective here. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I knew it would happen one day. I then proved to God that they were wrong because my resolve to have a relationship with God helped to transform my vessel into the message of God. I decided to make love, I got it from God. I was determined to have that intelligence that kept me higher than the people who abused me. I received it from God. I wanted protection; I found it in the embrace of God. Even if you have nothing in the world, but you are determined, you still fulfill the call of God in your life. But even if you have anything other than determination, you cannot move forward in life. So use your determination positively to get results.

Disciplined in a relaxed posture

Discipline is the bridge between goals and achievement; We should all suffer from one or two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is that the weight of discipline is ounces, while the weight of regret is tons, croft m. Says Pantaj. Some people are active and others are resting, others are careless in every aspect of their lives. Some people are careless, worrying about their lives for their children. And the truth is that careless people prevent themselves from achieving God's superiority for their lives. In the Bible, God says hot or cold, or I take you out of my mouth. A careless person is gentle. A careless person is not disciplined to achieve anything in life.

A few years ago I injured my back and my spine narrowed. I was careless to show the doctor for whom I had to pay a high price. The doctor told me that my back was ten years older than my normal age due to a fall. I did not want to have surgery, but God told me that I would have to discipline myself and plan to exercise regularly to live a normal life. It was very difficult at first because every exercise I did affects my back. I prayed to God a lot and he sent me a yoga teacher through which I learned exercises suited to my physical condition. If you recognize this trend, take the younger one.

Netting currency

We may have the best of intentions at heart, but we can be flexible. Nagging may be a major reason for the break up of the relationship. Nagling does not give the other person room to breathe in the relationship. Under no circumstances can a heart be won by manipulating, only words of encouragement can win hearts. If at first we see mistakes rather than successes, it means that we have this tendency, even if we don't recognize it. I realized that when I was disciplining my daughter, I started having fights that did not help me or in any way. This made him irritable and stubborn. So I prayed to God and God spoke through my husband that I do not need to tell him the same thing again and again. I only had to tell her once and if she comes to me, encourage her to do what she was told. It worked!

I know every trend

To get the ultimate knowledge that comes only from God, we need to be hungry. People with a tendency to know everything can achieve and not grow. From this point of view I have identified two types of people. The first type are those who are often told that they are wrong, and they are fed up of hearing that they take an i-no-all attitude in defense. I was one of them until God healed my soul and showed me how to tell how many times I am wrong, but how often I am right because I am their offspring. The second type of people are those who have gained a lot of knowledge and recognition of the book on their own and can receive awards. Because of their big ego, they will not be open to learning from God himself. So God puts them to life to humiliate them, and it is painful to eat.

God chooses humble people, and people choose to learn from humble teachers.

Weird and admirable attitude

People with strange behavior are strange men who want to take care of everything but themselves. Being interested in what is going on in people's lives and homes, even if it is a mess in their own lives and homes, thrills some people. We judge ourselves by our objectives and the actions of others - I read it in a book called Monkey Business, and it is very true. Nobody really likes a weird person. It is good to help people until they become more curious about their private sector. Strange people are usually big rumors. And if we choose gossip, we pay a higher price for cheap thrills. The main purpose of the applause is to spread the word to anyone. If we clap, we only hurt ourselves because what we say gives us back in so many ways. If we want people to know to help them, then the motive is good. When we do it with the desire to clap, we only self-punish.

Personally, I am more comfortable with people with a fair attitude, whether they are educated or intellectual. The next time we choose our settings, we have to keep in mind what settings we take. If it brings peace and joy to our hearts, then you know that it will bring more fruits in your life. But if we don't kick it and find peace, let it be.

https://bestgoodcaptions.com/

[bytemycupcakes]

Can you do some headcanons on what the Hazbin crew does together? For example what activities do they do, what do they do on Friday nights?

Okay this gets lo ng (maybe I did to much detail- oh well its worth it)

So it’s under a cut

~~

-Alotta them clique-up pretty quickly, so a bunch of different stuff will be going on. Baxter will be trying to be his lonely ass self, Angel has wrangled Alastor and Husk to the couch for whatever the hell Angel thinks is fun (If Husk didn’t already run off to the peace and quiet that is Baxter), Mimzy, Niffty, and Crymini are usually doing some kinda “gossip” (Its just Niffty and Crymini listening to Mimzy babble). Sometimes the specific groups shuffle around- it all depends on who Angel and Mimzy call dibs on for the evening.

-Charlie lets this go on for awhile but eventually decides to force everyone to hang together.

-Her way of doing this is, once a week one person will pick an activity, and teach the whole Hotel about it.

–

-They start with Charlie’s activity first- the whole thing was her idea so it’s only fitting that she starts it.

-She chooses karaoke.

-Charlie, Vaggie, and Alastor are the only ones that really have fun, But Charlie makes everyone sing at least once.

-You would think Mimzy would love this, but she sees it as a cheap knock-off of a real performace. And is thus grumpy for the whole night.

- Charlie and Vaggie do some cute duets, Angel does a really sexual song (That Charlie stops him halfway through- the hotel is grateful), Husk just stands on the stage, when the songs over he grumbles “Awe fuck I lost” to pretend like he cares, Niffty chose a rap song for some reason, Alastor pulled her off stage after the first curse word (and she whined endlessly), Crymini refused to sing into the mic and was mumbling the whole time, Baxter couldn’t even stand on the stage, Mimzy’s entire turn is her complaining about it all, and Alastor went last, shutting everyone up cause nobody really expected him to have a good voice, or to take it seriously.

-Though Alastor’s fun really stemmed from everyone’s complaints (”And Husks colourful words about everything :D”)

-After that Charlie’s almost discouraged to continue this little trend but EVERYONE insists that they gotta go long enough to get their turn. They kinda just want to put the other members through the hell that was.

-That isn’t the best reason to continue… But it works-

–

-Vaggie’s next, she chooses campfire stories- The hotel gets a lobby camping trip.

-Angel and Niffty have a blast setting up a blanket fort big enough for everyone. Vaggie’s making notes on it as they work

-Alastor makes it topple at least twice- Vaggie soon kicks him out of the fort until it’s fully built, so he’s left hovering over everyone.

-Charlie and Baxter work on the “Campfire”. It’s just a pile of christmas lights- Charlie asked Baxter for help specifically, assuming he’s the least likely to cause a fire with a pile of old shitty lights.

-She was right

-Crymini teaches Husk and Mimzy how to make roasted marshmallows using a stove.

-Husk “almost catches his fur on fire” (The marshmallow caught and he thought it’d somehow spread to him), Mimzy and Crymini laugh while he panics.

-They get a whole plate of marshmallows, cooked to various degrees

-Alastor will only eat the ones that are pretty much pure char- Oh well, nobody else was going to eat them.

-Vaggie insists that campfire stories only feel right if everyones in pyjamas.

-Charlie sets one rule for this: They gotta be actual clothes (coughcoughAngelcoughcough)

-Vaggie’s actually really giddy about this, she goes off to find a good flashlight while everyone works on sitting around the “fire”.

-Its a bit of a struggle until Crymini starts tellin people exactly where to sit.

-Crymini is kinda like the second in command here, she loves camping.

-When Vaggie gets back, she plops right into Charlie’s lap and its adorable.

-She gives a basic rundown of how this is gonna work, they’re gonna pass the flashlight around to show who’s tellin the story. The story can be anything, they can make it up as they go, can be something from your living years, whatever, Vaggie doesn’t care. She says which way the flashlights gonna be passed, and thus the order. With how Crymini sat everyone, this puts Crymini being last.

-Vaggie doesn’t do an improv story for once, instead opting to one of Charlie’s favorites- Her own twisted telling of Alice in wonderland. (Yeah a twisted aiw is cliche but idc, its a great fairytale)

-It’s a great starting point, Of course with Vaggies storytelling, its really easy to get people hooked.

-Charlie’s story is what she hopes happens to the hotel members, everyone having such a happy life in heaven. She tears up toward the end and Vaggie plants a kiss on her cheek cause Gosh dang Charlie why you gotta be so cute.

-The other members also find it to be really adorable, and make various little comments- Alastor is silent.

-Husk is next, he tells a story from his childhood- first time he got a card trick to work. This is pretty much when the hotel learns he loves magic tricks- Of course Alastor and Niffty have heard this story a hundred times, and tease him a bit about it.

-Mimzys story is made up, its some woman getting turned on by everyone around her- The hotel has suspitions its based in something.. But they never ask her about it

-Angel has one of those “this is horror for me but not for anyone else” stories. it took like 2 seconds to tell, so Vaggie makes him try again. He starts going off about something sexual. Alastor covers Niffty’s ears, Crymini throws a marshmallow at him. He laughs, says he’s joking, then tells an actual eerie story.

-Baxter’s story has to much scientific tangents for the hotel to really understand what it was about. Bax is satisfied though, so they move on.

-Niffty tells the story of how she died, in far to much detail- but also with alot of weird hyper tangents. The hotel just stares, but Alastor’s clapping.

-Alastor takes the flashlight from Niffty, hums in thought, then passes it to Crymini, insisting he really needs to go last.

-Vaggie grumbles, but lets it happen.

-Crymini’s a bit grumpy, she wanted to pull the “really scary story is the last story” thing- She still tells her story of course, she succeds in spooking Charlie, Angel, and Niffty.

-Charlie asks why she’d do that. Vaggie starts to say thats just how campfire stories work- But baxter hops in, going off on why its not even possible- even with the wierdness around Hell. “C’mon Crymini, at least put some effort into scaring us”

-Alastor laughs, takes the flashlight from Crymini, brings out his dial eyes and goes “If you’d like a scary story, I can certainly provide”

-He defintely succeds in his little ploy, after his long story, everyone is mortified except for Husk- Who Al is pretty sure can’t be scared.

-Thanks Al, now nobody can sleep >:/

–

-Baxter is in charge next, allowing everyone in his lab for once. Of course he decided to show everyone a very basic experiment.

-Ha made sure nothing can explode, or burn through tables… The safest fucking thing he can think of.

-Angel somehow looses a patch of fur, Alastor still manages to explode the damn thing, Niffty broke five beakers before Baxter refused to give her another one. Husk drank his.

-Vaggie and Charlie were the only ones to get the reaction to work, so the hotel gathers around their table to watch it

-Baxter bans Alastor and Niffty from his lab- Everyone agrees its probably for the best.

-They do not listen to the ban

-The members do actually go hang in his lab more often, just to watch him do all the cool stuff

–

-Husk choses Poker. of course he does.

-He practically robs the entire Hotel

-Except Charlie wouldn’t let them gamble with actual money…

-She made pretzel dogs to gamble with.

-After he destroys everyone, he gives them tips in cheating….

-Via magic tricks

-Charlie is a bit weary about it- but it’s Husks turn to share his interests- She mumbles something about “please only do these with eachother- and not for money…”

-Niffty and Crymini snag a couple pretzel dogs from Husks fucking moutain of them

-Angel picks up on the tricks really easily, with all his fuckin arms.

-Alastor and Mimzy are terrible at all of them, Alastor being incredibly obvious about what he’s doing, and Mimzy ends up flinging cards everywhere each time.

-Crymini and Baxter can do the tricks, sure, but they figure out other meathods of cheating. Baxter quickly learning to count cards, and Crymini using her theft skills to hide cards.

-After everyone seems to get the tricks down, Husk has them play another game (without him, so they have a chance)

-Niffty wins, Vaggie was really close.

–

-Niffty teaches the Hotel how to sew

-Alastor and Husk use this as an excuse to sew Angels arms to his sides (They sew the sleeves, not his actual arms dw)

-Baxter keeps sewing his gloves to everything. He refuses to take them off.

-Mimzy freakin loves this, she has alotta clothes that have been torn up from old fights that she can finally fix

-Vaggie and Charlie keep pricking themselves. Niffty takes the needles away from them.

-Angel is yelling for everyone to free him.

-Crymini sews up a gag to shut him up

-Charlie sets him free.

-Angel can’t even get revenge- He’ll figure something out one day

–

-Angel decides to do a makover/dress-up kinda thing.

-He wen’t and got a ton of random clothes for everyone.

-Mimzy helps everyone with makeup

-Angel gets his revenge by forcing Al and Husk into the exact kinda clothes they despise

-Meaning Al is forced into something far to revealing for his liking.

-Nobody can pull his jacket away from him, he has an iron grip.

-And Husk is just forced into clothes, he doesn’t like them, they feel to weird on his fur. Angel put him in a semi-formal kinda outfit, he looks super cute

-Baxter gets out of this by just taking off his labcoat, he wears clothes under it of course. But nobodies ever seen him without the labcoat.

-Angel talks him into putting on a little bowtie though

-Niffty and Crymini look like fuckin princesses. Crymini started using a british accent- she kinda hit full roleplay mode with this.

-Charlie and Vaggie swapped their general styles, Charlie’s got a basic dress and Vaggie’s trying to get this vest to actually be fucking comfortable.

-Mimzy pulls Vaggie’s hair into a bun.

-Charlie.exe has stopped working

-Angel gets into his go to drag outfit, and gets everyone to do a runway thing

-Alastor refuses to get off the couch- Sadly Charlie is to broken from Vaggie to actually save this poor man.

–

-Charlie was really worried about Alastor’s turn- Cause.. Well it’s Alastor

-It’s okay he chooses Cooking

-Vaggie is hesitant about it all though

-Niffty and Husk already knew Alastor could cook, of course. But the others are a bit surprised

-Alastor makes a comment sayin he prefers raw meat, but cooking is quite relaxing.

-They all work together to make dinner pretty much. Everyones put in charge of something.

-Alastor watches over what everyones doing, makes little comments, and even reminds the others to check on the food.

-He’s making something completely different from everyone else and won’t say what he’s doing when the others ask

-Niffty and Husk are the obvious helpers here, Niffty making sure nobodies gonna hurt themselves, and Husk taking over things when someone almost (or does) burn something.

-It doesn’t turn out very well, but it’s edible and they all made it together. They’re all proud and eat anyway

-The oven dings while everyones eating and Alastor goes to check on it. Niffty follows after him to help

-While everyone’s casually talking, having a good time, he comes back with cupcakes

-Of course he did a dark twist- they look like he pulled them straight out of a highschool halloween party- covered in fake eyes, other small body parts, ect. But far more realistic.

-Vaggie hops up assuming they’re real parts

-Niffty giggles and says thank you, she made them all herself

-Husk grabs an “eye” off one of them, eating it. He says that Al wouldn’t just give people body parts out of nowhere. He has class.

-Vaggie is still suspicious of the cupcake. Everyone else eats them just fine.

-Al is a really good baker, Everyone keep’s sayin he should really bake more often

–

-Crymini gets the hotel to play baseball- Or at least as close as they can get to baseball

-Everyone’s having alot of fun actually- Baxter doesn’t like the running, but hes still having fun

-They decide to just have everyone take turns hitting/throwing the ball for the most part

-Alastor won’t use the bat, he just uses his mic. It lets out a ton of feedback each time. They beg him to use the bat, he wont.

-Angel has the best pitch

-Mimzy has the best swing

-Baxter and Niffty broke the most windows

-Speakign of windows: Charlie had to cut the activity short before they broke all the hotels windows-

-Charlie gets a softer ball later for them to keep playing, cause it was so much fun.

–

-Mimzy teaches the hotel to dance

-Alastor, Niffty and Charlie already know how- They just get to help teach

-Charlie’s helping Vaggie (obviously)

-Alastor is the only one tall enough to help Angel and Husk

-Mimzy tried to help them, she really did.

-Mimzy and Niffty help Crymini and Baxter, switching around a bit.

-Baxter would much rather Not™

-Mimzy won’t let him sit on the sidelines, every time he tries to sneak off she grabs him, pulling him into some random move

[enouragement-blog]

Problem people

We should love everyone, and put forth an effort to be at peace at all times with all people, creating peace where there isn’t, and being willing to be the person who is offended. This post is in no way intending to remove Jesus’ instruction that we will be known as Christians by our love. However, if you have been in ministry for any amount of time, you know that there are some people who are just... difficult. Typically they are upper middle class and white, but not always depending on your area and the history. What is the purpose of this post? So you do no ensnare yourself by putting a “problem person” (someone who creates problems and demands their own way) in a leadership position, compromise your mission for the sake of pacifying them, or be surprised at their (usual) betrayal. Don’t see *some people* as enemies, don’t prejudge people, don’t give up on people, and see betrayal behind every face. But also don’t be naive and think that people who have been playing the church game will change over a few months or years. They will expect you to be the same as the church they were at with the best and longest memories, or they will treat your church like a mall established solely for their pleasure. And, not finding what they’re looking for, they will go to the next church and the next one. So these problem people, what are they like?

*Just because someone does these things doesn’t make them one of those immovable pillars of complaint and dissatisfaction, but those who are like that will usually do these things*

- They try and control the heater. Don’t ask me why. They think they speak for everyone and that you are too stupid to know if it should be turned up or down. This small thing becomes a big opportunity for a power struggle.

- They oppose direction. It doesn’t necessarily matter if it’s a heretical direction or not, they just oppose your church running well, having a point, having guidelines, having clearly defined what makes success and failure, having plans for where to take the church, refusing waste of resource ministries that don’t support the church’s directions, and refusing some based on their inability to meet that standard. Maybe it’s because they weren’t consulted, maybe it’s because their core values (politics for instance) are not being addressed by the church’s core value (reaching the lost for instance).

- They think they need to have a say in everything, and they question everything-not in a healthy sort or “conversational” way, but in a sort of challenging way. They see themselves as wardens to take the church back to some golden age that probably never really existed. It could be centered around a previous pastor, a happy memory, a place they moved from, or someone who used to be in the church. Sometimes they try to get onto committees or boards so they can 1. insure the forward momentum is not achieved 2. try to protect the church from the pastor rather than support his vision 3. protect the finances from some perceived threat that may happen in the next 50 years rather than based off actual merit or history at the current location 4. maintain some level of control.

- They are focused on the good ol’ days and will do anything to take the church back there. They see it as a museum they have to protect from the world rather than God’s hands and feet that have to love and serve the least. Everything is focused on the building: all ministries and expenses have to be in the church and for the church. 

- They don’t see ministry to people as part of their calling. In fact, they usually won’t stick with ministries that require them to serve and love people in general and especially ministries where they have to do something for the good of someone they think is lower than them - such as drug addicts. They usually won’t do food pantries, widow’s services, kids activities and so on for long if they do it at all, but they will be the first to clean toilets and pick up trash, or set up for events. One thing I do is I leave little tests. Especially if you are thinking of putting someone in leadership, put them in situations that you can test them or the situation will test them. You want to know how they handle conflict and irritants, because your church depends on it. They need to be paying tithes, a member, going for at least 3 years, observed through conflict, involved, supportive in someone else’s ministry continually, BEFORE they are put into leadership or allowed to start a new ministry. Don’t put someone in leadership so that they will grow, to pacify them, or without being sure of their character. I put a few broken picks on the floor where I played. Every week, they would pick them up and put them on my music stand. Every week I would put them back on the floor. We repeated this every week. They were the same 3 picks every week. Why did I do this? Because I suspected that they were problem people. How did my test show me that? Because they weren’t willing to talk to me about why I put it on the floor, nor to throw it away, nor to leave it alone. They had to do things their way. They would never talk with me about the picks either. So what did I do? After I had my answer, I threw the picks away and started praying hard specifically for them. I saw warning signs in their character and service, and I prayed that they would change before they caused a problem, that their bad attitude wouldn’t spread, and that my attitude would improve and that the leadership wouldn’t get bitter towards them. 

- They typically see their resources as a gift from God, as they themselves are, and they will withhold finances and other support if you don’t cave to their demands. They won’t say it like that though. They’ll say that they don’t agree with your decision (as though any 2 people agree on anything), and they will have a long list of grievances that they will make sound worse than they really are. Then they will talk to others so they can say “I’m not the only one that feels this way”. Upon closer inspection, they will not be able to give clear moral critique, but just twisted stories and what “they felt like” was being said or done. If you say anything to them, they will instantly be defensive, but you better be happy and a yes man all the time.

- They are maintenance and preservation minded. If they were a company, they would be blockbuster: they want to have a lot of options that got them where they are 20 years ago, but they don’t want to adapt, change, or expand. They typically want to do the same things they’ve always done (read the bible 30 minutes a day and go to church on the weekend) and expect it to be good enough and even take them to where they’ve never been before.

- They typically get stuck in ruts. An example would be that they only like songs from their childhood that they have been singing all their lives. In fact, problem people will try and get on the worship team as either a singer or a pianist usually, and they will push against new songs, complain about new songs, and glorify hymns and how they relate to whatever situation they are going through. Obviously there is nothing wrong with old songs, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep the music stuck in the 50′s while the culture is almost 100 years ahead. If anyone says any comment whether positive, neutral, or negative about the music it will be them even if nobody else says anything.

- They will find online resources that agree with their own views and then regurgitate them as fact without any understand of history, languages, or theology.

- They see relevance, bridge-building, and engagement with the culture as evil, and the church must be as they used to be when from a certain era that they cling to, be it the 1950′s, the 1800s or whenever.

- They usually sit in the same spot every week, assume everyone knows its theirs, refuse to move, and get angry with those who sit in their assigned seats. New people are more of an irritant than anything.

- They have frequent complaints but very few praises. Everyone could be doing a better job except for them. Pacifying them won’t work. It may temporarily divert complaints, but they will resurface. When they do, you will have lost your forward momentum, your honor, and your purpose for no reason. There will always be something else, always a conflict, always something that they need to stick their nose in.

- They are more severe than the biblical Law. Preferences are exalted over morals, and they are always weighing others. People oftentimes become nothing more than positive and negative signs, not just for them but for other who get caught up or betrayed by them. Everyone starts reducing people to what they can personally be profited by having them in their lives.

- Don’t ever assume the spouse isn’t like them. If they have been married for any length of time, they have rubbed off on each other. Don’t judge someone else for the actions of one, but don’t foolishly judge without any test whatsoever. 

- They have cliques or create cliques of people who will agree with them on issues that usually don’t have anything to do with the mission of the church. 

Did I mention they complain a lot? There is more that could be said, but you get the point. Just because you are a small church doesn’t mean you should compromise purpose, vision, direction, and mission for the sake of keeping one or two. How do I know these things? I’ve been in ministry over 15 years. When you do something for 15 years, you pick up on stuff. Some problem people change (but not few), some people become problem people. It is not your job to change them. You give opportunity, you teach, you love, you serve, you protect. But it’s their job to change. And if they weren’t willing to let God change them, there’s no change you ever had in changing them.

[thisdaynews]

‘You’re making him a further victim’: Dems fume over DNC treatment of Biden

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/youre-making-him-a-further-victim-dems-fume-over-dnc-treatment-of-biden/

‘You’re making him a further victim’: Dems fume over DNC treatment of Biden

The DNC hasn’t been completely silent. The national party called on Facebook to take down false ads targeting the former vice president.It operates a second, more aggressive “War Room” Twitter account that has been busy whacking Trump and Republicans. But the size of its following is just a fraction of the size of the national party account.

The party’s low-key role in the recent fray is sparking a growing sense of frustration, according to interviews with nearly 20 DNC members and other prominent Democrats. There are complaints that the national party isn’t delivering a digital counter-punch, that it’s getting swamped by Republican fundraising, and doing little to combat an onslaught of incoming TV ads targeting Biden on Ukraine. And they lament that Democrats lack a prominent voice who is providing anything like the kind of sustained bombast coming from the Republican side.

“The DNC should be much more active and vigorous than they have been. It should have been and should now be more even more forceful in its condemnation of Trump,” said Don Fowler, a former DNC chair, who stressed he wasn’t criticizing the party’s currentchair, Tom Perez. “They should consider at least putting out a statement pointing out that Biden has served with honor, has done nothing improper, illegal or unethical and that his record on these kinds of matters is essentially spotless and that Donald Trump is just a lying no-good son of a bitch.”

Part of the problem, defenders say, is that the DNC is working under an unusual constraint. Amidthe fallout from the bitter 2016 presidential primary race — when Bernie Sanders’ supporters accused the party of rigging the process for the establishment favorite, Hillary Clinton — the DNC in 2018adopted a strict pledge of neutrality in the next presidential primary. As a result, any attempt to defend Biden might be viewed by progressives as a violation of the pledge, and another effort to prop up a preferred candidate.

“There’s always a candidate who has a complaint about what the party is or isn’t doing,” said Kathy Sullivan, former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair. “I don’t think the party needs to do anything. Donald Trump is doing perfectly well jumping off a cliff all by himself. Nobody has to push him.”

Still, critics say that pledge, formally installed by Perez, has dictated the committee’s actions to the point of paralysis. There’s plenty of room for the party to push back on Trump on the issue of election meddling or how he’s complying with an impeachment inquiry without promoting Biden, they argue.

It’s an opinion that’s held in some quarters of the Biden campaign.

“No one on our team thinks the DNC should be out there with a giant Joe Biden sign running around town. But there are very few signs of the DNC aggressively pushing back on any of these misleading narratives from Trump,” a Biden adviser said. “This isn’t just about us. It’s about the Democratic Party and whoever the nominee is or any of the candidates are. Today, it’s Joe Biden. Tomorrow, it could be Elizabeth Warren or any of the other candidates.”

As proof of the sensitivity of the issue,relations between the DNC and the Biden campaign grew strained on Sunday when the campaign furnished a TV surrogate with a document of talking points — one of which was deemed too critical of the party by some DNC officials.

Another complaint is that the DNC is spending more time refereeing primary debates than aggressively confronting Trump. And those critics don’t think the rebuilding necessitated by the disastrous 2016 election cycle is moving quickly enough. The committee remains saddled in debt and, as of the end of August, had raised just $59.5 million this year compared to the RNC’s $141.4 million.

The national party is also lagging on the digital messaging front. The GOP has considerably larger social media followings on both Facebook and Twitter — key arenas where disinformation is spread and media coverage is influenced.

Beyond that, Republicans have already announced they would launch a $10 million TV ad campaign targeting Biden with Trump’s claim that the former vice president and his son engaged in corruption in Ukraine, accompanied by another $1 million in Facebook ads. The president’s re-election campaign is devoting $ 1 million of the anti-Biden television buy in the early nominating states alone.

“In this situation, if you don’t defend the guy by name and often and vigorously, you’re making him a further victim by the party, you’re not standing behind him,” said a DNC member who asked not to be named,referring to the attacks on Biden.

The DNC has not announced any advertising pushback.

“A lot of thinking went into not replicating the mistakes of 2016,” said Simon Rosenberg, who acted as a senior advisor to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018. “I’m not sure as much thinking went into re-imagining the DNC’s communications responsibilities in an age of social media, disinformation and Trump.”

Some Democrats point the finger at Perez, claiminghe hasn’t been visible enough in countering a massive Republican assault and the DNC hasn’t been aggressive enough in countering the president.

“We don’t have to get down in the mud. But we should be on the offensive,” said one DNC member who would only speak on the condition of anonymity. “I don’t think we’ve pushed back enough.”

Former DNC chairman Ed Rendell echoed that sentiment.

“I would like more of a response. And it doesn’t matter what candidate we’re talking about,” said the former Pennsylvania governor and Biden surrogate. “If Elizabeth Warren is in the lead in all the polls and Donald Trump levels attacks at her that are unfair, the DNC should come to her defense. Whether the DNC has the money to run a robust TV campaign in defense of the Trump TV campaign, I don’t know — and I’m not sure that they do — but they could put out a statement.”

DNC War Room spokeswoman Adrienne Watson defended the committee’s work, saying it is wisely sinking its resources into data, tech and organization in advance of the 2020 election and that each presidential campaign was briefed on how the DNC would approach the primary and “received overwhelming support for this approach.”

“Chair Perez and the DNC have spent the last three years battling Trump at every turn while rebuilding the party after a crushing loss,” Watson said. “Our job is to hold Trump accountable, define him in the battleground states, and speak directly with voters about his broken promises and abuse of power, and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to do.”

Mo Elleithee, who served asDNC spokesman under former Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, defended the committee’s approach. “It’s an impossible job,” he said, creditingPerez with being “fairly smart in messaging against Trump.”

Former DNC Chair Howard Dean said the DNC has two jobs before a nominee is chosen: run a fair primary and a good convention.

“The DNC ought not to put its finger on the scale. Period. End of discussion.” Dean said. “It’s not the DNC’s job to attack until after we have a nominee.”

He added that Democrats would go ballistic if the DNC sprang to the defense of Warren, Sanders or Buttigieg if Trump attacked them. “Can you imagine the howling that would go on?” he said.

Neera Tanden, a former advisor to Hillary Clinton, said Perez has been right to take a back seat to members of Congress like Nancy Pelosi who are leading the impeachment inquiry because that issue is not about politics.

“Trump wants to make this a political battle between the parties,” she said. “And this is a battle about his abuse of office and the Constitution.”

Biden on Wednesday night dedicated an entire speech in Reno, Nevada to Trump’s attacks on him. Biden used the situation both to trash the president and advance the notion that Trump is scared of him.

“Joe Biden won’t let Trump get away with gaslighting this country to hide his own wrongdoing, and no Democrat should let him off the hook,” Bill Russo, a Biden spokesman said in a statement. “We’ve been pleased to see the example of officials like Sen. Booker and Rep O’Rourke, who stood up for the facts while standing up to Trump, and the DNC who demanded that Facebook take down his ridiculous, false ad. It reminds us why we’re proud to be part of a party of values.”

Maggie Severns contributed to this report.

Read More

[moonwalkertrance]

Justice Dept. charges Russian woman with interference in midterm elections

The Justice Department announced Friday it had charged a Russian woman who prosecutors say conspired to interfere with the 2018 U.S. election, marking the first criminal case that accuses a foreign national of interfering in the upcoming midterms.

Elena Khusyaynova, 44, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors said she managed the finances of “Project Lakhta,” a foreign influence operation they said was designed “to sow discord in the U.S. political system” by pushing arguments and misinformation online about a host of divisive political issues, including immigration, the Confederate flag, gun control and National Football League protests during the national anthem.

The charges against Khusyaynova came just as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence warned that it was concerned about “ongoing campaigns” by Russia, China and Iran to interfere with the upcoming midterm elections and the 2020 race — an ominous message just weeks before voters head to the polls.

[Read the charges against Elena Khusyaynova]

Prosecutors said the sophisticated campaign Khusyaynova was a part of “did not exclusively adopt one ideological viewpoint” but instead tried to push incendiary positions on various political controversies on social media platforms. The Russians involved, prosecutors said, created fake personas and spread their divisive messages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The group attempted to sow conflict along racial lines and sometimes advocated positions that directly opposed each other, apparently agnostic to whom they supported as long as it turned Americans against one another, prosecutors said.

For example, in relaying how to discuss an August 2017 story about special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, one operation participant said Mueller should be termed “a puppet of the establishment” whose work was “damaging to the country,” according to prosecutors. But later that year, another operation member tweeted: “If Trump fires Robert Mueller, we have to take to the streets in protest. Our democracy is at stake.”

The group took similarly cynical positions on U.S. politicians. While one account said President Trump “deserves a Nobel Peace Prize” for agreeing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, another predicted Trump “might not even be president by then.” One tweet encouraged voters to donate to a political action committee aiming to unseat Senate Democrats Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), as well as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

As a reporter tried to ask about the charges Friday, Trump interjected: “Had nothing to do with my campaign. You know, all of the hackers and all of the — everybody that you see, nothing to do with my campaign. If the hackers — a lot of them probably like Hillary Clinton better than me. Now they do. Now they do.”

He added, “We’ve done a lot to protect the elections coming up.”

Those involved in the conspiracy, prosecutors said, would analyze U.S. news articles and advise how to draft messages about those stories. For example, before his death in August, operation participants advised that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) should be branded “an old geezer who has lost it,” and they said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) should be portrayed as “a complete and absolute nobody.”

“The strategic goal of this alleged conspiracy, which continues to this day, is to sow discord in the U.S. political system and to undermine faith in our democratic institutions,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement: “Combatting election interference is a task that requires cooperation from government and private industry.”

Twitter declined to comment.

The messages spread widely on the platforms; prosecutors say one Facebook page reached over 1.3 million people, while several of the Twitter accounts had tens of thousands of followers.

The operation did not seem to include any outright hacking efforts. In a statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said officials “do not have any evidence of a compromise or disruption of infrastructure that would enable adversaries to prevent voting, change vote counts or disrupt our ability to tally votes in the midterm elections.” But the statement noted: “We are concerned about ongoing campaigns by Russia, China and other foreign actors, including Iran, to undermine confidence in democratic institutions and influence public sentiment and government policies. These activities also may seek to influence voter perceptions and decision making in the 2018 and 2020 U.S. elections.”

The statement, which was joined by the Justice Department, FBI and Department of Homeland Security, came on the eve of a trip national security adviser John Bolton is making to Moscow, where he is expected to raise the issue with his counterparts.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Court papers say Khusyaynova’s operation was funded by Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin, an associate of Russian President Vladi­mir Putin who is known as “Putin’s chef,” and two companies he controls: Concord Management and Consulting, and Concord Catering. A federal judge in Washington this week expressed reservations about the special-counsel office’s prosecution of one of Prigozhin’s companies and directed Mueller’s prosecutors to provide a more detailed response to the company’s bid to dismiss the central charge.

A criminal complaint filed against Khusyaynova charges that she managed the finances of Project Lakhta, including detailed expenses for activities in the United States.

Between 2016 and 2018, Project Lakhta’s proposed operating budget exceeded $35 million, although only a portion of that money targeted the United States, prosecutors said.

Lakhta is the name of a neighborhood in St. Petersburg near the location of the longtime office of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian troll farm that has been the focus of special-counsel prosecutors. The agency moved to an office building, called Lakhta-2, in the neighborhood last winter, according to Russian news reports.

Investigating Russian interference in U.S. elections has largely been the purview of Mueller, though his probe is focused on the 2016 election and the Trump campaign. His office has charged a dozen Russian military officers with hacking Democrats’ computers, as well as 13 people and three companies that his prosecutors allege ran an online propaganda operation to push voters away from Hillary Clinton and toward Trump in 2016.

The members of Project Lakhta seemed keenly aware of Mueller’s work. After the special counsel’s indictment of the 13 Russian nationals in February, alleging similar behavior in the 2016 election, one alleged member of the operation tweeted that he hoped the accused were sent to Guantanamo Bay prison. But, he added, apparently hoping to convince U.S. voters of his position: “We didn’t vote for Trump because of a couple hashtags shilled by the Russians. We voted for Trump because he convinced us to vote for Trump.”

The group communicated with real Americans to advance their work. For example, in July 2017, one of the conspirators used a fake “Helen Christopherson” Facebook account to contact three real U.S. organizations to collaborate with the groups in opposing Trump. One of those organizations agreed to make the “Helen Christopherson” account a co-organizer of an anti-Trump event on Facebook.

The case is being prosecuted by lawyers in the cyber division of the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia and the Justice Department national security division’s counterintelligence and export-control section.

The complaint against Khusyaynova was filed under seal in late September and kept secret for three weeks. Officials said the calculation to publicly unveil the accusations now was based on a number of factors, including the unlikelihood that the suspect, who is believed to be in Russia, might travel to a country where she could be arrested and the pending meeting between Bolton and Russian officials, allowing him to raise the issue with them now that the complaint has been made public.

Overriding all of those concerns, officials said, was a desire to raise public awareness about Russian political influence campaigns — to warn voters that such activity was not limited to the 2016 campaign and that fake online personas are still trying to manipulate Americans heading to the polls in a matter of days.

The Justice Department has been broadly assessing how it should respond to foreign influence operations targeting U.S. elections, and this summer it issued a lengthy report on the topic. U.S. officials have warned repeatedly about foreign attempts to influence the 2018 midterms.

[newestbalance]

New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators

DUBLIN — If Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t know who Helen Dixon is, he will soon.

From an unassuming townhouse in the Irish capital, Ms. Dixon, the country’s data protection commissioner, leads an agency that was once a bureaucratic backwater. Employees share offices and have few of the perks available in Facebook’s building nearby: The main free amenities here are water, coffee and tea.

Yet Ms. Dixon will soon gain vast new authority to investigate and fine Facebook, as well as an array of other technology giants with regional headquarters in Ireland. Amid increased concerns over online privacy, a sweeping new European privacy law could make her one of the world’s most consequential regulators.

She is eager to test her newfound power. But the question remains whether her tiny agency is able — or willing — to stand up to tech behemoths of Silicon Valley.

“There’s a wave coming toward us that we need to push back against,” Ms. Dixon, who spent the first 10 years of her career working for tech companies, said in an interview.

Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation is seen by experts as the world’s most aggressive set of internet privacy rules. It is expected to come into force on May 25, and it will give more than 500 million people living in the European Union the right to keep companies from collecting personal data, or to have it deleted. Regulators like Ms. Dixon will be able to fine companies up to 4 percent of global revenue — equivalent to about $1.6 billion for Facebook.

[Read more about what the new European privacy rules mean for you.]

The privacy law highlights broader skepticism of Silicon Valley in Europe, where regulators have punished companies for violating tax and antitrust laws, not doing enough to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation online, and intrusively gobbling up data on consumers.

Ireland in particular is taking center stage in the wide-ranging battle. The country is the European headquarters for data-hungry companies including Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn.

If companies do not comply with the law, Ms. Dixon said, “they will suffer consequences.”

But for all the tough talk, the reality is that her agency subsists on an annual budget of 7.5 million euros, equivalent to $9 million. That’s roughly as much revenue as the companies she oversees generate over all in 10 minutes. Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, has hundreds of people globally working on data protection regulation alone, including lawyers and privacy experts hired in Dublin.

The data protection office was once an afterthought. During an effort by the Irish government to move less-critical agencies out of Dublin, it was relocated in 2006 50 miles west to a town called Portarlington, population 8,368. Its power was so limited that it could not publicize investigations.

Ms. Dixon, whose father was an army officer and mother a schoolteacher, grew up in a small town in central Ireland before moving to Dublin for university. She worked for companies including the business software firm Citrix Systems before moving into government. She later received a postgraduate diploma in computer science.

Fittingly for her current position, Ms. Dixon guards her privacy. She will not share her age, other than saying she is in her “40s,” and she has become more careful with data since taking the job. She does not use Facebook or Instagram (though she does have a LinkedIn profile).

Since taking over in 2014, Ms. Dixon has successfully lobbied for more funding and got the headquarters put back in Dublin. A move to a bigger office is in the works. She has hired lawyers, investigators and engineers. The staff will total 140 this year, up from 30 when she joined, with plans to reach 200 in the next few years, if budget increases are approved.

But if data privacy is truly a priority globally, Ms. Dixon said, more resources are needed. Her office is actually among the better funded privacy agencies globally, but is still a minnow compared with, say, Ireland’s financial services regulator, which has a budget about 40 times greater.

“The question for governments is, how much enforcement do we want to do, how seriously do we want to take the risk to our fundamental rights and freedoms in this area?” said Ms. Dixon, carrying a bound copy of the new law. “We need the funding and resources commensurate with the level of importance. This office would suggest it should be far more highly resourced.”

Budgetary constraints are not new to regulators overseeing powerful industries. But privacy groups worry that without strong oversight, the European rules, years in the making, will do little to crimp the power of Silicon Valley.

There is evidence those concerns are well founded. In a Reuters survey of privacy regulators in 24 European Union countries, 17 said they did not have the needed funding or legal powers to enforce data protection regulation. Ireland did not participate in the survey.

Ms. Dixon must also contend with skepticism among privacy advocates, stemming largely from Ireland’s history of lax oversight of the technology industry.

Her predecessors are faulted for not taking earlier action against Facebook, even when complaints were filed years ago about data-mining practices similar to those eventually used by the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The European Commission in 2016 also ordered Ireland to recoup about $15.6 billion in unpaid taxes from Apple. (The decision is being appealed.)

“The culture has to be changed,” said Max Schrems, a Austria-based lawyer and online privacy advocate who filed the earlier complaints against Facebook. “You can have the best law, but if nobody enforces it, then you’re not going to go anywhere.”

Advocates of the new law say it is already having a positive impact and that oversight is spread out. A new European Data Protection Board will help coordinate investigations and pool resources across European Union countries, giving regulators outside Ireland the ability to bring action. The data protection regulation also allows private groups to recruit consumers into class-action-style complaints — not as common in Europe as the United States — that could result in sizable damages against businesses.

A looming question, however, is how much people really care. Ms. Dixon cited Facebook’s most recent financial report, which showed growing user numbers, revenue and profit, despite the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

“We should be acting as data protection authorities in the name of data subjects, but you often as a regulator in this space have the feeling that you’re not mandated by the general public,” she said. “Either they don’t care or they actively oppose what we’re doing.”

Representatives from the technology industry have made regular visits to the converted 18th-century Georgian home used by Ms. Dixon’s team. Aware that a public backlash is putting pressure on regulators to rein in Silicon Valley, Facebook and others have been courting Ms. Dixon, putting forward their case that their data protection policies comply with the new European law.

“We’ve really leapt into explaining what we’ve done and the thinking that’s gone into that,” said Stephen Deadman, Facebook’s global deputy chief privacy officer. “I’ve got faith and confidence that the way Helen Dixon’s office will perform its function will be true to the spirit and requirements of G.D.P.R., rather than being blown around by whatever is happening in the media.”

Google and Twitter declined to comment.

Even with limited resources, Ms. Dixon is studying her adversaries. When Mr. Zuckerberg testified before Congress last month, she stayed up late at home despite the time difference to watch as the Facebook chief executive answered questions.

Asked if she had a message for him and other tech executives, she said they should expect her to use her new powers “to the fullest.”

The post New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2k16jnp via Everyday News

[cleopatrarps]

New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators

DUBLIN — If Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t know who Helen Dixon is, he will soon.

From an unassuming townhouse in the Irish capital, Ms. Dixon, the country’s data protection commissioner, leads an agency that was once a bureaucratic backwater. Employees share offices and have few of the perks available in Facebook’s building nearby: The main free amenities here are water, coffee and tea.

Yet Ms. Dixon will soon gain vast new authority to investigate and fine Facebook, as well as an array of other technology giants with regional headquarters in Ireland. Amid increased concerns over online privacy, a sweeping new European privacy law could make her one of the world’s most consequential regulators.

She is eager to test her newfound power. But the question remains whether her tiny agency is able — or willing — to stand up to tech behemoths of Silicon Valley.

“There’s a wave coming toward us that we need to push back against,” Ms. Dixon, who spent the first 10 years of her career working for tech companies, said in an interview.

Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation is seen by experts as the world’s most aggressive set of internet privacy rules. It is expected to come into force on May 25, and it will give more than 500 million people living in the European Union the right to keep companies from collecting personal data, or to have it deleted. Regulators like Ms. Dixon will be able to fine companies up to 4 percent of global revenue — equivalent to about $1.6 billion for Facebook.

[Read more about what the new European privacy rules mean for you.]

The privacy law highlights broader skepticism of Silicon Valley in Europe, where regulators have punished companies for violating tax and antitrust laws, not doing enough to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation online, and intrusively gobbling up data on consumers.

Ireland in particular is taking center stage in the wide-ranging battle. The country is the European headquarters for data-hungry companies including Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn.

If companies do not comply with the law, Ms. Dixon said, “they will suffer consequences.”

But for all the tough talk, the reality is that her agency subsists on an annual budget of 7.5 million euros, equivalent to $9 million. That’s roughly as much revenue as the companies she oversees generate over all in 10 minutes. Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, has hundreds of people globally working on data protection regulation alone, including lawyers and privacy experts hired in Dublin.

The data protection office was once an afterthought. During an effort by the Irish government to move less-critical agencies out of Dublin, it was relocated in 2006 50 miles west to a town called Portarlington, population 8,368. Its power was so limited that it could not publicize investigations.

Ms. Dixon, whose father was an army officer and mother a schoolteacher, grew up in a small town in central Ireland before moving to Dublin for university. She worked for companies including the business software firm Citrix Systems before moving into government. She later received a postgraduate diploma in computer science.

Fittingly for her current position, Ms. Dixon guards her privacy. She will not share her age, other than saying she is in her “40s,” and she has become more careful with data since taking the job. She does not use Facebook or Instagram (though she does have a LinkedIn profile).

Since taking over in 2014, Ms. Dixon has successfully lobbied for more funding and got the headquarters put back in Dublin. A move to a bigger office is in the works. She has hired lawyers, investigators and engineers. The staff will total 140 this year, up from 30 when she joined, with plans to reach 200 in the next few years, if budget increases are approved.

But if data privacy is truly a priority globally, Ms. Dixon said, more resources are needed. Her office is actually among the better funded privacy agencies globally, but is still a minnow compared with, say, Ireland’s financial services regulator, which has a budget about 40 times greater.

“The question for governments is, how much enforcement do we want to do, how seriously do we want to take the risk to our fundamental rights and freedoms in this area?” said Ms. Dixon, carrying a bound copy of the new law. “We need the funding and resources commensurate with the level of importance. This office would suggest it should be far more highly resourced.”

Budgetary constraints are not new to regulators overseeing powerful industries. But privacy groups worry that without strong oversight, the European rules, years in the making, will do little to crimp the power of Silicon Valley.

There is evidence those concerns are well founded. In a Reuters survey of privacy regulators in 24 European Union countries, 17 said they did not have the needed funding or legal powers to enforce data protection regulation. Ireland did not participate in the survey.

Ms. Dixon must also contend with skepticism among privacy advocates, stemming largely from Ireland’s history of lax oversight of the technology industry.

Her predecessors are faulted for not taking earlier action against Facebook, even when complaints were filed years ago about data-mining practices similar to those eventually used by the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The European Commission in 2016 also ordered Ireland to recoup about $15.6 billion in unpaid taxes from Apple. (The decision is being appealed.)

“The culture has to be changed,” said Max Schrems, a Austria-based lawyer and online privacy advocate who filed the earlier complaints against Facebook. “You can have the best law, but if nobody enforces it, then you’re not going to go anywhere.”

Advocates of the new law say it is already having a positive impact and that oversight is spread out. A new European Data Protection Board will help coordinate investigations and pool resources across European Union countries, giving regulators outside Ireland the ability to bring action. The data protection regulation also allows private groups to recruit consumers into class-action-style complaints — not as common in Europe as the United States — that could result in sizable damages against businesses.

A looming question, however, is how much people really care. Ms. Dixon cited Facebook’s most recent financial report, which showed growing user numbers, revenue and profit, despite the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

“We should be acting as data protection authorities in the name of data subjects, but you often as a regulator in this space have the feeling that you’re not mandated by the general public,” she said. “Either they don’t care or they actively oppose what we’re doing.”

Representatives from the technology industry have made regular visits to the converted 18th-century Georgian home used by Ms. Dixon’s team. Aware that a public backlash is putting pressure on regulators to rein in Silicon Valley, Facebook and others have been courting Ms. Dixon, putting forward their case that their data protection policies comply with the new European law.

“We’ve really leapt into explaining what we’ve done and the thinking that’s gone into that,” said Stephen Deadman, Facebook’s global deputy chief privacy officer. “I’ve got faith and confidence that the way Helen Dixon’s office will perform its function will be true to the spirit and requirements of G.D.P.R., rather than being blown around by whatever is happening in the media.”

Google and Twitter declined to comment.

Even with limited resources, Ms. Dixon is studying her adversaries. When Mr. Zuckerberg testified before Congress last month, she stayed up late at home despite the time difference to watch as the Facebook chief executive answered questions.

Asked if she had a message for him and other tech executives, she said they should expect her to use her new powers “to the fullest.”

The post New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2k16jnp via News of World

[party-hard-or-die]

New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators

DUBLIN — If Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t know who Helen Dixon is, he will soon.

From an unassuming townhouse in the Irish capital, Ms. Dixon, the country’s data protection commissioner, leads an agency that was once a bureaucratic backwater. Employees share offices and have few of the perks available in Facebook’s building nearby: The main free amenities here are water, coffee and tea.

Yet Ms. Dixon will soon gain vast new authority to investigate and fine Facebook, as well as an array of other technology giants with regional headquarters in Ireland. Amid increased concerns over online privacy, a sweeping new European privacy law could make her one of the world’s most consequential regulators.

She is eager to test her newfound power. But the question remains whether her tiny agency is able — or willing — to stand up to tech behemoths of Silicon Valley.

“There’s a wave coming toward us that we need to push back against,” Ms. Dixon, who spent the first 10 years of her career working for tech companies, said in an interview.

Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation is seen by experts as the world’s most aggressive set of internet privacy rules. It is expected to come into force on May 25, and it will give more than 500 million people living in the European Union the right to keep companies from collecting personal data, or to have it deleted. Regulators like Ms. Dixon will be able to fine companies up to 4 percent of global revenue — equivalent to about $1.6 billion for Facebook.

[Read more about what the new European privacy rules mean for you.]

The privacy law highlights broader skepticism of Silicon Valley in Europe, where regulators have punished companies for violating tax and antitrust laws, not doing enough to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation online, and intrusively gobbling up data on consumers.

Ireland in particular is taking center stage in the wide-ranging battle. The country is the European headquarters for data-hungry companies including Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn.

If companies do not comply with the law, Ms. Dixon said, “they will suffer consequences.”

But for all the tough talk, the reality is that her agency subsists on an annual budget of 7.5 million euros, equivalent to $9 million. That’s roughly as much revenue as the companies she oversees generate over all in 10 minutes. Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, has hundreds of people globally working on data protection regulation alone, including lawyers and privacy experts hired in Dublin.

The data protection office was once an afterthought. During an effort by the Irish government to move less-critical agencies out of Dublin, it was relocated in 2006 50 miles west to a town called Portarlington, population 8,368. Its power was so limited that it could not publicize investigations.

Ms. Dixon, whose father was an army officer and mother a schoolteacher, grew up in a small town in central Ireland before moving to Dublin for university. She worked for companies including the business software firm Citrix Systems before moving into government. She later received a postgraduate diploma in computer science.

Fittingly for her current position, Ms. Dixon guards her privacy. She will not share her age, other than saying she is in her “40s,” and she has become more careful with data since taking the job. She does not use Facebook or Instagram (though she does have a LinkedIn profile).

Since taking over in 2014, Ms. Dixon has successfully lobbied for more funding and got the headquarters put back in Dublin. A move to a bigger office is in the works. She has hired lawyers, investigators and engineers. The staff will total 140 this year, up from 30 when she joined, with plans to reach 200 in the next few years, if budget increases are approved.

But if data privacy is truly a priority globally, Ms. Dixon said, more resources are needed. Her office is actually among the better funded privacy agencies globally, but is still a minnow compared with, say, Ireland’s financial services regulator, which has a budget about 40 times greater.

“The question for governments is, how much enforcement do we want to do, how seriously do we want to take the risk to our fundamental rights and freedoms in this area?” said Ms. Dixon, carrying a bound copy of the new law. “We need the funding and resources commensurate with the level of importance. This office would suggest it should be far more highly resourced.”

Budgetary constraints are not new to regulators overseeing powerful industries. But privacy groups worry that without strong oversight, the European rules, years in the making, will do little to crimp the power of Silicon Valley.

There is evidence those concerns are well founded. In a Reuters survey of privacy regulators in 24 European Union countries, 17 said they did not have the needed funding or legal powers to enforce data protection regulation. Ireland did not participate in the survey.

Ms. Dixon must also contend with skepticism among privacy advocates, stemming largely from Ireland’s history of lax oversight of the technology industry.

Her predecessors are faulted for not taking earlier action against Facebook, even when complaints were filed years ago about data-mining practices similar to those eventually used by the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The European Commission in 2016 also ordered Ireland to recoup about $15.6 billion in unpaid taxes from Apple. (The decision is being appealed.)

“The culture has to be changed,” said Max Schrems, a Austria-based lawyer and online privacy advocate who filed the earlier complaints against Facebook. “You can have the best law, but if nobody enforces it, then you’re not going to go anywhere.”

Advocates of the new law say it is already having a positive impact and that oversight is spread out. A new European Data Protection Board will help coordinate investigations and pool resources across European Union countries, giving regulators outside Ireland the ability to bring action. The data protection regulation also allows private groups to recruit consumers into class-action-style complaints — not as common in Europe as the United States — that could result in sizable damages against businesses.

A looming question, however, is how much people really care. Ms. Dixon cited Facebook’s most recent financial report, which showed growing user numbers, revenue and profit, despite the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

“We should be acting as data protection authorities in the name of data subjects, but you often as a regulator in this space have the feeling that you’re not mandated by the general public,” she said. “Either they don’t care or they actively oppose what we’re doing.”

Representatives from the technology industry have made regular visits to the converted 18th-century Georgian home used by Ms. Dixon’s team. Aware that a public backlash is putting pressure on regulators to rein in Silicon Valley, Facebook and others have been courting Ms. Dixon, putting forward their case that their data protection policies comply with the new European law.

“We’ve really leapt into explaining what we’ve done and the thinking that’s gone into that,” said Stephen Deadman, Facebook’s global deputy chief privacy officer. “I’ve got faith and confidence that the way Helen Dixon’s office will perform its function will be true to the spirit and requirements of G.D.P.R., rather than being blown around by whatever is happening in the media.”

Google and Twitter declined to comment.

Even with limited resources, Ms. Dixon is studying her adversaries. When Mr. Zuckerberg testified before Congress last month, she stayed up late at home despite the time difference to watch as the Facebook chief executive answered questions.

Asked if she had a message for him and other tech executives, she said they should expect her to use her new powers “to the fullest.”

The post New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2k16jnp via Breaking News

[dani-qrt]

New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators

DUBLIN — If Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t know who Helen Dixon is, he will soon.

From an unassuming townhouse in the Irish capital, Ms. Dixon, the country’s data protection commissioner, leads an agency that was once a bureaucratic backwater. Employees share offices and have few of the perks available in Facebook’s building nearby: The main free amenities here are water, coffee and tea.

Yet Ms. Dixon will soon gain vast new authority to investigate and fine Facebook, as well as an array of other technology giants with regional headquarters in Ireland. Amid increased concerns over online privacy, a sweeping new European privacy law could make her one of the world’s most consequential regulators.

She is eager to test her newfound power. But the question remains whether her tiny agency is able — or willing — to stand up to tech behemoths of Silicon Valley.

“There’s a wave coming toward us that we need to push back against,” Ms. Dixon, who spent the first 10 years of her career working for tech companies, said in an interview.

Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation is seen by experts as the world’s most aggressive set of internet privacy rules. It is expected to come into force on May 25, and it will give more than 500 million people living in the European Union the right to keep companies from collecting personal data, or to have it deleted. Regulators like Ms. Dixon will be able to fine companies up to 4 percent of global revenue — equivalent to about $1.6 billion for Facebook.

[Read more about what the new European privacy rules mean for you.]

The privacy law highlights broader skepticism of Silicon Valley in Europe, where regulators have punished companies for violating tax and antitrust laws, not doing enough to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation online, and intrusively gobbling up data on consumers.

Ireland in particular is taking center stage in the wide-ranging battle. The country is the European headquarters for data-hungry companies including Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn.

If companies do not comply with the law, Ms. Dixon said, “they will suffer consequences.”

But for all the tough talk, the reality is that her agency subsists on an annual budget of 7.5 million euros, equivalent to $9 million. That’s roughly as much revenue as the companies she oversees generate over all in 10 minutes. Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, has hundreds of people globally working on data protection regulation alone, including lawyers and privacy experts hired in Dublin.

The data protection office was once an afterthought. During an effort by the Irish government to move less-critical agencies out of Dublin, it was relocated in 2006 50 miles west to a town called Portarlington, population 8,368. Its power was so limited that it could not publicize investigations.

Ms. Dixon, whose father was an army officer and mother a schoolteacher, grew up in a small town in central Ireland before moving to Dublin for university. She worked for companies including the business software firm Citrix Systems before moving into government. She later received a postgraduate diploma in computer science.

Fittingly for her current position, Ms. Dixon guards her privacy. She will not share her age, other than saying she is in her “40s,” and she has become more careful with data since taking the job. She does not use Facebook or Instagram (though she does have a LinkedIn profile).

Since taking over in 2014, Ms. Dixon has successfully lobbied for more funding and got the headquarters put back in Dublin. A move to a bigger office is in the works. She has hired lawyers, investigators and engineers. The staff will total 140 this year, up from 30 when she joined, with plans to reach 200 in the next few years, if budget increases are approved.

But if data privacy is truly a priority globally, Ms. Dixon said, more resources are needed. Her office is actually among the better funded privacy agencies globally, but is still a minnow compared with, say, Ireland’s financial services regulator, which has a budget about 40 times greater.

“The question for governments is, how much enforcement do we want to do, how seriously do we want to take the risk to our fundamental rights and freedoms in this area?” said Ms. Dixon, carrying a bound copy of the new law. “We need the funding and resources commensurate with the level of importance. This office would suggest it should be far more highly resourced.”

Budgetary constraints are not new to regulators overseeing powerful industries. But privacy groups worry that without strong oversight, the European rules, years in the making, will do little to crimp the power of Silicon Valley.

There is evidence those concerns are well founded. In a Reuters survey of privacy regulators in 24 European Union countries, 17 said they did not have the needed funding or legal powers to enforce data protection regulation. Ireland did not participate in the survey.

Ms. Dixon must also contend with skepticism among privacy advocates, stemming largely from Ireland’s history of lax oversight of the technology industry.

Her predecessors are faulted for not taking earlier action against Facebook, even when complaints were filed years ago about data-mining practices similar to those eventually used by the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The European Commission in 2016 also ordered Ireland to recoup about $15.6 billion in unpaid taxes from Apple. (The decision is being appealed.)

“The culture has to be changed,” said Max Schrems, a Austria-based lawyer and online privacy advocate who filed the earlier complaints against Facebook. “You can have the best law, but if nobody enforces it, then you’re not going to go anywhere.”

Advocates of the new law say it is already having a positive impact and that oversight is spread out. A new European Data Protection Board will help coordinate investigations and pool resources across European Union countries, giving regulators outside Ireland the ability to bring action. The data protection regulation also allows private groups to recruit consumers into class-action-style complaints — not as common in Europe as the United States — that could result in sizable damages against businesses.

A looming question, however, is how much people really care. Ms. Dixon cited Facebook’s most recent financial report, which showed growing user numbers, revenue and profit, despite the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

“We should be acting as data protection authorities in the name of data subjects, but you often as a regulator in this space have the feeling that you’re not mandated by the general public,” she said. “Either they don’t care or they actively oppose what we’re doing.”

Representatives from the technology industry have made regular visits to the converted 18th-century Georgian home used by Ms. Dixon’s team. Aware that a public backlash is putting pressure on regulators to rein in Silicon Valley, Facebook and others have been courting Ms. Dixon, putting forward their case that their data protection policies comply with the new European law.

“We’ve really leapt into explaining what we’ve done and the thinking that’s gone into that,” said Stephen Deadman, Facebook’s global deputy chief privacy officer. “I’ve got faith and confidence that the way Helen Dixon’s office will perform its function will be true to the spirit and requirements of G.D.P.R., rather than being blown around by whatever is happening in the media.”

Google and Twitter declined to comment.

Even with limited resources, Ms. Dixon is studying her adversaries. When Mr. Zuckerberg testified before Congress last month, she stayed up late at home despite the time difference to watch as the Facebook chief executive answered questions.

Asked if she had a message for him and other tech executives, she said they should expect her to use her new powers “to the fullest.”

The post New Privacy Rules Could Make This Woman One of Tech’s Most Important Regulators appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2k16jnp via Online News

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5 Highly Effective Hashtag Tracking Methods

Hashtags are much more than just a way to make Tweets and Instagram posts more entertaining. You’ve probably seen your fair share of random hashtags thrown onto the end of Tweets and Instagram captions that seem to serve no real purpose. But when used correctly, hashtags can be one of the most effective ways to track your social media marketing campaigns, brand influence and a lot more.

When it comes to hashtag tracking, a lot of companies are in the dark. What hashtag should you use? How can you tell who’s using the hashtag? Where do you go to track everything? What do you even need hashtags for?

Not to worry, we have you covered. We’ll break down everything you need to know about hashtag tracking and show you five easy-to-use techniques you can start implementing for your next social media marketing campaign.

The Purpose of Hashtags

Let’s start with the basics. At their most fundamental level, hashtags are a way of organizing content across social media. When you click on a hashtag on Twitter or Instagram, you’re taken to a list of other posts that use the same hashtag. For instance, the Instagram post below from Wahl Professional uses the hashtag #wahl in the caption.

It's caption time! We're thinking this duo of the Legend and 5 Star Detailer looks like an album cover. What would our album be titled? Our favorite caption wins a Wahl prize! Congrats to @itsivanthough for his submission "Reach for the Stars" @gabrielli_barbershop #wahl #wahlpro #wahltwosday #clippers #trimmers #detailer #legend #barber #stylist #contest

A photo posted by Wahl Professional (USA) (@wahlpro) on Jan 17, 2017 at 5:43am PST

If you click on #wahl, you’ll see all of the latest posts that contain that hashtag.

Speaking of Wahl, find out how they used Sprout Social to track hashtags and increase engagement by 4,307%.

Here’s why marketers should care about hashtags, and why you need to track them. Your social media marketing efforts should have a purpose. Whether it’s to drive traffic to your blog, spread the word about a new product or just to bring awareness to your brand. Adding hashtags to your social media posts gives you a way to connect specific posts to a certain campaign.

Let’s say you’re trying to build up some anticipation around a new product you’re about to release. Instead of sending out social media posts that just mention the product name, you could create a unique hashtag to track all of the conversations surrounding the release.

To give a specific example, let’s consider the Netflix show A Series of Unfortunate Events. In order to promote the show, Netflix used the hashtag #ASOUE.

Viewing this tragic tale will likely cause uneasiness, dread, and a wretched case of slow dramatic zooms. #ASOUE pic.twitter.com/ZRuTb3VVnD

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 17, 2017

Viewers started using that hashtag to talk about the show, which allowed Netflix to monitor all the conversations taking place on social.

.@Unfortunate is my new favorite Netflix series! I'm going to go watch it all again! I need Season 2!!! #ASoUE

— Sam Bashor (@SamBashor) January 15, 2017

Hashtag tracking gives Netflix the ability to see how popular the show is, and opportunities to engage with customers.

You should also track the non-hashtag version of important branded keywords as well. But the hashtag gives you an easy way to separate all of your different campaigns and get a quick look at the conversation.

We’ll give you some examples and ideas of how you can use hashtags to track all types of social media marketing campaigns.

Choosing the Right Hashtag

The very first thing you’ll want to do is decide on what hashtag you want to use. Ideally every campaign you launch should use a unique hashtag so you can trace all conversations back to a specific project or goal.

On the surface, choosing a hashtag might seem like a simple concept. But in order to give your hashtags the most visibility, keep these tips in mind:

Do a Hashtag Search

If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for hashtags, run a quick hashtag search in the social network you’re using. Search for keywords related to the topic of your campaign and see what pops up. It can help kick your creativity in gear and give you some great ideas for your own hashtags. You can even use Sprout Social as a hashtag search tool.

With a little effort, you can find hashtags you never even thought of.

Keep It Short

Long hashtags are difficult to memorize, which opens the door for people to make mistakes when typing them. If you’re using hashtags on Twitter, remember that users only get 140 characters. You want to leave room for people to Tweet a full message in addition to your hashtag. A good goal is to keep your hashtags at around 16 characters or less.

Don’t Be Too General

The purpose of hashtag tracking is to be able to measure social media engagement for a particular campaign. When you’re using a hashtag that 20 other accounts are also using, it’s nearly impossible to track your campaigns.

For instance, if Nike was releasing a new shoe called the Cross Trainer, it might consider using #NikeCrossTrainer instead of just #CrossTrainer. Do a search to make sure nobody else is using the hashtag before making your decision. You can also add your brand name to differentiate your campaigns from existing ones.

Make It Conversational

This may not always be applicable, but when possible, choose a hashtag that encourages conversation and engagement. It’ll push people to share and interact. For instance, Dunkin’ Donuts started the #mydunkin hashtag where its fans share images of what they bought. Can you say free promotion?

thanks, @whatinoblivion ❄️☕️ @DunkinDonuts #MyDunkin #DDPerks #chill #GreenTea #IcedTea #IcedMe pic.twitter.com/LTxBUhWlbZ

— 🦌Samantha🏹 (@Samantha12Sue) January 10, 2017

Double-Check the Spelling

You think you picked the perfect hashtag to track your campaign. It’s the right length, describes what you’re promoting and nobody else has used it. Then after someone Tweets you telling you to re-read your hashtag, you realize you made an embarrassing mistake. That’s what Susan Boyle’s PR team went through back in 2012.

In order to promote the singer’s new album, they came up with the seemingly harmless hashtag of #Susanalbumparty. But when you re-read it, you can see where they went wrong. The lesson here is to always double check what your hashtag says. Luckily it looks like brands have learned from this mishap because large-scale hashtag typos are a lot less common these days.

Now that you have your hashtag picked out and your campaign launched, how are you going to track it?

5 Hashtag Tracking Methods

The tips above will make it much easier to track your hashtags and avoid potential problems down the line. If you need more tips for finding hashtags, check out this post.

Now, let’s look at some specific techniques you can use for hashtag tracking.

1. Track Branded Hashtags

Sometimes hashtags will start to become associated with your brand without you even realizing it. You should always be tracking mentions of your brand on social media to see what your audience is saying and to reply to any complaints or issues.

But you can also take that a step further by analyzing what specific hashtags are used when people mention you in Tweets using the Sprout Social Trends Report.

This handy report shows hashtags and topics that people frequently mention when they mention you on Twitter. Seeing what hashtags your company is associated with can spark ideas for new campaigns and give you a snapshot of how effective your custom hashtags are.

2. Track Offline Campaigns

Have you ever seen a commercial on TV that included a hashtag? Hashtags in commercials have become very popular over the last few years as hashtags have become more mainstream. Hashtags give marketers a way to effectively bridge the gap between offline and online marketing.

One of the most recent examples of companies using hashtags to track offline campaigns was during the 2016 Super Bowl. Even though the overall usage of hashtags in Super Bowl commercials dropped from 50% in 2015 to 45% in 2016, it’s still a popular trend.

The hashtags gave companies like T-Mobile, Snickers and Hyundai a chance to see how people reacted to their commercials in real time instead of having to wait until the next day or rely on other outlets to supply them with the information.

Start thinking of ways you can use hashtags to track radio promos, commercials, events and other offline activities. It could be as simple as including a hashtag on any marketing materials you hand out for specific campaigns.

3. Track Real-Time Conversations

The beauty of social media is the ability to get information in real time. Specifically when you look at a site like Twitter, which is heavily used as a way to stay on top of current topics. For instance, Apple holds an annual event where the company unveils its upcoming products and plans for the future. People streaming or attending the event live, use the hashtag #AppleEvent when Tweeting about it. That allows Apple to easily see how people feel about new products in real time.

matte black! haaaay i cant wait to have one! 😍 #AppleEvent

— julien cazyn (@ashtonirwings) September 7, 2016

This is particularly helpful when you’re launching a new product or service. Create a hashtag, and have your team do some social listening to see conversations as they’re happening. You can easily respond to any issues and engage in conversations surrounding your launch.

4. Track Paid Ads

If you’re running Twitter Ads, it’s a good idea to incorporate a hashtag. Even though you may be measuring new email subscribers, click-through rate and conversions, you also want to consider the conversations people are having around your campaign. Including a hashtag in your Promoted Tweets lets you connect all mentions of your hashtag back to your ad.

Verizon launched a co-marketing campaign with Star Wars, and used promoted Tweets to spread the word. By using a branded hashtag, Verizon can easily track conversations and responses to their ad, even if people don’t mention Verizon.

If you plan on running Twitter Ads, make sure you include a special hashtag to go along with your Tweets.

5. Track Contests

One of the most popular uses of hashtags on social social media is to track contests. Instagram contests are very popular right now and brands are using hashtags to keep track of contestant entries. You’ve probably seen the “use #contesthashtag to enter” posts on Instagram and Twitter before. Here’s an example of Lay’s using a hashtag to promote an Instagram contest.

Lay's #DoUsAFlavor is back! Pitch us your flavor idea at Lays.com for a chance to win $1 Million!! #Lays

A photo posted by Lay's (@lays) on Jan 10, 2017 at 7:21am PST

This generated a ton of user-generated content for Lay’s. Followers and influencers used the hashtag #DoUsAFlavor to pitch new flavors and often included product shots in their pictures.

Got inspired by @cassiusdwyer to pitch Sweet Potato Pie in @lays #DoUsAFlavor since he’s into sweet potatoes these days. Tell me that’s not a face worth a million bucks. What’s your million dollar flavor idea? Pitch it at lays.com! #lays #ad

A photo posted by Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) on Jan 11, 2017 at 9:38am PST

Not only do hashtags make it easy to track entries, but it also helps promote the contest organically. Every time someone uses the hashtag, their followers will see it and be tempted to join in too.

Important Hashtag Metrics to Track

It’s not enough to just track a hashtag to see the conversations going on about it. You probably want to see some stats and analytics on how they’re performing. With a little hashtag analysis, you see how popular campaigns were and even compare your different hashtags against each other.

Sprout has a couple of reports that’ll give you helpful data on your hashtag performance. For instance, you can see which hashtags are commonly mentioned with your brand on Twitter.

If you’re more of an Instagram brand, you can use our Instagram Analytics to track your top performing hashtags.

Decide on which metrics and data points are important to you based on your goals and start tracking.

Start Tracking

Hashtag tracking doesn’t have to be intimidating. Hashtags are one of the best ways to organize content and track campaigns and conversations on social media. Start taking a more strategic approach with your hashtags and unlock their full potential.

This post 5 Highly Effective Hashtag Tracking Methods originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie http://sproutsocial.com/insights/hashtag-tracking-methods/