Day: January 26, 2023

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New report: Time spent online falls to pre-pandemic levels, while social media use increases

Digital 2023 shows that people globally are becoming more discerning in their internet use

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meltwater, a global leader in social and media intelligence, and We Are Social, the socially-led creative agency, have released Digital 2023, their latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide.

Digital 2023 shows that the typical internet user globally has reduced their average daily internet use by 20 minutes over the past twelve months to 6 hours 37 minutes, equating to a year-on-year reduction of almost 5 percent. However, time spent on social platforms has increased to more than 2½ hours per day — 40 minutes more than time spent watching broadcast and cable TV. Analysis of the data suggests that people are looking for more purposeful internet use, with a focus on quality over quantity. The daily usage rate is a return to 2019 levels, before the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the world’s digital behaviours.

The 465 page report also shows that social platforms are claiming an ever greater share of the world’s search activity. 16- to 34-year-olds are now more likely to visit a social network when looking for information about brands than they are to use a search engine (48 percent vs. 45 percent), and half of the world’s social media users say that they actively visit social platforms to learn more about brands and see their content. While the rise of TikTok search has already caught the attention of the media, the latest data suggest that Instagram is social media users’ preferred destination when researching things.

The growing importance of social media is reflected in global advertising spend, with investment in social media ads more than doubling since the outbreak of COVID-19, to reach an estimated US $226 billion in 2022.

Additional headlines in Digital 2023, which looks at social media, internet, mobile and ecommerce trends globally, include:

  • There are 5.16 billion internet users in the world today, and 4.76 billion social media users.
  • Average daily mobile time has increased by seven minutes per day over the past year, and the typical Android user now spends more than five hours per day using their smartphone, however:
  • Computers still account for more than half of the time that people in North America and Europe spend using the internet.
  • Ownership of cryptocurrencies is in decline: the share of internet users who own at least one form of digital currency fell by three percent between July and October.
  • TikTok tops the global list of social media platforms when it comes to time spent per user on Android devices, followed by YouTube and Facebook.

Alexandra Saab Bjertnæs, Chief Strategy Officer at Meltwater said: “”Brands that want to be competitive today need to stay ahead of trends, searching for and identifying them, in order to understand their impact on any given industry. Consumers continue to spend more and more time on social media, and it’s clear that social will play an even more important role in the customer journey as users turn to platforms like TikTok and Instagram to guide their decision-making process. With more than 5 billion internet users today, it’s becoming more crucial than ever that brands deliver relevant, impactful, and purposeful content to capture attention and create value across digital channels.”

Nathan McDonald, Group CEO and co-founder at We Are Social commented: “Social media’s influence on how we live our lives continues to grow. From shopping to connecting, entertaining to searching, it’s inextricably linked to our habits both on and offline. It’s interesting to see internet use becoming more discerning – while being online is still incredibly important in our everyday lives, people rightly want to make sure it’s time well spent. Marketers and creators will have to work even harder to attract and retain people’s attention in 2023 – it’s never been more important to understand online culture in order to reach people in a relevant way.”

To view and download the report go to: meltwater.com/en/global-digital-trends

About Meltwater
Meltwater provides social and media intelligence. By examining millions of posts each day from social media platforms, blogs and news sites, Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insight from the outside. The company was founded in Oslo, Norway, in 2001 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with 50 offices across six continents. The company has 2,300 employees and 27,000 corporate customers, including industry leaders in several sectors. Learn more at meltwater.com.

About We Are Social
We are a global socially-led creative agency, with unrivalled social media expertise. With over 1,300 people in 17 offices around the world, we deliver a global perspective to our clients in a time when social media is shaping culture.

We make ideas worth talking about. We understand social behaviours within online communities, cultures and subcultures, spanning the social and gaming landscape. We work with the world’s biggest brands, including adidas, Samsung, Netflix and Google, to reach the right people in a strategic, relevant and effective way.

We Are Social is part of Plus Company. To learn more, visit www.wearesocial.com

For more information, please contact: pr@meltwater.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8737064

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Ace Group International / Atelier Ace Enters Agreement to Join Sortis Holdings, Inc.

Recent openings by the ground-breaking hospitality group include locations in Kyoto, Sydney, Brooklyn and Toronto

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ace Group International — the trailblazing hospitality company responsible for hotel brands Ace Hotel, Maison de la Luz and Sister City — has entered into an agreement to be acquired by innovative hospitality platform Sortis Holdings, Inc. The transaction is expected to close at the end of Q1 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Sortis acquisition of Ace Group International comes on the heels of a fast-paced few years for the brand. Ace’s evolution has remained constant, with the brand having opened award-winning hotels in new markets including Japan (Ace Hotel Kyoto, opened 2020), Australia (Ace Hotel Sydney, 2022) and Canada (Ace Hotel Toronto, also in 2022). The brand also spearheaded the opening of a sister property to its iconic Manhattan hotel, Ace Hotel New York, with the Ace Hotel Brooklyn outpost opening in Boerum Hill in 2021.

“We are appreciative of the warm reception to the brand’s recent openings in Kyoto, Brooklyn, Sydney and Toronto, and take pride in having expanded from our humble beginnings in Seattle to a global company spanning four continents. We could not be more excited to partner with Sortis — a like-minded organization that will support the innovation and mold-breaking that Ace has long been known for, as well as facilitate growth. We have a strong pipeline of new projects, both domestic and international, and we look forward to continuing to share our vision of hospitality with the world.” – Brad Wilson, C.E.O., Ace Group International / Atelier Ace

“During a period of great turbulence in our industry, and the world more broadly, we have been continually inspired and fortified by the strength and dedication of the Ace team globally. In addition to our successful openings over the past several years, and the recent announcement of our partnership with noma at Ace Hotel Kyoto, our team has continued to uphold the core mission set by our founders more than 20 years ago — to challenge the status quo, support artists and creatives of all stripes, and create friendly places for both locals and visitors to feel welcome in. Brad and I look forward to expanded opportunities, with the added resources and expertise that Sortis will bring to the table.” – Meriem Soliman, President, Ace Group International / Atelier Ace

Brad Wilson will remain in the role of Chief Executive Officer, and Ace Group International will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Sortis. Sortis and Ace plan to maintain the Atelier Ace team, and the acquisition will bring additional properties under Ace management.

Ace was founded in Belltown, Seattle in 1999, and has since expanded to include 10 locations globally — Portland, New York, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Kyoto, Brooklyn, Sydney and Toronto. Atelier Ace, the in-house creative studio at Ace, also developed Maison de la Luz, a 67-room luxury guesthouse in New Orleans, and the distilled-service brand Sister City.

About Ace Hotel:

Ace Hotel reimagines urban spaces for people who make cities interesting. Our approach to all our projects is simple — we seek to genuinely embrace local culture in the areas we inhabit. We bring together narratives, artists and materials that speak to the building, to the site and to the city. From there, we welcome in the alchemy that’s created.

Our worlds are vast and dynamic. We build relationships with a wide range of people — makers, thinkers, creative do-it-yourselfers in the fields of art, technology, music, fashion, media and gastronomy. We are curious about the history and geography of the buildings and neighborhoods we inhabit, and let these learnings guide us to someplace new. By honoring the architectural and social history of a site, with an eye towards the future that envisions respectful and nuanced dedication to a community, we create inspired spaces full of local art, intentional design and curious possibilities. www.acehotel.com

About Sortis Holdings, Inc.: 

From award-winning hospitality to cult coffee to the world’s first sustainable sushi bar, Sortis Holdings is an ecosystem of idiosyncratic brands that live at the intersection of radical vision, cultural relevance and expansive potential. Through decades’ worth of seasoned market acumen, intuitive brand development and creative business strategy, we empower brands to become more of themselves, amplifying unique voices and moving culture forward in the process. www.sortisholdings.com

Media inquiries:

Atelier Ace 
Shelley Wright 
shelley.wright@atelierace.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8736694

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Police prepare anti-terror measures for 2024 elections

The Indonesian Police is collaborating with other institutions to ensure that the 2024 General Elections and Regional Elections go off smoothly and remain secure from several threats, including terrorism.

Just like in 2019, terrorism is still one of the potential threats that could disrupt elections in 2024, Head of the police’s Public Relations Division Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo said.

“The police is cooperating with other institutions to ensure that all phases of the general election will be safe, smooth, and democratic,” Prasetyo said on the sidelines of the police’s internal discussion on facing the upcoming political year, here on Thursday.

To address potential threats, the police’s Anti-Terror Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) is ready to engage in preventive strikes, he affirmed.

“We must not let all phases of the elections prepared by the KPU (General Elections Commission) be disrupted (by terrorism),” Prasetyo said.

In the first month of 2023, the Densus 88 has taken preventive actions by raiding and arresting suspected terrorists in several cities to maintain security and order.

On January 20, 2023, the special forces arrested three suspected terrorists in North Jakarta and Tangerang, Banten. The three suspects reportedly belonged to different terrorist groups.

One suspect, identified by his initials as AS, was arrested in North Jakarta for his involvement with the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII).

Meanwhile, two suspects, identified as ARH and SN, were arrested in South Jakarta and South Tangerang cities, respectively.

ARH and SN, who reportedly belonged to an organization outlawed by the government, were wanted by law enforcers since March 2021.

The Densus 88 also arrested one terror suspect, identified as AW, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on January 22. The suspect was affiliated with the transnational terror organization ISIS.

During the operation, the special forces confiscated two improvised explosives that the suspect planned to use in a terror attack.

The suspect, a recidivist in drug-related cases who was freed from prison in 2020, confessed that he had sworn loyalty to ISIS under the guidance of his cellmate.

Responding to the Densus 88 raids, Prasetyo affirmed that the investigation into the recently arrested terror suspects would continue.

“It is correct; the Densus informed me that (AW) is a drug inmate who was exposed (to radicalism) in prison. He was then arrested by Densus 88. The case is currently under investigation,” the inspector general said.

Source: Antara News

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Indonesia Masters: Malaysia’s Zii Jia advances to second round

Malaysia’s top men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia began his Indonesia Masters campaign with a win over Lin Chun Yi of Taiwan at the Istora Senayan, Jakarta early Thursday.

The world number four took 41 minutes to dispose of the Taiwanese shuttler 21-18, 21-17 in the first round.

Zii Jia will meet Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong in the second round.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s mixed doubles Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie only needed 31 minutes to eliminate Danish pair, Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje 21-6, 23-21.

Soon Huat-Shevon will face another Danish pair Mathias Thyrri-Amelia Magelund in the next round.

Another national mixed doubles duo, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing also made it to the second round when they eliminated Jones Ralfy Jensen-Linda Elfer of Germany, 21-10, 21-10.

Kian Meng-Pei Jing will take on Indonesian pair Jafar Hidayatullah-Aisyah Salsabila Putri Pranata in the second round.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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Varsities vie for international accreditation to boost reputation

Indonesian universities have continued to make the utmost effort to get international accreditations for their undergraduate and postgraduate programs from reputable international quality assurance agencies to improve their global reputation.

Through international accreditations for more study programs, the universities are expected to draw more foreign students to their campuses and collaborate with international partners and researchers.

The presence of international students, teaching staff, and researchers at Indonesian universities reflects the recognition of their academic reputation –one of the several indicators that the QS World University Ranking (WUR) applies to assign university rankings.

Data provided by several leading universities in the country show that the international accreditations are provided by quality assurance agencies from such countries as the United States and EU members.

They include Germany’s Akkreditierungsagentur für Studiengänge der Ingenieurwissenschaften, Informatik, Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik (ASIIN) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) of the US.

Universities seeking international accreditations for their chemistry departments frequently approach the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

The RSC, which has existed since 1841 and has more than 54 thousand members all over the world to “advance excellence in the chemical sciences,” has offices in the United Kingdom, the US, China, Germany, India and Japan.

The University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UI), for instance, recently received accreditation from the RSC for its chemistry master’s program.

Prior to this achievement, the RSC also accredited the undergraduate program of FMIPA UI’s Department of Chemistry.

According to the faculty’s dean, Dede Djuhana, the accreditation has strengthened the evidence base for FMIPA UI’s performance, especially in connection with Key Performance Indicator (IKU) Number 8.

IKU Number 8, which has become an essential part of the Indonesian government’s parameters for evaluating a university’s performance, pertains to the number of study programs with international accreditations.

FMIPA UI could obtain the accreditation thanks to the relatively solid foundation of its Department of Chemistry in such areas as qualified human resources, management, and facilities, Djuhana said in a recent statement.

The productive publication of scientific papers in reputable international journals also contributed to the department’s success in gaining international accreditation, he added.

All elements of the FMIPA UI’s Department of Chemistry quickly responded to various policy changes. As a result, it was able to adapt to the new regulations regarding international accreditations.

All FMIPA UI study programs that have received international accreditation can be strengthened by expanding networks with international partners, Djuhana said.

The University of Indonesia is just one of the leading higher education institutions in the country to have successfully gained international accreditations for many of its study programs.

Based on the data that ANTARA obtained from UI’s official website on Thursday (January 26, 2023), the university has obtained at least 39 international accreditations from several reputable quality assurance agencies.

A majority of UI’s undergraduate programs, including those provided by its departments of English Literature and International Relations, have received accreditations from the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assessment (AUN-QA).

In addition to UI, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta has also been successful in obtaining international accreditations for over 50 undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the past few years.

As per information published on its official website, UGM, which is considered one of the nation’s centers of excellence by Indonesians, has so far received 55 international accreditations for its study programs.

They comprise 39 international accreditations for undergraduate degree programs, 11 for master’s degree programs, 3 for Ph.D. programs, and 2 international accreditations for professional programs.

The public university has received the 55 international accreditations from several organizations, including AACSB, ASIIN, ABET, ICheme, IABEE, RSC, KAAB and FIBAA.

Remarkable achievements in gaining international accreditations have also been made by several other leading universities in Java, including the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).

What about universities outside Java? Several leading universities outside the island are also striving to follow in UI and UGM’s footsteps to upscale their international reputation.

Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in South Sulawesi province, for example, has consistently made efforts to get its study programs accredited internationally by reputable quality assurance agencies.

The Makassar city-based university has so far obtained 53 international accreditations for its study programs at the undergraduate level, according to the university’s official website.

The majority of the accreditations for undergraduate programs in natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences and humanities were awarded by AUN-QA.

Leading universities on the island of Sumatra, including the University of Sumatera Utara (USU) in Medan and Andalas University (Unand) in Padang, have also strived hard to get accreditations.

They, however, trail behind UI, UGM, ITB, and IPB in the number of internationally accredited study programs despite their importance in improving their QS World University Rankings.

Aware of the importance of raising its international reputation, USU held a workshop on “QS Ranking 2024 Methodology and Updates” on January 10, 2023, by inviting several universities in Sumatra Island.

USU Rector Muryanto Amin was quoted as saying at the workshop that he needed recommendations that were applicable to USU and other universities to improve their QS WUR achievements.

The QS WUR applies six indicators to determine its world-class university rankings. They are academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio and international faculty ratio.

For improving academic reputation which, according to QS WUR, accounts for 40 percent of the overall score, one of the areas that need to be strengthened is getting more study programs accredited internationally.

According to the QS WUR, “academic reputation looks at the teaching and research quality at the world’s universities.”

Source: Antara News

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Government to consider banning e-cigarettes if proven dangerous

The government is contemplating on prohibiting electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) if found to be harmful to public health, according to Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.

“We will consider (the prohibition of e-cigarettes), but in principle, everything that is dangerous will be prohibited by the government,” Amin stated at the University of Indonesia here, Thursday.

The vice president promised that thorough assessment of the effects of e-cigarettes on public health will be conducted before the government takes its decision.

If e-cigarettes are found to be safe for public health, then the government’s next step is to consider how the product would be taxed, he noted.

“If (the e-cigarette) is not dangerous, the next step is to decide whether the commodity excise will be imposed or not. However, our first step will be (to decide whether) or not to allow the commodity,” Amin stated.

Earlier, the government, initiated by the Health Ministry, was planning to amend Government Regulation No. 109 of 2012 on the security of materials with addictive substances in the form of tobacco for health.

The proposed revision is written in the appendix to Presidential Regulation No. 25 of 2022 on Government Regulation Drafting Programme in 2023, signed by President Joko Widodo on December 23, 2022.

The proposed amendment would include changes in the health warning and picture in tobacco product packaging; regulations on electronic cigarettes; prohibition of advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco products in the information technology media; and prohibition on the sale of cigarettes in sticks.

The legal repercussion of violations of the regulation and implementation of the smoke-free zone would also be included in the regulation amendment.

Source: Antara News

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Destruction of Quran not freedom of expression: VP Amin

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has emphasized that recent incidents involving the destruction of the Quran in Sweden and the Netherlands cannot be condoned as freedom of expression.

“I do not think it is right if it is (called) freedom of expression if people can do whatever they want without regard to the rights of other people,” he said at a press conference at the University of Indonesia here on Thursday.

The government has taken action to minimize the potential problems that might arise in Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world, due to the incidents in the two European countries, he informed.

“The (Indonesian) government has made diplomatic notes (to the governments of Sweden and the Netherlands) regarding these incidents and will summon their ambassadors because these incidents may trigger (social) conflict,” Amin said.

If the two incidents are not addressed immediately, they may trigger conflict in other countries, he cautioned.

“This (conflict) potential can lead to a hostile attitude (in the society). Hence, we must be careful of any actions and words,” he said.

Thus, to prevent similar incidents, it is necessary to apply the theology of harmony, Amin stressed.

“The theology of harmony — which emphasizes that religious narrations cannot convey views which can cause conflict — must be maintained, not only in our country, but also in other countries,” he stressed.

The Indonesian government is consistently making efforts to prevent any conflicts from arising out of insulting religion, he said.

“We must prevent the blasphemy of religion. We must give sanctions (to perpetrators), thus it does not happen and cause conflict,” the Vice President added.

He expected the two incidents in Sweden and the Netherlands to not have an impact on the harmony of the Indonesian people.

“We have been considered as the most tolerant nation in the world…We already have the foundations, spirits, and characters that we have cultivated so far as a tolerant nation. Do not let intolerant views to enter here (Indonesia),” he added.

On January 21, 2023, copies of the Quran were burned by right-wing Swedish-Danish politician and extremist Rasmus Paludan outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.

To carry out his actions, he got permission from the Swedish government, which allowed them because it considered them a part of freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, a right-wing Dutch politician and the leader of an Islamophobia group Pegida Edwin Wagensveld tore up several pages of the Quran and burnt them in The Hague, the Netherlands, on January 22.

Their actions drew criticism from several Muslim leaders and organizations around the world, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egypt-based Islamic organization Al-Azhar.

Source: Antara News

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VP Amin presses to ensure cultural values continually benefit public

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that local culture and values should not only be preserved but also developed to prevent them from becoming “fossil” that offered zero benefits to the people.

“Efforts to advance and preserve national culture need active roles and initiatives from the people. We need to more than preserve. We must develop and enhance its values. If we only preserve (the culture), it will become a ‘fossil’ that lives but gives nothing for us,” Amin stated while opening the 2023 Minahasa Culture Pre-Congress at the University of Indonesia here, Thursday.

As the master of national culture, the people should devise strategies to develop culture and solutions to address issues in the cultural aspect, such as in mitigating effects of globalization, modernization, and digital technology, he noted.

“The national culture, formed by various local cultures and rooted in all regions, could help preserve national resilience and solidarity within the framework of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity),” Amin expounded.

The local culture, which forms the national culture, is also functioning as the binding medium to maintain national harmony.

“There are four frameworks. The first political framework consists of Pancasila, 1945 Constitution, Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. That is our framework at the national level. We also have the juridical framework, which is regulations to prevent conflicts,” the vice president stated.

He noted that Indonesia’s third framework is the theological framework, a theology of harmony that will maintain unity and concord among religious denominations.

The fourth, cultural framework, must also be preserved to maintain national harmony, as it all values unity, he added.

“The Dalihan Natolu (“the three-legged hearth”) in Batak culture, ‘Torang Semua Basudara’ (“we are all brothers”) in the Minahasan culture, and Pela Gandong (brotherhood alliance) in Maluku culture, all teach us to maintain harmony,” Amin stated.

The vice president noted that through the local culture, Indonesian people could maintain their harmony and culture, particularly in moments of contention, such as during a general election.

“(By local culture), there would be (no conflict) in a general election, and existing conflicts can also be defused. Hence, we need to develop what the Minahasa people have created. We also need to enliven the culture, not only by preserving it but also living with its values,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

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