1) TikTok's "covert content manipulation" is outlined in a new DOJ filing
2) Here's the one question all leaders should be asking new hires.

3) Can color influence elections? Increasingly, the answer seems to be yes.

NEED TO KNOW
DOJ Filing – TikTok Collected Sensitive User Data, Including Private Messages of Americans

In a court filing late last Friday, the U.S. Justice Department said TikTok collected user information on sensitive topics, including data on users' precise locations, viewing habits, private messages, and personal views on topics ranging from gun control to religion and abortion.

The DOJ says the findings amount to a national security threat that justifies a law to ban the popular social media app in the U.S.

The department warned of the potential for what it called “covert content manipulation” – i.e., serving people messages and imagery that evoke fear, anger or agitation in an attempt to "undermine trust in our democracy and exacerbate social divisions,” the brief states.

The filing was the government's first detailed response to legal challenges brought by TikTok and some of its creators after President Biden signed a provision into law that would ban the app if its China-based parent company ByteDance Ltd. doesn’t sell.

We'll be watching this case closely because of its sweeping implications for law, business, culture and media.

P.S. If TikTok is currently a part of your content strategy and you want to rethink your plans for 2025, from posting to audience engagement and ad spend, we can help.

Prior to launching Bond Studios, our Founder and CEO Sarah Schaffer built content studios for major agencies, helmed the masthead at glossy magazines and launched products and campaigns for Fortune 500 brands, iconic attractions and leading museums. Along the way, she's hired award-winning A Teams and recruited for roles from intern to CMO – and has personally interviewed more than a thousand candidates.
  

So, after all of those get-to-know-you sessions, what's the ONE THING she asks that gets people to show off who they REALLY are?

"I always end with the question, 'Do you love to win, or hate to lose?'," says Sarah. "There's no wrong answer. And pretty much every response shows so much about how a person works, how they treat themselves and others. In my opinion, it's the perfect question to prompt a real conversation about mindset."

Click below to read more about Sarah's POV on the question and the revealing answers she's gotten in return.

Whether you're keeping internal stakeholders informed, launching products, or building relationships with new audiences, Bond Studios can help you determine the most impactful approach for communicating – from messaging to visuals.

So, what will you say, and how will you say it?
What form will those messages take, and where will they appear?
Who will you talk to, and when will you tell them your story?

Those decisions can make a world of difference, whether you're starting a new venture or stewarding a legacy brand.

Last July, we were all living in a Barbie World. But now, it's officially a Brat Summer. What makes these pop culture moments so broadly appealing, and how are these eras defined?

The answer to both questions is color. It can tap into our emotions, evoke strong feelings and communicate effectively without the need for words.

Business leaders and nonprofit execs alike can learn from watching how public figures including Vice President Kamala Harris are harnessing color – in this case, Brat green – to enter the chat on these moments and simultaneously showcase a connection to and understanding of Gen Z.

Harris' green posts take cues from a classic comms strategy for sparking grassroots enthusiasm, which can be applied to any cause or industry.

In short, the steps are:
1 - Keep an eye on trends and moments.
2 - Be fast and human in response.
3 - Pair the right message and medium.
4 - Use a light touch, and know when to say "enough."

It's too early to tell if the Veep's green-drenched social posts will get this powerful voting bloc to actually choose her in the upcoming presidential election. But at the very least, the content strategy is drawing attention her way, and she's quickly gained entrée into the world of youth culture.

Want to know more? Click below to get up to speed on the Bratosphere's origins.