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Note: This is a guest post written by Jeeva Shanmugam Concerns over the authority and impact of centralized social networks have grown over the past few years. Many users are worried about the effects this concentration of power has on our society and the possibility of censorship, monitoring, and data exploitation as a result of a small number of enormous firms (except Elon Musk).dominating the great bulk of internet communication

An appealing alternative that offers a more democratic and user-centric approach to online communication are decentralized social networks. One of my favorite and popular decentralized social networking apps is Mastodon, its advantages, and how they vary from conventional social networks are covered in this article.

To compete with Twitter, the decentralized social networking service Mastodon was introduced in 2016. Because of its decentralized and federated foundation, users may build their own communities (instances) that are hosted on different servers but still communicate with one another.

Mastodon has grown in popularity over time as a social networking service that doesnt have the same problems that other services have, such as censorship, data privacy worries, and user abuse. Here is a detailed analysis of all the features, capabilities, use cases, and other aspects of Mastodon.

Mastodon is a compelling alternative to Twitter because of its many features. Here are some of its main characteristics:

Mastodon is a very effective social networking site that gives users access to a number of features. Here are a few of its primary functionality

These are all just the tip of the iceberg. Mastodon offers more features equivalent to or better than Twitter, and other social networking sites.

The decentralized nature of Mastodon is one of my compelling arguments for why it is popular among users. Mastodon is not controlled by a single firm, in contrast to other social media networks.

It is instead hosted on servers managed by private individuals or businesses. Therefore, Mastodon users have greater control over their data and may steer clear of the data privacy issues that other social media networks experience.

Users have more sway over their material because of Mastodons decentralized structure. They can control who sees their postings and how their communities are run. In contrast, other social media sites frequently handle content moderation themselves, which might result in problems with censorship or biased moderation.

Mastodons reputation for inclusivity and warmth is another factor in its popularity compared to other social media networks. Content warnings, the opportunity to mute or ban other users, and the capability to build secret communities are just a few of the Mastodon features that are intended to increase the platforms accessibility for users from underrepresented populations.

Mastodon users frequently establish close-knit groups based on shared interests, which contributes to the platforms strong feeling of community. In comparison, some social media networks may make users feel less connected to one another. Users on Mastodon are also more likely to engage in meaningful conversations with other users rather than yelling into the abyss because of the platforms community-driven approach.

Finally, because Mastodon is open-source, it is always changing and getting better. Users can recommend new features or enhancements to the platforms development. Mastodon is a more user-driven and dynamic platform as a result than other social media networks.

Which platform is ideal for you mostly depends on your needs and tastes. Both Mastodon and Twitter have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Mastodon is an open-source, decentralized social network that enables users to build their own instancescommunitieswith their own set of guidelines and rules for moderation. Additionally, Mastodon places more of a focus on user data ownership and privacy. Mastodon is decentralized, therefore it could be more challenging to identify and interact with folks outside of your instance.

In contrast, Twitter is a centralized platform with a bigger user base and a wider audience. It is better suited to those who wish to engage with a large audience, interact with people outside of their own social network, and take part in hot subjects and conversations. Additionally, Twitter includes more advanced capabilities including the capacity to utilize hashtags and embed tweets.

Its ultimately up to you to choose which platform is most compatible with your personal or professional objectives. Mastodon could be a better option if privacy and community-building are your top priorities. Twitter can be the best option if you want to engage in larger debates and reach a wider audience.

Mastodon is a distinctive social networking site with several features and functionalities. It is a compelling alternative to conventional social networking sites due to its dedication to privacy, decentralization, and open source.

Mastodons adaptability allows for a variety of uses, including community development, education, and protest. Mastodon is undoubtedly worth investigating, regardless of whether youre searching for a new social networking site or just want to try something new.

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What is Mastodon? An in-depth view of the Decentralized Social ... - Craving Tech

The Twitter logo is seen on a sign on the exterior of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, California, on October 28, 2022. CONSTANZA HEVIA/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The Twitter logo is seen on a sign on the exterior of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, California, on October 28, 2022.

Drew Austin is a writer and urban planner in New York City. He's also something of a Twitter addict.

Since Elon Musk acquired the platform in October, Austin has noticed his Twitter feed devolve into an engine of self-promotion for the billionaire's constantly shifting whims.

"To be honest," Austin said, "the biggest change I noticed right away when he took over was just that everyone was talking about Elon all the time. And all the content that users were generating was Elon-orientated content, which I found really annoying."

No matter, Austin is sticking around, like so many other Twitter users.

Some outside researchers have observed a small dip in usage since Musk assumed the reins, but in general people are still logging on.

"I've basically been using Twitter for 15 years at this point, and there's no way to quickly replace the followers and following that you accumulate over that amount of time," Austin said. "Twitter is still the default. It's the Schelling point where everyone is."

As most daily users are quick to point out, Twitter has become clunkier, glitchier and less relevant than it used to be. Nonetheless, nearly six months into Musk's control, no serious competitor has emerged, leaving some wondering what more it will take for everyone to leave for another social media site.

"More than any other platform, it gives us a sense that we're witnessing the world beyond us, but in a really visceral and personal way," said Shannon McGregor, a social media researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"It makes you feel like you're in on the joke of the day," she said. "And people don't want to miss out on it."

Another place where everyone on the internet seems to be: TikTok.

But its future is uncertain. The Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok if it does not divorce from its China-based corporate parent company, ByteDance.

That has left many wondering, why hasn't a U.S. tech company swept in and built its own version of the viral video app.

Some analysts note TikTok's "secret sauce algorithm," as the reason for its formidable dominance.

But the reason TikTok is so hard to replace is the same reason people can't seem to quit Twitter: The so-called "network effects" of both platforms.

It essentially means that the more people join a platform, the better it becomes for everyone. Each user's individual experience and contribution adds value to the whole network.

"The idea is that you have to reach critical mass and before you do that, it's not a super valuable service. But after you reach that, it's very hard to beat, because it's very hard for others to replicate," said Zsolt Katona, a business professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies social media.

Decades ago, economists used it to describe the usefulness of fax machines, then the workings of the internet. And more recently, academics have studied social media's ills through an understanding of how network effects operate.

"And the reason this is called 'network effects' is because usually this value is realized through some sort of networking with an actual link between two people," Katona said.

In the case of Twitter, that's a link between 237 million monthly active users. On TikTok, more than a billion people worldwide.

On top of that, many on both platforms have found niche communities around food, music, politics, memes, and whatever internet topic du jour is driving the conversation. Leaving for a smaller alternative can often feel like part of the community's vibrancy is missing.

Nonetheless, there have been a crop of challengers that have tried to seize on the disarray at Twitter, but, so far, there is no clear winner.

Mastodon, a Germany-based Twitter alternative, has gained traction in recent months, but because of its somewhat complicated "decentralized" structure, navigating the platform has proven cumbersome to many new users.

Another Twitter rival, Post, allows users to make "micropayments," to publishers so that individual news articles can be read without running into a paywall, though it has not gained much momentum yet.

"I think the reason people have stayed on Twitter is that despite all of the issues with it, it still seems to be working better than these other platforms for what people want it to do for them," McGregor said.

With Musk's crack down on national media organizations like the New York Times and NPR, some journalists are pining for a text-based, real time social media platform not controlled by a singular billionaire, but no such site has raced to the front of the pack.

"One of the reasons people are staying on, myself included, is that this isn't the first time bad things have happened to people on Twitter," McGregor said, noting how Twitter can be a place where harassment, trolling and direct messages being flooded with vitriol is not uncommon.

Even on huge platforms that have the benefit of network effects, copying a service does not mean it's going to take off.

Instagram introduced a TikTok-like feature called Reels in 2020, and it just has not come anywhere near threatening TikTok for a variety of reasons, including that the recommendation systems and basic features are very different.

Another factor is that when a big social media app tries to mimic a competitor, it usually does so as a kind of side experiment, not the main service of the app, said Julian McAuley, who studies social media at the University of California, San Diego. Reels is being heavily promoted by the app, but not at the expense of Instagram's endless stream of hyper-glamorized photos.

"An obvious reason why Facebook or YouTube or whoever else doesn't implement that way is because these big incumbents are very reluctant to cannibalize what's already working well for them," McAuley said.

Another way to think about the network effects of social media is that the popular ones are sort of too big to fail at least it seems so right now.

But they can falter. Other social networks like MySpace and Vine had their moments, only to eventually fade into obscurity.

There are three possible reasons network effects can backfire, according to research from Catherine Tucker, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

For one, a site can become too noisy or congested, leading users to seek out more curated communities.

Some people might become concerned about how their data is being used on a large platform and might try to find a more privacy-preserving alternative, as well.

And finally, once a platform becomes too mainstream, it could be seen and "uncool" or too predictable, prompting users to flee for more insular platforms.

Social platforms rise and fall with internet fads. And experts say when a new app becomes all the craze and amasses a huge network, Twitter and TikTok might find themselves in the social media graveyard with Myspace and Friendster.

Though, as technology writer Casey Newton wrote recently in his newsletter Platformer, journalists covering the tech industry do not appear to be ready to bolt from Twitter, despite all the upheaval.

"For the moment, though, Musk has learned the same lesson Jack Dorsey did: Twitter is extremely hard to kill," Newton wrote, referring to the former chief executive of Twitter. "And for the journalists who have come to rely on it, there is almost no indignity they won't suffer to get their fix."

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Why can't Twitter and TikTok be easily replaced? Something called ... - NPR

Disclaimer: Early release articles are not considered as final versions. Any changes will be reflected in the online version in the month the article is officially released.

Author affiliations: Hpital Henri Mondor, AP-HP, Universit Paris-Est, Crteil, France (C. Rodriguez, L. Boizeau, A. Soulier, M. NDebi, V. Demontant, E. Trawinski, S. Seng, P.-L. Woerther, S. Marchand, S. Fourati, S. Chevaliez, P. Cappy, J.-M. Pawlotsky); LInstitut Mondor de Recherche BiomdicaleINSERM U955, Crteil (C. Rodriguez, L. Boizeau, A. Soulier, S. Fourati, S. Chevaliez, P. Cappy, J.-M. Pawlotsky); Hpital Cochin, AP-HP, Universit Paris-Cit, Paris, France (H. Fontaine, S. Pol)

The world is regularly exposed to the emergence or re-emergence of known or unknown infectious agents. The COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the massive impact of such emergence on human lives, national economies, and social organizations. Infections of undetermined origin must be diagnosed early so that adapted measures are put in place to prevent the spread of potentially harmful pathogens. New diagnostic technologies such as shotgun metagenomics (SMg), which requires no prior knowledge of the agents sought, have greatly simplified diagnosis of novel pathogens. SMg has become a key tool for surveillance of viral emergence (1). It is regularly used in diagnosing patients with syndromes of suspected viral origin, such as encephalitis, meningitis, pneumopathies, or hepatitis. The Henri Mondor Hospital NGS Plateform laboratory has developed an original SMg technique and has used it for the past 5 years to explore complex infections not diagnosed by classical methods (24). We report detection of a new, yet unknown virus from the family Circoviridae in an immunosuppressed patient with acute hepatitis of unknown origin.

A 61-year-old woman who had undergone heart and lung transplantation for Eisenmenger syndrome 18 years earlier was hospitalized in March 2022 for acute hepatitis of unknown origin. As a result of her immunodepression, she had several infections develop in the preceding 6 months, including ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis, parvovirus B19 bicytopenia, and aspergillus bronchitis. At admission, she was receiving multiple therapies, including immunosuppressive and anti-infectious drugs. Serum aminotransferase levels had progressively increased from December 2021 and peaked in April 2022 (alanine aminotransferase, 23 upper limit of normal [ULN]; aspartate aminotransferase, 47 ULN; gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, 17 ULN; alkaline phosphatase, 1.5 ULN; bilirubin, 54 mol/L) (Appendix Figure 1).

Results of a liver biopsy showed signs of acute hepatitis, without suggestions of a given etiology. The following markers of infection were absent: hepatitis A virus IgM, hepatitis B virus DNA, hepatitis C virus RNA, hepatitis D virus RNA, hepatitis E virus RNA, HIV RNA, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 DNA, varicella zoster virus DNA, CMV DNA, Epstein-Barr virus DNA, human herpes virus 6 DNA, adenovirus DNA, enterovirus RNA, parvovirus B19 DNA, and markers of leptospirosis. CMV and Epstein-Barr virus DNAs were undetectable at admission but became detectable at the time of the aminotransferase peak; viral levels were 2.9 log IU/mL for CMV and 4.4 log IU/mL for Epstein-Barr virus. There were no markers of autoimmune hepatitis, and withdrawal or diminution of potentially hepatotoxic treatments had no effect on cytolysis. Aminotransferase levels started to decrease spontaneously 7 weeks after admission. SMg testing was prescribed to identify a potential treatable cause of this acute hepatitis. The patient expressed no opposition to the use of her data and samples for this purpose.

The SMg technique has already been described (24). We performed preextraction mechanical, enzymatic, and chemical actions before extracting both DNAs and RNAs using a DSP DNA Midi Kit on a QiaSymphony device (both QIAGEN, https://www.qiagen.com/us). We generated DNA libraries using a Nextera XT kit nd generated RNA libraries using a TruSeq Total RNA kit (both Illumina, https://www.illumina.com). We sequenced these libraries using NextSeq 500/550 High Output Kit v2.5 300 Cycles (Illumina). We performed metagenomics data analysis using MetaMIC software (https://gitlab.com/mndebi/metamic). The software filters out poor-quality data, identifies sequences by comparison with an nucleotide-based database, reduces background noise by comparison with environmental controls, and establishes a report on the presence or absence of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

We performed data reanalysis for genome reconstruction and phylogenetic analysis. We assembled viral DNA sequences and RNA transcripts by using Metaspades 3.15.3 software (5). We assembled contigs by means of iterative in-house scripts, gradually replacing the closest reference viral sequences by the patients sequences. We checked the consensus sequence by realigning the reads with bwa-mem 0.7.17-r1188 software (https://github.com/lh3/bwa) and by manual checking using the IGV 2.9.4 tool (https://software.broadinstitute.org/software/igv/). We performed phylogenetic analysis using a library of the replicase region and full-length Circovividae genome sequences (6), supplemented by the sequences closest to the newly identified virus found using BLASTn (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi?PROGRAM=tblastn&PAGE_TYPE=BlastSearch&LINK_LOC=blasthome) and the nucleotide database from GenBank, and MUSCLE alignment (7) and a maximum-likelihood Kimura model phylogeny by using MEGA5 software (https://www.megasoftware.net).

SMg generated 31,431,784 DNA sequences and 78,933,526 RNA sequences. There were 579,324 DNA sequences and 191,574 RNA sequences related to the DNA genome and RNA transcripts of a yet unknown member of the Circoviridae family, distantly related to Porcine circovirus 3. We have provisionally called the new species Circovirus parisii.

Figure

Figure. Genomic and phylogenetic analysis of putative novel virus, Circovirus parisii, from an immunocompromise patient with hepatitis, France, 2022. A) Full-length genome of C. parisiireconstructed from shotgun...

The viral genome sequence of 2,021 nt could be reconstructed (GenBank accession no. ON526744) (Figure, panel A). The origin of replication located in the AGTATTAC sequence had 1 nucleotide deletion compared with other circoviruses (Figure, panel A). We identified the 2 major circovirus open reading frames (ORFs), starting at positions 140 (replicase, ORF1/rep, sense) and 2,013 (capsid protein, ORF2/cap, antisense), as well as sense ORF3, starting at position 82 (Figure, panel A). The 6 regions described as conserved within the rep region were present, identical to other species from the same genus (Figure, panel A).

By phylogenetic analysis, the new C. parisii clustered with other circoviruses, on the same branch as recently described wolverine circovirus (8), rodent circovirus (9), and Porcine circovirus 3. It was related to another branch containing bat circovirus (Figure, panel B). The genetic distances between C. parisii and other circoviruses were of the same order as those between different circovirus species.

The presence of the virus was confirmed by means of a specific PCR technique developed in our lab, which is based on SMg sequencing (Appendix). Sanger sequencing of PCR products yielded a sequence identical to that generated by SMg. No circovirus sequence was found in the environmental control.

Our shotgun metagenomics approach enabled us to identify a putative new member of the Circoviridae family, provisionally named C. parisii, in a profoundly immunosuppressed patient who had self-resolving acute hepatitis. Phylogenetic analysis showed clustering of the new virus with members of the Circovirus genus known to infect different animal species. As for other circoviruses, the viral genome displayed an origin of replication (lacking 1 nucleotide), a replicase gene spanning 6 conserved regions, a capsid protein gene, and an ORF3, the role of which remains unknown.

Circoviruses are single-stranded DNA viruses generally transmitted via the fecaloral route, with a potential pathogenic role in animals. Thus far, no human circovirus infections have been recorded (10), and serologic studies have not revealed any human contact (11). Nevertheless, culture of Porcine circovirus 2 on human cell lines, including liver cells, demonstrates the ability of this virus to replicate in human cells (12). Various pathologies have been observed in animals infected with circoviruses, including hepatitis (13,14). Porcine circovirus 3, the closest known circovirus, causes respiratory and neurologic diseases, cardiac and multisystemic inflammation, reproductive failure, and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (15). The presence of the novel virus at the time of the aminotransferase peak raises questions about the causal relationship. Other techniques, such as in situ hybridization on infected tissue, might have offered some insights but were not available in our case. The source of transmissionperhaps animal, perhaps humancould not be established based on this patients history.

Dr. Rodriguez is a professor at Assitance Publique des Hopitaux de Paris, University Paris-Est Crteil, INSERM U955 Team 18. His research interests are infectious diseases, metagenomics, diagnostic, transcriptomics, virology, and emerging pathogens.

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Unknown Circovirus in Immunosuppressed Patient with Hepatitis ... - CDC

Image Credits: Artifact

Artifact, the recently launched personalized news app from Instagrams founders, is today launching a key new feature: a social discussions component. Previously in private testing, the feature introduces a way for users to comment and engage in conversations around news articles theyre reading on the service. With todays update, all Artifact users will now see comments on articles, the company says.

To leave a comment of your own, Artifact users will have to first create a profile on the service a relatively simple process that requires you to add and verify your phone number. This initial step will help mitigate spam, the company notes.

These display names are not unique, which means no one has to fight over their name as they did on Instagram. While Artifact will encourage people to use their full names, it will allow pseudonyms.

The features addition makes Artifact more of a social network around news, rather than just the personalized news reading experience it offered at launch. It also makes Artifact more competitive with other places where people share news and information, including larger platforms like Facebook, Instagram and even Twitter. Already, Artifact had offered a way to see which articles were popular in your own personal network, though without identifying the users who were reading them, as Twitter does through its Twitter Blue subscription feature Top Articles.

Of course, entering into more of a social networking space raises a number of potential pitfalls for any company, as it could invite bad actors who engage in harassment, abuse or spam, among other things.

Artifact says it will address moderation in a couple of ways. For starters, it will give each new profile a reputation score thats based on community upvotes and downvotes on users comments. This is similar to Reddits voting mechanism, or even Twitters Community Notes fact-checking feature, but with the addition of an actual, visible score thats displayed to all users.

The app will show a users reputation score a numerical figure next to every commenters display name and on each community members profile, the company explains. Whats more, this score will also play a role in determining how comments are ranked. That is, Artifact will use an algorithm that weights the users reputation, the score of the particular comment and a variety of other signals.

In addition, Artifact says it will use AI models to detect problematic content. This flagged content will then be reviewed for compliance with Artifacts community guidelines and Terms of Service. If it doesnt meet those guidelines, it will be removed. The company said it will also ban profiles if necessary that is, in the most extreme violations of its policies.

Over time, this experience may evolve as Artifact learns more about whats most effective.

Were starting off simple here and will learn based on our experience in the first few weeks what works best, notes Artifact co-founder Kevin Systrom, in an email. My belief is that one of the most interesting things to do around news and written content is to discuss it with others this feature is the first step in a direction that will make Artifact more social and bring life to a community around news.

Artifact launched in January as something akin to a TikTok for news, or rather a U.S.-based alternative to other personalized news aggregators like ByteDances Toutiao in China or Japans SmartNews. The app combines a variety of trusted sources into one interface, where your engagement and reading behaviors inform recommendation algorithms that help you discover the news youre most interested in. However, unlike social media experiences, users wont necessarily become stuck in filter bubbles because the app offers a grouping of headlines from disparate sources across any topic as you dive in to read. Plus, you can browse the top stories in the app outside of your For You page recommendations through its news verticals.

For the time being, the app is free to use during early-stage development. It may eventually choose to monetize through revenue shares with publishers, though nothing yet has been decided. Since becoming broadly available to the public in late February, Artifact has seen nearly 200,000 installs, according to data from app intelligence firm data.ai.

Artifact is available across most English-speakingApp Storesand onAndroid.

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Artifact, the news aggregator from Instagrams co-founders, adds a social discussions feature - TechCrunch

The Women.NYC Network Strives to Connect Women with Opportunities in New York Citys Emerging Industries and Growing Sectors

A Hub Where Women Learn How to Succeed in High-Growth Sectors by Meeting Industry Leaders, Joining One-On-One Office Hours, Events, and Small Group Sessions Among Other Programs

NEW YORK, NYNew York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced the next phase of the Women.NYC initiative, The Women.NYC Network. The Network, is a social capital building platform designed to connect women in New York City with resources to help them excel and identify opportunities in emerging industries namely, offshore wind, life sciences, technology, and green economy. The Network will offer three types of programs to connect women to industry leaders and gain real world experience in new fields, including: virtual one-on-one office hours, small group discussions, and a shadowing experience, in addition to quarterly large-scale events.

To kick off the launch of The Network, NYCEDC and Women.NYC will hold a panel discussion and networking event open to the public. Todays event features welcome remarks from City officials and a panel discussion featuring four women, all of whom will be career advisors in The Network. The panelists are:

The Women.NYC Network is an innovative program that will break down traditional barriers in male-dominated industries and ensure that women are given an opportunity to not only join but excel in New York Citys emerging industries, said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. The Networks carefully tailored programming supported by a diverse group of industry leaders will offer women a unique opportunity to explore and connect with New Yorks future economy. I want to thank all the career advisors who are donating their time and expertise to make this program thrive and look forward to seeing an increase in diverse and female representation across all employment sectors.

Women account for more than half of the population and nearly half of the workforce but remain underrepresented in the high-wage, high-growth sectors of today and tomorrow, including technology, life sciences, the green economy, and offshore wind, said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. The Women.NYC Network will offer innovative programs linking women with industry leaders, helping them gain real-world experiences. NYCEDC is proud of its work with Women.NYC to empower and expand access to emerging industries for women throughout the five boroughs.

Not just as a member of this historic first majority-woman City Council, but especially in my capacity as the Chair of the Council's Committee on Women and Gender Equity, I am excited for the launch of this platform, said Council Member Tiffany Cabn. For too long, emerging industries have been dominated by men. Initiatives like The Women.NYC Network are just what we need to bring some gender equity to these vital sectors.

Resources like those provided by The Network initiative are a game changer for entrepreneurs, and in turn will help our local economies citywide continue to thrive. While women make up a large portion of our emerging workforces, our industrys leadership positions are still lacking in representation. As the Co-Chair of the City Councils Womens Caucus, I know the work that Women.nyc and the NYCEDC are doing is making an impact for women citywide. By setting up a model for long-term mentorship and support, women across this city will be given the tools for success while also inspiring the next generation. Thank you, President Andrew Kimball, for funding this crucial initiative and to the Women.NYC team for executing this project, said Council Member Amanda Faras.

Networking can be hardespecially when youre taking your career in a new direction, said Faye Penn, Executive Director for Women.NYC and Executive Vice President of Initiatives, NYCEDC. The highly accomplished volunteer advisors in The Women.NYC Network are offering their time and expert insights because they believe in the mission of helping diverse NYC women navigate industries offering high-wage jobs and growth opportunities. Our pilot for this program showed that even one strategic career contact can make a huge difference, and were excited to unlock powerful connections for women across New York City.

The Network is designed as an entry point for women into high-growth sectors including offshore wind, life sciences, technology, and green economy. These are sectors that New York City has identified for growth and investment, but where gender disparities emerge in a variety of ways. Globally, women account for just 21 percent of the offshore wind industry and 8 percent of senior managers. In New York City, women account for 34 percent of the tech workforce, and just 24 percent of senior managers. Women account for 48 percent of the life sciences workforce overall, but only 10 percent of board members and 20 percent of leaders. The Network aims to close gender gaps in these sectors not only by introducing more women to these industries but also by helping them navigate their careers through coaching and strategic network building activities.

Registration for virtual office hours and small group discussions is currently available on the Women.NYC website, and shadowing opportunities are expected to become available in Fall 2023. Virtual office hours offer 30-minute sessions, available on a first-come-first-served basis, with each of our advisors, who hold a wide range of expertise. These sessions are designed to help participants build their strategic network and help them identify new opportunities in emerging sectors. Small group discussions will be held on a regular basis and will bring together one or two mentors and ten to fifteen attendees to discuss a set topic through a keynote presentation and Q&A session. These sessions will be available virtually and in-person. Shadowing opportunities provide the chance for participants to shadow a participating advisor in their workplace. These opportunities will be designed to allow participants to experience what it would be like to work at each respective company in a leadership position and gain firsthand knowledge of day-to-day operations in unique sectors and businesses.

The primary programming and mentoring sessions will also be complemented by continual on-going events, such as panel discussions and larger-scale networking events aimed to continue attracting new participants and new advisors to the program and allowing all of those involved to continue building their strategic networks. Women.NYCs goal is to connect with over 1,000 women in the first year across all The Networks programming channels. This ambitious goal will continue to grow as The Network is able to expand its list of advisors, offerings, and services.

The inaugural cohort of advisors to join The Network and lead office hours and small group discussions includes:

I mentor future professionals in technology because its important to give back what those before me freely gave me. My virtual one-on-one office hour sessions aim to understand individual circumstances to better guide mentees in the right direction, find their niche, and discover how to add value in the ever-changing tech industry, said Fabianna Rodrguez-Mercado, Chief of Staff, Cyber Security at Citi.

Mentorship with operators and company builders that have built companies from scratch is so critical for simply preventing the same costly and time-intensive mistakes they once had. Unfortunately, access to these persons is hard and few. That's why it's so important to create a captive community that can engage in trust conversations with company builders. I'm happy to help try to save others money and time and appreciate women.nyc and WOCSTAR's efforts and cultivating this community for us, said Tinia Pina, CEO, Re-Nuble.

When I was in the New York City government, we had one goal in mind: get more money and power into the hands of women. We've launched several initiatives since 2016 and over 17,000 women have benefited from financing, mentorship, and more to help them succeed in their careers. Life has a way of coming full circle, and now I am thrilled to be a part of the Women.NYC Advisory Network to make sure the next 17,000 women are set up for success. Here's to disrupting the patriarchy, creating wildly successful companies, and building the world we want to live in! said Sonam Velani, Founder and Managing Partner at Streetlife Ventures.

Women helping women is quintessential New York and what makes New York City the ideal place for the growth of future industries, said Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne, CEO, Wocstar Capital. I am honored that I and the women at Wocstar Capital are able to join a diverse group of dynamic career women who are growing the City's economy.

The Women.NYC Network is a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge, your connections and your horizons, said Ruth Ann Harnisch, President of the Harnisch Foundation, a funder of The Women.NYC Network.

Women have been relying on others to validate and value us for centuries. Its about time we see ourselves as the brilliant, capable, powerhouses that we truly are! Thank you to the Women.NYC network for reminding us of the power we yield when women support women, said Cathleen Trigg-Jones, Founder and CEO, iWomanTV.

While each of the mentors are donating their time, funding comes from NYCEDC and The Harnisch Foundation. The Network partners with Wocstar for operational support, programming, and in-person events.

The Network builds off previous programming and infrastructure from the Women.NYC initiative which piloted a successful virtual office hours program in 2021-2022 to help connect women with mentors across all industries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Women.NYC is a City initiative, launched in 2018, created to help women of all backgrounds succeed in their businesses and careers. Currently, Women.NYC is focused on implementing tools and strategies to help connect women with careers in New York Citys future economy and emerging industries.

More information on Women.NYC and The Women.NYC Network can be found on our website. While offerings are geared towards women, people of all genders and identities are welcome to utilize Women.NYC and The Women.NYC Networks programming and resources.

About NYCEDCNew York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that creates shared prosperity across New York City by strengthening neighborhoods and creating good jobs. We work with and for communities to bring emerging industries to New York City; develop spaces and facilities for businesses; empower New Yorkers through training and skill-building; and invest in sustainable and innovative projects that make the city a great place to live and work. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Women.NYCWomen.NYCpart of the New York City Economic Development Corporationis an ambitious program created to make sure the city remains the best place in the world for women of all backgrounds to thrive in their careers, run businesses and launch startups. Women.NYC advances gender equality and fosters economic mobility by creating strategic partnerships with public and private sector partners, by launching tailored programming, and by amplifying all of the citys economic empowerment programs.

About Wocstar CapitalEarly-stage investment fund focused on tech innovation being brought to market by inclusive teams and women of color, WOCSTARS. WOCSTAR Fund is changing the trajectory for investors and businesses building, innovating and thriving in a digital, borderless world. We are actively investing in companies and technology that are redefining how we will consume content and resources, work, learn, build wealth and create a sustainable world.

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NYCEDC Launches Social Capital Building Platform The Women ... - New York City Economic Development Corporation