Dig Secures $14 Million to Combat Disinformation and Protect Brands in the Age of Social Video
In today’s digital landscape, the rapid spread of misinformation poses a significant threat to businesses, with influencer-driven disinformation campaigns capable of inflicting devastating damage on a brand’s reputation. Recognizing this growing challenge, Dig, a social intelligence lab founded in 2021, has developed cutting-edge technology to help companies identify and mitigate these risks before they escalate into viral crises.
Initially focused on assisting marketing teams in repurposing video content for social media platforms, Dig’s trajectory shifted in response to the escalating geopolitical tensions and the proliferation of disinformation campaigns. The company recognized the urgent need to combat the erosion of trust in online information and pivoted its efforts towards analyzing how these narratives are constructed and disseminated across various platforms. CEO Ofer Familier emphasizes the pervasive anxiety surrounding online information, stating, “We all live in an era where we feel we can’t trust what we hear, and it’s very painful.”
Dig’s approach addresses a critical gap in existing social listening technology. While traditional tools effectively monitor text-based content on blogs and forums, analyzing video content on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram presents a more complex and costly challenge. This complexity stems from the computational demands of processing video, including natural language processing and other resource-intensive operations.
Dig has overcome this hurdle by developing a proprietary technology stack powered by in-house large language models (LLMs). These models enable the analysis of video, image, and text content related to a specific brand, effectively flagging potential reputational risks such as deepfakes, disinformation, and counterfeit product promotions. Importantly, Dig’s technology also incorporates an understanding of humor and sarcasm to minimize false positives.
One of Dig’s key advantages is its ability to provide rapid analysis at a significantly lower cost compared to commercially available models and services. By leveraging in-house technology, Dig delivers timely insights to its clients through a chatbot interface. This chatbot empowers brands to proactively address potential threats by posing questions like, “What false claims are hitting our brand today?” and gaining real-time understanding of the evolving social media landscape.
The company’s innovative approach has attracted a substantial client base of over 70 brands, including blue-chip companies and government entities. Dig generates revenue through a subscription-based model, with pricing tiered according to usage. The company’s recent $14 million Series A funding round, co-led by New Era Capital Partners and Osage Venture Partners, brings its total funding to $22 million. This injection of capital will fuel Dig’s expansion in sales and marketing, enabling the company to further scale its operations and reach a wider audience.
Dig’s focus on social video intelligence arises from the increasing dominance of video content in the social media sphere. The company cites research indicating that video currently comprises over half of all social media content and projects this figure to reach 75% by 2029. This trend underscores the critical need for brands to effectively monitor and analyze video content to safeguard their reputation and maintain consumer trust.
Dig’s technology provides granular analysis of video content, encompassing elements such as topic identification, creator sentiment analysis, product identification, and creator demographics. The company claims its models can identify 90% of relevant social media posts related to a brand, offering comprehensive coverage of the online conversation. One notable case study highlighted by Dig involves a coordinated “fake luxury” campaign originating in China and targeting Western luxury brands on TikTok, demonstrating the platform’s ability to uncover and analyze complex disinformation campaigns.
The recent funding round validates Dig’s innovative approach and underscores the growing need for sophisticated social listening tools in the age of video-dominated social media. With its ability to provide rapid, cost-effective analysis of video content, Dig empowers brands to proactively manage their online reputation, counter disinformation campaigns, and protect their brand value in an increasingly complex digital environment. As video continues its ascent as the dominant form of social media content, Dig is poised to play a crucial role in helping businesses navigate the challenges and opportunities of this evolving landscape.
The company’s tagline, “Get a grip on social video,” encapsulates its mission to provide brands with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of online video and mitigate the risks of misinformation. With a growing team distributed across offices in Tel Aviv, New York, and London, Dig is well-positioned to continue developing and refining its technology to meet the evolving needs of brands in the ever-changing world of social media. As the volume of video content continues to surge, Dig’s unique approach to social listening will become increasingly vital for brands seeking to protect their reputation and maintain a competitive edge in the digital marketplace.
Dig’s LLM-powered technology offers a distinct advantage over traditional social listening tools, which often struggle to analyze video content efficiently. By leveraging the power of LLMs, Dig can process vast amounts of video data, identify key themes and trends, and provide actionable insights to its clients. This allows brands to stay ahead of potential reputational threats and respond proactively to emerging narratives.
The company’s focus on speed and cost-efficiency is also crucial in today’s fast-paced digital environment. With disinformation campaigns capable of spreading rapidly across social media, brands need to be able to identify and address these threats quickly. Dig’s technology enables real-time analysis of video content, providing businesses with the information they need to take swift action. The cost-effectiveness of Dig’s solution also makes it accessible to a wider range of businesses, democratizing access to sophisticated social listening capabilities.
Dig’s commitment to addressing the growing problem of online disinformation is commendable. By providing brands with the tools they need to combat these threats, Dig is helping to create a more trustworthy and transparent digital environment. As the company continues to innovate and expand its offerings, it is set to play a vital role in shaping the future of social media intelligence. As social video continues its exponential growth, Dig’s pioneering approach will undoubtedly become an essential asset for brands seeking to navigate the complex landscape of online reputation management and protect their value in a world increasingly shaped by visual content.