In March 2018, media publications worldwide began outing British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica for unethical business practices. Beyond the horrifying admission to use of bribery, honey traps and prostitutes to discredit politicians opposing their clients, Cambridge Analytica was revealed to have accessed some 50 million users’ personal data without their permission or awareness via a third party Facebook app called “This is Your Digital Life.”

Surprisingly, the massive news story seemed to do minimal damage to Facebook itself, with the internet’s collective focus on the meme-worthy aspects of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony to US Congress, and an apparent continuation of usage.

Zephoria reports that there are still more than 2.27 billion monthly active Facebook users (a 10% increase year over year) in Q3 2018 and 1.49 billion daily active users (a 9% increase year over year) as of September 2018.

In a Caddle survey following the breaking news, 66% of respondents claimed to have heard of or read at least a little bit about the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data scandal; 19% stated that they would delete Facebook due to an information breach; and yet only 4% actually deleted Facebook following the news break. Most surprising is that 90% of the respondents admitted to keeping their Facebook profile despite the news.

The number one reason users stated they would delete Facebook? If Facebook were participating in illegal activities. The second reason? If family or friends stopped using it. And the number one reason for users who keep returning to Facebook daily: to keep up with friends and family.

User prioritization of “staying in the loop” should come as no surprise – the whole point of social networks, originally anyway, was to see what’s going on with your friends and family…but is this trending fear of missing out (FOMO) leaving you at risk of privacy breaches or worse?

For a comprehensive guide on the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data breach, as well as how to secure yourself following the scandal, be sure to check out this guide from Sarah Perez and Zack Whittaker at Tech Crunch, and remember to be safe when you’re being social!

You’re dining at a busy restaurant on a Thursday night and you can’t seem to get your server’s attention. All you want is to get a refill, order dessert or pay your bill. In another scenario, you’re facing down a late night at work and the fate of team dinner rests on your shoulders. No one feels like pizza, but it’s the only reliable delivery option available. Thankfully, these scenarios are less and less common due to rising technology such as tableside and online food-ordering services.

In a survey of Caddle users, 49% of respondents were still unsure about ordering from a tablet in a restaurant, and 66% still unsure about using food delivery apps. However, the relationship between dining and digital seem destined.

SkipTheDishes, which was founded in Saskatoon in 2012, was one of the first nationwide online food delivery networks and focused on secondary markets such as Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Kitchener, Waterloo and Ottawa. In 2016, SkipTheDishes was acquired by Just Eat and continues to expand service in Canada to date, now serving alcohol in select markets.

Digital disrupter Uber, which forayed into food delivery in 2014, has quickly caught up. Earlier this year, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced that Uber Eats has a $6 billion bookings run rate and now serving 250 cities globally. Just this past August, Uber Eats expanded within Canada to 30 more communities including Victoria, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Halifax.

Tableside reveals a similar trend. Just last year, Eater reported that US casual dining giant Applebee’s embraced tableside tablets at all of its nearly 2,000 US locations and are seeing a 70%+ interaction rate. What’s more, restaurants who are integrating mobile apps into their service are seeing reduced labour costs and higher earnings for each server (including tips) due to higher efficiency, reduced human error, quicker service and a more positive dining experience.

Earlier this year, QSR Magazine predicted that convenience would be one of five trends restaurants need to prioritize moving forward, and it appears the industry is listening.

CBD and THC

In a 2018 survey of 20,000 Canadians (50% of whom considered themselves cannabis users), the Caddle team found that only 45% of Canadian cannabis users understand the difference between cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD and THC are only two of hundreds of different chemical substances found in cannabis, but are two of today’s most researched substances regarding cannabis and are driving factors in the purchase of particular strains. If you’re new to it, already use it, or would just like to learn more, here are three important aspects to know about cannabis:

1) The plant types

There are two predominant plant types: Sativa and Indica. Canadian cannabis producer Peace Naturals explains that Sativa is used to improve mood, treat chronic pain and anxiety, and increases focus and creativity. On the other hand, Indica improves mental and muscle relaxation, decreases nausea and acute pain, and increases appetite and pleasure.

2) The chemical types

According to CanniMed, THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – i.e., it is responsible for the euphoric high users feel. THC also stimulates appetite, mood, pain relief and relaxation. On the other hand, CBD is often considered the counter to THC. CanniMed explains that CBD is often used to reduce anxiety, insomnia, and is a non-psychoactive, calming chemical substance.

3) The rules

As of October 17, 2018, cannabis is fully legal across Canada. The public possession limit is 30 grams in every province, while the legal age differs (18 in Alberta and Quebec; 19 everywhere else). In Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan, you can purchase cannabis from private licensed stores; everywhere else you must purchase from a government-operated store. Most provinces offer dried flower, oils, and pre-rolls; edibles are not sold but may be prepared at home. Permitted usage varies by municipality, but you cannot consume while operating a motorized vehicle, near schools and children, on patios and on business properties.

Helpful literature on cannabis is available everywhere – consider checking out the blogs of one of the many growing Canadian cannabis brands, and keep a look out for emerging research now that cannabis is legal. And if you’re considering trying cannabis for the first time, here are a few excellent tips from Toronto-based brand Tokyo Smoke on how to practice safe sesh.

Read more from our Cannabis survey

Cannabis stigma – is there a change on the way?

The Cannabis Industry and marketing to women

Marketing to Women

In a recent survey conducted by Caddle prior to October 17, 2018 (the day cannabis became legal across Canada), we found that 62% of male users were likely to purchase cannabis, while only 45% of female users were likely to do so as well.

This result comes with little surprise, as cannabis use trends have historically leaned more toward men – particularly in places where and times when cannabis has been considered illegal. In a 2012 study by Statistics Canada, 49.4% of male respondents and 35.8% of female respondents admitted to using cannabis at least once in their lifetime.

Legalization of Cannabis

However, with the legalization of cannabis in several U.S. states, across all of Canada, and more and more throughout the world, we’re seeing a rise in the female cannabis consumer. In a 2017 survey of 1,200 adult cannabis users in Colorado and California, cannabis research firm BDS Analytics found that 45% of the overall respondents were women.

Why are women different?

Toronto-based cannabis company Van der Pop focuses on female consumers and shares the following research:

• 87% of women who use cannabis use it as a sexual aid and find it effective
• 3.4 million Canadian women are interested in how cannabis can help them relax; 1.5 million are interested in how it can complement their exercise; 1.3 million want to try including cannabis in their cooking
• 52% of cannabis users say it helps them sleep
• 51% of female users are interested in cannabis’ potential skincare powers

With cannabis now fully legalized across Canada, cannabis producers, consumers and researchers are excited about all of the potential opportunities to improve safety and quality. They also want to learn more about the plant.

Most importantly, the move will hopefully help keep cannabis out of the hands of children, reduce the ability for illegal entities to profit from it, and enable women to feel more empowered in trying and using cannabis for all its potential positive benefits.

If you’d like to learn more about how to safely and legally purchase and use cannabis in your home province, check with the Government of Canada here.

Read more from the Caddle Cannabis Survey

Cannabis 101: Bud Basics explained

Cannabis Stigma – is there a change on the way?