TikTok will no longer let people opt out of personalised ads TikTok is making personalised ads mandatory. This means you will start getting ads in the app based on the kind of content you engage with, whether you want them or not. Currently, TikTok has a setting that allows users to choose whether the ads they see will be based on their in-app activity. This will change from April 15th, but people will still be able to control whether the app creates personalised ads based on data pulled from other platforms and websites.
TikTok adds new auto-reply messages for businesses TikTok has added an automated message response option for business accounts, making it easier to manage common queries. Business accounts will be able to manage the auto-generated response in the ‘Message settings’, where administrators can create either a welcome message for when people DM your business, or a tailored auto-reply based on the keywords of your choosing.
Facebook is working on Instagram for kids Facebook is working on a version of Instagram for children under 13 that will give parents transparency and control. The app’s current policy prevents children under 13 from using the platform; the new version will allow children to participate, but in a more controlled environment. With the creation of Messenger Kids, it’s clear Facebook are keen to tap into the next generation of social media users.
Facebook looks to create audio-only Rooms Competition in the audio-only space is heating up following the swift ascent of Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces. According to a new discovery in the back-end code of the app, Facebook is looking to launch audio-only Rooms that users can tune into, and participate in, within the app. As with video Rooms, hosts would be able to create private or public audio groups chats. For the time being, Clubhouse remains invite-only; Twitter has promised to make Spaces available to all users by the end of April.
Facebook will court writers to its newsletter product with paid deals It’s no secret that Facebook has been working on a newsletter product, which will start being tested on the platform soon. As part of the test, Facebook will also court writers, some of whom the company will pay. The initial user group will be composed of small and independent writers, with the newsletter tool helping writers to set up a website outside of Facebook. This move into the world of newsletters comes following the success of Substack, which paid advances to multiple writers in order to bring them over to the platform.
Instagram adds new teen safety tool Instagram is the latest platform to update its teen-focused privacy settings, making it more difficult for adults to interact with these users. The new features restrict adult users from being able to contact teens who didn’t already follow them. The exception to this allows teens to interact with adult family members and other trusted adults on the platform. If a teen has already connected with an adult through direct message, they’ll be notified if that adult is exhibiting suspicious behaviour, and will be allowed to block, report or restrict the adult from further contact.
Instagram tests new labels for content resurfaced on Stories Instagram is trialling a new feature which will see labels added to Stories content that has been re-posted from users’ main feeds – something that’s ostensibly causing the platform a great amount of distress. It’s a far less intrusive development when compared with some of the platform’s other tests on this front. In January, Instagram blocked some users from re-sharing feed posts to Stories entirely. Both developments purportedly stem from research suggesting that people prefer to see original photos and videos in Stories, rather than repurposed feed content.
YouTube to warn creators of copyright issues YouTube is attempting to make the copyright process easier for users monetising content by rolling out a new tool called ‘Checks.’ Checks tells a creator ahead of time if their video contains copyrighted material and complies with advertising guidelines. The new feature relies on Content ID; if YouTube’s copyright identification system finds a violation after a video is scanned, the rights holders policy will be automatically applied to the video, resulting in either the video being blocked entirely or the rights holders monetising the video instead.
Snap doubles down on fashion and e-commerce Snapchat is ramping up its involvement in e-commerce and shopping. The company has acquired Fit Analytics, a startup based in Berlin that has built technology to help shoppers find the right-sized apparel and footwear from online retailers. The startup already works with a number of big retailers, with this acquisition enabling Snap to build out its shopping platform. This clever move will allow Snap to diversify its revenues and secure a reputation as a leading e-commerce platform, potentially leading to lucrative advertising business from a range of brands.
Twitch makes it easier for streamers to avoid copyright strikes Twitch is also making it easier for you to be a savvy streamer by adding tools that lets users mass delete their recorded streams. With a strike system in place, copyright offenders risk getting permanently banned, with the new feature allowing streamers to play on the right side of copyright law. This has come as a result of the flurry of Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedowns that streamers received last year. In the event that a streamer gets hit with a DMCA takedown request, they’ll get a message in their on-site inbox.
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