Fact-checking chatbot comes to WhatsApp We can’t deal with any more fake news. So, the International Fact-Checking Network (a real organisation that isn’t Google, FYI) stepped in last week and launched a WhatsApp chatbot to help connect app users with global fact-checking authorities. Misinformation will be squashed as users submit information for locally-based fact checkers to, well, check.
#BeatTheVirus with Snapchat Still searching for the facts? Snapchat has become the first official partner of scientific platform #BeattheVirus. They’ve launched a series of augmented reality Lenses, including another handy fact-checking device in Coronavirus Quiz lens that helps stop misinformation from spreading.
Twitter rolls out changes to threaded conversations Twitter has released a new layout for replies on the platform that will use lines and indentations to make it easier to understand who you’re replying to and how the conversation is flowing. It is also testing putting engagement actions — such as the like, retweet and reply icons — behind an extra tap to make replies to conversations easier to follow. The features are initially rolling out to a portion of Twitter users on iOS and the web.
Pinterest reports strong Q1 earnings, beating expectations Pinterest reported strong first quarter earnings last week, with revenue up 35% year-on-year to $272 million, beating analyst expectations. The platform’s global monthly active user base also increased by 26% year-on-year to 367 million. However, the company also reported a net loss of $141 million for the quarter (up 241% from the same time last year) and warned that its overall outlook “might be rocky” in the months ahead, due to the COVID-19 crisis. Pinterest shares fell 18% in after-hours trading, following the release of the report.
Pinterest releases several new updates for boards Last week, Pinterest globally rolled out several updates to its boards on the web, iOS and Android, after the platform saw a 60% increase in total boards created globally in April compared with the same month last year. Among the new features is a board notes update, which enables Pinners to add details to their boards – such as necessary ingredients for a recipe or a to-do list. Pins can be added as notes. Other updates include being able to add dates to a board to help track projects, automatic grouping of Pins on boards into sections, and more.
New double act will support online sellers In lighter Pinterest news, the board-based app joined forces with Shopify to launch a new application on Shopify’s platform. It links catalogues to Pinterest boards and turns products into Shoppable Product Pins. The idea neatly closes the browsing loop for merchants and offers easy setup and access to distribution opportunities. It’s rolling out globally in the coming weeks but is already live in the US and Canada.
There’s no stopping Animal Crossing (unless their servers crash) Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the shining jewel of Nintendo Switch’s crown, has already exceeded its lifetime sales predictions. The president of Nintendo, Shuntaro Kurukawa, confirmed a couple of days ago that the sales of New Horizons had smashed all its forever-targets already.
All that said, imagine the horror when servers went down last week. Millions who’ve spent the last two months or more (me, definitely me) carefully cultivating island homes and diligently shaking trees were seriously shook. Turnips rotted, fish relaxed and Tom Nook laughed like the evil maniac he truly is. By the way, it’s totally fine now, so you can go back to paying your mortgage.
Now Streaming: The Greatest [new meme] Of All Time Thanks to ESPN’s epic 10-part documentary The Last Dance, we’ve been blessed with another Michael Jordan meme that isn’t him crying. The series, which was fast-tracked and spoon-fed during quarantine, came to a close last night with an emotional final episode that delivered a breathtaking new meme format, the likes of which won’t be replicated (until next week, probably).
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