Platforms reveal Q4 results Meta reported an average of 3.59 billion monthly active people for its family of apps, unveiling revenue gains of 20% in its Q4 overview. There was good news for YouTube, with the platform revealing it made $8.6 billion in ad sales in the last quarter, up by an impressive 25%. Snapchat also had a reason to celebrate, reporting $1.3 billion in revenue, up by 42% year over year, gaining 13 million users. Meanwhile, Pinterest beat expectations, surpassing $2 billion in revenue, growing 52% over the previous year, yet the platform’s monthly users dropped by 6%.
Meta adds 3D avatars to Instagram Stories Your virtual self is coming to your Instagram Stories, as Meta is introducing 3D avatars to the feature. This will also include avatar updates in Facebook and Messenger, with the introduction of new facial shapes and more inclusive details, like hearing aids and wheelchairs. People in the US, Canada, and Mexico can appear as their virtual selves in stickers, feed posts, Facebook profile pictures, and more across Meta’s platforms, including its Quest VR platform.
Twitter expands downvotes test worldwide There’s plenty of content on Twitter that deserves a thumbs down. The platform has expanded its testing of downvote replies to a global audience. Initially given to a select group of users, more Twitter dwellers will be able to use the downvote feature. So far, it appears that downvoting has been used when users see tweets they find either offensive or irrelevant. The feature is apparently improving ‘the quality of conversations on Twitter’, heavily suggesting that this tool may become a mainstay on the platform in the near future.
Pinterest adds a ‘Try On for Home Decor’ feature Not sure whether that sofa you bought online is going to complement your coffee table? AR is coming to Pinterest to make your life that little bit easier, with the platform using the technology to allow users to preview furniture from a range of stores. By using the Lens camera, you’ll be able to try out over 80,000 pieces of furniture from “shoppable Pins”. If you like what you see, you’ll be able to follow a link to the shop’s website, where you can buy your latest homeware essential.
Meta is adding a ‘personal boundary’ to VR avatars to stop harassment Personal space is paramount not only in real life, but also in virtual spaces. This is why Meta is adding a ‘personal boundary’ system to its Horizon virtual reality experiences. The new feature is turned on by default, and creates an invisible virtual barrier around avatars, preventing other people from getting too close. The boundary gives everyone a two-foot radius of virtual personal space, creating the equivalent of four virtual feet between avatars. This update comes following complaints from a user that her avatar had been groped by a stranger, with a ‘personal boundary’ aimed at reducing harassment on the platform.
