Originally only available to U.S. users, the social network’s Watch feature on the app is now available to all 2.2 billion users around the world. Watch is a feed that shows videos in ‘episodes’, from Facebook or other creators, tailored to each user’s interests. The move is seen as a bid to compete with YouTube, who made video advertising revenues of around $13bn last year (compared to Facebook’s $3bn). “We’re building new video experiences that put people at the center, giving them the ability to shape the direction of the content. Over time you’ll be able to find new video experiences in your Watch feed, like Watch Parties, Premieres and videos focused on audience participation,” said Fidji Simo, Facebook’s Head of Video.
Childish Gambino’s new video gets lots of people tweeting
The animated video for Childish Gambino’s latest single, “Feels Like Summer”, features Gambino strolling through a neighbourhood filled with popular personalities. And you’d be hard-pressed to find at least one reference you can recognise. Twitter has certainly taken the bait: people all over the globe are attempting to name every reference, speculating on imagery and flat out laughing at the way some artists are depicted. Looking at the ever-growing #FeelsLikeSummer hashtag, there are points of discussion for everyone; most notably a shot of Michelle Obama embracing a distraught Kanye West, and Nicki Minaj bickering with Travis Scott over toys.
Artful work aside, the string of references has certainly paid off for Gambino. The imagery (and the thrill of recognising it) has allowed fans and non-fans alike to form their own connections with the video. It’s taking on a life of its own, and in conversations that are deeper – and more memorable – than the typical buzz around a release.
Twitter now recommends accounts you should unfollow
In an effort to create a more relevant timeline experience for users, Twitter has been testing a feature that recommends which accounts to unfollow. Some users who received this test feature received a notification encouraging them to “control what’s happening” on their news feed, while others received notifications reading,”You don’t need to follow everyone to know what’s happening,” and “Make sure you’re only following the people that make Twitter great for you.”
Not much is known about what goes into the algorithm, but Twitter has claimed that a key factor has to do with which accounts you don’t engage with as regularly. Despite the social platform’s seemingly good intentions, the feature has come under fire, with some users stating that the algorithm has suggested accounts that they very much did not want to unfollow, while others have claimed that there could be other hidden political motives underlying this new feature.
