Social Media Platform News and Updates for September 2023
In the ever-evolving social media landscape, staying informed about the latest updates and changes is essential for users and businesses alike. From Meta's intriguing Music Revenue Sharing program glitch to TikTok's efforts to enhance user privacy, social platforms are buzzing with exciting developments. Discover how platforms like Instagram, Twitter/X, Snapchat, WhatsApp, YouTube, and even LinkedIn are shaping their features and services to create better user experiences. Whether you're interested in cutting-edge AI-powered music creation tools or new measures to combat bots and spam, these updates offer insights into the dynamic world of social media. Keep up to date with these exciting changes and innovations reshaping how we interact and engage online.
Social media updates for Meta
Meta's Music Revenue Sharing Program Glitch Leads to Erroneous Payout Notifications. Meta's Music Revenue Sharing program experienced a glitch that erroneously informed some creators of significant pending payouts. The glitch later resulted in creators being notified of the error and Meta subsequently reducing the payouts. The program allows creators to earn a share of ad revenue from their Facebook Reels featuring licensed music. However, confusion arose among creators unfamiliar with Reels clips, causing uncertainty about payment notifications.
Meta Introduces 'AudioCraft' - AI-Powered Music Creation Tool. Meta unveiled 'AudioCraft', an AI-powered generative project designed for music creation. Users can generate original music compositions based on text prompts by utilizing Meta's MusicGen system and AudioGen generative sample set. AudioCraft offers a novel way to produce high-quality audio and music without the need for instrumental skills, potentially expanding music creation opportunities.
Meta's Altered Ad Disclosure Indicators Raise Concerns for Ad Transparency. Meta changed its ad disclosure indicators, replacing the prominent "Promoted" tag with a smaller "Ad" marker. Additionally, Meta is experimenting with an updated ad format that makes advertisements resemble regular posts more closely. These alterations have sparked concerns regarding ad transparency and compliance with FTC requirements for clear ad disclosure.
Limited Adoption of Meta's AR Glasses, Ray Ban Stories. Meta's initial venture into AR glasses, Ray Ban Stories, reportedly faced limited adoption, with over 90% of users ceasing usage after purchase. The glasses' restricted functionality and feature set may have contributed to this trend, paralleling a similar scenario observed with Snapchat's Spectacles. Despite these challenges, both Meta and Snapchat continue exploring AR glasses' development, focusing on integrating digital overlays into the real world.
Threads App's Growth and Updates. Threads, a new social media app by Meta, initially gained rapid sign-ups but has since experienced a slowdown in growth. With features like improved algorithms and upcoming updates, such as a desktop app and enhanced search, Threads aims to regain momentum. Its performance could be boosted by the presence of journalists and media organizations seeking alternatives to other platforms. The rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk might drive the app's future success.
Social media updates for LinkedIn
LinkedIn Enhances Profile Skills and Project Highlights for Job Seekers. LinkedIn is introducing updates to help job seekers highlight their skills and competencies more effectively. Users can now tag up to five top skills in the "About" section of their profiles, making it easier for visitors to gauge their expertise. Additionally, users can include media-rich content in the "Projects" section and tag projects with relevant skills, enhancing their profile's showcase of experience. LinkedIn's updates aim to provide job seekers with better tools for demonstrating their suitability for specific roles.
LinkedIn Introduces Brand Partnership Tags for Transparent Influencer Collaborations. LinkedIn is introducing Brand Partnership tags, allowing users to label posts for which they have received compensation from brands. This new feature aims to enhance transparency around paid partnerships on the platform. The "Brand Partnership" tag appears on posts when activated, indicating a sponsored collaboration. This move aligns LinkedIn with other platforms' efforts to provide transparency and support for creators' collaborations with brands.
LinkedIn Improves Newsletter Creation Features to Engage Growing Audience. LinkedIn is enhancing its newsletter creation functionality to cater to its growing newsletter creators and readers audience. The platform is rolling out an updated newsletter editor with a more user-friendly interface, allowing easier formatting, layout, and media inclusion. Users can save drafts, schedule articles, and improve search visibility by adding an SEO title and description. Additionally, LinkedIn is enabling members and Company Pages to host up to five newsletters, each with different topics, designs, and posting frequencies. Auto-follow for newsletter subscribers will also be introduced, further boosting engagement.
Social media updates for Facebook
Facebook Introduces New Measures to Comply with EU Digital Services Act. Facebook has announced updates to align with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to enhance user control, transparency, and competition on social media platforms. One key change is that Meta will offer an algorithm-free experience for EU users in its apps, allowing them to view content in chronological order. Additionally, Meta is expanding its Ads Library to display all ads targeting EU users, providing more information to researchers and ad managers. These measures are in response to the DSA's requirements for increased platform transparency and user empowerment.
Facebook Warns Admins About Moderation Responsibilities. Facebook is notifying group admins to be more active in moderating their groups. Admins who are not sufficiently active within their groups may have another member assigned as a moderator by Facebook. This approach aims to ensure that groups are properly managed and moderated for a positive user experience. The decision follows recent conflicts in the Reddit community and highlights Meta's focus on maintaining a high standard of moderation within its groups.
Social media updates for Instagram
Enhanced DM Control Options on Instagram for Improved User Safety. Instagram has rolled out new direct message (DM) control features to empower users to prevent unwanted contact. With a focus on reducing undesired interactions, the platform has introduced measures to limit DMs from non-connected users. Under the updated system, these users can only send text-only invites, which must be accepted before further communication is permitted. This initiative aims to address concerns regarding unsolicited images and videos in DM requests, particularly mitigating unsolicited explicit content, which has disproportionately affected female users. By offering these new controls, Instagram aims to enhance user safety and foster a more secure and respectful online environment.
Instagram Tests Collaborative Posts with User-Submitted Content. Instagram is experimenting with a new feature that allows users to contribute their images and videos to an existing post. The feature aims to facilitate direct collaborations and shared experiences among users. Participants' submissions require approval from the post creator before being displayed, potentially leading to curated group photo albums and enhanced engagement. This feature aligns with Instagram's trend of promoting user interaction and engagement.
Instagram Introduces Audio Clips to Notes for Enhanced Engagement. Instagram is officially testing a new audio option for its Notes feature. This update lets users include audio clips in their Notes, providing another way to engage and interact. Notes are designed to encourage direct engagement by displaying chat prompts at the top of users' inboxes, similar to Stories bubbles. This audio option, combined with the existing feature, aligns with Instagram's goal of enhancing engagement through different forms of interaction.
Social media updates for Pinterest
Pinterest Enhances Privacy Features for Young Users. Pinterest is introducing new privacy features to protect younger users, including private profiles, follower restrictions, and messaging controls. Users aged 16 and over can opt for private or public profiles, while teens under 16 will have private profiles by default. Younger users will be prompted to review and curate their follower list, ensuring they know who can engage with their content. Messaging will be restricted to mutual followers, adding an extra layer of safety for teens. These measures aim to enhance safety for younger users on the platform.
Pinterest Becomes Official Media Partner of Toronto International Film Festival. Pinterest has partnered with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as an official media partner. The partnership includes a "Filmspiration Hub" where users can find insider information about films, celebrities, fashion, and more related to TIFF. The hub will feature a mix of editorial and creator-led content, highlighting the connection between Pinterest's role as an inspiration platform and the world of film. Creators will also share their exclusive TIFF content on the platform during the event.
Social media updates for Twitter/X
XBlue Subscription Program Introduces Feature to Hide Blue Checkmarks. Notably, XBlue has introduced a feature that allows users to hide their blue checkmarks, leading to speculations regarding the intention behind this option. Recent changes in ad disclosure, including the transition from "Promoted" tags to "Ad" markers and the alignment of ad display formats with regular posts, have prompted concerns about transparency in advertising on the platform. XBlue's significance has evolved beyond combating bots and spam to encompass broader platform dynamics.
X Adopts New Creator Subscription Revenue Model. Elon Musk, CTO of X, unveiled a revised revenue model for creators utilizing the platform's subscription feature. Under this new structure, X will retain subscription revenue once payouts exceed $100,000. After that threshold, X will take a 10% cut of subscription earnings. The Creator Subscriptions feature empowers X users with over 500 followers to offer paid subscriptions, granting exclusive access to their content. This alteration in revenue distribution aims to provide creators with more favorable long-term earnings potential.
Potential Evolution of XBlue Subscription to Combat Bots and Spam. Initially positioned as an emblem of support for Elon Musk, X's XBlue subscription offering may evolve into a tool for addressing bots and spam on the platform. X is in the process of testing identity verification elements for XBlue subscribers, allowing them to verify their government-issued IDs. This suggests a potential future requirement for government ID confirmation to access all XBlue features. While current verification relies on phone numbers and payment methods to deter bots, stricter ID verification could mitigate bot spam more effectively. However, implementing comprehensive manual ID checks presents resource challenges. The emphasis is currently on paid verification to balance security and operational feasibility. This direction aligns with Musk's vision for X as a bot-resistant platform.
Social media updates for TikTok
CFIUS Evaluates TikTok's Future in the US Amid Ownership Concerns. TikTok's status in the United States is under review by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) due to worries about its Chinese ownership and potential connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). While discussions about potentially banning TikTok in the US have subsided, the app remains a topic of contention in other regions such as Senegal and Australia. Authorities in these areas express concerns about political dissent and foreign interference, prompting considerations to block or regulate TikTok.
TikTok Trials PrivacyGo to Enhance Ad Targeting and Data Privacy. TikTok is testing a new feature called PrivacyGo to align its ad targeting practices with evolving data privacy trends. PrivacyGo would enable advertisers to match their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data with TikTok's audience insights without directly sharing sensitive information. This approach employs multi-party computation (MPC) and differential privacy techniques to protect data while enhancing ad targeting precision.
TikTok Adopts Changes for EU Users in Compliance with the Digital Services Act. TikTok is making adjustments for users within the European Union (EU) in line with the EU Digital Services Act, with a focus on bolstering user privacy. Soon, EU users will have the option to disable personalization, affecting recommendations on the For You and LIVE sections. Instead of personalized content, users will see popular videos from their region and globally. Additionally, TikTok will disable personalized advertising for users aged 13-17 and introduce a feature to report illegal content. These changes align with evolving digital protection regulations in Europe and could have implications for user behavior on the platform.
Social media updates for Reddit
Reddit's Protest Against API Pricing Concludes. Reddit's protest against introducing API access fees has ended. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman's decision to charge for API access led to widespread protests and subreddit blackouts by moderators. However, the resistance has subsided, and the controversial API pricing has been accepted. The protest was marked by site-wide blackouts, user dissatisfaction, and debates over Reddit's corporate leadership. Despite the protest, Reddit ultimately implemented the API pricing model.
Reddit Introduces New Ad Measurement Options - Brand and Conversion Lift Metrics. Reddit is introducing new ad measurement options to enhance the effectiveness of on-platform promotions. The new metrics, Brand Lift and Conversion Lift, aim to provide advertisers with insights into the impact of Reddit Ads on brand perception and actions taken as a result of ad exposure. Brand Lift utilizes randomized surveys of Reddit users to measure ad exposure and response, helping advertisers understand positive shifts in brand perception. Conversion Lift, on the other hand, uses Reddit Pixel data to analyze actions driven by ad exposure, providing insights into campaign performance and attribution. Both metrics aim to validate ad performance and optimize campaigns for better results.
Reddit Expands Interest Targeting Categories for Advertisers. Reddit is expanding its interest targeting categories to provide advertisers with more ways to reach relevant audiences on the platform. Interest targeting enables advertisers to focus on specific audiences based on subreddits visited and topics engaged with. Reddit is increasing the number of interests available for targeting from 66 to 152, offering a broader range of options to help advertisers reach their desired Reddit audiences. This expansion aims to enhance campaign performance by allowing advertisers to align their promotions with key topics related to their products.
Social media updates for Snapchat
Snapchat Introduces "After Dark" Feature for Exclusive Nighttime Sharing. Snapchat has launched a new feature called "After Dark," allowing users to post exclusive content for friends after 8 p.m. The content will be accessible only to those who have also posted on their Stories. "After Dark" will appear as a separate Snap Story, showcasing Snaps from friends overnight, creating an interactive highlight reel of their activities. The feature aims to encourage engagement and in-the-moment sharing among users, especially during nighttime hours.
Snap Launches Lens Creator Rewards Program to Support AR Creators. Snap is introducing the Lens Creator Rewards program to support AR creators and foster innovation in its apps. The program will provide funding for the best-performing AR Lenses based on various engagement metrics. Each month, top-performing Lens creators could receive up to $7,200 in the United States, India, and Mexico. The program aims to incentivize AR creators to continue building on Snap's platform amid growing competition for talent. Lens performance will be determined based on proprietary formulas considering views and engagement metrics. The program is open to new and existing Lens Studio community members from nearly 40 countries.
Snapchat Adopts Measures to Comply with the EU Digital Services Act. Snapchat is introducing measures to align with the EU's upcoming Digital Services Act (DSA). Users in the EU can opt out of algorithmic personalization in the Discover and Spotlight sections, enhancing transparency and user control. Snap is also rolling out more detailed notifications about content removals and stricter controls on ad targeting for users under 18. Additionally, Snap is enhancing ad transparency by providing more details about why ads are shown and launching its Ads Library for EU campaigns.
Social media updates for WhatsApp
Screen-Sharing Feature Added to WhatsApp Video Calls. WhatsApp introduces screen-sharing to its video calling feature, allowing users to share their device screens during calls. This enhancement facilitates presentations and demonstrations within the private chat platform. As part of WhatsApp's focus on video features, this update follows the addition of video messages and picture-in-picture support for video calls. The screen-sharing capability offers potential benefits for both regular users and businesses, allowing for various use cases.
WhatsApp Introduces HD Photo Sharing Option. WhatsApp is rolling out support for HD photos in-stream, allowing users to choose between regular and HD quality when uploading images. The HD option enables users to share higher-quality images while maintaining WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption. A small "HD" icon will indicate images shared in higher resolution. This update is aimed at enhancing the user experience and enabling users to control the quality of images they share. Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, also notes that it's working on introducing HD video support in the future.
Social media updates for YouTube
Google Tests AI-Generated YouTube Video Summaries. Google is experimenting with artificial intelligence to generate summaries for YouTube videos automatically. A limited number of English-language films will feature these AI-generated summaries, accessible to select users. The summaries, displayed on YouTube's watch and search pages, are intended to complement, not replace, human-written video descriptions.
YouTube's Video Series Highlights Key Shorts Trends. YouTube has introduced a video series hosted by creator Jade Beason that focuses on prominent Shorts trends. The series offers insights and advice for creators to incorporate these trends into their content. The latest episode delves into five emerging Shorts trends, including creators leveraging pop culture, the rise of the slang term 'Rizz' (charisma), the 'Skibidi Toilet' trend featuring surreal humor, the 'Permission to Flex' trend centered on personality types, and a renewed interest in chess, particularly unique variations like 'Chess Boxing.' These trends exemplify how Shorts can drive new content directions.
YouTube Testing "For You" Section on Creator Profiles. YouTube is testing a "For You" section on creator profiles to provide users with personally relevant content recommendations based on their viewing history. This feature aims to increase engagement and interaction within channel profiles. The "For You" section showcases videos from a specific channel that align with users' interests, potentially guiding them to discover more content and encouraging subscriptions and engagement. Additionally, YouTube is testing changes to the channel layout to improve access to information.