Welcome to Social Media Buzz Weekly, your weekly bulletin of the latest social media updates. With the social media landscape evolving with each passing day, it can be challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments. Well, not anymore, as we have taken it upon ourselves to keep you abreast of every happening in the social media space.
So, without any further ado, let’s look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.
1. Meta Outlines AI, VR and AR Advancements at Connect 2024
Meta unveiled its latest technologies, including new Quest VR headsets, AR glasses, an updated Llama AI model, new gen AI options in its apps, and more at its annual Connect developer conference on 25th September.
The star of the show was Meta’s first AR glasses, called “Orion,” which it’s been developing over the past five years. Meta says that this is the “most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made,” and the result of complex efforts to compress the required components into a small enough format that they can be worn as regular glasses.
Meta also announced its latest Quest VR headset, with the 3S model providing the same capabilities as the Quest 3, but at a lower price point. Meta says that it’s rebuilt its Horizon OS, so it now offers better support for key 2D apps “like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.” It has also improved the spatial audio Passthrough elements.
2. Meta Launches New Developer Hubs To Facilitate External Projects
Meta has updated its developer resources, which are now split into three categories, in order to provide more focused assistance and guidance for system builders.
Now, you’ll be able to access three developer centers:, namely the Meta Horizon (For those building for Meta Quest and Meta Horizon OS), Social technologies (Incorporating Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Whatsapp and Threads), and AI (Insights into Meta’s evolving AI platforms, and how external developers can utilize Meta’s AI tools). So, essentially, as Meta continues to develop its next-level platforms, each will now have its own focus, so that developers can better understand how they can access and utilize Meta’s systems.
3. TikTok Announces Events for Latin Heritage Month
TikTok has announced a range of activations to celebrate Latin Heritage Month, including a new creator showcase, an in-app hub, creator support initiatives, music highlights, and more.
First off, TikTok has announced its inaugural Latin Heritage Month Visionary Voices list, which shines the spotlight on a range of Latin creators in various categories. These creators will be highlighted on a new #CasaTikTok page in the app, which will also feature Latin-owned businesses, musicians, and more.
TikTok is also inviting other Latin creators to apply to its #CasaTikTok creator community program, which will provide access to expanded educational resources, events and webinars, designed to help creators elevate their content on TikTok.
4. TikTok Bans Russian State Media From Its App
TikTok has followed Meta in removing several Russian state media outlets from its platform, due to the discovery that these profiles had been engaged in activity seeking to influence the U.S. election.
TikTok says that these accounts had already been restricted in the EU and U.K. while their content was also ineligible for the “For You” feed under its State-Affiliated Media policy. But now, it’s moved to cut them off entirely, in the wake of the latest evidence of Russian groups seeking to sway U.S. voters. The revelations underline the threat that such programs still pose, which first came into focus back in 2016, when Russian operatives were found to be using social media to nudge U.S. voters.
5. Instagram Launches Signature Sound of the App
Instagram has created a new “signature sound” for Reels, which will be appended to the end of every Reel that’s downloaded from the app.
This latest update adds a unique audio element designed to make Instagram content even more recognizable. While it doesn’t serve a specific purpose, this sound is meant to create a consistent and recognizable audio identity for Instagram. The goal is to make people instantly associate the sound with the app, similar to how other brands use distinct jingles or tones.
6. Instagram Adds New Stickers, Updated ‘Emoji Pong’ Game
Instagram has added some new sticker types to help spice up your Stories and Reels, while it’s also updated its “Emoji Pong” game to challenge your friends.
First off, IG has added 38 new stickers “including beloved classics like hearts and days of the week” which you can add to Stories and Reel. It’s not a major upgrade or shift, but it will provide more connection options as we head into the final months of the year. Instagram’s also brought back a new version of its “Emoji Pong” game, which lets you DM an emoji to a friend on Instagram, and if either of you tap it, you can challenge each other to a game.
7. Instagram Implements Advanced Protections for Teen Users
Amid rising discussion about potential age limits for social media access, Instagram’s trying to allay fears of harmful exposure in its app, by implementing new restrictions for all teen users, which will enact more protections for younger audiences.
Under its latest teen protection initiative, Instagram will now shift all teens into a more advanced protection mode, which will limit who can contact them, what they see, and how much time they spend in the app. These advanced protection measures will all be activated for all teen users by default, with those under 16 required to get a parents’ permission to switch them off.
8. Snapchat Signs EU AI Development Pact
Snapchat has joined OpenAI, Google and many more in pledging to the EU’s new AI Pact, which is a pre-emptive commitment to align with coming European regulations relating to the development of AI projects.
That next stage of which will be the full implementation of the EU’s AI Act, a legal framework for the development of AI projects, which enshrines clear parameters around transparency, data usage, security, etc. That’s expected to come into effect from August 2026. EU officials are still finalizing the details of its rules around AI development, and with that in mind, it’s called on companies to sign on to show their commitment to upholding development best practices.
9. Snapchat Partners With Google for Expanded AI Push
Snapchat has announced an expanded strategic partnership with Google Cloud to power generative AI experiences within My AI, our AI-powered chatbot and one of the largest consumer chatbots available today.
The chatbot will leverage the multimodal capabilities of Google’s Gemini AI to enable the chatbot to understand different types of information, like text, audio, images, and videos. According to reports, integrating Gemini capacity will better enable My AI to understand different types of information, including text, audio, images, and videos.
10. Snapchat Unveils a Range of Updates at Annual Partner Summit
Snapchat has announced some big updates at its 2024 Partner Summit, including the next version of its AR glasses, which it’s hoping will be the next big stage for the company.
Firstly, Snapchat is rolling out an updated UI, which seeks to simplify your various engagement options in the app. Now, when you swipe right from the camera, the app will open a full-screen feed of recommended stories and Spotlight video clips, powered by AI recommendations, based on your interests. Moreover, it is looking to help facilitate more brand/influencer partnerships via a new “Snap Star Collab Studio”.
11. Snapchat Showcases Next Gen AR Spectacles
Snapchat is taking the next steps into AR wearables, with a new version of its Spectacles glasses that incorporate AR overlays on your field of vision. However, you won’t be able to get your hands on them just yet.
Snapchat’s new Spectacles will enable AR interaction, in various ways, with the effects visible via your glasses. Snapchat has been working on this new version of its Spectacles glasses for years, with various developers having access to an early version of the device. This is the same approach that Snap’s taking with this new version, with developers being given early access for a yearly fee, which enables them to build for the next generation of the device, and will enable Snap to keep developing them ahead of a commercial release.
12. Snapchat Is Adding AI-Powered Text-To-Video Creation
Among the various announcements at its 2024 Partner Summit, including new AR glasses, an updated UI, and other features, Snapchat has also announced that users will soon be able to create short video clips in the app, based on text prompts.
Snap is close to launching a new feature that will be able to generate short video clips, based on whatever text input you choose. Snap says that the system will also, eventually, be able to animate images as well, which will significantly expand the capacity of its current AI offerings. Snap says that its AI video generator will be made available to a small subset of creators in beta shortly, but it still has some way to go before it’s ready for a broader launch.
13. Pinterest Adds Collage Remix and Sharing Options
Pinterest is building on its in-app collage tools, with two new interactive collage options: “Collage Remixing” and “Collage Sharing.”
Pinterest added its collage option last September, which was developed based on the popularity of its separate “Shuffles” collage app. Collage creation on Pinterest enables users to digitally cut objects out of any Pin, then combine them with other cutouts to create interactive images. Once items are entered into a collage, they remain individually identifiable as products, providing another creative option that also helps to promote items in the app. And now, users will have more ways to build upon these multi-object creations.
14. X Needs to Pay $5 million in Fines Before Brazil Reinstatement
Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that social platform X still needs to pay just over $5 million in pending fines, including a new one, before it will be allowed to resume its service in the country, according to a court document.
The new fine relates to X apparently using a workaround to enable X access in Brazil, despite the ban. That was quickly rectified, but still, the court’s planning to fine X for the violation. In his decision, the judge said that the court can use resources already frozen from X and Starlink accounts in Brazil, but to do so the satellite company, also owned by Musk, had to drop its pending appeal against the fund blockage.
15. X Looks To Remove Account Blocking Options in the App
After talking about it for more than a year, X is now moving to dilute the account blocking functionality in the app, by removing the block button from several places.
You’ll still seemingly be able to block someone from their profile, but even if an account is blocked, the blocked user will still be able to see your public posts. This means that the only way to avoid having someone see your updates is to post privately, or to your followers only, which would keep it from their view. The logic here is that anyone, blocked or not, can still view public posts anyway, if they log in via another account, or via an incognito window, so there’s no real value to blocking in this sense.
16. New Data Shows X Is Losing Users in the US and UK
According to new insights, X has seen a significant decline in users in both the U.S. and U.K. in recent months, as Musk has continued to double down on his political stances.
Last month, amid reports of race-based riots in the U.K., Musk posted that “civil war is inevitable” in the region, which has seemingly sparked an exodus of U.K. users from the app. As part of its EU reporting obligations, X needs to provide regular updates on its EU user base, and how many active users it’s serving in the region. In its most recent report, covering the first six months of 2024, X reported a 5% decline in EU users.
17. LinkedIn Adds AI Training Opt-out Option
LinkedIn has updated its User Agreement and Privacy Policy and added an option to opt out of your data being used for AI training.
However, as with many privacy settings, it’s likely that most users won’t opt out, leaving the platform to default most of its users into this new agreement. While European users are currently excluded from this AI training due to ongoing regulatory debates, LinkedIn’s updates reflect a broader trend: Meta, X, and other platforms are also adjusting their policies in response to regional regulations, with similar AI training opt-out options being introduced where necessary.
18. LinkedIn Removes Its Top Voice Badges for Collaborative Articles
LinkedIn has announced that it’s retiring its “Top Voice” badges for contributing to Collaborative Articles, which, seemingly, has been one of the key motivators for people adding their insights to its AI-prompted content.
Originally launched in March last year, Collaborative Articles utilize AI-generated prompts as a starting point, then call on specific LinkedIn users to share their expertise on the chosen topic. However, LinkedIn users have been complaining that “this guy is not an expert”, and LinkedIn has investigated and found that the system is seemingly giving credence to people who aren’t actually reputable or skilled or knowledgeable.
19. LinkedIn Adds More Languages to Its Support Options
LinkedIn has added 10 more languages to its language support options, which means that you can now engage in the app in over 36 languages in total.
The new language options are Vietnamese, Greek, Persian, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian; and 4 Indian regional languages Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, and Punjabi. It’s worth noting that these expanded language options don’t automatically translate all content in the app, but they will make it much easier for people to engage in their preferred voice, and connect with others using the same.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next week with more news and updates for you from the social media world. Till then, stay tuned!
If you want to read more on the latest developments taking place in the social media space, take a look at ClickInsights’ Social Media Buzz, wherein we bring to you monthly reports on everything going on in social media, ranging from platform updates to policy changes that influence the way we market.
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