Social Media Buzz Weekly: Roundup of Social Media Updates

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 Tests ‘No Edit’ Tag for Untouched Images in Stories

https://mobiletelco.in/app/meta-no-edit-tag-authentic-stories/

Facebook is currently testing a new option that would enable users to add a note to their Story which specifies that their chosen image hasn’t been edited in the app.

Some users are now able to long tap on any image in their camera roll to share it without having to go through the usual editing and enhancement process. This would streamline the posting process for more in-the-moment updates. It also adds this new tag to your Story frame. Theoretically at least, that could add a level of authenticity to your content, by clarifying straight up that the image hasn’t been altered, by AI or any other means.

Though you could still edit it in another app and upload it via Stories. Meta does have some level of detection in place for external edits, but it won’t catch everything.

2. TikTok Offers Education Tools to Assist Sellers

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tiktok-offers-education-tools-assist-220259449.html

As part of its continued push to maximize in-stream shopping options, TikTok has added some new resources for TikTok creators, to help them understand platform policies and make the most of their product listings.

First off, TikTok added a new Account Health Report for sellers, which will provide an overview of policy violations and other issues related to their account. The Account Health Report provides a simple summary of issues with your profile, which could impact your selling capacity.

TikTok is also looking to add more elements to this overview, including links to relevant policy education articles to improve transparency. It could be a valuable way to ensure that your TikTok account remains in good standing, and that your shopping ads are displayed to the widest possible audience in the app.

3. TikTok Challenges Removal Order in Canada

TikTok is challenging the Canadian Government’s  order to dissolve its Canadian business.

Last month, the Canadian government issued an order for TikTok to either shut down its business in Canada or move out of the nation, citing national security risks. However, Canadian officials are not seeking to ban the app in the region. If TaikTok’s challenge is successful, TikTok would be allowed to remain in Canada, and operate its business as normal, though again, even if it doesn’t succeed, TikTok won’t be banned for Canadian users.

4. TikTok Offers Shop Credits To Attract More Users

https://in.mashable.com/digital-culture/86603/tiktok-is-giving-free-shop-credits-to-people-recruiting-new-users

TikTok is offering TikTok Shop credits to users for inviting friends to join the app, and for using the app themselves.

Its new rewards program, which is being promoted to U.S. users as a “Limited Time Offer”, could effectively see users earn hundreds of dollars per day, for bringing more users to the app, and shopping in-stream. The program is similar to the rewards program that TikTok offered in Europe earlier in the year, which saw users paid for their activity in-stream.

TikTok was forced to pull that campaign in August, after the EU Commission began looking into it as a potential violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). But it’s now offering a revised version of the same in the U.S., which serves the dual purpose of both boosting its user count, and getting more U.S. users buying products in the app.

5. TikTok Launches TikTok Shop in Spain and Ireland

https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/10/tiktoks-e-commerce-shop-platform-launches-in-spain/

TikTok has announced the launch of its in-app e-commerce feature in Ireland and Spain, bringing TikTok Shop to its first market in continental Europe, an expansion that comes just ahead of a potential ban in the US.

TikTok announced the roll-out in Spain, where its 20 million monthly active users (MAUs) can shop while watching short videos or live-streaming sessions without leaving the app, according to a statement on its website. In a separate statement on the same day, the company said its 2.2 million MAUs in Ireland will get access to TikTok Shop. The roll-out is the result of a partnership with Guaranteed Irish, a local organisation representing foreign businesses in the country. The company said merchants on the platform are registered locally in each market.

6. TikTok Files for Injunction To Extend Deadline for US Sell-off

https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/tiktok-supreme-court-appeal-law-ban-1236250895/

TikTok is taking additional measures to avoid being forced out of the U.S. next month, with the company filing for an emergency injunction, in order to stop the TikTok sell-off bill from taking effect on January 19th.

Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected TikTok’s bid to halt the sell-off bill on Constitutional grounds, with the court finding that the national security concerns around the app outweigh the implied Constitutional challenge. That means that the TikTok sell-off push, which the U.S. Senate approved back in April, is now clear to go ahead, which means that TikTok’s parent company Bytedance either has to arrange the sale of its app to a U.S. company, or remove the app from the U.S. The current cut off date for TikTok to act is January 19th next year.

7. Meta is Testing Options To Hide Like Counts on Reels, Replies on Threads

https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2024/12/meta-looks-to-give-more-users-control.html

Meta’s looking to give users more ways to control how their metrics are displayed on Instagram, with a new test of optional view counts on Reels on your profile, while on Threads, it’s also giving users the option to hide your Threads replies in the app.

First off, on Instagram, the platform is testing a new option that would enable creators to hide the view count display in their Reels tab on their profile. The new option, which is not in live testing as yet, would enable you to switch off the Reels view count that appears at the bottom left of each of your Reels thumbnails.

Meta’s also testing another hide option on Threads, though this one would enable users to entirely remove the listing of their Threads Replies from their profile. That would mean that only “Threads” and “Reposts” would be visible on your profile, if you choose.

8. Meta Expands Penalty Avoidance Education to Instagram Creators

https://www.itweb.co.za/article/meta-adds-penalty-avoidance-programme-for-instagram-creators/rxP3jMBEQJE7A2ye

After rolling out a new means to help creators avoid rule violation penalties on Facebook back in August, Meta is now expanding this approach to penalty notices on Instagram as well, which will help users to side-step strikes and penalties allocated to their profile.

Under Meta’s updated enforcement approach, first-time rule breakers for what Meta considers more minor offenses will be able to avoid account penalties by undergoing a brief survey-type course to better understand the rules. As such, the new system will provide a means to learn about the rules, and acknowledge that education, in order to avoid penalties for initial offenses.

9. Instagram Tests Scheduled DMs

https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/16/24322832/instagram-schedule-dms-rollout

Instagram has added a new DM scheduling tool, so you can send your messages at optimal times.

Some users on Android can now choose a date and time to send out their DMs, helping to align their outreach across time zones. This could be helpful for brands looking to reach people at the right times, or just for planning and mapping out their content all at once. Users with access to the option can schedule a DM by opening the relevant chat and creating a message, then long-pressing on the send button. That’ll open up the above prompt to schedule a date and time to send.

10. Instagram Launches Trial Reels for Audience Sampling

https://www.emarketer.com/content/instagram-launches-trial-reels-empower-creators-test-new-formats

Instagram is rolling out a new “Trial” option within the Reels posting flow, which will enable Reels creators to share their latest uploads with a selection of users that don’t follow them first.

If you select the “Trial” option, your new Reel will be shown to a selection of users who don’t follow your profile. You’ll be able to find your trial Reels in the drafts section on your profile, but they won’t be displayed on your profile grid or Reels tab in this initial trial period. Also, only you will be able to see that your Reel is a trial, there won’t be a public facing option for anyone else to see this.

Around 24 hours after launching your trial, you’ll be able to view key engagement metrics for your clip, including views, likes, comments and shares, so you can get a sense of how it’s performing. You’ll also be able to see comparative insights against your previous trials.

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.