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 Challenges $831M EU Antitrust Penalty
Meta has launched an appeal against the EU Commission’s findings that it breached European anti-trust rules by building Facebook Marketplace into the app, thereby using its scale to give it an unfair advantage over classified competitors.
Back in November, the European Commission handed Meta a €797.72 million ($US831 million) fine for breaches of EU antitrust rules related to the linking of Facebook Marketplace to Facebook, and the market advantages that provide for Facebook’s user-listed market service. The fine stems from an investigation that began back in 2022, when the Commission alleged that Facebook was breaching local antitrust regulations by “distorting competition in markets for online classified ads” and abusing its dominant position.
2. TikTok Looks To Highlight Its Value for Artists With New Video Series
With Meta looking to poach TikTok creators, using the instability at the app caused by the U.S. sell off talks as a lever, TikTok is now looking to fight back, with its own campaign aimed at highlighting how TikTok has helped many artists gain mainstream recognition.
TikTok’s new “Behind the Breakthrough” campaign will showcase a range of TikTok-borne creators, and how they used the app to reach new audiences. The first artist featured in the series is musician Gigi Perez, whose track “Sailor Song” initially gained traction with the TikTok audience. TikTok says that this is the first in an expanded series of interviews, which will become part of the broader “Behind the Breakthrough” series.
TikTok is promoting the series in the app, where it’s also adding a new “Behind The Breakthrough” hub, where users will be able to access all of the relevant content.
3. TikTok Outlines Measures in Place for the German Federal Election
TikTok has outlined a range of measures that it’s putting in place to provide accurate information to voters, and combat misinformation in the app in the upcoming Germany’s federal election.
First off, TikTok has launched a new in-app election center which is designed to connect TikTok users with reliable and accurate election information from trusted sources. Much like the U.S. election center that TikTok put in place before last year’s poll, the German version will provide similar access to official resources, helping to guide TikTok users on how and where to participate in their regional polls.
TikTok is also launching “a dedicated Mission Control Center”, where its teams focused on safety and security will come together to monitor key elements.
4. Instagram Tests Option to Rearrange Profile Grid Displays
Instagram will soon let you edit your profile grid and rearrange the order in which your posts are displayed in the app. It’s not quite ready as yet, but it is getting close, with IG officially announcing the change earlier this month.
Instagram’s been talking about adding this option for years, with the first test of the feature originally spotted back in 2022. But IG seemingly shelved it for a while, most likely to focus instead on rebuilding the grid to include larger thumbnails, which are more aligned with vertical content. But with that now live in the app, it is looking to make this a focus once again.
5. Instagram Adds In-Stream Translations for DMs
Instagram has added a new translation option, with users now able to translate their DMs in-stream.
Now, you can translate IG DMs within the app, with a new option enabling you to easily translate any message into your native language. DM translations could make it much easier, and much faster to respond to people in other languages, providing more opportunity for connection. And for businesses, it may also enable cross-border commerce, by simplifying the connection process with a broader range of consumers.
6. Snap Launches AR Lenses and Content Partnerships for Super Bowl LIX
Snapchat has announced some new activations for Super Bowl LIX, including themed Lenses, dedicated creator content, and more.
First off, as has become customary for most major events, Snap has launched new Lenses to help users take part in the broader celebration. Snap will offer a range of digital overlays for NFL fans in the app, including a jersey Lens, virtual football helmets, and more. Snap is also partnering with various brands on dedicated Super Bowl promotions, including NERDS, Uber Eats, and more.
All of these Lenses will be housed in a dedicated “Super Bowl AR Bar and Lens Collection”, which will feature all of the themed additions in one place. In addition to this, Snapchat will also be powering digital overlays at the game itself, in partnership with the NFL.
7. Snapchat Offers Ad-Free Subscription Package
It seems that Snapchat has quietly released a new version of its Snapchat+ subscription offering that enables users to completely opt out of ads in the app, for a price.
Snapchat is now offering a “Platinum” version of Snapchat+ in the app, for more than double the price of the regular Snapchat+ plan (note: example prices are in AUD). The Platinum Monthly Plan for Snapchat+ lets you enjoy Snapchat+ with no Sponsored Snaps, and no Story or Lens ads.
8. X Adds New Elements to Its Grok AI Chatbot
X is adding some more elements to its Grok AI chatbot as it continues to push Grok as a value-add to drive X Premium take-up.
First off, X is looking to add customization elements into the Grok experience. Users will now be able to add permanent qualifiers into Grok’s process, so that it can use these to better personalize your interactions. So you could tell Grok about who you are, your preferred names and/or pronouns, your job, your interests, etc. Grok will then be able to build these into its algorithms when providing answers, which could enhance its future responses.
X is also looking to add file uploads into the Grok process, so that you can incorporate more elements into your queries. That’ll provide expanded analytical capacity, and could make Grok a more valuable tool for varying purposes.
9. X Says In-Stream Payments Are Coming ‘Later This Year’
Despite not reaching Elon Musk’s original target for a 2024 launch, X is now moving ahead with its money transfer process, with X Money to be activated “later this year”, enabling users to make payments in the app, and transfer funds into their bank account.
As per X CEO Linda Yaccariono, isa will power the new “X Money” service, and will support payment transfers between traditional bank accounts and a digital wallet within the app to enable instant peer-to-peer payments. The announcement comes after a series of delays for X’s payment plans, which is the backbone of Elon Musk’s “everything app” vision.
10. LinkedIn Rolls Out Updates to Video Presentation and Discovery
With video content on the rise on LinkedIn (LinkedIn says that video content has seen a 36% increase in watch time year-over-year), the professional social network has today announced some new video updates, which aim to make video posts more prominent in-stream, and improve video discoverability within its various search elements.
First off, LinkedIn is bringing its full-screen, vertical video display format to desktop, which will better align its video presentation with the mobile app. LinkedIn is also testing a larger video display in the mobile app as well, which it first previewed in December last year, while it’s also got a new option that displays all of a member’s video uploads in a profile mini-view.
11. LinkedIn Expands Top-of-Feed News Banner Test
LinkedIn is expanding its test of a news banner in the mobile app, which highlights top stories that you may want to engage with above the main feed.
The news banner provides a rotating headline summary of trending news stories of the day. LinkedIn first launched the news banner in a limited test last October, but now, it’s being expanded to more users. Currently, the news banner is being expanded to users in the U.S., Canada, and India.
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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