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 Loses Data Scraping Case Against Bright Data

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/facebook-suffers-big-loss-in-lawsuit-against-data-scraping-company/

Meta has lost a court battle to sue a data scraping company for taking Facebook and Instagram user data without permission.

Last year in January, Meta launched legal action against a company called Bright Data over its scraping of user information from its big two social apps. Meta alleged that Bright Data had breached its terms of use by ingesting user data, but Bright Data countered that it had only accessed publicly accessible information, and as such, it had not breached the terms of any agreement. The judge agreed, ruling that Bright Data had not violated any rules, leaving it free to continue scraping Facebook and IG user data, and on-selling that via its own products and services.

2. New Report Shows TikTok Usage Is Rising Among Teen Users, While Snapchat Remains a Key Connector

https://sairam-io.medium.com/new-report-shows-tiktok-usage-is-rising-among-teen-users-while-snapchat-remains-a-key-connector-3e150b5b8ea3

According to a report by digital wellbeing provider Qustodio, children aged 4 to 18 spent, on average, 112 minutes per day using TikTok in 2023, up from 107 minutes in 2022. Instagram is the next most popular social app among youngsters, followed by Facebook, and somewhat surprisingly, Pinterest.

The report also looks at the rising use of generative AI, and specifically, how many young users have accessed OpenAI’s text and image generation tools. As per the report, almost 20% of kids visited the OpenAI website in 2023, making it the 18th most visited site among this cohort for the year.

3. TikTok Adds New Cutout Option To Change the Background of Your Clips

https://talktonest.com/recent-tiktok-adds-new-cutout-option-to-change-the-background-of-your-clips/

TikTok has added a handy new video editing tool, making adding an alternative background to your clips easier.

The new “Cutout” editing option enables you to easily replace the background of your video with an alternative scene, by isolating the focus element of the clip. While this may seem pretty much the same as the green screen effect, which people have been using in the app for years, the Cutout option provides more editing capacity without having to plan ahead, which could be good for situations where you don’t like the look of your setting or can’t get the lighting right.

4. TikTok’s Testing 30-Minute Uploads as It Looks To Expand Its Content Options

https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/24/tiktok-testing-30-minute-uploads-inch-into-youtubes-territory/

Some TikTok users are now seeing the option to upload 30-minute-long videos in the app.

TikTok has been steadily increasing its maximum post limit for years, with the platform originally starting at 15 seconds per clip, which was then extended to 60 seconds, then 3 minutes, then 5 minutes, before rising to 10 minutes in 2022. Last October, TikTok began experimenting with 15-minute uploads.

5. Instagram Launches Live Test of New Flipside Alternative Engagement Space

https://talktonest.com/latest-instagram-launches-live-test-of-new-flipside-alternative-engagement-space/

Instagram has rolled out its new “Flipside” alternative profile option to a small subset of users.

Instagram’s “Flipside” option provides an alternative profile space which is only accessible to you and your chosen connections. Once you’ve created a Flipside, you can then select it as your post audience, meaning your post will only go to that space. You can then visit and view your Flipside as an alternative profile gallery, where you can also add a new profile name and picture, if you choose.

6. Instagram Now Lets You Opt-Out of Read Receipts for DMs

https://sairam-io.medium.com/instagram-now-lets-you-opt-out-of-read-receipts-for-dms-af216fd0697c

Instagram has rolled out the capacity for users to switch off read receipts for their DMs, so you can control when “Read” and “Seen” indicators appear (or don’t) for the sender within message streams.

Ycan now switch off read receipts via your IG Direct inbox, so if you don’t want people to see that you’ve read their DM, you can just remove the “Seen” notification, and keep them in suspense. The setting is available within each individual chat. To activate the new option, you can tap on the users’ name (or group chat name), then select “Privacy & Safety” and toggle off “Read Receipts”.

7. Instagram Tests New Group Chat Conversation Starters in Notes

https://www.cloudbooklet.com/entertainment/instagram-notes-start-chat/

Instagram has launched a new test of Notes prompts, which provide a new way for users to spark group chats by posing common conversation starters.

So you can ask questions, and other users will then be able to see everyone else’s responses in-stream. Which could be an easier way to kick off group engagement in the app. The idea is that by giving people more ways to participate, they might be more comfortable expressing themselves and then connect with friends in notes.

8. X Will Display Sports Gambling Odds In-Stream Via New Partnership with BetMGM

https://in.mashable.com/digital-culture/68402/x-will-soon-integrate-sports-gambling-stats-from-betmgm

X has signed a new deal with MGM Resorts’ online gambling subsidiary BetMGM, which will soon see betting odds displayed on X, along with links that guide users to place bets via BetMGM’s service.

X will seemingly display different odds elements, via linkage to BetMGM, but it won’t facilitate bets in-stream, which would be a far more significant step. What will be most interesting about this integration will be how it impacts X’s approach to gambling promotions, and whether it needs to update its rules to allow for this new initiative.

9. X Will Now Enable Premium Subscribers to List Open Jobs on Their Personal Profiles

https://techiepeeps.com/x-will-now-enable-premium-subscribers-to-list-open-jobs-on-their-personal-profiles/

X has announced a new expansion of its in-app job listings, with all X Premium subscribers in the U.S. now able to display open roles on their personal profiles, as well as on business pages.

Up till now, X’s job listings have only been available to businesses, via X’s $1,000 per month Verification for Organizations package, which was recently also made available to more brands through a cheaper, lower spec package. But now, personal accounts can also list job ads for their company, expanding the reach of X’s professional services push.

10. X Enables Passkey Access for US Users

https://www.deccanherald.com/technology/x-platform-now-supports-passwordless-login-method-on-iphones-2864250

X is rolling out support for Passkey login, providing another way for users to access their X profiles without relying on passwords, or other less secure means.

Passkeys, which enable fingerprint and face ID login, utilize cryptographic data transfer to facilitate access, with your actual login info remaining on your device. That makes it a more secure login option, and many cybersecurity experts are now recommending that social platforms support Passkey access.

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.