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instagram wants to give you $8,500... with a catch
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Hello, Geeks!
First off this week… Instagram will pay you $8,500 IF you complete this insane challenge.
Good luck! 😆
🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5
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The major social media platforms have been churning out lots of little bits and pieces this week. Here’s a few of the more noteworthy things I spotted (in no particular order)... Mark Zuckerberg took a swipe at Apple (again) in his post about Facebook’s new tools for creators… The owner of a ‘meta’ trademark offered to sell it to Meta (FB) for $20m... Pinterest revealed it lost 10m users in the last quarter.
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A super-useful collection of tools for creating, optimising, and editing GIFs [LINK]
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TikTok appears to be testing longer captions of 300 characters (up from 100)... Twitter’s API update could lead to useful new features in third-party social media tools like Emplifi and Hootsuite... Facebook verified a bitcoin scammer pretending to be Elon Musk (d’oh!)... And Instagram UK hosted a private invite-only event for creators (check out their very carefully worded invite 😆)
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WORTH A LOOK…
🔥 FREE MASTERCLASS: How to Boost Holiday Season Sales Using Social + Messaging Apps + Live Video. Featuring Experts from Facebook [GET FREE INVITE]
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🤓 FYI: 35 internal Facebook terms and codewords [LINK]
🐶 FUN: Google Art Selfie now matches your pet with famous portraits [LINK]
🔤 WORD-UP: 20 new words added to dictionary in 2021 incl. TBH & FTW [LINK]
💼 WTF: What happened when Facebook stopped protecting accounts...on purpose [LINK]
Okay… Let’s take a closer look at the news making the biggest headlines in the world of social this week. 👇
— Matt
P.S. Join me later for your weekly Geekout Debrief on Twitter Spaces at 4PM (UK) today (Fri 5th Nov)
We will discuss all the week’s BIG social media hot topics, breaking news, new features, and more. [Get a Reminder]
🚨 Everyone's talking about...
This week, a report found Apple's user tracking changes in iOS have cost Snap, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube almost $10bn in revenues. Even in the big-money world of Big Tech, that's nothing to sniff at. So, it was little surprise to see Mark Zuckerberg announce new creator tools that do an end-run around Apple entirely.
As TechCrunch reported, Facebook will give Page owners a web link they can share, rather than charging them directly through the iOS app, where Apple would take a cut of the transaction:
Creators who run Facebook pages eligible for subscriptions can share the new promo links through text or email, pointing their fans to a payments portal run through its own payment system, Facebook Pay.
Facebook also announced a new bonus program that gives creators between $5 and $20 for each new subscriber they sign up until the end of the year, part of the $1 billion creator program the company previously announced.
Facebook will take no fees until 2023, meaning if you've got an eligible page (10,000 followers or more than 250 return viewers, and either 50,000 post engagements or 180,000 minutes watched) this could be a good money-making opportunity.
It's easy to imagine other platforms following suit. But whether a web link to a payments portal will be attractive to potential subscribers is another question. As expensive as it is, Apple's in-app purchase system makes payments devilishly simple. Any friction will likely cause some people to abandon the process before they've handed over their cash.
Instagram is lining up in-app purchases on iOS, so Meta hasn't abandoned them entirely, but until Apple and the platforms can come to some kind of agreement that makes them all happy, creators and their audiences are going to be stuck in the middle.
Why is Facebook shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting ‘faceprints’? — www.theguardian.com
Meta made a surprise move this week by announcing it was abandoning the facial-recognition based tag suggestions feature for photos in Facebook, and deleting the face data of more than 1 billion users.
Why? If you believe Meta, it's just more trouble than it's worth, as the Guardian reported:
[Meta’s vice-president of artificial intelligence Jerome Pesenti said] while facial recognition technology is a powerful tool to verify identity, it needs strong privacy and transparency controls to let people limit how their faces are used. He noted there were “many concerns” about the place of facial recognition technology in society, with regulators still playing catch up.
“Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate,” he said.
But there's no doubt it's a quick, relatively painless PR win for Meta too, keeping up the momentum in helping turn around public perception of the company in the wake of the Facebook Files and the Facebook Papers. Revelations from Frances Haugen's leaks kept coming this week (see the Meta news section below) but they certainly made less of an impact than they previously did, and 'good news' stories like a row-back on facial recognition is part of the reason.
But keep an eye on Meta and facial recognition. The company isn't abandoning it altogether. If you're wary about the technology, there's wiggle room for it to re-emerge in future products, as Vox points out:
Meta is already exploring ways to incorporate biometrics into its emerging metaverse business, which aims to build a virtual, internet-based simulation where people can interact as avatars. Meta is also keeping DeepFace, the sophisticated algorithm that powers its photo-tagging facial recognition feature.
And as BuzzFeed News explains, in the metaverse of the future, "Meta will have the capacity to create identification and surveillance systems that are at least as powerful as the system it’s putting out to pasture."
If deleting facial recognition was one quick PR win for Meta this week, Instagram pulled off an even easier one. After a nine-year standoff, Twitter links to Instagram posts show a preview of the image again.
This used to be the case until nine years ago when, months after it was acquired by Facebook, Instagram took the decision to force people to click the link in a tweet to drive more traffic to their platform's web version.
Nowadays, Instagram really doesn't need to drive growth from Twitter users, so the lack of a preview was just a user-hostile relic from the time when the Web 2.0 dream of interoperable platforms started to turn into social media turf wars.
Casey Newton reports that the ice was broken to change things after Instagram boss Adam Mosseri met up with Twitter product chief Kayvon Beykpour at a pizza night, and Beykpour broached the bitter topic. This supposedly spurred Mosseri to bump what was a low-priority move up the to-do list. We can apparently expect more quick-win product changes like this from Instagram soon (and Twitter has its own suggestion!)
It's good that we seem to have moved beyond spats over petty product changes that only hurt users, even if it's taken nine years and a casual chat over pizza to get there.
👷♀️ Social media jobs board
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Communications Manager @ Meta (formerly Facebook) UK
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❓ Question of the week
What do social media managers REALLY want for Christmas this year?
This thread has answers...
best christmas gift for a social media manager?
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra)
12:44 PM • Nov 5, 2021
🌟 New feature of the week
Facebook has introduced a bunch of new features for Groups, including paid sub-groups, shops, and customisable colours, post backgrounds, fonts, and emojis.
🔵 Meta news
All the latest from Facebook Meta brands: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp:
Meta could be coming to a street near you as it looks to expose more of the public to its VR and AR tech. [$$$]
The 'Facebook' name was reportedly viewed as a 'brand tax' by some employees in recent times. [CNBC]
...and the UK government has warned Meta that rebranding won't save it from criminal sanctions under the Online Harms Bill. [CNBC]
...but all the recent controversy hasn't moved the needle on low public interest in Meta's reported wrongdoing. [Axios]
Instagram's own research revealed teens and young adults preferred TikTok. [Insider $$$]
Facebook once tested not protecting some users, showing them "a more toxic, painful version" of the platform. [Protocol]
Meta has tightened up its rules against vaccine misinformation. [Engadget]
10 publishers on Facebook are responsible for nearly 70% of climate change denial content on the platform. [Gizmodo]
Meta has a 'skin-like' material that could bring a sense of touch to the metaverse. [CNBC]
Meta has acquired the maker of VR workout app Supernatural. [Engadget]
Meta has been sued in a new antitrust complaint by a social photo app that claims Facebook deliberately crushed it. [New York Times $$$]
Whistleblower Frances Haugen said this week that Mark Zuckerberg should quit Meta. [The Guardian]
Facebook mistakenly verified a Bitcoin scammer pretending to be Elon Musk. [Engadget]
Meta has launched a new fact-checking mentorship programme. [Social Media Today]
Canada's public broadcaster will keeping Facebook comments closed on news posts in a bid to reduce abuse and harassment. [CBC]
An Instagram hacker forces victims to make hostage style videos. [Motherboard]
Applicants for the Meta trademark in the US say they will concede to Meta... for $20m. [TMZ]
A leaked 3D model has given us a better look at Meta’s 'Project Cambria' headset. [RoadToVR]
Instagram has opened an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London, showcasing Reels that celebrate British youth culture in 2021. [Instagram blog]
Mark Zuckerberg's Meta announcement had a few references to himself hidden away for keen-eyed viewers. [New York Times $$$]
Insights to give you an edge at work:
Facebook has introduced new certification courses covering marketing analytics and AR creation. [Social Media Today]
New features and tests:
Facebook:
Facebook has introduced a bunch of new features for Groups, including paid sub-groups, shops, and customisable colours, post backgrounds, fonts, and emojis. [TechCrunch]
Facebook is building an option to choose between 'home', 'following' and 'favorites' timelines. [@alex193a]
Facebook is working on a playback speed option for Watch videos. [@alex193a]
Facebook could soon let you rewind when watching live video. [@alex193a]
Facebook Group admins might soon be able to add custom reactions. [@alex193a]
Facebook has a new 'single theme' Group type. [@MattNavarra]
Facebook is working on a 'Wave' button for Dating matches. [@alex193a]
Facebook is testing a new UI to ask for feedback about ads in news feed. [@MattNavarra]
Facebook is expanding its Climate Science Center to more than 150 countries. [@fbnewsroom]
Instagram:
Instagram has launched the 'Add Yours' sticker globally. It lets you create a public thread in Stories, and was previously tested in Japan and Indonesia. [@mosseri]
Instagram could soon let you share a post in a message with just a swipe. [@alex193a]
Instagram is working on an external link you can use elsewhere online to promote scheduled Instagram live videos. [@alex193a]
Instagram could soon let you set reminders for yourself to take a break from the app. [@alex193a]
Instagram is working on letting you see Facebook comments in the Instagram app. [@alex193a]
Instagram has marked Diwali with new stickers, the return of an AR effect, and more. [Social Media Today]
Instagram is developing easy cross-posting of Reels to your other accounts on the platform. [@alex193a]
Instagram is building a shortcut from chat to the reshare hub. [@alex193a]
Instagram has added Coinbase wallet support to its upcoming NFT 'Collectibles' feature. [@alex193a]
Messenger:
WhatsApp:
WhatsApp is testing a new, cloud-based version of its Business API. [TechCrunch]
WhatsApp is working on improved picture-in-picture support for Instagram and YouTube videos on iOS. [9to5Mac]
WhatsApp could soon give you more time to use the 'Delete for Everyone' option. [WABetaInfo]
WhatsApp is testing an updated status feature for business accounts. [9to5Mac]
Quest:
The latest update to the (Oculus) Quest software adds new features including alerts when someone or something enters the space around you while you're in VR. [The Verge]
🐣 Twitter news
Twitter has introduced new measures to 'prebunk' climate disinformation, tying in with the COP26 event in Glasgow.
Twitter has spoken out against Australian debate about banning anonymous social media accounts. [The Guardian]
Twitter wants to improve its relationship with independent and freelance journalists in the US. [@MattNavarra]
The NBA has renewed its content deal with Twitter, including 40 Spaces during the current season. [Variety]
What appears to be the first ever @reply on Twitter turned 15 years old this week. [@palakzat]
New features and tests:
Twitter is testing new tweet view count notifications. [@MattNavarra]
Twitter is redesigning reactions in DMs. [@alex193a]
Twitter is working on improving the accessibility of alt text for images. [@wongmjane]
Twitter's 'search tweets' button on profiles appears to be rolling out more widely on iOS. [The Verge]
Twitter has expanded topic tagging for Spaces to Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Turkish, Indonesian, Russian, and Korean. [@TwitterSpaces]
Twitter's overhauled API has a bunch of new features for developers. [TechCrunch]
Twitter now lets people listen to Spaces without being logged in, via a direct link. [@TwitterSpaces]
Twitter is working on a 'rainbow wheel' button in the forthcoming image editor for tweets. [@wongmjane]
Twitter could soon let you re-order the Communities home timeline. [@wongmjane]
Twitter is still working on a revamped Explore section. [@alex193a]
🔺 TikTok news
TOP STORY: TikTok Owner ByteDance Limits Overtime in Blow to China Workaholic Culture — www.bloomberg.com
ByteDance is forcing its Chinese staff to work fewer hours as it moves away from the tough, controversial '996' work culture. [$$$]
And ByteDance is reorganising itself into six business units, as its CEO/CFO steps down from his financial duties to focus on running the company as CEO. [TechCrunch]
Low-tech game-streaming is a thing on TikTok. [Polygon]
Insights to give you an edge at work:
Getting started with branded content on TikTok? The company has a new step-by-step guide for you. [Social Media Today]
New features and tests:
TikTok has increased the character count for captions to 300 for some users. [@MattNavarra]
TikTok is now available on Amazon Fire TV in the US and Canada. [Variety]
TikTok wants to tempt users into trying its live streaming features by offering rewards for completing live steaming ‘missions’. [@MattNavarra]
💥 More social media news and updates
"The bill would reportedly criminalize certain behavior that causes 'emotional, psychological, or physical harm to the likely audience.'"
Former footballer Thierry Henry has spoken out against social media companies that "make money from hate". [The Guardian]
A new measurement system from Tubular Labs aims to make it easier to compare video performance across social platforms. [Forbes]
Snap has signed a deal with NBC Universal that will bring audio clips from films and TV shows like Bridesmaids, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Back to the Future, Shrek and Saturday Night Live to Snapchat. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Reddit has introduced its first 'avatar partnership' as a new form of commercial promotion. [Social Media Today]
Pinterest has lost 10m more active users. Increased footfall at physical retail outlets is being blamed for the drop. [Social Media Today]
Twitch has signed its first cryptocurrency marketing partner. [TubeFilter]
Insights to give you an edge at work:
Want to keep on top of what works in YouTube Shorts? The company's latest Shorts Report can help. [Social Media Today]
Want to prove your skills with Snapchat ads? Snap has a new certification programme. [Social Media Today]
Planning a holiday campaign on Pinterest? The company's new marketing hub is worth a look. [Social Media Today]
New features and tests:
LinkedIn is removing its Premium News feature from November 15th. [@MattNavarra]
Snap has updated Lens Studio 4.7 with an SDF Generator, an updated Media Picker, and 3D text. [Snap AR]
YouTube is testing opening straight to Shorts for regular users of the feature. [Social Media Today]
Pinterest has launched 'Pinterest TV', with a range of content including shoppable creator shows. [Pinterest newsroom]
Twitch has introduced a dedicated section for animal streams. [The Verge]
Clubhouse now supports 13 additional languages. [TechCrunch]
Collab marketplace Pearpop now supports Instagram. [TechCrunch]
Telegram has been updated with an enhanced media library and more. [Android Police]
Tinder is bringing back its murder-mystery themed 'Swipe Night' event. [TechCrunch]
Tinder has plans for a 'dating metaverse' 🤔. [TechCrunch]
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📈 Chart of the week
Apple's privacy changes on iOS have had a meaningful impact on social companies' bottom lines. That's billions of dollars they've lost out on...
Snap, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube lose nearly $10bn after iPhone privacy changes ft.com/content/4c19e3…
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra)
1:50 PM • Nov 1, 2021
📖 Weekend reading
"VP of Reality Labs Andrew Bosworth talks about his long career at Facebook and how building the metaverse is a refocus for the company. He also touches on the new name, Meta, and the Facebook Papers."
The secret world of good bots
Brands want a bigger slice of the creator economy
📅 Back next week...
✅ Weekly Geekout social media debriefing.. DONE!
Right… Time for me to go light some fireworks in my backyard.
My daughter says she wants to film it for TikTok in case I screw it up and she can go viral with my epic fail. WTAF. 🙄
Goodbye geeks!
— Matt
😮 Get MORE Geekout
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This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant.
Copyright 2021: Matt Navarra Media Ltd
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