#MidweekMinute 11/27/19: Keep your friends CLOSE

When Borat’s got more common sense and decency than your CEO, it may be time to look deeper…

Last week, the new social network on the block was the journalism-based WT.Social; this week, it’s Cocoon, a family-based networking app from former Facebook employees. (No networks OR ads, just you and your chosen family.)

On a related note, Facebook’s working on a Close Friends feature for Stories and Messenger, similar to the one Instagram has, continuing the overall trend towards “microsharing,” now that our networks have all gotten so swollen with acquaintances and strangers.

The new Facebook Viewpoints app will pay you for participating in surveys or performing tasks. They’re starting with a “well being” survey.

Facebook has quietly released a new meme-making app called Whale, which is exclusive to Canada at the moment. There was no fanfare or announcement, an uncharacteristic move for the social media giant.

In case you’ve ever been curious how Instagram’s “Explore” feed gets populated, they’ve given us a peek behind the curtain with a new blog post explaining the AI behind it.

Feature-uncoverer Jane Manchun Wong has discovered that Instagram is testing out a new IGTV feed with vertical scroll - ironic, as TikTok, which is laid out that way, was previously testing a grid feed, a la Instagram’s Explore tab.

Twitter’s Hide Replies feature is out of beta and available to all.

Twitter is also FINALLY bringing native scheduling to the platform! It’s in beta, and only some people have it. It’s web-only for now, though, which is frustrating, since we already have TweetDeck… but it’s a step in the right direction.

#MidweekMinute 11/20/19: WT.Fork?

I don’t pause in my speech when someone scrapes a mug across a desk, just sayin’…

WT.Social is the newest social network from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. This isn’t a replacement for Facebook, though; the site is based around sharing and discussing legitimate news. I can’t use it yet, though, since there’s a long waiting list unless I pay them… which I suppose ties into their “ad free” vow.

No, it’s not just you; everyone’s having issues with Facebook Ads Manager. No official word on why, but general consensus seems to be that it’s the result of updates going on behind the scenes.

Facebook’s also testing a new, Instagram-esque “Popular Photos” feature which will suggest other photos to you after you’ve clicked one in the feed.

Facebook’s adding a Donation sticker for Stories, much like the one Instagram added earlier this year. They’re also enabling fundraising within gaming streams.

Just in time for Giving Tuesday (December 3, if you didn’t already know), Instagram is now allowing non-profits to add a “Donate” button to their profiles.

…aaand just in time for the holidays, Instagram has also launched their own shopping collections, curated around the hashtags #partylewk, #makeupqueens, #altenergy, #newparents, #curated, and #wanderlust.

The full details of Twitter’s much-lauded “political ads ban” are here. “Issue ads” apparently aren’t going to be as limited as I had feared they would be; “social causes” will indeed be allowed. News organizations will also be allowed to promote political coverage.

If you’re on YouTube, you may have noticed their new protections regarding content for kids, which affects all accounts, not just those designated creators for the YouTube Kids app. This is less about content and more about data protection.

Yup, I’m covering TikTok news again - they’ve just allowed select users to add links in their bios, including to commerce sites in some cases, opening up the door for TikTok selling.

#MidweekMinute 11/13/19: Show me the FB Money

BRB, exploring a whole new world…

Facebook Pay has started rolling out to U.S. Facebook and Messenger accounts, and will eventually be able to facilitate payments across the full Facebook family of platforms (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp). It’s currently only available for fundraisers, person-to-person payments, event tickets, in-game purchases, and select Facebook Marketplace purchases. Payments will be processed in cooperation with Stripe, PayPal, and other payment processing services, and will accept most credit and debit cards. (Facebook notes that Facebook Pay is totally separate from its planned Calibra digital wallet, which is tied to its Libra cryptocurrency project.)

Facebook’s mobile app now allows greater control over your Shortcuts. You can now control both which features offer visible Shortcuts at the bottom of your app, and which ones will show you notifications (those annoying little red dots). Shortcuts that can be shown or hidden include Marketplace, Watch, Groups, Events, Profile, Friend Requests, News, Today In, Gaming and Dating, among others.

Instagram is officially expanding their test of hiding Like counts on posts to the United States. As usual, we haven’t been paying attention to Canada, so people are really surprised by this news, even though it’s been in testing in Canada and elsewhere since April.

Instagram has also introduced the new Instagram Reels feature in Brazil, which takes direct aim at TikTok by letting users create 15-second videos set to music. Reels will be shareable within Stories and separately discoverable on the Explore tab, with a “Top Reels” sub-tab to encourage virality.

Twitter’s preparing to launch the new Topics feature, which will let you follow conversations around particular topics the same way you’d follow an account (or, more relevantly, the way you can now follow hashtags on Instagram). They claim suggested posts will be “relevant” and “valuable"; if the Trending posts are any indication, I am skeptical, but am still looking forward to the feature.

Twitter is also addressing the continued presence of “deepfake” accounts - or, rather, “synthetic and manipulated media” - on the platform, and are seeking public feedback on how to moderate such content. They seem to be seeking less of a removal policy, and more of a reporting and labeling structure.

YouTube’s revised terms of service have some users worried their accounts will be deleted if they are dubbed “not commercially viable.”

#MidweekMinute 11/6/19: New font, who dis?

Sorry, emoji fans: 🍆🍑& 💦 can no longer be used together. (No word on 🍌& 🍩)

Moving on…

For the first time, Facebook has released visual branding for the corporate entity (encompassing Facebook, Oculus, Instagram, and WhatsApp) that is distinct from that of the Facebook platform. (Reactions have been, err… mixed.)

Did you know Facebook Messenger has a feature called “Secret Conversation”? Well, it does, and it looks like they’re testing bringing fully encrypted voice and video chat options to the feature.

By now you’ve surely heard about Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s multi-tweet pronouncement that Twitter is banning political ads - including issue ads. They’ll be sharing more firmed-up details on November 15, and the policy goes into effect on November 22. (Zuckerberg, for his part, has maintained his stance that Facebook remains committed to “free expression.”)

Instagram has published a great creative guide for Stories, which I highly recommend you check out.

This is the first time I’ve ever covered TikTok… but the new “Share to TikTok” feature - a partnership with a handful of prominent third-party apps, including Adobe Premiere Rush, and the very first feature in their new TikTok for Developers platform - is worth a look, as the new creative to follow will surely lead short-form video trends on all social media platforms.

LinkedIn wants you to trust them - so they’ve laid out their four guiding principles in a blog post
(the TL;DR: giving users clarity, consistency, and control over data; keeping LinkedIn a safe, trusted, and professional platform; no unfair biases; respect for laws).

Connecting globally? LinkedIn has also broadened its translation options.

Not to be outshone by Jennifer Aniston, looks like somebody else is ‘Grammin’ (G-R-A-M-M-I-N)…

#MidweekMinute 10/30/19: Healthier Social?

Happy Almost-Halloween!

After a number of tests and false starts over the years, Facebook has formally introduced its News Tab, which was developed in cooperation with journalists and publications and is curated - not algorithmic - to ensure “real news” integrity.

Facebook employees have spoken out en masse against Mark Zuckerberg’s hands-off approach to political advertising on the platform, arguing that “free speech and paid speech are not the same thing” and urging that the same fact-checking measures used elsewhere on Facebook be applied to political ads.

Speaking of Facebook Advertising, they’re opening up Search placement for advertisements, and have added a new responsive feature called Multiple Text Optimization, which allows the system to serve up the ideal combination of a variety of headlines, ad copy and descriptions for each instance based on anticipated results.

Medical marketers: good news! You can now use Facebook to prompt people to take preventative health measures, such as making appointments for checkups and tests.

Facebook introduces Work Groups, which will only show work-related info and allow group members to receive messages from each other without being friends.

SparkAR, which creates filters for Facebook and Instagram, has announced it is pulling filters that may attempt to replicate the look of plastic surgery procedures.

Instagram has taken more drastic steps to eliminate content that glorifies suicide and self-harm, part of the platform’s ongoing initiatives to improve mental health outcomes among users - especially young users.

First, Instagram got rid of the “Following” tab - now, you can’t even sneak a peek at public accounts after a certain number of views without logging in.

IGTV is strengthening its commitment to longer-form serial programming by letting creators notify opted-in users when a new episode of a series is up.

Facebook’s not the only platform prioritizing news delivery: LinkedIn has also revamped its news features, with a focus on its Daily Rundown.

LinkedIn has also published a report warning against digital marketers who measure and judge ROI (Return On Investment) too hastily.

#MidweekMinute 10/23/19: Disruption. Acceleration. Buzzwordbuzzword.

Unlike CERTAIN people, I don’t have a fake Twitter account. (My Finsta, though, is lit!)

Facebook has created a resource hub called “Build To Break” for “disruptors who operate on the cutting edge,” filled with industry studies, a playbook, case studies, and… honestly, it was difficult to break through all the jargon on the landing page to even figure out what this hub is supposed to be, but it will accelerate your growth, apparently.

Facebook is getting rid of the grey “verification” check for business pages this week, after declaring it meaningless in the face of other improved page transparency measures. (Whatever, as long as I don’t lose the fancy blue checkmark on my personal profile…)

Facebook has rolled out new templates for Story ads, making it easier for advertisers to create content for that placement - and they’re also testing out a brand new placement, ads in the Groups tab.

Facebook is testing a dark mode for desktop - it appears to still be in beta, so not everyone has it, but it appears to be fairly worldwide. (Do you have it? Let me know!)

Instagram is now giving you greater control over the information you share with third-party apps. It’s a gradual rollout, though, and could take up to six months to reach all users.

Instagram might be testing a way to help you group accounts you follow, which, if rolled out, would give me personally approximately 300 hours of my life back per year.

Just when I had decided to stop caring about Snapchat, Reddit (which I also don’t normally cover) has announced an integration that would allow for more seamless sharing of Reddit posts on Snapchat.

LinkedIn’s Events feature has now rolled out to everyone - though, as someone who’s been in the beta, I will warn you that they aren’t nearly as “findable” as would be preferred. (Come to #LinkedInLocal Westchester, btw!)

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#MidweekMinute 10/9/19: Insta just keeps snappin'

Anyone out there being a “wirch” for Halloween?… No? OK, moving on.

Facebook’s Portal device will now integrate with its Workplace platform (think Slack meets a private Facebook for just co-workers), which should be especially useful for videoconferencing.

Instagram has launched the Threads messaging app, replicating one of Snapchat’s earliest functions. The camera app is built around direct, private photo and video messaging. Instagram’s also testing an AR feature that will allow you to virtually “try on” products like eyewear and cosmetics.

Instagram will also no longer allow you to see a feed of notifications regarding the actions of people you follow - so if you want to know what they’re up to, better slide into those DMs (or Threads!).

One big advantage for Facebook of owning Instagram: if a new feature isn’t a hit on one platform, it could still work on another. Facebook’s Group Stories, discontinued a few weeks ago, is now being tested as an Instagram feature. (It is worth noting that this, too, is a feature that originated many years ago on Snapchat.)

In a recent survey of U.S. teens, YouTube beat out Netflix for the first time ever as the most preferred streaming entertainment platform.

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#MidweekMinute 10/2/19: Trashing the trash talk

Wow… that whisteblower sure does have a lot of Twitter accounts…

No, your Facebook isn’t broken; the previously-announced “Hiding Likes” test has begun on some accounts (all articles claim the test is Australia-only for now, but I have a few friends in the U.S. whose likes have already begun disappearing from public view).

Facebook will also soon allow some creators to add Messenger functionality to the “swipe up” feature in Story ads.

In the farther-off future, Facebook is developing augmented reality glasses that will work in combination with an AR map of real-world environments, as well as a virtual reality gaming space called Horizon.

Instagram is testing the ability to receive (or send!) product launch notifications . They’re also extending use of the Branded Content tag to IGTV videos (but you have to be approved first), and have launched the @creators account to encourage the IG creator community to, well, create.

Someone getting nasty in your DMs (in a way you don’t like)? Twitter’s rolling out new filters for that.

YouTube is now available on Google’s Fire TV streaming device, and has also introduced features for creators to more easily search, moderate, and filter comments.

LinkedIn continues developing its advertising tools, with new enhancements to audience targeting.

Join me on LinkedIn Live and Facebook Live at 4 pm ET for more on all stories.

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#MidweekMinute 9/25/19: The Future Is NOW

Sorry in advance for all my political Tweets. Let’s not go into that here… on to other social media news!

Facebook has suspended API access for tens of thousands of third-party apps in the continued wake of the Cambridge Analytica data-mining scandal, which prompted Facebook to investigate hundreds of app developers on the platform.

Facebook is discontinuing the seldom-used Group Stories feature tomorrow.

Facebook is acquiring CTRL-labs, a neural learning firm dedicated to translating human brain impulses into digital signals, as part of their Facebook Reality Labs team. The company’s key product is a wristband that will enable you to control electronic devices without touch. (Yes, we officially live in the future.)

Instagram has announced viewing restrictions on weight loss & cosmetic procedure content for users under age 18, and advertising restrictions for how such products are promoted in general.

Twitter’s Hide Replies feature, previously testing in Canada, is now active in the U.S. and Japan. This feature is designed to hopefully help discussions on the platform from getting too ugly (as they are wont to do).

YouTube announced - and then rescinded - major changes to its creator verification system, which would have rescinded verification badges from many creators based on updated criteria. YouTube will re-launch its verification program in late October for accounts not already verified.

YouTube and Google have announced Video Reach ad campaigns, which will enable advertisers to upload numerous types of video ads under a single campaign and allow Google’s AI to optimally distribute them in accordance with viewer insights.

Join me on LinkedIn Live at 4 pm ET for discussion of all stories!

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#MidweekMinute 9/18/19: Creators gonna create

You all know you want #slofies of my dog, don’t even front…

LOTS of news about Facebook Creator Studio announced at the International Broadcasting Convention:

• New tools and metrics for Live, Watch Parties, Creator Studio

• Facebook Live “Rehearsal” mode

• Live video trimming

• Live video duration extended from four hours to eight

• Multistream broadcasting (simulcast to different platforms)

• Pre-scheduling to Instagram and IGTV via Creator Studio

• Expanded language options for auto-captioning

• New video metrics for Distribution, Watch Party viewership, and Loyalty

• Enhanced Watch Party branding, metrics, and sharing

Facebook is testing a new Chat post type to launch private group chats, much like the recently-introduced Chat sticker in Instagram Stories.

Facebook’s new Portal TV set-top box device functions as a broadcast system - like Firestick or Roku - as well as a webcam.

YouTube trolls beware: they’re testing a Profile Card feature that will publicly display your comment history.

LinkedIn has introduced Skill Assessment tests in order to support users’ claimed talents with validation badges for those scoring in the top 70th percentile or above.

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#MidweekMinute 9/11/19: "Likes" ain't nothing but a number...

Politics and vulgarity aside, one important user lesson on social media is to know who you’re dealing with.
(#TeamChrissy)

Moving on to more universally applicable social media news…

Let’s be real; you’re going to Facebook-stalk your online date anyway (I MySpace-stalked mine, back in 2006!). Why not just find them on Facebook Dating to begin with?

Facebook is tightening up location security on mobile, allowing for greater nuance and defaulting to whatever the user’s most restrictive settings are (device settings and app settings are often at different levels) unless otherwise specified.

Facebook’s also considering a test to hide like counts on posts, following a similar test by Instagram still in progress. YouTube has also recently removed follower counts from accounts with over 1,000 followers.

Facebook and Instagram are stepping up their ecommerce game, working on in-ad checkout functionality on Facebook and the ability to turn an organic shopping post on Instagram into an ad.

Watch those “private” Instagram posts - they’re apparently easy to access and share via web browser. (Whoopsies!)

If you’ve been posting your Tweets via text, you’re out of luck for a bit - Twitter is temporarily suspending that function after CEO Jack Dorsey was hacked via a SIM card swap.

Twitter doesn’t want to be a mystery to you; they want you to succeed (and thus keep using them). Hence their latest Agency Playbook, full of basic - yet key - tips on what’s proven to provide the most engagement on the platform. Helpful, right?

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#MidweekMinute 7/17/19: Makin' money

I never thought we’d be in a position where the House would have to vote on a resolution over the content of a Twitter thread, but here we are…

Anyway, let’s move on to happier news, shall we?

Twitter’s new desktop layout has officially rolled out to all, and reflect a move towards easier navigation of popular features.

Facebook has tapped the former head of Vine to lead its New Product Experimentation team, which will be tasked with developing more independent apps that create "entirely new experiences for building community" .

YouTube has announced expanded creator monetization options, including Super Stickers for Super Chat, channel memberships, expanded “Merch Shelf” partners, educational learning playlists, and the ability to gather charitable donations.

linkedin live replay:

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#MidweekMinute 7/10/19: Monetization and anti-bully-ization

I hope Tom from MySpace has a blast at the White House Social Media Summit… 🙄

Facebook has made several video-monetization-related announcements this week: new video ad placement options, better tools for creators to manage monetization, tweaks to the beta subscription program (including Facebook now taking a cut of that revenue from creators), and enhanced tools for matching up brands and collaborators.

Instagram ups its anti-bullying functions by warning you if a comment could be considered inflammatory (like a digital conscience!) and allowing you to restrict certain users from seeing your content.

Business users report a significant decline in Instagram engagement rates (perhaps a lot of that engagement was coming from bullies?…).

Join me on LinkedIn Live every Wednesday at 4 pm ET for a fuller explanation of each of these stories and what they mean for you.

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#MidweekMinute 7/3/19: Ms. Gritmon if ya nasty

I simply cannot imagine what public figure’s Tweets might inspire such a content warning…

Taking its recent advertising anti-discrimination regulations a step further, Facebook will now make advertisements for housing, jobs, and credit searchable by all users, regardless of income, geography, or other targeting features that might be deemed discriminatory.

New Story sticker alert: Instagram has officially added the rumored “Chat” sticker, which adds those who click it into a DM group.

Instagram is also adding ads to the Explore tab, and has rolled out a new profile layout (in case you’re wondering where scroll view went).

Twitter’s got a new layout in beta - and it’s making your Lists easier to access on mobile, just a quick swipe away from your home screen.

Twitter may soon allow you to customize the appearance of the site to your own liking. You’ll be able to better customize content, too; they’re testing an auto-mute feature that will preemptively prevent certain content from appearing on your feed based on accounts you’ve blocked in the past.

If you thought LinkedIn had been showing you more posts in your niches of interest, congrats, you’re correct; the algorithm has shifted to prioritize “people you know, talking about things you care about.”

LinkedIn is also beefing up Company Pages, including your choice of Calls to Action, mobile editing, and the ability to engage with hashtagged conversations as your page entity, and they continue to roll out upgraded advertising functions; the latest news is that audience retargeting is coming soon.

Girlboss is the new online professional network for women supporting women (started, of course, by Nasty Gal founder Sophie Amaruso).

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#MidweekMinute 6/26/19: Testing, testing...

How would you do as Beyoncé’s assistant? (I got fired pretty much immediately.)

YouTube joins the “let’s hide things that are meaningless and/or potentially harmful” bandwagon (following Twitter’s follower count test & Instagram’s like count test) and is testing hiding comments by default. The test seems to be starting with Android users in India.

YouTube has also released a new augmented reality feature, which is rolling out to beauty influencers first, allowing viewers to virtually “try on” makeup when watching product reviews.

Instagram is testing suggesting accounts to follow via DM, using conversation content to provide a grid of other recommended accounts you may wish to follow.

Twitter removes super geo-precise location tags due to lack of use (you’ll still be able to tell people where you are in terms of more general location).

A bug in Twitter sent unfollow notifications to people (which, while bad enough, were also sometimes inaccurate) - oops! It has since been fixed.

LinkedIn not only wants to help you prepare for interviews by providing practice questions - they will even let you video your responses to them, so you can review your performance in a more concrete way.

LInkedIn continues to refine its advertising tools, now putting Objectives front and center (much like Facebook).

Google is testing a carousel format for text-based ads.

Was your wedding proposal SponCon? (Sheesh - back in my day, just getting asked was enough!)

Captions by QuiCC

Graphics by Wave.video

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#MidweekMinute 6/19/19: Now with zero cat filters!

BRB, getting even…

Apparently Facebook’s Libra isn’t simply a new cryptocurrency - it endeavors to turn the world of global finance on its ear, increasing connectivity and access to capital worldwide, and is essentially launching a PayPal-slash-Apple Wallet competitor, Calibra, as the user-facing practical arm.

Facebook has updated its existing comment-ranking algorithm in a further effort to suss out which comments might be the most valuable. (You can tweak how comments display on your own page or profile in Settings.)

Good news: you can let Facebook spy on your off-app activities for money! (It’s for a “Study.”) In case that wasn’t invasive enough, they’re also LITERALLY asking for your blood, with a new blood donation alert feature.

LinkedIn has officially rolled out a whole host of features that had previously been in beta, including photo tagging (I had it already; did you?), emoji reactions (ditto), video messaging, and functional PDFs and slides in the feed, and has also spruced up their old logo (to a barely-perceptible degree).

Pinterest is stepping up its visual search and e-commerce functionality by providing image-context-based shoppable suggestions to “Complete The Look.”

Amazon Spark - their take on a social network - has officially called it quits after two years.

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#MidweekMinute 6/12/19: I'm PROUD of Instagram!

FYI: the moon is not a part of Mars, no matter what you may have read on Twitter.

Happy Pride Month! Instagram joins parent company Facebook (albeit five years later) in allowing users to define their own gender, instead of choosing between male, female, or unspecified. The platform has also released an LGBTQ+ User Safety Guide in cooperation with The Trevor Project.

Instagram now not only has music, but also lyrics, as an option in Instagram stories.

Facebook’s cryptocurrency offering (which is likely either called GlobalCoin or keeping its codename, Libra) may be launching as early as June 18 (yes, that’s next week). Stay tuned.

Facebook is releasing new videochat hardware for its Portal device.

Twitter has clarified its rules regarding platform dos and don’ts.

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#MidweekMinute 6/5/19: Pinning more IKEA...

BRB, applying to become Tweeter-in-Chief…

Mozilla’s Firefox browser’s latest update includes a tracking blocker (a move already preceded by Apple’s Safari browser), sending Facebook Pixel devotees into a tizzy.

Facebook has been teasing their Bitmoji-esque Avatars since at least 2017, but they’re finally here (well, in the Australian test market, at least) for use in Messenger and comments.

Facebook has stepped up its Video Ad tools, enabling a whole bunch of creator features (including text and stickers), optimized sizes for different uses, the ability to split a video into multiple shorter ads, and - a blessing amidst all these fun features - the ability to save progress while putting this all together.

Facebook’s been testing integrating subscription options into Instant Articles, and is now officially rolling out the feature to all Instant Article publishers.

Facebook Portal has released a smartphone app to integrate with the device’s functions.

Game developers who advertise on Facebook will now have the ability to run rewarded video and playable ads via Audience Network.

Furthering Instagram’s close relationship with the “influencer” industry, brands can now turn influencer posts into “Branded Content” advertisements.

Instagram may be testing an Order sticker, likely a way to further commerce functionality in Stories, as well as further insights as to new vs. old “likes” on posts and account follower/unfollower info.

Twitter will now let you add guests to live video streams - but, just like this recent addition to sibling Periscope, guests are audio-only for now (think of it like a call-in show). Twitter has also acquired artificial intelligence firm Fabula AI to help combat false accounts, spam, “fake news,” and other pitfalls of the platform.

LinkedIn has acquired digital identity firm Drawbridge in a bid to enhance ad targeting functions.

And, just in case there wasn’t enough IKEA presence on Pinterest, the Swedish furnishings giant is now officially moving a shoppable version of its catalog onto the platform.

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#MidweekMinute 5/29/19: Feel the rainbow

Sorry, CrossFit fans.

Instagram’s IGTV is now accepting landscape videos as well as the original portrait-orientation videos. Instagram is also working on adding Story functionality to the post creation interface, and will turn your story ring rainbow if you use Pride hashtags during Pride Month (June).

YouTube will begin hiding subscriber counts in August for accounts that have over 1,000 followers, echoing recent announcements from Instagram and Twitter that seek to downplay focus on empty metrics.

More progress on Facebook’s CryptoCurrency: “GlobalCoin” is slated to roll out in 1Q20. Facebook has also added the ability for group admins to give feedback to members who break group rules.

LinkedIn Company Pages now feature a tab providing visibility into all ads that page has run in the past six months, which follows Facebook’s fairly recent addition of same. LinkedIn has also revamped its Sales Navigator platform to place updates front and center, and enhance integrations with other Microsoft software.

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#MidweekMinute 5/22/19: Zuck's Swiss bank account?

RIP #GrumpyCat (aka Tardar Sauce).

We already knew that Facebook’s algorithm was prioritizing content from close friends and content types you interact with regularly… but they’ve just upped that prioritization yet again, and are even incorporating a direct survey asking you about your preferences (and of course studying how your responses correspond to your actual activity).

Facebook has also instituted a simplified Relevancy Score for ads - moving from an overall number to specific indications of ad quality, engagement, and conversion.

Facebook is introducing stronger features to allow users to protect their privacy for activities outside of Facebook - which would, in turn, impact the ability of advertisers to target them using any information beyond what they have provided to Facebook.

Speaking of privacy, Facebook is also bringing back the “View As Public” feature that enables users to view their profile from the point of view of someone they’re not friends with - a feature that was removed following a privacy breach that had taken advantage of a bug in the previous system. (Oddly enough, they announced this via Twitter!)

Facebook’s cryptocurrency development is heating up with the registration of “Libra Networks” in Switzerland.

Instagram Stories have long been hampered by the lack of searchability… well, now they’re turning up in Instagram’s Explore screen, a huge step towards increasing story visibility by people who don’t already follow you. IGTV and Shop will also be featured in Explore under their own tabs, with the IGTV tab cribbing its new algorithmically-suggested, vertical-scroll layout from competitors Tik Tok and Snapchat (it’s copied the one large video at the top from Tik Tok, and the side-by-side pairings beneath from Snapchat). Additional tabs under Explore will focus on specific interests, customized to reflect user activity.

I was not aware that Instagram still had a standalone “Direct” messaging app… but, anyway, it’s being discontinued now.

After a fraught relationship, Twitter is once again tweaking its API - and is seeking outside developers’ feedback and partnership via a new program called Twitter Developer Labs. They’re also adding new features to TweetDeck, including support for GIFs and Polls.

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