Social Platform Updates: September 2019
PC: @Chelseafives
Several social platforms this month expanded their capacities, even going so far as to launch entirely new sites. From Facebook’s new dating app to YouTube’s Fashion Hub, everyone is racing to start the Next Big Thing. We’re also sharing all the most important online privacy and data protection updates from September.
Trust Obviously to keep you in the know!
SEPTEMBER 2019
Facebook Dating has officially launched in the US. Users can now create a dating profile and be matched with both friends of friends and strangers based on interests and preferences.
Users can also opt into the “Secret Crush” feature, which allows you to list up to nine crushes from your list of friends. You will only be notified if your crush lists you as well.
Facebook has released an update to Creator Studio that allows anyone with a business account to schedule Facebook, IG, and IGTV posts up to six months in advance, eliminating the need for 3rd party apps.
Facebook has added several new features to Facebook Live, including the ability to rehearse a live video, trim a video for replays, and simulcast Live broadcasting.
Facebook has announced a wide variety of new features available only for public figures. These features include:
The option to create collaborative Stories
Suggested public figures to follow in the Newsfeed
Fan Reply Stickers available in Facebook Stories
Expanded shopping options (such as swipe-up links)
Intended especially for gaming, Facebook launched Facebook Stars, which allows fans to send stars to their favorite creators while watching their livestream
Instagram has created a prototype for a TikTok-inspired feature called “Clips.” Clips would allow users to record segments of videos into a single Story, overlay music, and adjust speed, just like TikTok.
YouTube
YouTube has launched Youtube.com/Fashion, a single hub for YouTube style and beauty content. The site will feature content from both top YouTube creators as well as “traditional” fashion personalities, such as designers and celebrity makeup artists.
YouTube is testing a feature that would allow users to see all of a creator’s recent comments by clicking on their names.
Snapchat
Snapchat has announced a 3D Camera Mode that will allow users to create and share images with depth, that move as you tilt your phone. The feature will only be available on i0S phones, not on Android.
Pinterest is testing a “dark mode,” for their mobile app, similar to the popular Twitter feature. Dark mode is intended to cut back on blue light, which can negatively impact your sleep cycle.
Pinterest has also updated their Lens feature, which allows users to find a specific object from a photo or larger pin, to include more objects and to connect to shoppable search results.
Twitter will (finally) allow users to rearrange the order of photos attached to a tweet.
Privacy Matters
Facebook’s privacy woes continued this month, as Buzzfeed News revealed a simple hack that allows anyone to share private photos and videos posted to IG or Facebook. The hack creates a public URL that can be used to view private feeds and Stories, even after the Stories have disappeared.
Apple’s latest iOS update will include notifications about which apps have accessed your location and how often, putting apps like Facebook in the spotlight for their data collection. In response, Facebook issued a blog post attempting to explain how and why they use location data.
YouTube is changing the way they treat data and ads on content intended for children. Personalized ads will no longer appear on kids’ videos and data collection will be limited only to what is necessary to “support the operation of service.”
Which changes do you think will have the greatest impact?