Something old, something new
Happy last day of May! That month went by really quickly. And for anyone who was counting, it took just eight days for Twitter to be so overwhelmed by verification requests that it had to pause the process. Keep an eye on the @verified Twitter account for info about when it reopens.
In today's news:
Say hello to "Twitter Blue" and good-bye to Facebook Analytics (+ other changes in June)
WhatsApp backtracks on its privacy policy stance
And try this trend with your four-legged friends 🐶
Read on ⬇️
Old, new, borrowed, and blue
Maybe because it's almost June — a traditional wedding month — or maybe because my brain just wants something fun to think about, but I couldn't help but break down this week's updates into the four categories that all brides know oh-so-well.
Old: Facebook Analytics
For anyone using Facebook Analytics to collect metrics and data on your accounts, this is your reminder that you only have 30 more days to use this tool. It officially shuts down on June 30th. But there is still time to download reports and export charts. Here are instructions on how to export and download data. And in good news, these other tools will remain available: Events Manager, Ads Manager, Page Insights, Instagram Insights, Facebook and Business Suite Insights.
New: More control on like counts
Instead of just completely turning off the ability to hide like counts on Instagram, Facebook and Instagram announced that users will now be able to control whether or not they see like counts or not. The options: Hide like counts on all posts in your feed, hide like counts on your own posts, hide like counts on other peoples' posts. "What we heard from people and experts was that not seeing like counts was beneficial for some, and annoying to others, particularly because people use like counts to get a sense for what’s trending or popular, so we’re giving you the choice," says Instagram.
Borrowed: Google Photos
Starting on June 1st, all of the space we've been borrowing from Google to store our photos will come with some restrictions. We'll have just 15 GB of space to store pics, and anything above that will be available as a subscription service. Subscriptions start at $1.99 for 100 GB of space, according to Mashable. But Google isn't counting any photos you upload before June 1st, so hurry up and get uploading!
Blue: As in "Twitter Blue"
According to multiple reports, Twitter is planning to launch a new subscription service called "Twitter Blue." It's a separate app that has already appeared in the app stores, but is not yet active. The company hasn't confirmed any details, but an article in the BBC suggests it may come with an 'undo tweet' button. According to an article in TechCrunch, citing a well-known researcher - Jane Manchun Wong - the subscription service could also include a reader mode, colour customization on the Timeline and app, and the ability to organize tweets into Collections. (They had me at "undo" button).
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ICYMI
🔴 Facebook takes on Superspreaders [NY Times]
🔴 Twitter Spaces will be available for the web, including accessibility features [TechCrunch]
🔴 LinkedIn announces new 'Boost' option for organic posts [Social Media Today]
🔴 Snapchat reaches 500 million monthly users [CNBC]
🔴 Canada wants TikTok, YouTube to prioritize Canadian content [Wall Street Journal]
APP-LIKE
What's up with WhatsApp
In what feels like a continuing saga over WhatsApp's updated privacy policy, the Facebook-owned company is now stepping back from threats to limit functionality within the app for users who don't agree to the new policy. According to a report by The Verge, WhatsApp will work exactly the same for anyone who does — or does not — accept the update. The updated privacy policy came into effect on May 15th, but has faced criticism from many over exactly what personal details may be allowed to be shared. WhatsApp says nothing has really changed, except for messages sent to businesses via WhatsApp, which may be stored on Facebook’s servers.
TREND-LIKE
Who do you love more?
That's the question a lot of dog parents are asking their fur-babies — but in an unusual way. In a new TikTok trend, both parents stand with the dog, and then run in opposite directions. Whoever the dog follows is apparently who the pup loves more (although, I think it's probably more about who the dog thinks is the "funnest" parent). And honestly, you can always just ask — like the owners of "Bunny" do. If you haven't met Bunny yet, she can "speak" 92 words like "love", "play" and "outside." Dogs truly are the best people.
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