As with most things in tech, the social media world is very fast paced. Every day changes and updates are rolled out to different platforms and new strategies and tactics are always being formulated. It can be hard work to keep on top of it all, so to help you out we’ve compiled the latest news from our favourite platforms, to keep you ahead of the curve. This is our weekly feature, so keep an eye out!
TikTok launches celebrity-hosted, daily live-streams to entertain users amid COVID-19 lockdown
TikTok has launched the #HappyAtHome initiative to help lighten the mood amid the current lockdown, while also giving users a chance to ask questions of experts and engage with celebrities on the platform. It will see well-known musicians, actors, comedians and more share a series of live-streams on the platform at 5pm, every day of next week.
Pinterest has introduced a new personalised feature for daily inspiration
As people adjust to a new normal, they are coming to Pinterest to stay inspired. Therefore, they have introduced the, "Today tab", a source of daily inspiration with curated topics and trending pins, which will make it easy to explore popular and timely ideas.
Facebook releases new digital literacy resources for kids and parents, tips for supporting remote workers
With kids spending more time online, as a result of school closures, and many parents having to work at home, they are unable to supervise what their children are doing. As a result, Facebook launched the initiative “Get Digital”, which includes several educational areas, each of which features a video overview, and links to a range of tools and resources to help improve digital literacy. This should help young people develop the competencies and skills they need to more safely navigate the internet.
Snapchat has launched its mental health feature early due to Coronavirus
Its "Here For You" feature will show safety resources from local experts when Snapchatters search for certain topics, including those related to anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts and bullying. Due to the current pandemic it has now expanded its search terms such as "Coronavirus" and "COVID-19", which provide content from the World Health Organisation and other partners.
Instagram is testing Snapchat-style disappearing text messages
Instagram is preparing to copy Snapchat's most popular feature where it clears chat threads whenever you leave them. This could make users more comfortable with having rapid-fire, silly, vulnerable, or risqué chats, thereby driving up the reply notifications that keep people opening Instagram all day long.
Twitter's number of active users soar, but ad sales are declining
The Coronavirus outbreak has made social media services such as Twitter vital for a broader population than usual, as people look to stay abreast of the latest news from authorities and keep in touch with friends virtually. But many advertisers have pulled marketing budgets to rein in costs because of the virus-related uncertainty, and others are hesitant to advertise alongside coronavirus discussions for fear of associating their brands with the sensitive topic.
