Instagram rolls out Pinned Comments feature to everyone

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Instagram rolls out Pinned Comments feature to everyone After Instagram first announced that it was testing the option back in May, the platform has today confirmed that all users can now get up to three Pinned comments within their post-interaction streams. Instagram’s VP of Product, Vishal Shah, took to Twitter to announce that you can now pin a few (of what will likely be your favorite) comments to the top of the comments thread on your posts. Today we’re rolling out pinned comments everywhere 📌 That means you can a…

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Twitter plans on deleting inactive accounts

Twitter

Are you inactive on Twitter and still plan on being on the app? Then you better watch out and keep an eye on your account because Twitter plans on deleting the inactive accounts. Consider being active in order to save your account. Earlier last week, Twitter said that it would in this coming month begin removing inactive accounts from their platform. But the company then walked back on that promise because of an uproar, particularly from those who had deceased relatives with inactive accounts and wanted to have some way…

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Global social media Ad spend to surpass print for the 1st time – Zenith Study

Social media will overtake print ad spend for the first time this year, becoming the third largest channel for advertising, according to the latest forecasts from Zenith. By offering sophisticated targeting capabilities and unparalleled reach for businesses of all sizes, social and search platforms have chipped away at traditional advertising sources. It’s predicted that growth will slow to 17 per cent in 2020 and then 13 per cent in 2021, at which point it will account for 16 per cent of the market. “Social media advertising gives brands the opportunity…

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Older users over 65 yrs shared more fake news, New York and Princeton Universities researchers reveal

Trojan

According to a new analysis by researchers at New York and Princeton Universities. Older users shared more fake news than younger ones regardless of education, sex, race, income, or how many links they shared. In fact, age predicted their behavior better than any other characteristic — including party affiliation. Today’s study, published in Science Advances, examined user behavior in the months before and after the 2016 US presidential election. In early 2016, the academics started working with research firm YouGov to assemble a panel of 3,500 people, which included both…

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Facebook-owned Instagram to allow users to apply for verification

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Users will soon apply for verification on Instagram as the social media giant platform rolls out a number of new features aimed at increasing transparency and engagement. Instagram said it was rolling out the feature locally to clear the air around its verification process which had become the centrepiece of several conspiracy theories including paid-for blue badges and fake influencer accounts. “Our community asked us for more transparency around this issue, and with today’s announcement we’re sharing clear details about verification requirements and eligibility criteria,” Instagram’s strategic partner manager APAC,…

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Germany’s Flawed Social Media Laws

The new German law that compels social media companies to remove hate speech and other illegal content can lead to unaccountable, overboard censorship and should be promptly reversed, Human Rights Watch said. The law sets a dangerous precedent for other governments looking to restrict speech online by forcing companies to censor on the government’s behalf. Governments and the public have valid concerns about the proliferation of illegal or abusive content online, but the new Ger“man law is fundamentally flawed,” said Wenzel Michalski, Germany director at Human Rights Watch. “It is…

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LinkedIn opens video uploads to all

Video is the name of the game in social networking. If you’ve been on LinkedIn recently, you may have noticed that some users are making and sharing videos, basically turning the social network into a more professional version of YouTube or Facebook Live. Following this initial testing period, video will soon be available to all users. On iOS and Android, the LinkedIn app is getting a “video” button that will let you record a new video or upload one you’ve already taken. The new feature will be available to many…

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YouTube bans ‘hateful’ videos from making money

YouTube has announced tougher guidelines on hate content in videos, strengthening its response to three categories. Following a backlash around brand advertising on controversial content, the social media platform is making a move to clean up which videos are part of its ad network. It first promised to take action in March, ensuring that hateful content cannot be monetized. The move was in response to an ad boycott after major brands found their ads embedded in – or appearing alongside – offensive videos. The Google-owned platform has updated the guidelines that govern…

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Snapchat acquires social map app Zenly to allow users to track their friends

Snapchat has acquired Zenly, a French startup that makes a social map so people can see where their friends are hanging out, for $200m in cash plus additional stock awards. Zenly’s app lets users see where their friends currently are on a map using constant GPS in the background. People can then message these friends in the app to make plans to hang out. Snap Inc. will however allow Zenly to run somewhat autonomously. Zenly has said that its product updates will be the main drivers of user growth, which slowed…

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Doctors warn against internet, gaming disorders in UAE

Medical professionals in the UAE are warning that addiction to smartphones and technology among young people can be as powerful as addiction to gambling and drugs, with its own host of health and psychological problems. In many developed nations – the UAE included – it isn’t uncommon to see young children on a tablet or smartphone, with their parents besides them seemingly oblivious to any potential health risks. “Mental health risks of increasing addiction to technology are clear and present,” said Dr Binu George, Consultant Paediatrician (paediatric neurodevelopment and neurodisability)…

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