Welcome to Social Media Buzz Weekly, your weekly bulletin of the latest social media updates. With the social media landscape evolving with each passing day, it can be challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments. Well, not anymore, as we have taken it upon ourselves to keep you abreast of every happening in the social media space.
So, without any further ado, let’s look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.
1. Facebook’s Removing Its ‘Hobbies’ Section From User Profiles
As of December 13th, Facebook is removing its “Hobbies” listings on user profiles, as it looks to streamline its profile display options. Facebook added the option of Hobby listing back in 2019.
In case, you have uploaded a list of hobbies, and you want to download any associated data (in case you forget what you’re interested in), you should probably get to it, as it’ll only be around for a couple more weeks.
2. Meta Launches Collaborative Legal Action With Louboutin Targeting Counterfeit Sellers
Meta has teamed up with luxury fashion brand Christian Louboutin to file a joint lawsuit against an individual who had been running a counterfeiting operation from Mexico, and selling replica Louboutin products via Facebook and Instagram.
Meta has been upping its IP enforcement of late, by implementing new ways for brands to protect their properties through expanded detection and removal measures in its apps. Last year, Meta enhanced its Brand Rights Protection Manager tool with a new capacity for brands to enact faster takedowns of content that Meta’s system had detected as potential replicas.
3. Meta Refutes EU Classification of Messenger and Marketplace Under New Regulations
Meta has launched an appeal against E.U. “gatekeeper” designations for Messenger and Marketplace as separate entities, arguing instead that both are in fact elements of Facebook, and should be assessed as such.
Under the new E.U. Digital Markets Act (D.M.A.), platforms which E.U. officials consider to be providing “an important gateway between businesses and consumers” are now labeled as “gatekeeper” apps, which then subjects each to new rules around neutrality, openness, and other regulatory measures. Messenger and Marketplace are currently considered to be gatekeeper services, which, for Messenger, will see it held to new rules relating to interoperability standards, while Marketplace would need to adhere to additional consumer protection laws in the region.
4. Instagram Is Retiring Its Guides Posting Option Next Month
Instagram has announced that it’s shelving its “Guides” feature next month, which could be a consideration for your IG strategy.
Instagram Guides are going away as of December 15th, with all existing Guides on profiles to be converted to Collections. Instagram first launched Guides back in 2020, as a means to highlight themed content and showcase more in-depth material in a more engaging, interactive way. Guides provided an alternative display format, enabling creators and brands to share explainers and image collections, accompanied by short text descriptions. Guides are also able to be shared via Stories, which provides another way to drive engagement.
5. Instagram Rolls Out Achievement Awards for Creator Milestones
As part of its efforts to incentivize creators, Instagram has rolled out a new “Achievements” display, available in “Creator Mode” in the app, which allocates different badges for engagement milestones, like reaching 100 total post likes, 1,000 video plays, and more. The new “Achievements” display is available in the “Your Tools” section of the “Professional Dashboard” for those who’ve switched to a Creator Account.
6. Instagram Rolls Out Option To Share Reels and Feed Posts With ‘Close Friends’ Only
Instagram has officially announced that all users will be able to share feed posts and Reels with a selected group of people that they’ve added to their “Close Friends” list.
You’ll now be able to change the audience for your feed updates to “Close Friends”, providing another way to facilitate more intimate connection and engagement in the app. Instagram initially added “Close Friends” for Stories back in 2018, which enables you to create a list of up to 100 people into a more contained group, as opposed to public posting. It’s since added Notes and Reels into the content mix, providing another enclosed group engagement option, though apparently not all users have had the capacity to share these with their private groups.
7. X Files Lawsuit Against Media Matters To Refute Claims Its Brand Safety Measures Are Failing
X Corp has filed a new lawsuit against Media Matters, which accuses Media Matters, a non-profit misinformation research group, of fabricating evidence in order to suggest that X is displaying ads from big-name brands alongside harmful content, including posts from neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBTQ accounts.
Media Matters has released several reports on this, many of which have included visual examples of ads from major brands displayed alongside harmful posts. These investigations have now led to a new boycott of X ads, with several major brands, including Disney, Apple, and more, announcing that they’re putting a pause on their X campaigns in light of these findings. In response, X has refuted the Media Matters report, with both owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino going on the offensive, accusing Media Matters of manipulating their findings through inorganic means, which have resulted in non-indicative results.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next week with more news and updates for you from the social media world. Till then, stay tuned!
If you want to read more on the latest developments taking place in the social media space, take a look at ClickInsights’ Social Media Buzz, wherein we bring to you monthly reports on everything going on in social media, ranging from platform updates to policy changes that influence the way we market.