YouTube Provides Insight on Updated Verification Badge Process for Creators

YouTube

Last September, YouTube announced that it was changing its processes on how creators can apply for a Verification badge, and what the requirements would be moving forward. This week, YouTube has provided an update on this process, including a full overview of how you can go about getting a verification badge for your channel. First off, … Read more

Snapchat Publishes New Research into Evolving Approaches to Education

Snapchat

Snapchat has published some new insights into how students feel about education, in light of COVID-19, and the impact that the pandemic has had on the school year. And while it’s impossible to estimate the full ramifications of the lockdowns and associated changes, the data does shine a light on some relevant trends relating to education and … Read more

US Senators Call for Increased Social Media Regulation on Political Posts after Blocking of NY Post Article

New York Post

Given the simmering tensions within US politics and the ongoing accusations around perceived media bias, it seemed inevitable that there was going to be a significant conflict, of some kind, during the Presidential Election campaign. This week, the New York Post published two articles that detailed accusations against Presidential candidate Joe Biden in regards to international … Read more

TikTok Announces New Partnership with OpenSlate to Ensure Brand Safety in Ad Placement and Content

TikTok

TikTok has announced a new partnership with the brand safety platform OpenSlate to ensure ads and branded content are not displayed alongside questionable material on the platform. As explained by TikTok: “With the introduction of the TikTok Brand Safety Solution, verified by OpenSlate, we apply a high level of safety to verify and filter a variety of content and … Read more

Google Publishes a New 27-Page Guide to Evolving Shopping Behaviors in 2020

shopping

Christmas is just 70 days away, and the holiday shopping season is already ramping up. And given the impacts of 2020, every business will be seeking to maximize its opportunities, as best it can, within the period. To help with this, Google has published a new, 27-page guide on evolving shopping behaviors, based on search trends, along with … Read more

TikTok Continues to Combat the US Government’s Executive Order as it Pushes to Remain in the US

TikTok

So what’s the latest on the TikTok takeover situation? I’m glad you asked – this week, as negotiations continue over the sale of TikTok to an Oracle/Walmart lead consortium, which it’s worth noting has not been officially agreed to as yet. While those discussions continue, TikTok continued to combat the US Government’s Executive Order, which … Read more

Instagram is Attack-Ready for those Influencers Who has Refused to Disclose Commercial Partnerships

Influencers

Following a recent investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority, Instagram has vowed to do more to protect consumers by ensuring that influencers disclose commercial relationships within their posts. In the UK, and in many other nations, influencers are required to flag commercial arrangements by tagging their posts with #ad or #sponsored. But the CMA has found that … Read more

Facebook Messenger Adds New Features for Halloween, Including AR Masks and 360 Backgrounds

Facebook

Like everything in 2020, Halloween is going to look a lot different this time around, with limitations on how people can participate, and take part in the normally significant community event. The advantage of that could be that you won’t have to put in so much effort with your Halloween costume – and if you … Read more

Facebook Announces New Emotional Health Resource Center to Enhance Mental Health

Facebook

As if a global pandemic wasn’t hard enough in itself, COVID-19 has opened up the floodgates to mental health challenges around the world. With global mental health issues on the rise, medical experts are teaming up with social media platforms to raise awareness and provide helpful resources to those in need. Just in time for World … Read more

Instagram Releases New Features to Mark its 10th Birthday, Including Stories Map

Instagram

Instagram is celebrating its tenth birthday, and to mark the occasion, it’s added a couple of new, celebratory features and updates, ranging from visual additions to the expansion of its eCommerce tools. The main celebratory element is its Stories Map, which provides a private look at where you’ve posted Instagram Stories from (when you’ve used a … Read more