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Twitter will now alert you if a tweet you interacted with gets a Community Note
Fake news can travel fast on Twitter when amplified by likes and retweets, but now you'll be alerted if you've been an accessory to one of those lies.
Hulu revamp uses 'like' and 'dislike' buttons to personalize suggestions
Hulu is determined to improve its recommendations, and one of its biggest upgrades will seem remarkably familiar to some. It's adding Netflix-style "like" and "dislike" buttons to indicate that you'd either like to see similar titles or never to see a show again. The feature is available now both through the web as well as Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast, the Switch, the Xbox One as well as "select" LG, Samsung, Vizio and Android-powered smart TVs. More platforms are "coming soon."
Facebook will test hiding ‘Likes’ on its own site
As rumors suggested, Facebook is getting ready to start hiding "Likes" on its own site. The company has now officially started a test that will remove public visibility of Like, reaction and video view counts from people's posts and ads across Facebook. This is going to be happening only in Australia, though, and Facebook told Engadget it has not decided whether the test will expand to other places in the future. Facebook said it wants to get some initial results from Australia, before eventually deciding which steps to take next.
Facebook add-ons save and share stories in Chrome
Facebook's save-for-later feature just got much quicker if you're a Chrome fan. The social network is releasing a Save to Facebook extension for Google's web browser that lets you preserve that news story or recipe for posterity. There's a Share to Facebook add-on, too, so you don't have to copy-and-paste outside links. Both should be available in the Chrome Web Store today.
Facebook officially expands beyond the Like with Reactions
While the "Like" button on Facebook has traditionally been a quick and fun way to respond to a post, the truth is that it's not always appropriate. "Liking" certain posts -- say, the news of a pet's death or a post about global warming -- just feels wrong. Thankfully, starting today, that's about to change. The social network has just announced a brand new feature called Reactions (which we've already heard about a few times), which is essentially an extension of the Like button. Now, in addition to the thumbs-up Like we're all familiar with, there's Love, Haha, Wow, Sad and Angry. Love is signified by a heart symbol while the rest are animated emoji.
The 2016 presidential race according to Facebook 'likes'
The data-minded folks over at FiveThirtyEight have teamed up with Facebook to find out what parts of the country support which candidate via an interactive map. While FiveThirtyEight stresses that this is in no way a representative sample (Facebook users skew heavily younger, low-income and female, for instance), it's still interesting to see where candidates stack up in terms of page likes.
Instead of dislike, Facebook is testing 'Reactions' animated emoji
Last night Engadget brought you a sneak peek at Facebook's new "Reactions" feature, and today the social network confirmed it's now in testing. Instead of the often-requested "dislike" to counter the existing Like button, founder Mark Zuckerberg explains (in a video embedded after the break) that this idea is just about giving more options to express yourself. Whether or not the feelings of love, sadness and empathy are what you're trying to project, the test is currently limited to users in Ireland and Spain. If you are there (or use a browser proxy service like Hola to fake it) you'll see something like the picture above, after long pressing the Like button on the website or mobile apps. Depending on how things go, this could roll out to the rest of the billion or so Facebook users soon, but it looks like any official support for dislike is never going to be in the plans.
Facebook tests 'Reactions,' a Like button with more emotions
How you "like" things on Facebook is about to change. Engadget has learned that the site is about to launch a "Reactions" feature that expresses multiple emotions, instead of the long-serving, lonely "like" (and long rumoured "dislike"). Our sources advise that Facebook will start testing the feature on users in Ireland and Spain as soon as tomorrow (Friday). Update: Our sources were right, check out the official news on Facebook Reactions.
Now that everyone dislikes Facebook, it's getting a 'dislike' button
For all of those times when "liking" a pal's Facebook post just doesn't seem appropriate, it seems you'll soon have another option. During a Q&A session today, Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the social network is indeed working on a "dislike" button. Zuckerberg said Facebook didn't offer the option from the start for fear of a Reddit-like battle of upvoting and downvoting. However, the company discovered we have a range of emotions we'd like to express in addition to affirmation, most notably a way to show empathy. It turns out the button has been in the works for a while, and Facebook plans to launch it in the near future. We'll be curious to see how it'll be deployed, but it sounds like we won't have to wait long to find out. And we pretty much know what it'll look like.
Xbox One July update brings help for Achievements and 'Likes' on recordings
Microsoft gave viewers a peek at the continuing evolution of the Xbox One just ahead of its E3 press conference, but everyone should get to try out the new Snap mode for Achievements next month. That's because the feature is a part of the July update about to start testing, along with a few other tweaks. In case you missed the E3 preview, there's a video demo of the multitasking-ready new Achievements mode after the break, showing how it lets players track their progress while staying in the game, and even search for help on how to reach their goals.
Facebook's Like button drops the thumbs up for a new, bluer look
Facebook's iconic "Like" button is changing today, and the thumbs up symbol we've long associated with it is no more. The company's Share button is also changing, though we're gonna guess you're not quite as interested. Both buttons are seen -- daily -- around 22 billion times, so you have to imagine changing the design is a bit more suspenseful than the relatively rote change it seems to be. It also has a pretty serious impact on the virality of web content and the way that businesses promote their products -- Facebook's Ray C. He says on Facebook's dev blog that, "We're already seeing a favorable increase in Likes and Shares with the new design and will be rolling these buttons out to everyone in the coming weeks." Hilariously, Facebook's own post still has the original 2010 Like button design embedded. Should you wish to pour one out for the little digital hand that got your virtual social life off the ground, might we suggest marathoning Happy Days episodes?
Google+ update pulls +1'd posts into your friend's streams
Google has finally added a feature to its social network that makes its +1 feature work more like That Other Social Network's "like" button. As shown above and detailed in a post by team member Shimrit Ben-Yair, starting today it will "occasionally highlight" posts that were +1'd by people you've included in your circles, and show posts you've +1'd to people who have you in their circles. Until now, you had to go to someone's profile to see what posts they'd marked +1, but this change makes it both more familiar (alongside the existing Share button and trending topics) and potentially more annoying. The same circle-based privacy settings that already existed manage who sees your +1s, and you can turn down the volumes on anyone bringing too many items into your stream. The new feature is rolling out over the next few days, let us know if you think it's a change for the better.
The Nexus Telegraph: It's all right if people don't like WildStar
I like WildStar a lot. You knew from an early time that I liked the game's aesthetic and sense of humor, and as time went on it became clear that I also liked the mechanics and the approaches it has toward an endgame. When I finally got my first hands-on playtime with the game, I liked that, too. What I'm getting at here is that WildStar is currently fighting with Final Fantasy XIV for the title of my absolute favorite MMO, and they both coexist in a space of I want to play you both all the time. But some people aren't in that boat. Some people aren't that wild about the game, even some people whom I work alongside. And that is totally fine. Last week's events made me decide to do one of my periodic column-topic-switches to discuss the fact that there is going to be bad press about WildStar out there, sometimes even bad press that complains about things that you don't think are relevant. And the best thing you can do is be cool.
Box announces new features: improved search, file editing and a more social UI (video)
Skydrive, iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive users have all been treated to upgrades recently, and now Box has announced a bunch of improvements are coming to its cloud platform for businesses. The portal header has been redesigned with a focus on searching and navigating quickly, and you can find other users at your company that bit easier, too. Additionally, Box Edit is ready to drop its beta suffix and, as long as you've got the relevant program installed, you can create files, edit them and save right back to the cloud from within the system. And, if you didn't think the whole experience was social enough, an added 'like' feature for files will help you keep up with the latest trending process docs. The updates are due to roll out "over the coming weeks," but until then, why not let an extremely sincere Box rep walk you through them in the video below.
Facebook adding 'Like' to Open Graph, will connect the internet in approval
Facebook is bringing its "like" functionality to Open Graph that'll enable developers to add the action to their applications. Press the heart-shaped button and it'll trigger an alert on the site, voicing your approval for your friend's most awesome Instagram snap, amongst other things. As with the desktop version, likes will be collated in your news feed, but only once you've authorized the third-party app to access it.
Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink
Some have called Microsoft's Facebook app for Windows Phone a red-headed stepchild to the Android and iOS darlings, but it's making up for lost time in good fashion with a 2.5 update. Those who live a Metro life now get full Facebook conversation threads with group support, so they're not left out of the loop when a friend mentions the pub he wanted to visit two days ago. Along with this more conversational addition, it's now possible to tag a friend or a place in a post using plain "with" and "at" statements, and the seemingly inescapable Like button has reached comments for Windows Phone owners. There's more control over posts and active post links in the mix as well, so you'll find a surfeit of social mingling when you update at the Windows Phone Marketplace link below.
The Daily Grind: Do social media tie-ins annoy you?
When ArenaNet thanked Guild Wars 2 beta applicants with a special video earlier this week, the move was met with a surprising amount of angst-ridden complaining because the video was gated behind a "Like" button on Facebook. Some gamers just didn't want to sign up for Facebook just to see a video or resented the idea that the thank-you was really just a clever marketing trick to advertise the game to their friends. While complaining does seem a bit like looking a gift horse in the mouth (and it was easy enough to find a copy of the video on YouTube within five minutes anyway), I can still understand why some folks are irritated by the permeation of social media into every corner of the MMOsphere, from news sites like ours to clicking "Like" for free stuff to auto-Tweeting in-game accomplishments. What about you? Do social media tie-ins annoy you? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Google+ gets baked-in YouTube functionality, seeks your +1s
Suffice it to say, Google's been steamrolling through its services this week and laying down a variety of updates and goodies. Just a day after its short-lived Gmail iOS app was released, Mountain View's veered its wheels toward the "pluses" in its portfolio. To start, Chrome users will find two new extensions, including a +1 button and a Google+ Notifications box, to more easily mark their favorite sites, while those loyal to Internet Explorer can update their Google toolbar for a similar effect -- sadly, there's no such love for Firefox at the moment. Moving on to its social front, Google has finally enabled native YouTube support in Google+. While on G+, you'll notice a YouTube slider near the right, which when clicked pops up a video module (seen above). From it, you and your circles can quickly share your favorite viral videos and view playlists, which Google says are currently being added to G+ search results. Sure, we're still anxiously wishing for things like Twitter integration, but ya gotta start somewhere, right? You'll find a shot of those extensions below, and more details at the source link.
Facebook partners up to bring music, news and videos to your profile through Open Graph (video)
Facebook's f8 developer conference is going on today, and Andy Samberg Mark Zuckerberg has just revealed another part of his master plan for the social network. Open Graph will now integrate many of your favorite news and music services, including Spotify, Rhapsody, Rdio and MOG onto your Facebook page with custom apps, and will also bring video from Vevo, Netflix, Hulu and many more. The media platform's already up and running, so you can see (and hear) the results of Mark's labor right now. Update: Unfortunately for Facebook users in the US, Netflix has confirmed that its Facebook integration will only be available in Canada and Latin America initially, due to a US law that "creates some confusion over our ability to allow U.S. members to share what they watch." That doesn't apply to the music services, however, and you can get an idea how Spotify will work in the video after the break. Even TiVo's gotten in on the action, announcing new sharing buttons for its iPhone and iPad mobile apps, although there's no direct DVR integration mentioned yet.
Skype comes to Facebook, and Facebook comes to Skype (update: available now!)
It ain't the first time Mark Zuckerberg has taken the stage to announce... something, but today's shindig is resulting in "something" that's a bit more exciting for the average user. As rumored, the world's most notable VoIP service is set to become exceedingly integrated with the world's most notable social network. Skype has just thrown up a teaser page for v5.3 for Windows (and v5.5 Beta), noting that Skype and Facebook will aim to provide "the best of both worlds." Zuck is primarily announcing three main things today: group chat, a new way to chat ("an easier way to find someone who is online") and Skype-enabled video chat. Oh, and the tiny, tiny fact that there's now 750 million Facebook members. What's notable is just how easy it is to fire up a group chat (or send transcripts to group members who miss out) and get a video call going using your existing Skype contact list. A single click is all it takes, and we're told that it'll be rolled out to everyone "over the next few weeks" in 70 different languages. The new chat design will be scalable based on your browser size, and the company made a point to mention that it'll be listening closely to user input in order to iterate as it moves forward. Tony Bates stepped up to the plate, and noted that over 300 million videocall minutes a month are going through Skype, and at peak times, over half of its traffic is video. He also noted that the technology behind it was "tough" to construct, but somehow it managed to hammer this whole thing out in around six months via joint development. There's also talk about future "paid products" in due time, and it's strikingly clear that this partnership isn't going to fade anytime soon. If you're looking to take a dive yourself, hit up the source links below for the Windows applications, and wear that F5 button out over at Facebook's homepage if you're more of the "in-browser" type. Oh, and if you're curious about mobile -- video chat isn't active on that front yet, and Mark's not spilling any details on "when." To quote him on a question of time tables: "We'll see." Update: Those on the web can get started right now. Of note, this forces open the familiar chat bar, so it doesn't much look like you can hide from "those people" while attempting to find folks on Skype. Sadly, we're also seeing that doing so can add loads of Facebook contacts to your Skype program, and there's no real way to see that it's happening until it's too late. Clever, Mark. Update 2: We've spent a little time with both of the new options, and you can read up on our impressions here!
