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Snapchat makes it easier to find user-made AR Lenses
Snapchat has let virtually anyone create Lenses for months. There's been one main problem, though: you couldn't just browse the user-made augmented reality effects, so finding one frequently involved a bit of luck. As of today, it's much easier. Snap is introducing a Lens Explorer that helps you discover community Lenses alongside the official examples. Tap a smiley face in the Lens Carousel and you can unlock user Lenses without having to find a Story that unlocks it. And if you're looking for a specific filter, you just have to search for it.
Jaden Smith's latest album is only available on Instagram
Whatever you think of Jaden Smith's music, you have to give him credit for finding new ways to capture listeners' attention. The budding rapper has debuted SYRE: The Electric Album, a reinterpretation of his album from last year, solely through Instagram -- as of this writing, you can't go to your favorite streaming music service to check it out. The format is a gimmick, of course, but it also lets the young star sell his work (his profile now looks like a giant SYRE ad) and find out how many plays he's getting with each track.
Facebook's latest AI acquisition is focused on natural language
Facebook might have another AI tool for its quest to tackle fake news. The social network has acquired Bloomsbury AI, a London firm specializing in using machine learning to understand natural language in documents. The move is ostensibly about improving "natural language processing research" and its uses, but TechCrunch sources had previously noted that Bloomsbury would tackle fake news and other content problems.
Instagram may let you ask questions in Stories
You can already run polls in your Instagram Stories, but what if you'd like your feedback to be a little more verbose? You might get that wish. A tipster for Android Police has shared what looks to be a test for a questions feature in Stories -- add it to your creation and your friends can type their own answers, which you'll see listed by user. We've asked Instagram if it can confirm details, but the rollout doesn't appear to be too region-specific. You're looking at an Indonesian user's screen above, while Italians have also reported seeing the option.
Facebook shared user data with 52 tech companies
It's no secret that Facebook shared user data with device and software makers as part of its partnerships. Now, however, the scope of those deals has become clearer. Facebook has responded to a House Energy & Commerce Committee request for data with a 747-page response detailing the social network's data sharing deals with other companies. All told, Facebook has shared user info with 52 firms, including Chinese firms like Alibaba, Huawei, Lenovo and Oppo -- some of these were already known. It has ended already partnerships with 38 of them (some due to companies ending relevant business, like HP/Palm and Inq), with seven more due to expire in July 2018 and one more in October.
Facebook is showing users all the ads a Page could serve
A day after it was reported that Facebook was getting ready to launch new ad transparency tools globally, the company is now making a major change to Pages. Starting today, people will be able to see any active ads running on a Page across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, even if they're not being served to them specifically. On Facebook's site, you can go to a Page and you'll see a new "Info and Ads" button, which you can click to get information like when it was created, name history and see all the ads it has served since day one. If you notice anything suspicious, like a dubious political ad, you can then report it. Facebook says it'll be adding more Page information in the coming weeks.
Contractor hoped to sell social media surveillance to oppressive regimes
Western companies are still interested in selling surveillance tools to governments that could easily abuse them. The Intercept claims to have leaked documents suggesting that Circinus, the defense contractor run by Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy, planned to sell social media surveillance tools to governments still known for suppressing free speech, including Tunisia and the UAE. Circinus' tools harvest sites like Facebook and Twitter in a bid to find and identify "detractors" -- that is, political dissidents. While the software only sifts through public data, it's likely this information would be used to punish critics who could otherwise count on a degree of anonymity.
Instagram’s IGTV could soon challenge YouTube’s dominance
Instagram was born as a simple photo-sharing app in 2010, but it began moving into video in 2013, when it started letting users upload short clips. Now, five years after making that initial push into the space, the company plans to take its efforts even further with the launch of IGVT. It's a stand-alone app that'll feature vertical videos up to an hour long, which is a major shift from the one-minute time limit on Instagram. IGTV will also have a dedicated space in the main Instagram app, in case you want to watch these videos in the same place you look at pictures and Stories. With creators including Fortnite champ Ninja and singer Lele Pons on board, it's clear Instagram wants to lure internet personalities like them to IGTV -- even if it can't pay them just yet.
A first look at Instagram's IGTV
As rumored, Instagram is ready to get into long-form video. And today the company made those plans official with the reveal of IGTV, its new standalone video app geared toward internet creators, like the ones who have made a living out of YouTube. IGTV is all about vertical videos, and although it has its own app, you can get the full experience within the main Instagram application, too -- from uploading to keeping up with your favorite content makers, including the cutest dog on earth, Jiffpom. Inside Instagram, soon you'll see an icon that'll take you into the full vertical video experience, or you can choose to download the IGTV app if you want to keep Stories and pictures out of it.
Instagram reaches 1 billion monthly users
After surpassing 800 million monthly active users last September, we knew it was only a matter of time before Instagram would reach that coveted 1 billion mark -- and today is that day. The company has announced its latest milestone at an event in San Francisco, where it's also launching IGTV, its new standalone long-form video app. With 1 billion monthly actives, Instagram continues to grow at a tremendous pace since being acquired by Facebook in 2012, when it had just 40 million. If that's not impressive, then what is? Instagram now also joins other Facebook-owned social apps that have hit that remarkable number: Messenger (1.3 billion) and WhatsApp (1.5 billion). And then, of course, there's Facebook, which is at 2.2 billion and counting. Despite the privacy controversies of late, it's clear people love Facebook products, and Instagram's insane growth is only one of the many perfect examples of that.
Facebook won't exempt publishers from new political ad policy
If publishers think Facebook would give them an exemption from its new political ad disclosure policy, they have another thing coming. The social network's Campbell Brown has rejected calls for publisher exemptions to the "paid for" label in a blog post, arguing that equal treatment is necessary to ensure the policy works. It would "go against our transparency efforts," Brown said, and would be ripe for abuse. A "bad actor" could hide its identity by claiming to be a publisher, and news outlets can take definite political stances.
Facebook tells advertisers to get consent for email and phone targeting
Facebook has had no shortage of privacy debacles lately, and it's taking steps to prevent another one before it starts. The company has instituted requirements for its Custom Audience advertising that, as of July 2nd, will tell them to ask permission for targeting ads based on contact info like email addresses and phone numbers. They'll also have declare how they got that contact info (direct consent, partners or a mix of both).
Twitter is making it easier to follow your favorite topics and events
Twitter has always been the ideal site for conversations and reactions around live events, be it a sports game, an awards show or serious breaking news. Up until today, you've been able to use the Twitter mobile apps to get notifications from specific accounts you're into, like an NBA team or a media outlet, as well as breaking news. But now, the company wants to take that one step further and make it easier for you to see the latest about events and topics you care about. You'll notice this in the form of push notifications that will be sent to your phone based on your particular interests, including who you follow and what you tweet about.
Facebook provides 452-page answer to Congressional questions
Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress was frustrating if you were expecting plenty of immediate answers about Facebook's policies -- he frequently promised follow-ups, and there were questions that went unasked. Facebook is now filling in some of those holes, however. The company has posted responses to questions its CEO didn't answer during the hearings themselves. There's a lot of material to comb through (452 pages' worth without introductions), and not all of it is useful -- some of it is little more than grandstanding. Still, there's already a highlight.
Facebook's Memories is a dedicated spot for nostalgia
Facebook's On This Day and other nostalgia-driven posts are helpful for reminding you of moments from years past, but they eventually drift out of your News Feed. What if you want to revisit them at any time? You can now. The social site has launched a dedicated Memories section that collects all those souvenirs and anniversaries in a single place. It also includes previous "Memories You May Have Missed" and "Recaps" features that respectively help you catch up on milestones and summarize a busy season.
A DC-themed Snapchat Lens could get you into Comic-Con
You're not completely hosed if you missed your chance to attend San Diego Comic-Con... if you're willing to dabble in some augmented reality art. Snap and DC Comics have launched a DC Super Heroes Challenge that asks you to create a DC-themed Lens championing Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman for the chance to win an expenses-paid trip to San Diego Comic-Con in July. You don't have to start completely from scratch, thankfully, as there's a load of DC assets to bring into Lens Studio.
Facebook makes it easier to find and support game streamers
Facebook hasn't been shy about its plans to challenge game streaming services like Twitch, Mixer and YouTube Gaming, and it's taking that effort to its next logical step. The social site recently started testing a dedicated gaming video portal (appropriately shortened to fb.gg) that highlights both live and pre-recorded footage based on the games, creators, pages and groups you follow. It'll also put the spotlight on eSports competitions and game-related events, and mobile gamers will see a section for Instant Games. The experience will no doubt seem familiar if you've used rival services, but it's hard to complain when you can find a Fortnite stream that much faster.
NBA referees will answer your Game 3 questions on Twitter
The next time an NBA referee makes a call you hate, you can do more about it than screaming at your TV. Some of the basketball league's refs are live-tweeting Game 3 of the finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors once it starts at 9PM Eastern. They're promising to both react to calls during the game and answer viewers' questions. You're not about to influence the outcome, of course, but this could help explain the rationale behind a reversed charge call instead of leaving the decision a mystery.
Senators want to know how Facebook shares data with device makers
If you're concerned that Facebook may have shared more of your data with device makers than you were comfortable with, you're not alone. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ed Markey have sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg asking him to answer questions on Facebook's approach to sharing data with device partners like Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung. They want to know how it distinguishes between hardware companies and app developers, which companies have had access so far (including through exemptions), and what safeguards it has in place to both prevent abuse and give users a chance to opt out.
Sixers president accused of leaking info with burner Twitter accounts
More than a few people have burner Twitter accounts to track news, comment anonymously or even make in-jokes between friends. For Philadelphia 76ers basketball operations president Bryan Colangelo, however, those disposable accounts may land him in serious trouble. The Ringer claimed that Colangelo has been quietly running five Twitter accounts, four of which were used to not only criticize players and staff (including his own coaching team), but to leak private information about the acquisition of Markelle Fultz and Jahlil Okafor's medicals.
