Social Media News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

ByteDance and TikTok have filed a challenge to the bill banning the app in the US.

A new study has found that YouTube is the most popular and trusted platform for discovering new games among players.

Business social media site LinkedIn has officially rolled out game offerings.

Dbrand deletes racist tweet on Indian customer after MKBHD intervenes [Update]Dbrand has finally realised that its tweet “went too far” and decided to “buried the hatchet with Bhuwan” by deleting the offensive tweet.  Dbrand replied to MKBHD on X, “Fair enough. We left the offending tweet up because we didn't want to seem like we were sweeping this situation under the rug. We recognize that our original tweet went too far and created a platform for hateful discourse. Given that we've already buried the hatchet with Bhuwan, we're good to delete the tweet and be more mindful going forward.”  

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, is following the trend set by other popular apps like Instagram and Snapchat by experimenting with a TikTok-like short-form video feed. This new feature, spotted by Austin Null, a strategy director at McKinney, introduces a vertical feed of short videos accessible through a dedicated "Video" tab in the app's navigation bar. Users can swipe through the videos, engage with them by liking, commenting, or sharing, and explore professional content in a more dynamic format.

Former President Donald Trump launched his social media platform, Truth Social, in early 2022, after he was banned from major sites such as Facebook and the platform formerly known as Twitter following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform aiming to rival existing giants like billionaire Elon Musk-owned X, has unveiled Ozone, a groundbreaking tool designed to empower users with unprecedented control over content moderation. Ozone enables individuals and teams to collaboratively review and label content on the network, thereby enhancing the user experience by allowing for tailored moderation services.

Threads, the social media app akin to Twitter, is stepping up its game by introducing two highly anticipated features - the ability to save drafts and snap photos directly within the app. This update, announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, aims to enhance user experience and streamline the process of sharing thoughts and moments seamlessly.

Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Over the years, Samsung Galaxy S-series smartphones have been creating a lot of buzz among buyers in the flagship segment. Samsung has time and again amazed its audience with standout back-to-back innovations. With multiple competitors in the smartphone market, Samsung has mostly found a way to stay relevant by packing unique offerings in every generation of its smartphones. Samsung's direct competition has mostly been with Apple, and the debate between these two brands will always continue. However, this year Samsung has outperformed itself with the new Galaxy S24 series. The series has been an eye-ball grabber due to its advanced capabilities with the integration of Galaxy AI features, apart from the top hardware. While Apple is far behind in bringing AI to their smartphones, Google and Samsung are a few of the companies that are providing top AI features in the premium smartphone market.

Many people have compared the addictive nature of social media to cigarettes. Checking your likes, they say, is the new smoke break. Others say the unease over social media is just the next round of moral panic about new technologies. We are a pair of researchers who investigate how social media affects the mental health of young people. More than 75% of teens check their phone hourly, and half say they feel like they're addicted to their devices.

As the multiplayer monster-collecting game Palworld continues to clock up staggering sale numbers and break its own concurrent player record, some less enthused Pokémon fans have taken to social media to share just how similar they think Palworld is to Pokémon.

Artist Dave Rapoza has quit working for Wizards of the Coast following claims recent promotional material used for Magic: The Gathering was generated using AI tools.

A new tweet from the official Spyro the Dragon Twitter/X account has sparked hopes that a new instalment could be on the way.

 A trade group representing TikTok, Snapchat, Meta and other major tech companies sued Ohio over a pending law that requires children to get parental consent to use social media apps. The law was part of an Ohio's law — which requires social media companies to obtain a parent's permission for children under 16 to sign up for social media and gaming apps — unconstitutionally impedes free speech and is overbroad and vague. The law also requires social media companies to provide parents with their privacy guidelines, so that families can know what content will be censored or moderated on their child's profile.

ID@Xbox has been accused of using AI art to promote indie games.

Cinema or politics, chocolates or perfume... social media influencers cover it all and are set to spread their influence further and wider in 2024 with MNCs, movie stars and even politicians using them to reach target audiences, bypassing mainstream media and traditional marketing avenues.

Ahead of the new year, the popular decentralized social media platform Bluesky has rolled out a new update. The Bluesky update 1.61 comes less than a week after the previous update which redesigned the logo to a butterfly and made the posts public for even those who did not have an account on the platform. Now, with the new update, Bluesky has added a new in-app video and music player for links. This player will function like the native player on X (formerly Twitter) where users do not have to leave the platform to play a YouTube video and can instead watch it on the platform. Alongside, Bluesky has also added a ‘Hide Post' feature that allows users to hide the posts they do not want to see.

We lost Twitter and got X. We tried out Bluesky and Mastodon (well, some of us did). We fretted about AI bots and teen mental health. We cocooned in private chats and scrolled endlessly as we did in years past. For social media users, 2023 was a year of beginnings and endings, with some soul-searching in between.

Ahead of the Christmas weekend, the popular decentralized social media platform Bluesky has rolled out a new update. The Bluesky 1.60 update comes with some major additions and redesigns. The platform now has a new logo, ditching its old blue sky with white clouds in favor of a butterfly. The company said that the decision to change its logo came after it saw users organically use the butterfly emoji to indicate their Bluesky handles. Alongside, the platform has also made its posts public (unless users opt out), meaning anyone can see posts and search for posts without needing to be logged in or even own an account. The platform continues to be an invite-only, however.

X outage: Many X (formerly Twitter) users who opened the app and website to check posts and catch up to the daily trends today morning were met with a rude awakening when they found empty timelines on their home feed. The realization set in quickly that the Elon Musk-owned social media platform had suffered yet another outage. This was the experience of thousands of users, and the situation is still ongoing. However, it was not the first time a social media platform has suffered an outage, with similar incidents making headlines throughout the year. Let us take a look at the 5 major social media outages in 2023.

Social platforms are awash with ads for so-called “green” products. Power companies are “carbon neutral”. Electronics are “for the planet”. Clothing is “circular” and travel is “sustainable”. Or are they? Our study of more than 8,000 ads served more than 20,000 times in people's Facebook feeds found many green claims are vague, meaningless or unsubstantiated and consumers are potentially being deceived.

Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform and X (formerly Twitter) rival has introduced some new safety tools to the platform to better moderate the content. Alongside, it has also added new features for users to moderate who can see their posts and interact with them. This new set of tools was introduced after Bluesky faced criticism for not banning a user who made death threats or members who were creating usernames with racial slurs in them. Interestingly, the platform is still in private beta testing and has not opened to the general public.

Starting this week, Discord, a global voice, video, and text communications service, is opening Shop to all of its users worldwide to help make their Discord profile stand out with collections of Avatar Decorations and Profile Effects, and other virtual accessories. Any Discord user will be able to make purchases from the Shop on the desktop or web apps, with support for purchasing items on mobile coming in the works. Nitro members will get special member pricing on Shop purchases and an exclusive set only available for Nitro members to use with an active membership.

The effect of the internet use on mental health has always been a controversial topic. While many claim that social media in particular and internet use, in general, are addictive, a recent Oxford study shows that it does not have a major effect on mental health globally. The Oxford Internet Institute found no evidence or link between internet and psychological harm. Check out what the Oxford study reveals about internet use in detail.

Instagram tips: Managing multiple Instagram accounts has become increasingly convenient with the platform's feature that allows users to seamlessly switch between them without the need to log out and log back in. This capability is especially useful for individuals who manage both personal and professional profiles or have various interests to cater to. Here's a comprehensive guide on adding and switching between multiple Instagram accounts.

Ubisoft has pulled its advertising from X, Axios reported.

Big Tech loses bid to toss lawsuits alleging social media platforms harmed children,” blared the New York Post. “Social media companies must face youth addiction lawsuits, US judge rules,” said Reuters. Such news coverage of this week's order from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers suggests that the tech companies mostly lost. But from where I sit, Silicon Valley mostly won.

People fact-checked social media posts more carefully and were more willing to revise their initial beliefs when they were paired with someone from a different cultural background than their own, according to a study my collaborators Michael Baker and Françoise Détienne and I recently published in Frontiers in Psychology.

Sledgehammer Games has hit back at reports about the development cycle of Modern Warfare 3, insisting it is «incredibly proud» of the latest Call of Duty instalment and says that its «proud to be the team to lead the way on Modern Warfare 3», and «anything said to the contrary is simply not true».

Konami is hiring for «large-scale projects» associated with its Silent Hill franchise.

In recent years, as Twitch fended off territorial incursions from YouTube, the livestreaming service did whatever it could to hang on to top performers: signing them to exorbitant, exclusive contracts, offering them favorable cuts of subscription revenue and even handing out free tickets to the Super Bowl. Now under mounting pressure from its owner Amazon.com Inc. to cut costs, the company's new chief executive officer is testing out a less expensive way of strengthening its bond with the creative community — a cross-country, listening tour.  

There are several major social media cases facing the US Supreme Court this term, all having to do with the First Amendment. The decisions the court issues will effectively create a new legal regime where none existed before. The first major issue, on the constitutionality of public officials blocking other users, shows how hard this is going to be for justices who have not yet fully understood how the architecture of social media platforms can change society.

On Tuesday, more than 30 US States filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms over the allegations of using features on Instagram and Facebook to lure children to these platforms and get them hooked on harmful content. Following closely on the heels of that, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has reacted and said that social media platforms will have to be more accountable for the content that circulates there. He also highlighted that these platforms must ensure they do not cause harm to Indian citizens.

The instant messaging and VoIP social media app Discord has now announced a new warning system that focuses on zero tolerance for people who violate their app's rules and protects teenage app users. Additionally, in the coming months, the app will be rolling out new features to the mobile app. As per reports, Discord's new warning system has been redesigned for improved transparency. Know about the upcoming changes in the Discord app.

According to the company, with this innovative LCD writing pad called the Portronics Ruffpad 21, you will be able to unleash your creativity and also make a positive impact on the environment. Portronics, a digital and portable consumer electronics company, offers this fantastic accessory for your home, office, or school desk. It's not just a creative outlet but also an eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper.

Minors and parents suing Meta Inc.'s Facebook and other technology giants for the kids' social media platform addictions won an important ruling advancing their collection of lawsuits in a California court.

New York would restrict the way online platforms like Instagram and YouTube can collect and share children's personal information and let parents keep their kids from being bombarded by “addictive” feeds from accounts they don't follow, under legislation proposed Wednesday.

In good news for Twitch streamers, a recent update has brought a new tool to help tackle harassment on the platform. Now, banned users can be prevented from watching streams. This update comes after many streamers expressed concern about harassment issues on Twitch.

Since Elon Musk hollowed out Twitter's staffing, pushed services behind a paywall and renamed it X, many users have been thrashing around for an alternative social media platform.

Social media or mass media has become a weapon of mass distraction, but there are no concerted efforts yet to tackle them, Justice Mahesh Sonak of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court said on Saturday. Addressing the students of G R Kare College of Law in Margao town during a lecture series 'GRK-Law Talks', Justice Sonak also said that he prefers to remain "uninformed" about several issues by not reading or seeing the news, which he thinks is "better than being misinformed".

Last spring, my tween was begging for more independence, starting with being allowed to walk home from school alone. The mile-plus walk involves crossing a few busy streets. I was hesitant; she doesn't have a phone, so she had no way to contact me if something went wrong. But we practiced a few times (with me trailing her a block behind) to be sure she was confident of the route and talked about what she would do in various scenarios.

Photography giant Getty Images Holdings Inc. is releasing an artificial intelligence tool that will generate images from the company's vast content library — an attempt to create AI content free of the copyright and ownership concerns that have plagued the technology so far.

Social media platform X's head of policy for India and South Asia, Samiran Gupta, has resigned, two sources said, a top departure that comes ahead of India elections and as the company fights a court battle with New Delhi over content removal.

Snap Inc. has gained more than 5 million subscribers for its paid service, an offering that gives users early access to new features like an AI-generated selfie maker for $3.99 a month.

In a few hours, the Sun will rise on the Shiv Shakti point on the Moon. It's a big moment for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). They've been working tirelessly and now the countdown is on to to wake up Pragyan rover sleeping on the Moon for the last 15 days now. Will ISRO be able to disturb Pragyan Rover from its sleep to continue the Chandrayaan mission. If Pragyan Rover was strong enough to withstand the tough lunar night with temperatures of -200 degrees and wakes up, then it would be a miracle indeed. Know what ISRO plans as the reboot countdown is on. Know that just one day is left for Pragyan to be woken up as per ISRO schedule.

The Press Trust of India's (PTI) fact-checking division, PTI Fact Check' has created its own WhatsApp Channel to highlight fake news and misinformation through the private broadcasting feature. WhatsApp users can now join the channel to stay updated about any misinformation that pops up on social media.

Elon Musk's X Corp. has agreed to try to settle claims by thousands of former Twitter employees who say they were cheated of severance pay, according to a memo by a lawyer for the workers seen by Bloomberg News.

Ten weeks into its existence, Meta Platforms Inc.'s Threads is trying desperately to avoid a fight about what content it allows on its site. After Meta finally added the ability to search for keywords, users looking for posts on several significant topics — such as “Covid” — were surprised to turn up no results. Posts with that word existed, of course, but Meta is making them much harder to find (instead pointing users to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website). To prevent the risk of users finding something potentially dangerous or incorrect on Threads, its competitor to the platform formerly known as Twitter, Meta has decided it is better for them to see nothing at all.

The world of Social media is getting interesting day by day as the fortunes of many platforms keep changing. While Meta's Threads is facing a harsh active user decline, Bluesky seems to be doing the opposite. The social media platform Bluesky, created by Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey is performing really well as the latest statistics suggest. Bluesky has officially reached a significant milestone on September 13 and now boasts having one million users.

The first years of my career in media were spent making photocopies, collecting faxes and filing papers. I also opened reader mail, took notes on meetings and ran errands for my bosses — picking up everything from skim lattes to control-top Donna Karan tights.

As children return to school, two issues are rising to the top of their parents' concerns: the impact of social media and the internet on children's lives.

OnlyFans experienced a massive hike in their subscription revenue. Over the years, the platform has grown drastically with adult content creators as well as the increase in app users. Recently, Keily Blair who was the chief strategy and operations officer at the company has now been appointed as the CEO, replacing Amrapali Gan. The change may impact the company's future plans and app policies. So far, the platform is generating massive revenue. Check out its earning reports.

Earlier in July, Twitch announced some new upcoming features to the app. As part of the announcement, it will start testing its new TikTok-like feature called “Discovery feed” which will include short clips of Twitch creators. This will give creators a chance to attract new viewers and subscribers even when they are offline on the platform. The app will have a separate clip area like TikTok, where viewers will be able to browse videos. Let's get a thorough understanding of the upcoming Twitch feature.

Right after X (formerly known as Twitter) owner Elon Musk tweeted that the block feature will be deleted from the platform yesterday, it sparked outrage. Many came forward expressing their displeasure with the decision and urged Musk to reconsider his stance. Something else happened right about this time as well. X rival Bluesky suffered an outage and many users reported that the server load time was excessively high. Some reports are now suggesting that there might be a correlation between the two.

It's September 4, 2022, and around 10,000 people are shouting "Beast, Beast, Beast" in a shopping mall in New Jersey: YouTuber MrBeast is on his way to launch his first burger restaurant, and the crowd is hysterical.

A man who administered a WhatsApp group was arrested here allegedly after a "derogatory" comment against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister posted on the group surfaced on social media, police said on Saturday.

Social media is all atwitter — um, all a-X-er? — about the emoji at the heart of last week's federal court ruling allowing a securities suit to proceed against billionaire investor Ryan Cohen. To be sure, litigation following a corporate collapse sprouts like weeds, but in this case, both my law professor and wordsmith sides are fascinated by the allegation that Cohen used an image of a smiling moon to boost the stock price of Bed Bath & Beyond, after which he started selling his significant stake.

Government will provide a transition period before a new licensing regime for imports of laptops, tablets and personal computers comes into effect, a minister said on Friday, after the surprise move prompted calls for a delay.

X CEO Elon Musk refused the incentives offered by the San Francisco authorities to move its headquarters saying one comes to know about their real friends when "chips are down."

Twitter has swapped the fluffy bird that used to symbolise the social media platform for a spindly black X.

TikTok, the social platform known for its addictive video content, announced Monday that it will offer text-only posts, becoming the latest tech giant to offer an alternative to embattled Twitter.

Just after receiving a huge response in the world of microblogging, the popularity of Threads seems to be fading away - fast. Instagram's ambitious attempt to compete with Twitter through its app "Threads" is facing significant challenges.

Nearly five billion people, or slightly more than 60 percent of the world's population, are active on social media, according to a recent study.