Tag Archives: Instagram

Instagram Announces New Messaging Improvements

Instagram

Instagram wrote yesterday: We are excited to announce a number of new DM features to help you better connect with friends, making your messaging experiences more flexible and enjoyable. People connect daily on Instagram through posts and stories, but especially through messaging, so we’re excited to be bringing these new messaging features to Instagram.

Edit your messages

Whether it’s a typo or something just doesn’t sound right, you can now edit messages up to 15 minutes after sending. To make a change, press and hold on the sent message, then choose “edit” from the dropdown menu.

Pin chats to top of inbox

For chats with your best friends or family, or simply once you want at the top of your inbox, soon you’ll be able to pin up to 3 group or 1:1 chats for easy access.

To move a chat to the top of your inbox, swipe left or tap and hold on the chat, then tap “pin”. You can choose to unpin a thread at any time.

Toggle read receipts in DMs

Read receipts conveniently let other’s know you’ve read their message. Now, you can choose to turn read receipts on or off, for all of your chats or specific ones.

To turn it on or off for all chats:

Go to account settings
Tap Messages and story replies
Tap Show to read receipts
Toggle read receipts on or off for all of your chats

TechCrunch reported that the ability to edit your DMs lets you fix a typo or change things around if your message doesn’t quite sound right.

To edit a message, you need to press and hold it, and then choose “edit” from the drop-down menu. Once you edit a message, the purple text bubble will have an “Edited” label on top of it to notify the other person that the message has been changed.

According to TechCrunch, Instagram also recently started allowing all users to turn read receipts off, for all of their chats or specific ones. You can turn off read receipts for all chats by going into your account settings, tapping “Messages and story replies” and then clicking on the “Show read receipts” button and then toggling them off.

Meta (parent company of Instagram) reported you can now save your favorites stickers in DMs for easy access. Press and hold on the sticker you want to save and you’ll find them at the top next time you go to stickers.

Additionally, stickers, GIFs, videos, photos and voice messages are available when you reply to a message.

In my opinion, these new features are likely to make Instagram users eager to try them out. I think the stickers and GIFs will be well used, and the ability to toggle read receipts and to pin things to the top of your Instagram is a great idea.

Unsealed Complaint Says Meta “Coveted” Under-13s

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An unsealed complaint in a lawsuit filed against Meta by 33 states alleges the company is not only aware that children under the age of 13 use its platforms, but has also “coveted and pursued” this demographic for years on Instagram, Engadget reported.

The document, which was first spotted by The New York Times, claims that Meta has long been dishonest about how it handles underage users’ accounts when they’re discovered, often failing to disable them when reported and continuing to harvest their data.

According to Engadget, the newly unsealed complaint, filed on Wednesday, reveals arguments that were previously redacted when attorneys generals from across the US first hit Meta with the lawsuit last month in the California federal court. It alleges that the presence of under-13s is an “open secret” at Meta.

Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, proposed a requirement for parents to have approval power for downloads for kids under the age of 16.

Mashable reported Meta loves to decry that it does its best to protect children on its platform. After all, kids under 13 can’t even sign up for Instagram or Facebook because of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 – but that doesn’t actually stop most kids from signing up because lying online is a classic American pastime.

And we know that Meta knows this, Mashable reported. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at a congressional hearing in March 2021 that “there is clearly a large number of people under the age of 13 who would want to use a service like Instagram.” This is part of the reason the platform has considered creating Instagram Youth.

Meta told Mashable in an emailed statement that Instagram doesn’t allow users under the age of 13 to use the app and that it has “measures in place to remove these accounts when we identify them.”

PCMag reported that Meta has received 1.1 million reports of users under the age of 13 using Instagram since 2019; however, the company has opted to disable only a small fraction of those accounts, according to The New York Times.

A newly unsealed legal complaint brought against the company by the attorneys of 33 states shows that not only did Meta not delete the accounts, but the company, “routinely continued to collect” the children’s personal information, including their email addresses and phone numbers, without their parent’s permission, a violation of federal children’s privacy laws.

The complaint was filed last month in the US District Court for the Northern District of California by California, Colorado, and 31 other states.

In a statement Saturday to the New York Times, Meta says the complaint “mischaracterizes our work using selective quotes and cherry-picked documents.”

In my opinion, this is really bad news for Meta. It seems to me that allowing children to use Meta’s platforms – without the knowledge of the children’s parents – is not a good look for a company that should have known better.

Threads Users Can Keep Their Posts Off Instagram and Facebook

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Many Threads users are now saying they have the ability to opt out of having their posts shown on Instagram and Facebook. To keep Threads posts from showing up on Meta’s other platforms, tap the two lines in the top right of the Threads app > Privacy > Suggesting pots on other apps – two switches let users turn off suggestions on Instagram or Facebook, The Verge reported.

According to The Verge, Meta tends to roll out Threads features slowly, so if you don’t see the new toggles yet, give it time.

Instagram and Facebook each got a “For you on Threads” carousel in the last few months. Responding to user grumpiness, Threads said in October it was “listening to feedback” shortly before testing the opt-out switch that’s rolling out now.

The Verge reported that the feature was clearly intended to drive engagement on Threads, as the platform seemed to be foundering after its impressive initial launch. But things look a lot better now. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on an earnings call last month that Threads now has almost 100 million monthly users. That’s still short of the “over half a billion monthly users” that Elon Musk recently claimed that X has, but its a good sign for Threads, just over four months into life.

9to5Mac reported that Meta first started showing these Threads suggestions on Facebook and Instagram in August. The carousels show Threads posts from people you’re associated with on Facebook or Instagram, with a quick link to open (or download) the Threads app and join the conversation.

“If your profile is public, your posts may be suggested on other apps so people can discover and follow you,” Meta explains.

However, this week Meta is now giving Threads users the option to opt out of having their posts appear as suggested content in Meta and Instagram.

PCMag reported that Meta undoubtedly made the decision to share posts by default on other platforms in order to drive engagement and interest in Threads while the service was new and gaining traction.

The idea being a friend of yours might see on Instagram that you’ve posted on Threads, then visit Threads for more. Testing for the feature began in August with Instagram showing Threads posts.

According to PCMag, last month, the company said its was “listening to feedback” from users who didn’t want their posts shared on Instagram and Twitter as well. The company offers a similar option on Instagram allowing you to opt in or our of sharing your posts on Facebook as well.

Personally, I find it interesting that Meta didn’t take into account that there will always be some people who join a social media app and immediately make their accounts private. This is super important for the company to recognize, and it makes sense that Meta is now allowing Threads users to opt-out of having their posts appear on Instagram and Facebook.

Meta Makes Video Editing Easier

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Meta posted in its Newsroom “Video on Facebook Keeps Getting Better”. They are giving users the ability to edit their Reels or videos. From the newsroom:

We’ve started to roll out updates that will bring more Reels editing tools to Feed, making it even easier to create dynamic videos on Facebook. Whether posting a video for friends and family to see, or trying to reach people who share similar interests, our video editing tools will make it possible for people to express themselves in new ways via Reels or long-form videos.

Seamless editing: We brought audio, music and text all into one place on Reels, making it easier to layer and time creative elements to create the perfect reel. And now, it’s also available on Meta Business Suite for reels and for video on Feed.

More clip editing tools: Get creative with your video by speeding up, reversing or replacing your clips.

Enhanced audio: Mix the right sound into your video by exploring and adding music and audio clips, recording voiceovers, and reducing unwanted noise.

According to Meta, people also now have the ability to upload HDR videos from their phone to Reels and for that video to play back in full HDR, the first of our efforts to bring true HDR video support to our family of apps.

All Videos in One Place on Facebook

We’re also making it simpler to explore and engage with the best videos on Facebook – whether you’re looking for popular reels, long-form videos from top creators, or Live content.

The Video tab, previously known as Facebook Watch, is now the one-stop shop for everything video on Facebook, including Reels, long-form and Live content. The Video tab will look familiar – you can scroll vertically through a personalized feed that recommends all types of video content – but it will also feature new horizontal-scroll reels sections that highlight recommended reels, so you can quickly jump into short-form video content – but will also feature horizontal-scroll reels sections that highlight recommended reels, so you can quickly jump into short form video.

TechCrunch reported that Facebook is porting editing tools for Reels to videos for the main feed – this way, people can create short and long videos from one place. Meta is rolling out this tools to Meta Business Suite users already. Additionally, the company is releasing additional editing features, such has the ability to adjust speed, reverse, or replace a clip. Meta is also introducing support for HDR videos on Reels – both video uploading and playback.

According to TechCrunch, in addition to this video-focused feed of videos, users will be able to access an explore page behind the search button. When users tap on it, they will see different hashtags and topic with related short and long videos.

Engadget reported that Facebook is revamping its in-app video hub to give its content an Instagram-style makeover. The changes will bring Reels’ editing tools to all Facebook videos, as well as a new “Explore” section to highlight trending clips and other recommendations.
According to Engadget, it also comes with a name. The tab previously known as “Facebook Watch” will now simply be called “Video”. The section, which will has short-form clips like Reels as well as live video and longer form content, will continue to live at the top of the Facebook app.

In my opinion, it appears that social media sites are competing against each other in the hopes that users will pick their video creation tools over the ones from other companies. Facebook has been encouraging users to cross-post Reels from Instagram to Facebook.

Use Your Meta Avatar In Video Calls On Instagram And Messenger

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Meta announced that users can now use their avatars to answer and make video calls on Instagram and Messenger. The company says the new functionality will allow users to take part in video calls in instances where they’re not camera-ready. The result is an animated video call where you and your friends are looking and talking to each other, without actually seeing each other, TechCrunch reported.

The idea of real-time calls using your avatar could be a welcome addition for people who don’t want to show their faces on certain video calls, Tech Crunch noted. On the other hand, it can be seen as a somewhat odd and creepy way to communicate with friend or family member when you could just communicate via a voice call.

The new functionality is available now on both iOS and Android, TechCrunch reported.

Meta posted in its Newsroom an article titled: “Real-Time Avatar Calls For When You’re Not Camera-Ready And More” From the article:

Real-Time Calling With Avatars

We’ve all been there: A call comes in but your hair looks like a hot mess. Or you’ve just been bawling your eyes out while re-watching From Scratch for the umpteenth time (no judgement). Sometimes, we’re just not camera-ready.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a third option between camera-off and camera-on to let you feel a little more present on the call?

Cue your Meta Avatar. For the first time, we’re giving people using Messenger and Instagram access to real-time calling with Meta Avatars. Android or iOS, we’re phone agnostic. And if you haven’t called your friends as a llama, have you really even lived?

Animated Stickers

Avatar stickers have always been a great way to liven up a conversation, but sometimes a static image just feels a little… flat. Whether you want to give someone a thumbs up, applaud a witty one-liner, or facepalm when sharing an embarrassing story, we wanted to put a little more action in those action verbs and truly bring your convos to life.

You can share animated avatar stickers in Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels, Facebook comments, and 1:1 message threads on Messenger and Instagram. From a jaunty wave hello or a slow clap of approval to showing off your avatar’s dance moves, there are plenty of ways to put your personality on full display…

Personally, when I read that Meta is allowing people to use their avatar as their representation of who they are, it made me think about people who are very shy, or people who are trans gender, who may not feel ready to show their face to online friends. Meta’s avatars could provide people with a more comfortable call with friends.

That said, the first thing I thought of when reading about the use of an avatar for phone calls reminded me of “The Jetsons” cartoon. There’s a scene where Jane is talking to a friend via a computer screen. Her friend’s mask falls off, and the friend quickly ends the call out of embarrassment.

Meta Is Exploring Ads On Reels

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Meta posted in its Newsroom information titled: “Expanding Ads on Reels”. Meta started the post with: Today, we’re updating and expanding our Ads on Reels tests so more creators can earn money of creating and sharing engaging public reels.

We’re inviting thousands more creators on Facebook to join our updated tests, including many of the creators who previously participated in our Reels Play bonus program on Facebook. And in the coming weeks, we’ll begin testing a similar program on Instagram.

We’re also evolving the program to pay creators baed on the performance of their public ad reels, not the earning of ads on their reels. This means creators can focus on creating engaging content while we optimize the ad experience for advertisers and people.

How to Earn

Payouts will be determined by the number of plays. The better a creator’s reel performs, the more they can earn. Over time, we may begin to incorporate other signals into payouts.

Many variables outside the creators’ control have traditionally influenced their ad earnings, such as how many ads have already been shown to the person viewing their content or whether there’s a relevant ad to deliver that viewer. With a performance-based model, creators can focus on the content that’s resonating with their audiences and helping them grow; advertisers get access to more ad inventory to reach more people; and people get a more consistent viewing experience with more relevant ads.

All creators onboarding to the test will automatically be added to the new payout model, and over the coming weeks creators previously testing Ads on Facebook Reels will be transitioned in. In addition, we’ll begin to test Ads on Instagram Reels with a similar performance-based payout model among a small group of creators and advertisers in select markets.

We also plan to start testing a performance-based payout model for In-Stream ads on Facebook with a small group of creators to support creators making all types of content.

TechCrunch reported that payouts for reels are determined by the number of plays, which means that the better a creators Reel performs, the more the creator can earn. Over time, Meta may look at other factors when determining payouts, the company says.

To be eligible for an invite for the program on Facebook, TechCrunch noted, creators must live in one of 52 countries and meet minimum requirements, such as being at least 18 years of age and passing Facebook’s Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies.

Once a creator is added to the program they must complete the onboarding process, which includes accepting the terms of use and providing payout details. From there, they just need to create engaging Reels to start earning.

Engadget reported that it’s not clear just how much creators can expect to make through this new program. Meta had previously promised Reeks creators monthly bonuses up to $35,000 a month when it launched the Reels Play bonus program in 2021.

But the company reportedly slashed those payments last year, before “pausing” the program entirely in March. According to a Meta spokesperson, the ‘overarching goal’ is for creators to be able to earn consistent payouts, but these numbers “will very widely by creator.”

Based on all of this, it seems to me that those who chose to opt-into Meta’s new Reels monetization are taking a gamble. Sure, some super popular people on Facebook and Instagram will likely find that Reels is a gold mine. Not sure regular creators will see much money from Meta.

Instagram Updated Reels

Instagram

Instagram provided information about the hottest trends and more updates on Reels. This was posted on the Creators Instagram blog.

We strive to make Instagram a home for creators like you to express your creativity, connect with your audience, and earn a living. Today, we’re announcing improvements to Reels – that empower you to do what you do best.

Key Updates:

  • Central destination to find trending audio and hashtags
  • Redesigned editing experience bringing together video clips, audio, stickers, and text
  • New insights on total watch time and average watch time to help you better understand how your reels are performing, plus new recognitions for hitting key milestones.
  • Updates to gifts, including an easier way to recognize fans and bringing gifts to more creators internationally

Find Out What’s Trending on Reels

Creators are always looking to discover fresh content ideas, so now we’re adding a dedicated destination for you to be inspired by the latest trends. You’ll be able to see the top trending songs and hashtags on Reels, see how many times the audio has been used, tap in to use it, or save the audio for yourself.

You’ll also be able to see what the top trending topics and hashtags are on Reels to inform your own content. For example, festival season might be trending earlier than you think! We’ve found that people actually start sharing their #coachella content before the festival even begins. These are the types of insights you can tap into with the new trends destination.

Making it easier to Edit Reels

We’re making it easier for you to edit your reels on Instagram by bringing together video clips, audio, stickers, and text on a unified editing screen. This makes it easier to align and time elements of your reel to the right moments in a more visual way. Keep an eye out for even more exciting tools to come as we continue to invest in more ways to make editing your reels simpler and easier. This is available globally, across both iOS and Android devices.

The Verge reported that the biggest change is in the video editing process. Users will now be able to tweet uploaded clips, audio, stickers, and text overlays all in the same screen instead of having to do it in separate steps.

Stills shared by the company show a timeline editing feature similar to what TikTok has, which helps when lining up audio and video clips and makes transitions smoother.

According to The Verge, keeping content creators happy with how they make money on the platform has been a challenge for both Instagram and TikTok – both of which have been overhauling or cutting funds meant to reward users for high-performing content.

One alternative for monetizing content has been virtual tips from fans, and TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram all have a version of the feature. A new update to the Reels gifting feature will show a creator which fans have sent them gifts; they’ll then be able to acknowledge it by tapping a heart icon.

I use Instagram as a place where I can share my artwork with my friends. I’ve never had an interest in using Reels. That said, I’m certain there are younger people who use Instagram that primarily focus on making Reels, and I hope the new features work well for them.