Because the internet is weird and doesn’t make sense, a social media stunt has gone viral, breaking a dubious record in the process. On January 4, someone posted a photo of an egg on Instagram, with the goal of becoming the most-liked photo on the platform. Well, 10 days later, and that goal has been surpassed by a wide margin. View this post on Instagram...
Google+ is shutting down after more than seven years of existence. While the dwindling user base (as if there was ever a strong one) was mentioned as a catalyst, its maker blames a security vulnerability on the decision. It turns out that Google+ might’ve exposed personal data from around 500,000 users. Who obtained it? Google says third-party developers were able to tap into the...
Google on Tuesday rolled out a major redesign to the Explore tab in Google Maps, making it easier for users to find restaurants and points of interest in their area. It's like having a tour guide in your pocket. On Android and iOS, the Explore tab can be found at the bottom of Google Maps; tap it and you'll be able to easily see what's nearby. The feature will show places based on...
In light of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook recently stated they are introducing a new "Clear History" feature that allows users to clear their Facebook account history. This feature will act similarly to clearing cookies from your browsing history — but does it actually delete your data? Zuckerberg's reactionary Band-Aid response to growing privacy concerns opens more...
For a while now, Instagram has allowed advertisers to upload multiple photos and video to an album carousel. Now, that same feature is officially available to all Instagram users, making it super easy to share media from events, vacations, and other special occasions. “With this update, you no longer have to choose the single best photo or video from an experience you want to remember...
Twitter announced this week that it now supports 360-degree video content. The feature has long been available on other social networks, such as Facebook. Even Snapchat recently introduced a unique spin on the content with its Spectacles glasses. Twitter's implementation is a bit more conservative. "Starting today, you can check out live, interactive 360 videos from interesting...
Following Donald Trump's appointment as President-elect, Facebook came under fire for its influence on the results. But just how involved was the social media giant? Criticism of the company has been growing over the past several days due to its lax efforts to control the fake news shared on its platform. Facebook, on the contrary, has stated that only 1 percent of news is fake on its...
It may have been an unabashed Snapchat clone at the start, but Instagram is introducing new features that give Stories its own identity. Three months after the feature was released, Instagram has released a major Stories update, which includes everything from links to mentions to Boomerang support built right in. The most notable new feature is the inclusion of Boomerang, which allows...
Citing increased video engagement, Instagram on Tuesday announced plans to expand the length of videos from 15 seconds to 60 seconds—a substantial jump, and an opportunity for users to get really creative with their material. According to Jeff Kanter, Product Manager at Instagram, users of the photo-sharing platform begged for video length to be increased. “We think this will provide...
Instagram Direct is pretty much useless. Introduced in 2013, the messaging feature of the popular social network always seemed like an afterthought, tacked on with no real purpose. But it’s getting a major update beginning Wednesday, and it might finally be something you actually use. Before, in order to begin a message, you had to send someone a photo—only then could you start sending...