3rd Week Roundup: Meta’s AI Push, Facebook Users being Targeted, Youtube’s Thumbnail A/B Testing and Much More!
We welcome you into our latest and exciting roundup of the week, where the tech bigwigs Meta, YouTube, Instagram, Google, Microsoft, and WhatsApp are all on a reinvention rampage. Meta is accelerating AI concentration, YouTube tests thumbnail A/B testing, Instagram introduces “night time nudges,” and Google introduces interactive search capabilities. Stay tuned to know more. Meta’s AI Push: Zuckerberg Outlines Plans for Next-Gen AI Integration and Virtual Worlds Mark Zuckerberg revealed Meta’s intensified emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) creation, signaling an important shift in strategy towards AI projects as the primary source of transformative user interaction. The company is planning to increase the amount of money it invests in AI technology, focusing on the creation of artificial general intelligence (AGI) systems that are able to think for themselves and offer new solutions that go beyond human input. Meta imagines a future where AI plays an integral role in the creation of virtual environments and can create whole new VR landscapes using spoken commands. While the technology promises better AI-powered tools for advertising and customized experiences, there are concerns concerning potential problems, including the automation of the creation of content and separating genuine users from bots on social media platforms. Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/zuckerberg-says-that-meta-is-pushing-hard-to-lead-the-ai-future/704982/ YouTube’s Upcoming Thumbnail A/B Testing Feature Brings Optimized Content Performance YouTube creators are able to be happy as the site prepares to roll out the A/B thumbnail test option that will provide a brand new tool to optimize content. It was first announced in June. The feature lets creators upload three different thumbnails for each video and run an A/B test that lasts at least two weeks. The idea is to find the most effective way to draw attention and increase the amount of engagement with video. Although the announcement initially mentioned the possibility of a massive rollout by 2024, the actual status was unclear up until the latest update by YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie. The testing of thumbnails is being conducted, but it has now increased to 50,000 channels over diverse sizes, types, and regions of YouTube. The leading social media agency in Mumbai say that although no timeframe is available yet, the imminent launch will be the possibility of a significant asset for creators looking to boost the interest of viewers through optimized thumbnails. Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-says-that-its-thumbnail-ab-testing-option-is-coming-soon/704942/ Instagram Introduces ‘Night Time Nudges’ to Encourage Healthy Screen Habits for Teens In its continuous efforts to improve safety for teens, Instagram has unveiled “nighttime nudges” targeted at making teenagers switch off from Instagram at midnight. This new function will send reminders when teens spend longer than 10 minutes on Instagram, specifically in areas such as Reels as well as Direct Messages. Making sure the importance of sleep for children is paramount; these reminders will gently prompt users to close the app and focus on sleep. The method is the digital equivalent of a parent who reminds their child to switch off their mobile devices during the evening. While it’s unlikely to substitute parental involvement, Instagram’s “nighttime nudges” contribute to the platform’s larger initiatives to ensure safety for teens and security in the midst of the real-world concerns surrounding the dangers of using mobile phones. Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-new-night-time-nudges-to-get-teens-to-shut-it-down-for/704964/ Instagram Unveils ‘Create a Cutout Sticker’ from Still Image Posts Instagram has added a unique feature that lets users make custom stickers using still images. Available through the three dots menu on publicly posted images, the “Create a cutout sticker” option allows users to cut out parts of the image. These can be saved to be reused as stickers for Stories or Reels. This feature, which is similar to Meta’s image cutout feature on WhatsApp, offers fascinating imaginative possibilities, but certain limitations apply. The experts from the leading social media agency in Mumbai users have to search for publicly shared still images in the form of a primarily video-focused feed, and creators must grant the creation of cutouts of their content. While there are some limitations, the potential for greater creativity and new visual uses in the app is huge and similar to the successes of similar features on other platforms, such as Instagram’s Shuffles app. Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-enable-users-create-custom-sticker-still-image/704854/ Meta Affirms Long-Term Metaverse Focus Despite Shifting Public Attention Recent events, such as the CEO’s apparent inclination to artificial intelligence, could indicate an abandonment of The metaverse. However, Meta’s director of global business, Nicola Mendelsohn, emphasized the company’s continued dedication to the metaverse’s vision. In her speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mendelsohn acknowledged the metaverse as a long-term wager and predicted its complete realization in the next ten years. Meta remains enthusiastic about developments and milestones that have occurred in this process. Despite the skepticism of others, Meta continues investing billions in its Reality Labs work, including the recent introduction of a mobile-based device option to connect with VR games and the rising number of Quest VR headsets. The evolution of the metaverse is in line with the changing trends in interaction, especially for younger gamers who are immersed in gaming environments and is laying the foundation for the company’s vision to extend beyond the gaming realm. Although there are still challenges and criticisms, Meta’s strategic vision implies the metaverse’s future integration into everyday life and work. Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-says-that-still-focused-metaverse/704655/ 7,000 Companies Track Individual Facebook Users for Targeted Ads A new study conducted by Consumer Reports has unveiled that 7,000 companies track the activities of individuals on Facebook users while sharing information to the giant social network. On average, every user’s data is shared with about 2,230 businesses, raising questions about the privacy of data and possible repercussions for companies. The study, which was conducted in conjunction with The Markup, involved 709 participants who provided their Facebook data archives to be analyzed. Despite Meta’s transparency features, the study highlighted concerns, including unclear data providers’ identity and the ability of advertisers to override opt-out requests from users. As concerns over data privacy increase, the findings could affect confidence in brands and cause