Twitter testing ‘original tweeter’ label so you know who started a thread
Twitter is testing an "original tweeter" label to make it easier for users to identify who started a thread. The idea is to help clear up confusion about who began a conversation, and to reduce the impact of imitators. The test is currently running with a select group of Twitter users on iOS and Android.
Facebook is shutting down its Moments photo app because nobody knew it existed
Facebook Moments will soon join the list of Facebook's failed apps. The app, which was designed for a more private photo sharing using facial recognition, will be shutting down on February 25. Users have until May to download any photos they want to save from the platform before losing any privately uploaded files.
Pinterest makeup searches can soon be customized by skin tone
Browsing Pinterest for new makeup or hair ideas? You can soon customize the results based on skin tone. After testing the tool last year, Pinterest will soon roll out palettes to narrow search results related to hair and makeup only. Pinterest says the update is coming to iOS in the next few weeks.
Twitter shares sneak peek at simpler, less cluttered design with new features
Twitter shared a sneak peek of an upcoming redesign of its website, showing a less cluttered design with a handful of new features. The update brings keyboard and emoji shortcuts, improved search, and a two-column layout. The Twitter team is also working on an updated dark mode for the mobile app.
Google will begin shutting down the classic Hangouts app in October
Google has confirmed that it will finally begin retiring the classic Google Hangouts app in October of this year. The company will start by pushing users to move to the new Google Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet -- and once they have moved over, they won't be able to use classic Hangouts anymore.
Facebook just added a petition tool. What could possibly go wrong?
Facebook now has a petition tool called Community Action. Facebook Community Actions allow users to create or support a cause, as well as sharing or following that petition. But is the feature just asking for trouble on a network already plagued by fake news and fake accounts?
Facebook reportedly developing LOL meme app to try to appeal to teens
Facebook is reportedly developing an app named LOL, which will feature memes in the form of funny videos and GIF-like clips. The app is said to be in testing with a very limited private beta, but sources said that the app is "cringey" as it feels like a futile attempt of an adult trying to be young.
Twitter suffers privacy scare as bug reveals tweets of protected accounts
If you set your Twitter account to private and you have an Android device, you'd better check your privacy settings now. Twitter says it's just fixed a four-year-old bug that flipped the privacy switch to make the account public, though it couldn't say how many users had been affected.
Nearly a million Facebook users followed these fake Russian accounts
Facebook purged two groups behind more than 500 fake accounts with Russian ties. The group says that the accounts were removed for coordinated inauthentic behavior. One group had ties to Russian news agency Sputnik, while the other had behavior similar to the Internet Research Agency's midterm actions.
It’s back! Here’s how to switch to Twitter’s reverse chronological feed
Twitter has finally brought back the reverse chronological feed, allowing you to see your feed based on the newest tweets, rather than using Twitter's algorithm that shows what it thinks you want to see. Thankfully, it's easy to switch to the reverse chronological feed on Android and iOS. Here's how.
Nearly 75 percent of U.S. users don’t realize Facebook tracks their interests
Did you know Facebook tracks your interests, including political and multicultural affiliations? According to a Pew study, 74 percent of adult users in the U.S. have no idea Facebook keeps a running list of your interests based on online behavior. Here's what Facebook knows about you -- and how to limit that tracking.
YouTube to crack down on dangerous stunts like the ‘Bird Box’ challenge
YouTube already bans content showing dangerous activities, but new rules published by the site on Tuesday go into greater detail regarding potentially harmful challenges and pranks. The company said it's giving creators two months to review and clean up their content, after which they could face penalties.
Twitter extends its new timeline feature to Android users
Twitter has launched a new feature for Android that gives users more control of their timeline by letting them quickly switch between an algorithm-generated timeline and one that shows the most recent tweets first. The new feature landed for iPhone users in December 2018.
A quick swipe will soon let you keep bingeing YouTube on mobile devices
The YouTube mobile app has a new faster way to browse -- by swipe. Once the update rolls out, users can swipe to go to the next (or previous) video in the recommended list, even while viewing in full screen. The update, YouTube says, was in development for two years, including beta testing.
Invite your friends — Facebook Events can now be shared to Stories
Facebook is testing a way to make plans with friends to attend an event -- through Stories. By sharing an event in Facebook Stories, users can message other friends interested in the event to make plans to attend together. The feature is currently in testing in the U.S., Mexico, and Brazil.
No yolk! A photo of an egg has become the most-liked post on Instagram
Until this weekend, the most-liked post on Instagram was of Kylie Jenner's baby daughter, which has around 18 million likes. It's now been knocked off the top spot not by a stunning sunset or cute cat, but by an egg. An egg called Eugene that was gifted to the world by a hen called Henrietta ... apparently.
Instagram now lets you post to multiple accounts in one tap
Instagram now lets you post to multiple accounts at the same time. It's not the regram feature that many users have been asking for, but it could prove useful for some users who manage more than one profile. The feature is available for iPhone users, with no word yet on a rollout for Android.
Photoshop fail gives Aussie leader two left feet in official portrait
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison doesn't have two left feet, despite an official photograph of the leader and his family suggesting otherwise. It was, of course, a Photoshop fail, and the embarrassing snafu was soon trending on Twitter. But at least he could see the funny side.
Japanese billionaire splashes the cash to break retweet record
Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa has proved again he has a knack for self-publicity after launching a cash-prize contest to break the retweet record. Maezawa, who was announced as the first paying passenger for SpaceX's proposed 2023 moon mission, has seen his post retweeted 5.6 million times.
Japanese monks hit Twitter to protest driving ticket in the most brilliant way
Cops in Japan told a monk recently that he shouldn't drive a car wearing his traditional robe because its long length and long sleeves might affect his ability to handle the vehicle safely. In solidarity, his fellow monks took to Twitter to post amusing videos with the hashtag: "I can do this in robes."
Lume Cube wants to help you look your best while livestreaming
You're ready to start a video conference or go live -- when you realize the lighting is all wrong. The Lume Cube Air VC is a lighting kit designed specifically for video conferencing and livestreaming, with a suction cup mount to adapt to multiple devices. The kit launched today for $80.
Indiegogo claims 2018 was its best year yet with 1,300 success stories
Just how many successful products launched on Indiegogo last year? The platform shared the number of projects shipping to backers for the first time. The year-end statistics also list the most successful campaigns, the number of backers from 2018, and milestones for the platform.
Woman finds wedding ring in new Instant Pot, tracks down owner on social media
One woman in Port Orchard, Washington opened a brand-new Instant Pot to discover someone else's wedding ring inside. Through the power of social media, she was able to return to the ring to its proper owner, resulting in a story that fits the definition of a Christmas miracle.
Instagram accidentally wrecks the news feed by pushing out a tap-to-navigate test
Instagram feed look different this morning? The platform accidentally launched a test to a wider user base than first anticipated, which replaces the feed scroll with a Stories-like tap. Instagram has since reverted to the usual feed, but says the feature is still in testing.
Snapchat’s new lenses for dogs will make your mutt the star of Christmas
Snapchat has launched lenses for dogs, making it easier than ever to make your dog look silly. Overlay a pair of glasses, have a blue butterfly fluttering on its nose, or transform it into a cute reindeer. The rollout of lenses for dogs comes just a couple of months after Snapchat launched the same feature for cats.
Here’s how to use Instagram’s new voice message feature
Direct Messages are a sacred and powerful place, and Instagram has recently unleashed a new way to communicate privately with friends and loved ones in the form of voice messaging. Want to know how to record an Instagram voice message and show off your beautiful voice? Look no further than this guide.
Watch this NASA engineer own porch pirates with a glitter bomb package
NASA engineer Mark Rober had a package stolen from him and the police wouldn't do anything about it, so he took matters into his own hands and built a glitter bomb package to thwart would-be robbers. His bit of vigilante justice includes launching glitter into the air and releasing fart spray.
The 10 biggest GIF moments of 2018, according to Google’s Tenor
Whether it's a shocking sports result or a celebrity death, sometimes a GIF is the best way to sum up your reaction. Find out which events in 2018 sparked the highest levels of GIF searches and activity on Tenor, a GIF search engine used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Snap, snap, hooray! Google Photos doubles Live Album limit to 20,000 images
Google Photos' Live Albums feature lets you automatically create albums containing particular people or pets. The object-recognition feature launched in October 2018, but it seems that some users have already been hitting the album capacity of 10,000 images. So Google has just increased it to 20,000.
No, ‘volcano selfies’ are not a good idea (especially during eruptions)
A report from the Royal Geographical Society has noted how more people are traveling around the world to erupting volcanoes in a bid to snap dramatic shots for their social media followers. But it's not always such a great idea, as the formidable force of nature can often place them in danger.
Lip-sync or create trick snaps with friends using Snapchat’s new challenges
Snapchat's latest feature is a new type of Lens that invited users to join in a challenge. From lip-synching to making an object disappear using augmented reality, the new Challenges are designed to increase engagement. Challenges can be shared publicly or privately among friends.
Facebook users unknowingly gave companies permission to see private messages
Another day, another Facebook privacy scandal. Facebook's third-party API practices are once again under scrutiny after an investigative report showed Facebook gave companies access to private messages. Facebook says users gave permission for the access but that API guidelines are already under review.
Twitter makes it easier than ever to switch between latest and top tweets
Twitter has finally delivered on its promise to give users more control over their timeline. It comes in the form of a new button on the main screen that lets you switch between an algorithm-generated timeline or, as some people like to have it, a timeline that shows the most recent tweets first.
Instagram’s 2018 year in review shines a light on where our hearts are
What did Instagram users share the most in 2018? A lot of heart emojis, heart face filters, and heart GIFs. The platform recently shared the year's top trends, including hashtags like #fortnite and #metoo along with a few more surprising trends. Take a look back on Instagram's year.