Getting weird ads? Here’s how to find out what Instagram thinks you like
Instagram thinks it knows a few things about you, but how does it actually find that information? As the social network prepares to deliver ads from influencers that you don't follow, learn how to see what Instagram gets right and wrong about your interests, and what you can do to change that.
Sponsored posts will soon infiltrate your Instagram, even if you’re not a fan
Sponsored posts are a common part of Instagram, but they are about to get even more widespread. The new branded content ads allow businesses to promote influencers' sponsored posts beyond their own followers feeds. That means you could start seeing sponsored posts from influencers that you don't follow.
Snap reportedly wants more music in Snapchat to compete against TikTok
Snap is in discussions with major record labels for broader licensing deals, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan is to add more musical features to Snapchat, in order to better compete against the offerings of rival apps such as TikTok and Instagram that allow song clips to be added to posts.
Vertical video haters win the war — Instagram’s IGTV has a horizontal view
Not yet sold on the idea of vertical video? The traditional horizontal aspect ratio is headed to Instagram's IGTV, thanks to today's update. The change allows horizontal images to fill the screen with the device rotated -- a small change, but one that could play a big role in growing the young platform.
Millions of Instagram influencers reportedly had private data exposed online
As many as 49 million Instagram influencers have reportedly had their private data exposed in an online database that had no password protection. The database was apparently created by a marketing firm and has now been taken offline. Instagram says it’s currently investigating the security breach.
Help wanted: British royal family seeks social media wiz to run its accounts
The British royal family is looking for a social media expert to help it communicate its role and activities to the masses. Anyone can apply for the position, though you'll need plenty of experience of using social media in a high-profile environment to have any hope of succeeding.
How to manage multiple Instagram accounts
Whether you own a small business or have separate Instagram accounts for your five cats, you may be wondering how to easily switch between your accounts. Since 2017, switching between Instagram accounts couldn't be easier. We'll walk you through the process on your Apple or Android devices.
Instagram’s new Explore grid tempts you to open your wallet
Instagram has made some changes to its Explore tab that might tempt you into the occasional shopping spree. A newly designed navigation bar pins a Shop button to the front of the bar and offers access to category filters. It's also planning to add Stories to the grid, alongside photos and videos.
How to save Instagram videos
Wish you could save your favorite Instagram videos to watch over and over again? We know it's easy to screenshot your favorite Instagram photos, but saving a video can be a little more complicated. Here are six simple ways to save videos from Instagram onto your phone or computer.
Instagram ditches plans for stand-alone Direct messaging app
After testing a stand-alone messaging app beginning in 2017, Facebook is shuttering the tests for an Instagram Direct app. While the messaging features remain intact inside Instagram, the separate app will be discontinued within the next few weeks as the company shifts its focus to privacy.
Photographer sues Ariana Grande after she posts his images of her on Instagram
A professional photographer is suing Ariana Grande after she posted photos on Instagram that he'd taken of her. Grande used the post to promote one of her albums, but the photographer says she used the images without permission. He’s now asking for $25,000 for each of the images or the profits generated by the post.
Instagram’s new camera feature, Create Mode, isn’t for taking photos or video
Want to share something on Instagram without taking a photo or video? Instagram's upcoming Create Mode gives users a blank canvas to decorate with stickers and effects. During the annual F8 conference, Instagram also shared details on an upcoming product tag and a fundraising sticker inside Stories.
From Oculus Quest to a Facebook redesign, everything announced at F8 2019
Facebook F8 is finally here, and Facebook has taken the wraps off of a number of new products and services, including a major Facebook redesign, a Messenger desktop app, and more. Here's everything Facebook announced at Facebook F8 2019, its annual developer conference, held on April 30 and May 1.
Photography News: Instagram sues fake like factory, Zeiss launches luxury lens
In this weeks photography news, see why Facebook is suing a company that sold fake likes on Instagram. Find out why photo editing on the iPad is rumored to improve with iOS 13. Check out Zeiss' latest luxury lens, the newest Polaroid Originals instant camera and special edition film, and more.
Earn more likes on your photos with the best cameras for Instagram
Looking to snap better Instagrams? Instagram doesn't demand high-resolution files, but upgrading your camera can deliver better bokeh and low-light quality. Factor in portability, durability and built-in Wi-Fi, and many cameras still offer convenient sharing. Here our the best cameras for Instagram.
Photography News: Instagram’s disappearing likes, the best photos of the year
In this week's Photography News, see why Instagram is testing a version of the app that excludes the number of likes each post gets. See the impressive winners from two different photography contests and the latest features coming to the Fujifilm X-T3. Shutterstock's new AR tool is designed for wall art.
Digital Trends Live: Facebook data security, Ubisoft helps Notre Dame, and more
DT Live talks Facebook and Instagram security issues, Ubisoft's plan to help rebuild Notre Dame, the theft of 100 Car2Go vehicles, and more. We are also joined by Emily Teteut of littleBits and Snap the Gap, Jennifer Sendrow of New York Public Radio, and DJ and producer Zeke Thomas
Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp went down worldwide for 2 hours this morning
Chaos erupted on the internet this morning, as Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp all went down for several hours. From around 6:30 a.m. ET to approximately 9 a.m. ET, thousands of users were unable to access Facebook or Instagram, and were unable to send or receive Whatsapp messages.
Facebook axes fake accounts pretending to be legitimate media organizations
Facebook today removed more than 2,500 accounts for coordinated inauthentic behavior -- including some accounts pretending to be actual media organizations. Other accounts were removed for spam, while a small number pretended to be political groups in the U.S., U.K., and Australia.
A Facebook, Instagram bug exposed millions of passwords to its employees
Facebook, Facebook Lite, and Instagram passwords weren't properly encrypted and could be viewed by employees, the company said Thursday. The network estimates millions of users were affected, but says there's no evidence of internal abuse or external access to the data.
Insta-checkout? New Instagram service lets you shop without leaving the platform
Shopping on Instagram no longer means leaving the platform to checkout in a web browser. Instagram checkout launched in beta today with a handful of retailers, allowing users to checkout without leaving the app. The tool will also send users notifications, including shipping updates.
Facebook explains its worst outage as 3 million users head to Telegram
Facebook, if you didn't already know it, suffered a bit of an issue on Wednesday. An issue that took down not only its social networking site, but also Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger to become the company’s most serious outage in its 15-year history. On Thursday it offered an explanation.
Yep, it’s not just you. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are down for many
Facebook's family of apps has been suffering issues for much of Wednesday. Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook itself have been out of action for users around the world, with the company scrambling to sort it out. The social networking giant insists the outage is not the result of a cyber attack.
13 inspiring female photographers to follow on Instagram
On International Women's Day, fill your Instagram feed with inspiring posts from these 13 women photographers, representing a breadth of experience from travel and street photography to fine art and commercial work.
Instagram: Wacky JetBlue contest offers free flights if you delete all your pics
A bizarre contest launched by JetBlue requires Instagrammers to delete all of their photos for a chance to win a year's worth of free flights. It’s certainly a drastic move, but fortunately there’s another way to get your name in the hat without taking a wrecking ball to your account.
Instagram may offer a public option for collections à la Pinterest
Instagram launched Pinterest-style collections in 2017, allowing users to save and organize posts around a particular theme. They're currently private, but code spotted in the app reveals Instagram is considering allowing collections to be made public so users can share them with their followers.
Instagram to make giving easier with a Stories donation sticker for fundraisers
Instagram is preparing to launch a donation feature within Stories that would allow users to raise cash for a range of nonprofit charities. The company confirmed plans to launch the donation sticker later this year, adding that it will help users to "bring awareness to meaningful communities and causes."
Photography news: Wacom’s slimmer pen, Leica’s cinema special edition
In this week's photography news, Wacom launches a new slimmer pen for pro users. Leica's upcoming M10-P is designed for cinema, inside and out, with built-in cinema modes in the updated software. Photo sharing platform Instagram could soon have Direct Messages from a browser instead of the app.
Instagram test reveals direct messages may be coming to browsers
Instagram for the web has always been a minimalist affair compared to the feature-rich mobile app, but in the last few years that's started to change. Instagram is now testing direct messages for browsers, which, if it goes live, could prompt more people to use it as their go-to messaging service.
Crouching, climbing, and creeping, the perfect Instagram shot knows no bounds
Just how far will you go for the perfect Instagram? A recent survey shows just how willing Instagram users -- and Instagram husbands -- are to climb, lie down, or let their food go cold for the perfect shot. With the survey, Adobe also launched a video as a tribute to Instagram husbands.
‘Instagram egg’ embarks on a new adventure as man behind it is unmasked
The Instagram egg made headlines around the world last month after it became the most-liked post on the photo-sharing service, knocking Kylie Jenner off the top spot. The identity of the person behind the account has now been revealed, as has his reason for choosing an egg for the stunt.
Facebook plans ‘major improvements’ as platforms grow to 2.7 billion users
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger now have an estimated 2.7 billion users -- and Facebook is making big plans. During the end of year conference call to investors, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the company's plans for expansion in 2019, including new 'major' features.
Facebook’s merger plan causing concern among lawmakers and security experts
A Facebook plan to merge Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram has caused controversy this week. Now some experts and lawmakers are raising concerns about the privacy implications and antitrust issues stemming from the plan, as well as questioning the plans for end-to-end encryption in messaging.
Facebook wants to merge messaging in Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram
According to a new report, Facebook is planning on merging messaging services in Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. The goal seems to be to allow users to message each other no matter what the platform, and the change is set for 2020. Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly leading efforts.