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We’re back with another week of Spark Bites by Spark Growth! This week, Snapchat moved up the launch of its mental health resource, “Here For You,” and Instagram launched a media sharing option that allows users to feel more connected when video chatting. Read more for further social media updates!

 

Snapchat

 

Late last week, Snapchat announced it will be launching its mental health resource, “Here For You,” ahead of the originally planned release date.

The in-app feature, which users can turn to for mental health-related support and resources, was announced last month by Snapchat on Safer Internet Day. Though it was originally planned to roll out in following months, Snapchat decided to release the feature sooner in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In light of social distancing and lockdowns people are facing, many are suffering from anxiety, stress, and depression.

Snapchat also added: “As part of the rollout, we’re also building a customized search section within Here For You related specifically to coronavirus, which will showcase relevant updates from the World Health Organization, the CDC, Crisis Text Line, NHS and other partners who are creating content on anxiety specifically related to coronavirus.”

The Here For You feature is now available for all Snapchat users.

 

Instagram

 

Instagram announced the launch of a new feature that allows users to share media in video chat. Media users can share with their chat participants includes saved, liked, and suggested photos and videos. 

New media sharing feature screenshot

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Instagram also launched Story stickers entitled “Stay Home” to encourage users to partake in social distancing. Users can add this sticker to their Stories, which will then be added to a shared Instagram Story. This visual representation of solidarity allows users to feel more connected to others during this time. 

Additionally, Instagram is testing out a “Disappearing Messages” option. Reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong spotted this test late last week. The feature shows that once users have read and navigated away from the message, it will then disappear (reminiscent of Messenger’s “Secret” chat option, wherein users can choose the lifespan of their messages before they disappear).

 

Facebook

 

This week, Facebook announced it will be rolling out a new COVID-19 Information Center Panel that is featured at the top of users’ news feeds. The new addition will include up-to-date information from trusted sources.

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Facebook also announced that users can now access its updated desktop option. The new desktop layout includes a more centralized news feed, an option for dark mode, and other slight changes to improve navigation.

Facebook desktop layout refresh

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Lastly, the platform is currently rolling out a new option for Stories called “Mood Mode.” This feature allows users to scroll through a list of moods (Bored, Hungry, Happy, etc), where various GIF frames are categorized. Users can then choose a frame depending on how they are feeling to showcase in their Story.

 

Twitter

 

Back in 2017, Twitter decided to pause its profile verification process. However, in light of recent user concerns about the fact that healthcare experts who are disseminating reliable coronavirus information aren’t verified, whereas some non-experts who are spreading misinformation are verified, Twitter is now stepping up to address the issue. The company announced it will be working with global health sources to identify and verify experts, and that it has already verified hundreds of accounts. This move will help tackle the amount of misinformation that is being spread. Twitter hopes users will be able to trust these healthcare experts when they see the blue Verified icon.

 

In a similar vein, Twitter has announced it is working on making its manipulated media labels more noticeable. This is in response to users stating that the labels didn’t stand out enough, thus making it harder to see when a post may contain false or misleading information.

 

WhatsApp

 

This week, WhatsApp announced the launch of a chatbot created with the World Health Organization (WHO) to answer users’ questions about the coronavirus. Users can access this resource by saving the number of the chatbot (+41 79 893 1892). 

WhatsApp explains its bot in more detail: “The new service, which is free to use, has been designed to answer questions from the public about Coronavirus, and to give prompt, reliable and official information 24 hours a day, worldwide. This will also serve government decision-makers by providing the latest numbers and situation reports.”

 

YouTube

 

YouTube has made a few updates this week in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

First, the platform will be reducing its streaming quality options to make all videos load in standard definition. Since there is now a huge influx of users staying indoors and working remotely—and are using the internet to connect for work, entertainment, and studying—there is an increased demand on web servers. YouTube’s move is in response to the concern that networks could crash under the strain of increased web traffic.

 

Next, YouTube announced it will be adding a COVID-19 information panel to the front page of the app. This will act as a point of reference for users who want to access reputable and timely information on the virus.

Last, YouTube has released educational resources for users to stay connected during this time. One resource is “Learn@Home,” aimed towards families who are looking for learning materials for their children. Another is “#StudyWithMe,” a channel that allows students to share their study experiences online. You can find a full list of YouTube’s new educational resources here.

 

Pinterest

 

This week, Pinterest added a “Today” discovery listing to its mobile app. The feature will include trending Pins and other relevant topics and news, allowing users to explore popular content of the day.

The feature will be rolling out to users in the U.S. and U.K. this week. There is no official confirmation on when it will be released in other regions.

 

Reddit

 

Last on the list of social media updates this week, Reddit announced the launch of a “Polls” option. This feature will allow users to ask questions to their audiences and get their opinions through a voting process. Reddit hopes Polls will help boost audience engagement on the platform. The Poll option is now available for Reddit users worldwide. 

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That’s all for this week’s updates! Be sure to follow Spark Growth on Facebook for more social media news!

 

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