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Meta announced some starry updates to its AI chatbots — licensed celebrity voices from A-list Hollywood talent. The Big Picture: It’s not the first time that Meta turned to famous people to give its chatbots some familiar voices. But after the first experiment failed because the celebrities were voicing characters, the tech giant hopes that simply programming the chatbots […]
Digital publishers are turning to WhatsApp’s Channels feature to share content directly with readers, test out new products, and create a relationship with readers all over the world. The Big Headline: Platforms like Facebook and Google leaned on publishers to drive engagement and attract ad revenue but later shifted focus to opinion content, leaving publishers behind. WhatsApp, the […]
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill into law that puts strict parameters around how social media apps can interact with minors in the state. The Big Picture: Governments, social scientists, and parents are trying to figure out how best to moderate kids’ relationships with social media — technology designed to keep us endlessly engaged. Like many […]
YouTube is rolling out a major redesign of its app over the next six months that caters to the way people are increasingly watching content on the platform now — on their smart TVs. Why It Hits: As user-generated content becomes more cinematic and mainstream, YouTube’s glow-up feels like a blurring of the line between the “premium” movies […]
Snap is overhauling its app to make it simpler, bringing the most-used features to the forefront, spotlighting content from well-known brands and investing in AI. Why It Tracks: Every social media app wants a piece of TikTok’s success, and Snap is hoping that a focus on a unified, short-form video experience will increase user engagement and […]
Spotify is making a pitch to YouTube creators to bring their video content to the audio streamer in an effort to rebrand the platform as a streamer for both the eyes and the ears. Why It Hits: Spotify has been dipping its toes in the video world with its podcast hosts over the past year, but the push […]
TikTok is leaning harder into travel after data showed the platform has become a key tool for users to discover new destinations, build itineraries, and even buy plane tickets. Why It Hits: For years, Google has been the go-to portal for people’s travel logistics. TikTok taking away market share in the category could be further proof of how the […]
After Chicago-based TikToker Jools Lebron’s “very demure, very mindful” clip exploded in popularity, other parties tried to trademark the slogan to reap the benefits. But a quick backlash has apparently solved the issue in Lebron’s favor — a potentially life-changing situation. The Big Picture: The internet is no longer the Wild West where a creator can’t claim ownership of […]
Popular creators like Sean Evans of Hot Ones, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal of Good Mythical Morning, and Amelia Dimoldenberg of Chicken Shop Date are looking to score some of the money, prestige, and awards that “on air” talent enjoys. The Big Picture: The line between capital “S” streaming shows on Netflix and Hulu and some of the biggest shows on YouTube is blurring… and […]
Bluesky rolled out several new “anti-toxicity” features to differentiate itself even more from traditional social media, especially its former benefactor, X. The Big Picture: Social media isn’t really known as a place for positive, healthy interactions with strangers (just look at any comments section), so any platform that can figure out how to make self-expression online […]