New social media features you need to know this week
Updates from Threads, TikTok, Instagram and more.
How goes it, PR and comms pros? It’s that time again for your weekly social media recap. But before we get to that, we have to address something ridiculous.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is a bit fed up with the back-and-forth, noncommittal energy coming from Elon Musk over a proposed cage match between the social media moguls, the New York Times reported. Musk has made plenty of public promises but hadn’t yet set a date for the match. Zuckerberg finally called his bluff and said that it’s “time to move on.”
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is a bit fed up with the back-and-forth, noncommittal energy coming from Elon Musk over a proposed cage match between the social media moguls, the New York Times reported. Musk has made plenty of public promises but hadn’t yet set a date for the match. Zuckerberg finally called his bluff and said that it’s “time to move on.”
It’s a wise reminder to take everything Musk says — including promises about updates to his own platform — with a grain of salt. Nothing is certain until dates are set, features are rolled out and talk becomes action.
Now onto the updates.
Threads
Threads is still finding itself as a new-ish app with updates to keep users staying around for a while, Zuckerberg posted on the app. Some recent updates include the ability to share a Threads post to your Instagram direct messages. Another update includes the ability to customize alt-text for photos and videos before posting and a new mention button that lets users tag someone’s account in their Thread.
Facebook is giving a warning to inactive Facebook Group administrators that another leader could be added to their group — potentially without their consent, according to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from Matt Navarra, a social media industry expert. Inactive group admins receiving this notice are told that it has been a while since a Group saw admin activity. “Having an active admin is important to help your group thrive.” They are encouraged to find someone else in the group to join the admin team. If they opt to do nothing, Facebook will choose another admin for them from group members six days after the message was sent.
If you run a Facebook Group, ensure you’re staying active — or at the very least, that you take action after that message. You could find a complete stranger in charge of your Group, able to do anything they please.
Instagram is elevating its platform musically, letting people add music to their photo carousels, TechCrunch reported. Get your photos and songs queued up, folks. TechChrunch also revealed that the app will allow up to three people to be tagged in a Reel as collaborators.
The platform is also working on the option to let other users add photos and videos to another person’s post, according to a screenshot post on X by Alessandro Paluzzi. The original creator has to approve the post before its seen by others. The added media, once approved, would only be seen on the initial poster’s feed. Timestamps and usernames are visible. The original creator could remove media added whenever they choose.
Move over Zoom and Teams, you got a bit of competition on your hands. WhatsApp introduced a screen-sharing tool recently, according to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart WhatsApp users can now take part in video calls while screen-sharing.
YouTube
YouTube is now letting creators add up to 14 external links in their channel’s header, according to a YouTube Liaison post . These links will be visible to audiences on Aug. 23.
The platform is also working to cut down on spam and scammer attempts by preventing people from unknowingly clicking on harmful YouTube Shorts comments and Short descriptions beginning Aug. 31, according to YouTube Help. The change will roll out slowly, per the website. YouTube faced an uptick in these issues including vertical live feeds.
TikTok
TikTok is letting its users add AI-generated content labels to their videos, according to a post from Navarra on X. The labeling discloses that the videos are AI-generated content that looks realistic. In accordance with the platform’s Community Guidelines, the labels are supposed to let others know what’s real and what’s not, per the post. TikTok could remove any AI-generated content that lacks that labeling.
Snapchat
Snapchat added a new “After Dark” stories option that lets users see what a creator has been up to at night, according to Snapchat Support. This feature, designed to encourage posting, is available from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Creators can add their night highlight to the After Dark option and add their Snap before 5 a.m. They could also see which of their friends added Snaps during the night. If a creator adds an “After Dark” Snap, they’ll then be able to view their friends’ Snaps starting at 5 a.m.
Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.
