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Facebook and Google are facing trouble again. Instagram and Twitter are testing new (and old) features. And learn a neat trick on deleting email from your Gmail inbox.
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1. Instagram Bringing Back a Beloved Feature (the Chronological Feed)
The much-maligned algorithmic feed is making its way out of Instagram. In place of that, users can switch their feed between three variants, “Home”, “Following”, and “Favorites”.
The “Home” feed is what all users are currently familiar with, that is, the algorithm-powered feed. The “Favorites” option allows the user to view posts of selected accounts based on their choice. And finally, the “Following” feed is the chronological feed that will display posts according to the date of each post.
The head of Instagram Adam Mosseri first promised these changes in December 2021 and started testing these features last week. The feature is available only to a few users now. An announcement on the feature for all users is still pending.
Source: New Instagram test brings back the chronological feed - The Verge
2. Amazon Overtaken by Indian-based Shopping App Meesho
The latest data from Apptopia shows that the Amazon app has fallen to 4th in worldwide installs in 2021.
The top 3 contains Shopee, Shien, and India’s Meesho app at first, second, and third place respectively. Meesho is currently valued at $2.1 billion after it raised $300 million in funding back in April 2021.
However, Amazon is still the #1 downloaded shopping app in the US market.
Other Indian apps that featured in the Top 10 lists include Ludo King, Josh, Mx TakaTak, and Hotstar.
3. Learn How to Automatically Delete Emails from Gmail
Space is at a premium for an average Gmail user, with storage limited to 15GB for everything connected to your Google account. So learning how to delete unwanted emails from your inbox can help you in the long run.
To automatically delete emails, go to your inbox, click the search bar on the top and open the search option. Enter the email ID of the emails you want to be deleted in “From”. Create filter and select ‘Delete”. You will need to add each email address manually. And this will only delete future emails and not those that you have received in the past.
Seems like a bit of work, but maybe like this you can finally purge your inbox.
Source: Mint
4. Twitter Testing New Retweet Feature
Twitter may soon allow all users to retweet with a reaction video. The TikTok-like feature is currently being tested for a select few iOS users and may decide to roll it out to all users based on feedback.
Twitter is following in the steps of Instagram who also released a similar feature last month, that allowed users to reply with Reels.
The feature is available in the retweet menu, which previously had a quote tweet option and a regular retweet only. The company is calling this new feature “Tweet Takes”.
The feature sounds fun but will it stick? That’s yet to be seen.
Source: TechCrunch
5. Indian Digital News Companies Clash with Google
The Digital News Publication Association has filed a complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Google’s unfair practices.
Today, everyone searches for news using Google’s search engine and Google is taking advantage of the fact. The first charge is against Google displaying “snippets” on its search results page which gives information that users are looking for without the user actually visiting the original website. This directs online ad revenue in Google’s favor with companies missing out.
The other complaint is against Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) which forces publishers to adopt the AMP format or lose out on revenue. The other option is for publishers to subscribe with Google mostly benefiting from the deal.
The CCI has announced a probe following the complaint.
Source: Why Digital News Companies In India Are Unhappy With Google And How They Are Fighting Back
6. LinkedIn Announcing Clubhouse-style Feature
The job search and networking platform is rolling out an audio-only virtual event feature this month. Virtual events have been trending ever since the pandemic began, and LinkedIn is jumping on the bandwagon with its Clubhouse-like feature.
Organizers are free to use the feature however they see fit. They can use it hose round-table conferences, Q&A sessions, informal chats with their audiences, etc.
The company plans to roll out a video feature in the coming months.
The feature will be a useful tool to have live interactions with attendees, for hosts to interact with participants and for the participants to interact with fellow attendees. All this will be possible on the platform itself.
7. Dunzo Infused With More Funding from Reliance
Reliance Retail now has a 25.8% stake in Dunzo after its $240 million funding.
Dunzo, a Bengaluru-based firm, is competing with the likes of Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Big Basket in the quick commerce space. Users are soon to be spoilt for choice when it comes to quick deliveries of grocery items. These firms operate using dark stores which are located around cities. Dunzo currently has 60 such dark stores and are looking to expand.
Dunzo offers more than just delivery of groceries. The company includes several non-grocery items in its list. The Dunzo promise is essentials delivered in 19 minutes.
8. Facebook and Google Face Huge Fines from French Regulators
France found that Facebook and Google have been breaching law when it comes to collecting user data. The law states that tech companies have to offer the option for users to freely reject any cookies, but the companies have found a way to make it hard for users to actually do so.
Thus, users are unaware that they can reject non-essential cookies and end up accepting them all.
These manipulative tactics are a serious breach of privacy laws in France and the EU. Consequently, Facebook and Google have been fined $68 million and $170 million respectively.
India is not the only country where these big tech firms face backlash. It seems to be a worldwide problem.
Source: France spanks Google $170M, Facebook $68M over cookie consent dark patterns | TechCrunch
