Every week I keep tabs on what’s trending, new technology and consumer habits that impact the social web. These are summed up in a round-up called Social Pulse. Sign up to get this in your inbox every Friday here.
Social Network Holiday Hubs: The major platforms have published insights, trends, and advice POVs for your holiday planning needs. See them here: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Google.
App of the Week: Marsbot for Airpods is one of the first augmented-reality-meets-hearables-apps available to the public. Download the app and leave it running as “a lightweight virtual assistant that proactively whispers local recommendations (and other fun snippets) into your headphones or earbuds as you’re walking around.” Download here: Apple iOS, Android waitlist
Deepfake Satire Series: One of the big 2020 trends to watch was deepfakes. This week the creators of “South Park” launched a deepfake satire series that both educates and utilizes deepfake technology. It’s called Sassy Justice, and it’s…. well you have to see it for yourself. And in case you’re interested in a 101 primer, here’s What’s a Deepfake?
Patents of the Week: Although patent filings aren’t a guarantee that new technology will come to fruition, they give us a hint of where we may be headed. Amazon has a patent for waving down a delivery drone. Apple has another Apple Glasses-type patent that taps into health and biometric data. And a patent for making Siri easier to talk to. And another one for using your Apple Watch to unlock devices by scanning the wearer’s veins and skin. Read about these and more here.
TikTok Ban = Blocked: This week a federal judge blocked the TikTok ban and restrictions threatened by the Trump administration because “Plaintiffs will lose the ability to engage with their millions of followers on TikTok, and the related brand sponsorships.” This ruling doesn’t mean TikTok won’t continue to face pressure for its ownership and data practices, but it does mean the young people in your life can breathe a sigh of relief.
Mia’s Democratized Art Exhibit Goes Virtual: Every 10 years, The Minneapolis Institute of Art hosts an exhibition called “Foot in the Door” that accepts everything submitted by Minnesota artists — as long as it fits inside a 12-inch cube. This year the event received more than 2,000 submissions, and the “orchestrated chaos” of an exhibit is viewable and searchable here. And here’s my daughter’s submission #ProudDad.
Quick hits:
- This week Google results for “Liquor Store Near Me” hit an all-time high. I wonder why?
- Move over Despacito! YouTube’s most-viewed video is now Baby Shark, crossing 7.04 billion views this week.
- Snapchat will now let creators display follower counts on their profiles.
- LinkedIn launched a resource hub to help underrepresented communities better drive impact on the platform.
- Instagram is testing new reactions to Stories without requiring you to send a message.
- TikTok launched a hub to support Black-owned business and is testing a “Learn” feed to boost educational content on the platform.
- Spotify is rolling out the ability to stream music from your Apple Watch without an iPhone nearby.
- TikTok of the Week: @kathdoestiktok is potentially the best account featuring covers of famous songs played via recorder on the internet, including Golden Girls, Europe’s Final Countdown, and The Commodore’s Brick House.
GREG SWAN 