Tag: social media

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter will charge for text-based account two-factor authentication

Twitter users will soon need to switch to using an authenticator app or a security key to use two-factor authentication because text-based two-factor authentication (2FA) is becoming a ‘Blue’ exclusive feature.

If you’re not currently a Twitter Blue subscriber, you can no longer activate 2FA through text, and those still using the feature have until March 20th to disable it and switch to a different method. Twitter says it made this decision after observing “phone-number based 2FA be used — and abused — by bad actors.”

The social media platform’s real intention is likely to offer more exclusive features through its Blue subscription beyond the coveted Blue checkmark that has lost all meaning now that any user can purchase it. This move has likely been in the works for weeks. Earlier this week, I encountered an issue where text message 2FA suddenly stopped working, and I was locked out of my Twitter account. The only way to reaccess my account was to add my phone number again through Twitter’s mobile app, which I, thankfully, still had logged in.

Twitter users currently using 2FA with text messages are already receiving notifications that they need to switch their authentication method or shell out for a Blue subscription.

Twitter Blue in Canada costs $9.99 per month.

Source: Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

BeReal adding Spotify integration, enabling users to share favourite songs

French social media app BeReal is said to be developing its own Spotify integrations. The platform has been steadily gaining more attention, attracting a larger audience. It appears as though users will soon be able to share their favourite songs with followers.

For the uninitiated, BeReal enables users to capture and share a photo every day at a different time. It’s designed to encourage users to share authentic moments with friends and followers, given the small window of opportunity. Now, it’s been discovered that users will be able to add music via Spotify alongside sharing a selfie or a photo.

Developer and app analyst Alessandro Paluzzi discovered this work-in-progress. As it’s been shared, BeReal’s music integration allows users to share a song from Spotify with their followers when posting their picture within the allotted window. It’s believed that the feature will launch for both iOS and Android.

On top of music, users can share podcasts when creating content for the platform. BeReal is said to be able to automatically detect when a song or podcast is being listened to. A link to navigate to the content within Spotify is also shared. The app also displays a message reading, “Listen to music or podcasts when you take your BeReal to share it with your friends.”

At the time of writing, it’s unclear when BeReal’s integration of Spotify will be available to all users.

Hive intended to integrate Spotify into its core social platform. Harkening back to the days of MySpace, an option to link their Spotify account to Hive was once active. However, since shutting down its servers as a result of a security issue, this no longer seems possible.

Header image credit: BeReal

Source: Alessandro Paluzzi via 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

New Instagram tools give back control to the user

Meta-owned Instagram has added a few new tools that would allow users to gain more control over the app, avoid content and help parents supervise their kids’ Instagram with updated parental tools.

Starting off with “Quiet Mode,” Instagram is making it easier for users to focus and set boundaries with their friends and followers. The feature, which will be available to users in Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia New Zealand starting now, will allow users to turn off notifications, change their profile’s activity status to “In Quiet Mode,” and send an automatic reply when someone sends you a direct message.

Once you’re done with your ‘Quiet’ time, and turn the feature off, Instagram will give you a quick summary of all the missed notifications.

In addition to being available to all users, Instagram will also prompt teens to use Quiet Mode when they spend a significant amount of time on the platform late at night. The company hopes to expand the feature to more countries in the future.

Next up are new ways for users to manage their recommendations.

The new recommendations tool allows users to personalize the content they see on Instagram’s Explore page, and avoid content they aren’t interested in and don’t want recommended to them in other areas of the platform, such as Reels, Search and more.

Users can click on the three dots on top of a post on the Explore page and tap ‘Not Interested,’ and Instagram will avoid showing similar content in other places where it makes recommendations, like Reels, Search and more.

Instagram is also expanding its existing feature that allows users to hide comments and direct messages containing specific words. Now, users can apply this feature to recommended posts across Instagram. Users can add a word or list of words, emojis or hashtags that they want to avoid on Instagram and the platform will no longer recommend content with those words in the caption or the hashtag.

To add keyword to avoid, head to your profile and tap on the hamburger icon on the top right. Tap on Settings > Privacy and then Hidden Words to access the feature.

Lastly, while the above-mentioned features are useful for users to take control of their Instagram accounts, the other tool is for parents to take over control, at least to some degree.

Instagram, already has the option for parents to see their teen’s Instagram settings, including their privacy and account settings. The new update lets parents know if their teen updates a setting on their Instagram account. Instagram will send a notification indicating the change in settings. Further, parents can also view accounts that the teen has blocked.

The Parental tools are available via Family Center.

Image credit: Instagram

Source: Instagram

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter finally acknowledges third-party app issue

Days after several third-party Twitter apps stopped working, Twitter finally seems to be acknowledging the problem.

Well, sort of.

A tweet from the Twitter Dev account blames the stoppage on enforcing “long-standing API rules.”

“Twitter is enforcing its long-standing API rules. That may result in some apps not working,” the tweet reads.

As previously reported, several third-party apps stopped working on January 12th. The move was thought to be intentional at the time, and according to Twitter’s latest statement, that seems to be the case.

Twitter has offered API allowing third parties to access the platform for years, letting developers build their own ways to access Twitter.

The company failed to provide any further explanation, including why it randomly started to enforce its “long-standing” rules without warning.

Source: @TwitterDev Via: iPhone in Canada

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Mobile Syrup

TikTok is testing horizontal full-screen video mode

Smart phone with TIK TOK logo, which is a popular social network on the internet.

TikTok is testing a new YouTube-like horizontal full-screen mode.

Select users around the world have access to a “full screen” button on videos. Clicking the button launches the video horizontally.

This isn’t the first YouTube-like feature TikTok has tested. The social media platform now allows users to upload videos as long as 10 minutes, attracting YouTubers who have the freedom to post longer videos.

YouTube has also changed its platform, attracting creators who are used to TikTok’s original platform of short-form videos. The company added shorts, its version of short-form video, to its partner program in September.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Via: TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter has banned the account that tracked Elon Musk’s private jet

A famous Twitter account that had been constantly tracking Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk’s private jet has been suspended.

The account, @ElonJet, used publicly available information to follow which airports Musk’s private jet flew to, and shared the updated on Twitter. Notably, the person who ran the account, @jxckSweeney has also been suspended.

So much for freedom of speech?

Before the @jxckSweeney account was banned, Sweeney said that screenshots provided by a Twitter employee indicated that the social media company was limiting the @ElonJet account’s reach, essentially shadow-banning it.

Back in January, Musk offered Sweeney $5,000 to take down the account and stop tracking his whereabouts, saying that it is a security risk, even though the information used by Sweeney was available publicly, and he just broadcasted it to his audience on Twitter. At the time, Sweeney declined Musk’s offer and said, “Any chance to up that to $50k? It would be great support in college and would possibly allow me to get a car maybe even a Model 3.”

It is currently unknown why both of Sweeney’s accounts were banned, but we’ll hopefully hear about it soon, likely from Musk himself.

Sweeney’s @elonmuskjet Instagram account is still up and running.

Via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter’s former safety chief says Elon Musk’s polls are being manipulated by bots

A ex-Twitter executive is calling out Elon Musk for his use of polls on the platform.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Yoel Roth, Twitter’s former head of trust and safety, pointed out that polls can be easily swayed by bots.

“Polls are more prone to manipulation than almost anything else [on Twitter]. It’s interesting, given his [Elon’s] use of polls,” said Roth.

He was referring to the fact that Musk has used polls to justify making certain decisions, like his controversial reinstatement of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Out of nearly 15.1 million votes, just under 52 percent of people voted in favour of letting Trump back on Twitter after he was banned in January 2021 for his “incitement of violence” in tweets related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

After the poll closed, Musk tweeted “Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” meaning “the voice of people is the voice of God.” (Never mind the fact that people pointed out that the full Latin quote, “Nec audiendi qui solent dicere, vox populi, vox dei, quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit,” translates to “Do not listen to those who say the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the tumult of the crowd is always close to madness.”)

Musk had also previously criticized Twitter for banning Trump, most recently calling it a “grave mistake,” well before launching a poll. It appears that doing so was just a way to claim that he was listening to “the majority” in regards to something he was clearly planning to do regardless. He also claimed that Twitter was forming a “content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints” and that “no major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes,” but later claimed unnamed “activists” shut that down.

We’ve already seen some major examples of how bots have been used to influence foreign elections or, in a less serious example, something like the successful “#ReleaseTheSnyderCut” campaign for Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

There’s also an irony in bots helping Musk with his polls, as the Tesla CEO previously argued that Twitter was downplaying how many are on the platform as an excuse to get out of buying the social media giant.

Rolling Stone reports that another former Twitter employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said that “the number of people who understand polls that are left [at Twitter] – it’s basically zero.” Musk has been laying off employees en masse as part of broader efforts to cut Twitter’s costs.

Source: Rolling Stone

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Mobile Syrup

Musk is ‘holding off’ relaunching Twitter Blue until he is confident about stopping impersonation

After the blunder of a lunch that was Twitter Blue with Verification, and its prompt end, Elon Musk decided to relaunch the subscription service on November 29th. 

Now, according to a recent Tweet, it appears as though it’ll be a little longer before Twitter users would be able to get their hands on the subscription service.

“Holding off relaunch of Bue Verified until there is high confidence of stopping impersonation,” he wrote. “Will probably use different color check for organizations than individuals.”

Additionally, we already know that once relaunched, only accounts older than 90 days would be able to purchase the subscription. “Newly created Twitter accounts will not be able to subscribe to Twitter Blue for 90 days,” reads the ‘About Twitter Blue’ page. 

Other than that, it is currently unknown what other measures Musk and team are taking to combat imposters.

The initial rollout of Twitter Blue with Verification was haphazard, and laden with a myriad of fake imposter accounts, so much so that a fake, yet verified Eli Lilly Twitter account’s Tweet that read “We are excited to announce insulin is free now,” causing the company’s market cap to shrink by billions.

Subsequently, this caused a horde of key advertisers to mark the platform as “high risk,” and leave the platform, including IPG, Omnicom and even GroupM. Even Cosette, a media and marketing agency based in Quebec City that manages ads for the federal government, has asked government agencies to pause activity on Twitter.

Elsewhere, even after multiple rounds of layoffs at Twitter, Musk intends to cut down the platform’s sales and partnerships teams.

The latest news on Twitter and Musk can be found here.

Source: @elonmusk

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter employees quit in droves following Elon Musk’s demand for ‘hardcore’ policy

Twitter’s days could be numbered.

Following an ultimatum from new Twitter CEO Elon Musk demanding remaining staff adopt a “hardcore” policy of “long hours at high intensity” or leave the company with three months of severance, hundreds of employees have reportedly opted to depart their roles at the social media giant.

In an email sent to Twitter employees on Wednesday, Musk said that “going forward, to build a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and succeed in an increasingly competitive world, we will need to be extremely hardcore.” The awful Elden Ring player asked employees to click “yes” by 5pm ET/2pm PT if they wanted to continue working for the beleaguered social media giant. Those who didn’t respond would be considered to have quit and no longer working for “Twitter 2.0.”

The New York Times reports that hundreds of employees opted to leave Twitter rather than continue to work under Musk’s new regime. According to The Verge, employees posted farewell messages and salute emojis in Twitter’s internal Slack, stating that they did not respond to Musk’s request.

However, Musk appears to have walked back some of his earlier comments regarding a blanket ban on working from home, according to an internal memo, though he emphasized managers will still be fired if remote team members underperform.

Further, Twitter closed all of its office buildings and suspended badge access, with the social media giant’s offices set to reopen on November 21st. Platformer‘s Zoe Schiffer says that Musk and his leadership remain unsure of what employees clicked “yes” on the Google form in his email.

Musk laid off roughly half of Twitter’s 7,500 employees earlier this month. It’s believed that following these latest departures from the social media platform could make it unable to continue to run adequately — but don’t worry because, according to Musk, “the best people are staying,” and he’s “not super worried.”

Earlier this week, Musk fired several employees who criticized him in tweets and internal messages.

All of MobileSyrup‘s Elon Musk x Twitter coverage can be found here.

Source: The Verge, Engadget, The New York Times, @ZoeSchiffer

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Mobile Syrup

Advertisers are marking Twitter as a ‘high risk’ platform to spend money on

Several advertisers, including industry giants like IPG and Omnicom have already recommended their clients to pause advertising activity on Twitter, and now, the world’s biggest ad company, and Twitter’s biggest spender, GroupM, part of WPP, is following suit.

As first reported by Digiday, the advertiser, which manages ads for clients like Google, L’Oréal, Bayer, Nestle, Unilever, Coke, and Mars, is telling clients that buying ads on Twitter is “high risk,” following several controversies at the platform.

“Based on the news yesterday [Nov. 10th] of additional senior management resignations from key posts, high profile examples of blue check abuse on corporate accounts, and the potential inability for Twitter to comply with their federal consent decree, GroupM’s Twitter Risk Assessment is increased to a High-Risk rating for all tactics,” wrote the company in a document shared with clients, seen by Digiday.

GroupM also says that it hasn’t completely ticked Twitter off its list. The social media platform can get back into GroupM’s good books if it can:

  • Return to baseline NSFW levels
  • Re-populate IT security, privacy, trust & safety senior staff
  • Establish internal checks & balances
  • Offers full transparency on future development plans of community guidelines/content moderation/ anything affecting user security or brand safety
  • Demonstrates commitment to effective content moderation, and enforces current Twitter Rules, e.g., account impersonation, violative content removal timing, intolerance of hate speech & misinformation, etc.

It’s obvious that advertisers don’t want big brand clients to appear on Twitter. Large-scale layoffs at the company have increased concerns about the platform’s ability to moderate content and achieve brand safety. Hate speech on the platform, including racist and derogatory slurs, soared in the initial days of the Musk acquisition, while a myriad of fake imposter accounts on the platform has caused Twitter to indefinitely suspended the Twitter Blue subscription.

Elsewhere, Cosette, a media and marketing agency that works with the federal government to plan and buy ads, has advised federal departments to “pause activity on Twitter.”

Source: Digiday Via: The Verge