GDPR Prepares to Launch while Google Revamps YouTube Red and Twitter Changes Its API

19
May 2018

It’s no secret that privacy and data collection concerns have been the sole focus of the social media platforms since the Cambridge Analytica incident.  Enter GDPR, the EU’s new measure to ensure data privacy. Meanwhile, YouTube is making changes to YouTube Red, and Twitter continues tweaking its API. These are the stories making headlines in social media this week.

 

GDPR, EU, EU privacy law, General Data Protection Regulation
Photo cred: @laluneart

GDPR Starts May 25

GDPR, General Data Protection Regulation, is launching May 25th, and here’s what you need to know if you have business operating in or providing services/goods to the European Union (EU). GDPR has been created by the EU to grant its citizens control over their personal data and unify data protection and regulation. Ultimately, it holds each organization/business responsible for ensuring that personal data is gathered legally and under strict conditions and that it will be protected from exploitation or will face penalties.

 

Google Goes Back to the Drawing Board

Google has revamped its YouTube Red services in an effort to attract more consumer to its streaming of music and original programs. YouTube Red, which launched in 2015, was the first introduction to the popular search engine’s on-demand music streaming services competing with Spotify and Apple Music. Later that year, Google also introduced programs created specifically for YouTube Red, following suit and directly competing with the ever-popular Netflix and Hulu.

 

While similar in functionality, YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music, remove ads from music videos, allow offline listening and play music in the background. YouTube Premium will have these features in addition to removing all ads from YouTube, not just music videos, and provide access to their original content. How do you think Google will do against the older streaming services?

 

Twitter Makes Changes that Effect 3rd Party App Functions

It’s no secret that Twitter is not a fan of third-party apps, but their most recent announcement is another hit to apps and its users. Effective, August 16th, Twitter will proceed with a new API system that will limit third-party app capabilities. While it won’t render the apps completely useless, the changes will pose a problem.

Here is what is going to change:

  • Prevent new tweets from streaming into an app in real time
  • Prevent and delay some push notifications.

Twitter will limit how often apps can request timeline refreshing. Unless you need to see tweets the second its tweeted, this won’t impact you. However, the push notification change can definitely pose an issue. Apps that charge for access to notifications will either no longer have it or it will be limited and delayed. Apps will have a chance to buy access to their new API that will allow them to use all of the old, real-time features, but it won’t be cheap. What do you think this will mean for third-party app users? Should they expect a pay increase?

One thing’s for sure, social media is always changing. Stay in the loop with all things social media by following Katie Wagner Social Media on Facebook!

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