Another week, another update! This week in social media news, Facebook announces new tools for managing the profiles of deceased users, Snapchat finally updates their Android app, and Statista.com creates an infographic detailing Pinterest’s user growth.
Gone but never forgotten: Facebook’s latest features for memorialized accounts
One benefit of today’s technological world is how the memory of a deceased loved one can live on through their digital footprint. Since 2009, Facebook has offered features to manage the accounts of dead users, and this week the company announced additional management tools for memorialized accounts.
One of the newest features is an added “tributes” section on deceased users’ accounts that acts as a centralized hub for reflections and memory sharing, preserving the deceased’s original timeline.
Facebook also increased the level of controls for “legacy contacts,” people assigned by the deceased to manage their accounts in the event of their death. Previously legacy contacts had limited management options, but in response to user requests, they are now able to fully moderate the pages of those who have passed, including the new tributes section. Parents are also now able to become the legacy contact of their deceased minors’ accounts, a feature that was previously unavailable.
Lastly, Facebook is continuing to make better use of AI technology. If a user’s account is not yet memorialized, AI technology will aid in preventing the account or name from appearing in distressful ways, such as birthday reminders or event invite recommendations.
As Facebook’s user base grows, so does the number of Facebook users who have passed. These three new updates are welcome features for handling the unique challenges surrounding death we now face in an increasingly digital world.
To Android, Love Snapchat: Snapchat finally updates the Android app
In a brief love letter to Android users, Snapchat announced this week a long-overdue update to their Android app. But the Twitter announcement gave little in the way of details about the new changes, merely describing the app as “rebuilt” and “faster.”
Initial user reports show that the platform runs more smoothly with fewer bugs and a clearer camera. Outside of these changes, the interface seems to be formatted identically to its pre-updated version.
But is this change too little too late for the Android home of Ghostface Chillah? Android users have long lamented the lag time and poor performance of the app, with some even describing the lackluster camera quality as “foggy.” Perhaps this update will press reset on the Snapchat-Android relationship, and Android updates will no longer be an afterthought for the platform. But it’s yet to be seen how this change will affect the Android userbase.
Not Quite Slow But Surely Steady: Pinterest’s Userbase Grows
Statista.com recently shared an infographic detailing “Pinterest’s Healthy User Growth” ahead of the platform’s upcoming IPO. The bar chart shows that in the past year alone, Pinterest has added 51 million monthly active users, putting it ahead of Snapchat, but behind Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. According to their 2018 Q4 filings, the company has a total of 265 million users.
What does this mean for brands? With Pinterest being a hybrid utility and media platform, it continues to position itself as a fertile promotional ground for companies, particularly among B2C retail brands targeting women. If your customers are US-based women between 25 and 54, then Pinterest should be a part of your digital marketing strategy.
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