Happy Friday and welcome back to The Weekly Download! And a very happy Reopening Day to our Ontario friends!
Here’s the digital marketing and tech news you need that you might have missed this week:
Twitter adds a ‘subscribe’ button to boost newsletter subscribers, Facebook contemplates an Instagram platform for younger users, Apple’s latest test to streamline user identity, and Friday Fun.
Adds ‘Subscribe’ Button to Boost Newsletter Signups
Great news if you’re looking to grow your email list – Twitter is reportedly adding a ‘subscribe’ button to profiles to help boost newsletter signups.
According to Search Engine Journal, the signup and distribution process will be facilitated by Revue, a newsletter publishing company that Twitter acquired earlier this year. The process is simple: after tapping the button, newsletters will be sent to the email address associated with the Twitter user’s account.
There’s no exact date for launch, but it’s said to be rolling out on Android and desktop platforms first, with iOS launch following later this year.
Facebook Contemplates ‘Instagram Youth’ for Younger Audiences
Because of privacy law restrictions, people under 13 have been restricted from signing up for an Instagram account. Now, Facebook is considering a new solution that will allow these users to access the Instagram experience.
Instagram Youth is Facebook’s solution to get kids “engaged and interested” in Instagram at an earlier age.
According to a report from Thorn, a nonprofit dedicated to defending children from sexual abuse, 40% of kids surveyed are already finding ways to circumvent restrictions and use Instagram. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that Instagram Youth would be a solution that offers the Instagram experience but provides extra parental controls.
In theory, it sounds like an interesting idea. But it’s been met with exceptional blowback from attorney generals and other professionals across the United States that say a social media platform specifically for preteens could have detrimental health effects on children and youth.
Are you a parent or guardian of kids within this age group? How do you feel about the possibility of a designated youth platform?
Instagram’s ‘Creator Week’ Events Provides a Closer Look at its Algorithms
As part of Instagram’s ‘Creator Week’, the company is sharing how its platform fundamentally works to help users build trust and better understand its technology.
In a new blog post shared earlier this week, CEO Adam Mosseri shared important insights regarding the platform’s algorithm, including how it ranks and organizes a user’s Feed and Stories, Explore page, and Reels. It also addresses “shadowbanning,” a practice the app has long been accused of, and how users can take steps to influence what they actually see in their feeds.
While the information is certainly helpful for users, it’s also helpful for brands and marketers looking to extend their reach. Check out the post in full here.
Apple Wants to Replace Your ID and Passport
Will we soon be able to say goodbye to the days of scrambling to find our IDs or passports? Apple hopes so!
Word is, the company has a new plan in place to eliminate the need for physical user identification, including driver’s licenses, passports, and more. According to Apple Insider, a new series of patent applications detail ways a user’s ID can be recorded or transmitted, and confirmed.
The iPhone has already replaced our cameras, music devices, and many other cards in our wallets — would you consider storing your ID digitally on your mobile device?
Friday Fun
Ryan Reynolds Celebrates Father’s Day with a Specialty Drink
Ryan Reynolds is starting the Father’s Day celebration early this year – would you give this one a try?
