Platform 5: This week’s most important social media changes
This week’s most important social media changes including the shutdown of friends data API on Facebook
Let’s take a look at what’s changed in the last seven days and what it means
This week, Facebook shut down friends data API to make way for Graph API 2.0 and introduced free video calling within the Messenger app. Instagram made two big moves; launching their first official community, @Music, as well as introducing emoji hashtags. Google have begun replacing URLs in mobile searches with site names.
Let’s dive in.
1. Facebook shuts down friends data API for giving friends’ data to apps
Following up their announcement at last year’s F8 Conference, Facebook has now shut down the friends data API to make way for Graph API v2.0. The friends data API let users volunteer friend’s status updates, check-ins, locations and interests when signing into third party apps (often unknowingly). Developers must now comply with updated APIs, or their connection to Facebook will stop working.
Read more about Facebook shutting down data API.
2. Facebook Messenger app offers free video calling
Facebook Messenger app now offers free video calling available for calls made between mobile phones, even if between iOS and Android. The feature is now available in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, the UK, the US and Uruguay, and will be rolling out elsewhere soon.
Read more about Facebook Messenger video calling.
3. Instagram introduces emoji hashtags
Instagram have updated their iOS and Android apps, adding emoji hashtags as well as three new filters. Users can now add emojis to hashtags and they will be searchable. Previously emojis were not supported within hashtags.
Read more about Instagram’s emoji hashtags.
4. Google replaces URLs with site names
Google has started replacing URLs in mobile searches with site names and breadcrumb paths. Webmasters are able to better communicate site names and breadcrumb data through structured data schema.
Read more about Google replacing URLs.
5. Instagram launches @Music
Instagram have launched their first official community – @Music – dedicated to showcasing known and unknown artists around the world. @Music is a result of the strong music influence across the platform with 25% of Instagram accounts run by musicians. The account will be run by Instagram Music Editor Alex Suskind and will feature 6 posts per week.
Read more about Instagram’s @Music.
We’ll return with next week’s top five social media changes. Head over our Thinking page for past posts.