social media round up
Social Media Round Up – Platform Updates, Yorkshire Puds And A Sprinkle Of Glitter
Instagram is rolling out a couple of small but helpful changes to its network this week in an effort to curb cyber-bullying and to offer a helping hand to those in distress. Until now, users could only be blocked from commenting on photos one at a time. The photo sharing app is rolling out the ability to decide who can comment in a more general manner from the settings menu: Everyone; People you follow and your followers; People you follow; or Your followers. By restricting who can comment to those who follow you and that you, in turn, follow, each user can significantly limit the pool of potential commenters, and prevent anonymous trolling of their profiles. Instagram has also expanded the app’s AI functionality to filter out offensive language in a number of languages. In addition to these changes, the social network has improved the help it offers to those with potential mental health needs. If a user believes that a livestream indicates the content creator is at risk of self-harm and in need of support, they can report the post (until now, only a feature on standard posts). Instagram, in turn, will reach out with a notification only visible to the person broadcasting, linking through to support networks and resources to seek help. It’s just under 12-months since Microsoft laid down $26 billion to buy the professional social network, LinkedIn. This week the Silicon Valley stalwart revealed that it will begin to integrate LinkedIn with Microsoft Office 365, by including LinkedIn profile cards with Office 365 profile cards. The change will allow you to hover over a profile in Microsoft Office to easily access a contact’s profile on the social network to better grow your network of professional associates. In a blog on LinkedIn, Damien Coullon explained, “For example, when you receive an email from someone you haven’t met, you can instantly identify them and make a more meaningful start to the conversation. Or, if you’re not already connected with someone you collaborate with in Office 365, you can send a LinkedIn connection invite directly from Profile Card.” Our mild obsession with fast-food related social media stories was fuelled this week by BBC Radio York’s outrageously gratuitous video of a The York Roast Co.’s culinary creation, the Yorkshire Pudding Wrap. An abomination to some, a revelation to others (us included), the meal is a roast dinner wrapped in a Yorkshire pud, gravy an’ all. Like a burrito, but proper Northern. The video has subsequently been viewed 12 million times, eclipsing an altogether different pudding, Donald Trump, who only managed a paltry 11 million views with his sabre-rattling speech at the UN. Demand for the batter-based bonne bouche has soared so much that Wayne Chadwick has had to order an extra 200 kilos of pork to keep up with the demand. With sales increasing from 20 per cent to 70 per cent of his business since March, there are now plans to bring the wrap to the nation. Can we suggest a new shop in the vicinity of Somerset House? We’ll be first in the queue. We’re in the midst of European Fashion Weeks and there’s been an unexpected hit, kirakira+. It’s not a new designer label from the Continent, but rather an app that gives a glitter effect to whatever you film. So take any old drab outfit, add kirakira+ and with the touch of a button you can look like a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. The app has been available since December 2015 but went viral during last week’s London Fashion Week, filling our Instagram feeds with sparkly videos. Our favourite use has to be from Mashable writer, Rachel Thompson, truly making the drab and making it shimmer – a pigeon wandering the concrete streets… So I just followed a pigeon around Golden Square to make it sparkle. pic.twitter.com/Rk7zJR8grrINSTAGRAM UPDATE TO TACKLE BULLYING, AGGRESSION AND SELF-HARM_
LINKED UP LINKEDIN IN OFFICE 365_
YORKSHIRE PUDDING WRAP_
TIME TO ADD A LITTLE SPARKLE_