AR, AI, and Chat - Oh My!
1. TikTok Announces Pride Lineup
TikTok’s celebrating Pride with a range of in-app and physical activations that will highlight LGBTQ+ creators and their work. The app is doing a number of activities to celebrate the month from its first-ever Pride Visionary Voices List, promoting LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations, throwing its first-ever TikTok Pride Creator Ball in LA, and hosting a series of themed live events, including a ‘Pride on LIVE’ creator-led panel on June 15th, while it’ll also showcase Pride playlists throughout the app. We simply love to see it!
2. Instagram Ranking... Explained?
If you really want to see what the people you still "hate follow" are up to on Instagram, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has published a new overview of how Instagram’s ranking algorithms work, which could help you better understand how to maximize your content reach, and optimize performance in IG’s main feed, Stories, and Reels. Your main takeaway should be that 40% of your feed is filled with AI recs, so take THAT sunglasses ad I can’t seem to escape from!
3. Snapchat Continues to Build AR Capabilities
AR: it’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere! Snapchat’s launching a new and improved variation of AR Try-On Lens, partnering with OPI on a new nail polish test experience in the app. The new Try-On process will enable you to test out the latest shades of OPI nail polish via the Snapchat camera, which utilizes ’Nails Segmentation’, an updated element available within Snapchat’s AR toolkit. To be clear, Snapchat has offered nail polish try-on experiences before, but through improved systematic processes, this new variation is designed to be more responsive and realistic.
4. BeReal? How About RealChat
I'll be(real) back. BeReal is working on a chat feature, which will begin with a test among users in Ireland. At launch, users will be able to message one-on-one with friends, send them a private BeReal (no time limit, just a front-back photo), and react with RealMoji (BeReal’s custom emojis). BeReal users will only be able to message each other if they’re already friends on the platform.
5. Teens are Bullying Snapchat AI
Snapchat users have been gaslighting, degrading, and emotionally tormenting the app’s new AI companion. Snapchat’s “My AI” launched globally last month after it was rolled out as a subscriber-only feature. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT, the chatbot was trained to engage in playful conversation while still adhering to Snapchat’s trust and safety guidelines. Not all users were happy with the new chatbot, and some criticized its prominent placement in the app and complained that the feature should have been opt-in to begin with.
Moe*-ment of the Week
Happy Pride!
With the start of June, it’s also the start of Pride Month! We’re happy to celebrate and uplift LGBTQ+ work all year long, but keep your eyes peeled for special client crushes this month.