TikTok Testing out Troublesome ‘Tako’
TikTok is testing a new AI chatbot experience called ‘Tako’ within its app. The chatbot is being trialled with users in the Philippines and, if successful, could roll out in the UK over the summer.
TikTok is aiming to help users discover entertaining and inspiring content by allowing them to ask questions to Tako, whose purpose is to assist users in finding relevant content and provide direct answers about video clips and content trends. Despite this, the rollout has been taken with caution due to early problems with similar AI tools like Snapchat’s ‘My AI’.
There are major concerns about leaving content recommendations to an AI bot, especially considering TikTok’s past issues with harmful content. Tako will not be released to younger users, and TikTok is evaluating the safety risks before a full launch.
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Musk Teases Eradication of Twitter Circles
Circles, a feature introduced by Twitter a year ago, may be on the chopping block for Twitter 2.0. Elon Musk has recently endorsed the suggestion to eliminate the enclosed group tweeting option publicly, after responding to a tweet slating the feature with “I Agree”.
Initially, the Circles feature aimed to cater to the shift towards more intimate social interactions, but it lacked practical value. Users already conducted similar discussions in private group chats, making Circles redundant.
Twitter previously showcased a potentially more useful feature called ‘Facets’ in 2021. Facets would allow users to follow others based on specific topic interests, offering a more focused approach. Considering Twitter’s tendency to revisit old projects, Facets could serve as a viable replacement for Circles if Elon decides to shut it down.
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Meta Agrees to Giphy Sale Amid £279.3 Million Loss
Meta’s legal battle over its acquisition of Giphy has concluded with the sale of Giphy to Shutterstock for £53 million, a significant discount from the original £400 million purchase. The resolution marks another significant financial setback for Meta, once again impacting the platform’s overall financial situation.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority ordered the divestment, concerned about Meta’s dominance in the digital ads market. This represents another setback for Meta, which is focused on the Metaverse and generative AI.
Giphy’s decline in popularity, particularly among younger users, played a role in the case. Users are unlikely to experience major changes as Giphy will still be supported through third-party integrations, however, Shutterstock may introduce fees for GIF use and restrict GIF re-publishing to monetise the platform.
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YouTube Stories Set to be Retired at the End of the Month
YouTube is discontinuing its Stories feature next month, as it failed to gain popularity from the initial launch in 2018. Instead, YouTube is said to be focusing more on Shorts and Community Posts, in an attempt to enhance engagement on the platform.
The option to create new YouTube Stories will no longer be available starting June 26, 2023, and existing Stories will expire seven days after their original sharing date. The impact of this decision is expected to be minimal due to the low usage of Stories, therefore YouTube has verbally advised content creators to prioritise Shorts and Community Posts in the upcoming weeks.
YouTube’s move follows similar decisions by Twitter with fleets and LinkedIn with Stories, raising questions about the future of social media Stories.
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