NewIn the last week, we saw a fair bit of activity on the mobile front by some of the bigger social networks – and especially Twitter.

Here’s a recap of what’s new:

Twitter
Yesterday the AP Twitter account was hacked and sent out a false tweet about the U.S. President being hurt. This led to a stock market tumble and then a quick recovery when the story was proved false.  It highlights the need for all of us to filter and verify content before we spread it. That may slow us down a bit, but it’s worth it. The latest hacking led to speculation that Twitter will soon launch a two-step authentication process to make its site a bit more secure. 

Twitter moved closer to becoming a mainstream media company by announcing a multi-year deal with Starcom Mediavest Group. SMG will soon integrate the platform into recommended ad buys for its large corporate clients.

Remember the old Top 40 charts? Twitter’s found a way to make them digital and social with the launch of its new music app. Looks like they’re trying to unleash our inner DJ.

And in related showbiz news, the Tribeca Film Festival is screening 40 Vine videos, redefining the length of a pre-feature short.

Tumblr
The site that once upon a time said they wouldn’t have ads is launching native advertising on the news stream of its mobile apps.

Facebook
They’re not quite talking heads, but if you have an iPhone, you now have access to chat heads, so you can see the person you’re texting and watch your newsfeed at the same time. And if you get bored, you can move the little round bobbles all over your screen.

LinkedIn
The company launched a full redesign of its mobile platform that focuses on content and connections and features a more visually inviting user interface and additional customization options.

Anything else caught your attention this week? Let me know if you have something to add.

 

 

About Martin Waxman


Martin Waxman, MCM, is a digital communications strategist. He conducts AI research, leads digital and social media training workshops and speaks at events across North America. He's co-founder of two PR agencies, president of a consultancy and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, teaches digital strategy and social media at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, University of Toronto SCS and Seneca College. He's a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center and a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy. He has a Master of Communications Management (MCM) from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.