VERNONCHAN.COM
If you depend on Facebook for current news, you’re possibly one of a billion who do. And that’s OK. Accept when the news you reshare is unknowingly outdated. Timeliness of news is imperative in most situations, especially when it comes to information about a current situation—like the COVID-19 pandemic or the racial protests in the US.
Social distancing continues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped people from staying connected and keeping the festive spirit alive during Ramadhan and the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
It’s official. Facebook is buying Giphy, one of the largest GIF-making and sharing sites on the Internet, for a reported sum of USD400 million. The deal shouldn’t be a huge surprise, seeing that Facebook has used Giphy’s API in the Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp apps for years.
Better late than never, as they say. Facebook today announced Avatars, a feature that lets you customise a virtual lookalike of yourself to be used in your social postings and chats. First introduced in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Canada, it is now available in the US.
Facebook has announced that it is rolling out Messenger Kids to 70 countries globally and adding new opt-in features for parents to help their kids connect with their friends. Parents in Malaysia can also download the app from the App Store right now. The Android version will be available by the end of the week.
This year’s International Women’s Day celebrates both women and the concept of equality. With the theme, #EachforEqual, it advocates that an equal world is an enabled world. This is especially true in the world of business, where women face a number of stereotypes and biases that may hamper their progress. As we celebrate women’s achievements each year, we also have a duty to recognize the hurdles they face, so that we can build the pathway to a more gender-balanced world.
At the unveiling of its spanking new 27,000sq ft headquarters, StoreHub Stadium, StoreHub announced a partnership with Facebook Malaysia to expand its loyalty and rewards programme. With the integration of StoreHub’s Beep Cashback and Facebook Rewards, businesses can seamlessly tap into enhanced customer loyalty functionalities.
The next time you fire up Facebook Messenger, it will be a cleaner, simpler experience. Gone will be the bot-littered Discover tab that was previously used to showcase businesses.
Facebook has called off its annual F8 Developer Conference in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. The key event on Facebook’s yearly calendar was set to be held from 5-6 May in San Jose, California. The move follows the cancellation of other major events including MWC Barcelona 2020.