WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram Face Global Outage but Twitter Kept the Memes Up

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


At around 11 pm in India, many users were shocked to find that their messages were not being delivered on WhatsApp. Social media platform Facebook too seemed to be showing an error. Instagram was not spared as well. Confused about what could possibly be going on, everyone turned to Twitter. Much to their surprise, and some relief, they realised that it was not their phones that had crashed – on the contrary, the three most popular social media platforms had stopped working simultaneously. Users online started reported problems with its services late Friday at about 10:55 pm IST. Outage tracker Downdetector shows a spike in outages.

According to the site, over 34,000 people have reported facing issues on WhatsApp at the time of writing this. By the time you read this, the number is likely to have increased.

It is not known what has caused the outage, but many users across the world, including India and the United States, are posting about the outage on Twitter.

Messages are not being delivered on WhatsApp. Users are also unable to post content on Instagram. Whatsapp’s official account on Twitter has not issued a statement yet. The issue with Facebook’s application is reportedly not global; some users are experiencing trouble and others are not.

With most modes of communication snatched away, internet users did what they do best – memes.

Not just India, the problem seems to have been reported globally with numerous international publications reporting the same. As of now, it appears that services are being restored.

The services had last month on February 19 witnessed a similar outage, when users reported problems early in the day at around 7:55 am IST. It was not ascertained what had caused the outage but services were restored after a while.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram went down: Here’s what the company has to say

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook suffered an outage in India and worldwide on Friday night. A lot of users were unable to send or receive messages. Some users also reported that they failed to even log in to WhatsApp Web. As per Downdetector, the issue started at around 10:40PM in India and prevented WhatsApp users from sending or receiving messages on the service for more than an hour. Though, WhatsApp is claiming that the service was only down for 49 minutes.

While the company didn’t reveal the exact reason, it did assert that there was a technical issue. “Earlier today, a technical issue caused people to have trouble accessing some Facebook services. We resolved this issue for everyone, and we apologize for any inconvenience,” a Facebook spokesperson told Indian Express.

Apart from WhatsApp, both Facebook and Instagram were also not working for many users. According to popular downtime reporting service, more than 28,500 people reported issues with Instagram and over 34,127 users were witnessing problems with WhatsApp.

The cited source suggests that over 49 percent of WhatsApp users were facing connection issue, 48 percent people were unable to send or receive messages on the platform and 2 percent were not able to log in.

Downdetector showed that around 57 percent Facebook users reported about total blackout and 29 percent were not even able to access the social media app. Around 66 percent of Instagram users were not able to access News Feed as well as its official website. In case you are not aware, Downdetector is a site that monitors outages by collating status reports from users and some other sources.

Besides, this is not the first time that the services have been impacted. In December 2020, WhatsApp went down alongside Instagram and Facebook for a few hours, before the services were restored.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Alaya F Shares Her ‘Happy Clicks on Beach’

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Bollywood actress Alaya F looks stunning in a black mesh bodycon paired with denim. She posed for the photo-op while at the beach.

Alaya, daughter of actress Pooja Bedi, posted the pictures on Instagram, and she describes the pictures as: “Happy clicks on the beach.”

Known for her quirky and fun posts on social media, Alaya is an avid user of the digital platform to stay connected with her fans and followers.

A couple of weeks ago she had posted a picture of her vacation in Goa where she could be seen diving into a swimming pool. However, she mentioned that the perfect shot came after a lot of failed attempts and scrapped knees.

Alaya made her Bollywood debut with Nitin Kakkar’s “Jawaani Jaaneman” last year. It was a comedy-drama in which she played a 21-year-old girl claiming that a 40-year-old person (Saif Ali Khan) who hates commitment and marriage is her father.

Alaya will be next seen in an unnamed project with Pooja Entertainments and produced by Jackky Bhagnani.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Instagram announces new safety features for teens – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Facebook-owned photo sharing app Instagram has announced that it is set to roll out new features to keep in mind the safety of teenagers who make use of the platform.
In a blog post, the company has listed out 4 new features it is set to rollout. Here’s a look at them in a bit more detail:
Restricting DMs between teens and adults they don’t follow
Instagram will prevent adults from sending messages to people under 18 who don’t follow them. This means if any adult tries to message a teen who doesn’t follow them, they receive a notification that sending them a Direct Message (DM) is not an option.
“This feature relies on our work to predict peoples’ ages using machine learning technology, and the age people give us when they sign up,” added the company.
Prompting teens to be cautious
The platform will also “encourage” teens to be cautious by showing them safety notices in DMs. These safety notices are said to notify teens when an adult “who has been exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour is interacting with them in DMs.”
In the safety notice, people will be able to see options to end the conversation, or block, report, or restrict the person.
Restricting adults with suspicious behaviour to find teens
Instagram said that in the coming weeks, it will explore ways to make it difficult for adults who have been exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour to interact with teens.
This, the company suggests, will be done by restricting adults from seeing teen accounts in ‘Suggested Users’, preventing them from discovering teen content in Reels or Explore, and automatically hiding their comments on public posts by teens.
Encouraging teens to make their accounts private
For new users under the age of 18 who have set their account as public, Instagram says that it will send them a notification later on highlighting the benefits of a private account and reminding them to check their settings.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Some Facebook users can now monetise their short-video posts

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Facebook earns nearly 98% of its revenue from advertising, and retains 45% of ad revenue earned by creators

(Subscribe to our Today’s Cache newsletter for a quick snapshot of top 5 tech stories. Click here to subscribe for free.)

Some Facebook users will now be able to make money from their short video posts, provided their viewers watch an ad after 30 seconds into the video.

The social network had earlier permitted monetisation through in-stream ads on videos longer than three minutes, when ads will be flashed after the video runs 60 seconds.

Ads on videos longer than three minutes can now display ads at the 45-second mark, the company said in a statement.

Facebook launched in-stream ads in 2017, allowing creators to earn from videos in the Watch section, including on-demand and live videos. The move was said to help creators boost visibility and enhance engagement. In-stream ads payout grew more than 55% from 2019 to 2020, according to Facebook.

Also Read | Facebook’s feud with Apple may dent ad revenue in 2021

Only users over 18 years of age, with over 10,000 followers, and having 600,000 total minutes viewed from any combination of video uploads are eligible for monetisation. Additionally, they must have five or more active video uploads or live videos, Facebook stated.

The move to promote short videos is an seen as an attempt to popularise Instagram Reels, Facebook’s version of rival TikTok. Recently, Facebook said it is testing a feature to allow users to post Reels to their Facebook profiles. It also said some of its users can earn money through sticker ads on Facebook Stories. Facebook earns nearly 98% of its revenue from advertising, and retains 45% of ad revenue earned by creators.

You have reached your limit for free articles this month.

Subscription Benefits Include

Today’s Paper

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day’s newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Unlimited Access

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

Personalised recommendations

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Faster pages

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

Dashboard

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

Briefing

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

Support Quality Journalism.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Instagram Testing Cool Captions Feature to Remove the Hassle of Typing Long Texts in Stories

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Auto Captions currently exists on YouTube, Facebook and select video conferencing platforms that generates subtitles in English to reduce the communication gap. Now, Instagram appears to be testing its own version of Auto Caption or Closed Captions for Stories but in a slightly different format. The new feature essentially generates text via audio inputs and then transforms it into a sticker that can be placed anywhere in the Instagram Story. The ‘Closed Captions’ can be useful when users want to post a text-heavy story.

As per a post by social media expert Matt Navarra, we can see the Instagram Story feature capturing the text from audio inputs and then users can enlarge the size of the sticker or change fonts. To enable Closed Captions, there’s now a dedicated button that is accessible in the quick panel. The panel appears when the user swipes up from the bottom of the screen. Instagram appears to be testing four text style options, including typewriter-esque block text, larger words for added emphasis and basic block letters. The accuracy of the generated text will, of course, be relative to the clarity of the audio. A report states that some users can see the Captions button, but it appears to be for ‘internal’ usage only.

Notably, Instagram added auto-captions for IGTV uploads last year. It transcribes the videos, and end-users can view auto-generated subtitles in English. Facebook has been offering auto-captions on video uploads since 2017, but more recently, it’s added the feature for Facebook Live and Workplace Live as well. Meanwhile, Instagram has expanded its toned-down app Instagram Lite to over 170 countries. The app is designed to work on 2G network and entry-level smartphones with low internal space. The Android app is only 2MB in size.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Beauty and wellness tips and tricks to learn from Parineeti Chopra’s Instagram – Times of India

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


The very beautiful Bollywood actress, Parineeti Chopra loves flaunting smokey eyes and a simple blow-dry. But when you scroll through her Instagram feed, you will find some more beauty and wellness tricks that you can inculcate in your life too. She is someone who likes to think out of the box and loves experimenting with colours, be it for her hair or for her eye makeup. Here are some cool beauty and wellness tips we found on her Instagram.

– Workouts give you an inside-out glow: Parineeti is not a fan of going to the gym, but she likes to stay fit and healthy. She likes the fact that her fitness routine has a little bit of everything. She’ll hit the treadmill, go for a swim or just practice Kalaripayatty – a form of martial arts from Kerala. The key is to stay active and experiment with new forms, create a balance and find the motivation to work out regularly.

– You need a self-care technique that works for you: Spas and massages seem like the most popular ways to care for your skin. But finding out what works best for your skin is what is the most useful. Parineeti isn’t a spa-lover like most girls, but she destresses herself by having a hot shower. A warm shower is very therapeutic as the skin actually releases endorphins in response to the warmth while improving your breathing as well.

– Good hair care routine is of most importance: Parineeti loves to change her hair colour and style every now and then. All of which can wreak havoc if not taken good care of. The actress likes to wash her hair often as it helps to keep her hair soft and nourished. Another must-have is heat protectants that create a barrier and smoothes the hair cuticle down.

– Learn how to ace the cat-eye: The actress usually works with makeup artists from whom she can learn some makeup techniques. If you want to copy her cat-eye look, you have to practice it multiple times. Start by drawing a rough outline and then fill it in towards the lash line. To opt for the classic winged finish, you need to remember to flick gently upwards in the direction of where your eyebrow ends.

– Always pick fun nail art: Take all the time and effort it needs to do your own nails. If not, you can of course make a salon appointment. Parineeti likes having her nails long and shaped into a square. She often picks graphic lines and fun colours like neon yellow and bright blue.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Instagram Adds New Stickers Illustrated by Diverse Women for International Women’s Day 2021

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Instagram is introducing new stickers illustrated by diverse women around the world, to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021 that will take place on March 8. The Facebook-owned social media company notes that the latest stickers stand in solidarity with frontline workers who assumed responsibilities through the pandemic, with mothers, among many more. The stickers also extend solidarity to women who face discrimination based on race and body types. Instagram brings special stickers and filters to celebrate various occasions. Last year, the company celebrated Diwali with a distinct AR filter called ‘Share Your Light.’

Tara Bedi, Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager at Instagram India, has also shared a post on the platform, showcasing the new stickers. “These stickers stand in solidarity with front line workers who assumed so much responsibility through the pandemic, with mothers, those among the limb disability community, with elderly Asian women who faced racism, and all the communities of support that have sparked joy in the lives of women all over the world,” she stated in the post. Instagram users can find these stickers in the featured section under the Story section.

Notably, Apple has introduced a new Apple Watch challenge to promote International Women’s Day this year. Its International Women’s Day challenge has a virtual trophy and animated stickers on completing it. Additionally, the App Store will feature an App of the Day and Game of the Day from a woman creator while the Apple Arcade will showcase a collection of games starring powerful female characters. The Apple Music is also highlighting women who are leaders in their field, breaking records, topping charts, and inspiring others through their work, advocacy, and influence within pop culture and beyond. Moreover, Apple Books is celebrating everywhere with country-specific collections that feature women’s voices and elevate their contributions to every field.

[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Facebook to Lift Its Temporary Ban on Political Advertisements

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Facebook will lift its temporary ban on political advertising in the United States on Thursday, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday. The social media giant has had a months-long freeze on political, electoral and social ads, which it introduced as part of an effort to crack down on misinformation and abuses around the November 3 elections.

Facebook had temporarily lifted its ad pause in Georgia for the state’s January runoff elections but put it back in place. Alphabet’s Google, which had lifted its own political ad ban in December, later reinstated it following the January 6 siege at the US Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Google lifted the ban last week.

ALSO READ: Facebook to Ban Ads Promoting Weapon Accessories Ahead of US President-Elect Joe Biden’s Inauguration

Democratic and Republican digital strategists have argued that such bans were overly broad and failed to combat the issue of organic misinformation on the platforms. Earlier on Wednesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) issued a statement criticising Facebook for not committing to a clear date to end the ban, saying the freeze had made it harder for campaigns and organisations to reach voters.

Facebook, which noted in its blog post that its systems do not distinguish between political and electoral ads and “social issue” ads, said it would look in the coming months at what other changes to its ads might be needed.



[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

As Clubhouse Gains Popularity, Instagram Expands Live Rooms Capacity to Four People

[ad_1]

Read More/Less


Facebook-owned photo sharing platform Instagram has launched a new Live Rooms feature that allows four people to video chat in a live broadcast. Previously, Instagram Lives allowed only two people to be a part of a broadcast. Instagram said that the new feature will encourage users to start a “talk show or a podcast,” host a “jam session,” or collaborate with other creators. Going live with more people means that Live Rooms will attract a larger audience as well, as followers of everyone participating will see the Live Room and get notified depending on their settings.

This update from Instagram comes at a time when audio-chat iOS app clubhouse is gaining popularity. Clubhouse, that lets more than 10 people speak at once, and rooms can reach up to 8,000 people before they are full. According to a report in The Verge, Facebook is also reportedly working on building a direct competitor to Clubhouse, but Instagram Lives could capture those who want to use Clubhouse but can’t, as the app is only for iOS currently. However, unlike Clubhouse, Instagram Live requires people to be on-camera.

While it won’t exactly capture Clubhouse’s audience, Instagram Live Rooms will certainly be a good addition to all the creators who use Instagram Lives for interactions or collaborations.

Instagram had recently announced that it will begin disabling accounts of people who repeatedly send hateful messages to others on the Facebook-owned platform.



[ad_2]

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

1 2