It has already started to affect Snap's share price.
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Snapchat permanently suspends Donald Trump’s account citing public safety concern
Snapchat has decided to permanently suspend the account of Donald Trump after putting an indefinite ban on it following the Capitol Hill riots earlier this month. The suspension, which was first reported by Axios, comes after Twitter decided to boot the outgoing US president permanently off its platform as well for repeated serious policy violations.
“Last week we announced an indefinite suspension of President Trump’s Snapchat account, and have been assessing what long term action is in the best interest of our Snapchat community. In the interest of public safety, and based on his attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence, which are clear violations of our guidelines, we have made the decision to permanently terminate his account,” Snap said in a statement shared with Pocketnow.
| READ MORE: Twitter has permanently banned Donald Trump |
Trump's content has been removed in the past by Snapchat for policy violations.
Back in June last year, Snap put a stop to promoting content shared by Trump’s account in the Discover feed over material that was deemed harmful and posed a risk of inciting violence. However, Trump’s actions continued to violate Snapchat’s policies in the subsequent months, leading to the removal of his posts on multiple occasions.
The social media company tells us that its platform is built primarily for communicating with people, and not for the dissemination of false information and toxic rhetoric that could lead to unrest. While Snapchat joins Twitter in permanently banning Donald Trump, Facebook and Instagram have put his account on an indefinite suspension, at least until the transfer of power and the associated ceremony for President elect Joe Biden concludes.
Earlier today, Twitter chief Jack Dorsey shared some thoughts on Trump being banned on the platform and the kind of precedent it sets for other companies in a lengthy thread. “That said, having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications. While there are clear and obvious exceptions, I feel a ban is a failure of ours ultimately to promote healthy conversation. And a time for us to reflect on our operations and the environment around us,” Dorsey tweeted.
I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all.
— jack (@jack) January 14, 2021
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Pocketnow Daily: Confirmed? Samsung is COMPLETELY Changing Their Strategy! (video)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, Apple’s latest iPad Pro and more on sale today
And let’s begin the week with deals as we usually do, but this time let’s just say Samsung is the most interesting offering. The company’s Black Friday sale is in full effect, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is currently available for just $1000 but, hold your horses, you have to trade in an eligible device. Actually many of these deals require a trade-in to sweeten the pot. For example, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is available for a crazy $550, the regular Note 20 for $250 and the S20 FE for $140. Seriously, if you’re looking for a new phone, go check these deals out! Moving on to your usual set of Apple deals, the 12.9in iPad Pro is $100 off, leaving the Wi-Fi only and 128GB of storage model for $900. Finally, the OnePlus 8 Pro is available for $100 off, leaving it at $799 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. We have more deals on the Pixel 5, OnePlus 7T, more iPads and even more in the links in the description.Snapchat ‘Spotlight’ is yet another TikTok rival
And let’s be honest, Snapchat may be my least favorite service ever, but it’s probably the most copied service we’ve ever seen as. Look at Instagram stories, Whatsapp, Facebook, and even Twitter now with Fleets. Well, it looks like now they’re doing it to someone else. The company just launched a new feature called “Spotlight” which is basically made to compete with TikTok and Instagram’s “Reels” but, Snapchat’s got a trick up their sleeve. So, Spotlight let’s users showcase their 60 second videos which are focused on memes and jokes rather than your day to day life like stories where meant to. For the viewer, it will pretty much work like TikTok where the algorithm shows you content related to what you’ve seen in the past. The thing about it is that Snapchat will be paying creators to post on the platform, they will award $1M between the most popular creators on the app per day through the end of this year so, if you have a viral video you might get a piece of the $1M. Spotlight is currently launching to 11 countries so, if that’s your thing go check it out. Let’s hope this algorythm finally fixes their lack of good discovery.
New M1 MacBook Air has been found with 128GB for just $799
Let’s move on to Apple Silicon Macs as yes, Apple did end up making at least one of them more affordable, but there’s a catch. The latest M1 MacBook Air was spotted in Apple’s US Education Institute Hardware and Software list and it’s actually cheaper. This was found on Reddit and this is the regular 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU MacBook Air, with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for $799. The thing about it is that, this is strictly for education purposes so, if you work or study at a school that purchases these then you might get your hands on one but, it looks like that might be the only way. This is not a variant that consumers can buy in a store. And on another note, Craig Federighi, aka Mr Wiggle Mode himself, went on an interview and talked about M1 Macs running windows. Please stop trying to run Parallels on them. He claims that Windows could run on these Macs but it’s really up to Microsoft. Thing is since this version of Windows on ARM is emulated, who knows if that will happen. Can any of you imagine Windows running on these ARM chips like a champ?iPad Pro to get OLED displays after adopting mini-LED in early 2021: Report
And since we’re talking Apple, let’s discuss their future plans for iPads, especially when it comes to the display technology they’re using. We’ve been covering rumors of miniLED iPads for years, but now according to a new report from The Elec, Cupertino is finally planning to adopt OLED displays for the iPad Pro line up. It seems there will be a wait, though, as we know that Apple is working on the transition to miniLED displays for Q1 of next year. The report claims that OLED displays on these will actualy happen shortly after, meaning also within 2021. These displays would be provided by Samsung but, it also says that the adoption of OLED could be delayed, depending on the scale of adoption of miniLED. Again, these miniLED displays are slated for Q1 while OLEDs should come later. This means that Apple might really just upgrade their current LCDs to miniLED and then eventually move on to OLED at least when it comes to iPads because, we know that miniLEDs should be a huge thing for Macs. Whatever the case may be, this might be what will differentiate the next generation of iPads and Macs in 2021, and let’s hope that enables new designs.OnePlus 9 might sport two 48MP camera sensors
OnePlus 9 Pro leak gives us our first look at its design prior to a March 2021 debut
Now how about if we shift focus to Android and particularly the OnePlus 9 as, we’re expecting this phone to launch a little earlier than usual so the rumors are starting to intensify. Beginning with the regular variant, last week we got some CAD renders for it showing a new white color variant and a triple camera array. Now, we have a new leak from 91Mobiles that claims that the two main cameras from these renders are two 48MP sensors. This means we’ll get a 48MP primary that delivers 12MP images, as well as a 48MP ultra wide. The third and smaller lens would be a macro or monochrome sensor in typical OnePlus fashion. Now, moving on to the Pro variant, we have some new CAD renders from OnLeaks showing off the design changes. From these we can see some smaller bezels, a “Pacific Blue” colorway if you know what I mean, and the new camera array which is pretty similar to the one on the 8T. The 9 Pro is expected to bring a 6.7in display, probably running at up to 144Hz and it will be powered by the Snapdragon 875, or whatever the latest Qualcomm chip will be called. We’ll keep you posted as it’s expected to come some time in March, and I seriously wonder what is it with companies wanting to launch phones earlier next year.Story of the day:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 might launch sooner than expected
And finally the hottest news today have to do with Samsung, and how the company plans to re-imagine their approach to flagships in 2021. We’ve covered the possibility of the Galaxy Note lineup saying goodbye, and today we get more credible information that goes beyond not seeing it in a listing. According to a new report from Korea, we might be getting this phone earlier the Galaxy Z Fold 3 earlier in 2021. The report suggests that Samsung is already working on this phone and it could possibly launch in June 2021. The report also mentions that this foldable could have support for the S-Pen like we’ve heard before. It also reiterates on the report we covered last week, that claims that we’re getting an under the display selfie shooter, even if we were expecting that until Q3. It also adds that Sammy was able to add an in-screen WACOM digitizer but, they still faced some difficulties with the protective layer which scratches with the S Pen but it’s sounding like they were able to fix it, maybe thanks to the new UTG we’re expecting. With all of the reports on the missing Galaxy Note 21, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra supporting an S Pen, it looks like Samsung is about to re-invent it’s approach to its second batch of product launches. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/pocketnowsub http://pocketnow.com Follow us: http://flipboard.com/@Pocketnow http://facebook.com/pocketnow http://twitter.com/pocketnowThe post Pocketnow Daily: Confirmed? Samsung is COMPLETELY Changing Their Strategy! (video) appeared first on Pocketnow.
Snapchat ‘Spotlight’ is yet another TikTok rival
Ever since TikTok gained a reputation for being the go-to short videos app, other companies have launched their own variant of the popular app. Instagram was one of the first social media apps to launch its own variant of TikTok, called Reels. Now, Snapchat is pulling the trigger and launching ‘Spotlight’, which is yet another app to showcase user-created videos. While it is not the first time Snapchat has highlighted videos from users, it is the first time that the company will feature them prominently in the app. Moreover, it has a trick up its sleeve to motivate users to create videos.
Snap will pay creators to post on the platform. The new section in Snapchat, Spotlight will surface vertical video content from users. It is focused more on memes and jokes instead of the day-in-the-life content Snap previously encouraged. These videos will be up to 60 seconds long and, as of right now, cannot be watermarked. Hence, you can’t just download viral TikTok videos and upload them on Spotlight. The new tab will show users what it thinks they might enjoy watching. The algorithm bases its decision mostly on what they have viewed in the past and how long they’ve watched.
TikTok is the new Snapchat stories. Every other social media app wants to imitate it.
To motivate users to post short-videos regularly, Snapchat says it will award $1 million between the most popular creators on the app per day through the end of 2020. This means, if you have a viral video on Snapchat Spotlight, you might earn a large chunk of the $1 million. In this, the number of subscribers won’t be taken into account. The awarded amount will be primarily based on unique views compared to other snaps that day. Further, you can continue to earn from your video if it’s popular for multiple days at a time.
Right now, Snap is launching Spotlight in 11 countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany, and Australia.
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Snapchat’s Sounds feature will let you add songs to your Snaps and Stories
Snapchat began testing a new feature called Sounds back in August, allowing users to add licensed music to their Stories and Snaps. However, the feature was limited to Snapchat users in Australia and New Zealand only, until now. Today, the company has announced that the Sounds feature is now widely available for users across the world. However, it is only accessible in the Snapchat app for iOS, as per a Variety report, with no information about its arrival on the app’s Android version. Here is Snapchat’s new Sounds feature in action:
Exclusive to the iOS app for now
In order to add music to their Snaps and Stories, users have to tap on the music icon in the top-right corner and pick one from a wide range of songs under the Feature Sounds list. Once they’ve selected a song, users can proceed with recoding their Snap or Stories. However, users also have the option to record the video first and then add a song to it.
Also, when users come across a Snap or Story with licensed music in the background, they can swipe up on it to see details such as album art, title of the song, and artist’s name. Plus, there will also be a “Play This Song” link that will let them hear the full track on their preferred music streaming platforms such as Apple Music, SoundCloud or Spotify.
Snapchat finally catches up with TikTok and Instagram
The Sounds feature in Snapchat debuts with an exclusive preview of Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco’s latest track “Lonely” prior to its commercial release. Snap has reportedly signed licensing deals with major music labels such as Warner Music Group, Merlin Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt, and BMG Music Publishing to name a few.
In addition to letting users add licensed songs to their Snaps and Stories, the company is also testing a new feature that will let users add their own sound to their content. This feature will reportedly be released for all Snapchat users worldwide in the upcoming months.
Source: Snapchat
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Snapchat’s new feature allows users to add licensed music to their Snaps
In a bid to consolidate its foothold in the face of competition from TikTok and Instagram, Snapchat has launched a new feature that will allow users to add licensed music to their videos. The test is currently being conducted in Australia and New Zealand, but a wider release is on the table as well (via TechCrunch).
The new feature will let Snapchat users add music to their videos, both before or after the capture, and choose songs from what Snap calls a diverse catalog of music. To license all that music and bring it before users, the company has joined hands with some big music labels that include Warner Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group and Merlin among others.
When users come across a Snap that has used licensed music as the background, they can swipe up on it to check details such as album art, artist name and song title. There will also be a “Play This Song” link that opens a Linkfire web view and prompts users to choose and listen to that song on their preferred music streaming platform which can be Spotify, Apple Music or SoundCloud among others.
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Snapchat released an offensive Juneteenth filter, then deleted it, and is now sorry about it
It's only fair to share...
Snap stirred online furor after it released a weird and distasteful Juneteenth filter that asked users to smile and break on-screen chains. Soon after it was released, many Snapchat users took to social media and complained that the filter was offensive and ridiculous considering what Juneteenth truly stands for and its significance. Here’s the filter in action:
Soon after the outrage, Snap pulled the filter and tweeted an apology to users, claiming that the filter was not approved by the company’s review process prior to its release. The company assured that it is internally investigating the matter so that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
A source familiar with the matter told The Verge that a majority of the team responsible for creating a Snapchat Lens (or filter) is based in Ukraine, so they may not have been aware of its cultural impact and how it will be received by users.
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It's only fair to share...
Snapchat won’t promote Trump’s account after finding his posts call for violence
Snap has announced that it will no longer promote President Donald Trump’s account in Snapchat’s Discover section after finding that his recent Twitter posts incite violence. For the unfamiliar, Discover is the section where Snapchat promotes posts from renowned personalities and celebs, giving them more exposure by drawing user engagement.
“We are not currently promoting the president’s content on Snapchat’s Discover platform,” Snap noted in its statement. “We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover. Racial violence and injustice have no place in our society and we stand together with all who seek peace, love, equality, and justice in America.”
Trump’s Snapchat account will continue to exist, but his activities will no longer be shown in Discover. As for the posts that drew the penal action from Snap, it refers to a chain of three tweets shared on May 30, in which Trump said that the protesters “would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons” if they crossed the White House fence.
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WhatsApp might be working on Snapchat-like “self-destructing” messages
WhatsApp was spotted testing a “Delete messages” feature in its latest beta for Android (version 2.19.348). Check out the details!
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Snapchat has just released the new and more expensive Spectacles 3
You can now get Snapchat's new Spectacles 3 to let everybody see the world through your perspective
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Pocketnow Daily: Where is the Galaxy Fold? (video)
On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about pre-orders of the Samsung Galaxy Fold being canceled, a new foldable design and more.
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Snapchat discontinues Snapcash feature on August 30
As of August 30, 2018, Snapchat will shut down the Snapcash feature. Users will be notified within the app, but the company didn't publicly explain its decision.
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Unsinkable Apple, fallible Android | #PNWeekly 300 (LIVE at 3:30p ET)
On this week's show, Apple continues to ruffle feathers for the way it conducts business and gets away with it. Meanwhile, another dirty secret about Android slips loose.
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Believe it or not, Snap’s ‘002’ Spectacles could be right around the corner
Despite the spectacular failure of the initially well-received Spectacles, Snap Inc. looks keen to release a second version soon, possibly followed by a third next year.
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After Facebook, BlackBerry also wants Snap to pay for messaging patent infringement
Canada-based BlackBerry Limited may be out of the mobile phone-making business, but it's certainly not out of the tech company-suing business, setting its sights on Snap Inc shortly after Facebook.
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