What’s MGHappening in Social Media: Oct. 2, 2019

The Verge – Facebook tossed around the idea of hiding likes on posts a few weeks ago and has now opted to launch a test doing exactly that in Australia. The test will hide the number of likes on a post, only displaying that a post was liked by “[a friend] and others,” instead of displaying the actual number to the public. Facebook aims to see how this change can improve users’ sense of well-being, and if it ends up being successful, the test could roll out to more locations. (Full Story)

The Verge – In the past, Twitter has said that it will not delete posts from prominent figures, mainly politicians, that violate community guidelines if the posts are deemed to be newsworthy. Facebook has now announced intentions to follow suit, saying that posts that could “lead to real-world violence and harm” will still be removed, however it is not the company’s role to “intervene when politicians speak.” Paid political advertisements on the platform are not subject to this exception and must still follow Facebook’s community guidelines. (Full Story)

Bloomberg – Facebook has agreed to acquire CTRL-Labs in a deal worth between $500 million and $1 billion. CTRL-Labs is a technology startup that is building software to let people control a digital avatar using only their thoughts. The company, which has been in operation for four years, uses a bracelet to measure neuron activity in a subject’s arm to determine movement that person is thinking about, even if they are not physically moving. Facebook has been fairly quiet about the acquisition thus far, however rumors suggest that the company may eventually pair this tech with AR or VR glasses. (Full Story)

AdWeek – As Instagram continues to push the growth of IGTV and also combat bullying on its platform, the network has tapped Jonah Hill to direct a four-part IGTV series centered around anti-bullying. The series, called Un-filtered, features real subjects between 13 and 25 years old. Each unscripted episode centers around different bullying, helping to convey the message that nobody is alone. The episodes are live now on the @instagram IGTV page. (Full Story)

The Independent – Instagram is introducing a dark mode, which is already available for some users with the latest update. Dark mode has been one of the app’s most requested features as both iOS 13 and Android 10 have offered it as a system-wide option, turning the background of supported apps and menus black and making them less glaring to look at. Even with this feature turned on, Instagram has maintained a bright white interface up until now, which was not always appreciated by dark mode users. The update is rolling out gradually and is currently only available to some users. (Full Story)

Search Engine Journal – Snapchat has substantially increased the maximum duration of video ads, raising the upper limit from ten seconds to three minutes. The ten-second cap had been in place since Snap launched video ads back in 2014, and while advertisers have used a swipe up option in the past to deliver a longer-form video, they won’t have to anymore. While these ads can be longer, they’ll still be just as skippable as the shorter ads. With the availability of longer video ads, advertisers will now have the option to optimize for views of at least 15 seconds. (Full Story)

The Verge – Twitter is rolling out a new option, first in the iOS app, that will allow users to create up to five lists that will show a subset of a user’s timeline right on the home screen. These custom lists can be created to show certain accounts, so particular groups of people or topics can be separated from others, while staying easily accessible by just swiping between the lists. The feature was first tested for some users back in June and is now being rolled out more broadly. (Full Story)