The Verge: Snapchat is releasing its own AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT. “The ‘My AI’ bot will initially only be available to paying Snapchat Plus subscribers. CEO Evan Spiegel says it’s just the beginning for the company’s generative AI plans.”
Engadget: Snapchat now suggests soundtracks for your videos. “Snap has introduced automatic Sounds features that help you produce clips faster. Sounds Recommendations, for instance, suggests music relevant to the augmented reality Lens you’re using. Try a bread Lens and you’ll see plenty of toast-related songs alongside the most popular overall tracks.”
Bloomberg: FBI Examines Snapchat’s Role in Fentanyl Poisoning Deaths. “Federal agencies are questioning Snapchat’s role in the spread and sale of fentanyl-laced pills in the US as part of a broader probe into the deadly counterfeit drugs crisis.”
GeekWire: Seattle Public Schools sues TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and others, seeking compensation for youth mental health crisis. “A new lawsuit filed by Seattle Public Schools against TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Snap, Instagram, and their parent companies alleges that the social media giants have ‘successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth’ for their own profit, using psychological tactics that have led to a mental health crisis in schools.”
The Verge: Snap’s shutting down the app that put cool filters on your Zoom calls. “On January 25th, Snap will be shutting down its camera app for Mac and PCs. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, you may remember it as the program that let you apply silly filters to your face while you were on Zoom or other video conference calls.”
Engadget: Snapchat lets subscribers choose when their stories expire. “Snap has introduced a number of features for its Snapchat+ subscription app, including a new ‘Story Expiration’ feature, along with custom notification sounds, camera borders and more.”
CNBC: Snap plunges more than 25% on third-quarter revenue miss . “Snap shares plummeted more than 25% in extended trading on Thursday after the social media company reported weaker-than-expected revenue for the third quarter. It’s Wall Street’s first peak into the current state of the struggling online ad market.”
Tubefilter: Snapchat’s 523 program is back with $10,000 monthly grants for “small content companies from underrepresented groups”. “Snap is now accepting applications for its 523 accelerator. Through $10,000 monthly grants and other benefits, the parent company of Snapchat will empower content businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.”
Engadget: Snapchat for Web is now available for everyone. “Snapchat’s messaging and video chat features first made their way to browsers back in July, but only in select markets and for Snapchat+ subscribers. Now, Snapchat for Web is finally available for all the messaging app’s users worldwide. It could be the better choice for users who have a lot of typing to do and messages to send, since they’ll be looking at a bigger screen and have access to a real keyboard.”
The Verge: Snap plans to lay off 20 percent of employees. “Snap is planning to lay off approximately 20 percent of its more than 6,400 employees, according to people familiar with the matter. The layoffs, which Snap has been planning for the past several weeks, will begin on Wednesday and hit some departments harder than others, the people said.”
The Verge: Snap agrees to $35 million settlement over privacy lawsuit . “Snapchat users in Illinois who used filters or lenses may be eligible for a payout. Illinois reached a $35 million settlement with Snap this month, according to the Chicago Tribune, in a class action lawsuit over how user data was collected.”
Mashable: Snap’s new Dual Camera actually is a little different from BeReal. “On Monday, Dual Camera launched for Snapchatters using iOS on at least an iPhone XS/XR globally, with an Android rollout expected in the coming months. The mode allows users to capture content via the front and back cameras simultaneously, and though it sounds eerily similar to the Gen Z-beloved BeReal, Snap promises that it’s not exactly the same.”
CNET: Snapchat Brings ‘House of the Dragon’ to Cities Across the World via AR. “Snap and HBO Max have partnered on a new Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon feature for Snapchat users. From Sunday, if you’re in the right place you’ll see Snapchat’s new ‘Landmarker Lenses’ starring dragons.”
Engadget: Snap reportedly gives up on its selfie drone just four months after its debut. “It’s been less than four months since Snap unveiled a selfie drone called Pixy, but it seems the company is already giving up on the device. CEO Evan Spiegel told employees that Snap is halting further work on Pixy amid a reprioritization of resources, according to The Wall Street Journal.”
The Verge: Snap is planning to lay off employees. “Snap is in the early stages of planning layoffs, according to two people familiar with the plans. The planned cuts come after the company recently delivered disappointing earnings results and didn’t forecast earnings for the third quarter — news that sent its stock price cratering to near-all-time lows.”
