Facebook has upgraded its recommendations engine to improve reel discovery and social features. Users will see more relevant reels based on their interests and can interact with friends through friend bubbles that indicate liked content. The engine highlights 50% more recent reels and allows personalization by flagging unwanted content. AI-powered suggested searches help users explore topics of interest, with more personalization features coming soon.
Threads is launching communities, public spaces for discussing topics like basketball and TV. Currently in testing for over 100 popular topics, these communities enhance user connection through custom feeds and topic tags. Membership is public, with communities pinned in feeds and tagged on profiles. Users can discover and join communities easily. Upcoming features include badges for standout contributors and improved ranking for relevant posts.
WhatsApp has introduced new features to enhance chatting and calling. Users can now send Live and Motion photos, create custom chat themes with Meta AI, and access new sticker packs for more expressive conversations. Group chat searches have become easier, allowing users to find groups by searching for members. Android users can scan and send documents directly from the app. Additionally, Meta AI enables unique backgrounds for video calls and photos.
Facebook is introducing new features to enhance fan engagement and creator recognition. Fans can now join fan challenges initiated by creators, allowing them to create and share content, with top entries featured on a leaderboard. Fans can also earn custom top fan badges through regular engagement, which can be displayed on their profiles. Creators like Cardi B and Ed Sheeran are personalizing these badges, promoting community connections among fans.
Markifact automates the creation and uploading of Meta ads using AI. Users generate custom visuals and matching ad copy by writing detailed prompts and uploading reference images. Ads are uploaded in a paused status for review before going live. This tool allows for quick creation of multiple ad variations, adaptation to market trends, and scaling of campaigns without needing extensive design or copywriting resources.
Meta is launching an updated version of the Meta AI app featuring Vibes, a new feed for creating and sharing AI-generated videos. Vibes helps users find inspiration and experiment with media tools. Users can create videos from scratch, remix existing ones, and share them on various platforms. The app also serves as a hub for managing AI glasses and accessing the Meta AI assistant for help. Future updates will enhance these creation tools.
Hundreds of millions of teens now use Teen Accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, which enhance safety with automatic protections. A new School Partnership Program allows US middle and high schools to report safety concerns directly. Additionally, an online safety curriculum created with Childhelp aims to educate middle schoolers on online safety, targeting one million students, and provides free resources for educators and parents.
WhatsApp now offers message translations to help over 3 billion users communicate across languages. Users can long-press a message to translate it and select the desired language. Android users can enable automatic translation for entire chat threads. Translations happen on the device for privacy. The feature is gradually rolling out, starting with six languages for Android and over 19 for iPhone, aiming to break down language barriers.
Facebook Dating has launched two new features: a dating assistant and Meet Cute. The dating assistant provides personalized help to find matches based on user interests, allowing for specific prompts. Meet Cute automatically matches users with surprise candidates, offering an alternative to swiping. These features aim to reduce swipe fatigue and enhance the dating experience for young adults in the US and Canada, with the assistant gradually rolling out.
Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Meta Neural Band at Connect. The glasses feature an in-lens display for checking messages and photos, designed for brief interactions. The Neural Band uses EMG technology for control with subtle hand movements. Features include messaging, video calls, navigation, live captions, and music playback. Priced at $799, they will be available in select US retailers starting September 30, with plans for international expansion.
