Google’s got an AR headset coming our way

This week in Hard Refresh: Social we review new Instagram features, TikTok Stories, Andre Leon Talley, & more!

The Verge.

META & FACEBOOK

• Meta is getting ethical when it comes to virtual influencers.
• Facebook and Instagram have entered the NFT chat.
• Facebook, Microsoft, and a slew of others are duking it out to define the next generation of the internet.

INSTAGRAM

• Instagram now allows creators to remix any public video, no longer limiting to just Reels.
• Instagram is testing out a paid subscriptions program with a select group of creators. But didn’t they tell us the platform would always be free…?
• Instagram is the choice platform for marketers this year.

TWITTER

• Twitter is expanding its misinformation reporting feature to more international markets.

SNAPCHAT

• Snapchat is combatting the opioid crisis in a new way, by making it harder for underage users to be found by the Friend Suggestion feature.

AR, VR, & AI

• Meta’s VR business is being investigated by the FTC for antitrust violations. Raise your hand if you’re surprised.
• Samsung seems to be lagging behind in the race to build AR glasses. But maybe it’s a tortoise and the hare situation?
• Google is building its own AR headset.

NOTEWORTHY

• TikTok is looking to expand its content horizons with a new test of a Stories feature. It was only a matter of time.
• YouTube is putting the kibosh on its original series, opting to continue funding for programs in the Black Voices and YouTube Kids funds.

VIRAL CONTENT

• André Leon Talley, a fashion icon, died at 73 this week.

Have a great weekend!

Giphy.