Google Docs: Today’s Humble Travelogue

Just as TikTok’s rise revolutionized social media and search behavior, the explosion in consumer-created, short form video is now challenging the reign?of one of the earliest forms of educational entertainment: the travelogue. Today, our social feeds are filled with a seemingly endless stream of travel hacks, daily tourist vlogs, and recommendations of what are presumably the best local eateries in any given country.

But most videos appealing to the masses don’t factor in personal preference, and trusting advice from strangers on the internet does not always bode well, like waiting hours for a mediocre panino in Florence, or worse, getting barred from boarding a flight after attempting the pillowcase hack to evade baggage fees.

Undoubtedly, online information isn’t always reliable, and while some share content with good intentions, the resulting hype ruins the experience for tourists and locals alike. Enter the Google Doc—an unassuming, restricted, carefully-curated list of recommendations personally catering to the interests of one's closest friends and family.

Travel enthusiasts spend months or years crafting these itinerary docs that cater to everyone and go beyond the viral spots. Some are protected, sent only to an exclusive few, though others have been reshared so much that the original author becomes unknown. The appeal of the Google Doc lies in its promise of trustworthy insights from someone who has not only knows the location but also shares your taste. Pehaps personalized Google Docs are the new love language in this era of online virality.

Why it matters: While it’s a niche audience, the fascination with Google Docs highlights a broader shift in how people manage their online presence.?Consumers are increasingly seeking authentic experiences catering to their own wants and needs, even if that doesn’t align with what's trendy or relevant. (Witness Substack's role as a platform for meaningful discourse surrounding NYFW last week.) Brands should indeed capitalize on key trends to boost awareness, but their social strategies should also include opportunities for tailored, individual engagement.

Other news and trends

Instagram's teen features. After facing pressure over child safety online, Instagram has announced sweeping changes to its platform, particularly with respect to settings on minors' accounts. Both new and existing users under the age of 18 will be categorized as "Teen Accounts," automatically applying a set of protections to younger users that can only be modified if they are 16 or older. Some of the features include immediately setting minor accounts to private, issuing a Sleep Mode that silences notifications from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m., and preventing strangers from direct messaging them. New parental controls are also being added for parents wanting to supervise their children on the app, and measures are already in place to prevent minors from lying about their age to avoid these implementations.?

• Related regulatory news: Meta vs. Russia. On Monday, Meta announced plans to ban Russian media outlets from posting to its platforms, including the network RT, which has recently come under scrutiny in the United States. The ban is set to take effect in the coming days as part of ramped up efforts to prevent Russian media state actors from spreading disinformation and possibly interfering with the upcoming presidential election.

Snap expands AI capabilities. Snap is expanding its AI tools for creators, announcing Easy Lens, a feature that lets users create Snapchat Lenses from plain-English descriptions, at this year's Snap Partner Summit in Santa Monica, California. Available in Lens Studio, it uses generative AI to build 3D effects, characters, and transformations. The feature is part of Snap's biggest redesign in years, with plans to enhance Lens Studio with more generative tools, such as a 3D asset builder. Despite growing its creator base to 375,000, Snap faces financial pressure after underperforming in Q3 due to a weak ad market and is testing new ad formats to improve revenue. However, people online are reacting to the default setting that reserves Snap the right to use one's AI-generated likeness in ads that then target you, with articles already circulating on how to opt out.

The world's favorite baby hippo. Speaking of viral travel hotspots, Moo Deng, a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, has captured the hearts of the internet after garnering tens of millions of views on TikTok for her slippery antics. The videos inspired the creation of fan pages dedicated to her, and the rate of visitors at the zoo skyrocketed by at least 30%. But the uptick in visitors has prompted the zoo to update its safety measures after reports of objects being thrown at Moo Deng: The public can see her only on weekends in five-minute intervals, and the zoo will pursue legal action against anyone who breaks the visitation rules.?

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