Pinterest and LinkedIn Under Fire for Ad Tracking Practices

1/5 Pinterest and LinkedIn’s Ad Tracking Practices Under The Microscope?

LinkedIn and Pinterest are currently under fire for their data tracking practices. LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft, was hit with a $336 million fine by the Irish Data Protection Commission due to its ads tracking violating privacy laws. According to the Commission, LinkedIn did not properly inform users on its practices, and used invalid justifications to access user data. LinkedIn was ordered to shift its practices and become in line with GDPR. Pinterest has also been caught red-handed by the Commission, which found that the platform did not have explicit consent from users for both profiling and tracking.??

2/5 Instagram to Only Apply HD to Viral Clips?

Adam Mosseri, the boss of Instagram, has announced that Instagram picks and chooses which videos are graced with HD quality. When asked why some older stories are shown in poor quality, Mosseri clarified that when a video has not been watched for a while, it will get downgraded to a lower quality setting. This has pretty severe implications for smaller creators. If a creator’s video does not have substantial initial reach, then it will be downgraded in quality. This poorer quality will in turn deter people from watching the video in full, thus pushing it further down the HD quality list. Whilst Mosseri has claimed that he is aiming to correct this effect, in which bigger creators benefit more, there is yet to be any progress.?

3/5 X Increases API Fees Again?

X has announced it will increase the fee for its API access once more. API access allows functions such as post sharing and scheduling to be conducted on X by third party apps. These functions boost X usage, but Musk has been intent on reducing their presence on the platform in an attempt to stop generative AI from scraping X data illegally. As a result of upping X API fees in the past,? many third-party apps have had to shut down, as the cost of running is too high. This second round of increases is sure to make the remaining apps question whether their existence is still sustainable.?

4/5 TikTok Agrees to UnitedMasters Deal?

TikTok has signed a new partnership with United Masters, deepening its ties with the independent music industry. The partnership gives TikTok access to UnitedMasters’ music catalog, giving UM musicians exposure and commercial avenues via the TikTok Commercial Music Library. The partnership is one of many that TikTok is currently a part of, growing its thriving music community. The platform has well and truly established itself as a key player in the music industry, boosting new artists and growing extensive fandoms.?

5/5 Instagram Names its “Creators of Tomorrow”?

Instagram has unveiled its “Creators of Tomorrow” 2024, its annual list that highlights the top up-and-coming creators on the platform. The list features 25 creators across the 5 categories of, The Creator’s Inspo, AI Accelerators, IG Besties, DM-Worthy Icons, and The Vibe Curators. Over the next year, Instagram will partner with the creators to boost their work and aid in their growth through special opportunities in the app.??

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