- James Creech
New Features on Social Media | December 2021
This year was especially busy for new feature releases on social media platforms, and December was no exception. TikTok piloted additional ecommerce tools, Instagram rolled out video replies to comments, and Snapchat unveiled new AR lenses.
Here are the latest social media updates:
Facebook 👍 | New Features | December 2021

Testing a new "Split Payments" feature for Messenger that lets you divide bills up among friends.
Facebook Gaming's new “Play Watch Connect” initiative offers new interactive experiences (e.g. trivia, polls, and mini-games on screen) as well as a "Play with Streamer" option.
Released a dedicated website for customers to buy "Stars" to avoid purchasing them through Apple's app store.
Instagram 📷 | New Features | December 2021

Released "Reels Visual Replies," which allows users to reply to comments with a video message via Reels.
Unveiled a time capsule feature called "Playback IG Stories" that displays a wrap-up of the user's best stories from the year.
Added a Rage Shake option to report app problems.
Made it possible for users to embed a mini version of their profile into a website.
Pinterest 📌 | New Features | December 2021

Acquired video creation app Vochi, signaling Pinterest's continued push into creator tools.
Snapchat 👻 | New Features | December 2021

Released an Avatar lens AR filter to show users what they'd look like in the metaverse.
TikTok ♪ | New Features | December 2021

Launched a new TikTok Seller app in Indonesia to promote ecommerce on its platform.
Partnered with Rotten Tomatoes to share movie info in app.
Testing desktop streaming software called TikTok Live Studio, which may indicate future aspirations in the gaming space.
Partnered with Giphy to support gifs in its popular Green Screen effect.
Testing a new “Repost” button for users to share videos on their feeds.
Twitter 🐦 | New Features | December 2021

Testing TikTok-style updates to its Explore page, including heavy emphasis on short-form video and a For You tab.
YouTube 🎥 | New Features | December 2021

Released its first ever Copyright Transparency Report (H1 2021).
Testing a "Collections" feature to help users sort their channel subscriptions into categories.
Made it possible to appeal monetization decisions on the YouTube mobile app.
Added an export option for Channel Memberships and a survey option for members.
Testing a "Heatseeker" feature to identify the most watched parts of a video.
Did we miss any new social media features in our breakdown? If so, let us know!
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