This week, as they do every week, our experts have researched and analyzed the most recent trends and updates, plus the newest tools and features, of the digital marketing world. What are your most important takeaways from the latest web news? Index rounds up the 6 most important digital news stories that you can’t afford to miss this week.
In the United States, the Justice Department has launched a suit against California following its attempt to restore net neutrality. The Justice Department has alleged that California state legislators are attempting to “subvert the Federal Government’s deregulatory approach.” California responded that the federal government was ignoring the “millions” opposed to the repeal of net neutrality laws and has even alleged that as a result of the repeal, Verizon’s slowed internet was to blame for the delayed response on the part of the fire department to the recent wildfires in California.
YouTube has recently expanded its TrueView in-stream ad format, allowing advertisers to connect with their consumers in new and exciting ways. This expansion has rolled out several tests that allow advertisers to add locations or forms to their ads enabling users to sign up for services or join a mailing list. YouTube plans on adding several other extensions like app downloads, travel booking, or purchasing movie tickets.
If you were recently logged out of your Facebook account, it’s because at least 50 million user accounts have been identified as being ‘at risk’ after hackers exploited a security vulnerability on the site. Nearly 90 million users have been logged out of their account this past week when the social media giant discovered the bug early last week. The bug exploited the ‘View As’ feature, granting hackers access tokens, which are used to keep user accounts logged in.
If you’ve noticed significant changes to your website ranking and traffic since September 27th, that’s because Google has once again updated its algorithm. To celebrate its 20th birthday, Google took the time to release a broad core algorithm update, which according to them happens routinely several times a year.
Snapchat, in partnership with the e-commerce giant Amazon, has announced that users will now be able to simply snap a picture to find and purchase products available on Amazon. This new functionality allows you to search for products through a photo or by scanning a barcode but is currently only available to users in the United States.
Facebook’s Artificial Intelligence Research division is on track to double in size in the next 2 years according to its chief AI scientist. The division is expected to expand from 180 staff to approximately 400 by 2020 as Facebook continues to prioritize AI to build the platform. This announcement comes despite the fact that Facebook’s FAIR and Google’s DeepMind are locked in a continuing struggle to accumulate more talent, as the battle for dominance in the field of artificial intelligence heats up.