Social media has played a major role in our lives during this global pandemic and it seems when life goes back to normal, this new practice and behavior of communication is here to stay.
Below are 10 social media platforms that have seen major changes during the past year.
1. TikTok: A pandemic app
TikTok has managed to become one of the fastest growing apps of all time dominating social media during the pandemic with over 1 billion global monthly active users. With more time on our hands and less positive content around us, TikTok’s short, user generated videos have made it fun, relatable and easily digestible, making it perfect for lockdown viewing.
TikTok has also been very effective for mental health deteriorated in the pandemic in particular, for brands showcasing their products and basically for anyone looking for something to learn the easy way.
2. Instagram
On August 5, 2020, Instagram introduced Instagram reels, a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.
Reels allows you to create 15 second fun multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. You can share reels with your followers on Feed, and if you have a public account, make them available to the wider Instagram community.
Many believe that Instagram Reels came after TikTok gained popularity during the pandemic. The short video length resembles the old and very much missed app, Vine
3. YouTube, pandemic source of information
Since the stay-at-home order went into effect around the world, YouTube consumption skyrocketed; from following the news to watching tutorial videos about almost anything like beauty, home gardening, exercises and more, something to entertain the kids and even creating videos.
YouTube is now the world’s second-most used social media platform as people have turned to videos to replace in-person events and activities and will likely continue growing over the next decade.
4. Zoom becoming a “verb”
Despite facing established competitors like Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook in consumer video-calling, and Cisco and Google in videoconferencing at work, Zoom appears to have literally zoomed to the top of the charts during the pandemic.
As many of us know, Zoom had a significant growth during the outbreak of COVID-19. Millions of people have been forced to stay home and found a new way of communication for their works and social interactions. Under this circumstance, Zoom reached 200 million daily users in March 2020 and 300 million in April 2020, up from its previous record of 10 million in December 2019.
5. Facebook adding group video call features
With lockdowns and quarantines during the coronavirus pandemic, more people turned to video chatting, meetings and classes. Facebook included a new feature which allows Facebook and Messenger users to create group video calls of up to 50 people with no time limits. Previously, Messenger video calls were limited to eight people. This is while Zoom and Houseparty, two video-calling products that have had a spike during the past year, have limited free group video calls.
More users have turned to Facebook group video calls to socialize with friends and family using its fun features. Facebook even helped people celebrate the New Year from a cozy night at home.
6. Twitter struggling between misinformation and speech
2020 elections amidst the coronavirus pandemic, caused a lot of trouble for Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey. He testified twice before Congress and had heated discussions with both Republican and Democrat lawmakers about First amendment, censorship, freedom of speech, election misinformation and the coronavirus.
Two days after the attack on the US capitol, Twitter decided to permanently suspend the @realDonaldTrump account due to risk of further incitement of violence. Some criticized Twitter for doing too little too late, while others considered it censorship of free speech.
Dorsey is expected to testify again before Congress in March, according to Politico.
7. WhatsApp privacy controversy
Popular messaging service WhatsApp recently saw a huge group of its users jump ship for rival platforms. The reason for the switch? An updated privacy policy.
WhatsApp recently announced a new privacy policy that no longer allows users to opt out of sharing their data with parent company Facebook. According to the new policy, user data like phone numbers, address books, pictures and the contents of some messages will now be automatically shared with Facebook.
Under the new privacy policy, WhatsApp users have two options: Agree to share their personal information with Facebook or delete their WhatsApp account.
8. Signal booming
“Use Signal” A two-word endorsement by Elon Musk boosted downloads of Signal app on January 7.
According to data from leading mobile data and analytics company App Anni, Signal became one of the top 10 most downloaded social apps on iOS for the first time in the US since WhatsApp issued an update to its privacy policy that allows it to share user data with Facebook, its parent company. Signal saw such a huge boost in new users that there was a delay in verification codes to create new accounts.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had also previously pitched for downloading Signal back in June 2020.
9. LinkedIn and the new working era
The Covid-19 pandemic has left millions of people out of work, more than a billion at risk of income loss and forcing millions of others to adapt to remote work. The professional social network, LinkedIn came to the rescue for many. There are nearly 40 million job searches each week, wrote Tomer Cohen, the head of the product in a blog post. “And despite a challenging job market, three people are getting hired on LinkedIn every minute.”
LinkedIn now has over 722 million members. In 2020, it saw increases in activity through the platform. In 2021, more than half of U.S. marketers will also be using LinkedIn and working conditions can change for the better. Everyone can embrace the benefits of flexible and remote work.
10. Reddit and the GameStop revolution
From January 25 through 29, an army of individuals sent the company shares 500% up in GameStop Corp., a brick-and-mortar company that was about to go bankrupt. In three days, GameStop and a few other stocks gained more than most do in a decade. The hedge funds on the other side of these bets lost billions.
This was a financial revolution in the stock market where ordinary citizens organized themselves on a reddit subgroup called the WallStreetBets or WSB competing with Wall Street hedge funds.
With the pandemic more people are getting their feet into the stock market using commission free apps like Robinhood and Webull and they are mostly using social media, notably reddit for updates, tips and alerts.
Social media has become the safe communication channel with friends and loved ones while socially distancing in our homes.
One year with covid-19 has brought many changes in the competition and regulations of social media platforms. Many of these new features and habits will be with us even when the pandemic is over.