In this edition of FWD, we explore the latest news from Facebook as users worldwide reported disruption on their news feeds as they were spammed with random fan posts from celebrity pages. The issue has now been resolved.

News:

• Instagram tests a new feature, mirroring BeReal’s core functionality. The feature challenges users to post candid photos within a two-minute random period.
• Twitter is testing a new profile badge for users who have verified their phone numbers on the platform, to prove that a user is not a bot.

Start-up:

• Pabio is an e-commerce start-up offering rent-to-own furniture selected by interior designers. The platform offers flexible payment options for up to five years.

Insights:

• WhatsApp released a new app ‘The Verge’, which allows Window’s users of WhatsApp to use the application without their phones.
• TikTok launched a new sharing feature that allows users to publish TikTok Stories to Facebook and Instagram stories.
• YouTube now watermarks content downloaded and shared cross-platform from YouTube Studio to inform users where the content originates from.
• Twitch lifted its exclusivity agreement allowing partners to stream on rival platforms like YouTube, Facebook Live and more.