Instagram is developing a “Blend” feature that creates a private feed of Reels recommended for you and a friend. According to a screenshot posted on X by Paluzzi, a Blend would include “Reels recommendations based on Reels you’ve shared with each other and your Reels interests.”In other words, if you invited a friend to a “Blend,” Instagram would generate a personalized feed of Reels that it believes the two of you would be interested in. #Instagram is working on Blend: #Reels recommendations based on reels you've shared each other and your reels interests 👀 ℹ️ Private between the two of you. Since people already send each other Reels via DMs, Instagram would now be using that data to proactively recommend and display Reels that it believes a pair of users would enjoy. If released, Blend would give Instagram Reels users access to a fun and collaborative feature that isn’t available on its rival platform, TikTok.

Max Chen
March 29, 2024

Enterprise

“Empower Your Subscribers: Build a Network of Recommended Publications on Substack”

Substack is updating its peer-to-peer recommendation system, the company announced today. With this new update, Substack is helping writers aid other writers in expanding their reach and potentially getting more subscribers and followers, as the company is now allowing writers to curate and share a list of publications for their readers to subscribe to. Most social media networks currently leverage algorithms for their recommendation systems, but Substack is instead focused on allowing writers to curate their own networks of recommendations. Substack says the new update will help writers build up goodwill with other writers by helping them reach more people, while also helping readers curate a worldview. The platform will show writers how many subscriptions and follows they have driven for people in their network.

Max Chen
February 22, 2024

Apps, Enterprise, Startups

Tech Giants Reject Indias Absolutist, Regressive Competition Act

US tech giants say Indian panel's recommended competition act 'absolutist and regressive' • TechCrunch

An industry group representing major tech firms such as Google, Meta and Amazon has denounced an Indian parliamentary panel’s proposed digital competition law. Claiming the proposal is “absolutist and regressive,”…