A greater number of US creators on Instagram can now earn money through Badges during their live feeds.

Only a small, select group of academic researchers will be invited to use the API, at least until February 2022. At that point, Facebook will grant wider access to academics. 

Developers, and the third-party apps they create, now have two new access levels, essential access and elevated access, so that they can use more of Twitter’s features.

Facebook is not slowing down in its effort to create engaging spaces and experiences for the platform’s users. A recent batch of platform updates focused on Facebook Groups. 

Tweets with links to Instagram posts will include post previews. 

This update follows Facebook’s recent rebrand to Meta and highlights the company’s newly prioritized commitment to protecting the privacy of its users.

The new name reflects Facebook’s plans to focus future developments around the “metaverse.”

Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said in a Tweet that the update is the company’s response to user feedback.

Earlier this week, developer and social media researcher Alessandro Paluzzi spotted that Instagram is testing longer Stories.

The scope of Insights has now been extended to also include people who interact with an account without following it.

The feature will serve as a discovery and messaging tool within the Instagram app, helping eligible brands identify creators for sponsorships and communicate with them without leaving the platform.

The long-awaited desktop feature closely resembles the mobile publishing flow, and only 7 simple steps are involved.