Here’s this week’s round-up of social media (& tech) news. Come by each week for what I hope to be a fun & informative blog post on social stories that caught my eye throughout the week!

• Helpful: Twitter tests ‘translated’ hashtags.

• It’s Tweetception: Twitter now auto embeds tweets inside tweets on desktop (it had been doing this for mobile for awhile!) Handy like a retweet with comment but allows more room for your comments!

• Facebook launches its Internet.org app – taking us one step closer to Internet for everyone! The app lets people browse useful health, employment and local info services without data charges – and obviously gives you access to Facebook.

• LinkedIn app gets a major redesign – adds context to profiles, hoping ot make it easier for you to start conversations with others.

• Controversy over the praying Emoji – Is it praying or is it a high five? (It’s obviously praying)

• I can’t believe this wasn’t a thing before – Sprint is now offering super cheap phone plans for only accessing social networks. $12 gets you unlimited access to FB, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest (or just $10 get unlimited access to all four). I would be down for that, lol.

• This doesn’t make sense to me but it looks like Google is looking at taking the Photos tool out of Google+. (This is why so many Google social networks fail).

• Say goodbye to Facebook Gifts, hello to the ‘Buy’ button. (Who even used Gifts? lol)

• Check out Bolt, Instagram’s new messaging app. Frankly I’m getting tired of all these messaging apps…

• …. because Facebook is killing messaging in its main mobile app and will be forcing everyone to use Facebook Messenger app soon. Laaaame.

• Twitter isn’t ruling out a version of the Twitter timeline that would use an aglorithm like Facebook’s Newsfeed on its way to grow as big as Facebook.

• Did you follow Grandma Betty? I didn’t know about her Instagram account until now… she died of cancer at the of 80. This is a tribute showing some of her great photos. She seemed like a wonderful lady.

• Did you see this week’s Cat Saturday photos?! My favourites are 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 26, 32, and 35! !

Thoughts on these stories? Tweet @ me or leave a comment below!

Linda

Follow @lindork