We now have a timeline for the shutdown of consumer Google+ and it’s happening fast. Be sure to see all the links under the Google+ heading below for the latest information, tips and tutorials. And, of course, that’s not all. Read on!
- This week Google finally provided a timeline for the shutdown of consumer Google+ there will be changes as early as next week. Full shutdown will be on April 2nd, with the deletion of all consumer Google+ Profiles, all Google+ Pages, and their posts and Google+ photos. Photos in Google Photos will NOT be deleted and other Google products like Gmail and YouTube will not be affected.
- Blogger announced they will be switching blogs with Google+ comments to Blogger comments (which removes the Google+ comments), and removing Google+ widgets and buttons from blog Layouts on Monday, February 4th. In March, all accounts using a Google+ Profile will be switched to a Blogger profile.
- YouTube removed the option to automatically share videos, likes and playlist adds to Google+ and Twitter.
- If you opted into the Google Play Services Public Beta Program, shutdown of Google+ may cause issues with Google apps like Hangouts and Gmail. You can check whether you are in the Google Play Services Public Beta program and opt out here.
- Google announced that you can continue using classic Google Sites until 2021. New Google Sites will be getting a slew of new features, with a focus for enterprise users.
- Gmail mobile apps got a material design makeover and updated navigation.
- A major bug was discovered in Apple’s FaceTime video chat that let you eavesdrop on the person you are calling. Under the right circumstances, FaceTime starts transmitting audio before the person on the other end answers your call. In response, Apple disabled Group FaceTime and should have an update with a fix next week.
- Facebook ran afoul of Apple’s app policy for using their enterprise program - meant for internal app testing - to distribute an app to teens (and other customers) that tracked their online behavior. Apple revoked their enterprise certificate, which caused early iOS versions of Facebook, Instagram and other apps to stop working. Subsequently Google also lost their ability to distribute internal iOS apps, affecting test versions of Google Maps, Hangouts, Gmail and other products. This appears to have been due to Google’s Screenwise Meter app, which monitored how people use their iPhones. Both companies did have their certificates restored.
Image: Sunday is the Super Bowl, which is practically a US holiday. Google Assistant has some updates, you can watch the ads on YouTube or watch the game on YouTube TV, join the “conversation” on Twitter, and find trending Reddit content and answers to your questions on Bing.
Upcoming
- February 4: Blogger removes Google+ Comments, Google+ widgets, buttons and badges
- February 4: No longer possible to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events
- February 4: Deadline to apply for YouTube NextUp Jakarta
- February 5: Webmaster Central Office Hours Hangout
- February 5: Free Flickr accounts will have content deleted to meet the new 1000 photos or videos
- February 7: Google Partners Academy on Air: Reach the right customers with Smart Bidding
- February 8: Webmaster Central Office Hours Hangout
- February 12: Old Google Contacts shut down for G Suite (not clear if this affects consumer accounts)
- February 17 Deadline to apply for YouTube NextUp London Special Edition #YouTubeBlack
YouTube and Video Creation
- YouTube Music comes to Sonos (YouTube)
- Removing the last Google+ Features from YouTube: Private shares with G+ Circles, G+ links, Mobile app
- Download a backup of your YouTube Brand Account Channel
Go Live
- Twitch introduces moderator tools built into chat (Twitch)
- After two controversies, Twitch says it will no longer run ads for other Twitch streamers (Kotaku)
Google+
- Shutting down Google+ for consumer (personal) accounts on April 2, 2019 (Google+ Help)
- Frequently asked questions about the Google+ shutdown (Google+ Help)
- Important changes to Google+ for G Suite due to consumer shutdown (G Suite Admin Help)
- What you need to know about the sunset of consumer Google+ on April 2nd (Google Cloud)
- Download a backup of your Google+ Page data
- Blogger minus Google+: Google+ Comments and Profiles removed beginning February 4th
- An update on Google+ and Blogger (Blogger)
- Removing the last Google+ Features from YouTube: Private shares with G+ Circles, G+ links, Mobile app
- Google+-related Flickr Groups: Google+ Refugees, Landscape Photography
Other social media
- The Best of Reddit’s Communities in 2018 - Celebrating the best moments from your favorite Reddit communities (Reddit)
- Announcing CPC ads on Reddit - Reddit Ads unveils first performance-driven offering to drive traffic and conversions (Reddit)
- Facebook Charting a Course for an Oversight Board for Content Decisions (Facebook)
- Facebook Expanding Efforts to Protect Elections in 2019 (Facebook)
- Twitter 2018 US Midterm Elections Review (Twitter)
Google Photos and Mobile Photography
- Flickr introduces a new “one-stop, curation station”. (Flickr)
- Google+-related Flickr Groups: Google+ Refugees, Landscape Photography
- The new Camera tab in the new Google Arts & Culture app is your doorway to digitized art (Google)
Google for businesses
Bloggers and Webmasters
- Blogger minus Google+: Google+ Comments and Profiles removed beginning February 4th
- An update on Google+ and Blogger (Blogger)
- Updated roadmap for classic and new Google Sites (G Suite Updates)
- Indexing sites using Javascript to show content: Dynamic Rendering with Rendertron (Google Webmaster Central)
- Richer interactivity and interactive charts in Data Studio (Google Marketing Platform)
AdSense and advertising
- The Analytics 360 Solution Guide: How today’s top brands gain a deeper understanding of the customer journey (Google Marketing Platform)
Hangouts and Messaging
- Dedicated Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts IP addresses (G Suite Updates)
- Huge FaceTime flaw exposes Apple users to eavesdroppers (Gizmodo)
Made by Google, Android, Google Fi
- New phone deals from Google Fi - Moto X4, Moto G6, LG G7, LG V36 (Google Fi)
- Google releases source code of Santa Tracker for Android 2018 (Android Developers)
Productivity
- Making Gmail on mobile better for you (Google)
- More language options available for the 2019 Calendar Template in Sheets (Google)
- Chrome stable Channel Update for Desktop (Chrome 72) (Chrome releases)
- Chrome for Android Update (Chrome Releases)
Privacy and Security
- Run a privacy checkup on your Google Account and Facebook Account.
- Google Screenwise: An Unwise Trade of All Your Privacy for Cash (EFF)
- Apple blocked Google from running its internal iOS apps (The Verge)
- Facebook pays teens to install VPN that spies on them (TechCrunch)
- Apple blocks Facebook from running its internal iOS apps (The Verge)
More around the web
- The Wild Experiment That Showed Evolution in Real Time (The Atlantic)
- Supporting the military community for whatever’s next (Google)
- The Journey of Us: Celebrating Black History’s movers and changemakers (Google)
- How Google can help keep your resolutions going through 2019 (Google)
- Thank the Google Data Liberation Front for Google Takeout
- An update on our work to prevent abuse ahead of the EU elections (Google)
Thank you for these! Really helpful 😀
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them! :)
DeleteNow I noticed that the videos downloaded on Blogger itself no longer use the old flsh technology, but the same as YouTube. Great!
ReplyDelete