In a nutshell

Facebook has introduced knowledge panel-style information boxes to answer certain queries in its search results. The summary of information is pulled from Wikipedia and includes bios (for people searches) and descriptions (for non-human entries), along with links to any official pages and accounts.

What does this mean?

This feature may keep more users on Facebook, reducing the need for them to leave the platform to research. It could also go some way to quash misinformation or ‘fake news’ (which has become a real problem for Facebook), connecting users with more reputable links rather than simply the ‘most-shared’ articles.

Brands could benefit too. Even without their own Facebook page, their information could now be pulled into results, creating awareness and directing the searcher towards their official Instagram profile, for example.

In a nutshell

Twitter has announced it will be testing a feature that will encourage users to read an article before they share it. It posted: “Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you tweet it.

“To help promote informed discussion, we're testing a new prompt on Android –– when you Retweet an article that you haven't opened on Twitter, we may ask if you'd like to open it first.”

The feature is currently being tested on Android, with users receiving the prompt when posting a link to news outlet domains that they haven’t yet opened on Twitter.

What does this mean?

Twitter is looking to “promote informed discussion” on the platform – the latest in its aim to curb misinformation, and this prompt may increase click-through to publishers’ sites.

In a nutshell

Google is updating its housing, employment and credit advertising policies, prohibiting affected advertisers within these industries from targeting (or excluding) ads based on gender, age, parental and marital status or ZIP Code.

This is in addition to other longstanding policies that prevent targeting according to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.

Google plans to roll out these updates in the US and Canada asap, and will update advertisers on how the changes might impact them in the next few weeks.

What does this mean?

Google Ads Policies exist to prohibit advertising discrimination. Scott Spencer, Google’s vice president of product management, ads privacy and safety, stated that:

“Google is committed to working with the broader advertising ecosystem to help set high standards for online advertising, and we will continue to strive to set policies that improve inclusion and access for users.”