Interesting Reads. Industry news that you may have missed.
Deepfakes, videos manipulated by face-swapping technology, are showing up on the wildly popular 60-second video app TikTok – Business Insider
A type of face-swapping technology called deepfakes is appearing on TikTok. A deepfake is a video manipulated with AI to show something that isn’t real. Users of the app are inserting their face and faces of popular TV characters, like Michael Scott from The Office, into videos that show someone else. This technology has brought concerns over the spread of misinformation. Facebook announced earlier this year it would remove deepfakes under its new policy.
Disney+ reaches 26.5 million subscribers. It took Netflix five years to get there – Forbes
Disney+ streaming service has attracted 26.5 million subscribers in the first quarter since its launch in November 2019, a threshold Netflix took five years to achieve. This is likely due to the internet speed in 2007. When Netflix launched its streaming service, DVDs were still the main choice for consumers to watch movies at home, and cord-cutting was not yet in existence. This speed of adopting shows how viewing habits are gravitating to streaming services for consumers.
Instagram stars like Lele Pons show renewed zeal for IGTV just as ads get rolling – AdAge
Instagram is ready to start splitting ad revenue with its talent on IGTV. This new incentive could drive creators to return to the platform and away from YouTube. The idea to run ads on IGTV has been up for debate among the social media app since last year, and now it is ready to launch in March. The announcement is already drawing back talent like Lele Pons, who has 38.8 million followers and was an original creator on IGTV.
Nintendo will host Switch pop-up lounges in four US airports – Engadget
Waiting to board an airplane is a time killer. Nintendo has come up with a way to help travelers pass the time with its pop-up lounges. The lounges will be at four U.S. airports where passengers can play popular Switch games, charge their devices, and grab some goodies. Nintendo hopes people will get a taste of how its systems can convert from a home console to a handheld portable companion for travelers.
