The Social Media Globalization: Facebook Now Copies Snapchat's Filters As Well!
After Facebook tried to buy out Snapchat for $3 Billion in 2013 but CEO Spiegel denied, Facebook has desperately tried to add Snapchats most popular features to its own visual Social Media Platform: Instagram.
With self-deleting Instagram Stories, we have basically experienced a totally copied version of Snapchat Stories(which was successful, nevertheless!)
But now, Facebook is taking it one step further, and is this time not adding a Snapchat feature to Instagram, but to Facebook itself: Custom, location-based Filters!
The Filters are called "Frames", and every user (Facebook page owner or not) will be able to create custom ones and then add them to their profile picture.
This is Facebook's attempt to make the platform more visual, while also offering its users to personalize it more.
Starting today, users in the UK, Ireland, Mexico, Colombia and Taiwan will be able to test the new feature - Facebook has not officially stated when it will be available to the whole world yet.
To design a frame yourself, you should first put the actual design elements together. This could be in any software like Photoshop, but make sure that each element is exported individually with a PNG, and with a transparent background.
Then, you can use Facebook's new web tool to upload your elements there, enhance the frame with even more features and then you can submit the frame to be approve. (No illegal or offensive content is allowed, obviously.)
Once the filter is approved, not only you but other people can use it as well:
If you have a personal facebook profile this will only be available to your friends whenever they're close to the specific location. But if you're a facebook page owner, you can make the filter open to the public and therefore use it to represent your business!
And Facebook is even planning to acquire Snapchat's biggest and most popular feature: Animated filters that attach to your face.
Those iconic Snapchat filters that are way over-used and loved by everybody will soon be available on facebook as well - in a very similar form.
Again, this feature is currently only available in Ireland and has been in the testing process there since October.
Facebook has not announced when the built-in camera and filters will go global yet - but we can be certain that they will become available for Facebook users worldwide once the testing phase was completed successfully.
Personal Opinion
In an Interview regarding the Instagram Stories feature, Instagram CEO Systrom said:
"When you are an innovator, that’s awesome. Just like Instagram deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront. This isn’t about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it"
So he openly admitted that Instagram was using some of Snapchat's features, and that it wasn't about who invented it first, but rather to make use of a popular format on your own platform.
But honestly, I do believe it's about who invented what first - afterall, Snapchat wouldn't have become such a huge success if the makers never came up with revolutionizing ideas like selfie-filters.
Another problematic aspect is that Facebook owns not only Facebook, but Instagram, Whatsapp and other smaller platforms as well - so they dominate almost all giants in the Social Media Market.
It's not like 10 different competitor Apps all had an agreement with Snapchat and everyone was now implementing features of it - that would be a different story. But it's only one big coorporation, Facebook, taking features from an opponent and making it their own.
Snapchat has shown no intention to sue them yet, so there must be a reason for that - but still, only because one concept is successful, I don't think Facebook should try to copy it and implement elements of it everywhere.
Every Social Media Platform should stay unique, like Steemit!
If everybody starts to copy from other platforms, we'll soon face the whole globalization dilemma again where everything is available everywhere and that makes it quite boring.
Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Cover: © Sirwinchester
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I think Facebook is just making a fool out of itself, trying to copy every snapchat feature.. it's so obvious!
But the funniest part about it is that they are still successful with their copying, and that people still use and love the new functions - of course they're going to continue then
Exactly, these filters are one of the biggest trends currently, so they think: why not take advantage of it
Many people have Facebook already. It is convenient for them to have these options all at one place, instead of going through multiple Apps/site.
Yes, that's true as well and that's why these copycat actions will still be a success!
Interesting.
We'll see how the users will respond to this once it goes global!
Yes. I really dislike Facebook and their tactics now.
I'm surprised that they can even legally do this, when it's so obvious..
I mean, the filters will be fun and everything, and a great opportunity for businesses, but like you said: when the same stuff is available everywhere, that makes it boring!
Yes. I think Snapchat is purposely not sueing them, I'm sure otherwise they could've done it already if they really wanted to.
Will be cool added feature. Cant help thinking that people spending less time on FB. Becoming to commercialized and censored.
Many of them (especially young users) have moved to snapchat - that's why facebook desperately tries to get them back with similar features!
Snapchat has much better filters.
Definitely! But Facebook will probably work on them and offer a lot more once the feature has gone global
My guess is there are a couple of reasons; first of all, the filter thingy where you put something over your face like a helmet or whatever, is a feature that first appeared (popularly) on iphones and is therefore not their invention.
Secondly the IP issues surrounding these features, must be murky at best. If the tech is already out there in some form and is widely used, then you can't protect it.
For instance the first camera phone made by Sharp; both cameras and phones were in widespread use and they put them together. Could they protect it as a unique patentable product?
They probably tried and failed, and that is with physical, tangible assets; when it comes to digital assets; oh boy, sharpen up those lawyers, coz they're the only ones who are gonna make money out of this!
Cg
Yes, that's really true. A lot of laws we have today are not applicable with issues of the present world anymore - especially in the tech world.
You're right, Snapchat didn't invent a lot of those features, so you're right maybe it's harder to protect them than we think.
We'll see how far this goes in the future, and how much the copying will continue ..
You hit the nail on the head, in one of my favourite books; Netocracy, they predicted back in 2000 that most of our laws would be rendered meaningless in the face of the new world dominated by the internet.
It is mad how Facebook are gaining this social monopoly, I wonder how long before they want to buy/copy Steemit!
Cg
Hmm.... I may try this when it comes.
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Thank you beneficial article. The Snapchat application and the features it provides are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, it is not surprising that many desire to create something similar and question how to make an app like Snapchat.
Hi, great post. Social Media apps are going global nowadays and connect people with similar interests. It's interesting that Facebook is even planning to acquire Snapchat's biggest and most popular feature Animated filters that attach to your face. Have you ever wondered how to make a social media app that stands out in this ever-evolving landscape?