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Instagram is seriously considering a major change to the picture-sharing app: hiding “likes.” The head of Instagram explained in a new interview why he’s willing to do it, even if it means losing some users (and money).
Meanwhile, Netflix is losing its most popular show to another streaming service that is set to debut next year.
And the Democratic primary candidates make their debut on the debate stage tonight; read on for information about how to watch and who will be on stage.
Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup:
TOP STORY: Instagram’s Leaders May Soon Make ‘Likes’ Private
How many people “liked” your best friend’s most recent vacation picture? Or the photo of your sister’s new puppy? The folks at Instagram say you don’t need to know that information.
The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, explained in a new interview on CBS This Morning that the social media company is actively experimenting with making “likes” private. You’ll still be able to see how many people saw and approved of your own pictures. But no one else will be able to see the tally.
Mosseri told Gayle King, “We don’t want Instagram to be such a competition. We want it to be a place where people spend more of their energy connecting with the people that they love and the things that they care about.”
King pointed out that seeing how many “likes” your posts received compared to other people is part of the fun of the app. Mosseri replied that the leaders at Instagram will prioritize their users’ mental well-being over profit. “We will do things that mean people use Instagram less if we think they keep people safe or generally create a healthier environment. I think we have to be willing to do that.”
OFF-BEAT: San Francisco Bans E-cigarette Sales
San Francisco just banned e-cigarette sales, the first major US city to outlaw tobacco vapes t.co/uz5hWiaDIp
San Francisco has become the first city in the United States to ban retailers from selling e-cigarettes. At least, until the Food & Drug Administration decides whether the products are in fact safe to use. The ban will take effect early next year and applies to both online and retail store sales.
According to federal data cited by Reuters, e-cigarette use among high school students has increased by 78 percent. E-cigarettes are thought to be safer than regular cigarettes, but researchers are not yet sure of the long-term health effects.
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera told Reuters, “This lack of clarity is causing tremendous confusion at the same time that a whole new generation of young people is getting addicted to nicotine.”
WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: ‘The Office’ is Leaving Netflix
We’re sad that NBC has decided to take The Office back for its own streaming platform — but members can binge watch the show to their hearts’ content ad-free on Netflix until January 2021
“The Office” is the most popular show on Netflix, but watch it there while you still can. NBC has announced that the comedy will be taken off Netflix in January 2021. It will then be available on NBC’s new streaming service, which is scheduled to launch in 2020.
One major difference viewers will notice in the future is that the characters will be interrupted by commercial breaks. NBCUniversal’s streaming channel will be free, but the service is supported by ads.
Netflix was reportedly willing to pay as much as $90 million to keep the rights to “The Office” but they were outbid by NBC. The show accounted for more than 7 percent of all Netflix streams in 2018.
DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP
- The first Democratic primary debate begins tonight. Here’s how to watch and which candidates will be on stage.
- Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller has agreed to testify before two congressional committees on July 17.
- Meet Stephanie Grisham, the new White House press secretary.
- Lightyear One debuts the first long-range solar-powered electric car.
- McDonald’s sales are up after the fast-food chain switched from frozen to fresh beef.
CHECK THIS OUT: The Viral Video of a Fish With a Human Face Was a Hoax
MyGoPenThe Chinese website MyGoPen also debunked the human-headed fish video.
Millions of people have seen the video of a creature that was made to look like a fish with a human face. It is laying on a dock and creepily looks around. Some commenters speculated that it came from Chernobyl, Russia, where one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters occurred back in 1986.
But the video was quickly debunked as a fake. For one thing, the creature does not flop around like a fish out of water would be expected to do. The debunking website Snopes.com has traced the video’s first online appearance to April 2019, where it was captioned “weird fish” in Chinese. Check out more of the conspiracy theories that circulated online here.
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