It’s Thursday, and Singaporean authorities have a pro tip for social media users: don’t post AI-generated images of crocodiles lurking around your local park. (Seriously, don’t.)

APP THROWBACK

The app: Meta’s flagship platform has officially launched Forum, a community-centric app it’s been testing since May.

Tech leakers first noticed Forum’s existence earlier this year, at which point the app was described as Meta’s answer to Reddit. Now, we have a clearer picture of what that looks like.

In essence, the new app is to Facebook groups what Messenger is to Facebook chat threads. Forum users can see all the groups they’ve joined in one central location, and can scout for new groups that match their interests.

An AI-powered Ask cue will help users find the most relevant information within their groups, while human-powered features like a “top voices” label provide a new way for in-group experts to identify themselves.

The context: Ultimately, Forum is one part of a broader reimagining of Facebook. As tech companies look to revive the old-school ideas of websurfing and discovery (and produce more fodder for AI chatbots), they are turning their communities into recommendation engines.

We’ve seen that transformation happen all over Facebook, from the Marketplace to the video feed. Now, change is coming to your groups. 

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

SHOPPING SPREE

The ad format: ShopMy has raised millions from venture capital firms while growing a partner network of 350,000 “curators” and tens of thousands of brands. Now, to build out its ecosystem even more, the influencer marketing/creator commerce platform is introducing an ad format derived from organic creator content.

That format, called Spotlights, is integrated into Meta’s Partnership Ads and TikTok’s Spark Ads, two marketing products that harness the appeal and influence of creator content. Within both ad programs, ShopMy surfaces “proven-to-convert” creator content, according to a press release.

By repurposing those uploads, brands can build Spotlight-based strategies across all stages of their campaigns. Creators can also enable “Instant Spotlights” to pre-approve requests from brands they mention.

The benefits: ShopMy argues that running campaigns in this fashion tailors them to social platforms, and there’s plenty of data to support that idea. Meta has reported that creator-led Partnership Ads deliver 13% higher click-through rates compared to standard media, while TikTok has claimed that its Spark Ads increase click-throughs and conversions by about 25%.

Building a library of Spotlights helps brands gather what marketing firm Agentio calls an “infinite creative engine.” 

To prove the efficacy of Spotlights, ShopMy cited the case of skincare brand MUTHA, an early user of the new product. MUTHA reported a 55% lift over its standard return on Meta ad spend after employing Spotlights. Now, other brands will have the chance to produce similar results.

GAME ON

The job listings: Mojang wants Minecraft to stay competitive amid a boom of creator-built experiences.

Creators on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite are attracting millions of players and landing lucrative brand deals that have collectively brought in ten-digit earnings—and the sandbox is only getting more crowded. Another notable name, Rockstar Games, is trying to turn the hotly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI into the next big creator platform.

To keep Minecraft in the game (no pun intended), Microsoft-owned Mojang recently posted several job listings for roles that concern the creation and management of interactive experiences built within the 17-year-old platform.

The listings—which were uncovered by GamesBeat—include principal and senior program manager positions on Mojang’s partner developer relations team and a senior director for its creator monetization team. Earlier in September, Mojang also put out a call for a director of creator programs and ecosystems marketing.

The context: Minecraft has a long history as a world-building tool, and the success of A Minecraft Movie shows that Mojang’s signature title still commands plenty of cultural cachet. The views keep coming online, too; the official Minecraft YouTube channel, for instance, recently ranked as one of the 50 most-watched channels on YouTube.

Underneath all of that success, however, Minecraft’s cracks have started to show. The platform has been slow to add enough forms of creator monetization, with a recent Impact.com partnership representing the first affiliate marketing program in its ecosystem. Mojang HQ itself has also faced a spate of layoffs, and the developer is clearly concerned about its ascendant rivals.

One of its new job listings, for example, seeks an employee capable of “defending against competing platforms (Roblox, Fortnite/UEFN, Unity, Fab) through better developer experience, tooling, and enablement at portfolio scale.” The competition may be heating up—but Mojang is ready to add enough new hires to keep pace.

WATCH THIS 👀

The critique: At last week’s Made On event, YouTube announced a slate of new features, including a tool that will allow creators to A/B test entire videos by comparing multiple cuts of the same clip.

That particular update has raised a few eyebrows—most notably from top tech reviewer Marques Brownlee. In a video addressed directly to YouTube, the creator described the new clip A/B testing tool as the platform’s “craziest, riskiest, and possibly worst idea yet.” And to make sure that statement was well-informed, Brownlee discussed the feature with YouTube’s own engineers before posting his critique.

Check out Brownlee’s full “Dear YouTube” video here to find out more.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, James Hale, and Josh Cohen.