The radical changes coming to Facebook

One commentator described the changes, which will fundamentally alter a social media platform used by three quarters of New Zealanders, as “the end of the social networking era”.

Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Monday, August 1, by Anna Rawhiti-Connell. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.

In today’s edition: cost of living payment going to New Zealanders overseas; government aims to end HIV transmission; mega polytech to cut costs; but first, the big changes coming to Facebook.

Facebook announced the changes a week before posting a revenue decline (Image: Pexels/CC0)

Friends, family and groups will be gone from your main feed

Ten days ago, Meta announced major changes to the Facebook app. Duncan Greive and I have tried to unravel what they mean on The Spinoff this morning. When you open the app, instead of seeing things from sources that you follow, you will soon see algorithmically selected videos from completely random sources that you do not. The platform you have used to keep up with family, friends, your local community, politicians, news, businesses and important information like Covid, natural disaster and emergency updates, is about to radically change. All of that stuff will be shifted to a secondary tab in the app. Axios’s Scott Rosenberg described the forthcoming changes as the “end of the social networking era”.

The company formerly known as Facebook posts first ever revenue decline

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and What’sApp, just posted its first ever revenue decline last week. The name change from Facebook to Meta was made in 2021 and represents the future direction of travel for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who wants to build the Metaverse. For the sake of most people, including myself who does not understand what the Metaverse means, Wired accurately describes it as “​​the future of the internet. Or it's a video game. Or maybe it's a deeply uncomfortable, worse version of Zoom?” 

Changes designed to mimic rival app, TikTok

This revenue decline has been attributed in part to a loss of ad revenue because of the privacy changes Apple made recently. Facebook is also facing very stiff competition from TikTok. TikTok is a short-form video app owned by Chinese company Bytedance. It was the most downloaded app in New Zealand last year. It’s not just for dancing or Generation Z either. The New Yorker’s Cal Newport writes: “Facebook is trying to copy TikTok, but this strategy may well signal the end of these legacy platforms.”    

Social media functionally relevant to democracy

Whatever your position on the now entrenched dynamics of traditional media, social media, society and the way you get information or communicate with people, social media platforms are now functionally relevant to democracy. ​​Green MP Teanau Tuiono used Facebook to announce that he wasn’t running for the Green Party leadership. One supporter commented that they were impressed “with the way the party’s leaders are using social media to bypass the news media and send clear, constructive messages direct to members and the country.” The changes to Facebook could make that bypass a dead-end for millions in New Zealand who have come to rely on it for the core function of connecting with people they know, or following pages and groups they’re interested in. 

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New Zealanders living overseas told they will receive today’s cost of living payment

The criteria for the payment included having to live in New Zealand. Some New Zealanders living overseas have received a notification saying they will be receiving the payment. As the Herald reports, this includes one man who has not been a New Zealand resident for nearly 22 years. Stuff has someone who’s been in Switzerland since 2004. A document provided to 1 News by opposition finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis, claims to show IRD warned of potential issues. When approached for comment by 1 News yesterday, minister for revenue David Parker’s office referred them to the IRD advising it was an 'operational matter.' Parker is speaking to Tova O’Brien on Today FM after 7am. Meanwhile, as reported by Critic, students who do live here but did not earn taxable income last year, will not receive the payment.

Plan to eliminate HIV in New Zealand

The government has announced plans to eliminate the transmission of HIV in New Zealand. Elimination does not necessarily mean zero cases. The UN’s target for elimination is 95% of people with HIV will know their status, be receiving effective treatment, and have a suppressed viral load. In 2021, 67 people in New Zealand were diagnosed with HIV. Associate minister of health Ayesha Verrall made the announcement yesterday, saying “This decline in the number of people diagnosed with HIV, coupled with already having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV in New Zealand, places us in a strong position to eliminate HIV transmission”.

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Mega polytech to cut costs as it tries to reduce $110m deficit.

Te Pūkenga, the “mega polytech” that is taking over 16 polytechs and most industry training organisations from the start of next year, is cutting $8m in head office costs as it tries to reduce a forecast $110m deficit. The deficit came to light three weeks ago. Last Thursday, former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker called on education minister Chris Hipkins to apologise for turning the country’s polytechnic education system into "a national disgrace". Hipkins defended the plans and wants Te Pūkenega to make more progress on reducing deficits and getting its operating plan in place. Te Pūkenega chief executive, Stephen Town, is still on leave.

Click and collect

• Cabinet to consider urgent law to close to donations loophole today.

• Prime minister Jacinda Ardern will arrive in Sāmoa this afternoon as the country’s borders re-open.

• Our borders are now fully open, as at midnight last night. What does that look like? 

• Kapa haka event returns to the stage after a two year hiatus (I recommend watching this performance from kapa haka group Angitu from the event on Saturday).

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz

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Right now on The Spinoff:

Chris Schulz battles his fear of heights to visit the very top of the Sky Tower; Sharon Lam sings the praises of sweet and sour pork, and shares what makes a great version; Charlotte Muru-Lanning visits Auckland’s new Ethiopian restaurant Gojo; and Gabi Lardies investigates why the Waitākere dump is one of the city’s top-rated destinations on Google.

Gold for Lewis Clareburt and Josh Willmer, many more medals

I actually can’t type or refresh my browser fast enough to keep up with all the action in the pool this morning. It’s a bit hectic but results are rolling in on the Herald’s live blog. Swimming in the final of the 200m butterfly on the third day of the Commonwealth Games this morning, Clareburt was in fourth place at the halfway mark of the race but pulled ahead of Chad Le Clos to win gold. Joshua Willmer also won gold in the men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8 and Tupou Neiufi won silver in the women’s 100m Backstroke S8 final. Corbin Strong won our sixth cycling gold in the men’s 15km scratch race.  New Zealand is currently placed third on the medal table.

What’s happening in Milford Sound may dictate future of tourism in Aotearoa

With the borders fully opened at midnight last night, our feature today comes from Crux and gets to the heart of the tensions between tourism and conservation. Tourism operators in the area say they’ve been left in the dark on plans to radically control future visitor numbers to Milford Sound, a world heritage site and the country’s number one tourism destination. It’s the first of a five-part documentary series on the Milford Sound that asks whether it can be returned to its natural state or whether it is already lost to mass tourism.