Spotify-750 Million Monthly Users; Facebook-Animate Your Profile Pic with AI; Google Expands Tools to Remove Sensitive Data; YouTube TV-New Cheaper Plans

Spotify has had a huge footprint already, and now they have announced that they have over 750 million active monthly users! Engadget.com reports that the number is up 11% over a year ago. Even since third quarter, it’s a big move…they had 713 million then. Spotify says that part of the growth can be attributed to AI…although last year they promised to get rid of some of the ‘AI slop’ on the platform and have ‘artist-first AI music products.’ 

My joy can hardly be contained. Facebook is now dropping a new AI feature that lets you animate your profile pic and restyle Stories and Memories. According to theverge.com, you will also be able to add animated backgrounds to text posts to make them pop in the feed. With all the billions Meta has poured into its AI, they…like Google…are determined to try to make you use it. What kind of animated pics, if you are leaning on trying them? You’ll be able to give a still photo motion with some preset types of animations, including “natural, party hat, confetti, wave, and heart, They will be adding animations in the upcoming year, too. 

Google has rolled out expanded tools to let users delete sensitive data about themselves. TechCrunch.com notes that this is in conjunction with Safer Internet Day. The ‘Results about you’ tool already allows users to remove Search results containing their phone number, email address, or home address, and it can now also be used to request the removal of results that include information such as a driver’s license, passport, or Social Security number, the company said in the update Tuesday. Once you confirm your details, Google will automatically monitor Search results and notify you if they show up. Unfortunately, your data can’t be removed from the web entirely, but at least it can be kept out of seach results. They also hare making it easier to request removal of non-consensual explicit images. Now, click the 3 dots and select ‘remove result,’ then tap ‘it shows a sexual image of me.’ Good stuff for Google to give to users. 

YouTube is ‘rejiggering’ its YouTube TV plans. In a report from 9to5google.com, there are now alternatives to chunking down $82.99 a month for over 100 channels. The new plans are genre-specific. The Sports Plan is $64.99 a month, or shave $10 bucks off if you pay yearly and are a new user. This gets you all ESPN, FS1, and NBC Sports Network…around 35 channels. If sports isn’t your thing, you can go for the Entertainment Plan at $54.99 a month…or $44.99 a month for 3 months for new accounts. This has FX, Hallmark, Comedy Central, Bravo, Paramount, Food Network, HGTV, and others. There is a News+Entertainment+Family  Plan too, which is $69.99 a month and has Disney, Nick, National Geographic, Cartoon Net, PBS Kids. The Sports+News plan is $71.99 a month and gets all the sports channels above plus CNBC, Fox News, MS Now, CNN, CSPAN, Bloomberg, and Fox Business. It’s nice to get more ‘a la carte’ choices, but still pricy…and a drag that there isn’t just a pure news channel. Yes, I’m a news nerd.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.