Instagram introduces automatic feature for editing Reels clips

Instagram has changed its signature text logo, which had not been updated for about ten years. Although the new design is intended to make the look more modern and clean, debates and trolling have begun on social networks. Some users approved of the new look, while many noted that it lacks the former recognizability of Instagram. Some jokingly started calling it 'Instagzam.'

It is important to understand that the company did not announce a change to the entire app icon. The changes primarily affected the written word Instagram, which is used as a brand within the application itself. This part of the company was updated after approximately ten years.

Those who have used the service for a long time easily recognize its inscription. For the last decade, the name Instagram was displayed in a special cursive, handwritten style. Now, Instagram has changed this style. The new text mark is a combination of the old cursive design and standard printed letters. The company aims to keep the design cleaner and more modern, yet connected to the previous style.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, commented on this change, noting that the text mark visible in the app had not changed for ten years, and it was time for an update. The company claims that the new design is more modern and clean while still retaining a hint of the old Instagram style. The goal is not a complete transformation of Instagram's identity, but its modernization in line with contemporary requirements.

The situation becomes interesting when a new design appears, provoking mockery on social networks due to its lettering. Many users noticed that the new name at first glance resembles 'Instagzam' more than Instagram. Some find the styling of the middle letters particularly strange. Discussions about the new text mark are actively taking place on Reddit: some consider it unsuccessful, while others note its cleanliness and modern appearance. Thus, opinions online are divided.

This is a typical problem for any large brand when changing its logo. It is not enough for the company to look beautiful; the logo must be instantly recognizable.

Instagram updated its text logo during major design changes in 2016. At that time, the overall look of the application also transformed, and the camera icon became simpler and brighter. After that, the cursive text mark of Instagram gradually became an integral part of its image. Since people saw the same design for a long time, the name Instagram became ingrained in their minds in that specific style. Therefore, even a small change in the letter style causes a strong perception of this update among people.

The company considers maintaining recognizability equally important. The Instagram camera icon remains one of its strongest recognizable features. Even when Instagram conducted a major visual update in 2016, the company did not completely eliminate the old camera idea, but merely gave it a simpler and brighter look. In this instance, the changes appear more limited: Instagram updated its writing, but did not undergo a transformation that could be considered a full rebranding of the entire application.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, anticipated public reaction to the new text mark. He shared it on Threads and asked users for their opinions. As often happens with the change of logos of large brands, the internet immediately reacted: some praised the new design, some preferred the old one, and some began creating memes based on the new letters. The joke about 'Instagzam' quickly became popular on Reddit.

Twitch has implemented a change that allows the use of content generated by its users for training Amazon's generative artificial intelligence models. This feature is active by default, requiring users who do not wish to participate to manually disable it in their account settings.

The news gained prominence on Wednesday, the 12th, after content creator and streaming journalist Zach Bussey published a screenshot demonstrating the new option. It is important to note that this policy covers not only live broadcasts but practically all material from a channel, including VODs, clips, chat messages, images, and text.

The new setting authorizes the use of this content to 'train generative AI content models on Amazon.' Twitch itself cited the use of broadcast audio to improve speech-to-text conversion systems as an example, which could benefit the platform's automatic captions or be applied to other Amazon services.

The scope of the training goes beyond audio; the company clarifies that streams, saved videos, clips, chats, images, and text associated with the channel can be used. There is a specific caveat regarding chat: even if a user disables training on their account, messages sent in another person's channel with the option enabled may still contribute to the training data.

One of the main points of controversy raised by users is the adoption of an opt-out system. This implies that creators are automatically included in the training process and must take the initiative to access settings to express their refusal.

During a dedicated stream on the topic, Twitch Product Director Mike Minton justified the choice of this operational model. According to the executive, if participation depended on prior authorization (opt-in), adoption would be very low. He stated: 'If it were opt-in, nobody would opt-in,' thus explaining the maintenance of the default active option.

For those who wish to prevent their channel content from being used in training Amazon's generative models, the procedure is to disable the option in the account security settings, following the path: Twitch > Settings > Security > Generative AI Training. However, disabling this function does not mean losing all of Twitch's artificial intelligence features; tools such as chat moderation and ad selection will continue to operate normally.

Mary Kish, Twitch Community Head, commented during the stream that certain AI applications are already part of the platform's operation. She expressed skepticism about the possibility of Twitch operating without these technologies and confirmed the current use of AI in various areas of the service. Interestingly, Kish revealed that she personally decided to disable the use of her content for training purposes.

In contrast, Minton stated that if he were a streamer, he would keep the training option enabled. Another issue raised by users was the way the change was introduced, given that the option appeared in the settings without comprehensive prior communication to creators. Executives demonstrated where to find the feature only after receiving user complaints about it being hidden in the settings. Kish acknowledged the criticism regarding the lack of email notification but argued that creators do not always read their mail, suggesting that direct messages and community outreach could help disseminate the information.

The company also guaranteed that, for now, it does not plan to create a public identification indicating which channels have consented to or refused AI training. This decision places Twitch in a broader debate about which entity has the right to use user-generated content to develop AI models. In the context of Twitch, the debate gains complexity due to the vast quantity and diversity of information contained in a single broadcast, which can aggregate hours of video and voice, chat interactions, images, and text produced by both the streamer and the community. For now, users retain the ability to block the use of their own content in Amazon's training, although the default implementation has already generated criticism within the community.