Facebook weekly highlights in response to COVID-19

The digest includes the Facebook family of apps’ announcements last week and response to COVID-19.

Facebook invests $5.7bn in Jio platforms

Facebook invested $5.7 bn in Jio platforms Ltd, part of Reliance Industries Limited, making Facebook its largest minority shareholder. Under this investment, Jio and Facebook will work together to further accelerate India’s digital transformation and open new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, especially for the more than 60 million small businesses across the country.

Messenger Kids now available in India

 We understand that with schools closed and people practicing social distancing, parents are turning to technology. more than ever to help their kids connect with friends and family.

Messenger Kids is a video chat and messaging app that helps kids connect with friends and family in a fun, parent-controlled space.

Testing ‘Challenges’ in Instagram Stories

Keeping up with the people you love on Instagram and interacting with them in fun, new ways is so important - especially during this time of social distancing. Starting April 25th, we’re testing Challenges in Stories, which makes it easy to join challenges through a sticker, via the stories text tool, or from nominations from friends. We’ve seen that challenges are a fun way to interact with your friends on social media and that people are using

@mentions, text, and hashtags to join popular challenges. Now, with this new sticker, you’ll be able to participate, nominate your friends, and keep the fun going! If you come across a challenge when watching other people's stories, you can join in simply by tapping on the sticker to try it yourself. Anyone can try a challenge, even without being nominated.

Instagram ‘Stay Home’ AR collection in the Effects gallery

A few weeks ago, we launched the ‘Stay Home’ and ‘Ghar Pe Raho’ stickers, allowing you to see how others are practicing social distancing at this time. We’re building on that effort to create a centralized experience to find effects promoting awareness, staying active, challenges, fun games, and more as a way to help you stay connected with the people you love. This includes the ‘Guess The Gibberish’ AR effect, along with others like ‘Drawin5secons’ and ‘’Name By letter…’.

Also Read: Facebook launches Messenger Rooms

Highlights of the Previous Issue: April 21, 2020

Helping India be safe and informed in the time of Coronavirus'

A new blog post by Ajit Mohan, Vice President, and Managing Director, Facebook India, comprehensively highlights the efforts from the company in India, to provide accurate information, reduce misinformation and support communities.

Launch of Facebook Fundraisers in India, to accelerate COVID-19 relief efforts

To support India in its efforts to financially assist those impacted by the disruption caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus, Facebook yesterday announced the launch of ‘Facebook Fundraisers’, a platform that will allow people to start a fundraiser on Facebook for a cause and charity that matters most to them. As people, charities and businesses look to express solidarity and care through financial contributions, they will have an option to donate to 70+ charities on Facebook, such as Goonj, The Akshayapatra Foundation, and Helpage India. 100% of what is raised in donations through Facebook will go to charities.

'Social for Good' Live-a-thon initiative with 150+ creators, celebrities and publishers

Working with India's biggest celebrities, creators, and public figures, Facebook is organizing a ‘Social for Good’ Live-a-thon to encourage people to contribute to the causes they care about. Designed as a week-long charitable giving initiative, from April 24^th to May 1st, the Live-a-thon will feature over 150 partners from across the country. These partners will entertain and engage their communities on Facebook Live and activate fundraisers. Artists will go Live from their individual Facebook accounts and promote their fundraisers using the in-video ‘donate’ action.

Instagram - IG Live on Desktop + Save Live to IGTV

We know people are using Instagram to stay connected and entertained, so we're rolling out the ability for people to view Live content from Instagram on desktop. In addition, we’re testing a way for people to save their Live videos to IGTV so they stick around longer than the 24-hour limit in Stories and are easier for people to find.