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This week we’ve taken some time off from scrolling Tik Tok to explore Twitter’s voice note feature, an update which now means there’s absolutely no escape from Cardi B’s okuuuuuuur on all four corners of the internet.
Also in our Fever Five this week, we take a look at a new release diversifying the games industry, a modernised Shakespeare play celebrating the arts via Zoom and some full-throttle fun with BBC Three’s Glow Up.
The platform update you need to know about: Speak as you Tweet
On Wednesday, Twitter announced that its users would now be able to record audio clips and attach them to tweets, with the company releasing a statement that said “sometimes 280 characters just aren’t enough.” What could possibly go wrong?
From Cardi B and Nicki Minaj to Lil Nas X – Twitter users have had a field day testing the new feature this week, opening up a whole new avenue for memes, opinion sharing and debate on the platform.
The lockdown play you need to watch: A Midsummer Night’s Zoom
If somebody told you this time last year that you would be settling down to watch a play online which imagines Shakespeare’s iconic characters against the backdrop of a modern-day pandemic, you’d have laughed them out of the room. Yet here we are.
Shakespeare in Isolation, led by Nadia Papachronopoulou, will assemble two dozen freelancers from theatre and television in a celebration of the arts’ huge freelance workforce at a time it’s never been more important to recognise the U.K’s creative industry.
The game you need to play: The Last of Us Part 2
Seven years ago, a little game developer called Naughty Dog released The Last of Us, telling the story of the then teenage girl Ellie and her smuggler protector Joel fighting to protect themselves against a zombie apocalypse and the last of humanity.
The Last of Us Part 2 is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed game released today, and one which signals a change in the way developers are considering diversity and representation in mainstream video games, with nuanced stories from a trans character, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and different sexualities.
The article you need to read: Under the hood of Tik Tok’s algorithm
Like most social media platforms and apps, the TikTok ‘For You’ page is built using a recommendation algorithm that uses a number of tools and factors to personalize it for each person.
Now, TikTok has published a new blog post explaining how its recommendation feed works, including tips for personalizing the feed to avoid being served random videos you might not be interested in, showing a refreshing openness about one of its competitive advantages.
The reality show to binge: Glow Up
To round off the week, the Fever team have been enjoying some light hearted relief in the form of Glow Up, an all-out battle between some of the U.K’s rising stars of make-up and hosted by the permanently delightful Stacey Dooley.
From other-wordly prosthetics to full glam, the journey to find the nation’s best make up artist is one you’ll be completely immersed in every Thursday night and is the perfect antidote to some of the more grim aspects of the world right now.