Digital Dose: Facebook Livestreams, Instagram Partnership Ads and Amazon’s Data Collection Lawsuit

Welcome to your dose of trending news from the digital universe, courtesy of the Spectrum Science team. 

In this edition of Digital Dose, we’re diving into Facebook Livestream expirations and Instagram Partnership Ads partner testimonials. 

Facebook Livestreams Will Now Be Removed After 30 Days

Meta found that users are not watching livestreams that are older than one month, so they will automatically be removed from Facebook after 30 days instead of allowing these videos to be stored in-platform indefinitely. This move will reduce the costs of storing video data for the company. Read More.

Why it matters: If your company has previously hosted livestreams, it’s important to know that the deletion process from the live servers will occur in waves over the next few months. So, what can you do now? We recommend preserving your historic live content with one of the three options that Meta is providing users:

1. Download your live videos within the 90-day grace period before they are removed
2. Defer deletion for an additional six months if you need more time to strategize
3. Convert livestreams into Reels clips to keep them active in the app

Instagram Adds Text-Only Testimonials to Partnership Ads

Instagram is rolling out Partnership testimonials, which will appear as a “Sponsored” comment in the post comments. The partnership will also be denoted in the post creator header, as per the usual display of Instagram’s Partnership Ads. Read More.

Why it matters: While they were designed with products in mind, Partnership testimonials could be used in creative ways within the healthcare space. For example, they could be used to highlight a comment from a patient who shared their experience for an ad campaign, adding authenticity and allowing the patient to effectively put his or her signature at the top of the comments section.

First Class Action Lawsuit Filed Under Washington’s My Health My Data Act Targets Amazon Over Alleged Unlawful Data Collection Practices

On February 10, a Washington state resident filed the first lawsuit under the state’s My Health My Data Act (MHMDA) against Amazon, claiming that the company violated the law by collecting health-related consumer data, including location and biometric information, without consent. The plaintiff alleges Amazon used its SDK embedded in third-party apps to gather this data, which could reveal sensitive health behaviors like visits to healthcare facilities or fitness centers. The case, filed under the Washington Consumer Protection Act, argues that Amazon’s actions were unfair, deceptive, and resulted in tangible harm to the plaintiff, opening the door for potential class action lawsuits. Read More.

Why it matters: This case is significant because it marks the first private enforcement of Washington’s My Health My Data Act, a law regulating the collection of non-HIPAA health data. The MHMDA allows consumers to file lawsuits if their data is collected without proper consent, and its broad definition of health data—including location and biometric data—raises new privacy concerns for businesses. The outcome could set a precedent for how health data is treated in consumer privacy law, especially regarding the digital collection of personal information via apps and could lead to an increase in class action lawsuits under the act. This case emphasizes the importance for companies to reassess their data collection practices and compliance strategies under MHMDA.

Interested in more? Don’t miss these additional digital headlines:

• Bluesky releases X-like Features Including Profile Search and Reply Controls [Social Media Today]
• Snapchat Launches New Brand Safety Measures [Social Media Today]
• LinkedIn Rolls Out Impression Counts [LinkedIn]
• Pharma’s Omnichannel Dilemma: A Prescription for Patient-Centric Success [MediaPost]
• Microsoft Quietly Tests ‘AI Search Mode’ For Bing [MediaDailyNews]

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