This time of year we are all so busy with the holidays, yet platforms are rolling out new changes we need to keep up with. For some “in case you missed it” type news, here’s a list of tweaks, improvements and all-out changes that have been (or will be) occurring in social media.

• Twitter has rolled out the new profile look to all users. This means you need to add a header image to your Twitter profile or be faced with the default textured, dark rectangle.
• Facebook is set to roll out new privacy controls by year’s end. New app permissions, activity log and a request & removal tool are included with those changes.
• Facebook is also changing its small business LIKE ads to highlight the expected number of new LIKEs to be gained for various ad budget amounts. This may help small business owners have a better feel about whether or not the investment will be worth it.
• Pinterest now has a dedicated spam team, and not a moment too soon. Hopefully this will make the pinning experience less frustrating.
• Instagram announced some big changes to its terms and privacy that will go into effect in January 2013. Many users are not happy about these changes. In other photo-related news, Twitter has added filters to its app.
• LinkedIn added a few new features to its business pages while performing a complete makeover on its personal profiles (which are still rolling out). Company pages can now designate a Group to feature, control the order in which its products or services appear, upload multiple banner images (with links) to create a rotating spotlight module for its page, and create Products/Services lists that are audience specific (e.g. pull together only the products or services relevant to a specific customer type).

  I have the new personal LinkedIn profile, and my favorite part of the new look is how your recommendations, coursework, presentations and logos are matched up with your related work experience. To me, it makes a lot of sense to have it laid out in this way.

  

What do you think about these new changes? What other platform improvements are you looking forward to?