iWorld
#HaveYouFollowed the brightest talent in Indian entertainment? Get up, close and personal with Twitter India’s new series
MUMBAI: Twitter, a space that connects people through the power of conversation, is set to bring you closer to some of the most promising talent across the entertainment industry in India. Launching the #HaveYouFollowed series, Twitter will be putting the spotlight on director AratiKadav (@AratiKadav), whose debut feature, the sci-fi film Cargo, has been appreciated by cinema lovers across the country. The initiative will also feature a Tweet chat between Arati and noted filmmaker VikramadityaMotwane (@VikramMotwane), the Executive Producer of Cargo and Arati’s mentor, on her journey, voice and future goals as a filmmaker.
Introducing a new series, #HaveYouFollowed, where we'll be turning the spotlight on some of Indian entertainment's most outstanding talent on Twitter. We'll be Listing them here: https://t.co/mU33p87iDi pic.twitter.com/BbxB3nMNqK
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) September 30, 2020
The #HaveYouFollowed series aims at engaging with some of the brightest talent from entertainment segments such as film, music, TV, web, comedy, literature, theatre, by bringing their work under the spotlight. By showcasing these artists, Twitter looks at giving them a space to connect with their fans as well as to inspire young aspirants to learn from their journeys.
In the first leg of the series, AratiKadav via her handle @AratiKadav, shared 5 things that she wants people to know about her, and her work. She will also share an exclusive sneak peek to her next work.
Thanks @TwitterIndia for making me the first guest of the super cool #HaveYouFollowed series. Thank you for all the love for Cargo. Follow this thread to know more about my journey and send me your questions using #HaveYouFollowed
— Arati Kadav (@AratiKadav) September 30, 2020
Talking about the activity,Arati commented, “As a newcomer in the entertainment industry, it feels joyful and energizing to be noticed and appreciated for your work. I have a lot of gratitude for the positive response my film Cargo has received from people across the country and on Twitter. I am thrilled to now make my debut on Twitter’s new#HaveYouFollowed series, and eagerly look forward to engaging and connecting with people directly.”
As part of the activation, VikramadityaMotwane (@VikramMotwane) will have a conversation with Arati, asking her questions about the inspiration behind her work, her journey to becoming a filmmaker, and her favourite memories from Cargo. The interaction will take place using Twitter’s latestconversation settings that give people control over who can reply to their Tweet – everyone (this is the default setting), people one follows, or only people they mention. Fans on Twitter will be able to Tweet in their questions using the hashtags #HaveYouFollowed and #AskArati, and get to know her first hand.
#HaveYouFollowed @AratiKadav? I have been continually impressed with her imagination and brilliant storytelling. I’ll be tweet-chatting with her this evening at 4.30PM. Send me your questions for her using #HaveYouFollowed and #AskArati https://t.co/noSe1Xpkwh
— Vikramaditya Motwane (@VikramMotwane) September 30, 2020
VikramadityaMotwane, too, shared his thoughts on the activation, saying, “I’ve worked with Arati very closely, and she’s an incredibly talented filmmaker. I am happy that through the new#HaveYouFollowed series, Twitter is turning the spotlight on well-deserving talent in the entertainment industry, and creating a fun space to promote interaction between them and those who admire their work.”
Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) has also curated a List titled “#HaveYouFollowed”. A List is a curated group of Twitter accounts. While browsing online, it can get overwhelming to discover the latest conversations that one may find interesting. Hence, anyone can create their own Lists or follow Lists created by others, making it easier to find what they are looking for.
Talking about the series, Cheryl-Ann Couto, Partnerships Manager at Twitter India, said, “Twitter’s audiences have always been super enthused about entertainment updates and often take over the service to appreciate and engage with their favourite artists. It only seemed fitting to take these conversations a step further by turning the spotlight on some of the brightest talent in Entertainment so that their fans and future fans know where to find and interact with them and their work. We’re excited to launch the #HaveYouFollowed series and hope to bring as many deserving artists and their work to people’s attention.”
With subsequent episodes under #HaveYouFollowed series, the service would keep on adding the participating talent to this List, making it easier for people to follow them and get to know more about their work.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
