The last few weeks have been potentially era-defining for social media platforms.

The Cambridge Analytica scandal on Facebook has brought privacy and data back on the agenda, and as the world becomes more about smart devices and interconnectivity, we might well have a lot to think about in the coming months.

The news very much reflects this: today’s stories all involve social media platforms.

Facebook chokes off Instagram developers without warning (TechCrunch)

Facebook will have to respond not just to the circumstances which allowed data to be taken from millions of unsuspecting users, but to ensure that more robust privacy systems are in place to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.

Yesterday, their owned-platform Instagram choked off third-party developers without warning. Presumably this is a bid to lock up the doors, as it were, and to ensure that data about people’s accounts stays in-house.

Facebook Newsfeed is still the biggest driver for Watch traffic (Digiday)

In the UK, we’re still wondering whether Facebook Watch will actually be rolled out over here, but in the meantime how it works in the US is certainly of interest.

So far, though, it appears as though the Newsfeed is still the biggest driver of Watch traffic. That’s important because if / when Watch does indeed come to the UK, anyone looking to use it will be wondering whether they should be focusing on long-form content for a Netflix-style platform, or the sort of short-form videos that attract people scrolling down their Newsfeed.

Maybe this news gives us a clue.

Snapchat is introducing video calls (The Verge)

Arguably Snapchat’s biggest strength was the fact it was so well-defined. Everyone knows what it is and why they’d want to use it. With the arrival of Instagram Stories, however, Snap’s unique selling point lost some of its sheen and Snap have had to branch out.

It’s never a good sign to see a social media platform add such new features, but Snapchat is trying to widen its appeal in order to keep growing its user base – we’ll have to see if the addition of video and voice calls do that.

What is it really like to watch live sport in VR? (SB Nation)

“Maybe I’m a Luddite, an old man yelling at an iCloud, but I believe that going to a sports game is a deeply personal experience.”

The idea of being able to watch sporting events from the comfort of your own home, but feel as though you’re sitting in the stands at the ground is a bewitching one. But what does it actually feel like to watch a whole game in virtual reality?

This feature from Vox Media’s SB Nation gives an account of what it was like to watch the NCAA Championship Game in VR. Clearly if the technology were advanced enough to make the experience a mind-blowing one then this would already be a fairly mainstream experience. The fact it isn’t tells you that it’s not an entirely pleasant one.

An insight into the world of esports commentary (Joe.co.uk)

Part of the joy of sport is watching it on TV. The fact that this is true might be a threat to sport itself, increasing the drop in attendances and making the atmosphere at events and games sterile. But at the same time, everyone can remember their favourite pieces of commentary or the times they shared big events in front of the TV with their friends and family.

Esports, too, creates its own on-screen experiences and has its own commentators who are well-known within their sports. Joe.co.uk sat down with two FIFA 18 commentators to find out what it’s like to commentate on esports and how it differs from football commentary in a fascinating interview.