October social updates: Facebook’s Marketplace, Periscope Producer, RIP Vine.

As we dive into fall, we’re seeing a ton of announcements that will greatly impact opportunities on social. Facebook has introduced Marketplace (a friendlier Craigslist), LinkedIn debuted Open Candidates (but don’t tell your boss), and Twitter is on the loose. Here’s the scoop on these changes and more.

Facebook flexes its e-commerce muscle with Marketplace.

Earlier this month, Facebook launched Marketplace, a new vertical on the app where you can buy and sell items with people in your region. Or switch the location and search in any city you want.

Twitter excludes usernames from character count and looks to boost voter participation.

If you use Twitter, you’ve no doubt been frustrated by the fact that when you reply to someone’s tweet, their username – @something – counts against the 140 characters you have to send a pithy response. TechCrunch reported that Twitter is testing a new system in which usernames don’t count against the 140-character limit in replies. More to come on this.

In addition, the social network’s live-streaming app Periscope is opening up so users can live stream directly from cameras other than the ones on their smartphones. The feature, called Periscope Producer, gives live video creators, as well as businesses and media companies, new tools to share high-quality, professional content.

Lastly, this month Twitter was looking to play its part in the upcoming presidential election with an automated system that helped people register to vote. If you slid into the DMs of Twitter Government (@Gov) and gave your five-digit zip code, you received an automatic response including your state’s voter registration deadline and a personalized link to get registered.

Dying on the Vine.

Twitter recently announced it’s shuttering Vine, the app that enabled the creation of short-film videos. In recent months, many top Viners abandoned the service, shifting their focus toward Facebook video, Instagram, and Snapchat. RIP. 

LinkedIn debuts Open Candidates.

LinkedIn’s new tool lets users privately indicate to recruiters that they’re interested in new job opportunities. The setting is kept hidden from professionals’ current employers. Sketchy.

Snapchat removes Auto Advance.

Snap Inc. announced the removal of the Auto Advance feature on Snapchat, which stops the application from automatically launching from one Story to the next. The days of unintentionally watching Stories on Snapchat are finally over.

Instagram’s new support tool.

Instagram launched a support tool designed to help anyone suffering from mental health issues. If you see someone post about self-harm, you’ll now be able to anonymously report it. The user will be offered different options, including a helpline appropriate to the user’s location, the chance to talk to a friend, or tips and support, all of which are accessible through the app.

Stay tuned next month for November’s top headlines!