Facebook introduces a slate of features like avatar customisation and DIY challenges as Diwali celebrations move online.
Facebook appears to be in-charge of morale during this year's Diwali season. As a virtual Diwali seems to be on the cards this year, Instagram and parent company Facebook have released a bundle of features to keep the festivities alive. From personalised greetings to decked-up avatars, they are encouraging people to spread the festive cheer online.
The features include social media challenges, avatar customisation, customisable greetings, and special AR effects. This is how you can play around with them:
1. Challenge your friends and family: Users will be able to share photos or videos of them celebrating the festival with the hashtag #DiwaliAtHomeChallenge. It also encourages people to share DIY videos of how to recycle candleholders, diyas, lanterns or light bulbs using the #DIYDiwaliChallenge.
Have a hankering to see who makes the best diya? You can start a challenge by entering a hashtag in English that ends in the word 'challenge' when you go to create a new post on Facebook. You can also tap on the 'Try it' icon when you see someone else partaking in a Diwali challenge. Users can share photos and videos of them doing challenges and nominating friends and family to join in the festivities.
2. Dress up your Avatar: Your Avatars can now enjoy Diwali too with this new feature. Facebook has introduced special posts with Diwali-themed avatar backgrounds to personalise short-form text posts. People can write over playful backgrounds with personalised Avatars to match the Diwali spirit.
Users can create an Avatar on Android or iOS and tap on "create post" button to choose a Diwali background and get started.
3. Use an AR effect: Instagram has introduced an augmented reality effect that combines the Diwali fixtures -- gallery mandals, diyas, festival lights. Called 'Share Your Light', it can be located in the Effects gallery.
And if you just want to see how others are celebrating a pandemic-Diwali, you can find all Diwali-specific content under #Diwali2020 and #ShubhDiwali2020.