Mark Zuckerberg did what?!

*Read this newsletter on the web for the best experience*

Hello Geeks!

Writing this week’s edition of Geekout while knowing Stranger Things is waiting for me on Netflix is my first-world problem right now. 

Not impressed with my daughter who got up at 6am to watch it already without me 😏 😋

…Anyway…

To kick things off this week:

…And this is good… Check it out 👇👌

✨ The Social Media Manager's Guide to TikTok Culture 2022 ✨

TikTok is its own world—creators run the show, subcultures are the new demographics, and even emojis mean different things. 💀🪑🤡 ?!

Navigate it with confidence with Hootsuite's new TikTok Culture Guide. 👁👄👁

(Pssst, did you hear Hootsuite has TikTok scheduling now too? More info below)

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🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

  1. Jack Dorsey quit Twitter’s board [NEVER LET GO, JACK!] 

  2. Recording artists fed up with pressure to go viral on TikTok [ABCDEFU] 

  3. Depp vs. Heard trial by TikTok approaches its *final-ee* [SEE WHAT I DID THERE]

  4. Instagram brand refresh added new font + tweaked logo [SPOT THE DIFFERENCE]

  5. Social media managers can FINALLY post to TikTok from their fav SMM tools [HALLELUJAH!] 

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What else is new and noteworthy in social media this week, I hear you cry? (Okay…Maybe you didn’t. Just humour me for the sake of this intro bit)... Have no fear! Here’s everything else that got my attention in the past seven days… *takes deep breath*...

Instagram users reported a super-weird bug causing their DMs to look like redacted documents…Some users also reported a problem with links in DMs… Instagram’s audio calling feature rolled out to more business users (lets people call you without revealing your phone number. Neat)... Instagram is also testing a couple of profile grid image editing features (this AND this).

You may soon be able to hide your follower count on your IG profile… The ‘Regram' button may be making a come back… The big TikTok-cloning project continues: Instagram is working on a reaction video feature for Reels… Meanwhile, Facebook has a clever new audio dubbing feature for videos… And Meta revealed its progress on creating photo-realistic avatars for the metaverse. 

—

💎 HIDDEN GEM | The Instagram Profile Tactic Most People Miss

Instagram’s link-in-bio feature is prime SM real estate + a top traffic-driving hack

But many Instagram users fail to leverage it to the max.

Learn how to make the most of your Instagram link-in-bio…

Check out Later’s guide, full of useful tips [ad]

—

TikTok ramped up its monetisation options for creators with the launch of TikTok LIVE subscriptions feature in beta… I spotted a new in-app TikTok lead generation tool (this will be popular with marketers)... TikTok is also testing ‘Clear Mode’, giving users a distraction-free viewing experience… Not sure what kind of sadist wants this, but you can now turn on TikTok notification emails… Oh, and there are TWO new TikTok text-to-speech voices to play with.

Twitter has a new ‘Follow shared connections’ feature (well spotted, Marc)... Twitter has new, enhanced video analytics for tweets… Twitter’s double-tap-to-like feature is rolling out to more users… LinkedIn is going to reveal more about how its feed algorithm works… And YouTube is rolling out ads in Shorts, but no says it has no plans to share ad revenue with creators… For now.

—

WORTH A LOOK 👀

🔥📆 CALENDAR: The Super-Useful Social Media Holiday Calendar 2022 [BOOKMARK THIS!]

✨ INFLUENCERS: The 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2022 [THE LIST]

👥 META: Does Facebook REALLY Know What You’re Thinking About? [I REALLY HOPE NOT]

🧰 CREATORS: Twitter’s NEW ‘Create’ Hub for Creators [CHECK IT OUT]

🛠 TOOLS: Convert your Twitter Spaces event into a YouTube video [MORE INFO]

—

Right… You know the drill… Read on for analysis of the news headlines grabbing the most attention this week.👇

— Matt

P.S. Join us for the Geekout Debrief on Twitter Spaces at 4PM UK / 11AM ET / 8AM PT today (May 27) - LISTEN / REPLAY

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

TikTok is a huge boon for music marketing. But are some the world's top artists feeling bullied into taking part? Time explains:

The pop star Halsey lambasted the role of TikTok in modern pop music on Sunday, saying that their label wouldn’t let them release a new song without an accompanying campaign to make it go viral.

“Everything is marketing. And they are doing this to every artist these days,” they wrote, ironically, in a TikTok video, as their unreleased song played in the background. “I just want to release music, man. And I deserve better tbh. I’m tired.” (Halsey uses she/they pronouns.)

Halsey isn't alone, images shared around Twitter this week showed the likes of Florence & the Machine and FKA twigs complaining about their labels demanding TikTok content to promote their music.

This stirred up plenty of debate online about whether it's fair to force musicians to master TikTok when their job should focus on making great music. And while Halsey genuinely seems upset with their label, others, like Charli XCX appear to have hooked onto the idea that pretending to complain about having to make TikToks is pretty good TikTok content in itself.

Faking drama for attention is hardly a new thing on social media, and it's used regularly in the music world. Here's Time again:

In April, pop star The Kid Laroi staged a feud with his ex-manager Scooter Braun in order to promote his new song “Thousand Miles.” Other high-profile influencers including Bella Poarch and Charli D’Amelio jumped onto the trend of revealing their “last mistake,” leading to 23,000 videos containing The Kid Laroi’s song on TikTok overall. “Thousand Miles” debuted at No.15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

But while TikTok can be a great tool for promoting music, it's risky to go too far into making music specifically for a TikTok audience. It seems audiences are getting tired of the formula.

The ongoing Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial has of course been a media circus, but on social media it's been a vicious mess. As the New York Times explains:

The online commentary about the trial quickly advanced from a he-said she-said drama script to an internet-wide smear campaign against Heard.

As one of Hollywood’s most legendary heartthrobs, Depp enjoys a large and besotted fan base. But his campaign has since attracted the support of men’s rights activists, right-wing media figures, #BoycottDisney campaigners eager to capitalize off Depp’s status as a fallen Disney franchise star, sex abuse conspiracists, armchair true-crime detectives, anyone wary of “the mainstream media” and plenty of opportunists eager to draft off the trial traffic.

The live-streamed, multi-camera output from the courtroom each day provides ample content for anyone looking to go viral with a dramatic clip.

And while making Heard look like the villain serves a purpose for Depp's most avid fans or 'men's rights' activists, for many it seems to just be the latest meme, the latest way to get attention in For You pages around the world. Demand for content smearing Heard seems endless right now.

But we need to stop and ask ourselves: aside from Amber Heard, who else is this hurting? Demonising those who make accusations of domestic abuse could lead to others —maybe those anxiously browsing TikTok while they wait for an abusive partner to arrive home—thinking it's not worth reporting the crimes they endure if that's the kind of response they'll receive.

If you're a certain kind of person pumping out anti-Heard content, maybe that's the point. For everyone else, maybe it's time to take a step back and realise that this is real life and not a movie.

I just counted. This is the EIGHTH week that the Elon Musk-Twitter drama has appeared in the 'Everyone's Talking About' section of the newsletter. Things seem to be calming down now as the deal progresses and Musk is tweeting a little less about it.

One notable development this week is that Jack Dorsey now has no direct involvement in Twitter at all, as he left the board this week. This was part of the plan when he stepped down as CEO last year, but the man who invented Twitter stepping back entirely is still a moment worth marking.

That said, given that he's been cheering on Musk's acquisition and was one of those who encouraged him to make the deal, Dorsey is likely to have an influence on Twitter's future for some time to come.

Meanwhile, Musk has restructured his financing for the deal so it leans less on Tesla stock, which looks like a wise move.

And while he's not in control yet, his shadow loomed large over Twitter's shareholder meeting this week, even if not all of the shareholders are happy with him - Musk now faces another lawsuit.

🗣️ Interview of the week

Epic Games has become one of the biggest names in tech in recent years. There's loads to dig into in this interview, especially around its metaverse plans and whether Meta is a friend or a foe (answer: it's complicated). [$$$]

🎬 One to watch

This six-part documentary series, coming to Netflix on 15 June, "tells stories of people caught in the dark and twisted web of modern misinformation and digital deception.

"Haunting, bizarre and up-to-the-moment relevant, the series explores consequences of “SWATing”, takes a chilling trip down the rabbit hole of white supremacy, joins a Federal hunt for the suspect of a brazen IRS heist and dives into Russian election interference."

🎙️ Hardware of the week

Whether you're livestreaming or podcasting, Rode's latest portable audio mixer console is well worth a look.

👀 Must-read of the week

A great piece: “Mark Zuckerberg needs Reels to fund his metaverse... And you can smell his desperation from Beijing". [$$$]

🤔 Thought for the week

“Asking an influencer to promote your brand for free clothes is like asking a plumber to unclog your toilet for free plungers,” reads one Instagram post from F*** You Pay Me (FYPM)... free products are a tool influencers need to do their jobs, not appropriate compensation. Or, to put it bluntly, influencers can’t pay their rent with free plungers."

👌 Pro tip of the week

📈 Chart of the week

❓ Question of the week

What’s the hottest social media analytics tool right now?

I asked my followers, who are a smart bunch of social geeks.

Check out the replies full of suggestions for both popular and lesser-known tools. 👇

🌳 Outside interests

What's getting me excited outside the world of social...

This app is designed for practicing musicians, but I've had so much fun with it. "Remove vocals, separate instruments, master your tracks, and remix songs with the power of AI."

🔵 Meta news

Meta says it's working with the authorities following this week's horrific shooting. [$$$]

  • Mark Zuckerberg has been sued by the DC attorney general over his alleged direct involvement in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. [The Guardian]

  • Meta will lose a "significant" amount of money developing its metaverse offerings in the near term, Mark Zuckerberg has told shareholders. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • Instagram has revealed a brand refresh. [Social Media Today]

  • Meta has created a new A.I. platform to allow the creation of more realistic avatars. [CNet]

  • The avatar of a 21-year-old researcher was sexually assaulted in Meta's Horizon Worlds, campaign group SumOfUs has said. [BBC News]

  • Meta has asked to be spared tighter rules in Australia, claiming Apple is hurting its business too much. [The Guardian]

  • Meta is to start sharing targeting info for social issue, electoral and political ads. [Meta newsroom]

  • Meta has made its privacy policy easier to read. [CNet]

  • The teen who tracks Elon Musk's private jet is now tracking Mark Zuckerberg's too. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • Meta now makes third-party developers confirm they will not use personal data to 'disadvantage' users. [Social Media Today]

  • An Only Fans creator says she slept with multiple Instagram staff while trying to get her account on the Meta-owned platform reinstated. [Rolling Stone]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

  • Facebook has added a ‘Top Updates’ widget for iOS homescreens. [@MattNavarra] 

  • Facebook now offers an 'auto-generated dubbing' feature for videos in Creator Studio. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook is testing a new ‘+’ shortcut button to start creation of a new Story or Reel. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook has been spotted offering a switch for Reels, Stories, and Rooms on desktop. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Creator Studio now has an overhauled video composer. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook is removing its ‘Trusted Contacts’ feature. [@MattNavarra]

Instagram:

  • Instagram is testing a new UI for Reels options. [@hammodoh1]

  • An 'Archive Reel' option has been spotted in the wild in India. [@salman_memon_7]

  • Instagram's audio calling feature is rolling out to more users. [@TechnicalMJTV]

  • Instagram has been spotted displaying a 'new' label on new account profiles. [@jonah_manzano]

  • Instagram is testing a 'try asking a music question' prompt. [@TechnicalMJTV]

  • Instagram is working on reaction videos in Reels. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram is still working on support for reposts. [@alex193a]

  • ...and a new icon for reposts has be uncovered. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram could replace profile tabs with a dropdown menu. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram could soon let you hide your follower count from your profile. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram is working on letting you crop the appearance of image thumbnails on your profile. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram might soon switch to a 5:4 grid layout on the profile. [@salman_memon_7]

WhatsApp:

  • WhatsApp now helps Indian residents access their PAN Card, Drivers License and more. [Social Media Today]

  • WhatsApp will end support for iOS 10 and 11 from October. You'll need an iPhone 5S or later to use the app. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp could soon show more information about reactions to shared media. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp could soon let you save some disappearing messages. [WABetaInfo]

Quest/VR/devices:

  • Quest 2 has an experimental new feature that lets users map out their walls, doors, windows, and furniture for mixed reality experiences. [UploadVR]

🐣 Twitter news

Twitter used details collected for 2FA security to target ads.

  • Twitter could suffer worst of the major tech companies from a collapse in digital ad spend, an analyst has predicted. [Hollywood Reporter]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • Looking for creator tips for using Twitter? The company's new Twitter Create site could help. [Twitter Create]

New features and tests:

  • Twitter has a new Follow Shared Connections feature. [@MarcSettle] 

  • Twitter has updated its API to allow third-party apps to retrieve much more data. [The Verge]

  • Twitter is rolling out 'double tap to like'. [@chrismessina]

  • Twitter now shows total and unique views and retention stats for tweets with video. [@MattNavarra]

  • Twitter Communities now has a feed filter for Latest / Recommended sorting of feed. [@WFBrother]

  • Twitter for Mac now supports the Circle feature. [9to5Mac]

  • Twitter is testing a 'Share with Community' option. [@oncescuradu]

  • Twitter could soon let you create clips of recorded Spaces. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is working on a Mobile App Profile Spotlight feature for the accounts of companies that offer apps. [@wongmjane]

🔺 TikTok news

These integrations could make your life much easier. You'll be able to: schedule and publish new posts; track video + profile metrics in real-time, and track comments.

  • TikTok has refused to host New York state's PSAs about safe, legal cannabis use due to its blanket ban on drug advertising. [Rolling Stone]

  • TikTok has shared internet safety tips to mark Internet Safety Month. [Social Media Today]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • How effective are TikTok ads? Hootsuite ran an experiment to find out. [Hootsuite blog]

New features and tests:

  • TikTok has started rolling out its new subscription service for livestreaming. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • TikTok has added a Lead Generation feature in-app for business users. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has announced a new WooCommerce plugin for retailers. [Social Media Today]

  • TikTok is testing ‘Clear Mode’ for a distraction-free viewing experience. [@aj_malakai]

  • TikTok appears to be testing new analytics. [@jonah_manzano]

  • New text-to-speech options have been spotted in TikTok. [@jonah_manzano]

💥 More social media news and updates

The Kremlin has upped the stakes for YouTube in Russia.

  • YouTube says it has removed 70,000 videos and suspended 9,000 channels in action related to the war in Ukraine since the conflict began. [Engadget]

  • YouTube still has work to do to curb misinformation, its CEO has said. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • YouTube is proving a real boon to women's football. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • Snap plans to slow hiring and has warned that revenue will grow slower than expected. [The Verge]

  • Snap has published its latest 'Citizen Snap' report, highlighting its progress towards social good goals. [Social Media Today]

  • LinkedIn has updated its rules to clarify what's not allowed with regard to sexual harassment. [Social Media Today]

  • LinkedIn has launched a Creator Accelerator Programme to help 200 UK-based creators. [Communicate]

  • Reddit has launched a creator fund for audio talent. [Social Media Today]

  • Florida's restrictions on social media moderation are unconstitutional, a second court has upheld. [The Verge]

  • Parents could sue tech companies that addict their children under a proposed law in California. [Gizmodo]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • What type of InMail gets the best response on LinkedIn? The company's new data explains. [Search Engine Journal]

  • Want to know more about LinkedIn's algorithm? The company's new myth-busting videos could help. [LinkedIn blog]

New features and tests:

  • YouTube has started rolling out ads on Shorts globally. [TechCrunch]

  • YouTube is moving video comments on desktop to a stream alongside the video. [Social Media Today]

  • YouTube appears to be testing timed emoji reactions more widely. [9to5Google]

  • Twitch is developing more specific suspension notification emails. [Washington Post $$$]

  • Yubo has rolled out tech to detect the age of users signing up. It’s supposedly 98.9% accurate across all ages, genders, skin tones. [TechCrunch]

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You should advertise in Geekout!

Get in touch: [email protected]

📖 Weekend reading

"YouTube Shorts averages more than 30 billion daily views—and the platform is working with its creators to keep that momentum going."

😳 And finally...

In the week where the Wall Street Journal highlighted the problem of the almost complete lack of support Meta offers...

📅 Back next week...

…You read as far as this? You’re a Geekout addict! Nice! ⭐️

Sadly (or thankfully?) that’s everything for this week. 

❤️ BEFORE YOU GO ❤️

If you enjoyed reading Geekout…

I’d love your support

Help spread the word about my free newsletter:

Right… Netflix here I come! I’m going off the grid for two days to binge watch Stranger Things. 

Goodbye, geeks!

— Matt 

________________

This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant.

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