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August 26, 2022

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Hello, geeks!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Geekout.

Take a timeout. Grab a drink. Get comfy. I’m going to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know this week.

Coming up… Whistleblowers, murder clones, glitches, and big regrets.

Kicking things off this week:

And a few quick reminders…

  • 50% OFF all ad spots in Geekout in September.

Limited spots available. Get your event, job listing, report, product, news…seen by 21,000+ social media professionals! Email me for more info.

  • Have me join your social media team meeting! 

I’ll bring your team up to speed on everything new in social media, take questions in a LIVE Q&A, and more. Previous brands who invited me in: Red Bull, ITV, BBC News, United Nations. Email me for more info.

Okay… Let’s get back to business.

Next up… The hottest stories in social media this week:

—

🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

  1. Twitter Whistleblower Exposes Alarming Security Flaws [LUCKY ELON]

  2. Facebook Finally Building a Customer Service Team [JOB FROM HELL]

  3. Instagram Confirms BeReal Murder Clone in Development [RIP BEREAL] 

  4. TikTok Is Developing a Dedicated ‘Nearby’ Feed [TIKTOK LOCAL]

  5. Facebook Developed a Weird-Ass News Feed Glitch [WTAF FB!?]

—

You know the drill… Here’s your speedy run-down of everything else I think is new and noteworthy from the past seven days (cracks knuckles):

Meta’s latest ‘Widely Viewed Content’ report shows people still engaging with a lot of spam… Instagram is now testing an (optional) TikTok Mode switch to turn on its new, more immersive feed… Instagram also quietly rolled out QR codes for posts… Meta’s AI bot called a Stanford professor a terrorist (eeesh… naughty bot)... And Meta rolled out its new Metaverse ID system to replace Oculus / Facebook login.

Twitter has been labelling factual info about Covid-19 as misinformation (D’oh!)... Meanwhile, Twitter has begun testing ‘Twitter Tiles’ – a new design for link previews in tweets… You can also now try out Twitter’s new ‘Custom Timelines’ feature. Check it out here… And soon you may be able to customise your Twitter link-in-bio… Google is testing a new ‘Popular on Twitter’ section in search results… Also… Twitter is working on a new verification badge (no… not that sort of verification)... And finally, Twitter confirms it’s adding podcasts to its redesigned Spaces tab.

—

✨ BOOKMARK | How to Become a Social Media Superstar

Social Media Manager is a bigger, more complex role than ever, and it can be a critical role at many businesses. Emplifi asked 10 social media managers at the top of their game to share top-tips on becoming a superstar social media manager | REVEAL TOP TIPS

—

Record labels are clamping down on brands using trending music on TikTok without a licensing deal… YouTube ramped up its podcasting plans by launching a dedicated podcasts homepage (YT is coming for you Spotify)... YouTube Shorts will soon land on Smart TVs. … British reality TV star Andrew Tate got banned from...well… nearly everywhere online… Instagram says it wasn't trying to block users exporting videos… it was a bug… and is fixing it (hmmm. ok)... Zuckerberg responded to his much-ridiculed metaverse avatar (which has been turned into a creepy Snapchat lens)... And finally… Britney Spears deactivated her Instagram (I’m devastated).

—

WORTH A LOOK 👀

💥 EXCLUSIVE: The Official Geekout Group For SMMs On Facebook [JOIN 28,000+ MEMBERS]

🤟 WORD-UP: 50 Gen Z Slang Words You Probably Need To Know [DANK READ]

❤️ BE KIND: How to Support Your Social Media Managers [FWD TO BOSS]

✨ TIKTOK: 130 TikTok Bio Ideas You Can Steal & Make Your Own [COPY/PASTE]

🔥 PRO-TIPS: The Economist’ Instagram Growth Strategy [REVEAL]

—

Alrighty then… Let’s take a look at the news stories generating the most headlines this week. Analysis of the top stories coming up next 👇

— Matt

P.S. No Geekout on Twitter Spaces this week. Work commitments need my attention. Apologies!

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

Twitter was rocked to the core this week after highly respected cybersecurity guru Peiter "Mudge" Zatko blew the whistle with allegations of extremely lax security at the company.

Mudge was brought in as a senior exec when Jack Dorsey ran the company, but was let go by new CEO Parag Agrawal in January. You can find a summary of the allegations here.

While Agrawal has tried to paint the allegations as a "false narrative" from a disgruntled ex-employee, Mudge's words land harder than many, because of how highly regarded he is by many in tech. And, in private, many at the company agree that security is nowhere where it could be.

In truth, this is a bigger problem than just Twitter. Security at many tech companies is worse than you would hope. But that won't stop Twitter getting into trouble with regulators over the allegations. On the horizon, Mudge will testify at a Senate hearing about his allegations. The company is merging two of its security and integrity teams as it looks to get its house in order.

As you might expect, Elon Musk was happy with with news. His lawyers are already using them in his court battle against Twitter, in a week when Musk subpoenaed Jack Dorsey in the case.

But while Mudge made allegations that the bot problem is worse than Twitter says, the fact is, that's pretty much irrelevant as to how the case plays out, no matter what Musk wants you to think. It's no silver bullet for Musk, in a week when the case judge knocked back his requests for lots more information from Twitter.

Elsewhere at Twitter, bonuses are being slashed, and staff continue to leave, adding to Agrawal's woes.

With all this in mind, no wonder Jack Dorsey regrets ever turning Twitter into a company in the first place.

Meta's lack of proper customer service has been the bane of users' lives for years. Lose your account? Good luck having anyone at the company pay much attention to you.

While Meta has made moves to help creators with a bit more attention in recent months, it looks like something far more comprehensive is on the way, thanks to the company's Oversight Board. As Bloomberg reports:

The effort is in the early stages, and has taken on a higher priority thanks to feedback Meta has gotten from the Oversight Board, the independent body set up in 2020 by the company to review some of its decisions on questionable or problematic content. The board has received more than a million appeals from users, many of them related to account support.

It's worth nothing that we don't have many details of how this new division of the company will work. While many users would love call centres full of agents ready and willing to get your account back, this seems unlikely at the scale Meta operates. But let's face it, many users feel that's what they deserve when the company does them wrong.

If whatever comes of this drive falls too far short of providing humans who know what happened and can genuinely help, it won't have solved the problem.

We shouldn't be surprised, should we? In the week when BeReal announced it has 10 million daily active users, Instagram has the app in its sights with a copycat feature. As Engadget explains:

Instagram is testing a new feature called Candid Challenges, which bears a striking resemblance to BeReal, a photo sharing app popular among Gen. Z. The currently unreleased feature was spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi...

According to Paluzzi, Instagram users participating in Candid Challenges will see a notification at a different time each day to snap a photo of their surroundings. Upon getting the prompt, the Instagram camera will also open with both front and rear-facing shooters, and give users a two-minute window to snap a pic. Content shared via the challenges will appear in the Stories tray.

Instagram says this is just an "internal prototype" at this stage, but based on past form, we can probably expect it to become an official feature in the coming months.

But while Instagram has form for successfully copying features like Snapchat Stories and TikTok's video format, there comes a point when one app is just too full to successfully incorporate every possible feature. It just becomes too much stuff.

Brands are taking to BeReal right now, but its focus on minimal daily use casts doubt over its potential for becoming a major force in advertising, so perhaps Instagram shouldn't bother anyway.

Maybe leave this one to the newcomer, eh? A bit of competition and variety isn't the end of the world, and I'm sure regulators around the world would agree.

📺 Essential viewing

Zuck sat down for a typically lengthy chat with Joe Rogan.

Here are a few highlights:

  • Zuckerberg said running Meta sucks “it's almost like everyday you wake up you’re punched in the stomach”

  • He gave up jogging as when you run you think a lot

  • He says he doesn’t want to build something that makes people angry 

  • He confirmed a new Meta Quest Pro VR headset coming in October

  • He says he finds it hard to spend a lot of time on Twitter without getting very upset

  • He describes a typical day starts for like for him: “You wake up in the morning. Look at my phone, get like a million messages…it’s usually not good. It’s almost like every day you wake up and you’re punched in the stomach. And it’s like, ok, well fuck.”

👀 Read of the week

"Meta banned filters that 'encourage plastic surgery,' but a massive demand for beauty augmentation on social media is complicating matters."

📊 Stat of the week

I mean, it's a nice dream, and the barrier to entry is low, but it's hard to imagine a quarter of young adults becoming successful influencers...

❓ Questions of the week

I asked my followers to help Meta and TikTok with some advice. Tap through for some great ideas, and to add your own:

👀 One to watch

This might be a China-only thing right now, and separate from TikTok, but in a world where young people look to social apps rather than traditional search engines, a company like ByteDance getting into search is worth keeping an eye on...

🔥 Hot tests

Could Pinterest finally have a hit on its hands here?

💬 Quoted

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri admits the app's taken the wrong path of late:

...and Jack Dorsey wishes he'd turned Twitter into an open protocol rather than a company. It certainly would have saved a lot of hassle.

😎 Insider info

A Meta employee (briefly) revealed how long it took to make Zuck's metaverse selfie.

👉 On-point meme

📈 Trending meme

Meet the Argentinian woman who's been shouting all sorts in this dude's ear all week...

Even Instagram got in on the trend, although the RNIB would like you to know people with screen readers might find the meme very annoying.

📈 Charts of the week

This isn't massively surprising, but it's worth noting. This data is for Instagram influencers rather than regular users.

Meanwhile, shopping on TikTok is often thanks to a chance encounter, but influencers, friends, and family often play a part in successful sales.

💬 You can quote me on that

When I’m quoted in the news, you’ll find it here…

I shared my thoughts with the Drum about Truth Social's prospects.

Also:

🐣 lol tweets

🔵 Meta news

"Meta Platforms Inc learned that the US Federal Trade Commission was suing the company over one of its smaller acquisitions via a Twitter post."

  • …but the FTC has agreed to remove Mark Zuckerberg as a defendant in the case. [New York Times $$$]

  • Facebook fixed a bizarre bug that filled users’ feeds with celebrities. [The Verge]

  • Meta made 68 “newsworthiness allowances” in one year for pieces of content that might otherwise violate its rules, the company says. [CNet]

  • …and spam still gets a lot of engagement on Facebook. [Social Media Today]

  • Meta has shared its progress in dealing with bullying and harassment on Facebook and Instagram. [Meta Newsroom]

  • Instagram says blocking Reels exports that weren’t yet published to the platform was a bug and will be fixed. [The Verge]

  • Meta’s A.I. chatbot called a distinguished college professor a terrorist. [DailyDot]

  • Meta has reached a $37.5m settlement in a lawsuit that alleged it tracked users’ locations without consent. [Axios]

  • UK home secretary Priti Patel says it would be a ‘grotesque betrayal’ of children for Facebook and Instagram to fully adopt encrypted messaging. [Sky News]

  • Instagram has hit back at rumours it shares your precise location with others. [@InstagramComms]

  • A Meta employee posted a ‘making of Mark Zuckerberg’s avatar’ explanation on LinkedIn… and then deleted it. [@MattNavarra]

  • Meta has published a new video to help convince doubters about the power of the metaverse. [Social Media Today]

  • Britney Spears deleted her Instagram account after publishing a tease for her collab with Elton John. [Harpers Bazaar]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

  • Facebook has been spotted offering a 'Top Fans' sticker for Stories. [@techjalal]

  • 'Add Yours' has been spotted as a format option in Facebook Stories. [@jonah_manzano]

  • An option to 'Add this to your video call' has been spotted in Facebook. [@techjalal]

Instagram:

  • Instagram now offers a Question Sticker for Reels videos. [@yousufortaccom]

  • Instagram has added QR code sharing for all post types, Instagram photo map, and sharing profiles. [@MattNavarra]

  • Instagram now puts new users under 16 onto the most restrictive content setting by default. [TechCrunch]

  • Instagram now has a 'Share Products' option in messages. [@jonah_manzano]

  • Instagram is testing a 'switch to full screen feed' option on Android. [@oncescuradu]

  • Instagram is testing a new UI for sharing. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Instagram could soon let you create Reels only for close friends. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram seems almost ready to launch its 'Boards' feature. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram is still working on group profiles for a ;Communities' feature. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram has renamed its in-progress 'Content Appreciation' feature to be called 'Gifts'. [@alex193a]

Messenger:

  • Messenger's Mac app has been updated to better support Apple's M1 and M2 processors. [9to5Mac]

WhatsApp:

  • WhatsApp's Communities feature has rolled out to beta users. [TechCrunch]

  • WhatsApp has started testing the ability for group admins to delete any message. [MacRumors]

  • WhatsApp is working on displaying status updates in the chat list. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp could introduce a way to recover deleted messages. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp is developing profile photos for group chats. [WABetaInfo]

The rest: Creator Studio/adtech/Quest and more:

  • Meta has started rolling out Meta accounts for Quest VR headsets. [@Oculus_Dev]

  • The Meta Quest Pro headset will be released in October, Mark Zuckerberg told Joe Rogan. [UploadVR]

🐣 Twitter news

"Doctors, scientists and advocates attempting to warn the public about the dangers of the virus have had tweets flagged and accounts suspended."

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • Twitter wants brands to get ready for tweeting through the World Cup. [Twitter Marketing]

New features and tests:

  • Twitter is adding podcasts to the Spaces tab, creating a new hub for audio in the app. [The Verge]

  • Twitter is testing a new 'Tweet Tiles' feature for link previews. [Social Media Today]

  • Twitter has added more users to its new TweetDeck Preview. [@TweetDeck]

  • Twitter has shared a thread listing recent updates to its Notes product. [@TwitterWrite]

  • Twitter is testing a Spaces soundboard on iOS. [@TwitterSpaces]

  • Twitter's podcast player is nearly ready. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter could soon introduce Facebook-style tag prompts for photos. [@chrismessina]

  • Twitter is working on a Shopping section for its app. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is building a chat feature for Communities. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is developing a link button with custom text for profiles. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter is still working on a 'delegate' option for accounts. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter is testing a profile badge that shows you have vverified your phone number. [The Verge]

  • Twitter is working on new reply filter options. [Social Media Today]

  • Twitter is building a feature that lets Communities launch special Spaces. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter has expanded its new Spaces emoji reaction test to iOS. [@TwitterSpaces]

  • Twitter could soon let you hide your "Super Follower" badge when you reply to the super followed person. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter is developing a discovery feature for custom timelines created by third-parties. [@wongmjane]

  • Twitter is working on new seasonal icons for Blue subscribers. [@alex193a]

  • Apple's #AppleEvent hashflag is live on Twitter ahead of its 7 September event, where the next iPhone is set to be unveiled. [MacRumors]

🔺 TikTok news

The latest move in Amazon's push to engage with influencers.

  • TikTok has been compared to crack cocaine in a report by Wall Street analysts. [Insider]

  • The TikTok hit Pink Sauce is hitting grocery store shelves. [TubeFilter]

New features and tests:

  • TikTok is working on a new ‘Nearby’ / ‘Local’ feed, in conjunction with a new option giving creators the ability to add a location tag to videos. [TechCrunch]

  • TikTok has started rolling out read status for messages. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has rolled out the Favourites notifications for creators. [@MattNavarra]

  • ...and the feature has already been spotted in the wild. [@brendangahan]

  • TikTok has introduced Effect House Badges. [@jonah_manzano]

  • TikTok has been spotted renaming 'Voice Over' to 'Audio Editing' and offering more effects. [@jonah_manzano]

💥 More social media news and updates

"Trump’s site faces criticism for hosting violent content—and for filtering innocuous posts."

  • ...and Truth Social has had its trademark application denied. [Axios]

  • US states are bracing for social media to inspire violence around the midterm elections. [Bloomberg $$$]

  • YouTube is the most-used podcast platform, according to a new study. [The Verge]

  • YouTube users save an average of 900 years per day watching videos at faster playback speeds, according to the company. [Variety]

  • YouTube has banned former kickboxer Andrew Tate for violating its rules, including those around hate speech. [BBC News]

  • ...and YouTube has removed a video that tested whether Tesla's 'Full Self Driving' mode would hit real kids. [The Verge]

  • Snap has been sued by the makers of a video editing app. [Hollywood Reporter]

  • A marketing agency has acquired the viral LinkedIn post generator I shared in last week's newsletter. [Gizmodo]

  • LinkedIn has shared information about how it's improving its search results. [Social Media Today]

  • Dispo wants to appeal to frustrated Instagram fans, by focusing on photos rather than video. [Digiday $$$]

  • US lawmakers are pressing Facebook, TikTok, and Truth Social to hand over data about threats against the FBI after the bureau searched Trump's home. [The Verge]

  • The Online Harms Bill is itself harmful, according to a former England and Wales Supreme Court judge. [TechDirt]

  • England women's football players got 125 positive posts for each hate one during the Euros – a stark contrast to the abuse directed at England men. [The Guardian]

  • Reddit's DMCA removals surged 15,000% in the past five years. [TorrentFreak]

  • Amazon is vying for influencer ad dollars with splashy events and gifts, a new leaked deck shows. [Insider $$$]

  • ...while Instacart is enlisting celebrities and influencers to make customers' shopping lists. [The Verge]

  • Twitch has loosened restrictions on partners. They can now also stream on platforms like YouTube and Facebook, with some caveats. [The Verge]

  • Telegram's founder wants to explore web3-based auctions for custom usernames. [TechCrunch]

New features and tests:

  • YouTube's TV apps will soon support Shorts. [Protocol]

  • ...and they could soon let you watch four livestreams at once. [The Verge]

  • YouTube has added a dedicated podcasts homepage in the US. [TechCrunch]

  • YouTube has expanded access to Audience Behavior Insights and added new creative tools for community posts. [Social Media Today]

  • YouTube Studio will soon get a Monetise tab. [@jonah_manzano]

  • You can now become Mark Zuckerberg's Horizon Worlds avatar, thanks to a new Snapchat lens. [Fast Company]

  • Snap has launched new AR experiences to tie in with the new 'House of the Dragon' TV show. [TechCrunch]

  • Reddit has revealed its themed app icon for Android 13. [Android Police]

  • Clubhouse is working on any-emoji reactions to messages in Houses. [@alex193a]

  • Clubhouse is developing a 'Lounge' feature for Houses. [@alex193a]

📖 Weekend reading

"Niche internet micro celebrities are people online who are known to a small but often dedicated group and they represent a growing variant of the attention economy."

😳 And finally...

You: What time u comin home?

Dad: 👍👍👍

You: nvm

📅 Back next week...

…And that’s a wrap!

To-Do List

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Schedule posts 🔲

Chase algorithm 🔲

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Right… Time for us all to get the hell outta here.

And for those who DM’d me asking…

Yes, Coldplay at Wembley last weekend was soooo good! View my Instagram Story Highlights.

Goodbye geeks!

– Matt

______

This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant

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